I’ve been playing around with this data visualization software known as Tableau. I created this chart by downloading data on the Seattle Mariners 2009 batting numbers and a new product that they’ve put out called, “Tableau Public.” It’s free, by the way. Check it out if you’re into this kind of thing:
After borrowing a colleague’s document scanner at work, I decided to attempt to go paperless in my new job at the University of Oregon. So, here’s my basic set-up:
With this configuration, I am able to easily scan documents into my MacBook Pro, run them through Adobe Acrobat’s OCR program and then save them either into specific folders on my computer or simply dump them into the database program DevonThink Pro. Once this is done, my Time Machine and BackBlaze backups make sure that the files are backed up.
So far, the system works well for me and my workflow. Now if paper comes in, it gets scanned and then the paper either gets destroyed or it gets filed away for later use if I absolutely need to have the paper copy. My desk is very clean and I at least give the appearance of being organized. One of the consequences of running a system like this is that I am, in a way, forced to be more organized with all of the items on my computer. I use tags in DevonThink Pro to tag documents for easy retrieval. I have a clean desktop and try and go through my “Downloads” folder weekly.
Paperless–I like working this way so far.
A new item from the Google today: Web Elements. I can say that the name is decent with this one 
Basically you can take small snippets of Google tools and embed them into your webpage. For example, you can embed a presentation that you’ve got in Google Docs, or a Google Map. Perhaps one of the coolest of the Elements is the Conversation one, as people can add comments to your site when they’re visiting.
I think I’m finding these interesting because part of me is reading RSS just a tad bit less and I’m going to the actual sites and checking them out. There are a lot of great designs out there and I like what I’m seeing. One of the sites that I’ve been enjoying lately is the Rapid eLearning Blog. This is a blog about designing eLearning instructional situations, mostly aimed at corporate life, but it all applies to what I do as an ITRT offering Professional Development. One of the keys to offering quality PD is simply planning it well. Having objectives and developing some kind of assessment that tells you if the people that you are teaching “got it.” It’s a good site and worth some time spent there.
~ Share and Enjoy~
The team at Google Reader just released a new feature that I’ve been playing around with a bit. It’s called, “Bundles” and it allows you to “bundle” several RSS feeds together, which can then be shared out to your friends in Google Reader, emailed to others, or exported as an OPML file, allowing the feeds to be imported into another feed reader.
Here’s how it works:
In Google Reader, click on the “Browse For Stuff” item in the left hand column. You’ll see something like this:
Click on the “Create a bundle” button and you’ll be brought to a screen that allows you to drag-and-drop your feeds to create your bundle:
Note that you can email the bundle to friends, or share it out to your Google contacts or download the OPML file for importing into another feed reader.
Info on all of this can be found from the Google Source and a post at Lifehacker.
Share and Enjoy!
John interviews two of the folks planning this year’s VSTE-sponsored pavilion at the National Educational Computing Conference in Washington, D.C., Sharon McGlone and Laura Briggs.
Sharon, Laura, Laurie and I are on a committee helping to get the ITRT Pavilion up and running for NECC. Have a listen to John’s interview to learn more about what the pavilion is all about and when you’re at NECC, please come by and say hello!
Listen here: VSTE Podcast Edge » Blog Archive » ITRT Pavilion at NECC
Free file sharing and net meeting | Show Document
How does this sound?
Shared Document
Shared Whiteboard
Shared Text Editor
Shared Browser
Well, that’s what ShowDocument does, and it’s all free. I played around with the “Shared Whiteboard” for a bit and there are some features that could come in handy. You can load things to view within the whiteboard, such as a document on your computer, or a Google Map or a 3ds file. In addition, you can add a YouTube video and others.
It’s simple to invite others as well. When you first join the space, it gives you a link with a login number that you send to the people that you want to join. Once they do, they’re in and all you have to do as the main presenter is click on their name in the list of names to give them control of the space. In addition, there is a chat feature that allows you to chat with the group.
Nice.
Hat tip to Fred
EtherPad: Realtime Collaborative Text Editing
File under: worth checking out.
Handbook of Emerging Technologies for Learning - Emerging Technologies for Learning
Some weekend reading for those who are interesting. There’s a lot here, but it looks worthwhile.
Remains of the Day: The iPhone vs. Kindle Edition
So I downloaded the Kindle app for the iPhone the other day to check it out. Yeah, it’s pretty cool. I don’t have a Kindle (yet), so I thought this might be a way to check out the iPhone/iPod Touch’s e-book technology. It’s good, I must admit. Supposedly these two things stay synced somehow, so that the Kindle will know where you left off, and the iPhone will also. Neat.
Along those lines, I’ve also been fooling around with Stanza, a free e-reader for the iPhone. They’ve got a desktop app that allows you to upload a bunch of different documents, including .pdf files, which I did last night. So far, I like it. And free is good too.
Kids and Kindle - James Fallows
My wife is only days away from receiving her exciting new new-to-her Kindle, which is to say that I expect soon to get my hands on a Kindle 2. Meanwhile this note from a good friend about the machine’s effect in his household:
An (unreported?) Kindle phenomenon: 11-year old girl, drove parents crazy by not reading books because totally addicted to electronics, has now transferred total addiction to Kindle 2 - and now does nothing, ever, but read books, one after another. In bed, in the car, while eating - while crossing streets!
[My wife] says, “Let’s buy Amazon stock. In six months, the world will have discovered this particular phenomenon.” (She is the one who had the sudden insight that this might work for [our daughter].)
This from one of my favorite writers who blogs for The Atlantic Monthly magazine, from yesterday. Perhaps the Kindle and other e-readers will spark an interest in reading for some students? Having approached the issue of reading before, this one got me to thinking is all . . . .
