aclJohn's eCPD Finds

Some short guides to popular online tools, to help explain them to people who, for whatever reason, are a bit nervous about them.

Visit http://kindofdigital.com/useful-stuff/what-is-guides/ to find out more.

Have you tried all the features in new Nitro Reader 2 yet? Check out this video to see how you can best use QuickSign:

It has been some time since I visited Educause and I find that they have put together a new “7 Things” guide; 7 Things You Should Know About Organizing Files in the Cloud.

“File storage and management has become a potentially limiting factor in the usefulness of new technologies, and cloud-based file services such as Dropbox, SugarSync, AeroFS, and Box.net attempt to fill that need. With these services, files are stored “in the cloud,” and each time the user accesses the service, the files are synced with whatever device is currently being used.”

This 7 Things You Should Know resource addresses the usual following questions:

• What is it?

• How does it work?

• Who’s doing it?

• Why is it significant?

• What are the downsides?

• Where is it going?

• What are the implications for teaching and learning?

Visit http://www.educause.edu/Resources/7ThingsYouShouldKnowAboutOrgan/230127 to discover more.

Lifehacker's Adam Dachis has created a Beginners step-by-step guide on How to Upload Videos to YouTube; available as...

• a text resource; and/or

• a video.

Visit http://lifehacker.com/5804501/how-to-upload-videos-to-youtube-for-beginners to access both or http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eE_s9P2u2PQ to watch the video clip (also embedded below).

Stan Schroeder at Mashable has created a guide on to How To: Get the Most Out of Google Reader. If you are...

• new to Google Reader; or

• looking for ways to organize your RSS feeds

• Folders;

• Trends;

• Shortcuts; and

• Other Tweaks

Visit http://mashable.com/2011/05/20/optimize-google-reader/ to read the full article.

If you're a practitioner that is new to using Web 2.0 tools in the learning environment, then take a look at Russell Stannard's Teacher Training Videos to learn how to use some great tools.

Russell Stannard's Teacher Training Videos are screencasts in which he takes viewers through the process of using software and web applications from beginning to end.

The videos are categorized by the purpose of the application such as...

• blogging;
• podcasting resources;
• online quizzes;
• file sharing;
• IWB, etc.
  

Visit http://teachertrainingvideos.com/ to see what is on offer.

A big thank you to

for bringing these resources to my attention.

The video screencasts are on Screenr.com. They have been created by Shawn Brandt (@sbrandt) and, out of the 120 videos he has posted a large number of them are all about Moodle.

The topics range from beginner to more advanced and most videos are under 5 minutes.

Note:- many appear to have reference to a Moodle training course that is not available publicly; that doesn’t detract from the great ideas and processes that are outlined in the clips. Among other topics they include...

• adding events and using the calendar
• using assignments
• creating pages and resources
• displaying directories
• using .zip files to upload multiple files
• improving your course aesthetics
• and so much more.

Visit http://screenr.com/user/sbrandt to access and evaluate the video clips.

An increasing number of practitioners have been sharing their ideas and expertise through vidcasts which are both easy to follow and helpful.

The big plus about vidcasts are that they are "Just in time" resources available 24/7.

Below are some resources that are worth taking a closer look at...

• Bev Evans' video tutorials are available on Youtube http://www.youtube.com/user/TechnoStories#p/u;

• Ian Addison has recently set up a new site called Under Ten Minutes where he (and other practitioners) are sharing vidcasts lasting no longer than ten minutes http://www.undertenminutes.com/;

• Kevin McLaughlin posts his 30 second video tips for practitioners daily http://in30seconds.posterous.com/.

• hosts a number of vidcasts in...
  • the ICT section http://www.teachingvideos.co.uk/index.php/find-videos-by-subject-topic/ict/viewcategory/15/ict; and
  • the Teaching Videos section http://www.teachingvideos.co.uk/...

• John Dalziel (me) hosts a number of uNET (using New & Emerging Technologies) Vidcasts at http://www.youtube.com/user/acljohn#g/c/D89C8EE0545FCF77.

These and other similar resources may be "just the ticket" for your own professional development or for sharing with colleagues.

ProfessorMoodle has created some tutorials on Youtube for Moodlers, highlighting Moodle 2.0.

Clips include...

• Logging in to Moodle;
• Moodle Sidebar;
• Moodle My Home;
• Moodle Calendar;
• Two clips on Course Navigation;
• Moodle Resources;
• General Activities;
• Advanced Uploading of Files;
• Online Text;
• Upload Single File and Offline Activity;
• Moodle Forums;
• Two clips on Moodle Quizzes;
• Moodle Gradebook;

Visit http://www.youtube.com/user/professormoodle to find out more.

Here is an example...