Glogster and other technologies

 Glogster

As per usual I have done a lot of playing with presentation technologies in the last 2 weeks.  I completed another presentation on delegation this time using   Glogster.  I signed up for my Glogster Edu account for free using my University of Indianapolis email, you can pay for different versions which can cost up to $100 per year depending on how many students you have.  Glogster is a presentation technology that creates an interactive poster that you can add YouTube videos, audio recordings, links, and video recordings.  Glogster stands for graphic blog poster.  It was relatively easy to use once I watched some YouTube videos, no surprise there.  I have added the video that really details the process of creating a Glogster by Jen Jonson, she is very thorough, this really gave me a grasp on how to use the technology.  I added my own videos, my own audio, links, and a YouTube video.  I was really pleased on how it turned out.  Please click on the link and see my  Delegation Glogster.  Glogster is best viewed using Google Chrome.

Additional Technologies

    When deciding which presentation technology to pursue I played with a lot of tools.  I really liked Storyboard That.  This tool allows you to create online storyboards as an educational tool.  This was really neat to play with but did not meet the requirements I had for my presentation.  Storyboard That has a free version which has some limitations but they also have plans for $5.95 per month as well.

    I played with Empressr as well.  You can create your PowerPoint presentation and upload it to the empressr site or create your own presentation, you can add videos and links as well.  However, this program was not a lot different from the ones I had previously done and wanted to try something completely different.  The same can be said for Slideshare, I logged on a played around but this is really a presentation sharing site.  You create your presentations and then upload them to share but does not help create the presentations.  The last presentation technology I played with was Zoho presentation tools, it was very similar to the screencast-o-matic I used last time.  The Zoho site is really similar to Google Drive, with the ability to upload documents and share documents.  I am finding there are a lot of sites that are quite similar out there but they have different names.

Interactive Tools
    I have also been learning about interactivity tools via my professors blog.  I use interactivity tools all the time, which are videoconferencing, webinars, and websites for EKG practice.  I really like the ability to view and participate in many webinars, I am able to enhance my learning without having to travel to all the seminars.  I also get to practice my EKG skills via interactive websites that give practice strips or running strips that I can review and measure the intervals and polish my skills that I do not use often since I am no longer a bedside nurse.

Simulation

    Last week I started something really fun.  I began to create my first high fidelity simulation in the simulation lab of Fairbanks Hall.  I am lucky to work for a hospital system that has a wonderful simulation lab.  As part of the ICU nurse educator team, we have begun to change the way we teach continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) to ICU RN's.  We started by writing clinical scenarios regarding surgical sepsis and cardiac medical requiring RN's to give additional fluids to patients or remove additional fluid while the patient is on CRRT.  We then have to create each element of the simulation for the techs to carry out during the simulation exercises, that is where we are right now.  There is a lot of detailed paperwork to fill out to make sure the sim runs exactly as we have envisioned it to run.  We have been meeting every week in the hopes of a run through on April 29th to find any bugs, then an additional run through in May with plans to go live in June.  This has been so exciting to be behind the scenes and create this simulation from scratch.  More to come on how it goes.

This weeks learning:

    This week I will be learning about mobile tools.  In our ever changing technology environment I look forward to this lesson.  I use my phone for many resources and used to use my IPad for a lot, when I had one.  I will let you know what I learn and share any interesting facts.

   

Screencast-o-matic and Learning Management Systems

Screencast-o-matic
    The last few weeks have given me a lot of opportunities for new learning about technology.  Since my last blog I created my first screencast-o-matic featuring delegation as the topic.  Screencast-o-matic was relatively easy to use.  As always, I began my process by watching YouTube videos of how to create one.  I found numerous videos but I really liked one by Andrew Wolf, I have added the video for you to view.  I began by creating a PowerPoint presentation of my content.  I completed it and then went to the screencast-o-matic website and created my account.  All you have to do is click on the start recording button and this gives you a box with hash marks that you place around your PowerPoint slide.  You next click on the red record button and the clock counts down, 3, 2, 1 then you begin to record your presentation.  I highly recommend that you create a script prior to recording.  The script will keep you on track and help with the nerves.  You move through each slide recording your presentation and then click on done recording.  You then will watch your presentation to make sure it is how you want it.  You can then create your own URL or the program will create one for you that you can share.  My presentation was 14 minutes long.  You can make 15 minute presentations with the free account. Here is my first presentation, delegation screencast-o-matic


    I did have a lot of trouble trying to add a YouTube video in my presentation.  I tried numerous times but in the end I just removed the YouTube video.  I searched for YouTube videos for help in adding a YouTube video to a screencast-o-matic presentation but all I found was how to upload your presentation to YouTube, which was not what I wanted.  I wish I could have found a way to add the delegation YouTube video I found because it would have enhanced my presentation, but overall I think it was okay for my first attempt.

SkyDrive
    Here is some information about SkyDrive in case you are not familiar from the SkyDrive tutorial link.

    SkyDrive is Microsoft's version of cloud storage for owners of a Microsoft account, very similar to Google Drive.  SkyDrive allows you to store, sync, and share files with other people and devices in the web.  SkyDrive offers 7 GB of free storage and if you have the desktop application you can upload 2 GB files.
    My computer came with SkyDrive installed.  I was only using Google Drive but I started to play with SkyDrive recently and learned how to create a URL to post articles to Diigo.  Here is my URL for a   Link to article about delegation.
    My professor asked me to create a movie about how to share a URL on SkyDrive, to get another opportunity to make a screencast-o-matic I created a very short step by step presentation on making a URL on SkyDrive.  Screencast-o-matic on SkyDrive

Learning Management Systems
     Both academic institutions and hospitals are using a electronic learning management system (LMS) to create learning, track learning, and as a portal for many services.  U-Indy uses Ace as it's LMS.  On-line classes use Ace for all "lecture" information, take tests and quizzes, grades, forums, and links.  Face-to-face classes also use Ace to submit assignments, take tests, grades, forums, and a place to ask questions.  There has been a lot of discussion around the ease of use as a requirement for LMS's, Ace requires a login on the main screen and then on other areas you must login again.  The dual login wastes time and is redundant.  However, it is nice to have a LMS and be able to see real time grades and feedback.
    The hospital I work for has an LMS as well but you can only access it from the intranet, when talking with RN's from another local hospital they have the ability to log on from home and complete learning modules on their own time and submit the time to payroll.  This would be a great option, completing required modules can be stressful when you are busy at work and do not have the time to complete while on the clock.  This seems to be the number one stressor for new nurses off of orientation.  Most of the modules have a time limit to complete and when you first hire into my hospital a lot of modules fire for you to complete.  As the nurse educator I have been trying to find creative ways for the staff to complete the modules, especially for the new grad nurse.
     Steve Foreman has created a five article series on the Learning Solutions Magazine website that are great.  He writes about choosing the LMS, implementing and maintaining the LMS, and then future trends for LMS's.  The link is attached for you to review.  Learning Solutions article
When you go to the first article you can select the other four by clicking the link on the right side about half way down the page.

    Mr. Foreman sheds light on the painstaking process of selecting the right system for your company's needs.  I really like the fifth article because he shares some insight on what the future holds for LMS's.  Mr. Foreman writes about a program called Experience API which will allow a company to create a learning module then track the work an employee already does and allow the employee to get credit for the "informal learning" they do everyday on the job.  This has huge implications for the hospital I work for.  I as an educator, could create a learning module and then track the learning is actually being used in everyday practice allowing the staff to show they have  learned what was in the module and are using it in practice not to just complete another learning module.

One More Presentation


 

    I have one more presentation due soon.  I am contemplating the technology I will use to create my third presentation on delegation.  I am grateful my professor is allowing us to use the same topic with three different technologies.  I really enjoy seeing the presentations morph and change depending on the technology I choose, this is keeping the focus on the technology.  I really think I am going to use Camtasia or Glogster.  Camtasia allows you to make movies and looks pretty simple but I have to play with it first. 
 Camtasia
Glogster allows you to make an interactive poster and looks a little more difficult, but also looks pretty awesome.  Glogster
 I will let you know what I learn and how it looks on the next blog.  Stay tuned.

Digital Storytelling and Collaboration

Digital storytelling is a great educational tool to use to capture your audience, keep their attention, and get your ideas across.  The YouTube video discusses the 7 elements of digital storytelling: a point of view, a dramatic question, emotion (used to hold the attention of the audience), voice (even if you are scared, your voice will capture attention), soundtrack, economy, and pacing.  I previously thought I was kind of telling a story with my Prezi on delegation but looking back it was only a presentation that lacked the charisma of a story.  I have discovered in the last two weeks that a presentation can also be a story which will be entertaining and informative.  Using a story to teach may even be a better way to have the audience remember the content than a presentation alone.  I can remember a lot of the aspects of a good movie but only remember what was not so good in a bad movie, but I remember some points.  I don't think my Prezi presentation was very memorable but that is what this semester is about, learning and growing.   I think I will use the same content from my Prezi but use a different technology and make a story instead of only a presentation.  I think it is all how you approach the project and with what mindset.  I want to grab my viewers attention and keep it so they remember what I am trying to teach.  My next presentation will be in the form of a story and I'll do a better job to keep the attention of my audience which in turn may educate as well.

I started to play with Microsoft Photo Story 3.  Above is a YouTube video of how to use it.  I chose my pictures to have in my movie and then added a title on each one.  It allows for voice recordings rather easily for each photo and has space for you to write your script on each picture so you can easily read and record each one.  I chose how I wanted each photo to transition and how long to display each photo.  Photo Story 3 lets you add background music from your computer or create your own from templates that are installed in the program, however, it was not easy to add my music from I-tunes even though it is given as an option.   It is not as easy to navigate or create as Animoto is and it does not allow a URL to be created for sharing.  However, it would only be good to be viewed on your own computer or email the video for viewing.  I would not want to use this for a project because it cannot be downloaded and shared easily.  I was having trouble using it on Windows 8 and found the following link to help install it  Windows 8 help.

A great site my instructor, Dr. May, shared is from the University of Houston, University of Houston- digital storytelling.  This site not only has wonderful examples of digital stories, one of my favorites is by Bethany Sacks, A Surgeons Perspective on Medical Television Shows but the site also helps with writing a script, creating storyboards, creating photo collages, recording and editing digital audio, and using Photo Story 3.  All of this information will be helpful with my next project and I have been learning a lot.  I only used two voice recordings in my Prezi but after learning some more I will need to add additional voice recordings and get over how bad I think my voice sounds.  I will be prepared and start with a written script like the University of Houston site suggests.

I have been working on numerous group projects lately for school and my job and have been learning how to use Google Drive.  I really like that I can access documents from my work computer, home computer, and even my smart phone.  I had to learn and play to figure it out but it is really simple once I got it.  Of course I have added a YouTube video on Google Drive, because again I am a visual learner and learn best from watching first then doing.  The video is very detailed on all aspects of Google Drive so it is a little lengthy but I like it.
The video states you can create presentations on Google Drive, that is something I will play with this week to see what type of presentation I can create and if it like a "presentation" or digital storytelling.  Zoho is another collaboration tool, I do not think it is as user friendly as Google Drive simply because I can access my Google Drive documents from any where and cannot access my Zoho files on my phone.  We do live in the age when we use our phones for many things, convenience for any technology is the key.

Life Hacker Collaboration tools is a site that lists numerous collaboration tools.  It is worth checking out if you do a lot of collaborative projects.  It also discusses Cozi, which is an app my family uses to sync our calendars so we all know what we have planned which helps us not overbook activities.  Collaboration tools are not only for the office and school but is important to collaborate at home as well to keep things running smoothly.

Exploration of presentation tools

In the last two weeks I have had numerous opportunities to explore technologies related to presentation tools and collaboration tools.  All of the sites I have explored have been completely new to me.  I even Skyped for the first time to attend a class meeting that I was unable to attend in person.  I was the only person in the group that had not Skyped before.  I guess I am behind the times, but I had no reason to Skype before.  I had to have my 14 year old show me how to do it.  That seems to be the central theme with my blogs and my exploration of technology, my kids are my tutors.  I also received a lesson in Google Drive during my Skype meeting.  I did not realize Google Drive had so much to offer and it is included with my school email.  This will be a feature that I work to familiarize myself with some more.

I had a presentation due on Sunday using a new form of technology I had not used before.  I chose to create a presentation on RN delegation using Prezi, prezi.com.  I found Prezi easy to use after I watched a YouTube video on how to create a Prezi.  I really liked the 3D effect instead of the one dimensional power point.  The next Prezi I create I will try to use an existing power-point and see how that works, I want to compare if it is easier to import the power-point or create a new Prezi from scratch.  I also added voice recordings to my Prezi, which surprised me about how easy it was to do.  Here is the link to my Prezi.  http://prezi.com/nxgk1tvtfrgn/?utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=copy&rc=ex0share


I  made a 30 second video of my family photos with Animoto, http://animoto.com/.  I wish it could have been longer than 30 seconds but I may need to purchase it for my next presentation.  It was relatively easy to use as well. I have added a short YouTube clip on how to use Animoto.  I have found that I am referencing a lot of YouTube videos on how to work with these new forms of technology.  Here is the link to my first Animoto video, http://animoto.com/play/4v31BOT6LnyUG8XN2YznqA.

As a student and a nurse educator, I work on numerous group projects.  To aid with this work I have been exploring Zoho office suite,https://www.zoho.com. This site allows groups to post documents and make changes to them.  The site also has calendars to share with the group to add milestones to the project.  I have not used it with a group so far but between work and school there will be a call to use it soon.  There are numerous applications within the site such as projects, notebooks, wiki, and meetings.  The site states that it is compatible with Microsoft Office products.  This too is a tool that I will become more familiar with soon.

As a class we collaborated on editing a Wiki on PB Works, www.pbworks.com to create an evaluation of nursing instructional technology guidelines to be used for both a group and an individual paper.  This was interesting.  I liked seeing how the original document changed as we all had our input to create our guidelines according to the class readings we had completed.  Everyone got their say and we all had something to add.  Alone I probably would not have had the insights my classmates had.  This form of collaboration was nice.  I researched PB Works a little and found the site was named PB Works because the creator stated "creating a wiki is as easy as making a peanut butter sandwich", just an interesting little fact.  

As you can read, I have been exploring a lot of different technologies.  I have greatly enjoyed learning how to work with them.  My technology class started on January 13 and I can honestly say in the last 4+ weeks I am not nearly as intimidated as I was, at times I get a little frustrated as noted by the picture below but I'm growing and that is what this class is all about.  In the Bloom's digital taxonomy I am in the application phase of the cognitive domain and responding to phenomena in the affective domain.  http://edorigami.wikispaces.com/Bloom%27s+Digital+Taxonomy

How I'm Learning to Blog

 

    I have learned a lot about technology in education and technology in nursing in the last month.  The first thing I have learned is I am more technologically challenged then I first believed.  I am learning about so many methods of technology that I did not even know existed.  I thought since I could use Microsoft office and a computer that I was doing okay for being 40.  Wow, I was wrong.  When I read the syllabus to our class and had to learn to create a blog the first place I searched was wikihow.  I found a page entitled, Start a blog on blogger, http://www.wikihow.com/Start-a-Blog-on-Blogger.  This site was very helpful because I had no idea where to start.  The site walked me through step by step of how to begin including how to sign up, name the blog, and using templates to jazz up the blog.  When I created my blog I felt accomplished.  I searched further and found another wiki on avoiding mistakes, http://www.wikihow.com/Avoid-Common-Beginner-Blogger-Mistakes.  This page talks a lot on creating your own blog and not to copy other peoples work, I had not thought about the implications of plagiarizing someone else' s work on my own blog, I thought my blog was my own thoughts.  YouTube has many videos on how to begin blogging on blogger as well.  My big experiment this week is to see if I can add videos, links, and photos to my blog.  Hopefully that will be successful.  I have included two videos on beginning blogging that I really hope I successfully added above which I watched to aid my learning.

Technology Information is Everywhere, Do we know how to Evaluate it?

    With all of my classes this semester I have read a lot so far.  It amazes me that technology is addressed in many different forms, websites, journals, magazines, etc.  I have noticed all the information that is out there about technology which I really did not notice before.  Now that I am looking for it I have found so much information.  I am on the look out for quality information versus personal opinion.  I am trying to post a lot on Diigo, another requirement for my technology class, which is also a completely new form of learning for me.  I quickly learned just because I can see an article does not mean that when I post it on Diigo it shows up for everyone to access.  I had to have my children show me how to store an article on my cloud and then post that URL to Diigo so my classmates could have access to the article.  I have really started to understand this month that my children are lucky to grow up in this technology boom; they are a great resource for me.  However, they face issues with technology as well.
    When I was searching through one of the websites that my instructor placed in our lessons,http://21cif.com/rkit/newRkit/evaluation.html, 21st Century Information Fluency.  I read about a problem that is being created in schools.  Children are not a able to evaluate the credibility of sources if they are only given specific websites to choose from or specific links.  I have tried to teach my children when doing research for projects not to use wiki as a source.  However, upon reading this website I was fascinated to learn that less than 7% of teachers are teaching evaluation skills in their curriculum.  The author stated that children are creating their own standards if not taught how to properly evaluate the source or information.  I understand that teachers are trying to insure students do not have access in schools to inappropriate sites but the author of 21st Century Information Fluency site state students who search for themselves are able to form opinions on the credibility of the site and information included in the site.  This was a new thought for me and shined light on an issue that needs addressed in our schools.  Learning about evaluation techniques is a skill all students need, including adult learners, the earlier we can teach these skills the better off all students will be.

Fun Things I've Explored This Week

    I have spent a lot of time on the Web 2.0: Cool Tools for School site this week http://cooltoolsforschools.wikispaces.com/.  I had no idea there are so many sites to aid in numerous types of presentations including audio, video, and power point.  I have spent a lot of time in the organizing tools area.  I recently downloaded Gum Notes, http://www.gumnotes.com/, so I can add notes to documents and share the notes as well.  I have not started to play with it yet but I hope it is as helpful as it seems.  I will keep you posted.  I am very excited to learn more about all of the technologies I have been missing.

My Wrap UP          

    After my first post I really felt good. I thought it looked nice, I thought I had done a good job introducing myself and putting myself out there in a blog, which was a little scary.  I quickly realized that my personal accomplishment was not about the grade in the class; however without the class I would have never started this blog.  From here on my blog will challenge me to become a good blogger and I hope I really find my niche.  I think blogging could be a way for nurses and students to share thoughts and ideas; maybe it can be something I start in my position as an educator.
  

My tech savvy kids.  

  

All about me

My name is Amy Jackson.  I work at University Hospital.  Nursing is my second career, my first degree is in management.  I managed numerous small business' for many years and was very unhappy with my career.  I signed up for nursing school on my 30th birthday and it was the best thing I ever did.  I got pregnant with my first child as a teenager and did not believe had the ability or skill to pursue nursing right out of high school and regretted that decision ever since.  When I went back to school I had three children of my own (ages 1, 3, and 12) in addition to custody of my 14 year old nephew.  I was not only able to get my BSN but I graduated with a 3.95 GPA with highest distinction, Alpha Chi honors, a member of Sigma Theta Tau, and honors.  I was voted Mistress of Ceremonies by my class for our pinning ceremony.  I was only one of two honors students and was the anatomy lab tutor for my junior year.  Nursing school was one of the hardest things I had ever done but the pride I felt walking across the stage was and still is priceless.

 I have been at University Hospital since I graduated from Indiana University- Kokomo in 2008.  I only wanted to work in the transplant unit and was lucky enough to get hired into the transplant ICU upon graduation.  I received my CCRN certification in 2010, which made NCLEX look easy.  I worked in the transplant ICU for four years as charge nurse and a member of numerous committees.  In 2012, I accepted a position as a liver transplant coordinator.  The experience I received as a coordinator was great.  I saw the transplant process from referral through post transplant.  As an ICU nurse, I never got to see how well patients did, once they were transferred to the Organ Transplant Unit I lost contact with them.  However, as a transplant coordinator I got to work with patients who had successful transplants for many years.  I felt like what I did made a difference in many lives, some of the patients even remembered me from the ICU and were so grateful for my care.

As of Monday January 13th, I am now the Clinical Nurse Educator for the Transplant ICU and Organ Transplant Unit.  This is my dream job.  This position was fate.  I pray that I can continue to make a difference in not only the patient's and families lives but to all the nurses on my units as well.  I have so much to learn.  This position is what I am going to school for but just started to learn about.  I must focus on learning techniques.  As an educator there is not a lot of time to spend with each nurse and I need to learn how to effectively educate in a short amount of time.  Technology will play a huge role in the education process.  I have learned a new phrase this week, "teaching at the elbow", I will round with my nurses and help them with their patients to be able to assess their strengths and weaknesses and to understand their education needs.  

I need to focus on teaching methods for both small and large groups.  The objectives would need to be: identify teaching methods available for the correct audience; explain how to assess the learning from each member of the audience; identify appropriate technology for information that needs to be taught.

In the last two weeks I have learned that there are so many different types of technology that can be utilized for teaching.  I have started to expand my knowledge base regarding numerous technology methods and have also started to use them.  For example, this is my first blog ever.  I'm a work in progress.  I hope to be fluent in the use of at least three new technologies and to know how to access others by the end of the semester.  I will work hard to meet my personal goals.