Testing - posting audio links

Looks like we can embed links to audio!

Many audio files are available at archive.org for people to listen to and link to.

The clip below is Snooks Eaglin and Brother Percy Randolph, singing "John Henry."

Conducting free online surveys with SurveyMonkey

SurveyMonkey Rocks!

I've been using this online survey tool for a while -- at the end of each semester I use it to poll my students about what they thought of the class and learning activities. You can check out my end-of-semester evaluation here: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/CG5KZKQ

Today I was working with another faculty member and learned some new tricks!

surveymonkey is a web-based application that -- for free! -- allows you to create an online survey with up to 10 questions, and invite up to 100 people to take the survey. Afterwards, you can view the results online, or download them into Excel or SPSS for further analysis.

One cool thing is that I can upload email addresses to the online address book, and create mailing lists. For example, we created one mailing list of "Faculty" and a second for "AdjunctFaculty" then sent the survey to each group, with a customized email message.

Another cool thing is that I can schedule reminder emails to people who have received the survey invitation, but not completed the survey. That way, if I get swamped with phone calls and meetings next Monday, I don't have to stay late to manually send the reminder notice. :) As soon as I create the survey and send the invitations, I can immediately schedule surveymonkey to send a reminder message next Monday to anyone who did not complete the survey -- Set it and forget it! :)

If you need more features -- like the ability to collect survey responses from more than 100 people per survey, or more than 10 questions in the survey -- you can pay $20/month for additional capabilities. After you've completed your big survey, you can stop paying for "premium access" and go back to the regular free account.



What cool thing did YOU learn today?

:) Abby

Podcast resources for K-12 instructors and students

Students in Coppin's teacher education programs can find a huge assortment of resources online for engaging their students with technology. The trouble is, where to start?

Here are a few good places:

* Scholastic.com -- Top 10 podcasts for Teachers and Kids
http://content.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=11531


* Learning in Hand - Free podcasting booklet
http://learninginhand.com/podcasting/booklet.html

* NASA's do-it-yourself podcast - materials for teachers and students to create their own podcasts
- Example: Spacesuits

Mathematica... it's not just for math! :)

We have a site license for Mathematica here at Coppin... not only is it installed on the computers on campus, but faculty staff and students can get a copy to install on their home computer.

To learn more about Mathematica @ Coppin, check out our webpage: http://www.coppin.edu/mathematica/

If you have an on-campus computer and would like to get Mathematica installed, contact the HelpDesk at x 3888.

To request a copy for your computer at home that you own:

• faculty/staff: http://www.wolfram.com/siteinfo/homeuse/?parent_license=L3191-1844&request_type=NEW_HU_LICENSE
  
• students: talk to your professor

Mathematica offers free seminars weekly to show you how to use it: http://www.wolfram.com/services/education/seminars/

Just for fun: Mathematica can play music! http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=C+E+G+Bb+D+F%23+A

Learn PowerPoint online...

Microsoft has created many online tutorials and videos to help you get up to speed with the Office 2007 suite. If you are looking to get started with PowerPoint 2007 to create presentations, you can check out their recorded tutorials here:
- Roadmap to PowerPoint

They helpfully provide tutorials to help all of us... those of us new to PowerPoint, who are creating a first presentation... to those who are familiar with PowerPoint 2003 and are looking to learn what is new in 2007.

Check it out!

Blackboard 9... wow!

I attended a workshop today on Blackboard 9, the latest and greatest version of the course management system. At Coppin, we currently have Blackboard 7... our tentative plan is to move to Blackboard 9 in Fall of 2010.

That gives us a year to promote awareness of the new features, train faculty and students and IT staff, and transition over to the new software. Whew!

See attached video for a "sneak peek" of some features in version 9.

Easily add Google Images clipart to Microsoft Word documents

I was just creating a document in Microsoft Word, and needed a map of the United States to illustrate a point. I went to Insert, ClipArt... but I was underwhelmed by the choices from Microsoft.

My favorite place to find images is using Google's image search... and a friend just showed me a way that I can easily search those Google images right in Microsoft Word!

Check out: OffiSync. It is a free download!

http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/06/29/who-needs-clip-art-offisync-20-integrates-google-image-search-into-microsoft-office/