L2eL - Learning to e-Learn » online storage

Using Mediamaster to embed mp3s

Paul — Tue, 22 May 2007 05:33:54 +0000

Sometime last week I came across Mediamaster. I was looking for a way of embedding mp3s in my portal page and had a search through Google. I came across Imeem first – this allowed me to embed a widget that would play back an mp3. This would have been fine except the file I loaded wouldn’t play when embedded. With so many free tools out there, if it doesn’t work first time I frequently move on to the next thing.

Mediamaster worked first time – always a bonus. What I liked was the simple way I could upload mp3s and embed a widget. I was using Studywiz a lot last week and found this to be very simple in a multi-content resource. It also worked in RM’s Portal+ and PBWiki. In fact this page is the only place I’ve found it difficult to embed the widget – hence it’s not here.

Mediamaster saves the need for students to download mp3s and then play them – simply clicking on track in the widget will play it. This could be a useful tool for adding MFL content to learning platforms or portal pages. I could record myself or students talking in the target language. I could pose questions relating to the files. My iPod or memory stick with a mic could record students or myself. It becomes easy to share these files.

It would also be an effective way of sharing student performances in school.

Below is a quick tutorial on using Mediamaster with Studywiz.

Box.net test widget

Paul — Mon, 16 Apr 2007 15:40:30 +0000

I have added a Box.net widget to my blog. This was just an experiment to see how easy it is to add this widget to my blog.

No problems adding the widget – it was simply a copy and paste following the instructions provided.

Box.net provide 1Gb of free online traffic and 10Gb of traffic a month. It’s a neat way to add several document to a blog without using up space.

Currently in the widget is a document reviewing free online storage – something I did for work. I was suprised how much space I could get for free – about 35Gb for 30 minutes searching!

Pageflakes and students’ online spaces

Paul — Sat, 17 Mar 2007 09:12:52 +0000

An increasing number of schools are purchasing learning platforms for their students. One of the key features of these learning platforms is the provision of a student online learning space.

An online learning space for most of these products appears to comprise of some online storage, a facility to add bookmarks and notes and a calendar.

Pageflages appears to offer a lot of the same functionality.

Experimenting with Pageflakes, I was able to add ‘flakes’ that contained my emails, add a to-do list and add notes. Here’s a link to my example.

The all important online storage is available by adding a ‘flake’ that links to your Box.net free online storage account of 1Gb. Files are limited to 10Mb max and 10Gb of traffic is permitted a month. This compares favourably with many online storage spaces provided to students through learning platforms.

A calendar and a timetable can be added to the page, along with a message board. RSS feeds and images from a Flickr account can be added.

There are an increasing number of ‘flakes’ available that allow you to further personalise your Pageflake.

Pages can be ’shared’ allowing other to view these. Clearly emails and other ‘flakes’ would not want to be on shared pages, but calendar, notes and to-do lists might be helpful. You can select who has access to your page and even provide them with access to edit your page.

Overall, this free tool offers a lot of the functionality of an online learning space. The learner manages this space as opposed to a school on behalf of its students. This is a significantly different way of working to schools managing learning spaces.

The key feature missing is a link to a virtual learning environment and the ability this provide for teachers to support the students learning by providing resources, tasks, tests and feedback. A link to Wikipedia will have to do instead.

For the student who is looking for a more customizable space than the one provided through the school’s learning platform, Pageflakes make have an appeal. The student can add a link to their school’s online space to access their work assigned from a VLE.