Embed Rich Media in Blackboard (or your website)

The web is full of interesting, useful, and engaging content, and often you'd like to point your students to it to provide learning opportunities and materials. You can create links that send students to other websites, but many sites now allow you to embed rich content in your own website, or in Blackboard.

“Embedding” in a web context means placing content from another web service or web site inside your own web page. You may have seen this in blog posts or news sites, when a video from YouTube is placed right in the page with the author’s comments. Not all content on the web can be embedded, but popular sites like YouTube, Google Docs, Vimeo, SlideShare and others provide you with embed codes that can be used in Blackboard.

While it is true that you can link to any web resource from Blackboard, embedding provides you with some definite benefits:

Linked content:

• Takes a student away from your Blackboard site. Source website may contain ads, links, or other potentially distracting material.
• Students must navigate multiple pages, sometimes leading to confusion.
• Each source must be linked separately.
• If there is a broken or outdated link, unrelated content or error messages may appear.

Embedded content:

• Keeps students in the Blackboard site with the full site navigation visible at all times.
• Multiple content items from different sources can be presented together.
• If links are broken, embedding will usually present a graceful error.

Embedding HTML content from another site does not download or save it in your Blackboard course— like a link, when you embed content in your course, it is always drawn from the web content source directly. This means that, in the case of changing information, students will always be presented with the most current content. HOWEVER, like a link, this also means that content may be removed or changed by the site owner!

Click here to download a handout on how to embed content in Blackboard

Here's an embedded video tutorial (from Otterbein College) about how to embed videos in Blackboard.  Notice here how the content from this external site shows up directly in this webpage-- the same technique used to embed this video can be used in Blackboard or any other website!

Below are some examples of sites that allow for the use and creation of embeddable content.  This is by no means an exhaustive list!

Presentations and Documents

Slideshare [http://www.slideshare.net/]           

Share slideshows in a web-native format.  Upload PowerPoints directly into the site.  Can also support adding narrations via an external MP3.

Sample: http://www.slideshare.net/guest3c5c731bc/doing-more-with-less-mash-your-way-to-productivity

Similar Items:

Google Docs- Presentations [http://docs.google.com]

XTimeline [http://xtimeline.com/]

Create interactive timelines, including images, video, and descriptive text for each event.

Sample: http://xtimeline.com/timeline/Frank-Sinatra

Photo Slideshows

Kizoa [http://www.kizoa.com/]

Create photo slideshows with musical backgrounds.

Sample: http://www.kizoa.fr/diaporama/d364054kP165118107o2/happy-mothers-day

Flickr [http://flickr.com]

Photography website.  Easily embed slideshows of uploaded photographs.

Sample: http://www.flickr.com/photos/sxucidat/show/

http://cele.sxu.edu/2010futureconference/photos.php

Picasa Web [http://picasaweb.google.com]

Video Sites

YouTube [http://www.youtube.com/]

Upload videos (up to 10 minutes).  Includes some advanced features such as in-video annotation and captioning.

Sample: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ILQrUrEWe8

Vimeo [http://vimeo.com/]

Video sharing site.

Viddler [http://www.viddler.com/]

Video sharing site.

Visual Organizers, Graphing, and Diagramming

Mindmeister: [http://www.mindmeister.com/]

Create interactive and collaborative concept-maps.

Sample: http://www.mindmeister.com/46368162/the-cat-in-the-hat

Gliffy [http://www.gliffy.com/]

Flowchart and diagramming tool.

Maps

Google Maps [http://maps.google.com]

Map locations—create personalized maps!

Sample: http://www.sxu.edu/Administrative/CELE/location.asp

Interactive Chat and Real-time Communication

Meebo [http://www.meebome.com/]

Interactive Chat – embedded in any website.

Sample: http://www.sxu.edu/Administrative/Library/

Skype [http://skype.com]

Video- and audio-conferencing software.   Embed a button on your website to allow users to call you using the Skype software.

Sample: https://myfiles.sxu.edu/users/cs6/www/

http://www.skype.com/intl/en-us/tell-a-friend/get-a-skype-button/

Social Networking

Twitter [http://twitter.com]

Display real-time updates from twitter.

Sample: http://tlt.sxu.edu/

http://twitter.com/goodies/widgets

Facebook [http://www.facebook.com]

Embed Facebook Page updates

Social Bookmarking

Delicious.com [http://delicious.com]

Save and share bookmarks.

http://delicious.com/help/tools

Diigo [http://diigo.com]

Bookmarks and website annotations.

http://www.diigo.com/tools

RSS Feeds

Feed2JS [http://feed2js.org/]

Use this site to generate code that will display the latest items from any RSS feed in your webpage!

Teaching with Technology Innovation: Embedding Audio Feedback in Microsoft Word

Submitted by Deborah Bruley, Ph.D., RN, Associate Professor of Nursing 

Want to try this innovation?  All you need in Microsoft Word and a Microphone plugged in to your computer.  To get started, please see the following resources:

• Add Voice-over Comments to Word [from ampercent.com]
• Inserting Voice Comments in Word Documents [from the University of Southampton]
• Download a Bookmark to share!

Or contact CIDAT Staff to schedule an individual consultation!

Professor Bruley writes:

I used the audio recording software that comes with Microsoft Word. I found that this 60 second recording of my voice, commenting on some aspect of the student’s paper, was particularly useful for online courses. I always have students submit their papers by email attachment, and then I use the ‘comment’ to write my thoughts about the students’ papers. I would record a few of the comments, using this audio recording capability. The students were able to hear my voice commenting on something they had done particularly well (usually towards the beginning of the paper) and sometimes critiqueing something they had NOT done very well,. . .  but, my voice could ‘soften the blow’ by my intonation being soft – and not harsh and cold as they might interpret the written comment to be. I usually finished with a summary of my evaluation of their paper, using this recording ability, too. I usually wrote my comments, as well as recording them with this capacity of Word. In this way, students could choose the way of learning that worked best for them (the spoken word or the written word).

Detailed Info: 

1. What are the instructor’s needs to use this innovation (technical skills/materials)?

• Microsoft Word software and computer speaker

2. What is the instructor learning curve?

• Very quick, this can be learned within less than 10 minutes

3. What are the students’ needs (technical skills/materials)? 

• Microsoft Word software and computer speaker

4. What is the student learning curve?

•  Probably quicker than the instructor’s

5. What do you think are the strengths of this innovation?

•   The quickness of learning this innovation
• The personalization of comments
• Making the faculty seem more ‘human’ for online courses
• The lack of special equipment needed
•  Helping the faculty adapt to the students’ learning styles and learning preferences
•   Allows criticisms of the students’ papers to seem ‘softer’
• Allows humor to be used (which is very difficult to use in written comments). 

6. What do you think are the limitations of this innovation?

•  Faculty may feel uncomfortable recording their voices
• Faculty may edit themselves repeatedly, which ends up taking more time
• Faculty must take class time to teach the students how to use this innovation (perhaps 5 minutes)

7. What, if anything, does this innovation replace?

• It could replace the written comments, but I use both…and the written comment serves as a ‘script’ for my recorded comment

8. Why do you think this innovation would interest others?

• We are teaching online more and more, and anything that ‘humanizes’ the faculty in this process and makes the students feel like they ‘know’ the faculty better, would be of interest to faculty.
• The spoken word imparts more of the intended meaning than just the written word, and therefore this innovation is useful for faculty of both online and face-to-face courses.

Want to try this innovation?  All you need in Microsoft Word and a Microphone plugged in to your computer.  To get started, please see the following resources:

• Add Voice-over Comments to Word [from ampercent.com]
• Inserting Voice Comments in Word Documents [from the University of Southampton]
• Download a Bookmark to share!

Or contact CIDAT Staff to schedule an individual consultation!

CIDAT Workshops at the Focus on the Future Conference

Maybe time has not been on your side in the past semester, and you were not able to attend the Teaching with Technology workshops that the Center for Instructional Design and Academic Technology to you to help make your course more engaging to your students. No worries! The Focus on the Future Conference from May 18 – May 20 offers you the opportunity to experiment in a relaxing atmosphere with a few instructional tools that you could find useful to incorporate in your classes.

Norma Grassini-Komara and Chris Stormer will be holding the following workshops during the conference:
(Click here for a full schedule of conference workshops and presentations, and to register: http://cele.sxu.edu/2010futureconference/registration.php )

Say It and Send It: Audio Recording and Editing for Faculty and Students (Tuesday, May 18th: 9am – 10:15am)
Recording and editing audio has never been so easy and accessible.  This session will introduce you to a free cross-platform tool for recording and editing audio, and will cover best practices for creating and delivering recorded audio online.  After participation in this session you will be able to:
•    Download and Install the free Audacity audio editor;
•    Record and edit audio using a built-in or USB microphone;
•    Import audio from portable recording devices, such as cell phones or digital voice recorders;
•    Export audio in MP3 format;
•    Use blackboard tools to share audio with students; and
•    Identify ways that students can share audio with each other and with you.

Increasing Student Engagement using Classroom Response Systems (“Clickers”) (Wednesday, May 19th: 1:15pm – 2:30pm)
Saint Xavier University currently has a number of faculty using Classroom Response Systems or “Clickers” in their classes.  A clicker is a small device that students can use to provide instant feedback to the instructor— recent research has shown that this technology can be used to engage students in class discussions, test comprehension, and encourage critical thinking skills.  After participation in this session you will be able to:
•    Use the Turning Point software to develop interactive presentations;
•    Request and check out clicker hardware;
•    Set up the clicker system for use in your classroom.

Blackboard Quickstart: Creating an Online Course Site (Tuesday, May 18th: 10:30am – 11:45am)
Saint Xavier University’s Blackboard system offers an easy way for instructors to create a course web presence.  This session will introduce you to the Blackboard system and some best practices for creating an easy-to-navigate and useful site for students.  After participation in this session you will be able to:
•    Log in and find your Blackboard course site;
•    Attach electronic documents, such as syllabi and PowerPoints;
•    Create assignments that students can turn in online;
•    Use blackboard tools to communicate with students electronically;
•    Identify students and others who have access to your course sites; and
•    Identify internal and external support resources for assistance with the system.

NOTE: This session is geared towards instructors who have not used the Blackboard system before.

Link, Embed, and Mash: Bringing Web-Based Video, Audio, and Data Resources into your Blackboard Course (Wednesday, May 19th: 9:00am – 10:15am)
Saint Xavier University’s Blackboard system offers an easy way for instructors to create a course web presence.  This session will explore ways to integrate web resources of all kinds directly into your Blackboard course site, offering students a more engaging and information-rich environment.  After participation in this session you will be able to:
•    Create internal links to specific course content;
•    Create external hyperlinks to internet content;
•    Identify and embed common web-based multimedia assets into your Blackboard course; and
•    Integrate Web 2.0 tools like Google Docs into your Blackboard course.

NOTE: This session is geared towards instructors who have already used and are comfortable with basic Blackboard features such as the posting of assignments and documents.

(Click here for a full schedule of conference workshops and presentations, and to register: http://cele.sxu.edu/2010futureconference/registration.php )

TurningPoint (Clickers) Helpguides and Tutorials

Classroom Response Systems (or "Clickers") are an interactive tool that allows students to provide instant feedback to instructors using a small, handheld device called a "clicker".  Responses can be anonymous, and data collected can be aggregated automatically to provide an instant poll which compares student responses.

Much current research has shown that clickers help engage students in both large and small classes by encouraging them to think about their responses as part of the learning process.  The act of choosing an answer to a question helps students reflect upon their own thinking processes more than taking notes, and by collecting that information an instructor can see where a class is having problems.

For more information about teaching and research about clicker use, see the excellent blog written by Dr. Derek Bruff at Vanderbilt University: http://derekbruff.com/teachingwithcrs/

At Saint Xavier University, we use the TurningPoint clicker system.  The system consists of a USB dongle to receive inputs, and a small, credit-card sized device that student use to respond.

Instructors can create questions for use with the TurningPoint system by downloading and installing a program that interfaces with PowerPoint.  Using your own computer, you create a series of questions in preparation for class.  When it's time to present, this program is already installed on all classroom computers at SXU.

Classroom sets of clickers can be checked out by contacting Chris Stormer at stormer@sxu.edu or 773-341-5166.


Please see the following handouts and tutorials to help you get started:

Windows - Office 2003:
Creating Your First Interactive Slide
Setting the Channel on the Clicker
TurningPoint Quickstart (Office 2003)

TurningPoint Full Manual (Office 2003)

Windows- Click here to download the TurningPoint Installer
Windows- Click here for instructions on installing TurningPoint

Windows - Office 2007:

Creating Your First Interactive Slide

Setting the Channel on the Clicker

TurningPoint Quickstart (Office 2007)

TurningPoint Full Manual (Office 2007)

Windows- Click here to download the TurningPoint Installer
Windows- Click here for instructions on installing TurningPoint

Mac - Office 2004:

TurningPoint Full Manual (Macintosh Office 2004)

Setting the Channel on the Clicker

Mac - Click here to download the Macintosh Installer

NOTE: The Macintosh version of TurningPoint does not work with Office 2008.  Please use TurningPoint Anywhere on the Mac if you have this version of Office.

TurningPoint Anywhere

While it is generally easiest to get started using TurningPoint by using the PowerPoint integration, if you do not currently use PowerPoint, or wish to have more flexibility about how you ask questions, try the TurningPoint Anywhere software.

TurningPoint Anywhere provides a floating toolbar in any application, allowing you to ask questions while viewing websites or using any computer program.  It works with the same clicker and USB dongle equipment.

Macintosh Versions:

Click here to download the Macintosh TurningPoint Anywhere Installer

TurningPoint AnyWhere-QuickStart (Mac)

TurningPoint AnyWhere-Full Manual (Mac)

Windows Versions:

Click here to download the Windows TurningPoint Anywhere Installer

TurningPoint AnyWhere-Quick-Start (PC)

TurningPoint Anywhere-Full Manual (PC)

TurningPoint also make several online tutorials and demonstrations available on there website:

http://www.turningtechnologies.com/responsesystemsupport/producttraining/onlinetutorials/

Smart Classroom Information

Media Services manages, supports, and maintains all the Smart Classrooms at Saint Xavier Unversity.  A "Smart" classroom contains built-in equipment, which generally includes:

• a video projector
• VHS and DVD player
• a computer (some rooms)
• document camera (some rooms)

Click here for a full list of Smart Classrooms with instructions.

In addition to supporting rooms with built-in equipment, Media Services can deliver equipment carts to any other classroom on campus.

To schedule a training session or to make equipment reservations, please dial Media Services (773) 298-3412 or extension 3412.

Podcasting Helpguides and Tutorials

Podcasting is, simply put, the delivery of audio (or video) files, along with accompanying supporting documents, such as PowerPoints, PDFs, or Word documents.    Saint Xavier’s Blackboard software provides an easy interface to upload and distribute podcasts to students, and with easy-to-use portable recording equipment, capturing and sharing content of all kinds is possible.

Take a look at the Helpguides below to help you get started:
Creating a Podcast of your Recordings in Blackboard (Windows)
Click here to download the Audacity for Windows Installer

Creating a Podcast of your Recordings in Blackboard (Mac)
Click here to download the Audacity for Mac Software

Accessing Course Podcasts in Blackboard (for Students)

Full Manuals and other Tutorials are available below:

• Full Audacity Manual (Printable)
• Video Tutorial (from NewMediaPro.com)

myFiles Helpguides and Tutorials

myFiles is a web-based file storage and sharing application, available to everyone in the SXU community.

Access myFiles by entering https://myfiles.sxu.edu into your browser’s address bar.

For more information, see the following handout:
Using myFiles