Museum Box

February 3 2012 by jbutcher in Tech Insights |1 Comment

by: Carlo Daniels – Instructional Development Services, Graduate Assistant

Museum Box Site Logo

The concept of creating a museum box was taken from the anti-slavery campaigner, Thomas Clarkson, who collected artifacts in a box that illustrated his anti-slavery arguments.  Such artifacts ranged from African crafts to transportation ship diagrams.  Museum Box draws from this very concept: It is a free online application that allows for one to create an online display of “artifacts” collected in a virtual box in order to describe and/or craft an argument for a certain topic.  Artifacts are a conglomerate of media files that include pictures, links, video, text, audio files, PowerPoint presentations, Word documents, PDF files, etc., which can be appended to the faces of virtual cubes organized within a box.  Examination of  media cubes within a box is made possible for anyone viewing a box and the number of cubes present within a box can be determined by the creator. One can also add multiple shelves or “layers” to a box to allow for organization of additional cubes.

Originally, creating a box on the site served as a means to visually showcase artifacts about historical figures or events; however, educators and students can now be found using Museum Box to showcase all sorts of academic subjects.  Museum Box could be used to create effective presentations, or to organize their information, pictures and video.  The site also contains a gallery of user submitted boxes from teachers and students, which site viewers can view and comment on.  All of the above features can be made possible if an educator registers his/her school for a free account within the Museum Box website.

Strengths:

  • Unique method for students to create their projects
  • Incorporate video, audio, text, files, and hyperlinks
  • Can assist with persuasive writing projects and compare/contrast arguments
  • Can be used as collaborative assignment
  • Interesting and fun alternative to the usual written papers or other type of presentations

For more, please visit http://museumbox.e2bn.org

Tech Tip- Customizing Your Museum Box

by Hayley Dallmann, Instructional Development Services, Student Lab Assistant

Now that you know what Museum Box is all about, you will now learn how to customize your box to appear how you want it. As a user, you are able to change the following preferences for your museum box: the amount of  layers in your box, how many cubes you would like, the colors and the textures.

The  photo above shows how your Museum Box looks before any customizations and changes have been made. It appears to be wood grain style. This is also the screen that you will go to, to add different multimedia into your box.  To customize the settings of your Museum Box you need to click on the “Change Box” icon in the lower right of the screen.

To change the amount of layers that your Museum Box will have, look to this window. Simply click the amount you would like,  1, 2 or 3 layers. This will change the box for you.

The next area that can be changed is the number of Cubes that are included in your box. You can choose from 1, 2, 4, 6, or 8 cubes. Simply click the number you would like and it will change.

Once you have chosen how many layers you would like and the amount of cubes, you are now able to change the color and textures of your box. There are three options, you can change it to yellow, silver metal or keep it wood. To change this, click on the color/texture you would like.

This is your box before any changes have been made.

This is an example of what your box could look like if you make changes to it. Once you are done making your changes, you press “Change Box” and it will bring you back to the main menu where multimedia can be added into your Museum box.



Zunal.com (Online Webquest Maker)

February 3 2012 by jbutcher in Tech Insights |3 Comments

by: Nicole Dobyns Instructional Development Services, Graduate Assistant


ZUNAL Online WebQuest Maker

What is a WebQuest?
A WebQuest is something that can be used for many different types of learning experiences. A WebQuest also gives the students the initiative to learn on their own, and it takes collaboration to learn when using a WebQuest. ZUNAL is a website that aids in creation of WebQuests, and it allows the students to discover information on their own.

To start, we need to define a WebQuest. What is it? According to Zunal.com, “Professor Bernie Dodge of San Diego State University defines a WebQuest as an inquiry-oriented activity that uses resources on the World Wide Web. WebQuests pull together the most effective instructional practices into one integrated student activity. These Web-based projects use World Wide Web sites to help students develop problem-solving and decision-making skills. WebQuests are interesting and motivating to teachers and students. An effective WebQuest develops critical thinking skills and often includes a cooperative learning component. Students learn as they search for information using the Web, following a prescribed format that focuses on problem solving and authentic assessment. A well-written WebQuest requires students to go beyond simple fact finding. It asks them to analyze a variety of resources and use their creativity and critical-thinking skills to solve a problem. WebQuests help students analyze, synthesize, and evaluate information. There are two kinds of WebQuests, short term and long term.”

Types of accounts
With ZUNAL there is a Basic account and a Professional account for individual use. With the Basic account you are only allowed 1 WebQuest, the user cannot edit existing WebQuests, there are ads, only have access to a limited amount of modules, and do not have access to ZUNAL Sites. However, if you decide to get a professional account one has access to create 50 WebQuests,  the user can edit existing WebQuests, no ads, more modules to use with the WebQuest, and there is access to  ZUNAL sites. There is also the option to buy a membership for a group. This membership gives Professional access to all those members of the group. This is a good option for professors teaching about WebQuests. However, the free Basic account still gives everyone a viable option to have access to the basics when it comes to learning about WebQuests.

The cost for a pro account is $20 for 3 years. You read that correct! It is only $20 for 3 years, that is quite a steal if you are looking to use WebQuests on a regular basis in the classroom.

As for the group plans, there are two different options for pricing. Option 1 is for 30 users and costs $99 for one year, and each user account has the amenities of a pro account. Option 2 costs $199 for 100 users, and has all of the amenities of option 1.

User Interface
The user interface of ZUNAL is pretty straightforward for anyone that is new to the website. If you want to upload an image, there is a button to click that says add image. If you want to add a Google ™ or YouTube ™ video, there are buttons for those as well. Really, the hardest decision when it comes to ZUNAL is deciding on the content for the WebQuest and what resources you really want to use for the WebQuest.

For more information visit http://zunal.com

Tech Tip- Entering Resources into Your WebQuest

by Melissa Gatza,  Instructional Development Services, Lab Assistant

Zunal offers multiple options which allow you to include an unlimited number of resources with your WebQuest. From attaching a file or a URL to adding a video link from a popular video website, you can enhance your WebQuest with varying types of documents and media. This is found in the ‘Resources’ section of your WebQuest creation area.

Add a File

Adding a file allows you to attach files from programs from Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint to name a few.

  • Simply select the ‘Add/Attach a file’ box
  • Then, select ‘Browse’ and select the file from your computer that you would like included in the WebQuest
  • Then, add a description for the file to allow you to easily find it in the list of resources.
  • Select Save Now to save your resource. The following screen will pop up:

Add a Website URL

You can also add a website URL so you, and viewers of your WebQuest, have immediate access to the online resource of your choosing.

  • Select the ‘Add Website URL’ box
  • Insert the URL of the website into the first text box.
  • Then, Enter a title for the web address
  • If wanted, you can enter a description for the site.
  • Select Save Now to save your resource.

Add Video (YouTube; TeacherTube, Google)

You can easily add a video from YouTube, TeacherTube, or Google Video to your WebQuest.

Once you obtain the URL for the video you wish you insert into your WebQuest:

  • Select the button of the type of video you would like to add. (YouTube, TeacherTube, or Google Video)
  • Paste the web address into the text box.
  • Next, insert a description of the video.
  • When you have completed the steps, select Save Now, and your resource will be added to the WebQuest.

When your resources have been added, they will appear on the WebQuest, to change the order in which they are displayed, select the Update Resource button. Here is how they will appear once they have been saved:


Weebly

January 25 2012 by jbutcher in Tech Insights |4 Comments

Web Creation Made Easy

by: Michael Crumm, Instructional Development Services Lab Assistant

Do you need an online web presence for your class, organization or club?  Are you looking for an easy-to-use tool that gets the job done quick and painlessly?  Look no further than Weebly, a website creation tool with simplicity in mind that still comes packed with tons of features! Oh, and it’s FREE!!!

What’s Weebly?

Weebly is a San Francisco based company that was founded in 2006.  They provide a web-based, website creation tool that seeks to make publishing web content as easy as possible.  They are a Y-Combinator startup and were listed as one of TIME Magazine’s Top 50 websites of 2007.

Weebly provides their website creation services free of charge, but to add more advanced features, there is a small fee.

Simple Setup, Robust Features

Website creation can be a complicated task, but with the help of an application like Weebly, even someone with very little computer savvy can make a great looking website.  Simply create an account at http://www.weebly.com to get started.  Once you have an account created, you can begin to develop your site.  Adding items to the page is as simple as dragging and dropping the type of content item you want into your page.  You can create as many pages as you like, and link them together to create a full web presence for your organization.

Basic Features – Basic features include items like paragraphs, paragraphs with a picture, pictures, titles, divider bars, etc.  These simple items create the basis for your page layout.

Multimedia – Upload pictures directly to weebly to create an online photo gallery.  If you’re already using Flickr, you can use the built-in Flick integration to display your photos.  You can also upload files and embed them for download, or even embed a Google Map to show off a location or destination.  YouTube videos can also be embedded directly into your pages.

Revenue – Revenue features enable you to see items on your page.  You can choose from multiple layouts for your products, and tie them to either PayPal or Google Checkout for online payments.

More – Forums, contact forms, surveys and polls are all at your disposal, either directly through the weebly site or with integration with another tool, such as PollDaddy.

We’ve touched on most of the features available through Weebly in this list, but there are still more to discover.   Consider evaluating Weebly for your simple web design needs.

Easy Publishing

Weebly’s entire website creation process takes place in the browser, so there are no files to upload.  The changes you make are saved as you make them, and once you’re happy with your site, all you need to do is press the large, orange “Publish” button.  That’s it!

Educational Uses:

  • Class Website
  • Portfolio Website
  • Webquests
  • Creating Educational Websites to display students works and knowledge

Weebly TechTip:

by: Amanda Richards, Interactive Multimedia Lab Assistant

The cool things that you can add to your website by simply finding the icon, also called elements, and dragging it into your work space on the bottom part of your screen.

Cool things you can add and where to find them:

In Multimedia tab:

Photo gallery

File

Flash

  • Upload flash .swf files

Google Map

  • Show map with surrounding streets.

Flickr Photo Slideshow

YouTube video

In More tab:

Feed Reader

  • Used for updated feed on what is going on with your website

Custom HTML

Divider

  • Creates straight line to add divisions to your page

Forums

  • Create your own forum to add to your page in order to bring in readers or customers browsing your page.

Online Bookings

  • Allow browsers to see when you are available and make appointments with you right over the web.

Online poll

  • Create your own poll from the website poll daddy to post polls about different things on your page.

Contact form

If the browser wishes for you the manager of the site to get in contact with them they can fill out a contact form so you can get back to them quickly and effectively. http://support.weebly.com/support/index.php?pg=kb.page&id=18

Holiday Tech Gift Guide 2011

December 5 2011 by jbutcher in Tech Insights |6 Comments

By Instructional Development Services Staff (Josh Butcher, Hayley Dallmann, Carlo Daniels, Michael Kieca, and Amanda Richards)

In this years holiday tech gift guide we will highlight several tech gifts in a variety of price ranges from Under $100, $100-$500, and Over $500. We hope you enjoy them and enjoy the holiday season!!

Under $100

iHome iD9

Price: $99.99

iHome iD9

The iHome iD9 is a portable, rechargeable speaker system for the iPad, iPod, and/or iPhone.  It has a lithium-ion rechargeable battery that allows you to charge any of your devices while it plays.  It includes the SRS TruBass and Reson 8 sound technology which supplies an amazing audio experience.  This iHome works with both iHome+Sleep and iHome+Radio apps.  This allows you to hook-up your device to be used as your alarm as well as listening to a global radio station.  This iHome also has an Aux-in jack that allows you to plug into any other audio source (computer, CD player, etc.).

Features:

  • Rechargeable battery
  • Plays iPad/iPod/iPhone
  • SRS TruBass sound enhancement
  • Reson 8 speakers
  • Aux-in jack
  • App friendly

For more information and to purchase the iHome iD9 please visit https://www.ihomeaudio.com/iD9SVC/. 

Space Bar

Price: $79

The Space Bar designed by those at Quirky is a slim, sleek designed accessory to your computer or any other tech device.  It allows you to have a computer, monitor or other device on top of the space bar and store a keyboard or anything else such as papers, notepads underneath creating more space on your desk.  It creates more space, gives you additional USB ports, and scales down the clutter on your desk.

Features:

  • Made of brushed aluminum with white plastic accents.
  • Can stow a keyboard up to 18” long by 1.5” high and supports up to 30.5 pounds weight.
  • Six USB ports, four in the front and two in the back.  Includes one mini-USB port and one AC adapter port.
  • Includes black AC adapter and USB cord.

For more information and to purchase the Space Bar, please visit http://www.quirky.com/products/22.

PowerCurl

Price: $14.99

Frustrated with having your Apple laptop power cord always tangled up when you take it out for use and when you pack it up?  Well the PowerCurl is a great solution for eliminating that tangled mess and providing a “wound up” solution!  The PowerCurl is a clip-on cord wrap for Apple’s 45W, 60W, 85W, and the older rectangular 85W MagSafe Power Adapter.  It makes it a cinch to unplug and pack up quickly without having to untangle your extension cords the next time you use your laptop.

Features:

  • Both ends of the cord (the wall plug and the MagSafe end) can wrap around the device, allowing for quick and easy unraveling.
  • Included clip enables the plug end of the cord to clip to itself, much like your MagSafe end does.
  • Elevates the power adapter for improved air circulation and cooling.
  • Available in pink, blue, grey, lime green, and orange for the 60W and 85W models and orange for the 45W and 85W long models.
  • PowerCurl sizes match up with the default power adapters for the following Apple laptop models:
    • 45W – MacBook Air
    • 60W – MacBook, 13-inch MacBook Pro
    • 85W – 15-and 17-inch MacBook Pro
    • 85W long – older generation 15-and 17-inch MacBook Pro (rectangular)

For more information and to purchase the PowerCurl, please visit http://www.quirky.com/products/15-PowerCurl-Mac-Cord-Manager.

Pivot Power

Price: $29.99

Does most of your office electronic equipment have large block power adapters and you can never get them all plugged into those rectangle power strips?  Well the Pivot Power will solve that!  Pivot Power is a long power strip that was designed to be flexible and adjust in different positions so that you can plug all those bulky adapters in at the same time.

Features:

  • Six adjustable outlets.
  • 673 Joules of rock-solid protection.
  • Pivots around furniture and hard to reach places.
  • Six feet of cord with a flat head plug.

For more information and to purchase the Pivot Power, please visit http://www.quirky.com/products/44-Pivot-Power-Flexible-Power-Strip.

NetGear NeoTV NTV 200

Price:  $79

NetGear’s NeoTV streams thousands of movies and TV shows instantly from Netflix, Vudu, and more on your TV.  You can access the best selection of streaming entertainment – channels, games and much more like Hollywood movies, latest TV shows, music, photos, games, tech news, and podcasts.

Stream movies and tv shows from Netflix, new movie releases from Vudu, watch YouTube videos, listen to music with Pandora, and play games that come installed.

Features:

  • Easy setup.
  • Up to 1080p HD streaming.
  • Built-in Wireless-N for extended-range (b/g/n compatible)
  • Ethernet Port
  • HDMI video output
  • 5.1 surround sound

For more information on the NetGear NeoTV NTV200 please visit http://www.netgear.com/ntv.

You can purchase the NetGear NeoTV NTV200 at the following retailers: Amazon.com, Frys.com, JR.com, and Newegg.com. 

Roku Streaming Players

Price:  $49.99 – 99.99

Roku launched the first product designed to deliver movies from Netflix instantly on to the TV using the power of the Internet.  With Roku it is a snap to enjoy the best movies and TV shows, live sports, music, games and more – all instantly on your TV whenever you want it.  It connects easily to your TV and wireless (Wi-Fi) network at home so you can be up and streaming within minutes.  With the simple remote you can choose what you want to watch and it starts instantly.  It’s even more convenient than watching a DVD.

Features:

  • Four different devices to choose from:
    • Roku LT – $49.99
    • Roku 2 – $59.99
    • Roku 2 XD – $79.99
    • Roku 2 XS – $99.99
    • The more expensive devices get you additional features that the cheaper devices do not have such as expandable memory slot plus Bluetooth, Ethernet port and USB port, and 1080p video.
    • Each player comes with 350+ entertainment channels that include hundreds of free movies.
    • Works with virtually any TV.
    • Built-in Wi-Fi capabilities.

For more information and to purchase one of the Roku devices please visit http://www.roku.com/roku-products.

Tascum IM2 Stereo Microphone

Price:  $79

Turn your iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch into a high-quality stereo recorder with the Tascum IM2 Stereo Microphone.  The Tascum IM2 consists of two condenser microphones that plug directly into the dock connector of your Apple device.  The microphones are adjustable over 180 degrees to get the best sound placement.

Features:

  • Stereo condenser microphones for iPhone 4, iPod Touch or iPad dock connection
  • High-quality stereo condenser microphones – same as our best-selling DR-series recorders
  • Microphones adjustable 180 degrees front to back
  • Built-in analog to digital converter and microphone preamp for low noise recording
  • 125dB SPL maximum level for recording loud shows without distortion
  • Switchable limiter attenuates high-level signals to prevent recording overload
  • Adjustable input level control
  • Powered through iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch dock connector
  • USB input allows the iPhone or iPad to be charged from a USB connection or optional TASCAM PS-P515U
  • CD-quality digital recording (44.1kHz/16-bit linear PCM)
  • Compact size ideal for mobile use
  • Compatible with iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, iPod Touch 4G, iPad, iPad 2

For more information on the Tascum IM2 Stereo Microphone please visit http://tascam.com/product/im2/overview/.

To purchase the Tascum IM2 Stereo Microphone please visit http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/829391-REG.

$100 – $500

Contour HD Cameras

Price:  $200 – $500

Contour, formerly known as VholdR, is the market leader in hands-free video cameras and adventure storytelling tools that enable modern day explorers to tell their stories of action, adventure and travel through video.  They are dedicated to creating simple tools that allow hands-free capture and easy sharing of video online with the world.  The contour cameras are able to be attached to the many mounting accessories that are made such as helmet mounts, bike mounts, underwater accessories, hunting, etc.

They offer 3 different camera products:  ContourROAM, ContourGPS, and Contour+.

ContourROAM, which is priced at $199.99, is made to be a simple ideal camera for a fun and easy experience capturing your adventures anywhere life may take you.  All you have to do is slide the switch to record and instantly filming.

ContourGPS, which is priced at $299.99 adds tracking capability, which adds speed, location and elevation to the picture.  The camera is set up with a GPS receiver that auto-maps the three essentials of location, speed and elevation at up to four times per second to create a continuous track of coordinates.  Once your adventure is complete the GPS track will synchronize with your video footage to provide a second-by-second replay via Google Maps of the run you ripped, the route you rallied or the ride you crushed.

Contour+, which is priced at $499.99, was designed for the true videographer.  It has an increased field of vision with a 170° wide angle rotating lens.  It enables live streaming via HDMI to allow for direct connection for film shoots, event coverage and contest runs.

For more information and to purchase one of the Contour HD cameras please visit http://contour.com/.

Lytro Camera

Price:  $399-$499

Lytro has developed a camera that allows users to change the focus of a picture after the picture is taken by using light field photography.  Light field photography captures all available light in a scene going in every direction.  The ability to focus after the fact means that there is no auto-focus motor meaning no shutter delay.  So you can capture the moment you meant to capture instead of the moment that a shutter-delayed camera captured for you.

Features:

  • 8X optical zoom lens with a constant f/2 aperture, capturing maximum light across the entire zoom range.
  • Lightweight yet solid, built for stability, and easy to use.
  • Instant shutter means no loss of time focusing.
  • Instant power on.
  • None of those unnecessary modes, dials, or setting, no auto-focus, no shutter lag and no flash as Lytro can handle many low light settings.
  • No obstacles in the way for that perfect shot!
  • When you share them from your Mac, your friends enjoy the same interactive control as you, on nearly any device without needing special software.

For more information or to purchase the Lytro camera please visit http://www.lytro.com.

Kindle Fire

Price:  $199

The Kindle Fire is a 7-inch tablet that was created by Amazon and offers a wide variety of services such as movies, apps, games, music, reading, and web browsing.  This tablet is linked directly to the Amazon database and allows you to choose from their collection of movies, TV shows, songs, magazines, and books.  Thousands of the must-have apps such as Pandora, Netflix, and HULU are available, plus Amazon is offering the perk that every day you’ll get a paid app for free. Amazon has a special feature called “Cloud Storage” which saves you from worrying about memory usage from things like apps and movies by allowing you to keep your amazon content in a separate database that is available for you to stream instantly at any time. The Kindle Fire exceeds any non-apple made tablet in the market because of its stunning color, simple usage, and the low price of $199.

For more information and to purchase the Kindle Fire please visit http://www.amazon.com/Kindle-Fire-Amazon-Tablet/dp/B0051VVOB2.

iPad2

Price:  Starts at $499

Apple’s latest tablet product, the iPad 2, is lighter, slimmer, and faster than its predecessor.  It features Wi-Fi and 3G capabilities and has a beautiful LED-backlit and multi-touch display that serves as the user interface.  Being only .34 inches thin weighing only 1.33 pounds, using the iPad2 feels like a comfortable extension of your hand to watch movies, surf the web, check e-mail, read books, etc.  The product sports two 5MP cameras (one at the front and another at the rear) that can be used for HD video recording, taking photos and video chatting with the FaceTime application.  The new A5 dual core chip for the iPad 2 allows for operation of the tablet at twice the speed of the original iPad, making anything that is touched load quickly and respond instantaneously. The new iCloud feature also allows for one that has his/her media stored on his/her iPad to appear on other Apple products.  So if one were to download a video, buy a song, take a photo, etc. on his/her iPad, iCloud can make sure that it appears on the user’s Mac Computer, iPhone, etc.  Additional features include the ability to print wirelessly and broadcast to an HDTV.  With its new iOS 5 operating system, the iPad 2 has over 200 new features – including Notification Center, Newsstand, and iMessage, which all the more make Apple’s iPad2 one of the strongest competitors in the tablet market.  What is more is that over 140,000 apps designed specifically for the iPad 2 allow for it to do almost anything.   It makes a great gift for students, business people, educators, etc.

For more information and to purchase the iPad 2 please visit http://www.apple.com/ipad.

Over $500

Epson Megaplex Projector

Price:  $799

The Epson MegaPlex MG-850HD portable digital dock projector is an innovative product that reinvents how you share presentations, slideshows, high-def movies, audio and more.  Just place your Apple device in the built-in dock or connect your smartphone, tablet, gaming console, PC and more and you will get remarkable resolution and bright output ensuring you vivid content, even when it’s enlarged to a 100-inch image.

Features:

  • Super-size content from digital devices up to 12x larger than a 40-inch screen.
  • Ultra-bright HD images with saturated colors
  • Built-in dock
  • Versatility for a wide range of devices
  • Big stereo sound
  • Built to travel
  • Maximum flexibility – HDMI plus other audio/video connections
  • Share audio files – can be used as a speaker dock without displaying video
  • USB plug ‘n play instant setup – instantly projects audio and video from a PC or Mac via a USB connection
  • PC-free slideshows – plug your USB memory device into the USB port and present.

For more information and to purchase the Epson MegaPlex MG-850HD projector please visit http://www.epson.com/cgi-bin/Store/jsp/Product.do?sku=V11H444020.

Canon EOS Rebel T3i

Price:  $899

Photographers looking for an easy-to-use camera that will help them create their next masterpiece need look no further than the Canon EOS Rebel T3i. The next in a long line of phenomenal compact DSLRs, the EOS Rebel T3i continues the Rebel tradition of easy operation, compact design and no-compromise performance. Featuring Canon’s newest DIGIC 4 Image Processor and an 18.0 megapixel CMOS image sensor – plus cutting-edge technologies like HD video recording, Live View shooting, Wireless flash photography and even a Vari-angle 3.0″ LCD monitor – the EOS Rebel T3i offers the best of EOS photography in a compact package.

Features:

  • 18.0 Megapixel CMOS (APS-C) sensor and DIGIC 4 Image Processor for high image quality and speed.
  • ISO 100 – 6400 (expandable to 12800) for shooting from bright to dim light.
  • Improved EOS Full HD Movie mode with manual exposure control, expanded recording [1920 x 1080 Full HD video at frame rates of 30 (29.97), 24 (23.976) and 25.0 frames per second] with new Movie Digital zoom and Video Snapshot features for enhanced movie shooting options.
  • Vari-angle 3.0-inch Clear View LCD monitor (3:2) for shooting at high or low angles and 1,040,000-dot VGA with reflection reduction using multi coating and high-transparency materials for bright and clear viewing.
  • New Scene Intelligent Auto mode and Picture Style Auto incorporating the new EOS Scene Detection System to capture beautiful scenes with ease.
  • Express your creativity with advanced imaging features like Basic+ function, Multi-Aspect function and Creative Filters.
  • Enhanced metering with a 63-zone, Dual-layer metering system for accurate metering between exposures, and 9-point AF system utilizing a high precision, f/2.8 cross-type center point.
  • 3.7 fps continuous shooting up to approximately 34 JPEGs or approximately 6 RAW.
  • New Feature Guide offers short descriptions of each function and Quick Control screen for easy operation.
  • Compatibility with SD/SDHC/SDXC memory cards.
  • Compatible with the full line of Canon EF and EF-S lenses.

For more information on the Canon EOS Rebel T3i please visit http://usa.canon.com/cusa/consumer/products/cameras/slr_cameras/eos_rebel_t3i_18_55mm_is_ii_kit.

To purchase the Canon EOS Rebel T3i please visit http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/753762-REG/Canon_5169B003_EOS_Rebel_T3i_Digital.html.


OmniUpdate CMS – Mobile Web for Department Websites

November 29 2011 by jbutcher in Tech Insights |7 Comments

By Jason Eveland, Webmaster for College of Education and Human Services

Mobile Web – Do you need a mobile website? You can now create a departmental mobile website using the Content Management System.

There’s no question that mobile devices have become a staple in everyday living around the world. Now more than ever it’s important that websites be optimized for mobile devices. Mobile optimization can generate more traffic, and boost user engagement.

Course Outline:

  1. What is a mobile website
  2. What impact a mobile website has on users
  3. Google Analytics – Understanding what users are looking for on your site.
  4. Designing content for mobile website
  5. Creating a mobile website with CMS

What is a mobile website?

A mobile website is a specific version of your website that is designed to fit nicely on a mobile device, like an iPhone or a Droid.

What impact does a mobile website have on users?

It’s important to provide users with information they can access at anytime.  By optimizing your website for a mobile device you can provide information that they can find and use.  Mobile optimization boost engagement.

Google Analytics

Learn how to read and understand user habits with Google analytics.  You will be provide with a copy of your website analytics.  (Your site must be in the CMS in order to have analytics data)

Mobile website Content

Studying your analytics will help you determine what is important for a mobile site.

  • Current Events
  • Upcoming Events
  • News
  • Important announcements
  • Personnel Directory

Creating mobile site with CMS

  1. Choose mobile template
  2. Insert content with WYSIWYG
  3. Test and Re-test

Facebook Privacy (Update)

November 7 2011 by jbutcher in Tech Insights |3 Comments

By Carlo Daniels, Instructional Development Services Graduate Assistant

In today’s world, technology is commonplace.  Devices such as phones, tablets, laptops, netbooks, etc. all allow for the opportunity to maintain a consistent Internet connection in a variety of settings.  This can be evident in school districts as students use such technology when accessing social media applications such as Facebook both in and out of school.

As a result, students growing up in today’s digital world utilize social media in part as a way to look for good examples of proper behavior and model citizenship.  This necessitates educators to not only have a leadership role that engages in modeling proper citizenship offline in the classroom but also online as well.  That is why it is encouraged for teachers to interact with students online in a personal yet professional way just as they would in the classroom.

Although many school districts have varying policies and guidelines on using social media applications, a generally safe practice for teachers is to create a public page or group on Facebook for their class (however, district guidelines and procedures on social media should be checked).  This enables teachers chances to not only interact with students, but their colleagues and students’ parents as well.  Teachers can take advantage of the Facebook interface by sharing photo and video media for class trips and activities, participating in wall discussions, sharing links to websites, etc.

While interacting with students through social media, it is important not only for teachers but parents as well to maintain the privacy of students.  That is why it is crucial for teachers and parents to enforce customizing account privacy settings and modeling safe and appropriate behavior in what is posted on Facebook. Below are practical tips and procedures that can be used to assist in maintaining privacy for teachers, parents, and students.

For more information on Facebook Safety visit their site at https://www.facebook.com/safety.

Tech Tip:  How to better protect and understand Facebook Security

By Hayley Dallmann, Instructional Development Services Lab Assistant

The first step to making your Facebook safer and more private is updating your privacy settings. In order to do this you must find the “Privacy Settings”.  Next to the Home button in the upper right of your Facebook page click on the down arrow and a popup menu will appear.  Click on Privacy Settings.

When working with Facebook security, Facebook gives you different options as to whom you would like to share your posts and page with (i.e., the Public, just your Friends, or Custom settings). The least secure setting is Public. This means that everyone on Facebook can see all of your posts and pictures. If you choose the Friends option, this means that you will be sharing all of your information and photos with only your friends. Custom is the most private way to share your page with only the people you want to have access to view your information.

The image below is the menu for Custom Privacy. In this screen you can customize the way individual items are shown and to whom they are visible. It can be viewed by Everyone, Friends, Friends of Friends, and Only Me. For more secure settings, make the option “Only Me.”  This will mean that only you will be able to view your information. The bottom red arrow shows that you can make your page not visible to certain friends lists that you create. Shown in the photo above, this particular profile is blocked to a “Block list” and a “Limited Profile List”

The screen below is “How you Connect” with others on Facebook. It gives you individual sections that you can set.

The next section in Privacy is Tagging.

This is how people can tag you in posts and in photos.  Tagging is one of the biggest privacy issues with Facebook. Do not allow others to tag you in photos of posts if you fear that someone will see it.

Form Creation (Acrobat Pro X, Google Forms, Wufoo)

October 24 2011 by jbutcher in Tech Insights |27 Comments

By Michael Kieca, Instructional Development Services Graduate Assistant

Fillable forms are used in education and learning in many ways like surveys, tests, assessments, and analysis.  There are 3 easy ways that you can create and edit your own fillable forms by using Adobe Acrobat Pro, Google Forms, and/or Wufoo.com.  Each one of these programs allows you to go through step-by-step and create your own form, edit an old form, or use a template to customize the form to your own liking.  You can create questions for recipients to type in their own answers, choose a multiple choice answer, choose from a drop-down menu, choose the best available, or all that apply.

Acrobat Professional X

Acrobat Pro X allows you to create your own form in any way that you want.  There is no layout to follow, so you can mix up your form and edit it to your liking.  Acrobat Pro X gives you the option to send out your form through email and receive their results on a spreadsheet once they answer.  This is an easy way to gather information for any research project or any order form that you need filled out.  Acrobat Pro software is not free however, it is available between $50-80 as an educational price, or COEHS students, faculty and staff can use the software in the IMM Lab.  For more information visit http://www.adobe.com.

Google Forms

Google Forms may be the easiest way to create a form because you can do it from your very own Google account and it’s free!  You can start from scratch or choose from a variety of templates to create your form.  The form that you create in Google Docs is automatically attached to a spreadsheet, so when you send out your form to different recipients, their answers are automatically recorded into the Spreadsheet.  For more information visit http://www.google.com/google-d-s/forms/.

Wufoo

Wufoo is very similar to Google Forms in the way that you can create and edit forms but the free version only allows you to have 3 free forms under your account.  If you wanted more forms and additional options you would need to pay for a monthly account, where you can have anywhere from 10 to unlimited forms, with however many fields you need, and store up to 10GBs of data.  The price range is anywhere from $14.95 – $199.95 per month.  These accounts can be bought for personal use or may even be bought for a research company or university.  For more information visit http://wufoo.com.

Features:

  • Create from scratch
  • Choose from templates
  • Collect data automatically through spreadsheets
  • Create tests and surveys
  • Send out surveys

TechTip – Adobe Acrobat Professional X

By Amanda Richards, Instructional Development Services Lab Assistant

When creating a fillable form you have 3 ways in which you can begin. If you have an existing word document you can change it into a PDF and select An Existing Electronic Document. If you have a hard copy you can scan the document into Acrobat. Acrobat Pro X will then detect the form fields of either the document or scanned item, and make them interactive. The following instructions walk you through the final way to create a fillable form, creating a form from scratch.

CREATING A FILLABLE FORM FROM SCRATCH:

Open Acrobat Professional X

Click Tools from the top right corner of the screen.

Under Tools, choose the drop down menu Pages -> under Insert pages click More Insert Options -> choose Insert Blank Page.

Under Tools choose the Forms dropdown menu  ->  Click Edit.

Add or edit form message box will pop up. Choose YES

Save your document

No fields will be detected because the page is blank. Click OK. You will then be able to add new fields to create your own form.

Under Tasks, choose Add New Field

More iPad Apps (Idea Sketch, Mindmash, Sundry Notes, Dragon Dictation)

October 10 2011 by jbutcher in Tech Insights |No Comments

By Carlo Daniels, Instructional Development Services Graduate Assistant

Idea Sketch

This free app allows one to create different types of diagrams such as concept maps, flow charts, mind maps, etc. and enables one to convert it to a text outline and vice versa.  Such diagrams can be used as brainstorming devices, concept illustrations, lists and outlines, organizational charts, presentational aids, etc.  The intuitive and easy-to-use interface makes up for any lack of artistic drawing ability, allowing one to simply enter text and move shapes around to create diagrams.  Diagrams can also be saved to the Photos app and uploaded to Facebook.

MindMash

MindMash is a canvas on an iPad for one’s ideas that can be used by students, teachers, designers, bloggers, artists, and other creative individuals.  It is another free note-taking and brainstorming application that enables one to combine and manipulate text, images, and drawings (known as ‘bits’) to compose a mash-up of visual outputs for either professional or personal purposes.  The free-form layout and user interface on the app aids greatly in the creative process by allowing one to easily edit bits of information.  It is a great application for conglomerating different bits of multimedia into one note taking sheet or sheets.

Sundry Notes

Sundry Notes is a free note-taking app for the iPad that allows one to write text, highlight text, and draw.  However, what sets the app apart from many other note taking apps is its plethora of other features that don’t necessarily come with standard note taking apps.  These include the ability to record audio, create tables, bookmark parts of notes to return to them, undo or redo an action up to 50 times, and even search the Internet with its built in web browser, which can be very useful when looking up information about the subject you are taking notes on.  All notes can also be stored online via the cloud feature.  What is more is that notes can be edited in real-time with other users under the same WiFi network and notes can be synced to Dropbox, Evernote, Google Docs, and Facebook to allow one’s notes to be downloaded and shared.

Dragon Dictation

Dragon Dictation is a free application that specializes in voice recognition.    It enables one to instantly see their speech as text on the iPad.  The app is compatible with online features like social networking applications and email accounts as it allows one to dictate information directly to Facebook, Twitter, or personal email.  The app also supports a plethora of world languages.

TechTip – MindMash

By Hayley Dallmann, Instructional Development Services Lab Assistant

This is the home screen of MindMash, as you can see there are multiple buttons that allow you to draw, type and create different “bits”.

This second screen shot, allows you to draw and design different layouts using shapes. This can be extremely helpful for layout designs. Images can be added to fill in your layout.

Adding  text to your layout can more clearly explain your brainstorm. To type click on the “Aa” button. This enables a text/typing box.

Photos can be added to your “bits” by clicking on the icon that looks like a Polaroid photo. This allows you to take a picture using your device or finding a photo already on the device.

When you have completed your mindmash project you can share the file to Facebook, twitter, as an email, or into photos by choosing the icon on the top of the screen as shown below.

When choosing the gear icon, your settings and a help option for mindmash appear.  In the settings tab you can choose to connect to either Facebook or Twitter. You can also choose between two themes, classic and Zen.  The help tab allows you to view copyright information as well as a brief description of what action each of the 3 icons on the top of the screen do.

iPad Apps (Idea Flight, Flipboard, Edmodo)

September 23 2011 by jbutcher in Tech Insights |5 Comments

By Amanda Richards, Instructional Development Services Lab Assistant

Idea Flight

The application Idea Flight is an iPad application that you can download for free and use to share your ideas. This application allows you to change the dynamics of any meeting by allowing you to connect to up to 16 other iPads.  Once you share your presentation you can either lock your presentation in order to hold your audience’s attention or you can leave it unlocked and allow others to work along with you. Any file that can be saved as a PDF may be presented through Idea Flight. The program also has a notes feature so that any time during the meeting you can open your notes, update them,  save them locally or to Dropbox, email them from the app, and access them at anytime.  The app also comes with a security feature that allows you to require a “boarding code” or 4 digit password for participants to enter in order to gain access to your presentation.  Another feature is the “passenger list”. Participants are identified by their names, titles, and organizations. Participants may also sign into LinkedIn and connect to the passenger list that way.

Flipboard

Flip Board works like a magazine application where you can add content, social networks and aggregate content specifically to your interests. The app works fluently with easy swiping motions to the left and right direction to flip through content. Each pane of your Flip board is continually updated as new information or news feeds become available.

Edmodo

Edmodo is an online resource that also has an iPad application to accompany it. Edmodo is a social learning networking site that allows for students and teachers to share files, assignments, events, and ideas. Teachers can keep a class calendar, have a public stream, and conduct roles. Another feature of Edmodo is the sites ability to send out text message alerts to students. Teachers also have the ability to send and receive assignments, as well as keep a grade book for students to view. The iPad application provides a calendar, grades, ability to view and attach files, view posts and notifications, and organize folders of content.

TechTip – Idea Flight

By Michael Kieca, Instructional Development Services Graduate Assistant

Inviting Passengers to your Presentation:

If you want to send your presentation to invitees of the meeting, enter in the invitees email address in the prompt that comes up once you open the app.

Your invitee will receive your email and if they do not have the app already, they will be able to download it from your email.

If they are not connected, it gives you an option to connect.

If they are connected, it will say so underneath their title.

As the pilot of the meeting, you will notice a people icon in the corner of your screen and if you tap on that icon your passenger list will come up and show you who is signed into their Linkedin account or not.

SmartBoard Gallery/Template Lessons

September 9 2011 by jbutcher in Tech Insights |6 Comments

By Carlo Daniels, Instructional Development Services Graduate Assistant

Whether you are using Notebook’s built-in gallery or using an existing template from SMART Board’s website, there exists a vast array of educational resources to work with when creating interactive Notebook lessons and activities.

The Gallery

The gallery contains many different categories of resources that include, but are not limited to clip art, interactive tools, games, slide themes, and activity items like graph paper and maps.  Such variety allows for students to get out of their seats and use the SMART board for activities like using the lined paper template from the gallery to allow students to practice writing or using a map template to label countries.  What is more is that all of these resources are also categorized by academic subject within the Notebook gallery to allow for easy navigation when finding the resource that is right for you.  Subjects include Mathematics, History, Science and Technology, Geography, Arts, etc.

SMART Exchange

SMART exchange’s homepage, http://exchange.smarttech.com/, not only contains more free high-quality resources to download for building a lesson or activity but also links to other useful websites and multimedia resources.  You also have the option to share your own SMART Notebook lessons that you have created with other teachers.  In addition, many different forums allow you to communicate with educators around the world on related topics such as SMART Products, Resources, and Support.

Using the Smart Notebook Gallery and S­­­mart Exchange Interactive Templates

By Hayley Dallmann, Instructional Development Services Lab Assistant

The SMART Notebook is one of the best resources that a SMART Board user can access. Beyond creating lessons from scratch, there are many free and additional resources available located in the SMART Notebook Gallery and the SMART Exchange database.

The SMART Notebook Gallery gives the user an abundance of free clip art and interactive clip art that can be added to lessons to make them more interactive for the SMART Board user.

To view different categories and what is offered, click on each folder.

Once inside the folders, the SMART Notebook breaks down the different categories into Pictures, Interactive and Multimedia elements and also Notebook files and Pages.

The next added component that a SMART Board user has free access to is the Smart Exchange Interactive Templates. Every Template found on this online gallery is free to each user.

Items such as the above will appear. In order to access these lessons click “Download”. In order to download these lessons the user must create a free user account. Upon downloading, this lesson will be automatically brought into the SMART Board gallery.

« Previous Page — Next Page »