Here is a very cool website that answers that question. How many times have you checked a site and it was down only to realize it was only you? Check out this site, it’s very cool:
Category Archives: Web 2.0
Call for Proposals Now Open: Global Learning Technology Conference
Call for Proposals Now Open: Global Learning Technology Conference
We invite you to submit a proposal to present at the annual Global Learning Technology Conference to be held October 10-11 in Wilmington, North Carolina.
This year’s conference theme, Journey from Learning to Life focuses on Instructional Design from K-12/higher education/business and industry.
Proposals must be submitted by April 30, 2013
The Innovative Instructional Strategies category, instructors/teachers from higher education or K-12 will share successful cutting edge methods. These sessions may range from strategies for individual domains or interdisciplinary strategies for multiple domains. The sessions will be identified as K-12 or higher education focused.
The Community Partnership category is for both business and any level educators. These sessions will be for both business partnerships and educators to learn how educators are preparing students and skills businesses require for gainful employment.
The Training & Professional Development category will be for the community business members to share training and professional development strategies that are successful in obtaining and keeping employee’s knowledge and skills current while maximizing transfer of knowledge and minimizing cost.
Topics for the above categories may include:
· Emerging technologies
· Mobile learning
· Professional learning
· Team-based learning
· Design thinking
· Assistive technology
· Social media
· Virtual learning environment
· Distance education/e-learning
· Applied learning
· Assessment and evaluation
· Digital Content
To submit a proposal or for additional information on the conference, visit our website at http://www.uncw.edu/ed/gltc or email gltc@uncw.edu
The Flipped Classroom
This is a new way of thinking about education. I think there is a lot to be taken from this model and placed into current classrooms. It’s very interesting.
“In this model of instruction, students watch recorded lectures for homework and complete their assignments, labs, and tests in class.” – Aaron Sams and Jonathan Bergmann (pioneers of flipped classroom)
My youtube videos: Google Analytic Stats
I was checking out the google analytics of my youtube videos that I have created for my students (tutorials) and thought the stats were really interesting. So I am going to post them here.
So far my videos have had a total of 180,586 views
Users have spent 224,904 minutes watching them (thats 3,748.4 hours or 156.18 days)
My most viewed video is how to add sound in Flash CS5. It has 33,404 views, has been watched for 25,326 minutes, and has 79 likes
65% of my viewers are male
Most users are 35-54 yrs age and from the US
Anyway, there are some more stats but those were the most interesting.
Bringing gaming engines to the web: Mozilla and Unreal
This is pretty cool and definitely where we are going in terms of gaming. Bringing game engines to the web means you can play high end games in your browser, which means cross compatibility across devices. Now what they need to do is bring games like WOW to the browser. For those that do not know Unreal is a gaming engine and Mozilla is the company that brings us Firefox. This will definitely be something that is explored in my gaming class next year!
My take on the future of MOOCs
I just responded to a post in LinkedIn and I thought I would share this here. I have not spoken about MOOCs much because I still feel we are in very early stages of them. So here are my current thoughts when someone asked if these will replace traditional colleges:
It is way too early to see where MOOCs really fit in. I saw these same conversations in the late 90s when online education first became popular. The problem with MOOCs and other forms of distance ed is that the dropout rates are nearly double that of F2F colleges. Until we can get over that motivation (really self motivation and discipline) barrier I am not sure how these will replace the traditional colleges. That is just one issue of many. MOOCs might solve some problems in higher ed but they also create some as well. Considering most are in experimental phases and the companies pushing them have really yet to test their business model, I would guess that we have a ways to go before we start seeing if there is a UoP or Walden U type success in the MOOC world. I am not saying it will not happen. I am saying that there are a lot of hurdles MOOCs need to first overcome. When I see one of the main companies roll out a proven successful business model, then I will be less skeptical but as of now its way too early to tell.
Amazon Prime now available on Wii
Not sure how I missed this but its been available since November. Amazon prime is amazon’s streaming video service that competes with Netflix. Its $79 for a year and includes free 2 day shipping plus one free Kindle book a month. I use it and its awesome. I save $79 in just the shipping.
Rumor: Motorola X phone said to be a game changer
The phone many have been waiting for (me since I purchased my galaxy nexus). This is the rumored phone that is said to change everything and set the bar for the next generation of phones.
Here is some of the article: “But then once Motorola either trolled us all or slipped up completely by listing a job opportunity for a director of product management for the X Phone team, we haven’t heard much. Well, until now, thanks to a rumor out of Australian electronics site, SmartHouse.
According to sources of theirs, who claim to have spoken with Telstra CTO Hugh Bradlow on the matter, the X Phone will be a “game changer.” It’s supposed to be a “real breakthrough” that will put pressure on Samsung and Apple, something no one in the smartphone industry has done in a couple of years.”
The phone is rumored to be announced in May and released in July but usually those rumors are off so I wouldnt hold my breath on those dates..especially if you are waiting for carriers to get it.
Tweets, not résumés, to get a job?
This is an interesting article in usatoday this weekend. Apparently this company is looking for employees with ‘online personalities’ regardless of what they can do. While I think the article is a bit extreme I do see this becoming a trend. Whether we like it or not, an abundance of followers on social media platforms equals credibility. If you’re planning on boosting your social engagement on a platform like Instagram, you can easily buy Instagram followers here. However I just was having a discussion this weekend with a colleague and we were discussing how ‘recommendations’ within social media sites like linkedin were not very valuable as people who did not know either of us had recommended us and added skills to our profile in hopes that we would do the same to theirs. Here is a quote from the article:
“The paper résumé is dead,” says Vala Afshar, chief marketing officer at the tech firm Enterasys Networks that is in the process of hiring a six-figure, senior social media strategist based on tweets. Afshar refuses to even look at résumés. “The Web is your résumé. Social networks are your mass references.”
Beginning Monday, job prospects can begin tweeting for the job, which he hopes to fill by April. “I believe the very best talent isn’t even looking for work,” Afshar says. “They’re mobile and socially connected and too busy changing the world.”
Think of it as a 140-character job interview. Even the folks at Twitter are a bit surprised. “I don’t think we’ve heard of that before actually,” says spokeswoman Alexandra Valasek in an e-mail.”
“It didn’t matter to me what they’re like in an interview setting,” Biebert says. “All that mattered was their online personality.”
What do you think?
Handbrake crashing when scanning DVD?
Here is the solution to a DVD that will not burn. (Keep in mind I am only providing this information for users who legally own DVDs, not pirates).
1. Insert DVD into MAC and let it play.2. When the actual Movie (not commerials/menu/etc) starts playing, move your cursor to the top of the screen where the menu is (might need to press mouse) and choose Go->Title and look down the list to find the title that is checked. Keep that number fresh in your head.
3. Open up Handbrake and press cancel – Do NOT select a source
4. Select File->Open Source->Select your movie
5. Enter the Title number in the box that pops up
6. Now rip away….