Embedding+Engagement

=Hosting VoiceThread= What is [|VoiceThread] ? Probably the easiest, most engaging free audiovisual slide show available online. You can use your own images or search the internet and save images to later incorporate into a slideshow. This means that you can have students go out and take their own photos or they can search for appropriate images to tell a story about history or prepare a visual documentation about a scientific or technologic process. Below is Dea's example of a VoiceThread that records some of the events of spring break 2005. media type="custom" key="289815"

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=Embedding "TeacherTube" or "YouTube"=

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=Embedding a Podcast= What is a podcast? A podcast is an audio recording, which could be anything from a 10-sec sound to a 30-min radio show, stored as an MP3 file that anybody can download. The word podcast is also used to mean a podcast channel, i.e., a channel that listeners can "subscribe" to and receive future audio posts, or podcast entries, all for FREE. //(For technical readers, a podcast channel is an RSS feed, and each audio post is an enclosure embedded in the RSS feed.)// The result is a new way of sharing audio via the Internet. Imagine having a radio with millions of channels, and being able to have your favorite channels automatically saved for future listening on your PC or iPod. Each channel could range from professionally-produced radio programs to short voice messages recorded by phone.

Using [|G-cast], teachers and students can make podcasts for free by simply placing a free 800 number phone call and allowing the phone to record the talk. Yes, you can even use your cell phone, but be aware that 800- numbers add up minutes even if the call is toll free. The phone talk is digitized and saved online at the G-cast site and from there, can be uploaded to the wiki and to blogs. Take listen to this podcast made earlier this week.

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How to embed a G-cast

 * Once the G-cast is available on the internet site, follow the site directions to "Publish a New Podcast Entry."
 * Enter a podcast name and description in the dialogue boxes as indicated
 * Click on "Publish this Post"
 * In the Wiki, open into the "Edit" mode
 * You will again click on the embedding icon, the television
 * Inside of that dialogue box, click on audio
 * At the botom of the dialogue box, go to "Other"
 * A new dialogue box will open
 * Return to the G-cast page and beneath the podcast symbol will be an invitation to publish your podcast to a blog or MySpace
 * Click on that invitation and a new window will open--follow those instructions
 * Copy the HTML code provided into the wiki dialogue box...preview and save.

toc =Linking to Blogs= Perhaps you have some blogs you would like your students to read **or** you would like them to maintain their own blogs and make it easy for others to access **or** you would like them to find blogs to share and post. Below you will see Dr. T's blog link and Dea's blog link. Like most everything on this wiki page, these links were created by editing the page through the embed icon --the television. Once inside of that dialogue box, clicking on the RSS widget and copy and paste the blog address. There will be other decisions to make...whether to show the date of the blog and the author of the blog or the title of the blog. Remember, this can all be changed.

[|Cycling Through EdTech]
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[|Notions and Potions]
rss url="http://dconrad3.wordpress.com/" link="true" description="true" number="3" author="true" enclosure="true"

toc =Hosting SlideShare=

WebQuests take forms other than PowerPoint and Web pages. SlideShare has many WebQuests available and also offers a WebQuest template. Why not remake an important but currently outdated lesson and activity into a technocentered, engaging and educational WebQuest? Open this template for making a webquest. Like it? Embed into your new wikisite, take it with you and develop a customized, personalized WebQuest media type="custom" key="273079"

Familiar with WebQuests **or** want to be familiarized with WebQuests? Looking for WebQuests ready for the taking? Check out this sampling of WebQuests available free on [|SlideShare] --webquests ready to go. media type="custom" key="273075"

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Embedding Webquests
Embedding a SlideShare WebQuest on your wikisite is easier than it looks! If you are posting a Webquest you have found on the internet, simply go to the wiki page where you want to embed the WebQuest and click on "Edit this Page." = = toc =Adding Pages for Student Posting= Another advantage of placing the WebQuest on your wiki is to centralize the placement of the students' work. Create a page that links to the WebQuest assignment page for students to upload their projects: PowerPoints, Brochures, Pamphlets, Word Documents, Podcasts, etc.
 * Click on "Text Editor"--you will need to be in the "Visual Editor" mode
 * Click on the floating toolbar
 * Move the cursor to the place where you want the final Slide Show to post
 * On the toolbar, click on the television screen, the embed media icon
 * A dialogue box will open with a line of icons on the left side
 * Click on Slideshow; types of slideshows will be listed
 * If you are embedding a slideshow other than those listed, click on "Other"
 * A new dialogue box will open with instructions which are also listed below:
 * Go to the site where you have found the slideshow to embed; on that site will be boxes with addresses on them that have words like "embed"
 * Copy that address and paste it in the open dialogue box on your wiki page
 * Save--or preview first and save
 * The page will save and you will see a blue box that says "**Custom"--**that is your slideshow
 * **IF** it is in a place other than the selected spot, click on the "**Custom box**" and move it to the desired location

Formatting a Student Response Page
Rather than have your students enter their responses on the same page as you have posted the WebQuest, you may want to create a student response page.
 * Go to the top left of your WebQuest page and click on "New Page."
 * The dialogue box will open and ask you to name that page.
 * Create a name that corresponds to your WebQuest Objective.
 * When the page opens, provide instructions at the top of the page for students to follow as they upload their materials.
 * You may want to give each group a location on the page.
 * At the top of the page, enter the code for a Table of Contents: two brackets, toc, two brackets
 * Scroll down the page and place the group names a distance apart.
 * When students come to the page, they can click in the TOC on their section and move directly there
 * Don't worry that the page looks too small; it will grow as the students add materials.
 * Once you have finished, save and return to the WebQuest Assignment Page.
 * For an example, go to my WebQuest Student Page.

Linking Pages
Once back on the main WebQuest assignment page, provide instruction for students on where and how to post their products. You are in the "edit" mode to do this.
 * Highlight the text that names the student response page name.
 * On the floating toolbar, click on the world icon with the connected links.
 * In the dialogue box that appears you will see the same text appear as you had highlighted.
 * A green dot will appear in the "Wiki Link" and that is what you want.
 * Your site name will appear just below that and that is what you want.
 * In the box below that, click on the down arrow and a list of pages should appear.
 * Look for the page that you want your students directed to and click there.
 * You have linked the pages between the main WebQuest and the student response page. Save and exit.