Finally, reflection time

"Reflection is the change in direction of a wavefront at an interface between two different media so that the wavefront returns into the medium from which it originated"

During these summer courses, I’ve reviewed and learned about at least six web 2.0 tools: Schoology, WeVideo, Bubbl, VoiceThread, KwikSurveys, and Jamendo. Some of them are new to me, while some are the tools that I use regularly. Truthfully, it’s very difficult to choose which tool that I like the most, since each of them has their own special features on their categories. However, the one that I think will be very useful for my profession in educational field is Schoology. I’m planning to use this LMS as the platform for creating learning materials in the future.

Aside of getting to know about new tools (web 2.0 tools), I’ve also learned that there is a vast opportunity of researches related to technology and education, and some are seemed doable in a very short time with little budget. Still related to research, I’ve also written five research plans within less than two months, which is an unbelievable record for me. After all, it’s a very enlightening experience!

For future courses, here are my suggestion:

·         Limit the number of tools to be reviewed per category. Let the students select whichever tools they wish to review, not on first come gets the first pick basis. There are a lot of tools reviewed in the linked courses. I’m not sure about how many tools others have learned, but I only learned about the tools that I reviewed and commented. I understand that the large number of tools provided is to accommodate the number of students enrolled in the courses, however providing tools with good reviews and reliable is better than putting up all of the tools that are available.

·         Security is one of the main concerns for educational institutions when applying technology in the classroom. Hal addressed it so well in his final presentation. Is it possible to add this topic in future courses?

·         During the courses, I wrote five research plans. As I mention above, the experience was enlightening; I had to stretch my creativity, writing skill, and read more journals. However, I got only a few feedback that could help make the idea work. so, here's my suggestion, instead of writing five research plans, how about just one? One that will be perfected over the course, and presented at the end of the course. 

Creating a Scribe Video: an Overview

For the final assignment, I created a video describing about the process of creating a scribe video. The tool used is Videoscribe.

The goal of the presentation/video is to give an overview of the process of creating a scribe video using Videoscribe.

The target audience are Digital storytelling & New Technology MOOC participants (It is expected that most of them will be teachers or educators).

Here's the video: 

Feedback is welcome. Thanks for viewing.

Script: 

Creating a Scribe Video: an Overview

There’s a saying that everyone has a story to tell, and for the case of educators every educator has a lesson to share. One of the best ways to convey a lesson is through video. In this video I will give an overview of the process of creating a scribe video or a white board animation video using a software called Videoscribe. The desktop version of this software can be downloaded from www.videoscribe.com. It allows a seven day free trial.

Just like any other videos, the process of creating a scribe video begins with a topic and a script. A script is very essential in creating a video. Robin once said, “Without a good script, there will be no good story. Without a good story, there can be no good digital story”,   which in our case is “no good video”.

After writing the script, it’s a good idea if you also create a storyboard. A storyboard is a graphical representation of all of the elements that you want to include in your video. This will help you visualize what the video look like in advance. As soon as you’ve got your storyboard, you can begin working with Videoscribe.

We can add images, text, voiceover, and background music in videoscribe. We can insert pre-animated images from the built-in library or import our own images, which will be automatically transformed into animated images. Although Videoscribe recognizes various image formats, such as JPEG, PNG, or SVG; in my experience, the most-fit image format is SVG. The animated images created from this format looks more realistic that the others. Videoscribe has three types of animation: hand-drawing, move-in, and morph. When used properly, the combination of these three can produce a very unique animated video.

Although Videoscribe offers a variety of fonts that can be used for the text, I prefer using the default font since it looks more realistic. The hands, the color of the fonts, the drawing tools, and the background can also be changed depending on the video projects.

The audio can be added either by recording it directly in Videoscribe, or recorded separately then imported into Videoscribe. Personally, I prefer recording my voiceover separately, because Videoscribe doesn’t have voice-editing features. My favorite tool for recording a voiceover is Audacity, a very handy and free audio-editing program. It can be downloaded from http://audacity.sourceforge.net/ .

From the whole process, adding voiceover is the trickiest part. Creating or importing a voiceover is very easy, but syncing it with the visual elements is not. We need to ensure that our audience will receive the visual and audio elements simultaneously. This requires us to go back and forth. Patience is the key here.

If necessary, we can also add background music into the video. We can either use the music tracks from Videoscribe’s music library or add our own music. When using a background music, please try to match it with the mood of the scribe and pick a track that complements your voiceover. Make sure that the volume of the music is adjusted to a proper level so that it does not distract the audience from the voiceover.

The final part of the process is saving the project and exporting the video. The scribe video projects that we’ve created can be saved either on our computers, or on the cloud storage online. Videoscribe offers unlimited cloud storage space for its premium users. The finalized scribe video project can then be exported into movie files, which you can share to your students or audience either online or offline.

I hope that this video can be useful, and encourage you to create unique and engaging videos for your class. Enjoy your scribing!

Jamendo

“Concentrate all your thoughts upon the work in hand. The Sun's rays do not burn until brought to a focus” 

― Alexander Graham Bell

The Web 2.0 Tool that I’m reviewing this week is: Jamendo. You can access it here: www.jamendo.com

I think the category of this tool can fit both productivity and creativity.

Tool description:

This tool is completely web-based.

What do you need to know before using this tool?
 If you want to use it as a music consumer, there’s no specific skill required. However, if you are an independent artist who wants to promote your album, you’ll need music-related skills.

What do you need to have before using this tool? A speaker or a headphone

Please watch this video about how to use this tool:

Here’s an example of an educational resource created using Jamendo (the music track of the video was downloaded from Jamendo):

https://www.coursera.org/course/digitalstorytelling

A scenario of how I might use this tool in a teaching environment:

If I am to use this tool, it will not be the only tool that will be used; and the Jamendo music tracks’ role will be more of supporting role. For example, I can assign video projects to my students, and instruct them to include music tracks that supports the overall of the video. One of the project that I want to work on is a health communication project, which will emphasis on identifying problems in patient-doctor communication. I can begin the assignment by discussing some information related to barriers in patient-doctor communication in a class. Then, ask the students to work in groups to interview patients in various health settings about what the patients’ expectations of their communications with their doctors. The students will be asked record the interviews using video recorders or their smart phones. Then, edit them using an easy to use and free video editing tool, windows movie maker, add music tracks, then present their video and their findings to the class.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of using this tool in a formal or informal teaching environment?

Advantages: Royalty-free music tracks, and ads free.

Disadvantages: -

Would you recommend this Web 2.0 tool to others? Yes, definitely!

Web 2.0 Tool for Giving Feedback: Kwiksurveys

“Don't pay any attention to what they write about you. Just measure it in inches.” 

- Andy Warhol - 

The Web 2.0 Tool that I’m reviewing this week is: Kwiksurveys. It can be accessed here: http://kwiksurveys.com/

This tool’s primary category is: Feedback Tool.

Please watch the video below for the tool description:

Kwiksurvey is completely web-based, it does not require us to download and install a program or plug-in for it to work properly.

What do you need to know before using this tool? Know your audience, and what type of questions that work best to collect feedback from your audience

What do you need to have before using this tool? No specific tool.

The basic steps to use this tool:

 1. Create an Account.

Kwiksurveys works well with all social media accounts.

2. Decide What You Want to Create. 

We can create survey, quiz, poll, and form with Kwiksurveys. The next steps described about how to create a survey using Kwiksurveys.

3. Select the Template That You Want to Use. 

Although the template can't be customized under free account, Kwiksurveys provides a number of interesting templates for free users.

4. Select the Type of Questions You Want to Use (e.g. multiple choice, dropdown list, matric, etc.)

5. Begin Typing Your Questions

6. Preview Your Survey

After you've added all of the questions that you want to use in the survey, you can preview it by selecting "preview page" on top of the page. You will see the edit, copy, or delete icons if you move your cursor to a question.

7. Launch the Survey.

You can share the links to your surveys using various social media accounts.

8. Check the Result

Kwiksurvey has a chart wizard that can help create customizable tables and diagrams from the responses collected. The table or diagram can then be exported into pdf, jpeg, or PNG format. The data collected can also be downloaded into spreadsheet for further analysis.

Here’s an example of a brief survey with this tool: http://kwiksurveys.com/s.asp?sid=qwenuxeth30wfti387259. The survey was created for example purpose only.

A scenario of how I might use this tool in a teaching environment:

I think there are numerous scenarios where Kwiksurveys can be used due to its multi-functionality. Using “survey” I can use Kwiksurveys to evaluate the effectiveness of a course or a lesson, or to measure students’ learning satisfaction, or other survey-related activities. I can use the “quiz” feature to do a pretest for a course , or to evaluate student’ understanding of a lesson. The “poll” feature can be used to find the best time or day to meet online with students. 

The advantages and disadvantages of using this tool in a formal or informal teaching environment:

 Plus:

·         Free with NO limitation on the number of questions

·         Very easy to use

·         It creates not only survey, but also quiz, poll, and form.

·         The report can be displayed into interesting tables and diagrams

·         The surveys can be shared using various social media tools

Minus:

·         The surveys created with free version contains ads

·         The free version doesn’t allow open-ended questions

Would you recommend this Web 2.0 tool to others, or suggest that they explore a different tool? Yes, of course. It is a very useful tool, with interesting features even for the free version.

Voicethread Assignment

This week we were assigned to get to know and use Voicethread. All of the class members were randomly allocated into small groups, and each of the groups we assigned with answering key questions through PowerPoint presentations. Then, the presentations must be uploaded to Voicethread; and each of the group members had to give comments to the slides that they created.

I was tasked as one of the group leaders. My team members were Christopher Burnett, Harold Walton, and Donald Lesslie. The question that we had to answer was: 

What theoretical frameworks or perspectives influence distance education?

The Process

I contacted my group members through emails to coordinate our plan for the assignment. We all agreed that we didn’t need to have synchronous/live meeting, and email and Google slides were enough to get the assignment done. However, we were not sure about how to share our responsibilities. We decided to search for resources to help us answer the question posed to us. I found an article written by Arinto (2013) that addressed the problem. 

In the article, the writer described three frameworks. “Three, just what we need!” That’s what I thought when I reviewed the article. I would be in charge of the template and design of the presentation, and getting it ready for Voicethread; while my team members can each address each of the frameworks. When I suggested the article and my idea to the group members, all agreed. 

The article can be accessed here: http://www.irrodl.org/index.php/irrodl/article/view/1393

Currently, our group presentation is already uploaded to Voicethread, and we are almost done with the “adding comments” part. The article can be accessed here: https://voicethread.com/share/5874710/

Interestingly, we already received comments from other enthusiastic group members even before we’ve finished adding our comments. We are so excited by the responses.

My Experience and What I Think About Using Voicethread

Using Voicethread was very easy. The 1-2-3 steps made the whole process become so simple. I enjoyed the variety of the options for giving comments, and its share function,

However, Voicethread editing tool is only limited to rearranging the order of the slide. If only it has more content editing tools and allows live editing, like those of Google Slides, I’d really love using it as my collaboration and presentation tool. Also, if Voicethread changes their interface into a more sociable design, just like social media tools (e.g. Facebook page), it will have a better reception. Frankly, currently I am not sure if it will be my tool of choice for any of my future presentations. 

Critical Thinking/Problem Solving Tool: Bubbl

Name of the Web 2.0 Tool is Bubbl. You can access the tool here: https://bubbl.us

Primary category: Critical Thinking/Problem Solving Tool

Tool description:
Bubbl is a web-based tool that can be used to create mind maps. A mind map is a visualization of an idea or information in the form of a diagram. Personally, I think the easiest way to create a mind map is by drawing it on a paper or whiteboard. However, there might be challenges when we need to save and share the hand-drawn diagram. That’s when a web 2.0 tool like Bubbl can be very useful. Bubbl is a web 2.0 tool that can be used to create mind maps. It can be accessed freely, although some of the features are limited to premium users only.

Bubbl users can create mind maps in the form of interconnected bubbles. Users can manage the size or color of the bubbles and font of the diagram. Users can also attach file (image) into their map and work collaboratively with their friends or colleagues in creating a mind map (these feature are only available for premium users).

Mind maps created using Bubbl can be saved in the form of image or webpage outline. Interestingly, it allows the users to choose the image format they want to use, JPG or PNG. Images saved in PNG format will have transparent background; a format that we can easily embed into another images or presentations (e.g. power point presentation).  

• Did you need to download or install any additional components or resources to use the Web 2.0 tool you are reviewing? No

• What do you need to know before using this tool? (What skills do you need to have?) There’s no specific skill required

• What do you need to have before using this tool? No tool is required to use Bubbl. You’ll only need to sign up for an account if you want to save or  export the map that you’ve created.

• How do you use this tool? Please watch my tutorial video below for instruction about how to use Bubbl.

• Here are some examples of mind maps that were created using Bubbl: https://bubbl.us/examples

Here's how I might use this tool in a teaching environment:

During their study time in medical school, medical students received enormous amount of information. All of the information, if taken passively, might be easily forgotten over time, and students might face difficulties when preparing for the Steps (USMLE) later. To promote students’ active involvement during the learning process, many teaching methods have been implemented in medical schools, such as problem-based learning and case-based learning; and it is a common knowledge that the combination of several teaching methods provide better outcome than a single teaching method.

I think mind mapping can also be used to promote students’ active participation in teaching difficult medical subjects. If students are instructed to create mind maps at the end of every lecture, they will feel encouraged to try to understand the lecture they’ve just attended. Using the topic discussed in the lecture as the center of their mind map, they can begin identifying the main branches of their map from the information they’ve just learned; as they read more from various sources, they will add the sub-branches related to the topic. At the end of their self-learning session, they should have a well-developed mind map. They can present and discuss what they’ve learned and understood about the topic with their colleagues in small groups. At the end of the process, students should have a better retention over the topics they’ve learned.

• The advantages and disadvantages of using this tool in a formal or informal teaching environment?

Advantages:

Free and Very easy to use

The mind map can be saved for future editing

The mind map can be exported into various formats (JPG, PNG, webpage outline)

Disadvantages:

Attaching image feature (which is very important in mind) is only available for premium users

Only one font available

Only one bubble shape available

• Would you recommend this Web 2.0 tool to others, or suggest that they explore a different tool? Absolutely

WeVideo Review

 "We made the buttons on the screen look so good you'll want to lick them."

- Steve Job - 

The Web 2.0 Tool that will be reviewed this week is WeVideo. Here is the link to access the tool: http://www.wevideo.com/

I think the primary category for this tool is Creativity. However, if used well, it can also be a presentation tool.

Please check my screen-cast below for the description of this tool:

Note: The screen-cast was created with Screen-O-Matic, and edited with Adobe Premiere Element 12.

As mentioned in the video, you don't need to download and install any program or plug-in for the tool to work properly. 

What do you need to know before using this tool? Although the tool is easy to use, having an experience using other video editing tools can be very helpful.

What do you need to have before using this tool? 

It is a video editing tool that allows you to record and insert your voice-over to the video you are creating. Having a microphone will help you create a quality audio, and, in turn, quality video too. Also, since it is an online-based video-editing tool, a good internet connection is necessary for fast video rendering.

Here are the steps to use this tool:

Step 1. Sign-up

Step 2. Select your plan.Currently, WeVideo offers six different plans with various pricings, ranging from free to more than $399/month

Step 3. Type in your information.

You can also register with your Facebook account, Google account, or Yahoo account.

After signing up, you'll reach your WeVideo Hub. 

Step 4. Create a project.

Recently, WeVideo have added a video that gives a very useful information about the features that you will find in the Hub.

Here's how the Hub looks like:

Step 5. Click "create new video" to begin creating your video, and you'll reach your WeVideo Project Editor.Please note that the image showed here is for the advanced editing mode.

Step 6. Upload your media.

To upload your media, click on the "upload" button on the project editor.

Wevideo allows you to upload your media, either from your computer or cloud storage. You can monitor the uploading progress from the right column.

Step 7. Insert the title of your video .

After you've uploaded the media that you want to use for your video, you can begin working on the video. The first thing that you should do is insert the title of the video. You can do it by clicking on the "text"icon, then drag and drop "TEXT" to the timeline. 
There are two ways to activate the edit fuction (this also apply to editing other media):

• Double click on the media, or
• Click on the media , then click the pencil icon. 

Then, type the title that you want to use for your video.

Step 8. Drag and drop your media (images, music, video) into the timeline. 

Step 9. Edit and Trim your media. The steps to activate the edit function have been mentioned on step 7. To trim the length of the media that you want to use: 

• Select the scissor icon: Move the green slider to a certain part of the media, then click on the scissor icon, or 
• Click and Drag: Move your cursor to the edge of the media that you want to trim, then click and drag to trim it.

Step 9. Select your theme. 

After you're satisfied with the length and the position of your media, it's time to do the final touch. Select the theme that you want to apply to your video. To do it, simply click on "theme" and select a theme that you'd like to apply to your video.  Wevideo allows you to preview the themes, so that you can feel how it will look like when a particular theme is applied to your video. If you're satisfied with a particular theme, click "use this theme".

Step 10. Give a title to the video project.
You can do it by clicking the "Untitled video" text on the upper right corner of the project editor, then this screen will appear.

Step 11. Publish it.

For more information about how to use the features in Wevideo, you can visit Wevideo's YouTube channel.

Educational examples:

There are numerous educational videos that have been created using Wevideo. You can find some of them in here: http://www.whitehouse.gov/filmfestival

How this tool can be used in a teaching environment?

There are many ways that WeVideo can be used in a teaching environment.  

In my country, one of the main concerns of fresh graduates from medical schools is their ability to communicate with their patients. Many patients complained that their doctors’ tend to rush when explaining about their medical conditions. Even worse, the doctors used jargons that were strange to their ears. This condition not only will lower patients’ satisfaction, but also compliance to their treatments.

Video assignment can be one of the solutions for the communication problem. The students (medical students or interns) are instructed to create short videos that are intended to explain about some difficult topics to their patients. The main purpose of the assignment is to help students see the topics from a different perspective, identify the steps to explain the topic, and practice explaining in plain language. At the end of the assignment, students should be able to understand about the topics better, and to creatively explain difficult topics to their patients in a plain language as well. Plus, they will have videos that can be used in their future practice. WeVideo can be used in the video assignment process. 

The advantages and disadvantages of using this tool in teaching environment

 Advantages:

• Affordable price. It even offer a free plan, although with limitations
• Can be connected to various cloud storage to retrieve media (images, music, and videos)
• Provide all-in-one package tool for editing video
• Supports PC, Mac, ipad, iphone, and android phones
• Rendering speed doesn't depend on computer's ROM 
• Published videos can be shared directly to social media sites (premium feature)
• Students in a group can share their media with their colleagues and instructors through Wevideo (premium feature) 
• Students can work collaboratively on a video project (premium feature)

Disadvantages: Requires high-speed internet connection to be used effectively

My recommendation: I highly recommend this tool to those who'd want to learn to create their own videos.