Center for Technology Enhanced Learning

Are you familiar with screencasting?

Screencasting is a recording of the contents of your computer screen and audio sources. It is most commonly used to demonstrate software for tutorials, or to narrate Powerpoint presentations. Common tools used on Windows and/or Mac are applications such as Camtasia, Screencast-o-Matic, Screenflow, Captivate, and many others.

iPad users now have the ability to do screencasts, with the tap of an icon. The app “Explain Everything” allows you to import Powerpoint, PDF files and photographs from Evernote, Dropbox, or your device’s camera roll. (Or, you can start with a blank presentation and draw in freehand or type on the screen.)

Once imported, you tap a record button, and move through your slides or photos while narrating the topic. You can use a virtual laser pointer, highlighter or marker to emphasize points as you go. Once finished, simply tap to export your screencast to Dropbox or to your camera roll. A few moments later, your screencast is ready to go, right from your iPad, and for only $2.99.

I’ve had a chance to try this out, and it works very well – even with the built-in mic on the iPad, so there is no need to carry around a headset or earbuds with microphone. It really couldn’t be simpler to create short lecturettes, right on your iPad. I found the quality to be on par with Camtasia, and the process to be simpler as well as less expensive.

If you have an iPad, and want to try screencasting, check it out!

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/explain-everything/id431493086?mt=8

USM Online will cover registrations fees (valued at $400-$500 each) for USM faculty (full time, part time, or adjunct) and staff in the Sloan-C Online Workshops . Each workshop is developed by practitioners for practitioners, enabling thousands of colleagues worldwide to collaborate with peers and experts, via real-time and asynchronous meetings. These fully online workshops (with optional synchronous Collaborate sessions) are 10-15 days long (about equivalent to one full day face to face seminar), and have been widely acclaimed among professional development organizations in online education. They are applicable (depending on the topic) for fully online, blended, and face to face instruction.

Contact Robin Russell (rarussell@usm.maine.edu) with which workshop you want to attend and she will send you registration info.

Some upcoming seminar topics include the following.
See the full schedule for additional info on each workshop.

Open Educational Resources: Use, Reuse, Share – FREE - October 5, 2011 2:00 – 3:30PM ET

Join in this exploration of how to find high quality content and materials for use in teaching and learning. Hear from leaders of OER organizations and faculty who have found effective and creative ways to incorporate these resources in a variety of settings – online, blended, and traditional courses.

Using Technology to Support Conceptual Teaching and Learning of STEM – Experiences in Kenya – FREE - October 19, 2011 10:00 – 11:30AM ET

This webinar will share experiences of successful integration of technology for conceptual learning of mathematics and sciences using support from HP Catalyst Initiative. The equipment used in the project includes PC tablets and multiseat desktops. Three stages for integration that will be presented are:

1. Planning
2. Implementation
3. Monitoring stages.

Please join us to see how technology is helping meet the challenges of STEM education in Kenya. This is a webinar about integration of technology in the teaching of mathematics and science against all odds.

Live Preview of the 17th Annual Sloan Consortium International Conference on Online Learning (Nov 9-11, Orlando) – Virtual attendee program preview – FREE - October 20, 2011 2:00 – 3:00PM ET

No travel funds? Unable to find time in your busy schedule to attend an onsite conference? Learn more about the virtual attendee option for the 17th Annual Sloan-C International Conference on Online Learning, taking place November 9-11, 2011 in Lake Buena Vista (Orlando), FL. This year’s program explores the theme “Online Learning, Teaching and Research in the New Media Ecology,” offering a full complement presentations rooted in solid research to support best practices and a better understanding of how to leverage the new media ecology to support student learning.

ePortfolios in the Cloud: Documenting, Connecting, Learning – FREE - November 29, 2011 10:00 – 11:30PM ET

ePortfolios hold much potential for providing learners with a means to enhance and document their lifelong learning. In this webinar, we will share some experiences, lessons learned, strengths and weaknesses of different products and our rationale for choices made. Participants will glean helpful information about options for implementing ePortfolios and some informative examples of their use as an active and engaging teaching tool. There will be examples from two common ePortfolio environments, Digication and Mahara. And the participants will obtain information about resources for implementing ePortfolios, such as AAEEBL.

Webinars typically last anywhere from a half hour to an hour and a half.   New webinars will be added soon.   Check the webinar site  frequently.  View recordings of previous webinars here.

I just finished reading a research study published by Merlot’s JOLT (Journal of Online Learning and Teaching).  The study examined how instructors used social media, specifically Twitter, for professional knowledge.  Quite a lengthy article, but well worth the read.  Enjoy!

http://jolt.merlot.org/vol7no3/alderton_0911.htm

The CTEL Faculty Technology Ambassadors invite you to the annual Faculty & Student Eye on Technology Showcase (aka iTech) Wed Oct 26 from 9-5.  Join us for this excellent opportunity to learn what faculty and students are doing with technology in their courses, both face-to-face and online settings.  The day will be filled with presentations, panel discussions, and hands-on workshops. T his is an opportunity to share ideas, experiences, and questions or just lunch with your colleagues!

We need YOU to make this day! Ideas for talks include (but are definitely not limited to);

-       Using tools like Paper Show or tablets in face-to-face or online classes

-       Teaching with a smartboard

-       Using web 2.0 tools to supplement or replace Blackboard,

-       Mobile technology teaching tools

-       What are YOU doing that would interest other faculty?

-      NEW THIS YEAR: Are your students doing something that would interest other faculty and students? Share this with them, too!

Please fill out the form at:

https://docs.google.com/a/maine.edu/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dFkwSlRVMVZkRnJlUU5tRjJwNkg0cHc6MQ

if you are interested in giving a talk and we will be in touch with you.

An RSVP for attendees will come out in October.  If you have any questions please contact Luci Benedict (lbenedict@usm.maine.edu), Faculty Ambassador.

Are you considering teaching online or already know you will be in Spring or Summer? Sloan-C has a great introductory workshop coming up

Oct 5 – 21 : Getting Started: The First Step Towards Online Teaching

The free-to-you seminar will introduce you to online education fundamentals as well as giving you hands on experience as an online student. You will have the opportunity to discuss questions, concerns, and insights with faculty who have extensive experience in the field as well as others new-to-online.

USM Online will cover registrations fees (valued at $400-$500 each) for USM faculty (full time, part time, or adjunct) and staff in any Sloan-C Online Workshops this year. Each workshop is developed by practitioners for practitioners, enabling thousands of colleagues worldwide to collaborate with peers and experts, via real-time and asynchronous meetings. These fully online workshops (with optional synchronous Elluminate sessions) are 10-15 days long (about equivalent to one full day face to face seminar), and have been widely acclaimed among professional development organizations in online education. They are applicable (depending on the topic) for fully online, blended, and face to face instruction.

Contact Robin Russell (rarussell@usm.maine.edu) with the name of the workshop you want to attend and she will send you registration info.

CTEL would like to notify you of some upcoming “free-to-you” Sloan-C online seminar topics include (links are to specific offerings of the workshop, check the full schedule for other 2011 dates):

Sep 28 – Oct 7 : Copyright Compliance for Online Educators 

Oct 5 – 14 : Beginning Second Life 

Oct 5 – 21 : Conference Networking with Social Media 

Oct 5 – 21 : Getting Started: The First Step Towards Online Teaching 

Oct 12 – 21 : Accessibility the Easy Way: Enhancing Your Course’s Accessibility Without Breaking A Sweat 

Oct 12 – 21 : Advanced Podcasting and Other Web 2.0 Multimedia 

Oct 19 – 28 : Open Ed Resources: Use, Reuse, Share 

Oct 19 – 28 : Retention Strategies in Online Education 

Oct 19 – Nov 4 : Implementing the Quality Scorecard for the Administration of Online Education Programs 

USM Online will cover registrations fees (valued at $400-$500 each) for up to 100 USM faculty (full time, part time, or adjunct) and staff in the Sloan-C Online Workshops this year. Each workshop is developed by practitioners for practitioners, enabling thousands of colleagues worldwide to collaborate with peers and experts, via real-time and asynchronous meetings. These fully online workshops (with optional synchronous Elluminate sessions) are 10-15 days long (about equivalent to one full day face to face seminar), and have been widely acclaimed among professional development organizations in online education. They are applicable (depending on the topic) for fully online, blended, and face to face instruction.

Contact Robin Russell (rarussell@usm.maine.edu) with which workshop you want to attend and she will send you registration info.

This is a reminder that Blackboard handles external links differently after the summer upgrade to service pack 5.  Any external link (such as videos, audio or websites that do not reside within the actual course) will present a red warning bar across the top of the Blackboard session.  This is not an error, but it CAN result in students’ being unable to access the desired information or media content. To avoid this problem, you need to set the external link to open in a New Window. For details please visit our CMS External Links page.

Direct URL: http://usm.maine.edu/ctel/ctel-external-audio-and-video-links

by Juan Carlos Perez

Chrome browser users will be able to access Gmail when they’re not connected to the Internet starting Wednesday and will gain similar offline capabilities for Docs and Calendar in the coming week, the company announced on Wednesday.

Users will need to install individual offline-access applications from the Chrome Web Store to add these capabilities to their browser. The Gmail application is called Gmail Offline and is based on the Gmail application for tablets, which works both with and without Internet access. Docs and Calendar will each have its own offline-access application on the Chrome Web Store.

Google adds offline access to Gmail in Chrome