Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Video Annotation

Do you use videos for distance learning or self-study materials? If so, take a look at this tool from the University of MN called Video Ant.

Video Ant is a free flash-based tool for annotating videos with markers set on a timeline matched to text comments. The comments appear in a panel next to the video, and the viewer can jump to different portions of the video by clicking on the text comments.

Monday, January 11, 2010

Social Networking for ABE Volunteers

Re-posting from Technology Services E-newsletter:

Attendees of my Social Media presentation at the Volunteer Management Conference (VMC) last November had the pleasure of helping me build – live! – a social networking site for ABE volunteers. That exercise was not just a demonstration of how easy it is to use the tool (Ning.com) to create a free social networking site (think FaceBook for a specific community). It was also the first step towards launching a new resource for Minnesota’s incredible volunteer tutors and teachers. The site we built during my presentation has been polished and refined and is now ready to start doing its job: helping build community, connections, and skills among the thousands of people who volunteer every year in Minnesota’s ABE programs.

Check out the Literacy Volunteers Network at: literacyvolunteers.ning.com. Then refer your volunteers to the site – or join yourself. It’s free, it’s fun, and if it grows, it has the potential to be a fantastic resource. At the VMC we planted the seed. Now it’s up to the ABE volunteer community to help it grow and blossom.