Teaching and Learning with Technology Blog

January 01, 2010

Recording Class Lectures

Scenario – Recording Class Lectures

A number of instructors are recording their lectures for course casting that provides opportunities for students to review materials for reinforcement or that they missed. If course podcasts are not available, then students can request permission from their instructor, especially if they are registered through their College's office of Accessibility Services. Equipped with an inexpensive microphone an iPod touch can be used for recording lectures, which can then be transferred to iTunes for conversion and tagging. Lectures can be organized by playlist, topic, instructors, and date to help students find materials for repeat listening and review. The recordings in turn can be copied to an iPod Touch to allow mobile playback using the same method of organization.

Software: Apple's Voice Memos app, iTunes for Macintosh or Windows http://www.apple.com/itunes

Hardware: iPod Touch Gen 2 or Gen 3 (has volume slider bar on side) for recording; external microphone

Process

Attach an external microphone to the iPod touch audio port.
Open the Voice Memos app and start the recording.
Stop the recording, trim start and end as necessary.
Connect iPod to your computer and copy recordings to iTunes.
Tag the recordings.
Copy the recorded chapters to the iPod Touch. Students can read and listen at the same time or listen only.

View PDF Tutorial (opens in new window)

Voice Memos – Apple provided this app as part of iPod Software Update version 3.0, which requires a 2nd or 3rd Generation iPod and a microphone with a 3-ring 3.5mm connector. Voice Memos allows recording, trimming, saving as a voice memo, and sharing as an e-mail MPEG-4 (.m4a) audio attachment.

Feminist Agency

The Women’s Studies Program Presents: The 16th Annual Julia Reinstein Symposium "Celebrating International Women"

Keynote Address by Dr. Jessie Kabwila Kapasula

“Feminist Agency in the Age of Beyonce's 'Single Ladies':Faces of International Feminism in Transnational Popular Songs”

The keynote address refers to three music videos, which can be played by clicking the links below. The referral times in the address are in parentheses.

Keynote address

Music Videos

Beyonce All the single ladies (16 min. 12 sec.)

Music Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4m1EFMoRFvY

Lyrics: http://www.metrolyrics.com/single-ladies-lyrics-beyonce-knowles.html

Neyo Miss Independent (38 min. 51 sec.)

Music Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6M5C-oKw9k

Lyrics -http://www.metrolyrics.com/miss-independent-lyrics-neyo.html

Nalu House Money and Car (42 min. 1 sec.)

Music video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=moex19whag8

Converting PDF's to Audiobooks

Scenario - PDF's to Audiobooks

For many students comprehension of printed text materials depends on reading and listening to the text at the same time. Although it is possible to scan printed materials into electronic format the process is tedious and inaccurate. Some publishers will provide audio materials in a format that requires a special player such as a Victor Reader. Typically these players are cumbersome to use, bulky, and are not integrated within a student's learning environment. There is also the stigma of having to carry around the device. In this scenario publishers provide searchable PDF files usually by chapter.

Attention! Conversion of copyrighted materials can only be used by students who have purchased the textbook and are registered with the office of accessibility services. The PDF’s and converted spoken text cannot be distributed.

Software: PDF to text converter; iSpeak It! for Macintosh or Flame Reader (Windows); iTunes for Macintosh or Windows http://www.apple.com/itunes

Hardware: iPod Touch for reading and listening; portable media for audio only.

Process

Open the PDF document - typically a chapter file - and convert it to text (Macintosh Preview, Adobe Acrobat, CutePDF for Windows, or http://zamzar.com).
Copy and paste the text into FlameReader for Windows or iSpeak It! for Macintosh
Convert text into MP3 or AAC audio format.
Add the recording to iTunes and then tag the audio recording.
iSpeak It for Macintosh provides options to facilitate tagging, bookmarking, and categorizing the spoken text as an iTunes audiobook. In addition the text is copied to the Lyrics tab.
Copy the recorded chapters to the iPod Touch. Students can read and listen at the same time or listen only.

Converting Text-to-Speech for iTunes and Mobile Playback

View PDF document

(opens in new window)

December 24, 2009

Understanding Spreadsheet Referencing

Wind Chill Spreadsheet Project

As part of our Information Technology training program in spreadsheets, we ask our student workers to solve real-world problems based on numeric models and graphs. Results are assessed to ensure that student staff is prepared to provide instructional assistance in the computer labs. Understanding the concept of absolute and mixed references in spreadsheets is tricky for many students, especially those who are apprehensive of numbers and have not typically succeeded in mathematics. Students enjoy the challenge of building a spreadsheet model that replicates NOAA's official wind chill chart and creating a follow-up comparative graph. Below are basic instructions that can be revised to include more or less detail, depending on the skill level of your students.

The wind chill index is a calculation that describes the combined effect of the wind and cold temperatures on exposed skin. For example if the temperature is 20 degrees and the wind is blowing at 20 miles per hour, the wind chill index is –10 degrees. The official NOAA formula to calculate wind chill is:

Wind chill = 35.74 + 0.6215T – 35.75(V0.16)+0.4275T(V0.16)

where V = wind speed (mph) and T = temperature (° F)

Please note that a standard formula such as 3A + 4B2 is coded in Excel as 3*A+4*B^2.

Go to http://www.weather.gov/om/windchill and create a spreadsheet that looks like the one in the figure Wind Chill chart. Every numeric cell in the chart should have a formula with the exception of the two starter cells: Wind mph = 5 and Temperature = 40. Color-code the regions in the chart according to the legend below it, although the wavy lines are not required.

You should only have to type the formula once and then use fill down and fill across to replicate it, but first read up on relative and absolute references. Hint: this problem is a bit tricky because it mixes relative and absolute references. Refer to these Excel resources for assistance, although other software such Google Spreadsheets should suffice.

University of Wisconsin Eau-Claire: Excel References Relative and Absolute.
YouTube Video: Mixed References in Excel

http://www.weather.gov/windchill

Wind Chill chart

Using your wind chill spreadsheet create a graph that compares NOAA’s new wind chill model vs. the old model. Refer to the diagram Wind Chill Graph below (the logos are not necessary) as a guide. To create the data for your graph create the following rows in your spreadsheet (below the rows in your wind chill chart). Create a range of speeds from 5 to 110 and the corresponding old and new wind chills.

There are only two data cells: the one to the right of Temp (in this example 15) and the number 5 to the right of Speed. The rest are all formulas! You have the formula for the new wind chill index and will base it on the cell to the right of Temp. This is the formula for the old wind chill index that will need to be written as an Excel formula. Again, keep in mind relative and absolute referencing!

0.0817 (3.71V0.5 + 5.81 - 0.25V) (T - 91.4) + 91.4

Create a line graph based on these three rows and label the title, axes, and legends accordingly.

Answer these questions:

To the right of the Temp cell change the number from 15 to 40. Aside from the obvious that the wind chill is warmer, what overall pattern do you observe?
Keep testing different temperatures and determine the approximate temperature that brings the windchill lines closest together.
What is your general observation of the lines at this temperature?

Wind Chill Graph

July 19, 2009

Enhancing Audio Podcasts for Online and Mobile Learning

SUNY CIT 2009: Enhancing Audio Podcasts for Online and Mobile Learning

Where: SUNY Oswego

When: Thursday, May 21 4:45 - 5:15 pm Lanigan 103

Resources: Chapter podcast and YouTube videos.

Slideshare.net Presentation: Enhancing Audio Podcasts for Online and Mobile Learning
Chapter Podcast (subscribe with iTunes) Enhancing Audio Podcasts for Online and Mobile Learning
Chapter QuickTime movie (download and open in QuickTime Player) Enhancing Audio Podcasts for Online and Mobile Learning
YouTube Videos: Demonstrations and tutorials

Customizing an iTunes Audiobook from MP3 files, etext, and images

Play the chapter podcast on your PC or Mac using iTunes. For mobile playback use an iPhone or iPod touch.

Abstract

Course management tools such as ANGEL's Course Syndication or Blackboard's Manage Podcast allow instructors to deliver audio-formatted course materials to their students. Although creating, optimizing, and tagging these audio recordings require planning and preparation, the actual process of creating a course podcast requires just a few basic steps. Students subscribe to the podcasts, typically with iTunes, and organize them in their personal music library for listening on their PC or Mac. Subsequently uploaded episodes (recordings) are automatically delivered to iTunes, even if students are not logged into your course.

Audio podcasts are familiar to most everyone; however, enhancing podcasts with timed images, chapter markers, web site links, and text over audio is less well known. Yet these enhanced podcasts offer promising online, assisted, and mobile learning alternatives that traditional audio podcasts do not easily provide. When formatted for mobile learning on devices such as iPods and iPhones, enhanced podcasts and audiobooks engage students in new, unique, and exciting ways.

Join me in this session as we look at and listen to enhanced podcasts and custom audiobooks, including text-to-speech for assisted learning. Software solutions that create these special materials will be demonstrated including converting PowerPoint presentations into audio-enhanced lectures.

May 15, 2009

Sending your presentation links to delicious.com/sunycit09

Dear SUNY CIT 2009 Presenters,

You can send your presentation links to the SUNY CIT 2009 Delicious Web site: http://delicious.com/sunycit09, which typically will be published within 24 hours.

1. If you do not have a Delicious account go to http://delicious.com and create one.

If you need assistance, refer to the Guide to Delicious Social Bookmarking

2. Create bookmark(s) related to your presentation. Include a brief description of each bookmark and add tags that describe it. Include a presentation title tag (no spaces allowed but don't go too crazy with the length) - for example Enhancing Audio Podcasts for Online and Mobile Learning: enhancingaudiopodcasts.

3. For your last tag type for:sunycit09 (note the : after for)

4. Click the Save button and your bookmark will be sent to the Delicious sunycit09 Inbox.

5. Repeat the process for each bookmark.

6. The Delicious sunycit09 administrator will add your bookmark(s), which will appear in the site: http://delicious.com/sunycit09

April 01, 2009

Delicious Guide

Delicious Social Bookmarking

Introduction

Delicious is a popular social bookmarking application that provides tools to quickly and efficiently save and organize your favorite web sites using a browser such as Internet Explorer, Firefox, or Safari. You can tap into the collective knowledge of more than five million users and 150 million bookmarks1 by searching with the use of keywords (tags).

Registering a Delicious Account

Start Firefox and log on to your elmira.edu Web Mail account.
Create a new tab in Firefox and go to http://delicious.com/

Click the Join Now button:
Fill out the form to create your delicious account. Your username must be unique to Delicious and should be easy for others to remember and type. When you have typed your proposed username click the Check button to determine availability.
Passwords must be at least six characters in length and contain at least one symbol or number (e.g. merlin88).
Click the Register button.

You are directed to the Install Bookmarking Tools page. Click Skip this step.
You are directed to the Import Existing Bookmarks page. Again click Skip this step.
Respond to the Delicious verification e-mail and click the link to activate your account.

Creating Bookmarklets

Go to http://delicious.com/help/bookmarklets.
Click and drag the link Bookmark on Delicious to the Bookmarks Toolbar.

Your two Bookmarklets should display on the Toolbar like this:

Adding Bookmarks

Here is the process in a nutshell. Bring up the web site that you want to bookmark and click the Bookmark on Delicious button. Add notes and tags (keywords) based on what is popular, what is recommended, and what works for you!

What are tags?

“A tag is simply a word you can use to describe a bookmark. Unlike folders, you make up tags when you need them and you can use as many as you like. The result is a better way to organize your bookmarks and a great way to discover interesting things on the Web.” For a complete description of tags with examples choose Help > Help Sections > Tags.

The quickest way to access your personal home page (e.g. http://delicious.com/tshuapa) is to click the Bookmarks button.

Let’s locate a web site and post it to your Delicious account. Go to http://google.com and search for “New Burger King breakfast”.
Click the link New Burger King breakfast offering outdoes Whopper - Mar. 29, 2005 and click the Bookmark on Delicious button.
Complete the notes field and click the buttons under Popular to add these tags: nutrition obesity fastfood breakfast calories
In the TAGS box add the tag workshop.
Tags are separated by spaces. If you wish to tag two related words (e.g. fast food) combine them into one such as fastfood. How you tag is up to you. However, consider common tags that will facilitate searching, grouping and organization within your own account and as part of the Delicious network.
Complete your bookmark form – choose your tags wisely for future use.

Click the Save button.
Click the My Delicious bookmarklet in the Firefox Toolbar to bring up your home page.

Popular Tags

Let’s search for the most popular bookmarks tagged as fastfood.

In the top menu choose Tags > Explore.
Type fastfood in the Tag box and click the go button.
Click the Popular link (or go directly to http://delicious.com/popular/fastfood).
Press the Enter or Return key and browse through the list to locate: Fast Food Restaurants and Nutrition Facts Compared.
Click the link, briefly read the web page and add the bookmark to your folder, including notes and the tags: fastfood nutrition calories health fat transfat workshop.

Click the Save button to save your new bookmark.
Click My Delicious to return to your home page.
Common Tags, Related Tags, and Bundles

Go to http://www.fastfoodmaps.com and click Bookmark delicious.
Click maps googlemaps mashups under Popular tags and fastfood nutrition obesity under Recommended tags.
Add the tag web2.0 and add the comments (see figure below) in the notes field.

http://www.fastfoodmaps.com

Click the Save button.
Click My Delicious to return to your home page.
Click the People button to right of Fast Food Restaurants & Nutrition Facts Compared.

The page's URL is http://delicious.com/tag/fastfood and displays a complete user posting history sorted by save date. Top Tags is sorted by most popular in a frequency list that includes tags marked by users (including you) that saved this bookmark. You can explore further by clicking user bookmark collections (e.g. http://delicious.com/andrecardoso) and their bookmarks filtered by tag (e.g. http://delicious.com/andrecardoso/statistics.

Click the Notes tab to list all bookmarks that contain notes

Exploring Delicious Users

In the top menu choose Tags > Explore.
Type obesity in the Tag box and click the go button, which brings up all Delicious bookmarks containing the tag: greater than 17,000 total. (Other tags such as health have more than 1,200,000 bookmarks.)
Scroll through these bookmarks and open the user: or type http://delicious/healthpromotion.
has organized and annotated more than 2,600 bookmarks with Tags and Tag Bundles.

Type obesity in the tag search box and press the return key to bring up the bookmarks containing the tag (more than 70).
Under Related Tags click the + symbol before health to bring up bookmarks that contain both the obesity and health tags.
Finally refer to the bundles Community, Disease, Faith-Based-Wellness, and so on. Users group tags into bundles to make them easier to find.

Sharing Bookmarks with Other Users

You can share bookmarks with other Delicious users by adding the for:auser (e.g. for:maindombe) tag to a new or existing bookmark and then clicking the Save button.

Click the Bookmarks button to return to your home page.
Search for an interesting, educational bookmark, add a short description, and related tags.
Add the tag for:auser (replacing auser with an actual Delicious user). If you are in a workshop, choose your partner’s username. If you working alone, choose maindombe and e-mail another Delicious user on campus to share a bookmark with you!
Click the Save button.
Click the New Mail button to the right of your username:
Click the Save button for bookmarks that you want to keep and add descriptions and related bookmarks.

Adding Users to Your Network

You add users to your network to build a virtual collection of bookmarks with tags that interest you. You can evaluate the quality of these bookmarks by reviewing web page content, user descriptions and tag organization.

Click the Network link under Bookmarks.

Click the Add a user to Network, which is located in the upper-right corner of your screen.
Type maindombe in the username box.

Click the Add button. Maindombe is listed in your network.

Add one or two more users to your network.
Invite others to add your username to their networks. They will be listed as fans in your network!
Look up a URL

In the top menu bar choose Bookmarks > Look up a URL.
Type http://crisisofcredit.com.

Click the go Arrow.

The Crisis of Credit Visualized has been tagged more than 1,800 times in about one month (as of this writing), so it is really popular!

Subscriptions

You can subscribe to Delicious bookmarks based on specified tags and collect them in one place for your review. These tags — single or combined — can be aggregated from the entire Delicious community or filtered by user.

Go to your Delicious personal home page.
Click the Subscriptions link:
Click the Add a Subscription button or link. Type obesity in the Tag box.

Click the Add button. Bookmarks with tags based on your subscription criteria may display immediately, but typically it takes a while for them to appear. Over time older bookmarks will disappear.
If you find a bookmark in your subscriptions list that you like, choose the Save this link, add tags and notes, and click the Save button.
If you want to unsubscribe and remove the associated bookmarks, click Edit icon (pencil) and then click the Remove button.

Delicious RSS Feeds

RSS Feeds are content stored on special web pages that you subscribe to much like Delicious subscriptions. Rather than going to different web sites each time you want to read or download information, feeds deliver the content automatically. You can specify to whom and where it is to be delivered. The format can be text, images, audio, or video (or a combination) structured as articles, news, photographs, podcasts, bookmarks, blog postings, YouTube videos, and so on. You can set up these feeds to be read and displayed in a number of ways. RSS readers or aggregators, such as the web-based Google Reader or Bloglines collect, organize, and display feeds in a variety of formats. In addition, it is also possible to insert RSS feeds into sections on web pages, which dynamically display new items added to the feed.

In Delicious you add an RSS feed by creating a linkroll:

Customizing a Javascript linkroll and then copying and pasting the code to an HTML-Javascript module in your blog, HTML web page, or ANGEL page.
Adding Delicious Linkrolls to Your Blog

Click the Help link and choose Blogging > Link Rolls in the Help page’s footer or type http://delicious.com/help/linkrolls (you must be already logged into your account).
Under Display options fill in the blanks and check the boxes according to your preferences. Use the Preview pane as your guide. BTW, the Javascript box at the top dynamically builds the code as options are typed or entered.

Display options page

Highlight the JavaScript code and choose Edit > Copy.

JavaScript code that is to be copied and pasted into an HTML element in your blog.

Create a new Firefox tab (tabbed browsing is also available in Internet Explorer 7 for Windows or Safari for Macintosh) and log on to your Blogger.com account. Bring up the Dashboard page.
Click the Layout link.
On the right side of the Add and Arrange Page Elements page click the Add a Gadget link, which will bring up the Add a Gadget window.
Under HTML/JavaScript click the Add to Blog button.

In Configure HTML/JavaScript leave the title of your linkroll blank (Delicious already creates a title for you) and then paste the JavaScript code into the Content box.

Click Save Changes and then View Blog to display your linkroll (RSS feed) your blog’s right sidebar. By default it is placed at the top.

Adding Delicious Linkrolls to an ANGEL Course

Click the Help link and choose Blogging > Link Rolls in the Help page’s footer or type http://delicious.com/help/linkrolls (you must be already logged into your account).
Under Display options fill in the blanks and check the boxes below according to your preferences. Use the Preview pane as your guide. BTW, the Javascript box at the top dynamically builds the code as options are typed or entered.

Display options page

Highlight the JavaScript code and choose Edit > Copy.