Posted by admin on July 29th, 2008
Mahoodle is what users are calling the configuration between Moodle and Mahara. I have mine working with single sign on with access to both systems. This is a really nice feature and add-on for moodle. Here is my “DashBoard” page where I can organize all my stuff in widget like fashion with drag and drop content adding.
The only issue I can’t seem to resolve is the “report to administrator” link where it is supposed to notify me if someone reports objectionable content. This will be a must fix before students arrive!!! Problem has now been solved and we can move forward with this program. I will be spending time developing content and instructions for both teachers and students to promote this new feature of our Online Learning Platform.
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Posted by admin on July 28th, 2008
We finally have the Mahara ePortfolio system working as an add-on for Moodle. In our system anyone who authenticates to moodle can roam over to the Mahara system and Mahara will create the user profile based on their moodle information. Read the rest of this entry »
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Posted by admin on July 23rd, 2008
Click to enlarge the DimDim Interface example.
I just finished a test of the version 3.5 version of DimDim and I was amazed with how far they have come! In their next release (v4), they have promised Mac Compatibility with screencasting as well as the ability to record meetings!!! Read the rest of this entry »
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Posted by admin on July 23rd, 2008
I do not know what the payoff will be for allowing teachers access to a web conferencing service, but I am determined to give it a try. The service will provide an opportunity to connect with live video and VOIP with desktop and file sharing capabilities. This can be used for a variety of things such as Interviews, work on class projects, last minute help before a final, etc. The list could go on and on of innovative uses for this communication tool, however, who is going to find it useful and actually use it? Read the rest of this entry »
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Posted by admin on July 10th, 2008
Looking to spruce up your website? This is a good tutorial on how to do it. It explains the concepts and design elements to create a good looking web 2.0 website. There are some rules to follow and some things you can do to simplify and enhance your website. Web2 websites are generally characterized by simplicity in design, bold icons, and fresh colors. Check out the information on how you can revamp your website here.
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Posted by admin on July 10th, 2008
With summer in full swing, I decided it was time to leave “smurfville”. Smurfville is what I affectionately called my previous color scheme because it was basically blue and grey. Not very exciting. The new look is orange, green/lime, cream, and silver/white look. It’s very summerish in nature. As an added bonus, the colors work well with the district logo which is white and green. A very citrus-like color scheme. Check it out at: http://dearbornschools.org or look at the screen capture below…
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Posted by admin on July 9th, 2008
We are currently using several open source web apps in our district website which might be of interest to you. Here is a look at what we have so far and what we plan to add. These programs provide many web 2.0 features and allow the district to maintain some level of instructional integrity and control. Here’s what we have:
- Joomla: This runs our district news portal as well as the PTSA website.
- PHPMotion: This is our D-Tube Video Sharing Website.
- Moodle: Online classrooms
- Wordpress MU: Blogs for every teacher and staff member
- Sphider: Custom Search Engine (Our own google for our site)
- Gallery: Photo Sharing for every teacher. This is what we call SchoolShots.
- Feed2JS: Allows us to embed RSS feeds into regular web pages.
- Crafty Syntax: “Live” website help feature that allows a visitor to instantly ask questions.
- Conduit: Custom Browser Toolbar similar to the ones yahoo and google offer. We add custom features and links to various parts of our website putting school closings, district news, and links to all school websites and departments right at the users fingertips every time they open their browser.
- MooTools: Ajax used for all the cool effects and stuff.
Another program we are pursuing for use this fall is called Mahara. Mahara is an ePortfolio/community building app. Students who use Moodle will be able to create their own personal learning space, connect with friends, form study groups, and blog!
The biggest benefit to all this is the ability for the teacher to easily use the products. For most products, a district ID is all they need to gain access and begin using the software. For instance, if a teacher wants to create a blog for their classroom, they simply login to the main site and a blog is instantly created for them. No waiting, no secret passwords, no registration… just their district ID. If they login to moodle, teachers have instant access to create thier course. No waiting for a tech person to approve the course. If a teacher wants to add an event to the district calendar or publish a news article, they login to Joomla and just do it.
By providing these tools for teachers and students, we eliminate the hassle and trouble that can occur when using sites such as YouTube, EduBlogs, etc. Many of the web 2.0 sites are blocked by web filters because of the content on the site anyways. One of the biggest road blocks for teachers using technology is having to spend a day registering students! With our system they can just login.
One of the resources we are lacking is a good enterprise level wiki. I would like a system similar to wikispaces, but have not really found one in my searches. If you know of any, please let me know.
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