Week4

=﻿23 Things Week 4=

Why not try reflecting on one of the tools for this week on the Voicethread below?

So explore then grab the mic, or your keyboard or your webcam and tell us about your explorations and thoughts relating the tools back to your teaching. :-)

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Here is a copy of the summary Michael posted in our Moodle site

In addition to our usual forum for providing written feedback, people were asked to post spoken thoughts to a Voicethread at []Congrats to those who manage to successfully post to the Voicethread discussion. Below is a summary of thoughts posted both on the Moodle forum and the Voicethread. //Karen// I am focusing on Moodle as this is the platform we use on the North Coast to deliver on-line learning. I haveactually been involved in setting up two courses and also setting up a basic course for the Certificate IV in OHS. I have created a few quizzes ...I would like to use Moodle for my trainees - it is quite easy to navigate, once you have got used to the different areas and another advantage is that you can set it up to keep track of results for auditing purposes. //(Denitza also referred to this aspect of Moodle.)// //Toni:// Although we have a very basic course on Moodle, which until this week considered to be almost a"back-up" for students who couldn’t attend class, I am now very excited about all the other possibilities it opens up and how it can be developed and made interesting - this getting very exciting!!!!!!!” //Hennie:// Moodle is the environment we will be using (still learning and playing with it) getting more familiar with i all. I spent some time playing around with my blog space and have now learnt how to insert pictures..............i am sooooo excited. I have also placed a profile picture in the forum section...........i feel as though i am coming in leaps and bounds. hennie (the achiever) J //Jim:// positive comments were received as to its intuitiveness & ease of use.
 * SUMMARY OF DISCUSSIONS FROM WEEK 4 OF 23 THINGS COURSE**
 * (13/11/10)**
 * This week weconcentrated on:**
 * **Moodle**
 * **Blogger**
 * **SecondLife**
 * **Elluminate**
 * 1)** **Moodle**

//Janine:// I like this specific blogsite mainly because it so easy and quick to get started. In my endeavours to engage my students next year, especially my 16 - 20's, I can see myself using a couple of different e learning tools : Firstly Wiggio, because of its user friendly group persona. Secondly blogger, I would like to encourage the students to use this program as a way of commenting and contributing to their own learning.
 * 2)** **Blogger**

//Jenny:// I have some students who study a subject externally so I would like to use one of these 2 tools with these students for them to use as a resource when doing their course work, but I am not sure yet which one to go for - moodle or blog. My ideas are to have links to videos, slideshows, documents they may need, that would supplement the course work and maybe provide them with a forum to ask questions not just of me but of other students studying externally as well. //(Michael thought it was probably easier to have everything in one place so Moodle or similar might be preferable.)//
 * Moodle or Blog?**

//Karen// · At the North Coast TAFE we also use Adobe Connect which is similar to Elluminate. I actually have my own room and have delivered a session on adding a resource to Moodle for the teacher of the Certificate IV in OHS. · enjoying live sessions and reviewing recordings //Lesley:// I think this would bea great tool to use within our Moodle site as a weekly informal catch up forIndustry students //Denitza:// wondered if Elluminate is best used for instructor led sessions; Michael replied that some of the best sessions in virtual classroom tools are where everyone has equal participation. //(And facilitators are more likely to try this approach when they are more comfortable with the technology. – MC)// · GoToMeeting · Discovere - http://www.compued.com.au/conference/tour/ · ADOBE Connect · **Saba Centra** http://www.saba.com/products/centra/ **Webex** www.webx.com · DIMDIM (free) · WIZIQ (free) //Michael added//: if it is between Adobe Connect and Elluminate, I'd vote Elluminate. While Adobe is quicker and easier to get up and running the audio in Elluminate is what clinches it for me. Very dependable audio on all systems at all connection speeds. Adobe frequently seems to have 'audio issues.'
 * 3)** **Elluminate**
 * Alternatives toElluminate**
 * COMPARISON BETWEEN ELLUMINATE AND ADOBE CONNECT**
 * Both companies have a 3 user room to trial for free
 * Having used both of these from a low rural bandwidth (dialup, satellite and now low wireless) Elluminate tends to be better.
 * Adobe has live links in the powerpoint which saves adding to the chat
 * More emoticons in Elluminate that Adobe
 * More functionality on the whiteboard in Elluminate
 * Record function is better in Adobe as can make separate recordings.. not keen on Elluminate if someone doesn't leave the room between sessions recordings can't be gathered or split apart. (However, Elluminate Publish now allows conversion of recordings to m4 format so they can be edited, and viewed on mobile devices.)
 * Issues sometimes depend on how the program is hosted (eg tafensw currently having issues which affect reliability not necessarily Adobes fault)
 * Can't private chat in Elluminate..(Facilitators see ALL!) can in Adobe.

//John:// I signed up with Second Life and created my new name and avatar. That is as far as I have gone, and for the last three days I have had three e-mails a day from them trying to get me to go further and join several spaces. This is not what I expected, and am seriously thinking of unsubscribing from that programme. If I was to use it for my learning tool I would hope not to be contacted continuously //Denitza:// fascinating, but takes a lot of time; acknowledged that it may be the way of the future but many students' technical skills lag far behindwhat’s required; wondered if it is addictive, and whether it promotes a sedentary lifestyle.....
 * 4)** **SECONDLIFE**

THANKS EVERYONE!