Streaming, Downloading and File Conversion

I am often asked about streaming, downloading and file conversion.   I always try to encourage students to download their videos since streaming takes up a lot of bandwidth and slows down the network.  However, it seems downloading a video is never a simple task.  Even if a file is downloaded there is often the issue of file conversion.  This morning a student came to me wanting to embed a You Tube clip into her PowerPoint.  It was a tedious process but this is how we did it.  I downloaded the file with Real Player Downloader.  On my PC in the upper right hand corner, as a video plays, I am prompted to download the video.   On the MacBook Pros download player does not show up as it does on a PC.  To find and launch the player go to applications -> Real Player downloader and launch the program.  Once you play the You Tube clip the movie is listed in the download player and you select download to start the process. Once downloaded it saves as a FLV file that needs to be converted to an MP4 to play on a macbook pro with quicktime.  I used a nifty free online file conversion site, Zamar, which worked masterfully.  Once downloaded as an MP4 she was able to embed the video.  Zamar is a great free program but sometimes it is not able to download the file, if this should happen I usually resort to the website keepvid which is another way to approach the conversion. 

How to Copy Files from your iPad to your MacBook Pro using File Sharing

1. Connect your iPad to your computer using a USB cable.
2. Launch iTunes 9.1 or later on your computer.
3. Select your iPad device from the Devices section of iTunes.
   
4. Click the Apps tab and scroll down to the bottom of the page.
   Note: If you do not see the File Sharing section shown in the image below, your iPad device does not have any apps that support File Sharing.
   
5. Under the File Sharing section, you'll find a list of apps currently installed on your iPad device that support File Sharing. Select an app to view a list of the files associated with that app on your iPad.
   

KET Multimedia Professional Development Days

Come explore at the annual KET Multimedia Professional Development
Days this July 9 and 10.

Space is limited so register soon. The cost of registration for the event is $50.00
per person, per day, which includes refreshments and a choice of lunch. I anticipate the cost will be covered by the school, let Dawn know if you are interested.
Participants can register for one OR both days.

Workshops for 2013:

http://www.ket.org/education/video-mm-event-infopage.htm

    Basic Camcorder Video Production
    Larry Moore, KET

    Microsoft Office 365 and Lync Web Conferencing
    for Kentucky Schools*
    Patti Oakley, KATE/Murray State University; Marty Park, KDE

    Digital Reenactments: Student Greenscreen Video Projects
    Stephen Swan, University of Louisville

    All-In-One Video Studio Boxes*
    Tim Withers, Wayne County Schools; Michelle Rauch, Fayette County Schools

    iBooks Author: Amazing Apple PC Project Software*
    Jennifer Gordon, Corbin Middle School

    Project Resources for Technology Standards by Grade Level*
    Cami Knapp, KATE/Murray State University

    Google Apps and Tools for Educators*
    Donnie Piercey, Woodford County Schools

    iPad Video Production: Take One*
    Jessica Murrell, Pendleton County Schools

    Tour of KET's Multimedia Production Facility
    Deborah Harris and staff of KET

    Using PBWorks' PB Wikis to Teach Arts and More*
    Paula Mullins, Jefferson County Schools

    Introduction to Using Twitter in Education
    Amy Grant, KET

    Digital Driver's License Project: Prepare Students to Be
    Responsible Netizens*
    Marty Park, KDE

    Free Tools for Blended Learning: Edmodo and More*
    Helen Morrison, KET

    Using iPads, iPhone, iPods, and Apps for Video Production*
    Jeff Gray, KET

    Re-Tool Your School: Useful Online Resources*
    Susan White, Corbin Primary School

    Media Arts: Creating a Classroom that Fosters Creativity*
    Todd Norton, Scott County Schools

How to Remove an app from your iPad

How to remove the application from your iPad

1. Touch and hold any application icon on the Home Screen until the icons start to wiggle.
2. Tap the "x" in the corner of the application you want to delete.
3. Tap Delete to remove the application and all of its data from your device.
4. Press the Home button.

Mac OS X: How to quit an unresponsive application using Force Quit

 When your application is no longer responding and there is nothing you can do, try a force quite.


Follow these steps to force an application on your MacBook Pro to close:

1. Choose Force Quit from the Apple menu (or press Command-Option-Esc)
2. Choose the unresponsive application in the Force Quit window
3. Click Force Quit

How To Force Quit on an iPad

Follow these steps to force an app to close:

1. From the Home screen, click the Home button twice.
2. Tap and hold on the app.
3. When it starts to jiggle, tap the to close it.
4. Double-click the Home button and try opening the app again.

Evernote storage space versus upload allotment

I have started to use Evernote for everything. I can't image how I was able to feel organized before discovering Evernote.  Evernote is a wonderful note taking application that allows you to take notes, clip webpages, back up to the cloud, it is my go to application for most of what I do.  I have it installed on the school image and gave a mini session to the freshman for the last two years.  I was a bit of a reluctant user at first since I thought it tried to do too much.  I have changed my mind.  I rely on Evernote and feel it is a wonderful productivity tool that really helps me stay organized.  I will definitely schedule a Tech Tuesday session on it in the Fall.  If you are interested come see me and we can schedule a mini session to get you started!  One great feature is that it is cloud based and I can pick it up on any of my devices.  As I mentioned in a post last month it allows for a monthly allotment of 60MB of cloud storage.  Or so I thought.  I have only 5% storage left this month and deleted some files to free up space and was surprised to see my allotment stayed the same.  Why didn't the 5% increase to at least 6%?  Simply put I was confusing storage with upload.  My free account lets me have 60MB of synchronized upload allowance not storage space.  So once I have synced 60 Megabytes I have reached my allowance and must wait till next month to get a new allotment.  I hope this clarifies things for those of you who, like me, didn't quite realize the nuances between storage space and monthly upload.

The Fusion of Computer Science and Art

Engineering and computer scientists at Massachusetts Institute of Technology,  Martin and Erik Demaine, will display their art at the UK Art Museum from April 21 - May 26th.  Adam Suhl's mother describes their work as a wonderful mixture of math, origami and magic!  

iPad Quick Reference Card

There are a few iPads circulating in the Upper School.  Here is a quick 2 page reference guide from Custom Guide that I found on Teachbytes that you might find helpful. Stop by my office if you are interested in checking out an ipad.

Google+ a powerful tool

 

If you are looking to increase your PLN you may be interested in Google+.   Google+ is a great way to share and collaborate with other educators.  If you already have a Google account setting up Google+ is seamless.   

One really powerful tool of Google+ is hangouts.   Today U.S. Department of State announced a new series of discussions called “Hangouts at State.”  Each month there will be conversations about pressing US policy issues.  

The series kicks off on Friday, April 19 with a Hangout with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, entitled “The U.S. in the World: What’s In It for Us” and moderated by NBC’s Chief Foreign Affairs Correspondent Andrea Mitchell.

Friday at 1 p.m. E.T the conversation will unfold.   For news about the next “Hangout at State” visit Google Politics and Elections page .

Duplex Printing with your MacBook Pro

Choosing the duplex print option for your printer

Go to the Apple menu -> System Preferences
->Print & Fax -> select your printer and choose options and supplies -> 

Select the Driver tab and make sure you have a check box next to the duplex function

Directions for Printing Double-sided on your MacBook Pro

In the Upper School, duplexors include Floor0 printers, Floor1, Floor2-1, Floor2-2

In order to print on both sides of the paper, you must make a couple of choices in the Print window. First, change Copies and Pages to Layout using the dropdown menu. 

 Then in Two-Sided, choose Long or Short-edge binding. Long-edge is more frequently used, but if you want a horizontal document (like a flip calendar), choose short. 

SMART Recorder settings for video and audio on your MacBook Pro

If you are using your SMART recorder to record some of your lessons you can minimally control the quality of the recording through the menu button.  I tested the high quality sound verses the low quality sound and there was an enormous difference.  So if you are wanting a simple sound/video recording with a little better quality but you are not interested in using another application try modifying the settings as show below.

Changing a SMART recorder settings for Video and Audio Quality on your MacBook Pro

Go to Spotlight in the upper right hand corner of your MacBook

Type in Smart tools > choose Smart Tools

Double click on the recorder

1. Select Menu > Options in SMART Recorder.

A dialog box appears.

2. Press the Recording Quality tab.
3. Select a sound quality in the Sound Quality list.

NOTE: Although higher sound quality produces better audio playback, it also increases the file size.

4. Select a video quality in the Video Quality list.

OR

Select Custom, and then type the required frame rate.

NOTE: Although a higher frame rate produces higher quality recordings, it also increases the file size.

TIP: If you select Automatic Selection (Recommended), SMART Recorder automatically evaluates your computer and selects the optimal frame rate.

5. Press OK.