This is the first online course I take. Like all people my age I learned the regular face to face lecture way. Go to class, sharpen you pencil, and sit there for one or two hours. This course was an eye opening and mind blowing experience. From a student perspective the fact that you have the learning material and access to your teacher available 24/7 is fantastic. From an educator perspective I am amazed by the large variety of online tools available. I am so glad I can now go beyond powerpoint. More importantly I have some rationale and backup knowledge when and why use those tools.
During this course I reviewed BibMe, TitanPad, Xmind. and Screenr and collaborated using voicethread, Skype, and google docs. I based my decision when chosing this tools on their potential for teaching medical residents. The one that impressed me more was voicethread. In my opinion the most comprehensive tool. Is a one-stop shop to create content, distribute, collaborate and provide feedback.
Is online education for everyone?.....YES!. Nowadays we cannot conceive a world without ATMs, smartphones, GPS, TV, and internet. Technology is all around us. The smart and creative use of online tools can provide an engaging way for teaching the next generation of medical professionals.
I want to thank my classmates for all their feedback, my collaboration group for teaching me a lot, and the coordinator for putting this amazing module toghether.
1. Name of the Web 2.0 Tool: BibMe 2. URL of the Tool: www.BibMe.org 3. Please select the one, primary category for this tool: Productivity tool 4. What is BibMe? BibMe is an online citation creator and bibliography generator. It helps the user to find references, build a library, and format the citations. You can search books, magazines, newspapers, websites, journals, films, and other sources. BibMe uses Amazon.com, FindArticles, Yahoo! News, and CiteULike Academic Papers as sources of information to auto-fill the data. The citations are formated using MLA, APA, chicago, or turabian styles. BibMe was built using the Ruby on Rails framework, and uses asynchronous Javascript for visual effects. BibMe also makes use of the Scriptaculous and Prototype Javascript libraries.
4. Select your source (book,
magazine, etc) and type the title, author or ISBM on the search filed
5. Click on the "select"
button to save your search into the citation screen entry and fill in the
fields
6. If you cannot find a match you
can select manual
7. You can
"dowload to word" to use
the bibliography in your document
6. What do you need to know before using this tool? (What skills do you need to have?) It is good to know the exact referece to your citation (author, year, ISBN, etc) since the sources are not great for scientific search. Also, get familiar with the citation format you need. Even though MLA, APA, Chicago and Turabian are the most common types the Journal you wish to publish may ask for a different one.
7. Please describe a scenario of how you might use this tool in a teaching environment (150-250 words). This tool can be used to search for scientific literature and create a library with citations. I see this tool as an easier version of pubmed or scopus. It may be used to teach new trainees the way of findings scientific literature since BibMe interface is simple and easier to use than more advance tools such as pubmed and scopus. Trainees may be given an assigment to find for some literature and play with the different citations formats.
8. What are the advantages and disadvantages of using this tool in a formal or informal teaching environment?
ADVANTAGES
DISADVANTAGES
Free
Very limited sources
User friendly
Limited citation formats
Unlimited bibliography storage
Cannot personalize citation
formats
Export to word document
No advanced search mode
No word integration
9. Would you recommend this Web 2.0 tool to others, or suggest that they explore a different tool? The short answer is no. This is a very simple and limited tool not very suitable for medical literature. I would probably recommend it only for very basic use and not for professional use. BibMe just generates a list of the bibliography it can find on the limited sources available. Probably you will find yourself reformating the citations one by one to fit the journal's requierements and playing with word citation manager get the bibliography on your document. I dont see this site any better than the reference manager that microsoft word already provides. Also, pubmed provides the same service than BibMe but with better features.
10. Other tools similar to BibMe:
OttoBib OttoBib generates bibliographies automatically. OttoBib looks up all information by ISBN for you. It can generate a full bibliography and a permanent URL. http://www.ottobib.com EasyBib Automatic bibliography formatting, alphabetizing, and printing services. http://www.easybib.com Son of Citation Machine Interactive web tool which helps teachers and students produce reference citations. Includes information on how to format MLA and APA citations. http://www.citationmachine.net NoodleTools
Online MLA and APA bibliography composer, available to students, teachers, schools, and districts on a subscription basis.
RefWorks Online bibliographic management program that allows users to create a personal database of references and generate bibliographies in a variety of formats including ...
SourceAid Offers research and citation tools and resources for students, professors, and institutions. Includes various editions of citation builder to create and manage MLA, APA, CMS, and CSE bibliographies, in-text citations, footnotes, and endnotes.
1. Name of
the Web 2.0 Tool: TitanPad 2. URL of
the Tool:
www.titanpad.com 3. Please
select the one, primary category for this tool: Feedback tool, networking/social tool 4. What is TitanPad? Titanpad is a real time online document editing and collaboration tool. It provides a free collaborative space where a team can work on one document simultaneously. It is based on a similar platform called "EtherPad" now discontinued. A user creates a new document or uploads an existing one into titanpad and all changes from the collaborators are tracked in a timeline. It also provides realtime chat for realtime communication making this a simple but powerful collaboration web 2.0 tool.
5. How does TitanPad work? When you first go to the website you have the option of creating an account or proceed as a free user. A unique web address is created that can be shared for online collaboration. If many people are on the same document at once you can chat with them to make the experience more interactive. Each user can pick a color so you know who is making what within the document. 6. What do
you need to know before using this tool? (What skills do you need to have?) No skills are necessary to use this tool besides some computer knowledge. The site is very easy to use. 7. How do
you use this tool? (Write the basic steps using a numbered list) 1. goto www.titanpad.com 2. Click on "create a public pad?
3. Wait for the site to connect
4. On the small right upper screen type your name and select a color
5. Begin typing your document.
6. Alternatively you can import a document (HTML,pain text, microsoft word, PDF, bookmark file, or open document). This option is under the import/export menu at the top.
7. revisions are saved automatically but when you are done hit "save" if you see this option highlighted on the top menu
Editing text
8. At the top of the editing screen there are several options to format the text, change color font, indent, and undo. This works similar as other word editing software.
Inviting other to participate
9. On the small top right window there is an "invite option"
10. This will pop up a window with 2 options:
a. paste the link over email or IM
b. send email invitations
Chatting
11. on the bottom right there is large chat window. This works like other online chats. You can leave messages or chat in real time with other participants
8. Please
describe a scenario of how you might use this tool in a teaching environment (150-250
words). A) brainstorming projects: When starting a new project all people involved can use titanpad to put their ideas into the pad. Collaborators can comment and discuss about the many ideas B) editing manuscripts before publication: Titanpad may not be ideal for professional editing and writing but it does its job when collaborators want to edit and discuss a scientific manuscript in realtime. If you couple this with videoconferencing the experience is amazing. Collaborations can happen anytime with anyone all over the globe. C) give feedback to students: If students are given an assignment using titanpad the teacher can leave feedback even in realtime. This is an example of a TitanPad project I worked in. Here is the link to the entire titanpad project.
9. What are
the advantages and disadvantages of using this tool in a formal or informal
teaching environment? The main advantage is that is free and very simple to use. It has a chat option where to leave messages and collaborate real time. You can track your changes with the time slider. The disadvantage is that nobody knows how long this projects are kept on the titanpad servers. There is no way to format text beyond the given option. For example you cannot create tables or embed html code. I also encountered a formatting problem when importing a word document. You cannot export the document with the user color tracking. Finally, there is no security password request making security an issue. 10. Would
you recommend this Web 2.0 tool to others, or suggest that they explore a
different tool? I would definitely recommend this tool for simple projects that do not require major text editing and if not sharing sensitive information.
Here are other interesting collaboration tools. Some are similar and others better (I tried to stay away from google docs since most people may be familiar with it).
This is a great collaboration site. Try it!. Painless Team Collaboration. Mark up websites, graphics, and photos, or start brainstorming on a blank canvas. Browse the web with your friends or make that conference call more productive than ever. No plug-ins, downloads, or firewall voodoo - it's all here, ready to go when you are. Browser-agnostic, user-friendly. http://www.twiddla.com/
is a highly customizable Open Sourceonline editor providing collaborative editing in reallyreal-time. Another one just like titanpad using the same etherpad platform http://etherpad.org/index.html
Vyew. Share your view. Vyew allows you to meet and share content in real-time or anytime. Upload images, files, documents and videos into a room. Users can access and contribute at anytime. This one does the same thing as titanpad but with a nicer platform and more options http://vyew.com/
1. Name of the Web 2.0 Tool: Xmind 2. URL of the Tool: http://www.xmind.net/ 3. Please select the one, primary category for this tool: Critical Thinking/Problem Solving Tool
4. What is XMind?
XMind is a download software that allows the organization of ideas. This type of software is called "mindmapping". Mindmapping is the process of drawing diagrams that show relations between various ideas, tasks or information. According to the developer most people use it to clarify thinking, manage compex information, run brainstroming and get work organized. This is an open source project meaning you can download and use it for free without restrictions. The software provides a series of tools and graphics that allows the user organize irnformation in a linear and non-linear fashion. The final output is similar to an organizational flowchart that can be distributed via the xmind.com library.
5. How does XMind work? Before I start explaining how XMind works I have to clarify that XMind is a very complex system. The power and ability to manipulate every single aspect of it comes with complexity and sometimes lack of user friendly features. The amount of things one can do with this software is far to complex to put into a blog. I found a lot of useful information on how to get me started at the XMind Forum. Having said that I will just brush on the basic features of this software. (there is a nice short tutorial video here)
1. Goto XMind and download the software 2. Open the program and select Blank template
3. Click inside the first topic labeled as "central topic" and type in a
topic title. In this example I typed "hepatitis"
Create
Topic 1. Select the main topic box, then choose Insert
on the Menu and select:
Topic, type in the first topic
title. Alternatively, you can select the main topic box and hit "enter" 2.Continue adding the main topics to your mindmap.
Change
the colour outline or background of the topic 1.Click in the topic that you would like to change its colour. 2.In the Properties panel (right hand side of the screen), click on the small square color icon.You can also change the background colour, font
size/colour or shape of the
topic. Create
Sub Topic 1.Select the topic you would like to
add a subtopic to then choose Insert on
the Menu and select: Subtopic
2.Continue
creating sub topics for each idea relating to the main topic.
Add
a Hyperlink Hyperlinks
can be used to connect maps to websites, folders, or files. To create
hyperlink: 1.Select a topic you would like to add a hyperlink to. 2.Click
hyperlink icon on the
toolbar and enter the URL 3.Click OK, and finish. The Hyperlink icon will now appear in the
topic.When
you click on the internet link a browser will open in the same window as your
mind map. Add an Image 1.The easiest way is to Drag and Drop the image you want to include. Alternatively, you can copy and paste the image.
Add
Notes to a topic It
is possible to add some notes to a topic in order to add more detailed
information about a subject. To add
notes to a topic: 1.Select
a topic. 2.Click notes icon on the toolbar. 3.Type the extra information in this pop out notes dialog box.
A small note icon will appear in the topic. If the topic is hovered over with
the mouse a popup box will appear with the note text. Share you mind map It is possible to share your mind maps with others 1. Goto file on the main menu and select the last option share on Xmind.net 2. You will be prompted to enter your Xmind user ID and password. You have to create one if you want to upload your project following the instructions.
6. What do you need to know before using this tool? (What skills do you need to have?) First you need to have administrator access to you PC to be able to download the software. Otherwise, the software will self install. No additional software, plug ins, or hardware is requiered.
7. How do you use this tool? (Write the basic steps using a numbered list)
1- Present my ideas to an audience
2- as a teaching tool. For example students can be divided into groups to discuss and brainstorm about a certain topic. This ideas can then be graphed using the mindmapping tool.
3- Brainstorming and outline research projects
4- this tool may be used to engage collaboration and exchange of information and ideas. People can work on the same mind map and correct mistakes or add new ideas. 8. Please describe a scenario of how you might use this tool in a teaching environment (150-250 words). The diagnosis of a disease can be sometimes a dauting task. Many variables, bits of data, and multiple sources are involved. Mind mapping seems a reasonable way to aggregate this all this data in a graphic form. The use of mind mapping tools could be used for teaching assignments where residents have to draw a mindmap for a given condition. As an example a group of residents could investigate diabetes. The mind map has to include the etiology, clinical presentation, laboratory findings, and pathology findings.
9. What are the advantages and disadvantages of using this tool in a formal or informal teaching environment? The advantage of the software is that is free (nothing beats free). It has many options to customize the looks and many templates to choose from. The major disadvantage is that the learning curve is steep and sometimes the some options are not easy to find. But sometimes complexity cames with a cost.
10. Would you recommend this Web 2.0 tool to others, or suggest that they explore a different tool? I guess I would recommend this tool. However, in my search I found that there are plenty of mindmapping tools and possibilities. Some do not requiere to download a program (web based) at all like Bubbl.US, MindMeister, and Map Myself (aka Mapul).
Screen cast is a digital video recording of your computer screen. These videos often contain voice-over narration and are useful for demonstrating how to use specific software applications and website features. Some of the most advanced programs have the ability to also show a webcam capture and do some video editing. Screencast are a very powerful pedagogy tool that can extend course content. Well-conceived planned videos can engage students in educational activities. For example: you can record yourself explaining a glass slide, explaining a powerpoint presentation, or teaching grossing skills.
Three ways of using screencast in your classroom 1. Train: Record procedures on particular topic showing a step-by-step process. Students can learn at their own pace or catch up missed lectures. Orientations can be also achieved by using this technology. 2. Teach: Record lessons and make them available 24/7 and give studnets sudiovisual feedback for a more personal approach 3. Communicate: Opinions, facts or ideas can be recorded and shared using social media.
In this blog I explain 2 of the most popular and useful screencast application. Both are completely online with no need of installing software in your computer. More applications are listed at the end of this document
1. Name of the Web 2.0 Tool: Screenr
2. URL of the Tool:http://www.screenr.com/ 3. Please select the one, primary category for this tool: Presentation Tool. 4. What is screenr? Screenr is a web-based java-powered screen recording tool.
It allows the user to record screencasts fast and share them immediately. A
screencast is a digital video recording of the computer screen often containing
audio; whereas a screenshot is a still image of the computer screen. The
program is very user friendly with a simple interface making the whole process very
straight forward. Just click on the home screen “Launch screen recorder now”,
select your area and start recording. The free option allows up to 5 minutes
recording. The recorded videos are uploaded and hosted on the same website in a
seamless manner. You can then share your screencast and play them via Flash or
HTML5. Screenr lacks the fancy video editing features but you can download any
of your own videos in mp4 format for more advanced video editing. Screenr is
free, easy to use, and accessible making it a powerful tool for many educational
applications. 5. How to create a screencast using Screenr? (see intructional video here)
1. go to Screenr.com
2. Click on Launch screen recorder now!. Note: if this is the first time you run Screenr the app will check for Java instalation. If Java is not detected the page will instruct you to install the free java
3. Size the recording frame
4. Click the red record button and start to record
5. Click Done to finish and preview your screencast
6. Type a description and click on Publishto share your recording
7. You can also share the screencast by copying the URL or embedding the code into your own website.... (or at least that is what the site says because I could not upload it getting the following error).
6. What do you need to know before using this tool?
It is important that you know if you have java installed and enabled into your system. In some computers Java may be disabled for security reasons and the app will not run. I would also suggest you have a good idea what to say in your recording before you start since this a realtime video you are creating. Having a good microphone may be a good idea too.
7. Advantages and disadvantages of using this Screenr in a formal or informal teaching environment
The major disadvantage is that is a java-based tool and some computers (like mine at work) have Java disabled due to security concerns. I was unsuccessful to upload a video after 2 days of trying using my mac (see reported errors). Also google chrome does not support Java and will not run. It is free, easy to use, and your content can be available immediately. Overall, screencast is an effective way to share ideas and deliver content. However, the constant errors and the fact that is a java based tool make this tool questionable and unreliable. Some may find Screenr useful but I would probably stay away from Java based tools.
1. Name of the Web 2.0 Tool: Screencast-o-matic 2. URL of the Tool:http://www.screencast-o-matic.com 3. Please select the one, primary category for this tool: Presentation Tool. 4. What is screencast-o-matic? Is a web based tool for recording and sharing screenshots. With just a few clicks, you can start recording your screen, and once you're satisfied with your video, you can upload it directly from there. 5. How to create a screencast using screencast-o-matic? 1. go to http://www.screencast-o-matic.com
2. Click on Start recording blue button. Note: if this is the first time you run the app will check for Java instalation. If Java is not detected the page will instruct you to install the free java 3. Click on Record Screencast. You will see the following screen
4. The recording frame and menu appears. The webcam option will appear if you have a one connected. You have the option of recording the screen only, the webcam only or both. Underneath you can select the max time, picture size, etc.
This is how it looks if you select to record both the screen and webcam
5. Click the red record button and start to recording
6. Click Done to finish and select if you want to save it to you hard drive, or share it on SOM or Youtube
How other Web 2.0 tools compare? Here is a little comparison table I made on browser based screencast tools
This is the first online course I take. Like all people my age I learned the regular face to face lecture way. Go to class, sharpen you pencil, and sit there for one or two hours. This course was an eye opening and mind blowing experience. From a student perspective the fact that you have the learning material and access to your teacher available 24/7 is fantastic. From an educator perspective I am amazed by the large variety of online tools available. I am so glad I can now go beyond powerpoint. More importantly I have some rationale and backup knowledge when and why use those tools.
