For this issue, I have divided the information in ‘IT Works!’ into three areas
Publications
JISC have just published a great new e–learning guide, Innovative
Practice with e–Learning. The glossy front is a disguise for some
interesting video case studies on a CD–ROM, handy planning
tools and lots of tips and advice. The focus is on all things wireless.
URL: http://www.jisc.ac.uk/eli_practice.html
TechDis have produced an excellent series of staff development
packs containing training materials for aspects of accessibility
including Dyslexia, the use of assistive technologies, and an introduction
to web accessibility.
URL: http://www.techdis.ac.uk/resources/sites/staffpacks/
index.xml
If you are dabbling in electronic assessment (particularly online
quizzes) there is an interesting paper written by a law lecturer
at Oxford Brookes: ‘One Lecturer’s Experience of Blending Elearning
with Traditional Teaching or How to Improve Retention
and Progression by Engaging Students’ by Paul Catley.
Read
it online at:
http://www.brookes.ac.uk/publications/
bejlt/volume1issue2/academic/catley05_1.html!
eLearning tools
ATLAS.ti – Is a textual analysis manipulation tool that has a
growing following. You can download a fully functional trial version
of the software.:
http://www.atlasti.com/index.php
There are more and more interesting ‘extensions’ for the
Firefox browser. Extensions are small software programs that
add new functionality inside the Firefox browser. Two very useful
ones are ‘Scrapbook’
for saving webpages and/
or managing collections,
and ‘Colorzilla’ for getting
color readings from any point in your browser – quite handy if
you are building learning materials for online viewing.There are
hundreds more!
https://addons.mozilla.org/extensions/?application=firefox
Internet explorer has also released the beta of its new ‘developer toolbar’ (as an extension). This toolbar is very useful for highlighting tables and divs on webpages and has great CSS features too. Great for analysing your own work or browsing for design tips. A must for anyone designing / editing webpages. Search from the Microsoft site: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/search.aspx?displaylang=en
Contemplating giving your students a sound recording of your own lecture, pointing them to a sound file on the internet of a programme you heard on the radio last night or linking your online course bibliography into a downloadable sound archive? Read the beginner’s guide to Podcast creation: http://www.ilounge.com/index.php/articles/comments/ beginners–guide–to–podcast–creation/
Web Resources
The Humbul humanities hub have developed a useful online tutorial in ‘Internet Information skills’ for English students: http://www.vts.rdn.ac.uk/tutorial/english
Edina – The Education Image Gallery – has recently added 7000 new images, free for use in educational settings, to its collection. First check if your institution subscribes, then browse to: http://edina.ac.uk/eig
News
Macromedia (Now known as Adobe after their recent acquisition of the company) have announced version 8 of their
popular website development tools: Dreamweaver,
Fireworks and Flash. Information, online demonstrations
and beginners – to advanced tutorials are
available at:
http://www.macromedia.com
Bits & Bytes
Read the hilarious personal blog of Rob Spence, a UK English
lecturer:
http://spencro.blogspot.com/.
Interested in the real potential of ePortfolios and PDPs
(Personal Development Plans) – There is a lot of useful information
and a great community you can join on this project
site where all aspects of this mode of learning are considered:
http://www.eportfolios.ac.uk/
Does it take you ages to login to your email account when
you are out and about? If you need to send files (up to Gb)
quickly try browsing to this nifty site:
http://yousendit.com
Wallenburg Hall is a 2 st-century teaching space at Stanford
University. The kit on offer to the curious lecturer gives one
reason to drool longingly. Definitely a must for those in control
of the ‘IT equipment budget’:
http://wallenberg.stanford.edu/classresources/technologies.html
Notes
• Where possible I try to recommend software that is open–source, free-of-charge, copyright cleared, shareware or freeware
• All URLs on this page were last accessed in October 2005
