This webinar by Karl Kapp introduced the use of web 2.0 technologies as tools for collaborative teaching and learning, within and outside the classroom. Using his own blog , his class wiki and podcasts on YouTube created by his students, as examples, he showed (among others):

  • how students (future professionals) learn by interacting with alumni;
  • how students’ learning community extends beyond the class to include other teachers, students and readers of class blog/wiki;
  • how class learnings (activities and discussions) can be shared to future students
The webinar was conducted using Elluminate Live! from MATEC Networks , in Sept 26, 2008. If you missed it like I did, you can view the recorded webinar at http://www.matecnetworks.org/cwis/SPT--FullRecord.php?ResourceId=1248

Here is the webinar description posted at MATEC Networks:
Description: New learning tools are introduced on an almost daily basis. Educators have all they can do to keep up with the latest technology in their field, let alone figure out how to incorporate podcasting, blogs, and wikis into their instructional curriculum. Transferring Knowledge to the New Style of Learning helps address that problem. The presentation describes how Web 2.0 technologies can and are being used in classrooms to provide educators with tools for extending the classroom beyond the school building. Learn how you can leverage these newest technologies to provide your students with rich learning opportunities they can do from the comfort of their own homes.

Transferring Knowledge to the New Style of Learning:
Extending the Classroom Beyond the Four Walls.
Date: Friday, September 26, 2008 10:00 a.m. PDT
Presenter: Karl Kapp, Ed.D., CFPIM, CIRM Assistant Director, Institute for Interactive Technologies Professor of Instructional Technology
Length: 90 minutes


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This education portal website has links to sites where you can avail of Open Courseware for self-paced distance learning.


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Here's a fun (and mess-free) way of identifying the insides of a frog. Check out the web demo of a Virtual Dissection CD at Froguts.com. Local students and Biology teachers will love this interactive multimedia CD. And so will frogs.

[Update 9/30: Here's another way of virtually dissecting a frog - http://froggy.lbl.gov/virtual/. This one is free, unlike the Froguts CD which requires subscription fees. Thanks joelogs for the info!]

Hmm, gives me an idea for a possible future project in a course on multimedia design for educational materials. Something similar, like virtual dissection of a bangus (milkfish). Now I remember bringing an already "cleaned" bangus to my high school Biology class so many years back. My mother thought it was for my Home Economics class !
 :)


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Lively is the newest social networking website beta-released by Google. Online friends, in the “person” of their animated avatars, meet in 3D chatrooms. Here is the video Google made to introduce Lively:



Lively went live for user testing just two months ago (I learned about it in from this blog post). It is still in its beta phase, so expect some difficulties from delayed responses to the worst - system hangup. The problems, may have been caused at my end. I was experiencing slow internet performance with other sites too. [Update 9/27: 3D-chatted with ex-officemates who are now in Colorado USA and Vancouver CA. Both experienced freezing moments specially during their first attempt. One of them was popping in and out of the chat because instead of waiting it out, he was clicking X (close window) whenever he can't type a text or can't move his avatar. My tip: be patient, it's still in beta.]
:)

Despite the “bummers”, I was able to create my own 3D Coffee Lounge and to check out some newbie-friendly chatrooms. Here’s a screenshot of my visit to a 3D chatroom that looks like it's winter all over.

The call-outs or speech bubbles are text chats that disappear when new texts are typed. (Not to worry, because you can always look at the chat history.)

This virtual room was created by the real person behind the female avatar on the right. I, rather, the avatar-me in the middle, made friends with her and the male avatar when avatar-me first met them in a nice rooftop-like lounge chatroom. In Lively, making friends means adding their avatar names in my list of contacts. They were nice to avatar-me so I looked for them the next time I logged-in. I knew where to find them because my contact list displays which room my Lively friends are. Then I sort of followed them in the winter wonderland room. My tip – don’t accept friend requests from some avatars you don’t want following you.
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Here’s an updated Google Lively FAQ listing tips and tricks for newbies.

Overall, notwithstanding technical glitches, the Lively experience is a fun way to show your (imagined) creativity, hangout with online friends, meet new ones, get-together with colleagues and classmates.


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