AirSketch in Action

Last week I had a number of my students our, so I recorded my class while using AirSketch. I use CamtasiaMac to record the screen on my MacBook while displaying AirSketch in Safari. My voice was recorded using a Bluetooth headset like you'd use for a cell phone. You can see the results below.

Note, before you get too excited. The video was not played via AirSketch. It was just in QuickTime on my computer.

Episode 019 - iPad AirSketch

In this episode I show AirSketch a cool whiteboard program that allows you to project what you're doing on your iPad through your classroom projector wirelessly. Basically, what AirSketch does is create a web page that another computer can access. All you need to do is point a web browser at your iPad and then the magic happens. As you write or draw on your iPad the writing appears on the projector. You can be anywhere in your room as long as you have a Wifi connection.

In the free version all you get is a whiteboard with a black pen. In the paid version ($6.99) you can change your pen tool and import pictures or pdf files to write-on/mark up.

Episode 018 - Camtasia Mac: Shapes and Filters

Part three of our introduction to TechSmith's Camtasia Mac. Topics covered: Callouts and how to use them, we also look at filters and use them to change the collor of our callouts. In this episode we also get our first look at one of the limitations of Camtasia Mac related to color. Unfortunately any shape you make will have a gradient fill that you have very little control over.

Episode 017 - Camtasia Mac: Transitions and Actions

This video is part two in the series on Camtasia Mac that I'm making for the MI-Learning section of iTunesU. In this episode I explore the use of actions, particularly the "Custom Action". This is where some of the real power in Camtasia Mac lives. You can record your whole screen, but rarely do you need to show the whole screen at any given time. Hence TechSmith has given us the power to easily zoom in on what we need to show.

Episode 016 - Tracking Student Progress with Google Forms

This year I've started teaching differently. I've embraced a teaching methodology called Modeling Physics. The largest component of this style is Socratic Dialog. Basically, we end up having a lot of class discussion where I ask questions without directly giving answers.

I've started using Google Forms to not only track who I've been calling on, but also what they know. So far it's working well, but I'll know more once I get enough data.

Episode 015 - Twitter and FlipBoard

So, I got a new toy. It's an iPad. It really has helped me to rediscover Twitter. I've used Twitter on an off for a couple of years, but FlipBoard on my iPad has gotten me addicted to it.

For all the haters out there I need to say it's not about stalking or public exhibition. For me, it's about learning and collaboration. I don't follow people who obsessively tell me what they are doing. I follow people who tweet interesting, relevant stuff. And now I follow them in a really easy to read attractive format. FlipBoard formats my feed in a magazine like format. In short, It rocks! Check it out below.

Episode 014 - Camtasia Mac: Rolling Credits

Last year TechSmith finally released a Mac version of their Camtasia software. I'm here to say it rocks. I far prefer it to iMovie for making videos on my MacBook. Anyway, I'll be creating a series of videos to help new users figure out how to use it. It really is feature rich, but it does seem to be missing some of the bells and whistles you might have gotten used to in iMovie.

One of these "missing" features is rolling credits. In this video I show you how to create your own using the built in tools.