May
31

Podcasting: English Faculty PD

depoffBlogging, Podcasting, eLearning, education, professional developmentNo Comments

Topics  and links

1. What is Podcasting?

2. Podcasting in the Classroom

3. How to use iTunes to find and subscribe to podcasts that you can use in the classroom

4. Welcome to Audacity

5. Creating a podcast using Audacity

May
27

Create and upload an audio file using Audacity

depoffBlogging, Podcasting, eLearning, education, professional developmentNo Comments

Create a new audio file: voice recording using Audacity

1. Open Audacity

2. Create a new Audacity file if a new file window doesnt open

Add voice (record with a microphone)

1. Attach a peripheral device if desired ( a microphone), or use the built-in microphone

2. Go to the control panels (Audio/Sound) to check that it is the active recording device. Or leave as is, to use the built-in microphone (it will not sound as good). Note: your school laptop may not have an inbuilt microphone. If you cannot get sound to record as per the directions below, helpdesk the IT Dept and ask for help.

3. Click the Red record button in the toolbar to commence recording

4. Click the Blue Pause button to pause

5. Click the Yellow square button to stop.

Saving files in Audacity

Use File > Save Project As if you wish to save the Audacity file to continue working on it. Other applications wont be able to read this format. It is a work-in-progress format

Use File > Export as Mp3 to save the final recording in an Mp3 format - for uploading to iTunes or your blog. Name the file appropriately and save it to your home folder - be sure to organise your audio files where you can retrieve them

Use File > Export as WAV for applications that require WAV file formatted audio files

Edit the audio file (if necessary)

1. Drag in from the far left margin of the track until you see a greyed-out area the cursor will convert to a pointer finger - slide to the exact edit point

2. Do the same with the right side of the track

3. Go to Edit > Cut

Add music/effects to your file

Go to my previous Audacity post to read up on how to add a music track to the background, add an effect or make more complex edits

Export the audio file as an MP3 file

1. Go to File menu > Export > select type eg MP3 and the destination folder

2. Be sure to give your file an appropriate title that can be identified in your post

3. You may need to install the Lame MP3 encoder to Audacity first - its an “optional extra”. Follow the instructions at Lame Installation to download and install Lame.

Upload the audio file to a blog post

1. In your Wordpress blog, go to the Write menu > Write post

2. Give your post a title and add any written information or media

3. Click on the ‘Add Media’ button above the format pane. The simple Browser Uploader link is the quickest way to add media

4. Browse to locate your audio file

5. Click upload

6. Add relevant information: description etc

7. The link appears in your post and will automatically play when you click on it

Here is an example of a simple audio file created using Audacity that I have uploaded to this post:

nancybursonhumanracemachine

Upload the audio file to a website

Go to my previous Audacity post and scroll down to

Uploading to a website (podcasting)

to read how to upload to a website

May
26

Broadcasting with LiveStream

depoffVideoconferencingNo Comments

Carol Daunt Skyring’s recent blog post on broadcasting high school ceremonies is interesting…. Sutherland Public School is following the lead of international schools by broadcasting their graduation ceremony live on the internet so that grandparents and significant others can watch the service from their home or workplace.

Carol’s blog is a great source about all things videoconferencing. Check it out here

May
25

ActivInspire Software: Basic skills

depoffActivInspire Tutorials, Interactive Whiteboards, eLearningNo Comments

Using the ActivPen

  • To select an object: Left-click - Tap the pen nib quickly on the Activboard
  • To show the ‘Object Edit Menu’: Right-click - Hover the pen over the Activboard, less than 5mm away from the board and press the button.
  • To move objects around the page: Click and drag - Click on the object you want to move, hold the pen nib down on the board and then move the pen.
  • Double clicking on the ‘Object Browser’ allows you to show/hide an object. Double-click - Two quick taps with the Activpen’s nib performs the same action as double-clicking with a mouse.

Calibrating the ActivBoard

On the computer:

  • Click on the ‘Activmanager’ icon in the menu bar.
  • Select ‘Calibrate’.
  • Follow the on-screen instructions.

On the Activboard:

  • Hover the pen over the lit flame in the top left hand corner of the board, don’t push the pen.
  • Follow the on-screen instructions

The ActivInspire Interface

You can choose to view ActivInspire with a primary or studio skin, this option can be changed in the ‘Dashboard‘ under ‘Configure’.
The toolbox: pinning, hiding, rolling up or rolling in
When it is opened the toolbox windows can be viewed in a number of ways- try these:
  • Click on ‘Pin Toolbox’ to unpin/pin
  • Click on the ‘Main Menu’
  • Select ‘View’.
  • Click here to hide the ‘Menu Bar’ that appears at the top of the screen.
  • Roll up the ‘Main Toolbox’.
  • Click on ‘Toolbox Options’.
  • Select ‘Dock top’.
  • Select ‘Roll In’ to hide the shortcut bar

The Pen Tool Workshop

  • Click on the ‘Main Menu’ button
  • Select ‘File’ > New Flipchart, or,
  • Select ‘Open’ and navigate to the flipchart you wish to open.
  • Make sure the ‘Pen’ tool is selected and choose a suitable line thickness. Write on the flipchart.
  • Right click on any colour in the colour pallet and choose the ‘Colour Picker’. Use the ‘Colour Picker’ to select the background colour. Now use the ‘Pen’ to write on the flipchart with the background colour.
  • Select ‘Fill’.
  • Choose an alternative colour in the colour palette.
  • Click on the flipchart to fill it with the new colour. The magic writing appears!

Manipulating Objects

Hover the pen over each icon to view the titles of each option in the manipulation toolbar

  • Type/click on an existing word in the flipchart
  • Make the writing smaller with the ‘Size Object (Maintain Aspect)’ handle
  • Make the text fainter with the ‘Translucency Slider’
  • Move the word with the ‘Freely Move Object’ marquee handle
  • Select another word.
  • Click on the ‘Rotate Object’ to realign the word
  • Move the object by click directly on the object or,
  • Move an object using ‘Freely Move Object’.

Grouping Objects

Hover the pen over each icon to view the titles of each option in the manipulation toolbar

  • Click and drag over two words to select them both. Choose the ‘Toggle Grouped’ marque handle to group them as one object.
  • Then click on either words to select them.
  • You can move them together as a group.
  • Click on ‘Toggle Grouped’ again to ungroup the words. Select one of the words.
  • Now use ‘Toggle Grouped’ again.
  • Each letter is now an individual object

Eraser, Undo, Redo & Delete

  • To undo an action, click ‘Undo’ button in the toolbox
  • To redo an action, click ‘Redo’ button in the toolbox
  • You can delete an object several ways:
  • With the object selected, click on the ‘Flipchart bin’/ click on the Delete button in the toolbox/click on the delete option in the object manipulation toolbar/use the eraser tool to erase
  • Objects created with the ‘Pen’ tool are called annotations. You can use the ‘Eraser’ to delete annotations. Select the ‘Eraser’, or you can click on the ‘Clear Annotations’ tool in the toolbox/menu

Saving a Flipchart

  • Click on the ‘Main Menu’.
  • Select ‘File’.
  • Select ‘Save As . . .’ and give the new flipchart a suitable name.
  • Click on ‘Save’
  • Be sure to save your flipcharts in some sort of ordered system
  • Save all powerpoint files, pic files etc. used in a flipchart in the same location