This document provides information and instructions for various online tools that can be used to make teaching life easier, including Panopto, Prezi, Slideshare, Sophia, ScreenCast-O-Matic, Jing, YouTube, and Blackboard. Panopto allows recording and sharing of class lectures, notes, and whiteboards. Prezi is an alternative to PowerPoint for creating interactive presentations. Slideshare allows uploading and sharing of presentations online. Sophia is a site for finding and creating lessons, quizzes, and getting feedback from other teachers. ScreenCast-O-Matic and Jing allow creating simple video lessons and grading papers. YouTube and educator groups on YouTube are resources for finding lessons

1. How Can I Make My Life Easier?
What are those options I keep seeing
on Blackboard? Why should I care?
What can I do with them?

2. What is Panopto?
This is another program which allows you to
share notes and PowerPoint of your computer
screen with your students. You may also record
a class lecture or share a whiteboard with
students. http://www.panopto.com/
The VCCS has a contract so talk to your IT
individuals to find the address for your schools
connection.

3. Jazz up your PPT with Prezi
This is a fun program to use when you are
talking on screen--- but you can just create for
presentations.
http://prezi.com/
Here is my first attempt.
http://prezi.com/seteuj11qavt/?utm_campaign
=share&utm_medium=copy&rc=ex0share

4. What is Slideshare?
You will find it at : http://www.slideshare.net/
This is a terrific free program which will allow
you to upload handouts using PowerPoint, Open
Office, PDF, or Keynote and share presentations
on the Internet. This will allow you take your
handouts and move them to an easily accessible
area.

5. What is Sophia?
This is a delightful site for teachers by teachers
and will allow you to find or create lesson or
quizzes or find some that have already been
created. There is an option to get suggestions
from other teachers about your lesson if you
wish. http://www.sophia.org/
http://www.sophia.org/tutorials/transitional-
words
My group number is: 3935c6

6. What is ScreenCast-O-Matic?
This is a simple free program which will allow
you to create an easy video lesson for your
students.
http://www.screencast-o-matic.com/
This is an extremely simple program to use; all
you need is a camera and a microphone.

7. Where can I keep the video?
You can save your video on the this free
program. http://www.screencast-o-matic.com/
It is simple to save your work here and allows
you the option to copy/ embed your work.

8. Jing will help you grade papers
This is one of my favorite sites and has allowed me
to save a lot of time.
http://www.techsmith.com/jing.html
Jing is a free program which will allow you to save
up to 5 minutes of video. That may not seem like a
lot, but it works well with our students’ attention
span.
This program is by the same company that created
Camtasia. Your school may be able to provide you
with Camtasia which allows you to edit and do
other things.

9. You Tube
I have always found it amusing that it isn’t
Utube--- but there are a lot of excellent lessons
to be found here which can be added to your
Blackboard. https://www.youtube.com/
Once you are registered, you can join groups
which strike your interest, and these groups will
Lead you to other groups… Try Educator.com.

10. Looking at Blackboard
Have a look at the top row for your categories.

11. Slideshare and You Tube

12. Panopto

13. Step 1 and Panopto
Go to Course Management/Control Panel/Tool
Availability/ Find Panopto and make it available.
You will only need to do this once.

14. Step 2 and Course Tools

15. Step 3 and Configure

16. Your school’s link
You must log in to BB before going to the site.
On the dropdown menu select BB Production.

17. Download the Recorder

18. Here is your recording screen
Talk to your IT person to get the details of setting
up your recorder.

19. Check out the Panoptos.