iMatt :: The Blog of Matt Clare

I’m planning on doing some updates to my web site so that I can move away from shared hosting and gain more control over the web server. Not sure what the time line is, but consider yourself warned 😉

Probably the best place to keep up with the process is twitter.com/mattclare

I’ve always loved the Z cars and here’s one more reason: apparently Apple Inc. co-founder Steve Wozniak was featured in late 70s 280ZX.

I wouldn’t be proper to draw an association to the 280Z’s reputation of being the biggest and flabbiest of the 2-series Z cars.

Despite my previous four years of objections and a blog post, I’ve finally given in and decided to start using my Twitter account.

Like any good resistance leader I know when to surrender and accept a position in the new order.

As I predicted a few months ago, the conversations happening on Twitter would likely eventually draw me in and force me to look past the narcissism. I’ve read Twitter tags like #IranElection, #Sakai (and #Sakai09), #D2L09 and #f1. I feel like it’s time I start contributing. That and blogging with more than 140 characters is hard!

The plan is that I’ll start using my mattclare Twitter account Monday July 20th and I hope to have some interesting tweets through the rest of the week….. after that week I can’t guarantee I’ll still have any good ideas left.

To pique your interest, here’s a sample tweet.

Hopefully you’ve got the latest update to Firefox, version 3.5. It brings a welcome speed upgrade to most web sites.

Here’s the Firefox Add-ons that I feel like I can’t use the web without in an approximate list of frequently I find myself using them:

1. Canadian English Dictionary
   For some reason, Mozilla doesn’t have a Canadian localization team, but I know that even the British dictionary doesn’t quite cut it for the truly patriotic.
2. Firefox PDF Plugin for Mac OS X
   PDF files can be displayed so quickly on the Mac because the native display format is is based on PDF. Quickly that is if you don’t use Adobe’s application! Here’s the better alternative.
3. GooglePreview
   Inserts preview images (thumbnails) and popularity ranks of web sites into the Google and Yahoo search results pages.
4. Evernote Web Clipper
   This extension provides a toolbar button to easily add a selection or an entire page to Evernote. If Evernote for Mac or Windows is installed – the clips go directly to the local application — and from there they are synced to your iPhone, BlackBerry, their web interface….. ,If been using this service instead of my own memory and I’ve had fantastic results.
5. Speed Dial
   
   Direct access to your most visited websites as a thumbnail. Works great as a start page! It’s Safari 4-esque. I also find it handy to check-in to see what is the featured articles on Wikipedia are, what is on the top of Google news, etc. every time I open a new tab.
6. Web Developer
   The Web Developer extension adds a menu and a toolbar with various web developer tools. Incredibly useful for those who do web development, or just work with a lot work with web-based systems. Some of the features I frequently use are: Displaying a web site’s CSS sheets in one tab, displaying all the ids and CSS classes on the page, populating forms with dummy content, viewing passwords instead of *****, viewing HTTP headers, quickly running pages through validation services, and the list goes on…..
7. Firefox Accessibility Extension
   Support web developers and people with disabilities in accessing and testing web resources for accessibility features. Works great, especially if you compare it to the cost of your own copy of JAWS or Kerswell reader! Thanks to Kyle Mackie for this one.
8. FoxyTunes
   FoxyTunes lets you control almost any media player and find lyrics, covers, videos, bios and much more with a click right from your browser. I’ve always got Firefox open and in the foreground, so if I don’t have keyboard controls for iTunes this does the job.
9. AddThis
   AddThis for Firefox is the best add-on to make sharing to Digg, Facebook, Twitter, etc easy.
10. History Submenus
    This places each day’s entire browsing history in a submenu of the history menu.
11. Reload Every
    Reloads web pages every so many seconds or minutes.
12. Targeted Advertising Cookie Opt-Out (TACO)
    Sets permanent opt-out cookies to stop behavioral advertising by 84 different advertising networks, including Google, Yahoo, Microsoft, all members of the Network Advertising Initiative, and many other companies.
13. User Agent Switcher
    The User Agent Switcher extension adds a menu and a toolbar button to switch the user agent of the browser.
14. Zotero
    Zotero [zoh-TAIR-oh] is a free, easy-to-use Firefox extension to help you collect, manage, and cite your research sources. Great for anyone doing research with the help of a web browser.

One thing worth noting is that if you install all of these Add-on’s in Firefox it’ll look quite cluttered. With almost any Add-on I recommend disabling the Toolbar it may add via the “View” > “Toolbars” menu.

If you’ve got any other Add-ons you can’t live without feel free to leave a comment.

This article can also be found in a better laid-out version in the Brock University teaching wiki.

As a facilitator of Instructional Skills Workshops (ISW) [ISW organization web site] I’m concerned about using cameras for recording and reviewing mini lessons and the challenge this has become.

The ISW program/model is a 25 year old, peer-based, experiential instructional development program that is designed around three mini lessons and enhances the teaching effectiveness of both new and veteran instructors.  Those mini lessons involve peer-based feedback as well as being recorded for the instructor themselves to review.  The recording and review of teaching has become difficult in the last decade as the otherwise ideal VHS technology has been discontinued and the digital technologies decreased the immediacy of when one could review recordings, which ironically of what the digital revolution did to still photography.   While VCRs and VHS tape were simple, cheap and only required one tape per participant over their three mini lessons and it was always cued-up and ready to be handed-off, tapes are no longer an option. Most younger ISW participants (New profs, grad students, me) don’t have VCRs and they don’t make VHS camcorders or VCRs anymore and about the only place you can buy them are second-hand stores (although there is a price argument to be made for that model).

The usage of all-digital recording methods (assuming DVDs are more analog than digital) provides for infinite perfect copies of the original recording and easy transfer.  It’s worth noting that this raises some confidentiality concerns as in some cases the initial copy is left in the hands of the recorder, not the  instructor being recorded.  Options like using the instructors own laptop, cell phone or camcorder can increase the protection of the instructor’s confidentiality.

Digital formats can also be copied onto the now ubiquitous USB flash drives and played back on the instructor’s computer.  This appears to be the best option going forward.

Table describing the various recording technologies as the apply to the recording and reviewing of teaching

	Capture	Review	Transfer – positives and negatives	Cost
Tape/Media based
VHS	Cameras are big. Can no longer be purchased new.	VHS tapes are relatively easy to cue. Few people still have a working VHS VCR (player). 1	+ No transfer!  The same VHS tape is used throughout.	VHS tapes are about $5.00, only one needed per participant. VHS Camcorders have been discontinued.
DV Camera	Digital Video camera captures to DV tape at high quality.	Participants almost never have something that plays DV tapes, transfer is required to DVD, computer, etc. 1	– Transferring from DV Tape can take a long time.  It generally involves a computer and considerable rendering time to export to something like a DVD or a protected web site. + The destination formats that are available are almost limitless. – Often requires a FireWire or USB cable.	Cameras range from $200 to $2000+ Tapes are about $6.00, only one tape needed per participant
Mini-DVD	Captures to mini-DVD disc at good quality.	mini-DVD must be finalized whenever it comes out of the camera to be reviewed. 1	+ The video is not physically transferred, recording is done straight to DVD. – Finalization process can take a few minutes.	Cameras range from $200 to $1000 mini-DVD discs are $1.00-$2.00 and more than one will per participant will likely be needed.
Hard Drive/Flash Drive
Hard Drive Camera	Captures digital Video to its own hard drive at high quality. – Many have complained about the whine emitted from the hard drive.	Reviewed on a computer via QuickTime or Windows Media. Optionally run through lengthy export to DVD, etc. Drive cannot be removed. 12	+ Transferring is faster than the 1:1 ratio of DV tape and speed can be increased when video quality is reduced. ++ Video can be transferred directly to a USB flash drive with no additional processing. = Alternatively video can be transferred to a computer and with considerable rendering time to exported to something like a DVD. + The destination formats that are available are almost limitless. – Often requires a FireWire or USB cable.	Cameras range from $350 to $1000 No additional media required3
Flip Video (Flash DV Camera)	Digital Video camera captures to its own solid-state flash drive.	Reviewed on a computer via QuickTime or Windows Media. Optionally run through lengthy export to DVD, etc. In some cases the video is stored on a media card. 1	+ Transferring is faster than the 1:1 ratio of DV tape and speed can be increased when video quality is reduced. ++ Video can be transferred directly to a USB flash drive with no additional processing. = Alternatively video can be transferred to a computer and with considerable rendering time to exported to something like a DVD. + The destination formats that are available are almost limitless. + USB connection is generally integrated.	Cameras range from $150 to $250 No additional media required3
Less conventional solutions
Digital Camera	Most digital [still] cameras can not only be used for still photography but also have a movie mode that emulates a Flip/Flash Video camera.			$150 to $2000 plus, but ideally this will be a re-purposed of existing resources
From DV camera directly to computer via FireWire	Camera is setup while connected to Laptop via FireWire with software like iMovie or Movie Maker running.	Recording done on laptop.	Considerable rendering time still needed to export video to something like a DVD but some digital formats may transfer quickly to something like USB flash drive.	DV camera + laptop
Laptop “webcam”	Point web cam at instructor and use software like iRecord for OS X.	None, especially if on instructor’s laptop.	File should be immediately review-able and can either be transferred to USB flash drive or is already on participants laptop.	laptop with web cam – Mac Books start at $1000, “Net Book” PCs start around $500

Notes:

1. Almost all cameras support in-camera review on the viewfinder or larger LCD screen.
2. In the majority of cases the drive cannot be removed.
3. When using electronic distribution, blank DVDs etc. still represent a cost of around a dollar.

Other Considerations

The smaller cameras allow for placement on a mini-tripod.  This allows for placement in unique locations, like alongside participants, which a full-size tripod precludes.

Conclusions: Flip Video (Flash DV Camera) class of cameras offer the most

The Flip Video (Flash DV Camera) class of cameras appear to offer the most promising combination of ease of use for those doing the recording and for instructor that will be reviewing it.  Flip cameras offer a simple integrated USB connector that allows for quick transfer to a USB drive via any available computer.  Flip camera’s also easily support all of the requirements for immediate review during instructor interviews, etc.

The original 1st generation Flip Video did not have a very good microphone (the original is distinguished by the now absent “puredigital technologies” branding, but the current Flip Mino and Flip Ultra have improved microphones.

Flip Video Products are detailed on their web site at theflip.com and Amazon Canada has a number of Flash-based Camcorders for sale, including comparable offerings from Kodak.