Snagit? Yes, you must have it!

Hello and Happy New Year!

I want to start my blogging in 2013 with an awesome application which is not free BUT if you're in education you can get a huge discount and believe me, it's worth buying it. I'm in TESOL  (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) and teacher training and as an educator I love integrating technology into my teaching to enhance motivation, engagement and add variety to the lessons. I also like to prepare my own materials and in doing so I've been using Jing (also by Techsmith) for years. It's an excellent free tool to manipulate images and short videos. I've also used EzVid which is totally free but it's a little limiting as you need to record your screen and then add the audio so you can't record a screencast in one go, at least I couldn't - and beileve me I tried and watched the tutorials on Youtube. There are other similar free image editors on the web and they're ok, but if you really need the extra features to add that extra professional touch to them, then you need to buy one.

Anyways, I've been creating more and more Podcasts, Vodcasts and Screencasts lately and so I decided to go ahead and try Snagit since I already know Jing which is produced by them too. I'm still in my trial period (30 days) but I'll buy it as soon as it expires as there are lots of things you can do with it to manipulate images, text and video. The new version Snagit 11 is also great and there are plenty of resources and tutorials available so they've made it easy for you.  I also like the fact that they suppport education and that their tools can really make a difference in today's classroom.  Anyways, here's the link to the site and enjoy! Snagit

 

Robert

PhD TESOL - to be or not to be?

Hello,

A lot has happened since my last post, so here's a brief summary: I finished my MA TESOL and got Merit! :-), I've been appointed Cambridge ESOL presenter, invited to collaborate as an Online Teacher Trainer with TheConsultants-e.com and decided to continue with my studies into a PhD TESOL! Yes, it's been a busy time and so this is why I haven't posted in the last 5 weeks!

Anyways, this post is on my PhD in TESOL studies because I will be investigating the effects of transmedia literacy on CELTA trainees. The term itself is not new, after all what's new under the sky? However, the idea for my PhD revolves around the how all the technology that I use prior and during course affects (positively or negatively) trainee teachers.  The feedback received has so far been very positive, but researching this topic in detail may help bring up new insights into this field, so I'm really excited about it. 

Bye for now,

Robert

Present me! :-)

I came across this very functional tool recently and I love it. It's easy to use and a wonderful way of talking to your clients, students, etc.whenever you cannot meet them face to face or online. It's like Camtasia, IMHO, with the added value that you can be recorded while you make your presentation thus adding a bit of a personal touch!? You can get a free account, but from what I understand you wound't be able to have many presentations up unless you get a plan :-(. They also use the same referral system Dropbox uses so there is a chance of getting more 'storage' e.g. presentation space.  All the same, I think the fact that you can add yourself to the presentation reduces the distance and detached feeling one may get if only listening to the presentation. If you want to try it out here's the link: http://present.me/

Robert :-)

Prezi.com - Wonderful tool for making presentations rock!

My CV in Prezi!

My Glogstered CV on Glogster EDU

Textivate reminds me of Triptico's Word Magnets

I came across Textivate just recently as my tutor on the Games in ELT course I'm doing mentioned it amongst other games with potential for the classroom. I like Textivate because it reminds me of Triptico's Word Magnets. Triptico has many more applications, but this one is also a valid one. Why not try it and see how you can use it with your ss? You can use it in and out of the classroom for HW if you create an activity and then share the link with your ss.

 

Here's the link: www.textivate.com

Gaming is the Way forward!

I just started a new course with The Consultants-E on Play to Learn: Digital Games in ELT and I came across this very interesting article on it. It can be found at http://frugaldad.com/gaming/ . Digital Games are indeed the way forward in learning because of the power they have on people. It is a fast growing industry and so if you can't against them (it is still very much debated whether they have positive effects on people or not) then join them (there is a growing body of research also showing the good sides of it). I have just started this course, but I'm already eager to see what I'll learn from this. The articls and reading materials available on the internet are great and provide a very good base for critical thinking - some are not that good anyways!

Ok, time to go now, but I'll be back with more on this I'm sure.

Cheers!

Source: Frugal Dad