Hi All – Just a few thoughts for my “Guide to Everything eLearning for the Higher Education Administrator” students!  I had gotten a couple of questions regarding what presentation tools might be useful for the instructional design and development presentation, so I wanted to provide some guidance:

• Presentations are different than curations, therefore curation tools aren’t good choices for presentations (i.e. Pintrest.)  Sometimes these work in physical presentations, but generally they aren’t effective as multimedia presentations.
• A blog post is also not a presentation per say.  They can have some of the same components – embedded videos, links, etc.  What I’m looking for is something that you could present in person or online.  And it can be a video if you want to make it one, that works fine.
• Some possible presentation tools:
• Prezi – you can narrate these!  It’s not beautiful with the zooming, but it can be very effective.  Consider using Jing – a free screenrecording tool from Techsmith.
• If you have Adobe Presenter, you can use that.  Macs have various movie-making software – you could do that.
• Audacity is a free voice recording software – you could add those to a PPT or another type of presentation tool.
• Don’t forget that smartphone or tablet!  There’s this great iPad app called “Show Me” and you can narrate and draw on a whiteboard, bring in pictures etc.  Very user-friendly.
• There are some new production tools that are freemium like Moovly that creates animation.
• If you have access to other learning object software, you could create a SoftChalk lesson or a Storyline (they both have free 30-day trials.
• There’s also Voicethread, which could work (also freemium,) even though it’s not truly what I’d call a presentation tool.

Also, I’ve been loving the DL presentation.  #WayToImpress.  Some suggestions moving forward:

1. Make sure there are no grammatical, capitalization, or spelling errors.  This is work product, it should be free of errors.  I’d definitely recommend running you work by someone else to get a second set of eyes.  Little things like parallel structure for lists and making sure either all bulleted points end in periods or none of them do – all of that matters in a professional presentation.
2. When you put your thoughts together, integrate them immediately.  Ask yourself questions about what the events have in common, if themes exist, what makes parts of the information different, what is similar, etc.  When putting together a presentation, it should be a holistic view of the component parts, relating them to one another.  I’m interested in your thoughts and thought process about the connections.  I’m far less interested in sending facts back and forth – I want to know what you think about those facts, how you see them connecting.

And finally, for those of you who thought you might not work closely with online programs, a couple of job postings – more positions are coming out to coordinate student support services for online programs and students:

Texas Tech University – Online & Distance Student Support Administrator

Job Title: Online & Distance Student Support Administrator

Job Summary:

Coordinate and serve as the main point of contact for student support services for online and distance education students through the Center for Campus Life. Performs managerial work providing direction and guidance in setting and

achieving goals and objectives; developing policies; reviewing guidelines, procedures, rules, and regulations; establishing priorities, standards, and measurement tools for determining progress in meeting goals; coordinating and evaluating program activities; and establishing and monitoring budgets. May plan, assign, and supervise the work of others. Works under limited supervision with latitude for the use of initiative and independent judgment

• Develop and  implement a plan to measurably engage online and distance students at Texas Tech University
• Establish a database with points of contact for distance and online students
• Responsible for program development, planning, and implementation to engage and involved distance and online students, including at least two events a year on the main campus in Lubbock
• Provide strategic support regarding student services for online and distance students, including regional campus students
• Coordinate communications, marketing and promotions of student services for online and distance students via web, print, and other formats.
• Liaison to off campus site directors and staffs for student support services.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelors degree in an area of expertise or closely related area required (Masters degree in Higher Education, Student Affairs, Online Education or related field preferred)
• Three years of experience in planning, developing, or implementing programs/projects in higher education
• Experience with online or distance students
• Experience in student affairs
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Excellent customer service and interpersonal skills

Application Deadline: Position is open until Filled

For more information: http://www.depts.ttu.edu/hr/workattexastech/

Also, Ohio University has a job for an Assistant Director of Financial Aid eLearning:  https://www.ohiouniversityjobs.com/postings/14964

Keeping you in the loop:)

Sasha