It may be old news to some, but mid September, Google announced yet another of its new pursuits. This new open source course building web application will serve the growing list of K-12 and big-name universities developing online classes. Supposedly, the website is a lightweight vehicle to bring course material online, track student engagement (using web traffic and surveys), and evaluate performance. According to a TechCrunch article, Google is hoping that big-name universities, such as Stanford and MIT, who have started to put their courses online for free, will adopt this new technology. TechCrunch, 9/11/12.
Category Archives: Special
E-Readers vs. Tablets: Who Will Win?
According to SmartBrief on EdTech, e-book fans increasingly are reading on a tablet instead of an e-reader, according to a recent survey by the Pew Research Center. In fact, the survey found that of those Americans over 30 who read e-books, less than half do so on an e-reader. For those under 30, the number falls to less than a quarter. The trend has electronic-paper companies, such as Taiwan’s E Ink Holdings, scrambling to find uses for their product as sales slow dramatically. What do you think, will e-readers collect dust as the tablet market takes over? Read the full article at Reuters (10/28)
Recommended App: iMotionHD
Recommended at the MEMO Conference, iMotionHD is a powerful, yet easy to use tool that allows users to create videos that incorporate time-lapse and stop-motion functions. Time-lapse is helpful because it accelerates movement – such as clouds or people passing through an area throughout the day. Others have also used time-lapse for accelerating plant growth or
the sky over a 24-hour period. Stop-motion on the other hand, is an animation technique which makes a physically manipulated object look like it’s moving on its own – making your prop come to life on video! Pretty flashy – huh?
iMotion HD supports all orientations and works with all camera-equipped iOS devices. The basic iMotionHD app is a free download; however, the full version of the app sells for $1.99 and allows you to export videos (to Photo Library, iTunes Sharing Folder and Email), to upload to YouTube, and to organize videos in a video library. To find out more about iMotionHD visit the app in iTunes, or visit the iMotionHD site.
Social Reading: The Next Big Thing?
So, I came back from the MLA and MEMO conferences charged up with new ideas, which is a good thing!
And, maybe because of some new awareness, three interesting things have converged in my world within the last two weeks….
- One task I assigned myself is to finally enter my book collections into Goodreads, and take the hundreds of scraps of paper containing books I want to read, and enter them in my “to read” Goodreads shelf too. Now that there is a mobile app, I can go to the library and easily pull up my wish list right on my phone. And yes, eventually I can even scan in the new bestsellers while out shopping, that I want to read, but am too frugal to buy! So, I am well on my way with Goodreads!
- Then, I heard about Subtext, an app that allows groups of people to read books together online, and comment in the margins, highlight text, do polls, and other things you might expect to do verbally in a face-to-face bookclub. Free books, by grade levels too, so this app has K-12 schools written all over it!
- Then, I discovered a literature blog called, The Hub: Your Connection to Teen Reads, from YALSA,the Young Adult Library Services Association of ALA. This site provides a one-stop-shop for finding information about teen reads, including recommendations for great teen reads, information about YALSA lists and awards, book trailers and other book-related videos, and best of the best lists. They also just did a series of posts about “The Next Big Thing”, and the one about social reading caught my eye. Amazingly, they mention Goodreads and Subtext as tools for new online bookclub possibilities. So now, my head is buzzing with other new possibilities. Read the full blog post at http://tinyurl.com/9mkpygg.
Please share your comments about whether you use Goodreads or Subtext, and whether you already host or participate in online book clubs in your personal or professional life. Maybe we can form a little bookclub community!
Introducing American Libraries Live – New Video Broadcast
From ALA….
Library 2017: Tech at Warp Speed
Featuring author and ALA TechSource columnist Jason Griffey
1:00 pm Central time on Friday, November 16
NEW! American Libraries Live, a free streaming video broadcast viewable from your home, library or favorite wi-fi spot. AL Live allows viewers to watch broadcasts about library issues and trends in real time and interact with hosts via a live chat, offering immediate answers to your pressing questions. With the help of real-time technology, it’s like having your own experts on hand. Professionals like ALA TechSource columnist Jason Griffey, author of Mobile Technology and Libraries (THE TECH SET® #2), and other respected figures from the industry will address important topics such as how to get an ideal library job, the latest innovations in mobile services, digging into databases and the inside scoop on libraries and e-books.
In the first program, “Library 2017: Tech at Warp Speed,” airing at 1:00 pm Central time on Friday, November 16, Griffey will speak about libraries in the near future.
The programs are easy to view—just go to American Libraries Live. Upcoming broadcasts include:
- Nov. 16: Library 2017: Tech at Warp Speed
- Jan. 10: Landing Your Ideal Library Job
- Feb. 14: Mobile Services: The Library in Your Pocket
- March 14: Library Safety and Security
- April 11: The Present and Future of Ebooks
- May 9: Library Learning Goes Online
- June 6: New Technologies in Library Equipment
- July 30: Discovery Services: The Future of Library Systems
- Sept. 10: Digging into New Databases
American Libraries Live – a free service offering new and exciting ways to get to the heart of the real issues in our industry. Learn more at American Libraries Live!