Project 4: Sharing and Curating Content

Ease of access to content is the norm in today's digital environment. Sharing and re-sharing content tools exist in practically every online tool. Generally, this is a positive thing- assuming the content is desired to be shared. For course content, the easier and more fluid students have access to content, the more likely they will view it.

There are many ways to make content available. Fundamentally, no matter what service you choose to make content available, the content must be on a server capable of sending information to other computers. Office 365 is an excellent way for the JSU community to share and control sharing of all sorts of content. Most of the Office 365 tools have sharing options built-in, but for this step of project, let's focus on OneDrive.

Step 2A- Upload the tutorial from Project 2 to OneDrive. All JSU faculty have a OneDrive account via their GEM login. See tutorials below for more information and help with using Office 365 and OneDrive.

Step 2B- Using the share options, create a share link which allows "public, no sign-in required"

Step 2C- Save this link for posting in step 5.

Using the steps above, most any file may be shared with anyone. Change the parameters of the link to control who can view or edit the file.

The link you have created is now the path in which others access the tutorial.

Tip- The two significant elements of choosing the availability of the content are:

1. Permissions related to the link (edit, view only, sign-in required, etc.)
2. Who receives access to the link

Tutorials

Uploading Files on OneDrive
Sharing Files on OneDrive
OneDrive Desktop
Office 365 Sharing Documents

Much of the sharing of content on the Internet is entirely public. There are plenty of pros and cons of this sharing practice. Open access to content and information is certainly a pro while loss of control of one's own content is a directly related con. The only way to fully control digital content is to not post it, however, there are many tools and techniques to limit who has access to content in order to exercise some amount of control and privacy. Once content is shared, there is always a loss of control in that those whom you share with may share the content without permission.

In step 3, the process is to make content available via the Internet while employing some control over who can view the content. Blackboard is an excellent tool for this purpose. A video may be posted online, but if the link to the video is only posted in your Bb course, only students will have practical access.

Note- if you uploaded the video to another site, you will follow a similar procedure.

Step 3A- Edit the listing settings to your screencast video on YouTube, and choose "unlisted." An unlisted video is accessible by anyone with the link, but is not searchable. In effect, no one can find a video which is unlisted.

Copy the video link for posting in Blackboard.

Step 3B- Using any of your Blackboard course shells, create a Blackboard Item in which you will paste the URL copy in step 3A. This sharing of the link is how students will gain access to your non-searchable video.

Step 3C- Create a screen capture of the functioning and embedded video in Blackboard. Save this image for posting in Step 5.

Tutorials

Video Privacy Setting (YouTube)
Video Manager (YouTube)
Embed Video in Blackboard

While the underlying methods are similar, there are so many options for curating and sharing content which you or others create. Review the following systems. Work through any set-up procedures such as create a title, upload banners and artwork, and create example content.

Choose one of these systems to share any content created by yourself. Based upon which system you choose, engineer a way to share the system (and therefore your content) to the Online@JSU Community in a post. See Step 4.

As members of the Online@JSU Community provide feedback, correct and edit your work. For example, if a link is not functioning, correct the link and ask for more feedback. Otherwise, these three postings are your final submission for Project 4.

YouTube Channel (open or closed)

Since you have already uploaded a video to YouTube, you have a YouTube channel. For this option, set-up your YouTube channel as a means to share videos made in the future. A YouTube channel is often episodic but may also be based around a topic. For example, your YouTube channel might be weekly lectures to explain concepts from a course text. Or, the channel may include a collection of informational videos for a course(s). Yo may create additional channels and playlists within a channel to better help organize and clarify content for viewers.

Examples

The RSA
American English
Shmoop

VoiceThread (open or closed)

In concept, VoiceThread is a video (multimedia) discussion board. VoiceThread may be used in many other ways to such as curating content, streaming videos, and allowing subscriptions. Currently, at JSU, VoiceThread Pro is free and integrated within Blackboard. This integration connects students to a VoiceThread easily and allows for more security and content control than other means. VoiceThread is an excellent tool for student work.

Examples

VT Lesson Ideas
VT Digital Library

Twitter (open)

Twitter is a very public and effective means to disseminating information. The limitations of Twitter do not allow direct content creation, however, Twitter can easily connect your content to others. For example, after creating a new video on YouTube, you can easily connect that video to potential viewers such as your students by tweeting the video link.

Examples

NPR
Education Nation
Smithsonian

Podcast/Vodcast

Podcasting is one of the first means in which Internet users shared multimedia and a more produced level of content. The term podcast more specifically refers to an audio only and episodic collection of content. Today, the term is more loosely used to include videos. A good analogy of a podcast is a radio show. Podcasts still have a lot of relevance to teaching and learning and are very mobile friendly allowing learners to listen on the go.

Examples

Ted Talks
La Vida Espanol
Stuff You Should Know

Other

The Internet offers many tools for curating and sharing content. Feel free to adopt any service for this project.

Tutorials

YouTube Channel
PodBean
VoiceThread
VoiceThread Bb Integration

The final step of Project 5 is to share your various tasks completed in steps 1-4. Create a separate post with a short description of what you completed for the following:

From Step 2- Share link from tutorial uploaded to OneDrive

From Step 3- Screen capture from embedding screencast in Blackboard

From Step 4- Link, screen capture, or other information as needed to demonstrate use of a sharing system

Direct link to Online@JSU Community- Online@JSU Community

Tutorials

• Share URL with the Online@JSU Community
• Join the Online@JSU Community
• Yammer (Online@JSU Community) Help