How YouTube web camera recordings can be used to promote instruction in the blended learning classroom

When mentoring our pre-service and in-service teachers we need to describe and model both research-based and clinically tested best practices, and demonstrate how these best practices can be applied in the real (i.e. physical) and virtual (i.e. online) classroom for both teaching and teacher training. The combination of face to face instruction in a physical setting and online learning is called blended learning. In this section of the blog we will describe how the internet can serve as a supplemental resource for instruction and the mentoring of pre-service and in-service Jewish educators.

Before we discuss how web camera recording can promote instruction in the blended learning classroom, let’s define a web camera recording


What is a web camera recording? 


A web camera recording is a visual and auditory recording of oneself speaking to the camera on a computer or some other video recording device. Sometimes a picture or video conveys meaning better than words. Consequently, let me demonstrate what a web camera recording looks like. A web camera recording is different from a screen recording or screen cast because with the web cam recording I am recording myself speaking to the camera, and not showing that which is on my computer screen. With this background, click on this link to see a demonstration of a web recording:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gikgmThki1g


How YouTube web camera recordings can be used to promote instruction in face to face and virtual classroom.

In the blended classroom YouTube web camera recordings can promote instruction in the following ways:

• Provide a visual and auditory explanation of some content or concept 
• Provide an introduction to a lesson or training event 
• Serve as an anticipatory set for a lesson 
• Serve as a prompt for an in class or online conversation 
• Provide a review of a lesson or training event that a student or teacher had missed 
• Provide a summary or closure for a lesson or training event 
• Serve as a stimulus for reflection 
• Empower students and teachers to make their own web camera presentations 
• Serve as a communication channel to answer student and collegial questions 
• Can be used to flip the classroom 


On the next post we explore how YouTube web camera recordings can be used to promote Judaic instruction and to mentor/train Jewish educators.

Introduction to YouTube as a Web Recording Web Tool

When mentoring our pre-service and in-service teachers we need to describe and model both research-based and clinically tested best practices, and demonstrate how these best practices can be applied in the real (i.e. physical) and virtual (i.e. online) classroom for both teaching and teacher training. The combination of face to face instruction in a physical setting and online learning is called blended learning. In this section of the blog we will describe how the internet can serve as a supplemental resource for instruction and the mentoring of pre-service and in-service Jewish educators. In this post we will explain and give a demonstration of what is a web camera recording. Then we will share how YouTube can be used for web camera recording. 

 What is a web camera recording? 

 A web camera recording is a visual and auditory recording of oneself speaking to the camera on a computer or some other video recording device. Sometimes a picture or video conveys meaning better than words. Consequently, let me demonstrate what a web camera recording looks like. A web camera recording is different from a screen recording or screen cast because with the web cam recording I am recording myself speaking to the camera, and not showing that which is on my computer screen. With this background, click on this link to see a demonstration of a web recording:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gikgmThki1g

For what educational purposes can a web camera recording serve? 

• Provides a visual and auditory explanation of some content or concept 
• Provides an introduction to a lesson or training event 
• Serves as an anticipatory set for a lesson 
• Serves as a prompt for an in class or online conversation 
• Provides a review of a lesson or training event that a student or teacher had missed 
• Provides a summary or closure for a lesson or training event 
• Serves as a stimulus for reflection 
• Empowers students and teachers to make their own web camera presentations 
• Serves as a communication channel to answer student and collegial questions 
• Can be used to flip the classroom 

How YouTube can be used for web camera recording 

 In order to use YouTube as a web recording tool, you will need to obtain a YouTube account, an account with the Google suite of applications including Gmail, Google Drive, Google Images, etc. Accordingly, to obtain a YouTube or Google Account you will want to click on this link: https://accounts.google.com/SignUp

Here is a link to a YouTube video which explains how to sign up for a YouTube account: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_y7rrfftbk 

Here is a link to a YouTube video I made on how to use YouTube for web camera recording: http://youtu.be/FRFOn8sli7Y 

 On the next post we explore how YouTube web camera recordings can be used to promote instruction in the blended learning classroom.

How Bundlr, a bookmarklet, can be used to promote Judaic instruction and to mentor/train Jewish educators

Before we explore how Bundlr, a bookmarklet web tool, can be used to promote Judaic instruction and to mentor train Jewish educators,  let’s define this term.

What is a bookmarklet?

A bookmarklet is a software button, extension or add-on that appears on one's browser that enables the user to curate or collect selected websites.

Click on this link to see different bookmarklets on my Mozilla Firefox browser.

http://youtu.be/GCuzXOFt6yU

According to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bookmarklet

A bookmarklet is a bookmark stored in a web browser that contains JavaScript commands to extend the browser's functionality. For instance, a bookmarklet might allow the user to select text on a page, click the bookmarklet, and be presented with a search engine results page for the search term selected.

Bookmarklets are unobtrusive scripts stored as the URL of a bookmark in a web browser or as a hyperlink on a web page. The term is a portmanteau of the terms bookmark and applet,[1] however, an applet is not to be confused with a bookmarklet, just as script written in JavaScript is not to be confused with a script written in Java. Whether bookmarklet utilities are stored as bookmarks or hyperlinks, they are designed to add one-click functionality to a browser or web page. When clicked, a bookmarklet performs some function, one of a wide variety such as a search query or data extraction. Bookmarklets are usually JavaScript programs.

How do bookmarklets promote teaching and learning

1. Bookmarklets provide teachers and students with easy access to websites for homework, classroom and doing research projects.
2. Bookmarklets provide a  simple, uncluttered and elegant way to access websites within one’s browser.
3. Many bookmarklets allow users to share their curated websites with others.
4. Teachers can create bookmarklets for individual, group and whole class research projects.
5. Students can share their bookmarklets as part of their research projects.
6. Bookmarklets enable students to become more web literate.

For additional reasons for using bookmarklets click on these links: 

• https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/bookmarklets-perform-common-web-page-tasks
• http://www.scoop.it/t/teaching-with-tablets/p/1616545019/2012/04/17/useful-bookmarklets-for-your-ipad-and-iphone
• http://www.lib.wayne.edu/blog/otl_newsletter/?p=1261

What is Bundlr?

Bundlr is a bookmarklet that can appear on the bookmark bar of one’s browser. A bookmarklet can enhance the functionality of one’s browser.

Where is Bundlr located on the internet?

https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/bundlr/neaecllpgiioinacndhkakancoifnbhm?hl=EN

It is also an Apple app and Google Play app. Click on this link to find out more about these apps: http://blog.bundlr.com

How Bundlr, a bookmarklet, can be used to promote Judaic instruction and to mentor/train Jewish educators:

Click here to see an examples of how Bunblr, a bookmarket, can be used to promote Judaic instruction and to train or mentor pre-service and in-service Jewish educators.


On the next blog post we will begin our discussion on additional web camera recording tools. The first one we will explore is how to use YouTube for web camera recording.

How Bundlr, a bookmarklet, can be used to promote instruction in the blended learning classroom

Before we explore how Bundlr, a bookmarklet web tool, can be used to promote instruction in the blended learning classroom let’s define this term.

What is a bookmarklet?

A bookmarklet is a software button, extension or add-on that appears on one's browser that enables the user to curate or collect selected websites.

Click on this link to see different bookmarklets on my Mozilla Firefox browser.

http://youtu.be/GCuzXOFt6yU

According to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bookmarklet

A bookmarklet is a bookmark stored in a web browser that contains JavaScript commands to extend the browser's functionality. For instance, a bookmarklet might allow the user to select text on a page, click the bookmarklet, and be presented with a search engine results page for the search term selected.

Bookmarklets are unobtrusive scripts stored as the URL of a bookmark in a web browser or as a hyperlink on a web page. The term is a portmanteau of the terms bookmark and applet,[1] however, an applet is not to be confused with a bookmarklet, just as script written in JavaScript is not to be confused with a script written in Java. Whether bookmarklet utilities are stored as bookmarks or hyperlinks, they are designed to add one-click functionality to a browser or web page. When clicked, a bookmarklet performs some function, one of a wide variety such as a search query or data extraction. Bookmarklets are usually JavaScript programs.

How do bookmarklets promote teaching and learning

1. Bookmarklets provide teachers and students with easy access to websites for homework, classroom and doing research projects.
2. Bookmarklets provide a  simple, uncluttered and elegant way to access websites within one’s browser.
3. Many bookmarklets allow users to share their curated websites with others.
4. Teachers can create bookmarklets for individual, group and whole class research projects.
5. Students can share their bookmarklets as part of their research projects.
6. Bookmarklets enable students to become more web literate.

For additional reasons for using bookmarklets click on these links: 

• https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/bookmarklets-perform-common-web-page-tasks
• http://www.scoop.it/t/teaching-with-tablets/p/1616545019/2012/04/17/useful-bookmarklets-for-your-ipad-and-iphone
• http://www.lib.wayne.edu/blog/otl_newsletter/?p=1261

What is Bundlr?

Bundlr is a bookmarklet that can appear on the bookmark bar of one’s browser. A bookmarklet can enhance the functionality of one’s browser.

Where is Bundlr located on the internet?

https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/bundlr/neaecllpgiioinacndhkakancoifnbhm?hl=EN

It is also an Apple app and Google Play app. Click on this link to find out more about these apps: http://blog.bundlr.com

How Bundlr, a bookmarklet, can be used to promote instruction in the blended learning classroom

Click on the links below to find resources explaining how Bundlr can be used to promote instruction in the face to face and virtual classroom:

• http://bundlr.com/b/classroom
• http://bundlr.com/b/classroom-website
• http://bundlr.com/b/21-century-classroom2
• http://bundlr.com/b/the-flipped-classroom


On the next blog post we will discuss how Bundlr can be used to promote Judaic instruction and to mentor/train Jewish educators.