Using Twitter Favorites to Share Relevant and Current Ideas

I want to share with my teacher education students what other educators' opinions are of Professional Learning Networks (PLNs)... to give a flavor of the excitement and benefits that come from being part of a PLN.

Rather than create a third Storify story for the class I decided to look for another approach. I have learned--and shared in this blog--how easy it is to create a Storify story to provide current, relevant content. I have already created two Storify stories that I will use with my students in our Spring 2014 online course.

Twitter escultura de arena / Rosaura Ochoa / CC BY 2.0

So I watched Twitter on TweetDeck for a while. I created a column (timeline) that held tweets that contained PLN or #PLN. From those tweets I chose the ones that I thought would provide useful information to my students about PLNs. I favorited those. Then from my Favorites column I chose to share the tweets that included PLN (and, thus, #PLN) and I embedded those in the website for my course (as I have done below for this blog.) When you create the filter for the favorites that you want to use a widget is created for you that you can embed in your website. The process is easy.

I plan to use this data widget in my social media unit. However, I think I will find many uses for providing information for my students in this way. Is this a technique that you can use with your students?

 Favorite Tweets by @joschiff

Clickers in the Classroom

Remote Controls / Duncan C / CC BY-NC 2.0

Clickers. No, no, ... not to change channels! Clickers... in the classroom... to engage, to assess, to promote discussion. Physical clickers. Virtual clickers. And pedagogy designed to make the use of those clickers in the classroom effective.

Clickers / Neil McPherson / CC BY-ND 2.0

I've used Storify again (see previous post) to gather and publish some current materials to introduce my students to using clickers in the classroom. I have examined this Storify post three different ways so I can decide which works best in this blog: first as a slideshow, second in a grid, and third in the default style.

After viewing these three template options--slideshow, grid, and default--I definitely prefer the default choice. The slideshow is minimal in its use of space, but if I use it I need to edit some of my comments so they are not so long. The grid option displays only one of the components of my Storify story about clickers. That's not acceptable. The default template shows the complete story. It takes a lot of space, but everything is included and nothing is chopped off. Default it is!

Using Storify to Share How Educators are Teaching with Inspiration Software

Storify is an application that helps you share stories, videos, and images on the web.

I am tweaking an online course that I will soon teach to pre-service educators. I used Twitter and the web to help me find ways that teachers are currently using Inspiration software. Storify helped me quickly put together a list of those uses that I can embed (or provide a link to view) on my blog and/or post on the online course's website. The uses in the Storify list include articles, videos (Vine and YouTube), and images from tweets and websites.

When I first read about Storify I appreciated the technology that enables it to work, but I did not see any reason to use it myself. What changed my mind? Quick access to current information for my students. I do not want to provide "old" information for my students. Storify helps me keep my lessons timely.

Would you like to try Storify? Here's a video tutorial that will help you learn how: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=luZcU2E5cgI

The link and the embed follow.

Link: http://storify.com/schiffbauer/using-inspiration

Embed:

Introduce Mobile Learning to Colleagues or Parents with a Short Video

This week (February 2, 2014) I am sharing several useful ideas and resources that I discovered through my PLN. The topics are:

• free photos you can use

• using color appropriately on a website

• facilitating online courses and

• an introductory video for mobile learning.

Each of the four topics is in an individual post.

Mobil / Clemens Locker / CC BY-SA 2.0

Mobile Learning: Mobile Tech in the Classroom 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2Ly1FOHIa4

The YouTube video in this article (click here)--created with PowToon animation--is a good introduction to the concept of mobile learning. PowToon is easy to use. I've used PowToon animation in the past; however, the application has improved since I last used it. Both free and paid subscriptions are available. Helpful tutorials are easily accessed on PowToon's website.

For additional information about mobile learning check http://www.scoop.it/t/mobile-learning-by-schiffbauer  (this site is updated regularly).

Preparing to Teach an Online Course? Check Off Your Tasks!

This week (February 2, 2014) I am sharing several useful ideas and resources that I discovered through my PLN. The topics are:

• free photos you can use
• using color appropriately on a website
• facilitating online courses and
• an introductory video for mobile learning.

Each of the four topics is in an individual post.

• 
  

During the First Week of Class:

• Pedagogical – Create an ice breaker activity related to a key course objective or concept.
• Managerial – Contact missing students to encourage their participation.
• Technical – Assist students with login/access difficulties.
• Social – Provide a personal and welcoming introduction to develop a personal presence.

- See more at: http://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/distance-learning/a-checklist-for-facilitating-online-courses/#sthash.i4XrNeHn.dpuf

• 
  

During the First Week of Class:

• Pedagogical – Create an ice breaker activity related to a key course objective or concept.
• Managerial – Contact missing students to encourage their participation.
• Technical – Assist students with login/access difficulties.
• Social – Provide a personal and welcoming introduction to develop a personal presence.

- See more at: http://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/distance-learning/a-checklist-for-facilitating-online-courses/#sthash.i4XrNeHn.dpuf

• 
  

During the First Week of Class:

• Pedagogical – Create an ice breaker activity related to a key course objective or concept.
• Managerial – Contact missing students to encourage their participation.
• Technical – Assist students with login/access difficulties.
• Social – Provide a personal and welcoming introduction to develop a personal presence.

- See more at: http://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/distance-learning/a-checklist-for-facilitating-online-courses/#sthash.i4XrNeHn.dpuf

• 
  

During the First Week of Class:

• Pedagogical – Create an ice breaker activity related to a key course objective or concept.
• Managerial – Contact missing students to encourage their participation.
• Technical – Assist students with login/access difficulties.
• Social – Provide a personal and welcoming introduction to develop a personal presence.

- See more at: http://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/distance-learning/a-checklist-for-facilitating-online-courses/#sthash.i4XrNeHn.dpuf

• 
  

During the First Week of Class:

• Pedagogical – Create an ice breaker activity related to a key course objective or concept.
• Managerial – Contact missing students to encourage their participation.
• Technical – Assist students with login/access difficulties.
• Social – Provide a personal and welcoming introduction to develop a personal presence.

- See more at: http://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/distance-learning/a-checklist-for-facilitating-online-courses/#sthash.i4XrNeHn.dpuf

 

Emma Doing Homework... / Extra Ketchup / CC BY-SA 2.0

A Checklist for Facilitating Online Courses
http://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/distance-learning/a-checklist-for-facilitating-online-courses/

Teaching online is just like teaching face-to-face said no teacher ever. This article looks at the main roles of online teachers. These roles are listed as:

• pedagogical,
• managerial,
• social, and
• technical.

Some of the tasks for each of the roles are listed based on when they should occur throughout the course. For example, during the first week of class instructors are encouraged to:

• create ice breaker activities,
• contact missing students and encourage them to participate,
• help students having difficulty logging in, and
• provide a welcoming introduction.

The checklist in this article would be a good addition to the ideas for tweaking an online course at http://teachinginadigitalworld.blogspot.com/2014/01/tweaking-online-course.html.

• 
  

During the First Week of Class:

• Pedagogical – Create an ice breaker activity related to a key course objective or concept.
• Managerial – Contact missing students to encourage their participation.
• Technical – Assist students with login/access difficulties.
• Social – Provide a personal and welcoming introduction to develop a personal presence.

- See more at: http://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/distance-learning/a-checklist-for-facilitating-online-courses/#sthash.i4XrNeHn.dpuf

During the First Week of Class:

• Pedagogical – Create an ice breaker activity related to a key course objective or concept.
• Managerial – Contact missing students to encourage their participation.
• Technical – Assist students with login/access difficulties.
• Social – Provide a personal and welcoming introduction to develop a personal presence.

- See more at: http://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/distance-learning/a-checklist-for-facilitating-online-courses/#sthash.i4XrNeHn.dpuf

During the First Week of Class:

• Pedagogical – Create an ice breaker activity related to a key course objective or concept.
• Managerial – Contact missing students to encourage their participation.
• Technical – Assist students with login/access difficulties.
• Social – Provide a personal and welcoming introduction to develop a personal presence.

- See more at: http://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/distance-learning/a-checklist-for-facilitating-online-courses/#sthash.i4XrNeHn.dpuf

What Color is Your World Website?

This week (February 2, 2014) I am sharing several useful ideas and resources that I discovered through my PLN. The topics are:

• free photos you can use

• using color appropriately on a website

• facilitating online courses and

• an introductory video for mobile learning.

Each of the four topics is in an individual post.

Cuadros / Natalie de Frutos / The Pattern Library

eLearning Design – Choosing the Right Color
http://www.knowledgedirectweb.com/elearning-design-choosing-color/#

When we design websites or put together online courses or activities the content, of course, is most important. However, our reaction to the content is colored (pun intended) by the colors used.

Do you know…

• Do we need to use a little or a lot of a warm color for it to make an impact?
• Are there any rules for what colors should be used for text?
• Which colors work well for colorblind students?
• What is the most liked color?
• What colors work well with children?
• Do those same colors work well with adults?

Check the eLearning website for answers to these questions and additional information. (Hint: an answer to one of these questions is blue.) 

Free Quality Photos are Available on the Web

This week (February 2, 2014) I am sharing several useful ideas and resources that I discovered through my PLN. The topics are:

• free photos you can use
• using color appropriately on a website
• facilitating online courses and
• an introductory video for mobile learning.

Each of the four topics is in an individual post.


Stock Photos That Don’t Suck: a list of places to find the best free stock photos
https://medium.com/p/62ae4bcbe01b
scroll down from the opening screen to see the list…
Ten sites are listed in this article. I have provided three examples below.


Little Visuals
http://littlevisuals.co/

I subscribed to the weekly images. “Use them [the photos] anyway you want,” states the author of the site. Currently, the site has been temporarily disabled due to too much traffic. However, individual photos are available on the site and can be downloaded one-by-one. The photos include many different subjects. The geometry teacher in me could not resist this one—Peace—from Germany.

Peace / Little Visuals  / CC0 1.0

Superfamous
http://superfamous.com/

Folkert Gorter's photographs are available free if you use the attribution license at his SuperFamous site. I found many scientific photos (especially geological). The photo I am posting here is tagged flowers; however, I did not find a title for the photograph.

Flowers / Folkert Gorter / CC BY 3.0

PicJumbo
http://picjumbo.com/

The photographs (of many topics) at this site are totally free for commercial and personal use. The example I have posted is that of a highway at night. I would give attribution to the website even though it is not required.

Highway at Night / Viktor Hanacek / PicJumbo

Go to Stock Photos That Don’t Suck: a list of places to find the best free stock photos to visit the other sites where you can find photos to use for free.