Thing #23

I think that Creative Commons is a much needed tool. The ability to specify what things can be used for and not used for is an especially important topic considering the ongoing debate on intellectual property. This would be great for presentations, videos or audio files that are created and specifying how they can be used. Very easy to translate codes for what is and is not allowed.

Thing #22

Out of the offered podcast directories, the one that I liked the most was the Educational Podcast Directory. The interface was a bit cleaner and subject breakdown was eaiser to search through. I chose to listen to a podcast from the Computer/Tech. Skills section. The title was Simulation and Gaming in Education, Part 1. It was about teaching in virtual environment and role playing environments called Metaverses. It highlighted the application called Second Life and the educational institutions that have a presence there. I did like Podcast Alley as well. It had a great resource section to help others get started podcasting. I think that I will look into using podcast to pass along tips and equipment information to my professors. I subscribed to the instructional tech podcasts with my Google Reader so I can keep up with what is posted.

Thing #21

Animoto is a fairly cool site. I like the fact that you can use your own images and songs to create short videos for free. The site is very user friendly and the interface is easy to work with. This would be a good site for younger students to create videos for projects since it is so easy to use. Not sure that I would personally use it, but I can see some classroom applications for this service.

Create your own video slideshow at animoto.com.

Thing #20

YouTube is one of the most important sites on the web. Sure it is used for entertainment, but the importance of this site is something that is almost full realized now. Users have the ability to upload a video about anything, anytime. During the Iranian protests, YouTube was one of the only avenues for information to get out. Educational institutions are also major users of YouTube. Most of the largest universities have a YouTube presence for posting event videos as well as promotional materials. YouTube is now universally accessible through smartphones as well as direct connections to newer LCD and LED televisions. The video that I have chosen for my blog is of a band that I love called "Gov't Mule." Like I said earlier, YouTube is good for entertainment.

Thing #19

I think that I am in love with Ning (sorry Alicia). I have been checking out the College 2.0 Ning and it is something that I will be checking daily. I have also already sent a request in to be a part of it. I am currently a member of a couple of different message boards, but nothing professional related. I think that this is a systemic learning process and I say that, because it keeps going and going. I looked into the College 2.0 Ning and it lead me to another resource, which in turn lead me to another resource. It is almost information overload, but I cannot wait to get further into it.

5611 Thing 12

Does it really get any better than Google? I have been using their services for years. The calendar is a great tool since it can be embedded on a web site or other location and can be easily set to keep up tasks, assignments and co-workers. My favorite is iGoogle which, could be the greatest thing ever. The ability to collect the most useful web apps and have them on my homepage is beyond helpful. It saves so much time to have everything in one location as opposed to having to open numerous windows to find what I am looking for. With Google Calendar in particular, teachers can place assignment due dates on it so that students will be able to check them online. They can also add the calendar their personal Google calendar.

5611 Thing 11

Out of all the offered search portals, I preferred Google. It is an interface that I am familiar with as well as the operators that narrow my search results. Syndic8 was my least favorite to use. The main search page was confusing and not as user friendly as Google. The Campus Technology feed was one of my favorites that I have found so far. It has a lot of relevant info for higher education settings. It is a site that I checked quite often, so the ability to add it to my reader was welcome. One of the easiest ways to find a blog is to frequent your favorite sites and see if they are RSS enabled and just add them to your reader.