November 2005 Archives

I just got Camtasia Studio and with only a couple hours of time invested in learning how to use, was able to put three instructional videos together yesterday. Here's the context.

I am teaching IRLS571 Introduction to Information Technology as a blended course this semester. For spring semester, I will be teaching it virtually. The challenge is to figure out how to teach parts that need more hands-on instruction. For instance, to learn how to use Audacity to create an MP3 for a podcast, a lot of the students in the current class came into the Center and sat at a computer with me. I had made instructions for them to follow that I put up on a webpage, but I felt that for many the hands-on time was crucial. Plus, there are 43 enrolled for the spring offering which to me is the equivalent of teaching three sections online. How to make a good learning experience for so many students with so many learning styles is no small task.

Using Camtasia Studio, I was able to make a seven and half minute video about using Audacity to record audio and export it as MP3. The video is presented on a webpage as Flash and linked off my class webpage with the text guide. I also made a five and half minute video using the XML file to make the RSS feed and a two and half minute video on how to subscribe to podcasts using iTunes. I did all this over about seven hours yesterday and much of that was getting over the learning curve. I can see many uses for Camtasia Studio in instruction and plan to continue developing more content for the class and other educational technology resources that I support.

I wrote a couple weeks ago about Stanford and Princeton's announcements that each institution planned to deposit free audio and video at the Apple iTunes music store for anyone interested to download. I tuned in this afternoon and noticed that there is a University Channel in the Music Store and upon closer inspection saw a lot of content. Here are the first three that were listed this afternoon.

• "American Media: Still the Fourth Estate?" Princeton University, Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs. Bill Keller, Executive Editor of the New York Times
• "What's the Matter with Kansas?" University of Virginia, Miller Center of Public Affairs. Thomas Frank considers the strategy by which over the last 35 years the Republicans have transformed themselves from an aristocratic minority into the nation's dominant political party…
• "Illegal Trade: The Consequences for the Global Economy," Council on Foreign Relations. Moises Naim, Foreign Policy Editor

If you've not set up iTunes yet, I highly recommend it. The content is growing and there is clearly a huge educational upside underway.

Here's a timely resource! Just yesterday I was talking with a colleague on campus about a question involving what was okay to put in one's blog. Electronic Freedom Foundation has a valuable resource to anyone involved in blogging. If you visit the EFF's EFF: Fighting for Bloggers' Rights page, you'll find "... a basic roadmap to the legal issues you may confront as a blogger, to let you know you have rights, and to encourage you to blog freely with the knowledge that your legitimate speech is protected" and a link to the EFF: Legal Guide for Bloggers. Thanks EFF.

Interesting to read about Stanford on iTunes!

"Stanford on iTunes provides university-related audio content via the iTunes Music Store, Apple’s popular music jukebox and online music store. Stanford on iTunes gives alumni and the general public free access to a wide range of Stanford-specific digital audio content."

Pretty interesting as they are using it as a way to keep alumni connected to Stanford, as well as have a restricted section that I presume is like our UA WebAuth.

And today I read:

Princeton University (NJ) has added "vodcasts" - shared videos that can be watched using Apple Inc.'s iTunes - to the podcasts, or downloadable sound files, it already offers on its Web-based University Channel. The service makes academic lectures and events available to the public via the Web. Apple recently introduced vodcasting technology in conjunction with the video-enabled iPod as a way of sharing video files over iTunes. Subscribers are notified when podcasts and vodcasts are available directly on the website or for downloading onto a computer. Both options are free of charge.

This are things instructors and faculty can do here at the UA through the LTC. Anyone interested, give us a call.