Little By Little

I can usually count on one of the technology people in the know on Twitter to tweet about applications they've discovered.  Less than two weeks ago, Richard Byrne, educator, speaker and blogger at Free Technology for Teachers, featured a new service in one of his posts. Stipple functions to create interactive images similar to Thinglink.  I featured Thinglink in a post nearly two years ago.  I decided to give Stipple a try to test its ease of use.

Currently the service is free.  Users under the age of thirteen are not allowed to sign up for this application.  When you click the blue Sign Up button a new window appears.  You can create an account by entering in a username (it can't be changed later), an email address and password.  If you so choose, you can use your Facebook, Flickr, Twitter, Instagram, Google or Etsy account to connect to Stipple.  You are asked to read and agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.  A confirmation code is sent to your email address to complete the registration process.

A new screen appears.  On the left the icons from top to bottom represent:

• your dashboard
• ability to browse the images of others
• library of uploaded images
• connect Stipple to your web site and 
• connect your Stipple images to the products you may sell.

To the right of this tool bar are two other icons.  The first, the series of lines, opens and closes the navigation bar.  The second is an instant option for getting images from a URL link, by uploading from your computer, Facebook, Flickr, Instagram and Google +.

 

Moving over to the right-hand side you can search images on Stipple, check for notifications and access your settings as shown in the image below.  It's now time to move to the center and click on the blue Get Started button.  The first step is to get an image.

If taking images from your computer you can drag them to the space or search your files.  You can add as many images as you desire.  When you click done, Stipple asks you to confirm the images are your own, giving attribution to you.  You can still upload images that are not yours, but credit will not be given to you.

When you accept this, a new window opens.  This shows each of the images you have added.  As you can see none of the four pictures I uploaded have been tagged yet.  Beneath each image you have the option to add a caption, choose a date and time of publication and delete the photo.

When you mouse over the image in the lower left-hand corner a small plus sign appears.  This is how tags are added.  When you click that icon your mouse becomes a plus sign.  Move it to the desired spot and click.  Your choices will appear.

You can add media from Everbrite, Facebook, Flickr, Foursquare, SoundCloud, Twitter, Vimeo, Wikipedia, YouTube and Google Maps.  You can decide not to use any of those by entering in your own title and description.  When you click on Save a tiny icon appears in the circle designating the type of media.

When mousing over the stippled image all the tags appear.  I have links to three Wikipedia articles, one video and a Google Map.  The tiny i in the right-hand corner gives all the attribution information.  By adding tags to this photograph it now becomes part of the public domain housed at Stipple.  

When the image is selected, it is enlarged and more options are available.  You can share it on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest or Google +.  It can be liked or added to a set.  Comments can be left.  A URL link and HTML code are shown.  As you can see along the top more sophisticated tracking features are offered documenting the use of your images.  

At this time Stipple has an iOS 6.1 or later app which can be obtained through the AppStore.  The site promises that an Android app is on the way. As I was exploring Stipple, I toggled back and forth between this application and Thinglink.

At this time the advantage of Stipple is you add an element by going to a single site and searching for a specific item, narrowing your choices.  In Thinglink you enter in a keyword and a list of choices appears from many sites.  The search is very broad.  In Thinglink and Stipple you can add a URL for which you have previously searched that is not one of their listed sites.  

Another advantage of Stipple is the more detailed and extensive statistics gathered about your image.  For those people using this application for research purpose, taking polls or as a business, this is a plus.  Statistics are compiled at Thinglink but they are not as in-depth.  

Thinglink is the older of the two, providing hints for educational use and a free upgrade to a teacher account.  Thinglink does allow persons under the age of thirteen to use the site under supervision of parents or guardians.  

As far as ease of use Stipple gets high marks.  Each tag can be edited or deleted.  (When you open a tag by clicking on it, an arrow appears in the lower right-hand corner.  Click on it to edit.) The presentation of each photograph within a frame is a nice touch.  The ability to comment, like, add an image to a set and have the sharing options all in one place is a plus.  

I can see using this in a classroom for research purposes.  Images could be posted prompting students to do research relative to the subject.  Once the research is complete the stipples could be added by a person holding an account. This application offers the opportunity for older students to work jointly with younger students on group projects.  For students older than thirteen this is a great interactive presentation tool.    

It's going to be interesting to see where Stipple is after being available to the public for the same length of time as Thinglink.  I like it.

Video Vibes

Toward the end of February 2013 a new web 2.0 tool was introduced on Richard Byrne's blog, Free Technology for Teachers.  This application allows users to embed links within a video making it interactive.  The Mad Video is in free beta at this time.

When you first access the home page, front and center, an example of a video created using this app is available.  Above this and along the top users can take a tour (directions for creating an interactive video), access their blog, which includes the latest updates and hints, contact The Mad Video via email and login.  Beneath their video is the three step process for making your Mad Video:

1. Take your online video
2. Add information and tags to your video and
3. Then publish, in minutes.

Features include:

• No uploading
• Tag anything (add info, links and actions to any item in your video) 
• Share tags and
• Viewer stats.

To start click on the bright yellow button, TRY OUT OUR FREE BETA.  You are prompted to create an account with an email address and password or by using your Facebook or Google + account.  You also need to read and agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.  A confirmation email is sent to you immediately.  (Even though no age limitation is noted I would still get parental/guardian written permission prior to use for those students under 13 years of age.)

When you click on the confirmation link in that email you are taken to a new page for step one.  Above the work space you can click on Help to take the tour again, go to the Blog, view your Gallery of created videos or change your username, email address, password or profile picture in your Account.  To start making your interactive video, enter in the URL of a YouTube video.  At this time only YouTube videos can be used. Click Let's go!.

Your next page, The Mad Video Studio, allows you to:

1. Move a tag (People, Place, Product, Pet, Music) 
2. Move from one scene to the next with this tool and
3. Place tags on scene line.

Dragging a tag to the scene line causes a new window to appear.  You can search for a tag URL or enter in the information manually. If you enter in the information manually you are asked for a name, description, tag short name, URL address, an image, the choice to add in social profiles (person) and if you want this tag to appear throughout the video.  When done you can preview the tag or save it and continue.

Any time you click on a completed tag, you are given the choice to edit the information, duplicate it, preview it or delete it.  Tags can be ordered by creation, update or name.  They can be filtered by people, place, product, pet or music.

Clicking on and dragging a tag from one scene to the next does not move it but duplicates it for the scene in which you place it.  As the video is viewed the tags appear when you mouse over the screen. With a click on tags you can share each individually via Facebook, Twitter, Google+ or on Pinterest.  If you select the More info button you go to the site represented by the URL.  (preview mode and regular mode for some tags...sometimes a little web icon will appear instead.)

In the upper right-hand corner the icon allows you to view the video at The Mad Video website.  The icon in the upper left-hand corner gives the creator the opportunity to have the small tag circles show or not.  They provide the viewer with information on how many tags are in a given scene.  On the far left you can decide whether you want your screen to be rounded or rectangle. (preview mode)

When you believe you have all the tags added click on the blue Done! button.  At the next screen there are two different sections.  In the bottom section you can view the video.  Tags will appear on the screen and off to the right side.  If you click the edit button it allows you to include additional comments.

In the upper section you are asked to determine if you want your video to be public (default) or private.  You can enter in any appropriate keywords.  Rounded or rectangle are options for the gallery.  You can still decide to edit, erase or add tags from here too.  When everything is completed, choose the blue Publish button.

At the next screen you can still make alterations, change the visibility settings (1), share the video with a URL (and on several social networks), by embedding with HTML (three different sizes plus custom) or like it on Facebook, tweet it on Twitter or share on Google+ (2). Just as you could in preview mode the tags will appear on the right when the video is playing.  They will also appear on the screen when you mouse over it. (3)


 The Mad Video is an outstanding web 2.0 application.  The hints and updates on The Mad Video blog are superb.  Richard Byrne gives some examples on how to use it in the classroom in his post linked above.  I can see an educator using it to tag their own video or an educational video (with permission granted first) to direct students to more detailed information about points made in the video.  I think this format could also be used to create an Internet scavenger hunt. I am very excited about the possibilities with this service.

Here is my Mad Video.

Interacting With Graphics and Maps

Google recently announced that they are opening their Map Maker up to the United States.  In their own words: Google Map Maker allows you to add and update geographic information for millions of users to see in Google Maps and Google Earth. With Google Map Maker, you can:

• Add places of interest such as your local restaurants, cafes, schools and more.
• Edit and update details for existing places.
• Help avid hikers by mapping trails, be it for a casual walk or an adventurous trip!
• Get driving directions and also help in making them more accurate.

• See what your peers are mapping in specific areas.

A very detailed Getting Started Guide explains toolbar features, how to navigate in Map Maker, different views on Map Maker, specific instructions for street view on Map Maker, labs features, your Map Maker profile, Map Maker settings, markers and information windows, getting the links to places, how to add points of interest, mapping in your language, and system requirements.  There is also a comprehensive list of countries in Google maps. 


Users can sign in using their Google or Gmail account; one and the same I believe. Once a user has entered in the new information it will be confirmed before it appears on the maps. I attempted to show the driveway used to get to the County Recycling bins.  Time will tell if this becomes a permanent fixture on the map.

Believe it or not there are Mapping Party Kits available.  After checking the terms of service there does not appear to be an age limitation. 



Thanks to Richard Byrne for this info on his blog post of April 19, 2011 at Free Technology for Teachers.



A blog called NewsLab has posted two videos which instruct users in the creation of interactive graphics.  Although the NewsLab blog is designed to be read and used by journalists these two web sites offer ways to manipulate data that can be used in the classroom and for personal use as well.

One of the sites, Many Eyes is an experiment brought to users by IBM Research and the IBM Cognos Software Group.  Registration is required for this by entering in an email address and password.  Users are invited to explore visualizations, data sets, leave comments and visit topic centers.  Participation is in the form of creating a visualization in just three easy steps:  choose a data set, choose a visualization style, customize and publish.  A quick start guide is available as are visualization types and data format and styles.  The seven visualization styles are:  analyze a text, compare a set of values, see relationships among data points, see parts of a whole, see the world and track rises and falls over time.

This is a very simple visual that I created using one of the styles under compare a set of values.







The second instructional video at NewLab extends the use of Google Maps.  It is by far simpler to use and for that reason might be more advantageous for students at the lower levels or those with fewer online computer skills.  Using Google Docs create a two column spreadsheet.  In the first column put the address.  Name the place of interest in the second column.  Click on the Insert tab at the top to change the data into a widget that can be embedded into a place of the users' choice.  Below is a simple map that I designed showing my favorite places to get books.



This is the link to the video that very easily describes how to do this.
How To Make A Google Map

Thanks to Larry Ferlazzo for a post earlier this month at his blog, Larry Ferlazzo's Web Sites of the Day about these two videos.

She's a Grand Old---Flag

Each and every morning our elementary students, as most students do across the United States, face the American flag , place their hands over their hearts and recite the Pledge of Allegiance.  On February 22, 2011 the online version of the SunSentinel posted a very informative, small interactive about our flag.  Users of the interactive gain facts about the images and colors used in our flag.  By clicking on a star with a state abbreviation in it, the flag is pictured as it was when that particular state was admitted to the Union.  Viewers are also shown the various changes that have transpired over the history of our Nation and its symbol that is a reflection of those changes.

Science Fiction or Reality--The Gap Is Closing

On September 27, 2010 the first public demo of a new information tool hit the Internet world generating quite a stir.  As the creators quote on their blog:  Qwiki will power many products via a platform that turns information into an experience. 

Qwiki creates on the fly from sources on the web, without any human intervention, interactive stories that currently cover more than 2 million reference terms.  Once a word or group of words about a person, place or thing is entered into the search box a Qwiki appears complete with real time audio narration that may or may not include maps, graphics, movies or animations.  Objects within a Qwiki can be clicked on for more interactive content which may include a brief bibliographic citation.  Items in a Qwiki with a small Q in the top right corner offer the reader additional related Qwikis as does a list shown below any given Qwiki. 

This new offering is in the Alpha test phase.  To date any user older than 13 can sign up to use it by invitation.  Once an invitation is accepted a simple email address and password are all that is needed to log in.  Feedback is welcome as the designers' goal is to make this the ultimate research encounter on the web.

What subject matter is gleaned from online resources to be part of any given Qwiki is noteworthy. While the experience is certainly engaging, time does pass quickly as one term is entered in after another, the potential for further development is huge and the applications necessary to power this site are mind-boggling, at this point this user is just a tad hesitate to have technology tell me what may or may not be relevant, important or worthy of my consideration. It is going to be more than a little interesting to see where this goes in the future.