Course 2.0

I cannot get excited about social networking. All of the “things” have been interesting but I just can’t get a handle on this topic. I’ve tried but it just doesn’t capture my interest. Maybe the next time or two I’m introduced the subject  will catch on and I will see the need to explore further. For now there are many other areas to keep me busy.

Google Docs is great. The simple word processor is great since it can import and export to word. The price can’t be beat and the collaborative options are wonderful. It could be used for a peer editing project. All 3, word, spreadsheet and presentation make for wonderful group project tools that individuals can use from anywhere and anyplace rather than sharing a computer in a lab. Would also be good for editing a newsletter or newspaper. Teachers could also correct or add comments. The fill in a form has all sorts of applications from surveys to opinion polls to quick tabulation of administrative responses or votes on various subjects.

Here is a youtube video on making a white board from a Wii remote.

Here are several videos of fractals

Having enjoyed 2 ipods over the last four years listening to audio books and magazine and newspaper subscriptions, I find podcasts both wonderful and frustrating. There are some very good podcasts both audio and video. I expecially like the TED and Discovery ones. For this course I looked at Coffee Break French, The History Podcast, Mathgrad.com and some free audio books. As always the lectures from colleges and Universities are great if they are on the right level for your own life long learning or for use in your classes.  A main problem is trying to find the worthwile ones from among the ones produced by any and everyone.  Difficult to skim podcasts, I find it more worthwhile to follow the reccommendations of friends. You could spend forever weeding out podcasts.

Great, very useful tool.I’m not willing to undertake the challenge for all my books but I am experimenting with my collection of audible books. (I may have 200) so it will be a big enough project for now.