Outlines and Social Networking

Sometimes Microsoft Word operates in a funky manner when you try to create outlines. Well, here's a neat website in which you can build clean outlines and save them online:
http://www.dynamiclist.com/



Furthermore, if you wish to start your own social network, try this site:

http://www.ning.com/

Happy New Year!!!

Happy New Year to all mouse instructors! It seems that on an hourly basis there are new technologies that help us "edutain" our students. For you online students, here's an important website: http://www.elearners.com/
For you instructors considering online teaching, check out this site first: http://www.teachertube.com

Over the winter break, I created a couple of videos for my online course. I used Camtasia Studio 5 to create the following tutorials.

In the future, I plan to use more video and audio in the blog. I also plan to use it to discuss some socioeconomic, cultural, religious and political news. In addition, I may also include some information about sports, exercising and personal money management as well as book reviews.

Two books I read over the break were best-sellers:

"The Nine" (about the Supreme Court) by Jeffrey Toobin. Check out this short book review:

http://brainandspine.titololawoffice.com/2007/10/articles/brainy-reviews/the-nine-jeffrey-toobin/

"Legacy of Ashes" (about the CIA) by Tim Weiner

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=7211888832268687748&q=Legacy+of+Ashes&total=46&start=0&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=3

Both books were A++. Legacy is a little long, but a great history nonetheless.

Question: If anyone knows of any open-source video editing software, please let me know where I can find some.

Muchas gracias,

Games for the Classroom

Today's Millennial Generation students are gamers in every sense. Therefore, they expect those concepts to be transferred into the classroom as well. How can you harnass that "negative trait" (as us old school folks would call it) in a positive learning experience? Check out this cool website with games that also teach them about the course topic is: www.socialimpactgames.com.

For my summer sociology course, entitled Individual & Society (SOC125), I plan to have them play Darfur is Dying. There are cool facts and tidbits that they will learn regarding the genocide that is occurring in that particular region of Sudan.

There are also games for science, business, politics and religion.

Wiki for your course

There has been a lot of Wikipedia bashing the past year or so. But, Web 2.0 is all about interactivity as opposed to the static nature of Web 1.0. I know, any Harry, Billy, or Bob can add content that is totally false.

Well, what if you could let your Millennial Generation students create their own knowledge, but only they would have access instead of the entire world? And, you could monitor the postings? Well, of course you can through the Peanut Butter wiki website. Check out for yourself, it's free! www.pbwiki.com.

What's the difference between online instruction and face-to-face instruction?

Are you just starting out on your quest to become an online instructor? Here's a link to a good website called elearners.com. Click on the link entitled “When Online is Better than Face-to-Face Interaction by Susan Smith Nash, Ph.D." It will give you an idea of the differences between online instruction versus face-to-face instruction.

http://community.elearners.com/blogs/inside_elearning/archive/2007/02/06/_2200_Inside-e_2D00_Learning-by-Susan-Smith-Nash_2C00_-Ph.D_2E002200_-Podcasts-are-Available-for-Download.aspx

Toggl

Need a good way to keep track of the time you spend working on a project. Then check out this free website www.toggl.com. You can keep your time on numerous projects then develop a report for your higher-ups.

Web 2.0

For online instructors or professors who really enjoy incorporating new and exciting technologies into their courses, here is a must see website: http://www.readwriteweb.com/. This website gives you an update on various Web 2.0 websites and gives you a preview of what is on the horizon in terms of technology.