Thursday, August 6, 2009

Streaming Video




And here is the streaming video version of the presentation. The video is longer than I hoped (just under an hour), but compresses much of what was shared in the three-hour workshop.

The service I have used to stream the video is Ooyala (mentioned in the workshop). Ooyala takes the source file and converts to Flash video. If you want a copy of the video that you can download and play on your computer, iPod or iPhone please use the M4V version.

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Wednesday, August 5, 2009

Blended Workshop Video


I have uploaded the video presentation to the site. You can download it here (or via the documentation links). The file is in M4V format and will play on/in iPods, iPhones, iTunes and QuickTime.

The file is about 130MB in size and lasts about 54 minutes. I will have a streaming video version up shortly.

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Pencasting



I bring a Livescribe Pulse smartpen (https://www.livescribe.com) to classes. The Livescribe Pulse allows me to record both what I say and what I draw/write on special paper. This recording can then be shared as an embedded Flash video, exported as a PDF, or exported as an audio file. The term that Livescribe has coined for this process is “pencasting.”

The Livescribe Pulse comes in two versions: 1GB or 2GB capacity. The 2GB version has the capacity to store up to 200 hours of audio. The pen requires special dot paper to record and digitize what is written. The dot paper can be purchased in a variety of formats (notebooks, journals, notepads), or printed via certain color laser printers. Livescribe provides free hosting services to share pencast recordings.

The advantage of using the Livescribe Pulse is that all I need to carry with me is the pen and paper. If a classroom has an overhead projector, I can provide an ad-hoc presentation or lesson and then share this as a video after the class.

The three-stage process is as follows:


  1. Recording
    As soon as I start speaking or writing, I start recording. The pen has a built-in microphone that picks up my voice. The Livescribe Pulse synchronizes the recording of my voice with whatever I draw or write. I can pause audio recording if required.

  2. Importing and Editing
    After class I dock the Livescribe Pulse with my computer. The recording is copied over to a desktop application, which enables me to make changes to the metadata and title the session.

  3. Distribution
    The desktop software allows me to export the session as an audio file with accompanying PDF. My preferred format is an Adobe Flash video, which can be embedded in any web page or shared via Facebook. The limitation to this approach is that Livescribe only provides 250MB of shared storage. My hope is to find an alternative way to export video files directly from the desktop


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Presentation Workbook


I have posted the presentation workbook. This document can be found in the documentation area (menu on the left-hand side of the screen). To view or print the workbook you will need the Adobe PDF Reader software installed on your computer.

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