my first video

Here is the video I made using Windows Movie Maker. I'd heard lots of bad things about WMM - like how it is not as good as iMovie. But I have to say I was pleasantly surprised. Don't get me wrong - it wasn't easy and took many hours of trial and error - but overall I would say that it's a tool I would use again.

I had to open an account at Blog TV in order to have somewhere to upload my video - click here to view the video.

The video is about our visit to Capilano Suspension Bridge - just after we arrived in Vancouver. The audio is a little faint - so you might find you have to bump up the sound level to hear my dulcet tones ...

Instructional Video

This weekend, I'm thinking about educational video.

Video, like all instructional media, should be appropriate to the context in terms of both the audience and the content. There are certain contexts which require video content to be simple and other times when creativity is appropriate. Enriching video content is unlikely to make it more 'educational' - but retaining learners' interest and motivation may lead to more engagement with the content and therefore might increase learning.

I appreciate the videos made by Lee LeFever at Commoncraft - Wikis in Plain English, for example. This is an example of a video that is both plain and simple but is also very creative and entertaining. Having said that, I used this example in a workshop in Botswana and people found it a little too fast. But that's the beauty of video - you can replay for yourself as many times as you want.

Creative Commons Licences

Today, I am attending an internal workshop at COL where we are trying to learn more about the intricacies of producing materials under Creative Commons licences. Copyright is a difficult issue - especially for COL where we contract a lot of different writers to develop course materials.

An interesting feature of the workshop is that we are also using Twitter to make comments and ask questions on the presentation. Twitter is increasingly used in international conferences to provide a way for audiences to comment or seek clarification during a presentation.

Interesting process.

Podcast 3

At last! we have internet in our new house and I can get on with this course. Here is podcast episode 3 from the series, Voice from Vancouver. it's called 'A tale of 2 cities' and it's all about the differences in living in a rural town in Botswana compared to downtown Vancouver.

Listen to this episode

I'm finally starting to understand how Podbean works and even though it's taken me a long time, I appreciate the assignment to do 3 podcasts - helps to embed the learning.

I won't post any more Voice from Vancouver podcasts on this blog ... but if you want to hear more you can go to voice-from-vancouver.blogspot.com

Podcast 2

I'm sorry if this is confusing (you should try this from my side) but here is podcast number 2!

I've been trying to keep up with current modules as well as catch up with previous ones - so I'm still recording and uploading podcasts as we have to do 3. Actually, it's starting to get a little easier now and I even remember how to do it without the instructions - yay!. We use Podbean to host our podcasts - it's a great free service and anyone can use it.

In this episode, I explain what the Commonwealth of Learning is and a little about my new job there as Education Specialist, Skills Development. Let me know what you think of the podcast - or if you want to ask any questions about COL - you can send an email or even post to this blog.

Listen to this episode

Google not talking

We tried to have a group chat using Google Talk so that we could complete a group task for an assignment. It was hard enough to get three of us online at the same time (!) but then we discovered that we did not have the 'group' facility in GT. So with a quick bit of thinking, we decided to sign the others up for a Skype address and then we could have a 3-way conversation in Skype.

Then we discovered we needed to share a document - you can share files on skype but not one that you can all see synchronously. So we opened a file in Google Docs and discovered you can all edit a document and see each others' contribution. That was how we managed to complete the assignment.

A bit of a long way round - but it worked!

Google Talk

This week we have to use GoogleTalk ... which is a lot like Skype which I have been using for some time to communicate with friends and family.

GoogleTalk allows you to have synchronous communication - both text and/or audio plus you can share files. My son used to use Skype often to send me his university assignments for comment, or photos of his travels.

I'm hoping to catch up with classmates using GoogleTalk this week. My contact details:

a.mead.richardson@gmail.com

Survey

I am working on the module on surveys and evaluation as well as trying to catch up with previous modules.

I was quite interested in learning how to do online surveys with Survey Monkey as it is a tool I am expected to use in my new job.

I watched the tutorials provided by Survey Monkey and learned enough information to get started and then it was fairly intuitive. The design stage is pretty flexible and you can change the questions as often as you need to. I have only just sent out the surveys so I haven't got to the analysis stage yet. Here's my survey - it's all about the books you read - please feel free to complete the survey.


Click Here to take survey

Module 4 - podcasting

Our assignment for this module was to identify some podcasts that we enjoyed and subscribe to the RSS feed in Blogbridge - although I prefer to subscribe through Outlook. We also had to describe the characteristics of a good podcast.

Next we had to record our own podcast, upload it to Podbean and post it to our blog. I decided to do a podcast for my friends and family giving news about our recent move to Canada.

Voice from Vancouver 1 Listen to this episode

Using audio

I'm uploading this audio a second time - because I need the practice. For some reason I am struggling to find my way around Podbean - even though other people seem to find it easy. So I figured that I should practice more.

Here's my first audio recording - on why educators don't use audio - recorded in Audacity, uploaded to Podbean and embedded in my blog.

Listen to this episode

Degree Mills ... dog earns MBA

One of my concerns about online learning relates to the idea that anyone with a computer and a dishonest nature can set up a 'university' and there will always be some unsuspecting student who will buy-in. Now I know Melanie's cat has been checking out the cost of DE courses - but that was all in the spirit of market research! This was posted on GetEducated.com ... dog earns online MBA


GetEducated's mascot, pug Chester Ludlow, is the proud recipient of an online MBA, "earned" from Rochville University for the sum of $499.

Rochville advertises that it will award degrees based on "life and career experience." Rochville apparently did not investigate Chester's career claims (such as running the "Wolf it Down Diner") very carefully. Instead, one week after Chester submitted his application (and payment), a package arrived from Dubai with Chester's diploma, grade transcripts, and even a window decal for his car. (Don't worry - Chester is forbidden from driving.)

"Degree mills represent a billion dollar industry worldwide," says GetEducated CEO Vicky Phillips. "If you define a degree mill as any agency willing to award educational credentials without concern as to whether or not learning actually occurred, then it appears Chester the pug has been the victim of a degree mill."

Chester is starring in a short film about his educational adventures: "Dog Earns Online MBA: A Cautionary Tail." In this video, Chester and his sidekick Bixby, a rescue puggle, dramatize the canine quest for credible online education.

To help combat credential fraud, GetEducated.com operates a free service, The Diploma Mill Police. This service allows consumers to verify the accreditation status of any online college. It also helps employers screen resumes for fraudulent college credentials.

Welcome to detechnophile

This is just to say Hi to all my new classmates and thanks for visiting my blog! I don't write much here but it helps me to organise my thoughts when I'm learning new things.

Using audio

At last I've managed the first part of this assignment. I've recorded my audio using Audacity... uploaded it to Podbean; found the HTML code for the link to the audio on Podbean and posted it into a message on the class discussion board! Phew!

Now I have to see if I can post it to this post (if you see what I mean?)

My big problem is still struggling with the HTML - it's like I'm operating in a foreign language. Keep trying Alison.

Listen to this episode

Why do I think educators don't use audio .... because it's not as simple as it seems. But I think it is worth the effort.

Boy I'm learning a lot ... and I love it!

Narrowband not Garageband

I am SO frustrated. Trying to do this course from a developing country is REALLY good for me - it reminds me how frustrated my colleagues must get when we say .... oh you just go to this website and upload the file ....

I've made my audio file using Audacity (I couldn't replay it but I can see it so hopefully it is there.) but I cannot for the life of me upload it to Podbean. Mind you - this is from a location where we cannot use VOIP on skype so that might be an indication.

And I really want to learn how to use more audio in my courses ... humph!

Syndication

I've been running a family and friends blog in Blogger for about a year now - so I already knew how to link to other blogs. But I'd never taken the time to learn how to put an Atom or RSS site feed onto my own blog - and now I can do it - yay!

Like one of my classmates commented, I've been subscribing to newsfeeds and blogs for a while but not using an aggregator like Blogbridge - I only knew how to do it by email before - so that is a second new skill - yay again!

I think class blogs could be great fun for learners . I'm trying to think of a sensible way to use blogs in a project I'm working on in Botswana. The problem is that the participants have already had to learn Basecamp and Moodle and there's only so much they can take in at a time ...

... more to ponder on ...

To HTML or not to HTML ...

... that is the question!
My colleagues in the Stardust Team all seem very comfortable and skilled in using HTML - which I am not. I've never really felt the urge to take the time to learn HTML properly but they present some compelling arguments as to why it is a useful skill. I am starting to feel like a bit of a Luddite! Maybe I need a re-think ...

Welcome to detechnophile

This is my space for reflecting on my learning journey in advanced technologies for DE. I've long been interested in media and computing and things with plugs and lots of buttons but especially how they can help with educational development. Now I have some protected time to think about these things and learn a whole lot more. Welcome ... join in ... enjoy the ride!