Distance Learning 2.0 meets Web 2.0

Three great sites that will help you with your distance learning objectives.

Tokbox: Add up to 20 people to your conference. The best part is they dont have to have a tokbox account. Simply send them the url of your conference and they can join up. Tokbox also has a twitter button that will send the link twitter friends so they can join up too.

Boostcam: Instant / disposable video conferencing. No username and no password required. Very simple to use. Would be great for people who are a little scared to connect for the first time.

FileinaFlash: Send files over the internet by just sending out the url. No username or password required. Most email services will not let you send a file over 20 megabites so if your in a pinch use this to send large files.

Distance Learning 2.0: TxDla 2009

All the links are hot so click on them inside the slideshow...

Google Apps: Collaboration in the Cloud TxDLa 2009

All the links are hot so just just click...

Making Media Matter: ATPE Conference Austin, Texas 2009

PowerPoint to iPod Compatible mp4

PowerPoint is a simple program to produce your own flashcards or tutorials for your students to use on their iPods or classroom set.

Free Software that you will need:

Photostory3: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=92755126-A008-49B3-B3F4-6F33852AF9C1&displaylang=en

Jodix Free iPod Converter (wmv to mp4): http://www.ipod-video-converter.org/free-ipod-video-converter.exe

Puppy Linux: A handy tool to have around

A great tool to have around is Puppy Linux. Its a very small Linux distribution that can be loaded and booted from a USB thumbdrive. This week when a hard drive went bad and a teacher had some important files that had not been backed up. We booted it from the USB with Puppy Linux and navigated through the Windows XP file system and saved her files. This will not work on all occastions, but when it does. Its a great thing.

How to install Puppy Linux on a Thumbdrive

• Download Puppy .iso file http://www.puppylinux.org/downloads/official-releases/puppy-linux-412
• Download UNetbootin which will install the .iso file on the thumbdrive http://sourceforge.net/projects/unetbootin
• Run UNetbootin
• Point the install at the Puppy .iso file
• Select the USB drive where you want to install

Quick Media Converter

Quick Media Converter is often a life saver when working between multiple formats. I have yet to find a media file that it will not convert. It is simple to use and the interface is self explanatory so no manuals or reading required.

Like most freeware websites it is inundate with ads for products that do the same thing, but you have to to pay for them. Quick Media Converter is free.

Link to website: http://www.cocoonsoftware.com/

Link to the direct install: http://www.cocoonsoftware.com/download/INSTALL.zip

As a free bonus the Microsoft Reps informed us of this handy site that installs a Codec package on your machine. It even allows .mp4 to play in Windows Media Player and if you are running Vista it will allow you to edit .mp4 in Windows Movie Maker. I have found this to be extremely helpful.

http://www.cccp-project.net/