LearnHub

Unfortunately iPod only suports MP4 so the files have to be converted. Rob

Nice lesson, thanks.

I seem to recall that there is a formula for determining someone’s change in weight (or weight equivalent) when they travel at a certain speed – e.g. when an unbelted driver who weighs 70 kg comes to a sudden stop from 100 km/hr they’re weight is…......?

Hello, On a ralated topic…..the following is a link to our paramedic instructor blackboard site with some online podcast samples using Adobe Presenter and Elluminate:

1. Go to: http://gc.blackboard.com/

2. user name: paramedic

password: 911911

3. Select the “My blackboard” tab (if the tab is not already selected when you login)

4. Click on “Paramedic Instructors Forum”

5. Click on the “documents” tab on the left side of the screen

6. Click on the ACP Virtual Lessons folder and then just click on any one of the lessons posted

Note: When you click on any of the Elluminate Live links, it may take a minute for the Webcast to come up.

cheers

What about the quiz function – is that included in the basic product? Do you also know if Articulate provides a means to convert files into a format that’s compatible with iPod and a format for a PDA?

I’ve only used WIZiQ a couple of times. I like the look, I like the audio more than Elluminate. I love that when participants use the whiteboard tools that the moderator can see the participant’s name tagged to the action. I think if you add video it eats up too much bandwidth and creates a lag. I couldn’t see a simple way to paste images on the whiteboard, but I need more practice. I was very impressed by the fact that you can get many people on at the same time for free and even more impressed that you can record the sessions. It has great potential!

I accepted the invitation…now what? lol

I think so…or rtheriault

I am at WiZiQ now (I have a membership), but I’m not sure how to find the session?

May 5th should be good, assuming it’s at the same time (2pm EST) or 9m in Jerusalem. I think that’s the correct time conversion?

vRoom from Elluminate is also free, but only three people can go on at any one time.

I am afraid I can’t do the 24th either. Let me know when the next one is schedule and we’ll try again. Thanks! Rob T

Interesting commentary! Tought provoking.

I was particularly interested in his comments on the topic of ISO 9000 certification. Setting well established benchmarks for all educational institutions has the potential to expose alledgedly great educational institutions as weak and reveal the perceived weak institutions as great. I wonder how long it will be before the ISO 9000 certification wave hits educational institutions in a big way, particul;arly higher education? hmmm….

I meant to add GoToMeeting…wasn’t overly impressed. :)

I’ve used Macromedia Breeze (now Adobe Connect), Elluminate and WiZiQ. Elluminate has been the most impressive to me overall, but I’ve only tried WiZiQ briefly and I find it very impressive, especially as cjuacksonrcu mention, the quality of the audio and the fact that powerpoint animations are unaffected when converted to flash.

I am hoping more people post their experience on webcasting platforms. I am pushing my college to move to adopt the concept in of synchronized online learning and I’m anxious hear the pros and cons from others.

Good discussion!

Persuade your institution to go to synchronous lonline learning – that’s the quick way to humanize online learning in my view. Use it exclusively or in tanden with asynchronous online learning. I used Elluminate this semester on a trial basis and it was amazingly interactive and engaging (I hope). Lessons can be recorded for those who are unable to attend. Students can login on their own to do group work.

Like Techno_Teacher, I also use instant messaging for my virtual office hours. I actually have more productive time during my virtual office hours and less wasted time having trivial chit chat – not that I object to chit chat, but the students are usually just looking for a quick explanation and then they leave.

cheer, Rob T

I downloaded Audacity (free) and use it for recording. To record to Audacity I use the Microsoft LifeChat 6000 bluetooth mic/earpiece ($49). It allows me to walk up to 30 feet away from my laptop and still record. I don’t like to be on a short leash when I teach. From Audacity I can edit the audio files and then convert to mp3 format. I don’t yet have anywhere to deposit my audio podcasts, so I bought a UBS hub ($14) which allows me to connect 4 thumbdrives at a time. My students just hand me their thumb drives and I copy the files over. I am hoping we get iTunes University soon.

Thanks Nellie. I am honored by your invitation. I have a meeting tomorrow but if you let me know the time of next week’s session and will check my calendar. Rob T

I prefer the written message to and from students. I like to have that recorded message for the sake of having a record I can refer to later if I need to.

On a similar topic….With respect to office hours, I do most of mine online using MSN and/or vRoom (Elluminate) and I’ve found it actually cuts down my hours – e.g. instead of a student coming to my office with a simple question and then staying to chat about trivia for 20 minutes, they send a quick question by MSN, I answer it, and they’re gone. I sometimes get 5-6 students in the library crowded around one student’s laptop and they’ll fire off a few questions for clarification and I avoid 5-6 appointments. It an answer requires something more visual for the explanation I send them to my vRoom and bring up slides or images. Rob T

Students podcasting! Oh, I wanted to add….I recently gave my paramedic students an audio assignment where they had to record a couple of medical reports (the kind they would give to a physician or nurse when they arrive with a patient at the hospital.

It worked out quite well. The students recorded their reports using either the Windows record function of a free downloadable recorderand sent the mp3 files by e-mail or wav files on a disc. Each report was approximately 2 minutes long and I had to listen to each report 2-3 times to make notes about the key areas, but overall it wasn’t a very time consuming process. I created a rubric to evaluate and score the reports based on content, proper use of medical language, length and flow and overall impression.

I know that many of the students wrote their notes down and read them (I could hear paper shuffling in the background on some recordings) and I know that most of them recorded their reports several times before submitting the final product. To me, that’s even better than I had hoped for because the learning that goes into writing it down, rearranging it into the right sequence and then verbally rehearsing it is the best learning I could have hoped for.

I have been trying to persuade my college to adopt iTunes U and I am just waiting to hear about a decision.

cheers Rob T

I started audio podcasts 2 years ago. Obviously it’s not as robust as video, but my students love it and always ask for the podcasts. When I started, I remember one student in particular who was quiet and sat at the back of the class. Mid way through the semester we had a reading week and when he returned he began participating in class like never before and his answers were textbook perfect. When I asked him if he had spent a lot of time during the week studying, his response was “no, not exactly”. It turns out that he worked at a factory for the week to earn a little extra money and while working he listened to the podcasts every day. This is when I knew I was onto something good. I have another student who drives 2 1/2 hours to get to class and he listens while he drives. I cautioned him about the risks of falling asleep while listening to my voice but so far, so good. lol

cheers