Notes on My Screencasts Project

This morning, I explored the screencast producer I have in mind (Camtasia). Although the latest version is 4.0, what we have in the College is just version 1.1. But I think it will do. Here are my exploration notes:

1. 5 Steps in Recording: (1) Open Camtasia Recorder > (2) Select input (Do you want the whole screen? Just a window? A region? A fixed region?) > (3) Record (Just press F9) > (4) End recording (Press F10) > (5) Save video.
2. 800x600 is a good size for a screencast. Set the screen resolution system-wide to this value before you start recording.
3. If you have a not-so-powerful machine, turn off hardware acceleration to get better videos.
4. Configure Camtasia Recorder's Annotation, Audio and Cursor settings to get something other than what the default values give.
5. Generating a Flash file from the original video is a good idea. Flash files can be viewed on many platforms. And my 1,111 kb .avi test file was converted to just a 202 kb .swf file.
6. It is advised to make multiple short recordings instead of one large recording. These short recordings can be stitched together later if you need to have it that way.
7. It is good practice to prepare a script and documentation for each project.

From Kuhala Bay Resort

I just came back from a two-day planning activity held in Kuhala Bay Resort, Cardona, Rizal. It is a nice place, with a nice view of Laguna Lake. Here is nice picture of the lake and a portion of the venue from the many pictures I took:



I was with my colleagues from the Math and Science Area. I also brought along my wife and our five kids since she will be leaving for Japan tomorrow (April 11). She will be there until July 9. We did not see another opportunity to be together with the children anymore before she leaves other than them joining me in this two-day activity. So, the whole gang went. As usual, Mareng Annie made sure we had a good time.

We essentially had four groupings -- NATSCI (Area?), ALGEBRA, BMAT2 and ELEMSTA. On the first day, the groups reported on their accomplishments in relation to last year's operational plan, citing strengths and weaknesses of the plan, and giving recommendations to address the weaknesses or enhance the strengths. This morning, plans for the coming school year were also presented.

I gave inputs to two groups -- ELEMSTA and BMAT2. I also volunteered to share teaching techniques (how am I able to attain 100% coverage of the syllabi?) and materials (in particular, the ones which enable me to cover what are in the syllabi). I am sure that the others have some techniques and resources to share as well. We will no doubt benefit from such sharing activities, something like an area kapihan. For example, I proposed that we create screencasts on the use of Microsoft Excel's Analysis ToolPak. This add-in is usually the one used in introducing students to the concept of technology-based tools which they can use when working on Statistics problems. I hope to present one prototype later for my colleagues' comments and suggestions. Their inputs will give me ideas on how to produce the remainder of the set. Once finished, the screencasts can be used by anyone teaching ELEMSTA as additional resources.

I also suggested the production of video clips of problem solving for distribution to students and using, for example, Moodle in their expressed desire to create test item banks. (More on these in future posts.)

To be useful, these and other ideas must be translated to something concrete and working. It will be busy days ahead.

Installing Moodle In A PC

Moodle usually runs on servers. Why would anyone want to install Moodle in a desktop or laptop PC? Well, it is great for testing features! Trying to figure out how various configurations affect quizzes or how the Lesson module works? Having his own Moodle installation allows anyone to test these and other features to his heart's delight.

I will outline here the steps one needs to take to install Moodle in his Windows PC:

Step 1: Download and install WAMP5

• Get the executable file from http://www.wampserver.com/en/download.php (As of this writing, the latest is 1.7.0)
• Run the executable file (wamp5_1.7.0.exe) and follow the instructions
  
• Once running, WAMP5's icon can be seen in the Window's notification area; clicking on it will give you access to various settings
  

Step 2: Install the GD library

• Click on WAMP5's icon in the notification area
• Go to PHP settings > PHP extensions and choose php_gd2
  

Step 3: Create a database for Moodle

• Open a web browser and go to http://localhost/phpmyadmin/
• Type moodle in the Create new database field
• Click on the Create button
• Close the browser
  

Step 4: Download and install Moodle

• Get the zip file from http://download.moodle.org (As of this writing, the latest is 1.8)
• Extract the file (moodle-1.8.zip) inside c:\wamp\www
• Open a web browser and go to: http://localhost/moodle
• Follow the instructions
• Note: When in the Configuring the database part, type root in the User field

If installation is successful, you will see this screen:



You can now do personal and frequent testing on Moodle! Just point your browser to http://localhost/moodle whenever you like.

From Matabungkay

I just arrived from a more than a day gathering of full-time SMS faculty members at Matabungkay, Lian, Batangas. I enjoyed the bus trip, the food, and, of course, my colleagues' company. This is the first time in around four years that I am participating in such an activity. I really had a good time. Add to the excitement the entry of an unknown thief to our room while four of us were asleep. The screams of George B. woke us up and made the thief scamper away. Unfortunately, the same thief (or his companions) successfully took Beni's cellphone as he lay sleeping in a tent outside. What a night!

In the morning, I had a good swim with some of my colleagues. It was good to feel the sun's radiant heat touching my body. We also used my goggles to view fishes as they swim underwater.

Here is a shot of the bay, with the sun about to set.

Setting Up Quizzes In Moodle

Aside from minimizing the time I spend on checking my students' test papers, being able to set up and administer online quizzes brings other benefits. For one, it will quickly provide me and my students summary data of their overall performance, as well as performance in specific items. Taking online quizzes also exposes them to other modes of teaching/learning.

As a teacher setting up the online quizzes, I am introduced to new technologies and it allows me to encounter and solve real-world problems related to the use of technology in teaching.

Here are some things I already know and things I have just recently found out regarding quizzes in Moodle:

• I know that there are several types I can choose from when creating questions. I have used Multiple Choice, Short Answer, Matching, True/False, and Numerical before and am quite familiar with how each works. Questions can be grouped by categories for better organization.
  
• I also know that the questions are assembled to form quizzes. There are settings for each question as well as for the quiz. I can, for example shuffle answers within each question or shuffle questions within the quiz. The intention in both is to make it a little harder for students to copy from each other.
• I also know how to include graphics as well as Math elements in my questions. The latter needs knowledge of some basic TeX commands. The quadratic formula, for example, is rendered by typing $$x=\frac{-b\pm\sqrt{b^2-4ac}}{2a}$$.
  
• You can import questions from files and export questions to files. Being able to import is useful if you want to create your questions outside Moodle or if you have old questions created with other learning management systems. Supported formats include GIFT, WebCT, and to a limited extent, Blackboard. I use the export feature to preserve copies of my (precious) questions, in case something happens to the College's Moodle installation.
  
• I have recently confirmed that I have to turn off questions shuffling if I have information to be shared by several questions (for example, "For Items 13-18, please refer to the following table."). By the way, this is implemented through the use of a Description "question". This type is not a real question type but can be used to provide some information to be used by a following group of questions. However, when you activate questions shuffling, the Description item gets shuffled as well, discarding the desired grouping. Hence, if you want something like this, turn questions shuffling off, turn answers shuffling on and, as added precaution, walk around the room as your students take the test.

Adopting Ubuntu

Here is a good, simple, short article on adopting Ubuntu for the unfamiliar.

The Quintessential Lasallian

While going over my things, I came across a publication containing "a collection of eulogies delivered and shared by friends and colleagues" for a man considered as "a quintessential Lasallian." Well, I agree that eulogies usually contain praises but allow me, for this moment, to treat the ones I encountered as heartfelt and true, as I wonder what qualities are possessed by "someone whose life continues to inspire" even after his death.

Here is the list:

• "He had incredibly high standards and was a demanding taskmaster. He scoffed at mediocrity and sloppy output and was quick to tell the owner so, in no uncertain terms."
• "He was very human and never apologized for it."
• "Sometimes he was too critical, at other times, critical of the critical ones but always the mover and the shaker with an open mind, a big heart, refreshing, liberal, and liberating."
• "Some said he tended to be arrogant; yet when he made mistakes, he was not defensive; instead he openly admitted them and apologized."
• "He never flaunted his friendship with (important people) nor with those to whom he felt closest. He was too decent and with much delicadeza to do otherwise."
• "His greatest contribution to the world was the gift of his person."
• "He shocked many with his pronouncements and statements that were sometimes reckless but often turned out to be true."
• "He was an iconoclast who questioned structures that were not life-giving and empowering."
• "He was a visionary who forged ahead, not believing in tradition for its own sake."
• "He was not afraid to break new ground, be a trailblazer, carve out new paths."
• "He was not afraid to speak his mind, make radical choices, make unpopular decisions, or champion causes that few people understood."
• "And while he was a maverick, he was also a very good religious."
• "His real greatness was in his selfless service."
• "The values he held dear as administrator and scholar: erudition, hard work, service to the country, love of one's discipline, assiduous scholarship."

This man really taught minds, touched hearts, and transformed lives. His was life well spent.