Livescribe

Impressive. Amazing. Easy. All words to describe Livescribe's breakthrough technology that lives in a pen. This amazing tool visually records what you write, while simultaneously recording the audio you speak. Files are immediately uploadable to your D2L site, or embeddable in a blog as below. New adjunct math instructor Chris Person-Rennell has become a quick expert and uploaded several lessons for students to view. He shares a sample below. Livescribe is available to use in GL 122.

Click here to view Chris's lesson.

Barcode Scanning Makes Registration Smoothe Sailing

You never know where you'll find technology inspired greatness! We only had to look out our back door this week to see the Student Success Day volunteers scanning registrant's IDs as they entered the building. A number of "success days" back, after painstakingly taking down student names by hand, Deb Ellsworth got a brilliant idea. She approached Teddy Wieczorek and Wail Kailani from the library and inquired about the potential of the library barcode scanner. With their help, she arranged for a loan of the scanner and they connected it to a laptop where data can be directly imported into an excel spreadsheet. Deb was exhuberant about the amount of time it saved - for both volunteers and students waiting to register. Subsequently, media services has ordered scanners that are now available for checkout for staff who could use this technology.

What is all the hubbub about MP3s, and why should I use them in my class? MP3s use the third audio layer of the MPEG (moving pictures expert group) compression standard, thus the name. This compression removes much of the extra audio information and frequencies that your ear can't hear and delivers a file that is 1/12 the size of equivalent audio. What this means for you and your students is fast upload and download of audio files to your D2L site for Distance Ed. classes, as well as "Web Enhanced" classes.

RCTC's Educational Technology Department has purchased SonyMP3 recorders for check-out. MP3 file creation is a snap, as you record your lecture or review, connect the recorder to your computer, and upload the audio files to your D2L class. It's just another way the Educational Technology Department can help you reach your learners. To learn more, stop down to the Educational Technology Department, or visit us during one of our Technology Showcases.

Virtual You - Make an Animated Movie

For this week's blog, press the play button on the movie!



To build your own virtual you,
http://www.xtranormal.com

PREZI! (or powerpoint is so yesterday!)

This summer one of the most refreshing things found everywhere at the D2L conference was another free Web 2.0 tool called Prezi!

Prezi takes your tired Powerpoint presentations and WAKES THEM UP! It does away with linear slide organization. Working from one giant canvas, Prezi allows you to feature, zoom and create relational patterns connecting thoughts - allowing you to say what you want to say concisely and beautifully.

While we may not be experts yet, take a look at our mini-sample: (Picture it full size!)

Click on the arrow located at the middle-bottom of box to control. Keep clicking thorugh.



Now!...try it yourself at

http://www.prezi.com

Interested in an inservice? Be sure to leave a comment below: