Weekly Tech Tip - Downloading and Converting Online Video

Since we recently (temporarily) blocked YouTube at school it poses a particular problem for teachers who rely on it for content. There are ways to get around this by downloading the videos before and after school or at home. In this week's tech tip I show you two different methods of doing this. I also built a new teacher training module on this topic that includes these tech tips and links to the necessary tools.

Weekly Tech Tip:

How to Download and Convert Online Video Files using Desktop Tools from Carl Anderson on Vimeo.

Download and Convert Online Video using Online Tools from Carl Anderson on Vimeo.

6.6 - Extracting and Converting Online Media Content (3pts)

Link Stew:

• Dear Map - this is a tool that lets you annotate Google Maps with your own landmarks and share them with others. They also let you view your custom map in Google Earth and even create a drivable virtual road trip. (Cool factor - 9.5)
• Slide Finder - Slide show search engine with an academic focus.
• N Building on Vimeo - Augmented reality is the next big thing in tech. This is a video of a building in Japan that has built QR codes right into the architecture (QR codes are kind of like visual bar codes
• Format Factory - Free media file format converter
• Sheet Music Editor - Create new original music or refine and polish hand-written compositions
• app.itize.us - Directory of the "best designed" iPhone and iPod Touch apps
• Cell Phones: The 7th Form of Mass Media - Interesting speech by Tomi Ahonen on Fora.tv
• Primary Pad - web-based word processor that allows students and teachers to simultaneously work on documents at the same time.
• Interesting statistic from MNSCU regarding Online Enrollment:
• MnOnline growth rate this year is 22% - over 19,000 FYE in online courses. Online now makes up 12.8% of total enrollment.
• Transfer songs from iPod to computer http://bit.ly/4wyISJ
• Digital Equity in Education: A Multilevel Examination of Differences in and Relationships between Computer Access, Computer Use and State-level Technology Policies by Jonathan D. Becker, J.D., Ph.D., Hofstra University

Blog Carnival:

• Blind Men, Elephants, and Cognitive Tools from Technology in the Middle Blog by Patrick WoessnerFacebook's Zuckerberg Says Privacy No Longer A 'Social Norm' (VIDEO) From the Huffington Post
• School Teaches Its Students Almost Entirely Through Video Games from NeatORama

Weekly Tech Tip - Research, Collaborate, Create, Publish and Repeat

Weekly Tech Tip:

Last week I sent everyone the results of our student technology survey. Today I came across a fascinating article that can help inform our analysis of this data. UCLA recently did a study on the effect internet use has on our brains that seems to support some of our findings. A lot of this data proves things we already knew, namely that engaging students in projects that require higher-order thinking results in greater student achievement and more cognitive growth. However, this also means we need to keep this in mind when we are designing learning activities and assessments for our students. One general area that this study finds very positive benefits with is student blogging and website building which is a rather low-impact activity we can integrate into many of our classes. In this screencast I talk through the findings from UCLA, contrast them with our school's survey results, and show where you can go to get students involved with blogging or building websites. If you are interested in integrating this into your classroom don't hesitate to ask for assistance.

• How Using The Internet Is Changing Our Brains

• What the web is teaching our brains

• Digital Backpack

Blog Carnival:

• The Colonialism of Michelle Rhee or TFA v BoA by Ira Socol at Sped Change

• Crossing America: An Education by Ira Socol at Sped Change

• These horses are out of the barn by Doug Johnson at Blue Skunk Blog

• Readin', Writin', and Creatin' by Barry Bachenheimer at A Plethora of Technology

Link Stew:

• Devdutt Pattanaik: East vs west -- the myths that mystify - TED Talk

• Designing Education 3.0 - fascinating projection of the future of education

• Videos, Games Help Preschool Literacy, Study Says

• Teachers begin using cell phones for class lessons

• Willingham: Six practical reasons arts education is more than a luxury

• k-12 Online Conference Schedule - This is a free online conference

• Memoov - Animation Studio online - Free online tool for making animations

• Homepage - Creaza - Collection of powerful online tools. Includes movie editor, audio editor, concept-mapping, and cartoon building applications.

• iLearn Technology » Blog Archive » 20 iTunes Feeds for the 2.0 Teacher

• The Differentiator - interesting teacher tool for generating higher-order student projects.

• National Gallery of Art NGAkids STILL LIFE interactive

• gazelle.com - Site that will give you money for your old electronics and computer equipment or recycle it for free.

Weekly Tech Tip - Vuvox

Weekly Tech Tip:

Many of us assign students presentation assignments where we have students create slide show presentations with PowerPoint or Google Docs either to enhance an oral presentation or as a stand-alone project. However, when we do this three issues almost always emerge: 1. Many of their presentations are too information heavy (too many bullet points); 2. Students (and teachers too) will be tempted to read their slides instead of using their slides to support what they are saying in their presentation.; and 3. Too often students get caught up in the flashy features of PowerPoint and don't focus enough energy on the content. There are many free web-based multimedia presentation tools that can solve or at lease alleviate some of these problems. In the Digital Backpack I have many of these tools collected under the category "Multi-Media Presentation." For this week's tech tip I walk you through how to use one of these tools called "Vuvox."

• Video Tutorial: Using Vuvox to build engaging and non-linear presentations.

Link Stew:

• GLOBE - This is a free open content search engine for finding free open licensed instructional content online.
• Constructivist Strategies for the Learner Centered Classroom
• Connexions - Sharing Knowledge and Building Communities - Great Source for free classroom resources and lesson plans
• The New York Times: "What Your Phone Might Do for You Two Years From Now"
• iPod Literacy.com - Using the iPod in the Classroom and for Staff Professional Development
• AMC Archive Classic Movies - Watch old movies free online.
• Classic Cinema Online - Watch old movies free online
• Ninite Easy PC Setup and Multiple App Installer - Great For Win7 Upgrades - Choose from dozons of popular open source software programs, then install them on your computer all at once with just one step.
• MakeUseOf's Comprehensive Guide to Twitter
• Free Website Builder & Personal Web Dashboard - ZooLoo
• Fill Any PDF Form
• Free Online PDF Editor - Edit PDF on the Web - PDF Hammer
• Pew Internet: Social Isolation and New Technology - Executive Summary
• CNN.com: Twittering from the tractor: smartphones sprout on the farm - CNN.com
• Muvizu - Create animated videos without fancy equipment or years of training
• Moviestorm - Create 3d characters and environments then make movies with them

Blog Carnival:

• Blue Skunk Blog: "Bud the teacher gets it right"
• The Clever Sheep: "Which Brands of Soda Do You Sell?"
• Dangerously Irrelevant: "10 questions about books, libraries, librarians, and schools"
• Blue Skunk Blog: "What's the place of futurists?" -Doug Johnson's reaction to Scott McLeod's "10 questions" post
  
• Blue Skunk Blog: "Distracting technologies"
• Ideas and Thoughts from an EdTech: "Robbing Students and Teachers of Joy"
• dougbelshaw.com/blog: "12 educational ways of using 12seconds.tv"
• MobileBehavior: "Five Approaches to Mobile Technology in the Classroom"