Resource of the Week - SecretBuilders

SecretBuilders is a virtual world for children ages 5-14. Children are immersed in a virtual world where they learn about historical figures and literary characters through conversation, quizzes, games, and quests. Additionally, children are encouraged to build the site by submitting ideas about new lands, places, puzzles, activities, and more. SecretBuilders also features an online magazine, allowing children to publish their writing and comment on others' writings. Various contests (in art, writing, design, and more) are also featured.

A Teacher's Console is available, allowing teachers to set up student accounts and assign activities. Detailed information may be found in the Teachers section, including testimonials and ideas for using SecretBuilders in the classroom.

For more resources like this, please check out the eLIS Digital Resources Collection.

Resource of the Week - iNudge

iNudge is a music creation widget. Users select up to eight sound patterns and use the mouse to draw notes on each matrix, creating original music and allowing for experimentation with sounds and rhythms. The iNudge creation below is by eLIS' own Matt Griffin.

Each iNudge may be shared with others via email, embedding onto websites or blogs, or spread through online communities and social networks. Shared iNudges may be edited by others, allowing for collaboration.

For more resources like this, please visit the eLIS Digital Resources Collection.

Resource of the Week - Lure of the Labyrinth

Lure of the Labyrinth is an educational game designed for middle school pre-algebra students. Students are on a mission to rescue a lost pet and must solve math-based logic puzzles in order to find their pet and defeat the monsters. The For Educators section features a wealth of information including a game handbook, correlations to standards, lesson plans, planning resources, and professional development videos.

Be sure to check out the Digital Resources Collection for more sites like this!

Resource of the Week - Prezi

Prezi is a zooming presentation tool, designed to combine visualization and digital storytelling with presentation. Instead of using slides, Prezi provides a large canvas and zooms from point to point along the presenter's defined pathway. Prezis may contain combinations of text, images, videos, and PDF files.

In order to fully understand the program, it is recommended to view the interactive guide, which provides an amazing overview of the program and how it works. Additionally, the Learn section of the website contains interactive guides, a detailed Getting Started Manual, tutorial videos, and presentation videos.

A Prezi demonstration video may be found below:

Be sure to visit the eLIS Digital Resources Collection for more resources like this.

Resource of the Week - KompoZer

KompoZer is a great tool for learning the basics of web design; it is a complete web authoring system combining web file management and WYSIWYG web page editing. KompoZer has many features found in higher-end programs, including WYSIWYG editing, integrated file management, the ability to tab between WYSIWYG and HTML, CSS editor, and more.

For more resources like this, be sure to visit the eLIS Digital Collection.

Resource of the Week - Eternal Egypt

Eternal Egypt is a resource for learning about Egyptian history, art, people, places, mythology, and religions. An interactive map and timeline guides visitors through Egypt's cultural heritage and a 'context navigator' allows users to understand complex relationships between objects, places and personalities. Information is presented with text, images, animations, virtual environments, remote cameras, and three-dimensional models.

Eternal Egypt would serve as a great companion to middle, high school, and college courses or units about Egypt.

Be sure to check out the eLIS Digital Resources Collection for more resources like this.

Faculty Spotlight: Amy Rutstein-Riley

Collaborative Blogging
Sociology of the Family, Spring 2009

Introduction

In response to students who did not have time to meet in person, Amy decided to move her undergraduate group project online to provide more flexibility. She developed the class blog, The Changing Nature of the American Family, as a way for students to participate in collaborative research, develop leadership skills and engage in a dialogue with their peers.

Throughout the semester, students worked in teams to compose blog entries around various topics, utilizing text, images, and video from the web. By creating a week long discussion maintained by the students themselves, students were required to take more authority over the group work and facilitate an ongoing dialogue with classmates with minimal encouragement from Amy.

Timeline

At the beginning of the Spring 2009 semester, Amy sat with an Instructional Designer for a one-hour consultation on setting up a blog and structuring the assignment.

Equipment

• Blogger (free)

Process

Students were divided into assigned teams and chose a theme related to the topic of the Changing American Family. Students then worked together to collect resources and write a concise blog entry around their theme. Each team was responsible for maintaining the blog for a specific week, by writing blog entries, posing questions to guide discussion, and posting a summary. Classmates were asked to post comments and questions in response to the blog posts.

Outcome

By the end of the semester, students had built a collection of posts on various topics of interest, including gender & family, aging & healthcare, adoption, war, media influences, and other current topics in family sociology. Students posted links to articles, short video clips, images, graphs and charts to enhance their well-researched blog entries. Students reported that they found it to be an interesting and engaging exercise. You can view the blog at http://sociologyofthefamily.blogspot.com.

Amy's Next Steps...

In the coming semester Amy will continue to use this blog as a tool for student research and collaboration. She will develop the blog as a part of the classroom that is primarily student led. While she will monitor it and facilitate questions, the blog is created with their voices, their work and their thoughts. Since some students required more technology instruction, she will spend more time at the beginning of the semester showing them how it works.

You Can Blog Too!

• A self-paced Blogging Tutorial is available in the eLearning & Faculty Resources Community in myLesley. Contact eLIS@lesley.edu if you are not yet a member!
• Contact eLIS@lesley.edu for a special one-on-one training session.

Resource of the Week - All About Explorers

All About Explorers was designed by teachers as a way to teach students how to navigate the Internet and conduct research. The site provides detailed lesson plans designed to teach students how to find useful information and recognize inconsistencies.

The introductory lesson takes students on an Internet Treasure Hunt, where they look at two sites to find out about an explorer and answer questions. One set of information is factual while the other contains a mixture of facts and misinformation. Students learn that just because information is available, it is not always factual. Additional lessons teach students how to find factual information, use search engines, and determine the quality of a site.

For more sites like this, please be sure to check out the eLIS Digital Resources Collection.

Faculty Spotlight: Susan McFarland

Delivering Content Through Narrated PowerPoint Presentations
The Art and Science of Leadership, Spring 2009

Introduction
In the design of her first fully online course, Susan McFarland decided to incorporate narrated PowerPoint presentations in order to engage her students more wholeheartedly and appeal to the visual and auditory learners in her course.

Timeline
In the Fall of 2008, Susan enrolled in the Online Course Development Seminar as a starting point for developing her online course for the Undergraduate Management Program. During that time she sat down with a technologically savvy friend who walked her through the process of recording narration in PowerPoint. She described the process as a "simple technological venture."

Equipment

• PowerPoint (standard on most computers)
• Headset ($20-$30)

Process
Susan recorded her own narrations, illuminating the written material on the slides without being too verbose or losing her audience. She prepared notes and then recorded without a script as she wanted to sound as if she were in the classroom. Susan used her laptop with a built in microphone and PowerPoint 2007 to record eight 15-20 minute presentations. She then uploaded the presentations directly into myLesley with assistance from an Instructional Designer.

Outcome
The addition of narration allowed Susan to use PowerPoint in a manner similar to how she would use it in a face-to-face class - to explain concepts, provide examples and make connections. “I think the PowerPoint slides more fully captured my purpose to convey concepts for each week, highlighting the most important ideas from the readings and assignments. Otherwise the slides just seem like lists of ideas, not that useful in enhancing understanding. Students commented that they really enjoyed the narrated slides.”

Susan's Next Steps...
Susan plans on continuing to develop her presentations by adding more graphics and photos for visual enhancement. She will also continue to narrate the slides to add more interest to the presentation. She considers the project a work in progress, which she will continue to build upon based on student feedback and her own experience.

You Can Narrate PowerPoint Too!

• Keep an eye out for our PowerPoint Workshops: http://www.lesley.edu/elis/programs.html
• Review the documentation provided by Microsoft: http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/powerpoint/CH063500681033.aspx
• Contact elis@lesley.edu for a special one-on-one training session

Resource of the Week - GeoGebra

GeoGebra is a dynamic software tool connecting arithmetic, geometry, algebra and calculus. The program offers multiple representations of objects in its graphics, algebra, and spreadsheet views that are all dynamically linked. GeoGebra is designed for all educational levels, from the primary grades through college.

Documentation is available, including a Quickstart, an Introduction to GeoGebra, and a User Manual. Additionally, the GeoGebra Wiki provides teaching materials, including lessons and worksheets, divided in to grade levels and subject areas.

Be sure to check out the eLIS Digital Resources Collection for more resources like this.

Resource of the Week - BibMe

BibMe is a free automated bibliography maker, supporting MLA, APA, Chicago, and Turabian formats. BibMe supports several different source types, including books, magazines, newspapers, websites, journals, films, interviews, lectures, radio, television, encyclopedias, and photographs. Users may manually enter source information or take advantage of the AutoFill feature, which pulls bibliographical information from sources such as Amazon.

After registering with the site, bibliographies may be saved to the user's "My Bibliographies" page where they may be edited, shared, or downloaded. Users may also tag their citations with keywords that will help to identify them at a later time. A Citation Guide is also available, providing rules for in-text citations and bibliographical references.

Check out the eLIS Digital Resources Collection to find more tools like this.

Resource of the Week - CAST UDL Book Builder

The CAST Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Book Builder is a site for creating, reading, and sharing digital UDL books. Books may be designed with text, images, and audio and may contain a linked glossary and "coaches" to help students along. Completed books should engage and support diverse learners.

Model books are available on the site, providing examples of well-designed UDL books. A detailed Tips & Resources section is also available, providing information on book ideas, CAST UDL Book Builder features, and information on Universal Design for Learning. Additional UDL information is available on the site, featuring videos, research, guidelines, and an activity.

Be sure to visit the eLIS Digital Resources Collection to find more tools like this.

Resource of the Week - Gliffy

Gliffy allows users to create, share, and collaborate on diagrams online. Users may create a variety of diagrams including process flow diagrams, organization charts, floor plans, business processes, network diagrams, technical drawings, and more. A basic subscription is free and a premium version is available for a monthly subscription fee.

Be sure to visit the eLIS Digital Resources Collection for more tools like this.

Resource of the Week - History Animated

History Animated consists of three companion sites: Civil War Animated, Revolutionary War Animated, and Pacific War Animated. Each site provides animations of key historical battles within the war, showing the movement of the armies on a map and captions describing their strategies and the outcomes of each battle.

Check out the eLIS Digital Resources Collection for more resources like this.

Please subscribe to our blog to be sure that you receive your Resource of the Week updates.

Resource of the Week - iSpeech

This week marked a new milestone as we added the 500th title to the eLIS Digital Resources Collection. The collection is growing rapidly and new titles are added daily, so be sure to check in frequently.

And now for the Resource of the Week.

iSpeech is a tool for instantly converting text to audio files. Text may be entered manually on the iSpeech site, uploaded from a file, or uploaded from a URL. iSpeech then converts the text to natural-sounding audio. Users may listen to the audio files on the iSpeech site, download them to the computer, or convert them to a podcast.

The personal version of the program is free and premium services are available for either a subscription fee or a pay-as-you-go option.

iSpeech also features a free tool for bloggers, transforming blogs in to podcasts. Bloggers enter the blog URL or RSS feed and iSpeech converts the blog to audio, providing the blogger with a widget to embed on the blog.

Please be sure to subscribe to our blog to ensure that you get your weekly Resource of the Week updates.

Resource of the Week - The Great Flu

The Great Flu is a simulation designed by Erasmus MC Medical Center Rotterdam to show how a pandemic spreads. As the leader of the fictitious "World Pandemic Control," players must try to control a flu pandemic and prevent a worldwide spread of the disease by selecting actions (i.e. distribute face masks, close markets, isolate infected people) and distributing research teams. The goal is to contain the virus before it becomes a worldwide pandemic and to minimize the number of people infected or killed by the virus.

Want to find more resources like this? Check out the eLIS Digital Resources Collection.

Subscribe to our blog to ensure that you get your Resource of the Week updates.

Resource of the Week: Allies and Aliens: A Mission in Critical Thinking

Allies and Aliens: A Mission in Critical Thinking is an activity designed to help students recognize bias, prejudice, stereotyping, misinformation and propaganda both on the Internet and in other media. Students play the part of an agent on an intergalactic mission for earth and must visit sites on the "Galactic Web" in order to determine whether or not an alliance with the United Planetary Alliance is in Earth's best interest. On their journey they will learn about bias, prejudice, stereotyping, misinformation, propaganda and how it is used. A comprehensive Teacher Guide is available, providing background information on these topics as well as classroom activities and handouts.

Want to find more resources like this? Check out the eLIS Digital Resources Collection.

Subscribe to our blog to ensure that you get your Resource of the Week updates.

Resource of the Week - The Blobz Guide to Electric Circuits

The Blobs Guide to Electric Circuits is an interactive learning tool designed to teach 7-11 year-olds about electric circuits. Five sections are available, each containing information on the topic, an activity, and a quiz. Students will learn what makes circuits work, the function of conductors and insulators, how switches work, what happens when the circuits are changed, and how to create circuit diagrams. Upon successful completion, the student will receive a printable certificate.

Want to find more tools like this? Check out the eLIS Digital Resource Collection.

Subscribe to our blog to ensure that you get your Resource of the Week updates!

New Blogging Tutorial Now Available

eLIS is very excited to announce the launch of a new self-paced, online tutorial about blogging. Exploring Blogs as an Instructional & Scholarly Tool is available in the eLearning Faculty Resources Center, within in myLesley.

The tutorial was designed so that you can navigate through the content on your own - but we have also set up a Discussion Forum with multiple threads to start a conversation around using blogs in and out of the classroom. Feel free to start your own threads too as you think of them! The tutorial is brand new and we look forward to hearing what you think of it! Please email us if you have any questions or suggestions, or if you want to sit down with someone and set up a blog of your own!!!

If you are Lesley faculty, and have not joined our eLearning Resource Center, please send us an email today to sign up!

Elisabeth Gabriel, Rebecca Petersen & Kristen Bourgault

Resource of the Week - Lit2Go

Lit2Go is a free online collection of audiobooks by the University of South Florida. The audiobooks are designed for grades K-12 and are searchable by author, title, keyword, or reading level. Lit2Go features a variety of works from traditional folk tales to works by Beatrix Potter, Robert Louis Stevenson, Edgar Allen Poe, Jane Austen, and more.

The files are in Mp3 format and may be downloaded to play directly from the computer, burned to CD or loaded onto any Mp3 player or iPod. Each audiobook also features a printable version as well as reading activities.

Want to find more tools like this? Check out the eLIS Digital Resource Collection.

Be sure to subscribe to our blog to ensure that you get your Resource of the Week updates!

Resource of the Week - Aviary

Welcome to the first installment of Resource of the Week. Each week we will feature a different online software program, tool or resource geared towards K-12 or higher education.

This week, we would like to highlight Aviary.

Aviary is a suite of design tools including an image editor, effects editor, vector editor, image markup tool, and swatch editor. Each tool is cross-platform and works directly within a web browser. Comprehensive documentation and tutorials are available for each tool.

Users must register with the site in order to save their work. A basic subscription is free, allowing users to access all of the programs and many of the tutorials. A paid subscription is also available, allowing access to additional features. Both the free and paid subscription allows users to create, share, and collaborate with other users in the Aviary community of artists.

Want to find more tools like this? Check out the eLIS Digital Collection.

Be sure to subscribe to our blog (found to the right) to ensure you get your Resource of the Week updates!

eLIS Digital Resource Collection Is Now Available

We are excited to announce the launch of our new online Digital Resources Collection! This collection consists of 400+ online software, tools, and resources for both higher education and k-12 classrooms. You can search by subject matter, by tool types (Web 2.0, drawing, animation, etc.) as well as audience. The majority of the tools are free and immediately available for you to download to your computer or use through your web browser.

Every week we add more tools and resources to the collection. Beginning next week, this blog will feature a Resource of the Week posting on Wednesdays. Be sure to subscribe to our blog (found to the right) to ensure you get your Resource of the Week updates!

Who Can Use the Collection?
One of the great things is that the Digital Resources Collection (DRC) is available to anyone affiliated with Lesley and is open to the public too! Simply click on the link provided below to arrive at the site. We invite you to share the link to the collection with friends and colleagues.

Why Create a Digital Collection?
The DRC evolved from the previous Educational Software Preview Collection that was housed on the Cambridge, MA campus. Over the past couple of years the availability of quality online products and tools has grown dramatically, allowing us to share resources to our faculty and students who teach and learn in our off-campus and online programs. Additionally, many on-campus courses are becoming more reliant on online tools and resources making the creation of the DRC a natural step in the services eLIS provides. We are pleased to be able to share with Lesley students and faculty immediate access to a range of resources.

DRC Link:
At this point you might be saying: "Enough already. I get. Just give me that cool link!" Here it is:
http://www.lesley.edu/elis/elisdigitalcollection.html

Questions?
If you have any questions about content or resources you find in the DRC, or have a resource you would like to share with us, please email elisresources@lesley.edu.

Over the next couple of months we will continue to refine the DRC search terms, as well as add a submission form for individuals to share links for inclusion in the collection.

Happy browsing! Let us know what you think!

-Rebecca

Academic Technology Grants: Call for Proposals

We are pleased to announce that the Academic Technology Grants program will be offered for the 2009-2010 academic year. The application deadline has been extended to give faculty an opportunity to reconsider submitting a proposal.

Prospective applicants are encouraged to develop proposals that forward their own professional development in using technology while strengthening student learning outcomes through making use of the new technologies that are becoming available on campus. Faculty who have never received technology funds and faculty wanting to collaborate with one another are especially encouraged to consider developing a project.

Please refer to the eLIS website for full details and requirements on submitting your proposals, including information on preparing a budget, supervisor approval, and policy on course releases and stipends. Proposals are reviewed by the technology liaisons.

Deadline for submission is Friday, May 29th at 5pm. Grants and supporting documents must be submitted by email to elis@lesley.edu.

If you have questions about developing a successful proposal or grant program requirements, please contact Rebecca Petersen, Director of eLearning Resources and Professional Development, at rpeterse@lesley.edu or 617-349-8973.

Faculty Spotlight: Carmin Karasic

Getting to Know Your Classmates Through VoiceThread
Emerging Technologies, Spring 2009

Introduction
Carmin is an adjunct instructor in the online Technology in Education program who was faced with the challenge of creating a community of learners at a distance. To give her course a personal touch, Carmin had students introduce one another through a collaborative multimedia tool called VoiceThread. This tool, which uses images, video and audio, allows for an experience of bringing the online students to life.

Timeline
In the Summer of 2008, Carmin was discussing tools with a colleague when the conversation turned to a new multimedia tool called VoiceThread. She was able to create her first VoiceThread for free in just a few minutes! She then incorporated the tool into her online course for the Fall 2008 semester.

Equipment

• VoiceThread (free)
• Microphone (~$30)
• WebCam [optional] (~30)

Process
Carmin set up a VoiceThread for the introductions for her course, and created a short video explaining the project to the students. She asked the students to view sample VoiceThreads and a "How-to" demo created by her teaching assistant, Jason Kries. Students visited the course VoiceThread, and added their own introductions. Students were encouraged to add a photograph and a video introduction. Those who could not record a video were allowed to add a brief audio clip, or even a text narrative for their introductions. The students were then able to view each other's introductions, all in one place!

Outcome
Carmin's VoiceThread project helped students get to know one another, creating a personal connection from the beginning. View Carmin's VoiceThread introductions: http://voicethread.com/share/327335

Carmin's Next Steps...
VoiceThread worked out so well that Carmin is now using it for an online debate - she created a page for students to post three "Pro" and three "Con" arguments. Students post audio comments, followed by their cited evidence as text. While Carmin has used online debates for many years, she found this one to be the most exciting yet - allowing students to experience the emotion, passion, and personality found in a live debate!

You Can Create a VoiceThread Too!

• A one minute video on setting up a VoiceThread: http://voicethread.com/?#c28.b8381.i61448
• How to Leave Comments on a VoiceThread, developed by Jason Kries: http://coderedsupport.com/demos/voicethread.htm
• Contact eLearning and Instructional Support at elis@lesley.edu for a special one-on-one training session
  

The Open Education Movement

On March 26, 2009, MacLearning.org and Apple sponsored a free conference at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Cambridge Mass. The focus of the AcademiX Conference was on how digital learning environments are shaping the ways in which we teach and learn in today's world.

The opening session was presented by Dr. Vijay Kumar of MIT, titled " 'Open': The New Deal for Education," where he discussed the concept of the open education movement. The idea of "open education" is that educational content should be made free and open for all to use and benefit from.

The importance of this movement is that it releases the knowledge taught in Universities and Colleges to advance education worldwide. The work being done by exemplary teachers in the classroom can be shared with the world, and also provide a model for others to follow. And with having the courses available for students to review, it can give them a glimpse of the type of education they will receive if they choose to attend that specific school.

Dr. Kumar used the MIT OpenCourseWare (OCW) project as an example of this movement, a site where the full materials from MIT's courses are freely available to the public, the number currently at over 1,800 courses having been submitted on a completely voluntary basis by the MIT faculty. While there is the concern of having one's course materials freely available for anyone to view, Dr. Kumar made the point that simply because anyone has the ability to view the course content, it is not the same as getting an education from MIT. The OCW project and the content it contains serves as a model for other faculty and a supplement for the students or any self-learner. It is the task of the faculty to guide their students and to help them think critically about the content from these courses.

While MIT was the first school to take part in this movement, more and more schools are now following in their example. The OpenCourseWare Consortium is a collaboration of over 200 higher education institutions and organizations participating in this movement. Interested in learning more? Their website provides much more information and also gives visitors access to view some of the great educational materials being provided by participating schools from around the world.

Some additional related links about this topic:

• MIT Faculty Adopt Open Access for Scholarly Articles, by David Nagel for Campus Technology, March 23 2009
• Opening Up Education - The Remix, by Toru Iiyoshi and M.S. Vijay Kumar, March 17 2009
• Open Content and the Emerging Global Meta-University, by Charles M. Vest (EDUCAUSE Review, vol. 41, no. 3 [May/June 2006]: 18-30)

Six Ways to Make Web 2.0 Work

In February 2009, the McKinsey Quarterly released the results of a 2 year study looking at how 50 early adoptors of Web 2.0 technologies have been using these tools in their organizations. The article, "Six Ways to Make Web 2.0 Work," looks at 6 ways in which companies can best use these tools, with the most widely used tools being blogs, wikis, podcasts, information tagging, prediction markets and social networks such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

While you do have to register to read the complete article, the site VizEdu has made a great visual representation showing and discussing the results of this survey, including references and links to specific case studies that were done as a part of this study:

Top 100 Tools for Learning

The Centre for Learning & Performance Technologies is an eLearning consulting firm based in the UK. Each year they compile a list which they feel are the "best" tools and technology that can support a variety of learning formats and teaching styles . Below is their "Top 100 Tools for Learning" from 2008. This list was created based on feedback from 223 educators and eLearning professionals.

If you are interested in any of these tools, especially Skype, Audacity, Flickr, Google Earth, Slideshare, VoiceThread, and Facebook, eLIS staff are available to meet with you one-on-one to learn and explore the potential of these resources.

Top 100 Tools for Learning 2008

View more presentations from Jane Hart. (tags: tools learning)

Is there a tool that you are passionate about? Did they miss one for inclusion on their list? Good news! You can submit feedback for their 2009 list here http://c4lpt.co.uk/recommended/yours.html

Faculty Spotlight: Ned Rimer

Sharing Student Videos on TeacherTube
Curriculum, Assessment & Instruction: Practicum
Spring 2008

Introduction
Ned Rimer has taught for the Lesley/Citizen Schools Out of School Time blended program since its inception. He was faced with a challenge; he wanted to see how his students were applying what they were learning to the out of school programs they worked in all over the country. The first semester, he had students mail him video-taped class sessions. While this allowed him to view his students applying their knowledge in practice, he felt that the students would benefit from being able to view one another's videos. In the Fall of 2007, Ned decided to transform this into a digital process, having students use digital cameras and upload their videos to TeacherTube.

Timeline
Ned began planning this project in the Fall of 2007, and executed it with his class in the Spring of 2008.

• In the Fall of 2007, Ned consulted with an Instructional Designer on the logistics of the process.
• In January 2008, the class met face-to-face, where students received videotaping and editing instruction.
• In March 2008, students began sharing their short videos on TeacherTube.

Equipment

• Digital Camera ($100 or borrowed)
• TeacherTube (Free)

Process
During the face-to-face portion of the course in January, the students attended a workshop on video recording and editing that was arranged by the Kresge Media Center in the Library. The students then went out into field placements all over the country. They continued to communicate and engage in their coursework at a distance through myLesley. Towards the end of the semester, students had the assignment to record themselves teaching a lesson they had designed. They uploaded those videos to a private group area in TeacherTube that only the instructor, teaching assistants, and classmates could view.

Outcome
Ned was able to log into TeacherTube and see all of the students' videos in one place. The students in the course were able to do the same - and provide critiques of one another's videos and teaching styles right on the TeacherTube site through the commenting feature.

You Can TeacherTube Too!

• Visit TeacherTube to see what it's all about
• Read the Guide to Getting Started with TeacherTube (PDF Document)
• Contact eLearning and Instructional Support at eLIS@lesley.edu to set up a consultation with an Instructional Designer.
  

Free Online Tools and Resources

Every week there are dozens of cool and new websites we review in eLIS. Below are some notable mentions that we hope you check out, and are also featured in our Brown Bag lunch discussion: "Our Favorite Free Online Tools and Resources."

Images and Drawing
Picnik http://www.picnik.com
Picnik is an easy to use site that allows you to quickly upload a photo or other image file to crop and resize for use in your course site, PowerPoint files, and other documents. You can also import images from your existing Flickr or Facebook accounts to work with. What is nice is that you do not need to create a user name and password to use this site; simply upload, resize, then download the new file to your desktop.

Sumo Paint (http://www.sumopaint.com). A completely web-based digital drawing and image suite, this tool combines elements of both Adobe Fireworks and Photoshop Elements. It has the ability to use layers, download work to local files and will also let you upload existing work. This tool runs completely in your web browser without downloading any software or creating a login account. This is a great tool for creating custom graphics and course banners.

TuxPaint (http://www.tuxpaint.org/) For folks used to working with KidPix and Pixie with their early childhood and elementary education students, Tux Paint is a free downloadable drawing tool for kids that provides a basic interface for drawing. Also available is a free stamp suite (clip art). While it does not have all of the bells in whistles of the full Kid Pix version, it is still a nice, lightweight option for students to be able to test and try.

Graphic Organizers and Project Planning
Webspriation (http://mywebspiration.com) If you are a fan of Inspiration software, you will enjoy the new web version called "Webspiration." Webspiration comes with similar clip art tools, and now also integrates social tools such as chat and the ability to share and collaborate on your document in real time with others. This site also features help documentation, tutorials, as well as suggestions on how to get started.

TimeGlider (http://timeglider.com/) TimeGlider is similar to the popular k-12 tool Timeliner. Like Webspiration above, TimeGlider integrates the ability to share timelines with multiple groups for comment. The application allows you to import images to further customize your timeline. Great for project planning and teaching sequences and events, this site also comes with helpful and easy to understand help documentation and tutorials.

Math Tools
Create a Graph (http://nces.ed.gov/nceskids/createAgraph/default.aspx) This is a web-based tool that allows you to create quick graphs, plots, etc. This tool allows you to print, save (download) or email your creations.

Seeing Math, Concord Consortium (http://seeingmath.concord.org/sms_interactives.html) Take advantage of this free and beautiful suite of advanced math tools for graphing algebra and geometric functions.

Science, Social Studies, Geography, etc
Google Earth - (http://earth.google.com/) Google earth is a downloadable application that allows you to explore not only the topography of the world, but also the solar system, ( including the Martian landscape), and so much more. From typing in an address as you would in Google maps, to viewing historical landscapes, or asking to see the most current weather complete with cloud formations and radar, Google Earth offers a comprehensive set of tools that can be used across the curriculum. Before getting started, we recommend viewing the quick video about Google Earth at http://earth.google.com/tour.html and its many features.

Visual Web Browsing
Cooliris (http://www.cooliris.com/) If you want a glimpse of what the future of the Internet might be like then check out Cooliris. Cooliris is a browser plugin that allows you to switch from the traditional text search mode to images and video. Can you imagine doing a keyword search in Google and only seeing the results as video and images? Once you click on an image, you are taken to the regular web site. A very different way of seeing the web, Cooliris is fun to try and allows you the ability toggle the visual view on and off so you are never more than a click away from your traditional web experience.

If you have a great resource you would like to share in an upcoming blog, please contact Rebecca Petersen.

Online Soan-C Workshops

eLIS is pleased to offer paid registration for Lesley Faculty in upcoming Sloan-C workshops. Below are three workshops that will be starting in the next couple of weeks. Before registering, please contact Karen Muncaster for the necessary registration code.

All workshops are offered online for two weeks. Workshop participants will have access to workshop content for one year after they complete the workshop.

Using the Community of Inquiry Framework to Design and Assess Online Courses
Start: Feb 11 2009
End: Feb 20 2009

The Community of Inquiry (CoI) framework developed by Garrison, Anderson and Archer (2000) provides a theoretical model of online learning processes that has been used by many scholars and practitioners in the field of online education. CoI is a constructivist process model, assuming effective online learning requires the development of community.

Delivering Content, Fostering Student Interactivity, and Assessing Learning in Blended Courses
Start: Feb 15 2009
End: Mar 8 2009

Effective blended teaching requires significant rethinking and design. When designed effectively, blended courses can improve learning and offer more effective use of available resources. Additionally, the blended modality provides for less passive learning and more active learning.

Video Tools for Teaching and Learning
Start: Feb 25 2009
End: Mar 6 2009

Participants will:

• Explore 5 digital video tools
• Understand how video can enhance communication, teaching, and learning
• Learn how to use video effectively to improve engagement and learning outcomes

Spring Opportunities & Events

Thanks!
Before I launch into all of the cool and exciting workshops, events, and resources we've lined up for the spring semester, I want to take a moment to thank everyone for another successful Academic Technology Institute. This year we joined Faculty Development Day to offer a rich and diverse program featuring the amazing work of our faculty and how they are using technology across the curriculum. So thank you to the eLIS staff for all of your support, the Library for working with us on the drop-in clinic, and the Tech Liaisons and Faculty Development and Life Committees for your work on the program. And of course, thank you to all of the presenters for making the day possible.

New Resource Site
The eLearning Faculty Resources community is designed to facilitate conversations between experienced and novice faculty wishing to share ideas, access resources and view best practices in online/hybrid/web-enhanced learning. The community is meant to be cultivated by the faculty themselves. Faculty are invited to add resources and share what you have learned in your experiences when using technology in your teaching. A loose structure has been established as a starting point for this community and the eLIS staff will be stopping by to add resources, answer questions and offer further training.

This community is available in myLesley. For more information or to request enrollment in this organization, please contact elis@lesley.edu

Spring Training and Events
We have no shortage of things to try and learn about this semester. We are offering face-to-face workshops, one-on-one consultations, online courses and communities, as well as webinars planned later this spring. Below are just the highlights, so please be sure to check out our full calendar.

Online Workshop: A Taste of eLearning
Fully online, 2 weeks, Feb 2 -Feb 15th.
Curious about online learning? Have you heard about online courses, but never participated in one yourself? Perhaps you are interested in just a bite but are not ready to chow down on the entire semester-long course. eLIS is offering a short and engaging seminar that will help you to experience a small nibble of online learning. The two week seminar is offered completely online and will introduce you to the newest generation of students, the Millennials. You will also be exposed to the basic features of myLesley's eLearning environment. To register, please contact elis@lesley.edu or call 617-349-8960

myLesley Drop in Hours/Clinic
eLIS staff are available for drop in office hours/clinic time to help you with your specific myLesley questions and needs.
Feb 2, 10:30-12:30pm Library 403
Feb 4th, 10:30-12:30 Univ 3-084
Feb 17th 1-3pm, Library 401

Brown-Bag Lunch Series:
Our Favorite Free Online Software Tools and Resources
Feb 18th, 12:30-2:00pm Univ 3-089

Join Rebecca Petersen and Danielle Powell from eLIS to learn about free tools and resources that you can start using in your classes or for your own personal use today! Whether you are currently teaching courses that utilize specific software, or you have been curious about adding technology into your course, this brown bag talk is for you! We will introduce you to resources in the arts, sciences, math, language arts and social studies. We will show you how to paint online with Sumo paint, and how to create mind maps with Webspiration. Please RSVP to bchervin@lesley.edu or please call 617-349-8771.

Brown Bag Lunch Series:
Social Media, Social Learning: Understanding the Tools of Today's Learners
March 18th, 12:30-2:00pm, Univ 3-089.

Brenda Matthis, Division Director of STEM, and Rebecca Petersen from eLIS will be joined by Lesley College students as we explore the worlds of Facebook, Twitter, Skype, and other popular online tools for social networking and learning. During this talk, we will show you first hand how Facebook and Twitter works while hearing from students who rely on these tools for both their academic and social lives.

Wiki Workshop
February 26th, 10:30am-12:30 pm Library 401

Curious about wikis? Are you considering using a wiki in your course? Come to our workshop and try your hand at creating one. We will also discuss pedagogy of using wikis in education and look at some models of wiki usage.

Academic Technology Institute & Faculty Development Day

Just a quick reminder that the Academic Technology Institute is only one week away! This year we are combining forces with the Faculty Life and Development Committee to offer a joint Faculty Development Day/Academic Technology Institute event. Some highlights of the day include:

• Opening Remarks from President Joe Moore
• Concurrent sessions focused on hybrid and online learning, digital photography, wikis, the pedagogy of online discussions, and digital repositories and content.
• Poster sessions focused on the arts, multimedia, online teaching, and Library resources.
• All day drop in clinic and help from the Library and eLearning and Instructional Support staff.

Please view our full event schedule and details at http://www.lesley.edu/ati.

Getting Ready For Spring 2009

Happy New Year!

We hope that you are enjoying the break between terms and have enjoyed a restful and happy holiday season.

As always, the eLIS team is busy preparing new and exciting offerings for the Lesley Community. Please save the dates for the following events, and be on the lookout for announcements on some brand new offerings and new online professional development opportunities and classes for faculty this February.

13th Annual Academic Technology Institute/January Faculty Development Day

Thursday, January 22nd, 2009

University Hall, 2nd Floor, 9am-4:30pm

eLIS is combining forces with the Faculty Development and Life committee to offer a joint program focused on the pedagogy of teaching and learning in the digital world. For the most up-to-date program information please visit the eLIS website at http://www.lesley.edu/elis

Free Sloan-C Workshops for Lesley Faculty

eLIS is excited to announce some free online workshops available during the month of January through our relationship with the SLOAN consortium. Many of our staff have found these workshops to be fun and informative. To view the upcoming schedule of workshops, please visit http://www.sloan-c.org/2009ws_schedule

If you are interested in enrolling in any of these, please contact eLIS directly to receive the SLOAN-C coupon code. You must have this code at the time of registration for free enrollment. elis@lesley.edu

Elluminate Live!

Interested in voice or audio conferencing? eLIS is piloting Elluminate web conferencing software with a small group of faculty and students during the spring 2009 semester to evaluate the effectiveness of the technology and support requirements for further implementation at the University. If you have tinkered with web conferencing, skype, or other audio and conference call software for teaching and learning, the Elluminate pilot may be for you. Please contact Rebecca Petersen or Kris McElroy to further explore the pilot requirements.