Archive for August, 2006

Vacation

I am going to be away for the next week with limited internet access, getting away before the semester starts, doing some final prep work. So, I apologize if your comments do not get moderated at a fast rate. I will try and check in a few times, and post some new content. Also when …..

Flash Drive Warning: U3 drives=Not so Smart

I was at Best Buy looking at monitors with someone the other day (looking not buying, as you can get better tech prices online-personally I buy from (Newegg but that’s not the point). I saw they had Flash Drives on sale. Now before on this blog I have talked about the importance of having one …..

Classroom Blogging: The Tools

Here is the first post in the semester long series about using blogs in the classroom, if you haven’t already please read the introduction as it will give you a better sense of what this is all about. I thought I would start by sketching out the technical tools, programs, web services etc. that Jenn …..

How To Create Student Email Lists in Two Minutes

(Okay in all honesty this takes more than two minutes the first time, but after you do it once or twice it only takes two.) Just cause Jenn asked here is a post on how to create an email group for your classes, actually I was working on this (I wasn’t going to leave all …..

Student Planners

A couple of people have emailed asking about applications for helping students get organized. I think the first year in college it can be really hard for students to manage the new class structure (fewer assignments that require more work, and classes that do not meet everyday). So, in this regard I think it can …..

Classroom Blogging: The Pedagogy and The Technology

The Short Explanation: I am working with Jenn on a project about using blogs in the classroom. (Really this doesn’t capture the idea so just read the long explanation below.) The Long Explanation: There has been a lot of talk recently online regarding the patent filing by Blackboard, a patent which could create serious hurdles …..

Audio Commentary for Writing Assignments

Academic Commons, a site I highly recommend reading or adding to your news feed (they focus on “Open Source Education”), has an article today about using audio commentary for written assignments. The piece, by Susan Sipple, makes a case for why her students find it more productive, as well as allowing her to be more …..

Email Screencast Update

I am still experimenting with ways to get the screencast about managing email down to a reasonable size. If you read the final post in the handling email series and wanted to see the screencast, but the google video was frustrating send me email me.I am trying out some of the free services like DropSend …..

Tech Tools/Tips for the College Bound

When I initially started posting to this blog I envisioned it as mostly helping academic professionals; tools for those in graduate programs and professors, not necessarily undergrads. But it seems that there is also a lot of interest in tools and tips for students. (I am not complaining mind you, just letting you know my …..

Desire2Learn vs. Blackboard

Using its newly minted patent Blackboard has filed a lawsuit against Desire2Learn in a further attempt to corner the market on elearning. I am not going to rehash all the complex details of this issue, for a good overview of the problem and the threat this poses for higher learning read Michael Feldstein’s blog. But …..