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Creating e-learning for SEND Students

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Edited by Jonathan Vernon, Wednesday, 30 Oct 2019, 10:11

Now that the development phase is passing into review, first with an SEND tutor and then with SEND studens themselves I am learning:

    • Value of Video Demo: signing in to a the resource centre, logging in to a computer.

    • Importance of talking them through things we may take for granted.  

    • Pick out key things, in this case opening and closing times.
    • Add a quiz to this to give it emphasis and to engage them.
    • Tell them often. They love repetition and will return regularly to something for a reminder
  • As Immersive Reader provides, best to have text on blue, yellow or green background and use Comic Sans as their favoured font as it is less 'harsh' than others.

  • Not all have Smartphones, say 5 out of 14 have no phone. 

  • 360 headsets would be fun to use if we had them, but proper ones!

  • 85% are auditory, or visual/auditory learners

    • Though my learning from the OU is that these learning preference categories are a nonsence unfounded in any science. Rather in this instance it is a medical aid surely? Someone who cannot see, or cannot hear will have a preference away from seeing or hearing - naturally, with it having nothing to do with learning.

I am delighted to share this with the OU community and my followers. Thoughts and comments please!

I was delighted with the course tutor's response, though I'm mostly awaiting for a response from a number of the SEND students themselves. It has to work for them, and be adjusted, even reinvented so as to appeal to and to work for them!

https://www.thinglink.com/mediacard/1244284378704510977  

“Slick, professional … and a lot of clicking which they will love!”

 

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ThingLink tour of Learning Resource Centre for SEND Students using Immersive Reader

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The breakthrough over recent months is the ease to create one of these tours. Here the added benefit is text that can be read by Microsoft's Immersive Reader -  this makes accessibility possible with the user in charge over fonts, backgrounds and the way in which the text is read out.

Give it a go! Provide feedback. The tutor for our Special Educational Needs Students has given a resounding thumbgs up. It's the opportunity to click on lots of things, and to repeat peices they keep forgetting without having to forever ask for help (or not).

A few things yet to add and the approach will be developed once I am siting down with the students themselves to see how they respond.

https://www.thinglink.com/mediacard/1244284378704510977

 

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Kitting up to shoot video 12 Must haves

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Edited by Jonathan Vernon, Monday, 28 Oct 2019, 13:44

Video Production Kit

  1. PC with video card, RAM and screens

  2. Full HD camera with Manual 

  3. Memory - lots of cards

  4. Filters - for shallow depth of field

  5. Fluid head tripod e.g. Manfroto 501 

  6. Sound Recorder and Sound Recording Production  - Tascam or Zoom HR4N

  7. Headphones

  8. External microphone - e.g. shot mic AT83JB 

  9. Mic stand boom pole

  10. Lighting & Disk Reflector

  11. Editing Software like Hit Film Express or Adobe Pro 

  12. External hard drive

And some skill at framing, interviewing, planning, manual settings, light and sound, uploading, manipulating and editing ... 

https://youtu.be/E61zIyOM6ls

 

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Need an introduction to an easy to use interactivities tool ?

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This is ThingLink. Staring out as a tool for adding some interactivity to a 2d image now it embraces 360 images and 360 video and everything in between. You can add text and images, video clips and clinks. Text is now accessibility compliant was it works with Microsoft Immersive Reader.

I'm in a conference call with its creator and CEO Ulla Maaria Koivula and the head of development Ivan Kiprin on Friday to talk about their newly launched, or to be developed 'ThingLink Eductor' accreditation.

 

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New blog post

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Edited by Jonathan Vernon, Friday, 25 Oct 2019, 13:52

The idea is that musicians from around the globe perform one of three pieces, in advance, or on the day, the afternoon of Remembrance Sunday, before 3:00pm and put it online.

I've not sight read a pieces of music in over forty years, so I may struggle! And I don't have my flute anymore either. Once upon a time I played in a school orchestra and a school brass band. Those weren't the days.

You can get all  the details here: http://bit.ly/Play4Peace2019 

 

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The Digital Human

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I love this Digital Human. Great show. 

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Presenting on Planet eStream and ThingLink

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I am now in my element presenting these two multi-media platforms to PGCE Students.

It's nice to be able to do everything on the fly.

 

 

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Excited about ThingLink upgrades

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I have used ThingLink extensively over the last 18 months so am delighted with the upgrades even if several of them require me to learn some new techniques:

Not only is it becoming, far, far easier to use but upgrades include:

·         Content can be downloaded to use offline.

·         Audio can be added ‘in real time’ to the screen you are looking at.

·         All text added using the ThingLink editor automatically includes Immersive Audio greatly improving accessibility.

With education in mind and giving students access to the platform for project work:

·         Content can be shared, so a project can be developed collaboratively.

·         Content can be developed as an assignment with grades given for responses. So a Health & Safety tour now becomes an interactive quiz with grades given out at the end.

And much more besides! 

A choice of 65 instant language versions, tags in 360 video …

Tours themselves are already far easier to create as images are linked by selecting thumbnails of the image you want to ‘teleport’ to, rather than having to use a 27 digit URL.

 

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I'm not sure I'm up to this: learning yet another platform

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What do you think? When you've learnt one App you can readily pick up another? I'd prefer to assemble and run a team of experts at this, each bringing their own skill, otherwise it is like being in a choir of ONE, where I have to sing Soprano, Treble, Tenor and Bass all my self. 

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Another platform to learn :(

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HP5 will be the platform I have to master in order to create scenario-based learning. This and shoot video. illustrate and all the rest. 

Maybe I'll get an illustrator involved. Maybe I'll shoot video or create a photo story instead. Anything to keep it simple. 

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A fun way to introduce health eating to kids?

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http://bit.ly/2pkmYs8

One of seven examples provided by Anna Sabramowicz in her weekly webinar on Facebook. She runs a private group: Scenario Design Accelerator and an open group Engaging eLearning Group. 

Recommended! 

 

 

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Design Museum

Who are best eLearning Companies?

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Edited by Jonathan Vernon, Monday, 14 Oct 2019, 14:34

Several are in Brighton:

Brightwave Group

Kineo

LEO Learning

 

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Design Museum

The TES SEN Show

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I'm delighted to have stumbled upon this the day before the event opens as I will now be going along. I am busily completing a script for a scenario-based elearning course to support SEN students with Independent Travel.

Scripting the learning is one thing. Delivering it with these kinds of tools and this level of functionality is another. Bespoke paltforms let you do this - you build it this way. Off the shelf platform are far more limited.

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Interactive Scenarious with Anna Sabramowicz

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After a couple of weeks of distractions I am back to trying to master interactive elearning design with Anna Sabramowicz. He informal webinars on Facebook are a great place to get started, and for me to keep in touch and to regain my focus as I develop a project.

https://www.facebook.com/annasabramowiczfan/

 

 

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58 today

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I was 39 when I first signed up for an Open University MA in 2000. It was the MA in Open & Distance Learning. Having taken and not completed one module I picked this up again in 2010 and completed an MA in Open & Distance Education in 2013.

A further degree in British History of Britain and the First World War has followed. I am the Digital Editor for The Western Front Association. 

I am a Green Party Town Councillor and the Head Coach at a local swimming club. So a busy life that also includes involvement with the local sailing club and life drawing.

 

 

 

 

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Conference of the Parties 26 : A Roadmap for Success

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14 months away. Worth reading the background work and planning to be there. 

 

https://hoffmanncentre.chathamhouse.org/article/cop26-a-roadmap-for-success/

 

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Best Laid Plans

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A Fresher's Fair Run by staff doesn't work. Next to NIL interest. Not helped by someone kindly producing a poster for me saying 'Learning Resources' - the best way to put people off, rather than attract their attention.

Having created posters and flyers in various sizes with shortened URLs and QR Codes and then set up at the two community PCs in the common space I promptly had both computers taken over by a couple of guys wanting to play games. As I warned, with the main corridor used for multiple stalls, and the refrectary behind a partion wall - that is where all the students remain with all but the Dominoe's Pizza stall (giving away pizza and recruiting staff) and the Chelmydia desk wth any activity. I have seen my flyers screwed up and chucked on the floor.

I will check viewing figures. I am not hopeful. I overheard some students when asking each other what they were going to do during Freshers' Fair saying they would go home.

This is an FE college, more of a school than a campus based university.

 

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Swimming Coaching Planning

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Edited by Jonathan Vernon, Thursday, 19 Sep 2019, 10:01

There's a lot of this in my life these days. A case of a volunteer role 16 years ago gradually turning me into a qualified Swim England swimming teacher and coach with 1000s of hours of experience. Planning every session almost takes as long as running the session itself. These based on macrocycle planning for the months ahead.

Three weeks of 'streamlining' then three weeks of 'power/energy' work has been my intention. A good deal of technique improvement is required, and rather more discipline with attendance, arriving on time, and pre and post pool warm up and flexibility.  

I take 6 out of 8 sessions for a National Perforamce Squad. I also attend most of the Open Meets and Galas. At times paid hours are soon matched by additional hours yet again done as a volunteer - the nature of British swimming at a small club scale. 

Already 17 days behind, I want to add these to my Swimcoach Blog https://wordpress.com/view/swimcoach.blog 

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A lot more of this: ThingLink 360° Interactive Tours

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One of the Control Rooms in the impressive complex of live rooms, control rooms, post-production and other rooms (DJ room, sound booth) all at Northbrook MET, West Durrington where I am based at least once a week - often throughout the week supporting various creative departments inlcuding Performing Arts, Props & SFX, Textiles and Music & Music Technology.

Music : http://bit.ly/2kpQyue

Theatre : http://bit.ly/2m4IM9n 

Textiles : http://bit.ly/2lM2Gpp

Props & SFX : http://bit.ly/2lHeE3J 

 

 

 

 

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Planet eStream. Not such a hard sell to the right group of students

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We have a break through with specialist Props & Special Effects HE students to use the access to 2.3m TV programmes as a valuable research tool. 

 

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Something Went Wrong

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Edited by Jonathan Vernon, Monday, 16 Sep 2019, 15:18

Something going wrong frustrates many, is the digital way of life to others. I fall somewhere between the two depending on my mood. Why, oh why, having successfully done something last week will it not work this week?

I'm MAC not PC born. So I struggle with the constant trips and lack of intuativity that I feel comes with a PC.

These photographs would be on, are on my MAC at home. I take a pic on my iPhone, iPad or Sony DSL and that's where they end up. 

 

At college they have to be imported onto the network via the camera disc and a cable. Today PC Photos doesn't like what I have to offer. I am expecting to import RAW photos to colour correct on Adobe Lightroom. I can neither import them, nor open Adobe Lightroom.

A challenge for another day. 

For someone the fix will be obvious. Who to ask? Google doesn't want to help me. Google the problem and you just get flogged an App that will be a panacea for all your problems. 

Any suggestions out there? 

I can see I'll be taking this home with me - get them on my iMac at home that drop them into my college Google Photos album to make use of tomorrow. 

Solution!

I just opened Google Photos and uploaded there. I'll make do of the editing tool there for now. I don't need to do anything fancy via Adobe Lightroom with these.

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Simle done. A 360 Tour of the Learning Resource Centre aimed at Students with Special Educational Needs

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https://qrgo.page.link/ddGmb 

 

There are distinct limitations when using an 'off the shelf' platform. The design component is limited so you have to use your imagination to generate text that is large and accessible. For now this features my voice too. My prefered option will be to video a student doing this and either use them 'in vision' or as a voice over.

Watch this space. 

Now I suppose I need to add some voice over narration to several dozen other such 360 tours. 

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A College TV Station. But will students watch it?

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I'm not quite a BBC Controller, but being the lead on Planet eStream selecting the content that comes onto the college network it supports feels a little like that. I run through some 24 subject areas vacuuming up content that I believe will be of interest to teachers and their students. A few teachers are getting involved too. These programmes can be edited, put into playlists, have slides added and even be turned into interactive quizzes.

The skill lies in the ability of the teacher to integrate it into their learning schedule.

We need to find a way to let students see the Electronic Programme Guide: 70+ channels, all terrestrial, many European and radio too, and some public broadcasters from North America. 

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Design Museum

G Suite for Education & Google Classroom

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Forget the Masters in Open & Distance Education, from my point of view. Pte J F Vernon, in the frontline of teacher and student support, I need to be able to make Google Classroom sing, and Turnitin, and Google Drive and Docs. And Planet eStream. And Thinglink. And WordPress. And video production ... 

At times it leaves me feeling inadequate at everything. Like Roy Castle spinning China plates on the end of long bamboo poles in an 'Guiness World Record' attempt on Blue Peter in the 1960s.

From time to time the plate drops. From time to time the plate appears to be able to spin forever my further intervention unnecessary.

 

 

 

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How to cite a TV broadcast hosted on an educational TV Platform

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Edited by Jonathan Vernon, Wednesday, 11 Sep 2019, 12:45

BBC Coast. (2019) 6/24. ‘Rivers & Seas Collide’ [Online] Transmission. 12/05/2019 Available at: https://gbmc.planetestream.com/View.aspx?id=3799~4C~F8pJz8xy [Accessed 11 September 2019]

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