virtual classroom

What is a virtual classroom? A virtual classroom is an online space that teachers can use to support learning for their students. You must access it through the internet however it is available 24 hours a day and 7 days a week. Virtual classrooms can contain group activities and independent learning activities. It can also have discussions over topics and chat sessions, online work and quizzes and tests. Virtual Classrooms usually also include important information like calendars and timetables, grades and other important info for students and teachers.

What can I say about virtual classrooms? Well, this class is one. It is important because we can access the information on what we need to do on our own time, we don’t have to be in a classroom at a specific time, as long as we have access to a computer with internet that’s all we need. It’s good for teachers too, because they can send information to many students that usually wouldn’t be possible or as effective if it was in a classroom. Also, if you were in the process of moving, or couldn’t fit time in your schedule to go to school, virtual classrooms are perfect. This class works out for me, because being that I am finishing up school soon, I have three classes I take on campus two days a week and the other days I’m working at my internship in order to graduate. So when I am at home and I’ve completed everything else that I have to do, I go online and take care of this class at my own time.

Link: http://education.qld.gov.au/learningplace/onlinelearning/virtual-classroom.html

what is streaming video?

Streaming video is like watching a video on the internet, however instead of downloading the video and then watching it, instead it is sent through a continuous stream with video and sound and is played while it arrives. In order to play a streaming video, you need a player which is either a program that you can download or a part of the browser that you're on. Usually, streaming video is sent from prerecorded video files, however in some cases it can be a live broadcast feed. Multiple users can view the live feed through conversions into a compressed video signal.

I think that this can be useful in the classroom. Maybe a distance learning class can sign in and the teacher can present his/her lesson through streaming video on the internet. Also if there is some breaking news story I'm sure streaming video can be useful. I am sure that there are many other useful things that streaming video can do.

link: http://searchunifiedcommunications.techtarget.com/sDefinition/0,,sid186_gci213055,00.html#

podcasting

From what I know about podcasting, it is a tool that is used that can include visual, audio effects in their presentations. This information can almost instantly be delivered over a network and played on computers and hand held devices. This can be useful for both teachers and students. Basiclly, it is another new way for kids to learn. I think podcasts can be very useful. I think it is also more enjoyable, its kind of fun in a way and it makes learning a little more interesting. This is the thing though, stuff like this can be used on iPods and other handheld devices. Therefore, I think in many cases kids will end up using their iPods for other things than education, like music and movies. So I think that’s one thing people have to consider, but other than that I think that it is all good.

Link : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Podcasting

link to web based multimedia/annimation

links to web based multimedia annimation:


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multimedia

http://tlt.its.psu.edu/suggestions/research/animation.shtml

Web Based Multimedia/Animation

This is one of the most important things that people can use on the internet today. When I was doing some research on the topic, I found o a lot of good examples multimedia tools. Multimedia animations allow to explain complex ideas and situtations easier. I think it is a lot easier to show someone how to do something rather than explaining it. There are many different ways to present multimedia things, from text to audio and video, and still image pictures, animation and interactivity. With all of these different tools there are so many things you can do with web based multimedia animations. It can be devided into two catagories. The first catagory is linear and the second is non-linear. Linear means that there is not any interactivness to the application, like a cinema presentation. Non-linear on the other hand has interactivness to it. In education it can be used for computer based training. It will allow you to go through several different types of presentations, it is almost endless on the ability to learn all different types of material. Doctors can even use it to go through a virtual surgery before they do the real thing so when they do perfrom surgery, they know what they are doing. Web based multimedia can be very helpful in the classroom, not only for student but teachers also. Its a great visual aid, and it can provide so much to education.

digital Imagery

when i was doing research for this topic, i wasnt really sure what i was looking for. i found a lot of websites that was selling digital imagery. digital imagery allows someone to edit images on the computer to allow the image to become more realistic, and its more resourceful and cheap way. This isni't just something that can be used in the classroom, almost anyone can use this tool. Digital cameras are pretty easy to use these days, and teachers could teach students how to edit their own pictures that they took. I think it could also be a good visual aid for students. I think students can feel acomplished by creating digital images by themselves, and could help with their reading skills.


link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_image_processing

storyboarding

To be honest, I really didn't know what storyboarding was when we were first assigned this. Upon doing my research, I found it what it was. From what I understand, it's somewhere in between the test model and the final product of a multimedia program. I think that this can be very important for a couple of reasons. For example, lets say you are doing a storyboard and it just doesn't look right. Chances are if your storyboard looks wrong so will your program. It's a way that you can check to make sure that everything is working the way that you want it to, and also allows to find out if there is something wrong with your program beforehand so you don't have to fix it later. Now there are such things as active storyboards. Pretty much it is a working version of the program but it's produced in a easy way to adjust and add or take away material without the requirement of difficult programing. I think with the active storyboards students can surely use that to their advantage for a project or something like that. I've never used a storyboard before, but I'm sure today with all the new technology that is out students, teachers, and anyone else for that matter can make use of them.

here is my link to storyboards:
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/adrian_mallon_multimedia/story.htm#label2

link about wiki

link about wiki:
http://wiki.org/wiki.cgi?WhatIsWiki

whats a wiki?

Wiki is a type of software that allows someone to freely create and alter a web page. They have been around for over a decade now, and it supports hyperlinks and it also has a simple text syntax for re-writing new material and creating links. Its an intresting concept because anyone can just change the material that is on a web page. Its exciting in a way that anyone can alter or re-create something that is on a web page. A prime example of a wiki is wikipedia. Similar to an enclycopedia, wikipedia allows users to put their input on specific topics. This is all good, however people can also input wrong information. Because anyone can access it, anyone can put whatever they want and it could be wrong information. There are other examples of Wikis. People can use wikis to post what they think about the upcoming election, or the war in Iraq, and people can post what they want, and if its incorrect someone else can fix it. There are some limitations though, a lot of websites need permission from the website before you can edit, just so that the people that edit webpages aren't just anyone that will type anything that is irrelevant to the topic. As far as the classroom goes, I think wikis can be useful tools. Students could create a web page as a group project and add or edit whatever is on the page at any time. However I wouldn't use a wiki to carry on a conversation, thats more for blogs. As long as students are posting appropiate posts according to the topic, wikis will remain very useful.

blogging in education

I looked up this article the other day and it talks about blogging in education, and how it is currently effecting education. Upon reading the article, it basically states that many people involved in education like teachers and professors can use blogs just as easy as students can. Blogging allows freedom of whatever you want to type that's on your mind. Scholars can ask and answer serious or difficult questions without having to write a letter, send an email, or having some other way to contact someone which otherwise you would need personal information to contact that person. Here someone can post a blog and find information using the internet to answer their questions. Professors around the world are using blogs to ask a question out there and to see if someone answers back, which in most cases that seems what happens. Its a quick way to contact people that are inside and outside of the academic community faster than other resources. I think that this is a good thing, people can find out more about important topics faster and be able to express what they want to say.

here is the article:
http://chronicle.com/free/v49/i39/39a01401.htm

forgot the link here it is

sorry forgot the link here it is: http://www.ncesd.org/disability/default.htm

virtual field trips and such...

I did some research on virtual field trips, and upon the many things that I found on the internet, this one caught my attention. This virtual field trip focuses on children that have disabilities. This caught my attention because my sister has autism, and it's nice to know that there are things like this for children that don't have all the advantages that many children have. Technology like virtual field trips gives an advantage to students to learn things in the classroom and at home that they might not be able to experience themselves without this technology. I'm thankful that there are things like this that are available to students and teachers to help with their education and their overall knowledge. Upon reading this link, it provides information to where to get more information about this subject as well as other useful links that are important. Overall I think that this is important information and can be used effectively.

first blog

just testing my first blog