content

Below are some great resources re: creating your own e-books / streams of content — with thanks to Mr. Michael Haan, Technology Integration Specialist/Purchasing at Calvin College, for these resources
.

Adobe DPS:
http://www.adobe.com/education/products/digital-publishing-suite.html
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Apple iBooks Author:
http://www.apple.com/ibooks-author/
.
Creating ePub/eBook books in Pages:
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4168
.
Creating ePub/eBook in InDesign:
http://blogs.adobe.com/vikrant/2012/02/create-epub-ebooks-with-adobe-indesign/
.

.
From DSC:
You might also want to check out Lynda.com for the relevant training materials.
.
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Let’s create our own streams of content — always up-to-date — plus we could help our students save big $$! And, as Michael pointed out, such tools could also be used internally for training-related and communications-related purposes.

Thanks Michael!!!

What's the best way to deal with ever-changing streams of content? When information has shrinking half-lives?

Tagged with: Adobe • Apple • communications • content • Content aggregration • content repositories • corporate training / universities • cost of getting an education • creativity • digital audio • digital learning • digital photography • digital storytelling • digital textbooks • digital video • e-books • e-publishing related items (EPUB and more) • higher education • interactivity • Mobile learning • streams of content • training

Growing the Curriculum: Babson Survey Research Group (Nov 2012 Report)

On 11/20/2012, in content development, aggregation, repositories, higher education, online learning, open courseware and systems, by Daniel Christian

Excerpt:

As part of the ongoing Babson Survey Research Group’s online learning reports, we have asked institutional academic leaders questions on their knowledge, use and opinion of OER as part of the 2009 – 2011 surveys. In addition, we have conducted surveys asking faculty in higher education and academic technology administrators their opinions of these resources. Finally, our survey of faculty on their use of social media also asked for faculty opinions on OER. This report contains the results from all these data collection efforts.

Tagged with: content • content repositories • higher education • open

Lorepo from Learnetic

On 08/14/2012, in accessibility / UDL, content development, aggregation, repositories, digital learning, education technology, elearning, interactivity, K-12 related, neurodivergent/special needs, online learning, presentations, by Daniel Christian

Learnetic, a Polish-based eLearning publisher and developer, has just released Lorepo — an online authoring tool dedicated to the creation of interactive digital content compatible with desktop computers, tablet devices and smart phones. Thanks to HTML5 technology and the development of specific design guidelines, the new tool enables authors to create interactive learning objects that are compatible with the wide variety of operating systems, screen resolutions and mouse/touch interfaces in today’s marketplace. Read the rest of the press release here >>

Lorepo is provided to you by Learnetic, an eLearning industry leader offering a wide range of products and services for modern education. Lorepo is our key solution for everyone interested in learning, creating and sharing interactive content.

Either you are an individual person willing to share some knowledge with your friends or the whole world, a teacher eager to provide your students with personalized learning resources or a publishing company aiming at preparing professional, multiplatform interactive content, Lorepo is the best choice for you.

Also see:

.Learnetic S.A. is a world-leading educational software publisher and e-learning technology provider, based in Poland. Its content, publishing tools and eLearning platforms are widely used by publishers, teachers and students in over 30 countries, including Poland, United States, United Kingdom, Holland, Spain, Portugal, Malaysia, Singapore, Chile, and Australia. The company’s talented team of software engineers specializes in designing applications for education markets and is dedicated to satisfying the diverse needs of contemporary educators and learners.

Tagged with: accessibility • content • content repositories • e-learning • interactivity • K-12 • learning objects • online learning • platforms • presentations • special needs

.Also see:

The Global Creativity Gap — an infographic from Adobe
.
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Pantone unveils 336 new colors — from PSFK.com by Kyana Gordon
Education system stifles creativity, survey finds — from The Journal by David Nagel
Is the American education system stifling creativity? That’s the attitude held by a majority of Americans, according to a new worldwide survey focused on attitudes toward creativity in schools, the workplace, and the home.

From DSC:

This last piece from David Nagel addresses my fears and concerns with our current emphasis on standardized tests, common core standards, etc. The emphasis is on STEM and can lead to a one-size-fits-all type of education that doesn’t allow each student to identify and pursue their own passions enough.

Addendum on 5/2/12:

Adobe Dreamweaver CS6 — reviewed at PCMag.com

Tagged with: Adobe • animation • cloud-based computing / apps / other cloud-related • content • creativity • design • digital audio • digital learning • digital photography • digital storytelling • digital textbooks • digital video • e-learning • e-publishing related items (EPUB and more) • educational technology • graphic design • Graphics • illustration • multimedia • online learning • productivity • tools • vendors

The potential of cloud-based education marketplaces — from evoLLLution.com (LifeLong Learning) by Daniel Christian; PDF-based version here

Excerpt:

Such organizations are being impacted by a variety of emerging technologies and trends – two of which I want to highlight here are:

Online-based marketplaces – as hosted on “the cloud”

The convergence of the television, telephone, and the computer

One of the powerful things that the Internet provides is online-based marketplaces. Such exchanges connect buyers with sellers and vice versa. You see this occurring with offerings like Craig’s List, e-Bay, PaperBackSwap.com, and others.

Tagged with: 21st century • 24x7x365 • adult learners/learning • cloud-based computing / apps / other cloud-related • content • content repositories • convergence • corporate / business world • corporate training / universities • Daniel S. Christian • exchanges • future • future of higher education • homeschooling/homeschoolers • innovation • learning ecosystem • Lifelong learning • marketplaces • mirroring / multiple devices • reinvent • Smart/Connected TV • social learning • staying relevant • streams of content • technologies for the home • trends

Subject matter networks [Jarche]

On 03/09/2012, in content development, aggregation, repositories, instructional design, social learning / networks, using teams, by Daniel Christian

Subject matter networks –– from Harold Jarche

Excerpt (emphasis DSC):

“I think the singular SME is an antiquated a notion as the solitary game player & our development pipelines need to change.” writes Mark Oehlert, on Twitter. Mark coined the term, subject matter networks, as a change from the industrial concept of subject matter expert, or SME, a term I first heard in the military in the mid-1970’s. But the world has changed and most notably during the past decade.

…

In such an environment, the lone expert is at a disadvantage. He or she cannot learn and adapt as fast as a cooperative network.

We have become connected.

Tagged with: connect • Connectivism • content • instructional design • social learning • Using teams

A dangerous game [Wheeler]

On 02/09/2012, in assessment, curriculum, dangers of the status quo, education reform, K-12 related, memory, more voice more choice more control, pace of change, student-related, teaching & learning, UK, by Daniel Christian

A dangerous game — from learning with ‘e’s by Steve Wheeler

Excerpt:

This got me thinking that many of the world’s education systems are a little like the eating game of Meze. We pile the students plates high with content. Content of every kind is presented to be consumed, and the poor students don’t stand a chance. Many are overwhelmed by the amount of content they need to learn, and the pace at which they have to learn it. Even while they are struggling their way through an overburdened ‘just in case’ curriculum, still more content continues to arrive at an alarming pace. Some learners cry out for mercy, but they are still compelled to consume the content, because later, they are required to regurgitate it in an examination to obtain their grades. The examinations bear no resemblance to that which will be required of them in the real world. No wonder so many wish to leave the table early. What can teachers do to obviate this problem? Some are making a difference, reinterpreting the curriculum they are given by enabling activities and creating resources that facilitate student centred learning. Learning at one’s own pace, and in a manner that suits the individual will overcome some of the problems of overload, but more needs to be done. Things are changing, but they are changing slowly, too slowly for many people’s tastes. It’s a dangerous game we are playing in education. Isn’t it about time we stopped?

Tagged with: assessment • content • curriculum • dangers of the status quo • education reform • information overload • K-12 • memory • more choice more control • pace of change • student-related • teaching & learning • UK

Content-focusing questions for SME interviews [Elkins]

On 12/16/2011, in content development, aggregation, repositories, elearning, instructional design, using teams, by Daniel Christian

Content-focusing questions for SME interviews — from elearninguncovered.com by Diane Elkins

Excerpt:

Over the years, we have developed a list of questions specifically designed to help with this SME conversation. Working with these questions helps us get the information we need and steers us away from information that isn’t relevant to the course. In some cases, providing this list to the SMEs in advance helps make the conversation go more smoothly.

What are some of the areas that cause the most confusion?
What are some of the most common questions you get about this topic?
What are the common mistakes that people make in this area?
What are the most dangerous mistakes people can make in this area? What is the impact?
What are the biggest gaps between what people should be doing and what they are actually doing?
Do you have any stories or examples that help illustrate key points?
What content points might cause some resistance or pushback?
Is there anything that might be considered new or revolutionary over what they previously did or thought?
If they walked away remembering only three things, what would they be?
Is there anything that they need to know “cold”? Meaning, if you stopped them on the street next Tuesday and asked them, you would want them to know the answer without blinking?
Is there anything that is important but used infrequently? Perhaps rather than memorizing it, having a reference to look up would be more useful?
Do you know of any checklists or reference guides that might help people use this information in their day-to-day work?
Is there anything here that you would consider “nice-to-know”? Meaning, it won’t necessarily affect what they work on from day to day?

Of course, there are many other questions we need to ask for the project overall (you can find a list here), but we’ve found that these questions really help us focus on getting the best possible information from the SMEs that will be of most value to the students.

Tagged with: content • e-learning • instructional design • Using teams

Companies lose control of their customers or their markets when…[Leonhard]

On 11/21/2011, in content development, aggregation, repositories, corporate / business world, future, game-changing environment, global / globalization, new business models, publishing, reinvent, staying relevant, technology (general), trends, by Daniel Christian

— excerpted slides from
http://gerdleonhard.typepad.com/files/telemedia-and-content-gerd-leonhard-total-telecom-public.pdf

Tagged with: content • corporate / business world • future • game-changing environment • global • new publishing models • paid content • publishing • reinvent • staying relevant • technology (general) • trends

One iPad publishing platform to rule them all [Koppel]

On 11/15/2011, in cloud-based computing / apps / other cloud-related, content development, aggregation, repositories, digital textbooks, emerging technologies, engagement / engaging students, human-computer interaction (HCI), innovation, interactivity, multi-touch, multimedia, new business models, publishing, reinvent, RSS, user experience (UX), by Daniel Christian

One iPad publishing platform to rule them all — from Mashable.com by Josh Koppel, Co-founder and Chief Creative Officer at ScrollMotion

Excerpt:

App developer ScrollMotion has created tablet content for some of the world’s largest publishers. At the Mashable Media Summit last Friday, its co-founder and chief creative officer Josh Koppel showed off a single platform built to run the entire gamut of enterprise media publishing.

.Also see:

Tagged with: cloud-based computing / apps / other cloud-related • content • digital textbooks • emerging technologies • engagement • human-computer interaction (HCI) • innovation • interactivity • multi-touch • multimedia • new publishing models • publishing • reinvent • RSS • tablets • user experience

A good example of pooling resources

On 10/25/2011, in content development, aggregation, repositories, cost of getting a degree, new business models, open courseware and systems, publishing, by Daniel Christian

8 Colleges Collaborate on Open Courses — from Converge Magazine by Tanya Roscorla

Excerpt:

Many students can’t pay hundreds of dollars each term for textbooks. So they choose not to buy any of them.

“They just try to take the class without the book, and boy, that’s hard,” said Marty Christofferson, dean of campus technology at Tompkins Cortland Community College in New York.

This year, eight colleges that primarily serve at-risk students are working together on Project Kaleidoscope. In California, New York and Nebraska, faculty members are collaborating on open general education courses that will cut student textbook costs to less than $30 per class.

From DSC:
For some archived examples of pooling resources — and the use of consortiums — see this page on my old website:

Consortiums, Societies, Networks & Associations
This page speaks to the pooling of resources that are possible within the world of education

Tagged with: content • Content aggregration • cost of getting an education • new publishing models • publishing

Best idea for higher ed since about 2002 [Davidson]

On 10/24/2011, in content development, aggregation, repositories, higher education, innovation, open courseware and systems, research, society, by Daniel Christian

Best idea for higher ed since about 2002 — from HASTAC.org by Cathy Davidson

Excerpt:

I just learned about an amazing project (still in Beta) sponsored by the Australian Eight, the eight largest national universities in the country, called “The Conversation.” It may well be the most inspiring collaborative project I’ve heard about since about, oh, 2002-2003 (ie I’m joking of course–2002-2003 happens to be when HASTAC went from an “aha!” moment around a conference table to our first actual meeting as a collective; there are tons of other great ideas in higher ed, inc HASTAC’s founding!). The Conversation translates the best scholarly research into lively journalism. It makes a giant step towards public intellectualism, taking HASTAC-ish principles of an online network of education innovators learning together in a public and open forum, to their logical (if highly curated) conclusion. Unlike HASTAC, the Conversation’ has a team of professional editors, quite renowned in their collective experience. They curate and select the best research from many fields produced by specialized academics and recasts it as journalism for the larger public as well as for academics in other fields. They turn specialized scholarly research written originally for academic experts and peers into accessible, interesting, urgent, and sometimes even delightful fun and creative information for the public at large.

Also see:

BETA

Academic rigour, journalistic flair

Addendum later on 10/24/11:

Here’s an even BIGGER Idea for Higher Ed! — from HASTAC.org by Cathy Davidson
Well, after blogging and tweeting yesterday about the tremendous public aggregator of university research in Australia, an online publication called The Conversation, I heard today from lots of people that there is an even BIGGER version already here in the U.S.—and it includes top research from the U.S., UK, Canada and Australia too. It’s called “Futurity,” and it is wonderful, and, yes, I should have known about it since Duke is one of the universities that cofounded it, along with Rochester and Stanford. But somehow I missed it so now take this opportunity to say how fabulous it is (check it out, it really is fabulous), and how now we have to make sure that HASTAC gets involved to make sure there is even more arts and humanities aggregated as part of its “Society and Culture” category. Here’s the url for Futurity: http://www.futurity.org/

Tagged with: content • Content aggregration • content repositories • higher education • innovation • open • research • society

Mary Meeker: Internet Trends [10-18-11 presentation]

On 10/19/2011, in business, content development, aggregation, repositories, corporate / business world, economics, global / globalization, internet, mobile technologies, trends, by Daniel Christian

Tagged with: business • Connectivism • content • economics/business • global • internet • mobile technology • trends

Tagged with: analytics • blended learning • change • cloud-based computing / apps / other cloud-related • content • content repositories • customized learning • dangers of the status quo • Daniel S. Christian • digital learning • disruption • educational technology • game-changing environment • games • higher education • hybrid learning • Mobile learning • open • personalized learning • publishing • trends • vendors

Create Khan Academy style video tutorials with ScreenChomp [Agarwal]

On 08/08/2011, in content development, aggregation, repositories, digital audio, digital video, higher education, India, innovation, instructional design, K-12 related, New "Amazon.com" of Higher Education, online learning, productivity / tips and tricks, tablets, teaching & learning, tools, vendors, by Daniel Christian

Create Khan Academy style video tutorials with ScreenChomp — from the digital inspiration blog by Amit Agarwal

Some of the products that Amit mentioned in the posting include:

An iPad from Apple used with TechSmith’s ScreenChomp application(if you have an iPad)*OR

A Wacom Bamboo Tablet with Smooth Draw to create the doodles on the computer screen and Camtasia Studio (if you have a Windows PC)

* Also see
Drawing on the iPad: 12 touchscreen styluses reviewed
— from Macworld.com

Update / addendum on 4-17-2012 from posting w/ same date:

Sal uses a PC with:

Camtasia Recorder ($200)
SmoothDraw3(Free)
Wacom Bamboo Tablet ($80)

Prior to that, he used:

ScreenVideoRecorder($20)
Microsoft Paint (Free)

Mac users: In lieu of SmoothDraw, Autodesk Sketchbook Express works (free with a Wacom)

Tagged with: content • digital audio • digital video • educational technology • higher education • India • innovation • instructional design • K-12 • online learning • tips and tricks • tools • vendors • Walmart of Education

Previous Entries

Learning Ecosystems

Growing the Curriculum: Babson Survey Research Group (Nov 2012 Report)

Content-focusing questions for SME interviews [Elkins]

Companies lose control of their customers or their markets when…[Leonhard]

A good example of pooling resources

Best idea for higher ed since about 2002 [Davidson]

Mary Meeker: Internet Trends [10-18-11 presentation]

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