200 Follower Giveaway!

Wasnt it just the other week that I was having my 100 follower giveaway?  I am so excited to have reached 200 exactly three week after I reached 100!  Thank you everyone for following me!  Now, without further ado... here is the contest! (PS: I googled "without further adieu" on google to check my spelling and Grammar Girl told me it should be ado... I never knew!)

The winner will win all of the items listed in the picture above!  To check out each of the items, click the links below!

$5 Teachers Pay Teachers Gift Card

Enough said!  Given to both winners!

Complete Library Organization Pack

132 Labels to Organize Your Books!

Cat in the Hat Classroom Theme Pack

The picture will bring you to TPT, but check out my blog post to see the set in action, and grab a freebie!

Job Chart With Pictures

The font will make it work perfect in your room since it coordinates with the set above!

Now... are you ready to enter?  You have FIVE SIX chances to win!  Here they are!

1. Follow my blog and TPT store - leave one comment
2. Leave a comment on one of my free items on TPT - leave one comment telling me which item you commented on.
3. Check out my other blog posts and comment on one of them - leave one comment telling me which post you commented on.
4. Blog about this giveaway - leave TWO comments giving me the link to the blog post.

Updated 5/13/12 @ 11:35pm EST...
I just pinned this on Kindergarten Klub!  Repin this post for a 6th chance to enter!  Leave one comment with a link to your re-pin!

Good luck!  This contest will end on Sunday, May 20, 2012 at 12:00 noon EST!

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MOOC Development Platforms

Are you looking for an online platform to host and develop your MOOC or Massive Open Online Course(s)?

MOOC DEVELOPMENT PLATFORMS

Below is a growing list of all online platforms that can be used to develop and host MOOCs. They have been divided into various categories to make your MOOCified choice easier:

• (E) = Elitist
  
  Only courses from World Class Universities/Organizations. For these MOOC platforms, you need to be World Class or associated with a top (top) University around the world that has signed an agreement to be partner with the non or for-profit organization running the MOOC platform (e.g. Coursera).
• (D) = Do-It-Yourself
  
  These MOOC platforms empowers anyone to develop MOOCs. But you are still required usually to fulfill their learning design requirements before your MOOC course can be published (to the public and be searchable in their course database).
• (U) = University/Organization Centric
  
  These MOOC platforms are designed to host MOOCs offered by particular Universities/Organizations. Unless you are working for that University/organization or group of Universities/Organizations, you will not be able to use their platform. 

THE LIST

MOOC Development Platforms

View more lists from Zaid Ali Alsagoff

Please vote up your favorites MOOC platforms. Also, please indicate whether you use them and whether you are an expert in using them (for MOOC or online course development).

Looking for a comprehensive list of MOOC specific courses (to learn and explore)? 

CLICK HERE to access the MOOC list! 

Stay tuned for the ultimate (10 - 20 page) guidelines and tips to create sizzling MOOCs with flavor...Coming soon :)  

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ug Word Family Computer Smartboard Lesson

Its that time again... time for another Prezi!  This is our second to last word family this year, so there will only be one more after this one (the -ay word family).  Click the picture to take you there!

If you havent seen my other Prezis yet, click the picture below to check them out!

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Got A New e Learning Job! Got Any Tips to Share

NEW LEARNING ADVENTURE
On June 15th (2009), I will embark on another e-learning adventure, and become the new e-Learning Manager at the International Medical University (IMU). I am looking forward to working with educators in the fields of Medicine, Dentistry, Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Nursing, Medical Biotechnology, Nutrition & Dietetics, Biomedical Science and Psychology (my undergraduate roots! Cool!).

I am dreaming of conceptualizing and nurturing with IMU educators electrifying and sizzling e-learning environments (I suppose this only makes sense to The Rock!). In other words, conceptualizing and nurturing e-learning environments that are:

• Relevant
• Engaging
• Fun
• Interactive
• Collaborative
  

That would be awesome! However, having experienced both sides of the learning continuum (Disaster to Success) during my career as an e-learning professional, I know for sure it wont be easy. But you know what, I am looking forward to the challenge, and hopefully it works out!

Interestingly, they are currently using Moodle as their main online teaching and learning platform, so that is great news. In the past, I have experienced a customized in-house developed e-learning platform (no so bad!), a customized commercial one (a total disaster!), and Moodle, which I promoted as an alternative learning space at UNITAR.

Whatever, e-learning platform or LMS (Learning Management System) one is using today, lets face it; learning will increasingly take place outside the LMS, in the forms of wikis, blogs, micro-blogs, virtual worlds, video channels (e.g. YouTube), social bookmarking, social networking, etc. Although, e-learning platforms (e.g. Moodle and Blackboard) often have such features and tools, they are usually not up to par with the specialized free learning tools available. But thanks to RSS and integration modules the information flow can still easily be captured and shared in the big old LMS. If it cant, then it better soon, or adios amigo! I suppose LMS will still be around for a few more years for student/course management, tracking, assessment, and some discussions, but I suppose most of the real learning will increasingly take place beyond it.

What about SCORM? That alien should be transferred back to the US military. Unless you are buying off-the-shelf courseware that has assessment you want to track, or you want to sell your self-developed courseware, it is seriously a disaster. I suppose in the corporate sector (where it is often needed for tracking purposes) one still mumbles about it, but in the University space not many learning professionals really talk about it anymore (it is there, but nobody cares! Relevant today?). Well, we have SCORM 2004, which really indicates the year that it stopped evolving. Reusable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Durable! What a joke, if you know what I mean :)


ANY TIPS?
I know that there are many exceptional learning professionals and educators that are reading (scanning or browsing) this blog, and it would be wonderful if some of you came (out of the passive learning mode) and shared with us some tips on e-learning in the medical fields (or other fields for that sake!), especially in terms of:

• Online Facilitation
• Content Development
• Open Educational Resources
  
• e-Learning Platform (features and tools to use?)
• e-Learning 2.0 (any stories to share?)
  
• Etc.
  

If you feel uncomfortable sharing in the comments section, I would truly appreciate any suggestions, or tips through other means, such as Twitter and e-mail.

Besides working on a few prototype courseware for John Hopkins University (Pediatric Sedation and Pain Management) in 2001, I have to admit I have a lot to learn about the medical fields. However, I am seriously looking forward to this new e-learning adventure, and hopefully my passion, knowledge, skills, and experience will assist in energizing IMU forward with e-learning that sizzles and electrifies (translation above!). And with your advice and tips, I am sure the road to success will be much smoother. Even a Good Luck note, would be appreciated. Thanks :)

P.S. I suppose my blog posts will be shorter and fewer in the comings weeks. IMU here I come :)

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How to Embed Fonts in a Document on a PC!

Here we are again... its Technology Tuesday!  The winner of this weeks poll was How to Embed Fonts in Word and Powerpoint!

More than 2/3 of you voted for this option in the poll!

Unfortunately this is currently not possible to do on a Mac (unless you save as a PDF), but I included directions for how to do it on a PC and will keep my eye out for an update on the Macs that allow for it to happen!  Here are the directions:

You can download this tutorial as a PDF by clicking this picture!

Note: This tutorial is hosted on Google Docs.  To save it from there, just open the file and click File > Download to save onto your computer!

To grab a freebie I posted with an embedded font, click the picture below!

I have had so many requests come in on the "Technology Tuesday Request" above... thank you everyone!  Im going to try to knock out as many of these requests as I can!  For next weeks poll, Ill add one thats been requested by a few people... how to add a form to your website (just like the Technology Tuesday Request form!) I cant wait to see what you vote for!

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