Comments on: Take My Class for Free-Seriously http://academhack.outsidethetext.com/home/2008/take-my-class-for-free-seriously/ Tech Tools for Academics Fri, 09 Jan 2009 22:15:05 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: robin smail http://academhack.outsidethetext.com/home/2008/take-my-class-for-free-seriously/#comment-88018 robin smail Wed, 03 Sep 2008 15:36:36 +0000 http://academhack.outsidethetext.com/home/?p=272#comment-88018 This is a very interesting idea, and I would like to put my name out there for the short list, if you haven't started already. I would agree that a virtual world environment would be ideal for a gathering method, as long as the participants have the appropriate hardware and accessibility to the virtual world. I've participated in a number of seminars online in this method, and it is a great opportunity. This is a very interesting idea, and I would like to put my name out there for the short list, if you haven’t started already. I would agree that a virtual world environment would be ideal for a gathering method, as long as the participants have the appropriate hardware and accessibility to the virtual world. I’ve participated in a number of seminars online in this method, and it is a great opportunity.

]]> By: Raymond Brock http://academhack.outsidethetext.com/home/2008/take-my-class-for-free-seriously/#comment-85128 Raymond Brock Sun, 24 Aug 2008 15:17:22 +0000 http://academhack.outsidethetext.com/home/?p=272#comment-85128 How's your university taking it? Most would not want to see real-time course content offered for free to non-tuition-paying students. Nor, would the tuition-paying-students necessarily want to see it offered for free to others? The strict definition of "tuition" then simply means "credit" and most places would not want to make that narrow a definition. At any rate, you'd better get it cleared before offering it! No way that ichat will work. EVO would have everyone spending a half hour adjusting mutes and audio...plus, I don't know if it's legal to use it for such an exercise given the funding sources for EVO. I've wondered about Second Life for courses. I could imagine a variety of nonsensical structures that could be built for students to climb inside of to understand molecular structures, high energy physics events, stellar layers...the mind boggles. How’s your university taking it? Most would not want to see real-time course content offered for free to non-tuition-paying students. Nor, would the tuition-paying-students necessarily want to see it offered for free to others? The strict definition of “tuition” then simply means “credit” and most places would not want to make that narrow a definition. At any rate, you’d better get it cleared before offering it!

No way that ichat will work. EVO would have everyone spending a half hour adjusting mutes and audio…plus, I don’t know if it’s legal to use it for such an exercise given the funding sources for EVO.

I’ve wondered about Second Life for courses. I could imagine a variety of nonsensical structures that could be built for students to climb inside of to understand molecular structures, high energy physics events, stellar layers…the mind boggles.

]]> By: Paulo Abreu http://academhack.outsidethetext.com/home/2008/take-my-class-for-free-seriously/#comment-83320 Paulo Abreu Thu, 14 Aug 2008 09:10:40 +0000 http://academhack.outsidethetext.com/home/?p=272#comment-83320 I've been using <a href="http://evo.caltech.edu/evoGate/FAQ/index.jsp" rel="nofollow">EVO</a> for the weekly meetings of <a href="http://grid.ifca.es/egee-sa1-swe/introduction.htm" rel="nofollow"> EGEE SWE</a> and it seems to have everything you need: multiplatform (Win, Mac, Linux), audio, video and whiteboard. Good luck with the course. I’ve been using EVO for the weekly meetings of EGEE SWE and it seems to have everything you need: multiplatform (Win, Mac, Linux), audio, video and whiteboard. Good luck with the course.

]]> By: James Herbert http://academhack.outsidethetext.com/home/2008/take-my-class-for-free-seriously/#comment-83033 James Herbert Wed, 13 Aug 2008 00:46:11 +0000 http://academhack.outsidethetext.com/home/?p=272#comment-83033 I have used dimdim for the last 4 weeks in my Microsoft operating systems class. It is possible to record and download the contents of the meeting now as well as have up to 4 microphones to share with the participants for free. Not only do the remote students like it but I have found that the students in the classroom enjoy it as well. I use the desktop sharing feature during my lectures so they can follow along. They have a phone number for skype users to call. I am not sure if that counts as a phone call and thus not free. Using DimDim and a skypecast could also work for more than 4 microphones. I have used dimdim for the last 4 weeks in my Microsoft operating systems class. It is possible to record and download the contents of the meeting now as well as have up to 4 microphones to share with the participants for free.

Not only do the remote students like it but I have found that the students in the classroom enjoy it as well. I use the desktop sharing feature during my lectures so they can follow along.

They have a phone number for skype users to call. I am not sure if that counts as a phone call and thus not free. Using DimDim and a skypecast could also work for more than 4 microphones.

]]> By: glen gatin http://academhack.outsidethetext.com/home/2008/take-my-class-for-free-seriously/#comment-83011 glen gatin Tue, 12 Aug 2008 22:57:56 +0000 http://academhack.outsidethetext.com/home/?p=272#comment-83011 Second Life and Skype makes a great combination. You can set up a slideviewer in a SL virtual classroom and a Skype conference call with conference chat and pretty much duplicate anything you can do in a real life classroom. Except smell the next guys cologne that is.. Second Life and Skype makes a great combination. You can set up a slideviewer in a SL virtual classroom and a Skype conference call with conference chat and pretty much duplicate anything you can do in a real life classroom. Except smell the next guys cologne that is..

]]> By: Ernest Lehmann http://academhack.outsidethetext.com/home/2008/take-my-class-for-free-seriously/#comment-82995 Ernest Lehmann Tue, 12 Aug 2008 21:28:45 +0000 http://academhack.outsidethetext.com/home/?p=272#comment-82995 I'd suggesting looking at ustream.tv for options to broadcast video of the class... as well as collaboration. http://www.ustream.tv/ I’d suggesting looking at ustream.tv for options to broadcast video of the class… as well as collaboration.

http://www.ustream.tv/

]]> By: Dirk Matthews http://academhack.outsidethetext.com/home/2008/take-my-class-for-free-seriously/#comment-82967 Dirk Matthews Tue, 12 Aug 2008 18:37:29 +0000 http://academhack.outsidethetext.com/home/?p=272#comment-82967 Have you thought about using iChat? The current version on Leopard allows for video conferencing, sharing screens, adding text messaging as well. This may limit to Mac users, but it seems to interface pretty well with AIM on a PC. Have you thought about using iChat? The current version on Leopard allows for video conferencing, sharing screens, adding text messaging as well. This may limit to Mac users, but it seems to interface pretty well with AIM on a PC.

]]> By: Kevin http://academhack.outsidethetext.com/home/2008/take-my-class-for-free-seriously/#comment-82929 Kevin Tue, 12 Aug 2008 13:57:06 +0000 http://academhack.outsidethetext.com/home/?p=272#comment-82929 Dave, Just a thought but why not attempt to use skype and the conference calling features. It is free as long as the students are using a computer, it has video capability if needed, and would suit the class size you are thinking of (5-10). Dave,
Just a thought but why not attempt to use skype and the conference calling features. It is free as long as the students are using a computer, it has video capability if needed, and would suit the class size you are thinking of (5-10).

]]> By: glen http://academhack.outsidethetext.com/home/2008/take-my-class-for-free-seriously/#comment-82818 glen Mon, 11 Aug 2008 21:22:34 +0000 http://academhack.outsidethetext.com/home/?p=272#comment-82818 Being able to handle arbitrary numbers of non-registered virtual participants is difficult (you've decided to opt with allowing a small number), but I think it is desirable, if possible. Its '<em>possibility</em>' is based on the modality of the interaction(s). Clearly having hundreds or even dozens in a video conference is not possible. But (many) courses can be re-structured to allow for interactions that can scale to larger numbers. There is a paper in examining the taxonomy of course interaction modalities and their scalability, impacts, etc (if it isn't already out there). Being able to handle arbitrary numbers of non-registered virtual participants is difficult (you’ve decided to opt with allowing a small number), but I think it is desirable, if possible. Its ‘possibility‘ is based on the modality of the interaction(s). Clearly having hundreds or even dozens in a video conference is not possible. But (many) courses can be re-structured to allow for interactions that can scale to larger numbers. There is a paper in examining the taxonomy of course interaction modalities and their scalability, impacts, etc (if it isn’t already out there).

]]> By: Charlie http://academhack.outsidethetext.com/home/2008/take-my-class-for-free-seriously/#comment-82090 Charlie Thu, 07 Aug 2008 20:12:24 +0000 http://academhack.outsidethetext.com/home/?p=272#comment-82090 Dave, you might consider using Elluminate as a virtual meeting space for participants. Audio, video, whiteboard, text, and archiving of meetings are supported. http://www.elluminate.com/ Other options: vYew (http://vyew.com/site) or DimDim. (http://dimdim.com/), or TappedIN (http://tappedin.org/tappedin/) Charlie Dave, you might consider using Elluminate as a virtual meeting space for participants. Audio, video, whiteboard, text, and archiving of meetings are supported. http://www.elluminate.com/

Other options: vYew (http://vyew.com/site) or DimDim. (http://dimdim.com/), or TappedIN (http://tappedin.org/tappedin/)

Charlie

]]>