This document provides information and recommendations about various technologies that can be used for online teaching. It discusses how technology enables online classes but should not be the sole focus, and recommends Web 2.0 tools that allow users to perform advanced tasks easily. Specific websites and tools are recommended for finding images, conducting video chats, creating and editing audio and video files, building narrated PowerPoints, conducting polls, and sharing content.

1. Technology
Is online teaching all about technology?
Yes: it’s done through a variety of
technological means.
No: technology changes. Focusing on the
technology distracts you from the more
important concerns surrounding human
contact and learning.

2. What do you think?
Is an online class a new version of a
correspondence course or a Directed
Independent Study?

3. So, what can I do?
Web 2.0 refers to a set of tools that allow
low-tech users (like you and me) to perform
high-tech feats.
To see some great examples of the use of
Web 2.0 in education, go to EduBlogs
http://edublogawards.com/

4. Images
Where to find them?
www.google.come, then click on Images in
the top ribbon.
Search for your term

5. Images
Where to find them?
Google Images might give you hundreds or
thousands of images. To narrow your results,
use Advanced Search.
How? Once you get the Google Images
search result, look on the top
right for the “gear” icon.
This is helpful if you need to find
non-copyrighted images.

6. Images
Clipart
For example, http://etc.usf.edu/clipart/
Computer Screen Grabs
Use the Snipping Tool in your computer
Scanned-in images

7. Images
Editing images
Adobe Photoshop
Microsoft Picture Manager
Picnik.com
Picasa
Image format types
GIF for line art
JPG for lots of colors

8. A Course Management
System
A CMS is a piece of software that helps you
organize and present your course. We use
Blackboard.
It allows you to create pages and complex
navigation in a relatively painless way, using a
“what you see is what you get” interface.
It allows you to upload images, audio, video,
PowerPoint slides, etc.
It integrates teaching and communication
with grading and classroom management.

9. Video Chatting
Use video chatting if your class is
“synchronous” or if it has synchronous
components.
Adobe Connect
Share your screen
Keep attendance
Text chat real-time
Multi-way video and audio
AMU has one “classroom” for as many people
as you need.

10. Video Chatting
Use video chatting if your class is
“synchronous” or if it has synchronous
components.
Google Hangout
Like Adobe Connect, but limited to only 10
people.
Free with a Google account
Record the conversation
Share your screen, files, etc.
Easy to access on a phone

11. Audio files
Why use them?
To introduce yourself as a person
To give feedback
To lecture
For students to create presentations
Streaming Media
QuickTime, RealNetworks, Windows Media
MP3

12. Audio files
By a decent microphone: $30-$60
Make sure it connects to your computer via
a USB port.
Microphones integrated into plug-in
webcams are typically of lower quality.
Look for microphones integrated
into headsets.
I like the “Blue” brand.

13. Audio files
Editing your audio files
Try http://audacity.sourceforge.net/ for a free
audio recorder and editor.
A plug-in to Skype can also record your calls.
For podcasts (subscribable series of audio
files)
Podomatic.com
Yodio.com

14. Audio files – within a PDF
If you want to give comments to your
student’s papers, you can insert audio into
a PDF.
Using Adobe Acrobat Standard, go to
Tools | Customize Toolbars, and then select
Record Audio Comment. Now you have a
button. Click on that button, then on the
place on the screen where you want to
comment. And record!
Students can listen to the
recordings with
Acrobat Reader.

15. Videos
Flip cameras, phones, computer webcams
It pays to get a quality product.
Edit with Windows Movie Maker
Blackboard allows you to do “video
everywhere:” (posted in YouTube)
Comment on a student’s work.
Take students on virtual field trips.

16. Videos
Students can also create videos with their
phones, etc., and with Blackboard’s “video
everywhere”
E. g., as a response to a discussion, or as an
interview as part of research for a paper.

17. Narrated PowerPoints
Take any set of slides. Under the Slide Show
tab, click on Record Slide Show.
Follow the instructions.
Try to keep your videos to less than 10
minutes. 5 minutes is better.
When done, go to the File tab, Save &
Send, and click on Create a Video.
Edit with Windows Movie Maker
Then upload it to YouTube.

18. Narrated PowerPoints
Should you write out your presentation
before giving it?
Fewer errors or unnecessary pauses
But less natural and intimate, a bit more
forced.
You can make mistakes during recording and
fix them with editing software.

19. Narrated PowerPoints
Screencasting tools: to capture what you
are doing on the screen and turn it into a
video.
ActivePresenter from AtomiSystems.com
Jing, Camtasia from TechSmith.com
QuickTime X from Apple.com
Screencast-o-matic.com
ScreenFlow 4 from Telestream.net
Adobe Captivate

20. Polls
Poll Everywhere
Polldaddy.com
Survey Monkey

21. Sharing
Technology
YouTube
Screencast.com
Dropbox, Google Drive
Slideshare.net

22. When to use Web 2.0 ?
Look at the TekTrek Wordpress blog, and
especially at
http://tektrek.wordpress.com/2009/03/02/w
eb-20-selection-criteria/