Royalty Free Music and EmbedPlus — from The Thinking Stick by Jeff Utecht

Excerpt on EmbedPlus:

“You can set times in the video to skip to, you can slow the video down, and rewind. Some pretty cool extra features….and all for free.”

Millions of TV’s (as completely converged/Internet-connected devices) = millions of learners?!?

From DSC:

The other day, I created/posted the top graphic below. Take the concepts below — hook them up to engines that use cloud-based learner profiles — and you have some serious potential for powerful, global, ubiquitous learning! A touch-sensitive panel might be interesting here as well.

Come to think of it, add social networking, videoconferencing, and web-based collaboration tools — the power to learn would be quite impressive.  Multimedia to the nth degree.

Then add to that online marketplaces for teaching and learning — where you can be both a teacher and a learner at the same time — hmmm…

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From DSC:
Then today, I saw Cisco’s piece on their Videoscape product line! Check it out!

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How will technologies like AirPlay affect education? I suggest 24x7x365 access on any device may be one way. By Daniel S. Christian at Learning Ecosystems blog-- 1-17-11.

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Addendum on 1-20-11:
The future of the TV is online
— from telegraph.co.uk
Your television’s going to get connected, says Matt Warman


New Garageband Killer uJam is the best web app of 2011 — from Cool Stuff for Nerdy Teachers blog

Excerpt:

Ujam is without a doubt the best free app I have seen pop on the web in the last 12 – 18 months and it is a really fresh and unique piece of software that is going to blow your students minds.  Essentially uJam let’s anyone create a professional piece of music in minutes by simply singing.  No instruments required. ( You must see the video below to believe it.)

Ujam

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ProTools opens up — from JISC
Avid adds open standard compliance to their industry-standard audio software.

Avid Pro Tools 9

With the release of Pro Tools 9, however, this has all changed. Avid (who have also now dropped the ‘Digidesign’ sub-brand from ProTools) have opened up Pro Tools to interface with open software and hardware standards like Apple’s Core Audio, or ASIO for Windows, and for the first time you can now buy Pro Tools software on its own (rather than bundled with, or limited to specific hardware) and record and play back through any audio interface. At JISC Digital Media this means we’re looking forward to hooking ‘Tools up to our Apogee Ensemble interface, as well as other Core Audio and ASIO audio devices we have access to, and getting back to what for some of us is a familiar environment.

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Math that moves -- the use of the iPad in K-12 -- from the New York Times

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From DSC:
I post this here — with higher ed included in the tags/categories — because if the trend within K-12 continues (i.e. that of using such technologies as the iPad, digital textbooks, mobile learning devices, etc.), students’ expectations WILL be impacted. When they hit our doorsteps, they will come with their heightened sets of expectations. The question is, will we in higher ed be ready for them?

Blackboard Exemplary Course Winners for 2010

Example excerpts from 2010 University of Nevada, Reno

Best Practices

When asked to identify three best practices achieved by this course, one course reviewer wrote: “In all honesty this course is so well done that choosing three is like saying you have a favourite child. I really can’t do it.”

Organized and intriguing layout

  • The overall layout of the course is great. Students should not have any difficulty with navigation.
  • The content is provided in appropriate chunks in both text and as narrated presentations with a text transcript. I think this would appeal students of all learning styles.
  • Overall organization and consistent,uniform design of modules makes the progression of learning intuitive and exciting. The modules include introductions and objectives, a variety of media, self-checks, and multiple assessments.
  • Each unit is clearly defined with goals and objectives. The instructor does a very nice job connecting one unit to the next by providing a welcome at the beginning of each unit which recaps the previous unit and introduces the new unit.

Innovative use of technology

  • The extensive use of video and screencasts is wonderful.
  • The active use of the Voiceboard tools is fantastic.
  • The use of voice chats and voice boards make interaction and collaboration more effective than the usual discussion boards.
  • This course strategically places these tools where they can best be utilized to meet the objectives – this course not only uses great technology, but also uses it in a pedagogically sound manner.
  • The Soapbox Moment blog is a wonderful tool that allows the instructor to voice his/her viewpoints in the most appropriate place, helping him/her to remain neutral in other discussions and let his/her students’ thoughts flow freely. The soapbox uses current issues that are directly related to the course and allows students to apply what they have learned to real-world situations.

Interesting content

  • The Getting Started Activities, including a course tour and the use of Camtasia for the first week Assignment, were a really great idea.
  • The orientation is execellent. The instructor does a great job explaining the course goals and objectives as well as taking time to make students feel comfortable. In the orientation you get the sense that this instructor is available and accessible for students.
  • The self check exercises and varied assessments are appealling. The proctored exams ensure the integrity of the course.
  • The interactions and outcomes, reflected in student testimonials, show a community at work!
  • The inclusion of guest speakers is a wonderful design practice. Students can gain some real world experience by interacting with subject matter experts, who have experience in particular content areas.
  • I enjoyed the final discussion project, which incorporates the use of peer-review. Students are given the opportunity to engage with classmates, receiving and providing feedback.

2011 NMC Symposium on New Media and Learning
March 29, 2011 – March 31, 2011
Online hosted by NMC

The 2011 NMC Symposium on New Media and Learning, the seventeenth in the NMC’s Series of Virtual Symposia, will explore the impact of new media on teaching, learning, research, and creative inquiry, especially in higher education.

The 2011 NMC Symposium on New Media and Learning, the seventeenth in the NMC’s Series of Virtual Symposia, will explore the impact of new media on teaching, learning, research, and creative expression, especially in higher education. New media, for this event, is interpreted broadly as anything from creative uses of digital media and new forms of communication to alternative publishing methods and media-rich tools. The Symposium seeks to explore new media in the context of a current social phenomenon and not simply as a means of content delivery.

Proposals are encouraged on any of the following themes, but this list is not exhaustive and selections will not be limited to these categories:

  • digital gaming in education
  • digital storytelling practices
  • new forms of multimedia production and delivery
  • social media, social networking and global connections
  • new media and mobile devices
  • data visualization
  • media-rich communication tools
  • new literacies
  • any technology or practice that shows promise for engaging students and supporting teaching and learning using new media

Textbook publishers and rich media — from Higher Education Management Group

The competitive landscape of textbook publishing has changed and it’s not going to get easier for the traditional parties. However, I think it’s possible for the industry to regain the advantage that made them such a strong presence for decades in education. To do this, publishers will need to determine how – given the new market conditions – their competencies, brand and infrastructure can produce a competitive advantage – and to ensure that this new market position meets the needs of the new higher education market. Easier said than done, right? But the funny thing is that this new strategy will mean the publishers return to what made them the great presence in the first place. Let me attempt to unpack this before I get anymore abstract.

A new type of guitar -- very interesting
— from “Misa digital guitar set for CES launch as the Kitara” at gizmag.com by Paul Ridden

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Vimeo: Capturing good sound

Capturing good sound — from Vimeo.com by Matt Schwarz

Any filmmaker today will agree that capturing sound correctly is just as important as capturing the image itself. Sound can make or break a professional or amateur production, so making sure you know your way around a microphone can’t hurt. So let’s go over some basic ways to capture sound and take your video to the next level of awesomeness we all know it can be!

Capturing good sound -- some solid recommendations for microphones

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For the digital audio lovers out there…

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