Prezi Meeting for Working Together

I shared a post recently from a library that had used Prezi to share information relating to their use of Facebook and add some zing to their presentations. I’ve since discovered that Prezi now has a feature called Prezi Meeting which allows a number of students (or staff) to work together to produce presentations in this exciting format.

Prezi is a popular, free web-based presentation application and storytelling tool that uses a single canvas instead of traditional slides.

Rob Newberry, the Director of Education Technology at Chatsworth International School has been using Prezi for a while now. So rather than me outlining the benefits myself, here’s what Rob had to say after using Prezi Meeting with his students in the classroom:

“ …Prezi Meeting allows students to work with students in other classes, and then other schools, ultimately work with students in other countries around the world.

Prezi is nothing new for Rob: as a teacher he finds it ultimately engaging – the way information is laid out makes it so much more accessible. Similarly, the fact that it is collaborative, can incorporate multimedia, and lends itself nicely for embedding in student’s ePortfolios make it a very powerful tool for organization, presentation and displaying learning. After having used it for a few weeks, Rob thinks the best part of Prezi Meeting is that after one invite – that Prezi is always collaborative. He doesn’t need to keep inviting students to collaborate, and once they invite each other – they are collaborators forever. ..”

There’s a video on the Prezi website that shows how it works, and an introduction embedded below.



For anyone who is trying to move people away from powerpoint, but has not yet tried Prezi, see what's great about it here.

To read more of Wobble click here.

How to Teach With Technology

In some of his recent blog posts Nik Peachy has done a great job of showing us how to teach ourselves to teach with technology. He has used blog posts to publish a series of tasks that would prove really useful in supporting teacher training, or be of interest to anyone who wants to know how to use some of today’s popular e-learning tools.

He has devised a set of eight activities which are accessible from his blog, or available to download in pdf format to use offline. These activities are structured so that you can pick and choose which you would like to look at and just focus on those.

Here is what he’s covered so far:

1. Creating a learning journal – this task shows you how to create an online journal using Penzu.
2. Create online storage for your teaching images - In this task you create a Flickr photo sharing channel.
3. Create an online speaking activity - In this task you'll learn how to create an online speaking activity using VoiceThread.
4. Create a blog with a video activity for your learners – Here you can create a simple blog and use it to make a video based activity for your learners. Once you have created the blog can use it for other tasks in the series.
5. Create digital books with illustrations – Here you can create a digital image book which you can also embed in the blog you created in the previous task if yoiu so choose.

Nik has since added to these popular five activities and has now also shown us to:

6. Creating a video review activity - In this task you’ll learn how to create a film trailer review activity using film trailers from YouTube and an online notice board called Wallwisher.
7. Creating screenshots using Jing - Jing is a really useful free tool that allows you to create and annotate images grabbed from the screen of your computer. This can be really useful for creating instruction sheets like the ones used in this series and helps you to grab images to add into websites or other documents.
8. Create your own YouTube channel - Video has become one of the most useful resources on the Internet for language teachers.

These are great resources and a good way to get started with one or two tools to enhance your teaching practice. I look forward to seeing the series develop!


To read more of Wobble click here.

Dropbox - Sharing and Synchronising your Files for Free

I’ve had a request recently to explain the system I use to synchronise my own files across a number of PC’s whilst sharing some of them with my colleagues in the process. As well as Googledocs, which I’ve used for a while, the method I’ve been leaning more towards of late is using DropBox. Here’s why:

For synchronizing files across devices...

Dropbox allows you to synchronise your files online and across all your computers automatically.


· You get 2GB of online storage for free.
· You can synchronise files of any size or type, photos, documents, pdf files and more.
· You can synchronise files stored on all your Windows, Mac, and Linux computers.
· Dropbox automatically synchronises all your devices when new files or changes are detected.

File Sharing...

It makes sharing files with my colleagues and friends easy.

· Shared folders allow several people to collaborate on the same files.
· You can see other people's changes instantly.
· You can use your "Public" folder to link directly to files.
· You can control who has access to your shared folders.
· You can automatically create shareable online photo galleries out of regular folders.

Plus...

Mobile Device Access - You can get a free application for iPhone, iPad, BlackBerry, and Android that lets you access and manage your Dropbox on the go.

Web Access - A copy of your files is stored on Dropbox's secure servers. This lets you access them from any computer or mobile device.

Online Backup - Dropbox backs up your files online without you having to think about it.

Security & Privacy - Dropbox uses encryption methods to both transfer and store your data.

This youtube video offers a demonstration of how Dropbox works. The video on the DropBox site also shows you how it works in a very simplistic way.

You can also download the software from here or watch a tour here that outlines its features in more detail.

(Hope this is useful to Savoy Centre staff who requested that I share details of Dropbox. Do let me know how you get on with it!).



To read more of Wobble click here.

Super Book of Web Tools for Educators

Stumbled across this useful book today, "The Super Book of Web Tools for Educators", a comprehensive guide for using technology in the classroom. It’s American so uses American terms when referring to the sectors it covers, but it has loads of useful inks to tools which can be used by various types of learning providers.

Its introduction notes “There are teachers around the world who want to use technology in their classrooms, but they’re just not sure where to start. That’s why eleven prominent bloggers, teachers and administrators got together to create this free eBook.”

The book highlights loads of free web based resources that can be used for teaching and learning. You’ll find some fairly popular tools covered (wikispaces, skype, googledocs, facebook) as well as some more obscure tools that cover everything from uploading to shared webspaces (dropit to me) creating animated books (flipbook), editing web pages for printing (print what u like) and more. The list of tools referenced is certainly a long one.


To get the most from the book, I’d suggest you pay little attention to the headings they fall under as many of these tools can be used in a number of settings. All in all, a very good publication - I’ll certainly be saving my own copy and checking out a number of these resources myself.


To read more of Wobble click here.

Moodle and e-Portfolios – Try Before you Buy

RSC West Midlands can now offer you your own externally hosted, learning platform for free, for a six month trail period. What better way than to try before you buy?

An increasing number of learning providers are now using e-learning platforms and e-portfolio systems, with this number growing as providers realise the many benefits that they offer. (This includes the ability to share resources online, access documents 24/7, offer learners the chance to present evidence electronically, and more).

To support this growing area of e-learning, Kevin Brace has set up a West Midlands based initiative which now offers work based learning providers (amongst others) the chance to use one or more of five open source e-learning platforms/e-portfolio systems completely for free. In simple terms, this is a chance to ‘try before you buy’; it offers a great opportunity to try out some of this very popular software before you commit to either securing a hosting arrangement of your own, or to buying commercial systems for your e-learning.

As part of the project, the following hosted e-learning platforms are now available for you to trial (with complete functionality). Applicants can choose to pilot one, two, or all of these platforms simultaneously.

• Moodle (including specialist ILP blocks)
• Wordpress
• Mahara
• Mahoodle
• ELGG

Providers will be able to access the hosted e-learning platform for a period of six months during which time they will also receive the help of selected members of the RSC team for getting the system up and running. In return, Kevin would appreciate a short evaluation highlighting the benefits/shortfalls of each platform piloted.

Interested applicants should get in touch with Kevin Brace who can be contacted by email.

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Related wobble links:

E-Portfolios for Starters
E-Assessment Online Toolkit
Use Of E-Portfolios In Assessment
New Midlands E-Portfolio Group

To read more of Wobble click here.

Regional E-Learning Forum – Your Suggestions Welcome

In October, the West Midlands RSC will host another free e-learning forum for staff working in the Work Based Learning and Adult and Community Learning Sectors.

The last forum, held in June, had a pretty packed agenda which included a hands on demonstration of e-learning technology, updates on available funding for e-learning, an overview of regional projects and initiatives and much more. If you missed it, you can still get an overview here or access the resources from the session on our wiki.


For the next forum we have deliberately left an open slot in the agenda which we hope to fill with a topic that addresses what you would like covered on the day. To assist this, we have set up a very simple survey for you to anonymously make your suggestions. We will then use the feedback from that to determine the contents of that agenda item.

We hope you will take a minute to complete the very short survey here. You can also see your choices as well as everyones else's reflected in the dynamic summary on this page.

It’s also worth noting, this survey was set up very easily using Google docs, which could also be used by you to set up your own free, customised online surveys. (This previous wobble post has more details of how to set up your own).

We look forward to receiving your feedback and to seeing you in October!


To read more of Wobble click here.

Software for Digital Notepads

If you have a Digital notepad, but don’t have Windows (because you’re using Open Source software such as Linux) you can also use your digital notepad with free software available online. I learned this recently from a learning provider who kindly shared the link with me.

Having a notepad herself she was forced to investigate free software options to use with it after her Windows laptop died.

She notes, this software has “...basic functionality with a free demo version, or if you upgrade you can then work with the pretty colours and edit it etc…The demo version just created JPG, (the full version does editing & pdfs) however I just open the jpg in an image viewer/word processor and then save as a pdf to save pennies!”

The jpeg image below shows an example of how one of these pages looks. (Handwritten on her digital notepad.)

Thanks to Glen of TDM for the information (and lovely picture) - It’s handy to know the information, and good to share! With a larger number of providers now buying netbooks and considering free and open source versions of software it’s useful for us all to know these kind of work arounds.

Speaking of sharing, I’m also currently looking at Arioforms, software that you can use with your digital notepad to electronically capture forms data on the pad. Watch this space, I’ll let you know how I get on.

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Related Wobble links:

Digital Notepads and Their Uses
Open Source Software – JISC keeps us informed

To read more of Wobble click here.

Exploring Accessibility - Date for your Diary

Accessibility for any learning provider should focuses on two important issues: 1) what technology is available to ensure all your learners get access to your existing resources? and 2) how can the teaching materials you use be designed so that all learners benefit from them.

To support both these areas, the RSC will shortly be holding a free forum that will provide a chance to explore any new initiatives or concerns in relation to accessibility and inclusion. The full day event, will be held on Thursday 2nd April 2009 and will include an update from John Sewell at TechDis as well as:

· An overview of the new Accessibility apps software (all attending will receive a free copy of this)

· Virtual worlds demonstration using Second Life (a great opportunity for anyone who’s not yet seen how virtual worlds can be used in education/training)

You can book your free place on this day using the link on our website.

If you’re interested in this topic but unable to make the forum, its worth noting that my colleague Alison Wootton, has also set up an Accessibility and Inclusion Social Network - a space for practitioners across the West Midlands to post comments, network and share practice. This is also open to all.

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Related wobble links:

Accessibility Overview
To read more of Wobble click here.

Creating and Discovering Resources for E-Learning

Just a quick reminder there are still a few places available on the free Electronic Resources day that will take place at Wolverhampton Science Park on 11th March.

With learning providers using more and more e-learning, there is growing need to have training resources available in an electronic format. This workshop will show staff how to create and discover resources for training that can be easily uploaded to a VLE such as Moodle, a shared area or simply accessed from a memory stick or other device.

For more information or to book online visit the events page of our website. We look forward to seeing you there!

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Related wobble links:

Molesharing Mobile Learning Resources
NLN learning resources, whats on the horizon?
Free Video Learning Materials
Creating E-Resources, Trainers Doing it for Themselves

Free Training in Creating and Finding Electronic Learning Resources

If you’re delivering any kind of learning you will know that effective and engaging learning resources can make a real difference to your learner’s experience. Similarly, the success of any e-learning owes much to the quality of the electronic resources it uses.

To support this area and help learning provider staff discover and create engaging electronic resources, RSC West Midlands are holding a free one day workshop that focuses on resources for e-learning.

In this workshop, staff can learn how to create their own e-learning materials using a number of free software packages including the popular Photostory. We will also show you how to search effectively for resources using the web and will show a sample of existing materials that are available for the work based learning sector to freely access.

The day is all about discovery, so all delegates are asked to bring along at least one object or resource that they use in their teaching and that they have found to be useful or popular. (We believe it’s good to share!)

The full day event will take place at Wolverhampton Science Park on 11th March. Places will be limited to two per learning provider and will be allocated on a first come first served basis.

For more information or to book online visit the events page of our website. Look forward to seeing you there!

Photo credit: Andres Rodriguez
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Related links:

Create your own Jigsaws Online
Digital Storytelling with Photostory
Creating E-Resources, Trainers Doing it for Themselves

Create your own Jigsaws Online

I just love tools that re easy to use and that’s staff can get up and running with minimum fuss and on that basis here’s another winner. Jigsaw Planet is “…a great little free online tool for creating online jigsaws from your own digital images. Ideal for using with interactive whiteboards or tablet PCs.”

This is a great free addition to a tutor’s e-learning toolbox. It allows you to very easily create jigsaws using your own images and host these for your learners to use. You can set the level of difficulty, set the cut-out shapes and learners can even get a ghost outline of the image to help them if they are having difficulty completing the puzzle.

To see how it looks here’s one I started earlier. Click the image below to see a larger screenshot or access the puzzle online.

The software is absolutely free and there no registration required. You just upload your image and go.

If you use it please do let me know how you get on and how your learners like it. Who knows your jigsaws might also come in useful to me when I have the odd coffee break to fill! :-)

(Thanks to Kirsty for the link).

Free Software for your Learners (or staff)

The award winning Open Education Disc has recently released another version which like previous versions is more free software, aimed directly at learners, giving them the necessary tools to help them complete their learning. The Open Education Disc was designed by teacher/trainers to help learners complete their study without the need for expensive software licenses, or having to resort to piracy.

The collection of software now includes (as part of its OpenOffice)…

· A word processor, Writer - for producing documents, reports, newsletters, and brochures.
· A spreadsheet called Calc.
· A presentation package, Impress.
· A Drawing package for producing diagrams or 3D illustrations.
and Database tools.

It also has a free…

· PDFCreator to generate PDF documents directly from any Windows program.
· GNU Image Manipulation Program (GIMP) suitable for those wanting to manipulate digital photographs.
· software for video editing
· and screen recording software.

You can read more about each of the programs here. This site also offers a few tips on how to download your own copies for use or distribution (as well as links to more freebies).

It’s interesting that in an old blog post I referred to ways that a training centre based in West Sussex was using free software like this four years ago (when this software suite was called the OpenCD). Its clear that many have been using free software for a while now!

This more recent post also highlights the importance of free and Open Source Software, and explains why it is becoming increasingly important for the Work Based learning Sector.