Program for Online Teaching – Week 15: Creating Class Elements Part 3: Screencasting and multimedia

I checked out Prezi, and created a presentation (after hours of work, should I add) with two practice exercises for my students (relating to food). I couldn’t figure out how to embed it so CLICK HERE to view it.

This week the pages  in our textbook (from Chapter 9) introduced various tools such as screencasting.

SCREENSHOTS

I’ve been using Screencast-o-Matic and really like it to take different screen shots of my computer. Other screen capture sites are: ScreenToaster, Jing, Camtasia Studio.

SURVEYS/POLLS

I’ve created surveys/polls using Google Drive (previously known as Google Docs). In this chapter, we learned how to create polls and surveys using tools like Polldaddy and Pollanywhere also known as polleverywhere. I tested out Polldaddy to create the survey below which is for students to “critique” a lesson, giving me various feedback:

Another useful, yet popular survey creation tool is Survey Monkey.

QUIZZES

I personally use a Word Document, Google Drive or simply Blackboard to create new Quizzes. The textbook suggested Quiz School and My Studiyo as other free quizmakers.

MIND-MAPPING

Mind-mapping is a useful way for the instructor or students to brainstorm, work on outlines and various upcoming projects. In a on-campus class, I usually have students draw out these “maps”, but here are the textbook’s recommendations for online mind-mapping:

• Mindomo
• Jane Hart’s Top Learning Tools site (by the way, the URL listed in the textbook didn’t work)

I created the map below to help my students write research papers in French:

(Make your own mind maps with Mindomo.)

Here’s the screenshot of my mind-mapping:

Make your own mind maps with Mindomo.

AVATARS

The first week of class, I have my students introduce themselves on the Discussion Board. There’s a thread just for “Présentations” (Introductions). Students may add a picture or avatar. I actually have a tutorial on doing just that. Here it is:

Voki helps one create avatars.

ANIMATED MOVIES

I haven’t tested out using animated movies yet since I create my own videos or use a number of good videos I find online. The textbook, however, provides us with many sites that will help us create animated movies, such as:

• DoInk
• Digital Films
• Fuzzwich

The textbook also gives us much information on why, when and is it worth creating multimedia. I’ve found many tools online that have helped me not need to create my own. But over the years, sometimes I find topics that students have a difficult time understanding either because the textbook doesn’t explain it well enough or because they need it broken up differently. I’ve consequently had to create my own Power Point Presentations, handouts and/or videos for them. When using material that is NOT my own, I always site my source at the bottom (whether in a Power Point Presentation and/or handout).