A newsletter with items of interest related to educational technology for Asnuntuck Community College. If you don't have time to read these right away they will be archived at http://www.acc.commnet.edu/online/faculty.htm.

WebCT Vista Training Reminder:

1. Getting Started with WebCT Vista

This workshop is for newcomers or those wanting a refresher to the WebCT Vista interface. Bring a syllabus on disk or USB to publish to your course.

September 21, 2007 9:00-12:00 (Lab 214)

2. Teaching Tools:  Communications, Assignments,
and Group Activities in WebCT Vista

Become familiar with the Mail, Discussions, Calendar, & Selective Release tools in WebCT Vista. Pre-requisite: Getting Started with WebCT Vista.

September 28, 2007 1:00-4:00 (Lab 214)

Something Fun

Common Craft makes great explanatory videos using a unique format they like to call "Paperworks". They take hard to describe technologies and explain them in plain English. Want to know what wikis are really all about? Watch this video.

Click the picture to watch "Wikis in Plain English".

WebCT Tip: Preparing Photos To Use Online

Question: "How can I post a picture of myself (or post other images) in WebCT and have them look good?"

Answer: Images should be resized before uploading. Many users try to use an image they copied from their digital camera, CD, or disc. The problem with that is the image is usually huge and sometimes the file type is not supported. GIF and JPG are common image formats that WebCT supports. The image needs to be edited with graphics software like Photoshop or Photoshop Elements before it is uploaded to WebCT. Resizing and editing will reduce the file size and allow it to upload to WebCT faster and also load faster in a web browser when accessed by students.

Below are 2 ways to edit photos. The first is for people who already have image editing software like Photoshop and know how to use it. The second method is for people who don't have any software or anyone looking for a quick and easy solution to editing photos.

If you have access to image editing software and know how to use it, modify the image resolution of your photo to '72' dpi and change the dimensions of the image. If you are adding a photo of yourself to the header section a width of 200 pixels is a good size to use. Look for a check box that refers to 'keep aspect ratios' or 'constrain proportions'. The height will be automatically calculated to preserve proportions. A photo resized to 200 x 150 (width x height in pixels) is adequate for the course header. For other areas of WebCT you may want to use a larger size. To give you a size perspective this newsletter from the left to right green border is 555 pixels wide. Saving as JPG is the preferred format for photos.

If you DO NOT have access to image editing software but have access to the internet there are free web services that are free and easy to use. These services don't require you to download or install any software onto your computer. I've tried a few of these sites and listed some basic info for a few I've tested. This is only a small sampling of what is available. Try one of these or search for others.

Picnik **
Free and very easy to use - has many features
Requires registration to use - asks for email address
Does not keep or store your pictures on the site
Provides nice interface to edit filename before downloading

Snipshot
Free and very easy to use - grab a corner and resize to your liking
Doesn't require registration to use
Uploaded pictures are deleted automatically after 24 hours
You may want to add text or change filename when you click 'Save" so original is not overwritten

WebResizer
Free and easy to use
Doesn't require registration to use
Uploaded pictures are deleted automatically after an hour
Help instructions are easy to follow
Adds "_opt" to filename on download to designate 'optimized' file. A good feature to prevent replacing original

** Kate's favorite: "I've had an account here for 6 months with no problems."

Tools of Engagement: Gaming and Simulations in Education
Watch your email - More information coming soon.

Opening Office 2007 files

If students are submitting work created with Office 2007 (files will end with ".docx" or ".xlsx") and you can't open them you will need to install the Office 2007 compatibility pack. If you are on a campus machine contact IT to have it installed. If you need to install it at home you can download it here: Office 2007 compatibility pack

Upcoming Campus Events

September 28 - Comedy Night (Auditorium 7:00 pm)

More Info:koconnell@acc.commnet.edu Director of Educational Technology

or dlanderman@acc.cmmnet.edu Vista mentor