Best 360 Camera

In this article they explore 360 degree cameras to find the best camera for taking 360 degree shots.

They list each camera they found and also tell you why they picked that particular camera. It is very informative.

Article: http://thewirecutter.com/reviews/best-360-degree-camera/

Week5 Reflection

This week, I am finishing up the instructional material for my moodle. I completed and included 2 rubrics from rubistar as images to my moodle. I also included some more youtube videos and the assignment and forums since these are really the only things that make sense for the resources for the class moodle. I also made a video demonstrating the topic and outlines of my class which was a fun learning experience. The videos for my moodle can be found at: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJBwuoDU2JSLK5JXamR9ovAagcLvpWZIp and also at https://voicethread.com/share/9298095/.

Forum - Distance Teaching Training

Forum: Distance Teaching Training for week 3

Go to the link below and read the article on that site. In a post to this forum think about what you would need to learn to teach a distance learning course.

http://www.centerdigitaled.com/news/Distance-Education-Masters-Programs.html

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Upon reading this article, I feel that I would need to learn more about teaching and designing a course for online instruction, as well as learning concepts that would help me become an effective Distance Learning Instructor. I feel that I would also need to look at which conceptual frameworks are the most effective and to employ them for teaching an online course.  I feel understanding these frameworks should help me become an effective distance learning instructor. I would need to learn more about teaching and conveying information to students in an online course.  In most online classes that I have taken, I would not be able to see the student. The disadvantage of distance learning is the lack of face-to-face communication, in which you can see the expressions of the students to see if they understand your explanation. Communication is much more streamlined when in the physical presence of students in comparison to online learning. It would take a lot of practice to be able to know how to design and demonstrate the information clearly without having to be physically present to instruct the students. By creating a Moodle and having a sandbox administrator account on Blackboard Learn, I have gained more knowledge in the ability to create courses, as well as experimenting with and using Learning Management Systems.

Week4 Reflection

This week I had a lot of fun learning about the process of using Augmented Reality (AR) at CCSU with my friend ScozzDimension.  He was on the design team that made the mobile AR Sandbox at CCSU.  It is very interesting as it used ‘real’ sand and an overhead projector to simulate a live feed of a mini-landscape with topographical contour lines.  AR is a method of combining virtual elements into the real world and for VR you are in a virtual world and cannot see your location in the real world so hitting objects and people might be disorienting.

AR at CCSU

One of my friends, ScozzDimension told me about CCSU's augmented reality system. Using an Xbox360 kinect and a PC running Augmented Reality Sandbox software made by UCdavis and Oliver Kreylos and using a Linux distribution and a projector which was able to display digital data augmented in the form of a mini-landscape in real time with colors to mark elevation levels, topographic contour lines, and simulated water if a user digs a hole in the sand it should adjust to the topograhical areas.  This type of augmented reality  is pretty interesting.
Article: http://www.ccsu.edu/featured/AR.html

Week3 Reflection

I incorporated a few more links I found which were informational so that students can get a grasp on how to use some of the equipment and other HTC Vive software packages in the moodle. I also learned a bit more about some of the software applications we are going to be using with the VR equipment. The Distance Education Master’s Program article from centerdigitaled.com is rather informative and makes me think about what concepts are needed and how to design and teach online effectively.

DJI Spark Brings New Entry-level Drone to Their Lineup

https://www.videomaker.com/videonews/2017/05/dji-spark-brings-new-entry-level-drone-to-their-lineup

DJI Spark has a new drone measures in at about 5.6 by 5.6 by 2.1 inches and weighs just .66 pounds
It also has FaceAware technology to trigger lift-off through facial recognition — directly from the palm of your hand. Spark also recognizes a set of gestures, allowing users to frame shots, snap photos or recall the drone using only gestures.  This is fairly interesting technology.

Week 2 Reflection

This week I was primarily focusing on searching for videos that relate to VR and working on the moodle.  I found a few good youtube channels such as the Vive Tutorial Channel and a video on how to make VR Video.  I have also asked my supervisor when we would be getting the grant to buy the VR headset and the grant would not be coming in until early July. So I had to make do with what I had.

Forum - Instructional Strategies

Go to the sources below for instructional techniques for online learning. Then use at least five or more strategies for your Moodle for next week. You can use the strategies more than once. In a post to this Forum briefly describe which techniques you will use and why you will use it.

http://www.ion.uillinois.edu/resources/tutorials/pedagogy/instructionalstrategies.asp

http://corrosion-doctors.org/Online-Education/Instructional.htm

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I would be using the following instructional strategies for the moodle:

1. Lecture- I will use Lectures to introduce students in the class to virtual reality and our VR equipment
2. Forums- I will use forums so that students can ask questions, or answer questions relating to topics in VR.
3. Project- I will use this so that each student will have a chance to work with the equipment and will give students an opportunity to peruse their interests in using the Virtual Reality equipment. 
4. Self-directed learning- I will use this so that students can experience VR thru various projects that maybe required for their courses.
5. Collaborative learning-  The use of some projects will be used to foster collaborative learning. 

How to turn video to animated gif

http://www.techradar.com/how-to/how-to-turn-any-video-into-an-animated-gif

This article tells you how to grab and convert a video from YouTube, or make a recording from your desktop and change it to an animated gif.

Animated gifs are really great because you could use them for a loop or use them for quick animation.

Week 1 - Reflection

This week I filled out the ID Plan template.  It was a bit complicated but I can see how it can be useful for creating a class.  The ID plan has helped me to get started on making my course and brainstorming some ideas for Virtual Reality.  

Forum - Chapter 13 Learning together Virtually

Read Text Chapter 13 Learning together Virtually. The chapter covers good, basic information for distance and virtual learning environments. After reading the chapter go to Table 13.2 and for each online facility listed provide the following in a post to this Forum:

a. Your personal experience with each, if any. Describe it in a sentence or two. How useful did you find them? If no experience, then provide a question about how it works.

b. Which, if any of these facilities, might you use in your own Moodle? How?

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A.

Blogs and Mini Blogs - I use these almost every day they are a good source of news and good for learning.

Breakout rooms -I have not used a breakout room in a virtual setting.  I am curious as to what the breakout room would look like and how much would the software cost and how easy it is to set up and use.

Chats -I have used text based chats mainly for groups where we are planning events and writing a grant and when we needed to communicate to figure out our plan of action.  I tend to use facebook messenger, evernote chat, and google docs.

Email -I use this every day at work one of the main sources of communication in which my supervisor and the instructors and students at the college can contact me to request assistance.

Message boards-I tend to read and sometimes infrequently post on message boards I also take a look at message boards when I have some questions to see what others have done.  It helps with understanding the problems and gives users feedback and answers on how to get around or use certain equipment and or software.

Online conferencing -I have used online conferencing for meetings however recently we have been using WebEx for my online classes.

Social networks -I have used social networks for personal use as well as for professional I use it mainly to keep in touch with people and post things rather infrequently.

Wikis -I have used wikis for projects that require documentation I have also viewed other wikis. Wikis are helpful because it would allow us to collaborate on various topics.

B. I would be incorporating message boards and blogs or wikis into my moodle.  The message board will help students collaborate and give them a chance to ask questions.  Blogs and wikis are helpful to students because it encourages them to gather there work into a portfolio so that they can show what they have accomplished in their time in an educational institution.

3D Holograms

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/05/170518083031.htm

This article is about researchers from RMIT University paving the way for 3-D holography into electronics with the development of nano-hologram 1,000 times thinner than a human hair.

First Post

This is my first post hello world!


Hope everyone is having fun in the summer!

Here is a picture of a swimmer from Thinglink.
Thinglink allows you to create dynamic multimedia images, videos and 360° virtual lessons.