Professor Registration for Google Online Marketing Challenge
Professor Registration for the Google Online Marketing Challenge is open, and professors can register for the Challenge any time from October 8, 2014 to April 8, 2015.
Student registration will open on October 15th.
Changes for 2015 include:
- Academics will need to have a Google account to sign up and will still need to provide a university email for verification purposes
- Students will need two separate Google accounts, one to manage the Student Dashboard and one (a new account) to manage AdWords campaign
- Academics will also gain access to a new GOMC Professor Dashboard - which will provide them with an overview of the progress of their teams
The last update is one I am particularly interested in.
Technology Tuesdays: Google Glass
Next week, I will be providing a Technology Tuesdays session on Google Glass:
Google Glass is a combination of wearable computing and Augmented Reality. It is a computing device worn like a pair of reading glasses, which provides optical and audio information to the user. Rather than having to get out a cellphone, you could instantly see directions, photos, emails, alerts, etc. in your immediate field of view. Google Glasses allow the wearer to take pictures and to record video. You can even videoconference with them, or chat on the ‘phone. Some privacy proponents believe that this device crosses a line, allowing the wearer to record video and audio surreptitiously, or use face-recognition apps to identify strangers.
In this hands-on session, discover what exactly Google Glass is, and potential uses within the classroom for both educators and students.
Next year, your students may be wearing Google Glasses to class…
- Date: February 25, 2014
- Time: 10-11 a.m.
- Location: Dean’s Conference Room (5114 DPC)
For more information, and to RSVP, please visit the Technology Tuesday page.
Google Developers University Consortium
Google Developers University Consortium (GDevU) launched today, as a collaborative space for those in academia who use Google’s products in teaching and research. Faculty have the opportunity to share their course materials with a larger community.
You can find out more information here.
Video Posted for Essential Technology Tools for Teaching
On the 29th October, 2011, I gave a one-hour session on “Essential Technology Tools for Teaching” as part of the monthly Technology Tuesdays. Above is an abbreviated video (about 19 minutes in duration) that shares some of the essentials of what was covered. Move information (and a PDF handout) can be found on the Technology Tools page.
The upcoming Technology Tuesdays session will be on iClickers.
Clarification on OpenClass
OpenClass - Google/Pearson Free LMS
There is another shakeup in the LMS (Learning Management System) community taking place - Google and Pearson have joined forces to launch OpenClass, a free LMS. Whilst there is already a free (open source LMS) with Moodle, the collaboration between Google and Pearson is definitely going to be attractive to some. Google will be launching via Google Apps for Educators later, but in the meantime you can find out more here.
Chromebooks are here.
Chromebooks are now available to buy (from Amazon and Best Buy), and I anticipate that we will start to see students, faculty, and staff at DePaul using them on and off campus. The Chromebook is the natural evolution of the netbook – the laptop is a dumb device, and all the intelligent work takes place in the Cloud.
The Chromebook has some inherent advantages and disadvantages:
Advantages
- Cheap and lightweight (significant factor for students)
- Seamless backups (no need to worry about dropping or loosing your machine, all your data and preferences are in the Cloud)
- Fast – boots up in ten seconds or less
- Inherent virus protection
- Easy to use
Disadvantages
- Cloud only (useless without an Internet connection – WiFi or 3G/4G)
- Applications are Cloud only (you won’t be able to install common software unless it is available as an app)
It will be interesting to see how many of these devices start to sprout up at DePaul, and what support issues will emerge. My immediate area of concern is how well Desire2Learn will operate on Chromebooks.
The other immediate issue is how this will affect Internet throttling. Many of the broadband providers are initiating bandwidth caps - which may either slow down your home Internet connection, raise the cost, or end connection entirely.
Opportunites at Google for Students
The Google Online Challenge is running again this year, and Google has taken this opportunity to remind students of employment options within the company.
Undergraduate and graduate full-time job opportunities can be found here.
Internship information can be found here.
In addition, Google has a YouTube Students Channel, and a Students Blog.
Google Apps for Education & Federated Access Management
Google Apps for Education
Google Apps for Education is a hosted solution for university email, calendar, and chat. The suite includes:
- Gmail: Email storage and search tools that help your students find information fast and instant messaging from right inside their accounts.
- Google Calendar: Students can organize their schedules and share events and calendars with others.
- Google Talk: Students can call or send instant messages to their contacts for free anytime, anywhere in the world.
- Google Docs: Share documents, spreadsheets, and presentations. Collaborate in real-time with your team or with your whole school. You can publish final documents to the entire world, too.
- Google Sites: Work together to keep related documents, web content and other information in one place, on one site.
- Google Video for education: A video hosting and sharing solution that enables schools and other organizations to use video as an effective medium for internal communication and collaboration.
I must admit to still being a little wary of using Google for email, but I have less reservations about the other applications.
Federated Access Management
Federated Access Management is a way of providing single sign-on across multiple domains.
DePaul Mobile Apps for iOS and Android
iOS
Currently there are three apps for the iPhone and iPad in the Apple App Store:
DePaul Mobile App for the iPhone
DePaul Mobile is an application developed by DePaul University students for all iOS devices. It features:
- Events: Search or browse for things happening on campus, including DePaul sporting events. See the events on the campus map and add the events to your iPhone calendar.
- Directory: Search for faculty and staff. Tap to call, e-mail, add them to your address book, or located them on the campus map.
- Courses: Search for classes, find course descriptions, schedules, and tap to add to your favorite courses.
- Maps: Find buildings for all DePaul city and suburb campuses, tap to see address, and use GPS to find your current location.
- Favorites: Keep your favorite courses, events, and contacts all in one location for easy access from the app home screen.
Student Life Mobile
This application (developed by DePaul University) allows you to register for events at DePaul University sponsored by Student Life.
COL Player for iPad
This application (developed By DePaul University CDM) is specifically designed for the Apple iPad and iPad 2. The application allows CDM students to download and view their COL lectures on their iPad. It can display all the same screens as the desktop players, such as the video from the lecture, the whiteboards, and the lecturer’s computer screen.
Android
DePaul Mobile App
Android users can visit the Android Market and download the DePul Mobile App, which allows DePaul students to view Events, Course Information, Building Locations and directions as well as instructor contact information:
- Upcoming / Past Events
- Instructor Contact information and location
- Course Information / Offered Sections
- Personalized Schedule
- Building Address / Location and Directions
- Favorites stored for future references
Updated GOMC
http://www.google.com/onlinechallenge/
Google Online Marketing Challenge Results
- One semi-finalist: in the global top 100 (not including winners)
- Two strong campaigns: the top 10% of teams not making the semi-finalists list
- One good campaign: in the 70th to 89th percentile
- One fair campaign: in the 40th to 69th percentile
Well done everyone!
Full results can be seen here:
http://www.google.com/onlinechallenge/archive/2010/results.html