Showing posts with label to. Show all posts
Showing posts with label to. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 11, 2015
More ways for apps to write to Drive
Today we’re introducing two new ways for apps to build even richer integrations with Drive: app data folders and custom properties.
In order to run smoothly, your app may depend on data it stores in Drive. But occasionally, users may accidentally move or delete the very file or folder your app needs to function. The app data folder is a special folder in Drive that can only be accessed by your app. The app folder’s content is hidden from the user and from other apps, making it ideal for storing configuration files, app state data, or any other files that the user should not modify.
Although users cannot see individual files in the app data folder, they are able to see how much app data your app is using and clear that data in the Manage Apps dialog.
Apps can also now add custom properties to any Drive file. The new properties collection gives your app the power to create searchable fields that are private to your app or shared across apps. For example, a classroom app could keep track of the grade for a document or a project management app could keep track of the current status of a document going through a review process.
To learn more check out the technical documentation for both app data folders and custom properties, and if you have questions don’t hesitate to post on StackOverflow.
 | Nicolas Garnier Google+ | Twitter Nicolas Garnier joined Google’s Developer Relations in 2008 and lives in Zurich. He is a Developer Advocate for Google Drive and Google Apps. Nicolas is also the lead engineer for the OAuth 2.0 Playground. |
Upload all file types to any Google Account
Over the next few days we will be rolling out an expansion to the feature set of the Google Documents List API. Third-party applications may now upload files of any type to any Google Account. Previously, this was only possible for Google Apps for Business users.
This feature allows developers to roll out their solutions to all Google Docs users. For instance, it’s now possible for developers to build applications that allow all users to back up files from their local hard drive to the cloud. There are a variety of other possible uses for this feature, and some examples include revision control and file distribution. Third-party applications (such as those on the Google Apps Marketplace) can also now use Google Docs as the primary place to store their data without the hassle of creating different solutions for customers of Google Apps for Business versus the free edition of Google Apps.
After they are uploaded, files are available in the Google Docs interface:
To enable uploads for all file types, developers must use the resumable upload feature of the API, and also pass in the
We have also added checksums to all files that are not converted to a native Google Docs format. This means that if you upload a file type we cant convert, or if you choose not to convert a file to a native format, a checksum is now available to help guarantee the integrity of the file between storage and retrieval.
We are also in the process of adding checksums to all previously uploaded unconverted files. Due to the popularity of uploading unconverted files, processing this backlog will take some time to complete.
We’ve recently made a lot of improvements to the documentation that should make implementing all of this easier. For further help, please have a look in the forum.
Read more »
This feature allows developers to roll out their solutions to all Google Docs users. For instance, it’s now possible for developers to build applications that allow all users to back up files from their local hard drive to the cloud. There are a variety of other possible uses for this feature, and some examples include revision control and file distribution. Third-party applications (such as those on the Google Apps Marketplace) can also now use Google Docs as the primary place to store their data without the hassle of creating different solutions for customers of Google Apps for Business versus the free edition of Google Apps.
After they are uploaded, files are available in the Google Docs interface:
To enable uploads for all file types, developers must use the resumable upload feature of the API, and also pass in the
?convert=false URL parameter.We have also added checksums to all files that are not converted to a native Google Docs format. This means that if you upload a file type we cant convert, or if you choose not to convert a file to a native format, a checksum is now available to help guarantee the integrity of the file between storage and retrieval.
We are also in the process of adding checksums to all previously uploaded unconverted files. Due to the popularity of uploading unconverted files, processing this backlog will take some time to complete.
We’ve recently made a lot of improvements to the documentation that should make implementing all of this easier. For further help, please have a look in the forum.
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Using Google Document List APIs to build Memeo Connect for Google Docs
Building Memeo Connect™ for Google Docs
Editors Note: This post was written by our partner Memeo, a digital media management company. Memeo Connect™ for Google Docs enhances Google Docs capabilities. We invited Memeo to share their experiences building an application on top of Google Apps utilizing some of our APIs. Other partners will share their experiences in future posts.
Hi Im Matthew Tonkin, Mac Applications Architect at Memeo. Google has been a great partner in helping us bring Memeo Connect to market. Were excited about the new additions to the Google Documents List APIs and the products weve been working on for them.
Google Apps is a great way for businesses to share and collaborate on documents, but more importantly, it has allowed businesses to move much of their office and IT infrastructure online for dramatic operating cost reductions. Until recently, Google Docs users had no way of uploading, storing, syncing and sharing files of any type. The big news is that Google Docs now supports all file types and there are Documents List APIs to prove it. January saw the release of the updated Documents List API with this new arbitrary file support, but no desktop client software to manage file syncing between the desktop and the cloud. Memeo Connect for Google Apps is that missing link. Memeo set out to bridge Google Docs cloud storage with desktop software. A simple goal that has big implications for where users store documents and how they are shared.
The end result is a desktop application that is fully supported by Google Docs for online storage, synchronization, sharing and data management. With Memeo Connect, instant access to your important documents while online or offline is now very possible. Memeo Connect is available on both Windows and Mac platforms.
Our timeline for Memeo Connect was impossibly short due to Google’s aggressive timeline for launch. How did we do it? Apart from the obvious late nights, junk food and beer, we received help from Google to take this product from concept to reality. Some of it came in the form of new APIs, some directly from the Documents List API team, some from the client libraries and some from the discussion groups.
1. Keeping native file formats
Google Docs now supports keeping files in their native format. Previously Microsoft Office files and images were converted to the online Google Document formats, removing much of the application specific formatting options used in the Office file formats. However, its now possible to upload Microsoft Office files and images without conversion, meaning users can keep all of their custom file formatting.
You can get all of this with a simple parameter in the post URL when uploading the new document.
Google Documents List API https://docs.google.com/feeds/default/private/full?convert=false |
If like us, you use the client libraries, then its just as easy.
Google Data Objective-C client library** NSURL *uploadURL = [[mDocListFeed postLink] URL]; GDataQueryDocs *uploadQuery = [GDataQueryDocs queryWithFeedURL:uploadURL]; [uploadQuery setShouldConvertUpload:NO]; |
Google Data .NET client library string uploadURL = DocumentsListQuery.documentsBaseUri + "?convert=false"; docService.StreamSend(new Uri(uploadURL), fileStreamHandle, GDataRequestType.Insert, contentType, docTitle); |
The new features dont just handle Microsoft Office files. Any file type is supported with no additional parameters or changes to client code, however the support for these features is only available through the Google Documents List API for users that have a Premier account.
2. Bigger file size limits and resumable uploads
Google Docs now supports file uploads up to 1GB and is resumable, so failed or paused uploads can pick up where they left off.
Google Documents List API http://code.google.com/apis/documents/docs/3.0/developers_guide_protocol.html#ResumableUpload Resumable post link: resumable-create-media" type="application/atom+xml" href="https://docs.google.com/feeds/upload/create-session/default/private/full"/> Request: POST /feeds/upload/create-session/default/private/full HTTP/1.1 Host: docs.google.com GData-Version: 3.0 Authorization: Content-Length: 0 Content-Type: application/pdf Slug: MyTitle X-Upload-Content-Type: application/pdf X-Upload-Content-Length: 1234567 Resuming: POST Host: docs.google.com Content-Length: 100000 Content-Type: application/pdf Content-Range: bytes 0-99999/1234567 |
Google Data Objective-C client library** Resumable uploads are automatically enabled when switching to the uploadLink URL NSURL *uploadURL = [[mDocListFeed uploadLink] URL]; GDataQueryDocs * uploadQuery = [GDataQueryDocs queryWithFeedURL:uploadURL]; Pausing and resuming uploads is also made easy. [mUploadTicket pauseUpload]; [mUploadTicket resumeUpload]; |
Google Data .NET client library ResumableUploader resumableUploader = new ResumableUploader(); if (newFile) resumableUploader.Insert(authentication, docEntry); else if (partialFile) resumableUploader.Resume(authentication, resumeUri, httpMethod, fileStream, cotentType); else if (updateExistingFile) resumableUploader.Update(authentication, docEntry); |
** Objective-C code samples have been taken from the Docs Sample code
3. Client Libraries for Mac & Windows
The Google Documents List API provides all of the backend server functionality but isnt ideal for rapid client application development. As client developers, we prefer the efficiencies provided by a wrapper in our native client languages. This is where the client libraries for Objective-C and .NET allowed us to shorten our application development time significantly. Without the client libraries, we simply would not have been able to achieve our goals for Memeo Connect in the time we had available.
Many of the Documents List API features we worked with in our early development were not available through the client libraries. This was initially quite daunting because of the risk that we would have to drop down to raw server calls and miss out on the efficiencies we gained through using the client libraries. However as we got to know the client libraries better, we found they were written flexibly enough that we never had to do that - there was always a way to bend them enough to get what we needed. A sign of great design by their architects.
For example uploading without conversion was simple in the Objective-C client library even before it was officially updated to support it.
NSURL *uploadURL = [[mDocListFeed postLink] URL]; GDataQueryDocs *uploadQuery = [GDataQueryDocs queryWithFeedURL:uploadURL]; [uploadQuery addCustomParameterWithName:@"convert" value:@"false"]; |
4. Support from Google
The Documents List API team were of enormous help throughout the course of this project. As with most of Googles public APIs, theres always an avenue to ask questions about how to best use the technology, pursue bugs or request new features. The new Google Apps Discussion Groups are simply the best way to get an answer quickly and is invaluable in getting past whatever is blocking your progress. Google Developer Relations people monitor the discussion groups and frequently answer questions, link to other relevant resources, and provide code samples.
Whats next?
We had a sizable list of things we really wanted to do with Memeo Connect 1.0 and some of that had to wait for 1.x or 2.0. Were looking forward to continuing to work with Google and file as many feature requests as we can to make some of these new features a reality. Anyone can file a feature request for Google Apps APIs and I can assure you they all get considered.
In future releases well be adding more support for direct file system integration, better tools to manage sharing and were really excited about supporting new devices. Get ready to see more Google Docs in more places.
Tuesday, March 10, 2015
Bringing more context to Gmail contextual gadgets
As part of the launch of Gmail contextual gadgets, Google released a set of predefined extractors that developers could use. These extractors allow developers to match content within a single part of an email message, such as the subject, and use that content to display relevant information to the current user.
Many Gmail contextual gadget developers have expressed a desire to match on more complex patterns than is possible with the predefined extractors. Today, with the launch of the Google Apps extensions console, these complex patterns, known as custom extractors, are now available to drive contextual gadgets.
Custom extractors allow developers to trigger their gadget when a series of conditions are met. For example, a developer could write an extractor that triggered a gadget only when “Hello world” appeared in the subject and “john@example.com” was the sender of the email. This allows developers to more finely tune their gadgets, and provide even more relevant contextual information.
If you’re interested in writing a custom extractor you can get started by reading our documentation. If you have questions, please post them in the forum.
Read more »
Many Gmail contextual gadget developers have expressed a desire to match on more complex patterns than is possible with the predefined extractors. Today, with the launch of the Google Apps extensions console, these complex patterns, known as custom extractors, are now available to drive contextual gadgets.
Custom extractors allow developers to trigger their gadget when a series of conditions are met. For example, a developer could write an extractor that triggered a gadget only when “Hello world” appeared in the subject and “john@example.com” was the sender of the email. This allows developers to more finely tune their gadgets, and provide even more relevant contextual information.
If you’re interested in writing a custom extractor you can get started by reading our documentation. If you have questions, please post them in the forum.
Dan Holevoet, Google Developer Team
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Monday, March 9, 2015
OAuth 2 0 Playground Open to Developers!
Editors note: This has been cross-posted from the Google Code blog -- Ryan Boyd
In March, we announced that all of the Google Web APIs adopted support for OAuth 2.0. It is the recommended authorization mechanism when using Google Web APIs.
Today, we are announcing the OAuth 2.0 Playground, which simplifies experimentation with the OAuth 2.0 protocol and APIs that use the protocol. Trying out some requests in the OAuth 2.0 playground can help you understand how the protocol functions and make life easier when the time comes to use OAuth in your own code.
Selecting the APIs to authorize
With the OAuth 2.0 Playground, you can walk through each step of the OAuth 2.0 flow for server-side web applications: authorizing API scopes (screen shot above), exchanging authorization tokens (screen shot below), refreshing access tokens, and sending authorized requests to API endpoints. At each step, the Playground displays the full HTTP requests and responses.
Exchanging the authorization code for a refresh token and an access tokenThe OAuth Playground can also use custom OAuth endpoints in order to test non-Google APIs that support OAuth 2.0 draft 10.
OAuth configuration screen
You can click the link button to generate a link to a specific Playground state. This allows quick access to replay specific requests at a later time.
Generating a deep link to the playground’s current state
Please feel free to try the OAuth 2.0 Playground. We are happy to receive any feedback, bugs, or questions in the OAuth Playground forum.
| Nicolas Garnier profile | twitter | events Nicolas joined Google’s Developer Relations in 2008. Since then hes worked on commerce oriented products such as Google Checkout and Google Base. Currently, he is working on Google Apps with a focus on the Google Calendar API, the Google Contacts API, and the Tasks API. Before joining Google, Nicolas worked at Airbus and at the French Space Agency where he built web applications for scientific researchers. |
How to wrap a gift card hint it involves power tools
Note: This post has nothing to do with agile, but hopefully it will add some excitement to your future gift card giving experiences.
This Christmas I was tasked with buying gifts for three of my nephews. I bought two gift cards from West 49 and another from Chapters. For some of you these may be fine gifts to give and you are happy to check off three more items on your list. However, my goal in giving any gift is to first give them what they want and second to try and surprise and delight them with something unexpected. A gift card is not surprising or particularly delightful.
So... what to do? For the first gift card, I took a typical approach and wrapped it in ever increasing sizes of boxes with lots of duct tape and topped it off with pretty ribbon and a bow. It was a very delightful looking gift. But, in the end I decided this was a little too typical and unwrapped it while I pondered other ideas.
It was while wandering through the garage that I received my inspiration - an old eight foot 2x6. Here are the steps that followed.
1. Using a circular saw, cut a slit about 3 inches deep and 6 inches long into the edge of the 2x6. After making the cut, make sure that the gift card will fit inside the slit.
2. Next, decide on a shape to create out of the wood (for this example I used a Christmas bell ornament) and cut the 2x6 into pieces accordingly and nail or screw the pieces together to form your masterpiece. Depending on the size of the gift card you may need to cut an additional slit in a second piece of the 2x6 so that the card will fit properly inside your wooden ornament.
Before wrapping your ornament you may want to secure a ribbon to the top so that you can hang it up. At the top of the ornament, hammer in a nail half way. Now wrap a small piece of ribbon around the nail and then bend the nail over completely so that it holds the ribbon in place.
3. The finished and fully wrapped product!
4. Now repeat with other shapes as necessary until all your gift cards are wrapped. I created a Christmas bell, a Christmas tree, and a Christmas ball.
The reactions you get may vary, but my nephews used the words best and ever after opening their gift cards. Also, the look on their faces after they unwrapped their homemade ornaments and before they realized there was more unwrapping to do was priceless.
Hopefully I can wrap more gift cards next year. My brother has already promised it will involve acetlyane torches.
Read more »
This Christmas I was tasked with buying gifts for three of my nephews. I bought two gift cards from West 49 and another from Chapters. For some of you these may be fine gifts to give and you are happy to check off three more items on your list. However, my goal in giving any gift is to first give them what they want and second to try and surprise and delight them with something unexpected. A gift card is not surprising or particularly delightful.
So... what to do? For the first gift card, I took a typical approach and wrapped it in ever increasing sizes of boxes with lots of duct tape and topped it off with pretty ribbon and a bow. It was a very delightful looking gift. But, in the end I decided this was a little too typical and unwrapped it while I pondered other ideas.
It was while wandering through the garage that I received my inspiration - an old eight foot 2x6. Here are the steps that followed.
1. Using a circular saw, cut a slit about 3 inches deep and 6 inches long into the edge of the 2x6. After making the cut, make sure that the gift card will fit inside the slit.
2. Next, decide on a shape to create out of the wood (for this example I used a Christmas bell ornament) and cut the 2x6 into pieces accordingly and nail or screw the pieces together to form your masterpiece. Depending on the size of the gift card you may need to cut an additional slit in a second piece of the 2x6 so that the card will fit properly inside your wooden ornament.
Before wrapping your ornament you may want to secure a ribbon to the top so that you can hang it up. At the top of the ornament, hammer in a nail half way. Now wrap a small piece of ribbon around the nail and then bend the nail over completely so that it holds the ribbon in place.
3. The finished and fully wrapped product!
4. Now repeat with other shapes as necessary until all your gift cards are wrapped. I created a Christmas bell, a Christmas tree, and a Christmas ball.
The reactions you get may vary, but my nephews used the words best and ever after opening their gift cards. Also, the look on their faces after they unwrapped their homemade ornaments and before they realized there was more unwrapping to do was priceless.
Hopefully I can wrap more gift cards next year. My brother has already promised it will involve acetlyane torches.
Tuesday, March 3, 2015
Fun Way to Get Your Kids to Stop Chatting!
This idea is actually a gem that one of my students thought of a few years ago! One of my classes favorite YouTube videos was this one... "If Youre a Boy" from Harry Kindergarten.
Well... my kids were chatty one day and I said "If youre a boy zip your lips." One of my girls said "If youre a boy, a boy, if youre a boy zip your lips!" And so a new tradition was born!
When my kids get chatty, all I do is start to sing the song!
If theyre extra loud, I have them do actions that will get the other students attention (e.g. ones that make them move more or make more noise) such as: pat your legs, jump up and down or clap your hands.
If theres only one or two students chatting, I usually do more silent action, such as zip your lips, fold your hands.
I actually also use this to get my students to clean up at the end of their writing period. I break it down step by step for them (since theyre kindergarten), so Ill say "If youre a boy, a boy, if youre a boy put your crayon away." Then I follow it by fold your hands, push in your chair, and walk to the carpet.
How do you get your kids to quiet down!
Text to Speech to Enjoying Traffic Jams!
Do you experience traffic jams? YES!Do you curse at other Monkey drivers? YES!
Do you feel like beating the Beep out of them? YES!
Do you listen to the radio hoping for the right song? YES!
Do you spend more than 1 hour traveling on the road every day? YES!
Do you feel that you are wasting your time? YES!
Do you prefer just listening to music (to relax and chill!)? YES!
Do you have an iPod or MP3 player? YES!
REFLECTING
Why waste so much time basically doing nothing while getting annoyed in traffic jams. Some people could potentially have learned enough to get a degree while stuck countless hours in traffic jams. Besides downloading audio books and lectures from tons of amazing sites (Click here for starters!), you could also convert your text files into MP3 files (or on-the-fly) using text-to-speech converters. In the past they sounded robotic and horrible! But they are getting better, and some of the free tools today are not bad.
I used to hate getting stuck in traffic jams, but now I am instead enjoying them listening to world class lectures (e.g. downloaded or streaming) on my IPod, including Nobel Laureates sharing their vast knowledge, skills and experiences. Not only do I forget about the traffic jams in front of me, I am learning from amazing people, and most of these amazing learning resources are available for free (e.g. Open Educational Resources). In other words, sometimes I hope that the traffic jams would continue for a few more minutes, so that I can complete the lecture that I am listening to.
And now with improving text-to-speech converters, we can convert juicy articles that we dont have time to otherwise read. The only minor problem is that the best text-to-speech converters are still not free.
vozMe is an interesting text-to-speech converter that is free and requires hardly any learning time to master. However, it would have been wonderful if it had more options in terms of speakers (e.g. Sean Connery) and that it could sound more natural. Also, if it had enabled us to upload files (or a desktop version) to convert them, now that would be wonderful.
If only Google could have had a good text-to-speech converter embedded to their Google Docs (or any of their tools), now then I would finally be impressed with them. To me, that is one of the missing links for Google to be truly accessible to all. Anyway, I am pretty sure Google will provide such services soon, and then the commercial tools would need to react, and finally we all will benefit, and create a better learning world for all.
Also, if we could also have a good free speech-to-text converter, now then I would probably create my own traffic jams to finish off my work in peace. Imagine driving writing (I mean narrating!) your blog posts and then searching Google by telling it verbally to synthesize some information regarding instructional design, which you want to include in the post. Better yet, Google reads your mind (waves) to speed up the process.
Finally, we are working 24 hours a day, and have no time for family or a holiday. Hm, that does not sound so wonderful. I Need to go home, but while driving why not enjoy...
And now with improving text-to-speech converters, we can convert juicy articles that we dont have time to otherwise read. The only minor problem is that the best text-to-speech converters are still not free.
vozMe is an interesting text-to-speech converter that is free and requires hardly any learning time to master. However, it would have been wonderful if it had more options in terms of speakers (e.g. Sean Connery) and that it could sound more natural. Also, if it had enabled us to upload files (or a desktop version) to convert them, now that would be wonderful.
If only Google could have had a good text-to-speech converter embedded to their Google Docs (or any of their tools), now then I would finally be impressed with them. To me, that is one of the missing links for Google to be truly accessible to all. Anyway, I am pretty sure Google will provide such services soon, and then the commercial tools would need to react, and finally we all will benefit, and create a better learning world for all.
Also, if we could also have a good free speech-to-text converter, now then I would probably create my own traffic jams to finish off my work in peace. Imagine driving writing (I mean narrating!) your blog posts and then searching Google by telling it verbally to synthesize some information regarding instructional design, which you want to include in the post. Better yet, Google reads your mind (waves) to speed up the process.
Finally, we are working 24 hours a day, and have no time for family or a holiday. Hm, that does not sound so wonderful. I Need to go home, but while driving why not enjoy...
TEXT-TO-SPEECH TOOLS
Here are a few FREE text-to-speech tools to get you started (Warning: They usually offer a commercial version or upgrade option, too):
- vozMeA free gadget you can add to your website to add text to speech functionality. Also, it enables you easily to convert your text files into MP3 files with a few clicks. It is online and free.
- Jott
It converts your voice into emails, text messages, reminders, lists and appointments. - iSpeechConvert any text to speech with iSpeech. Its text to speech (TTS) Web service is being used in many markets including e-learning, education, websites, media, mobile applications, weblogs, and more.
- TTSReader
Is a full-featured, text-to speech software package that allows reading text aloud as well as to wav or mp3 files. TTSReader is freeware, therefore you can download and use it free of charge. - Panopreter
It reads text file, rtf file, word document and web page in .htm format, it can read in English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Chinese, Japanese and more, provided such Text-To-Speech voice engines have been installed on your computer. Panopreter converts the files into audio files with the format of wave and MP3. So you can hear your files with your audio media player, you dont need to sit at the desk, with your eyes fixed on the computers screen any longer. - ReadPlease 2003
The free edition offers full support for all Microsoft voices, reads text via Windows clipboard fm any program, Adjustable voice speed (rate) and so on. - NaturalReader
The Free version allows you to experience listening to your emails, web pages, reports or any text on your PC. There are no charges for downloading, using and redistributing the free version of the software.
If you have any better free text-to-speech tools to suggest, please make some noise right here :)
Monday, March 2, 2015
How to Make a Frame in PowerPoint
Are you looking for a way to make your TPT cover page more colorful? Or to make a bright visual for your classroom? Well... its much easier than you might think! For this weeks Technology Tuesday (and I say Tuesday loosely as its almost midnight... eek!), the winner was how to make your own frame in powerpoint!
And of course, heres the frame that I made as a freebie!
To save the files, just click the image to get to the higher quality picture, then right click (or Mac: Ctrl + Click) to save the image onto your computer!
Next week, Im going to add how to make a collage of words in any shape you want!
Read more »
This item won the poll by a large margin, but it does seem that some of the other options are becoming strong competitors! I cant wait to see what happens on next weeks poll!
Now, without further adieu...
You can download this tutorial as a PDF by clicking this picture!
Note: This tutorial is hosted on Google Docs. To save it from there, just open the file and click File > Download to save onto your computer!
And of course, heres the frame that I made as a freebie!
To save the files, just click the image to get to the higher quality picture, then right click (or Mac: Ctrl + Click) to save the image onto your computer!
Next week, Im going to add how to make a collage of words in any shape you want!
Sunday, March 1, 2015
Thinking Back to The Future!
First, I would like to wish all Muslim readers a belated Eid Mubarak (Eid-al-Adha), and a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year for readers celebrating those events.
2008
Some people might be wondering, "how come ZaidLearn has been so quiet for more than a month (since 10th November)?". Partially, it is because I have been busy reflecting since then about this year and how to move forward in 2009. Also, since my last post I have conducted two e-learning workshops in Saudi Arabia (17-19 and 22-23 November), had a spiritual journey (Umrah), a two week terrible flu experience (but Insha-Allah a cleansing one), and delivered a lecture on critical thinking at the Ministry Of Health Malaysia Tutors Conference, besides work and family pleasure.
Although, the online learning adventures have brought me joy and some success, I cant say that of my last learning adventures in the physical world. Somehow, they have been way below what I had envisioned (a real wake-up call!). Though, I was really impressed and humbled by the amazing hospitality and kindness I received in Saudi Arabia (Thank you so much!). Everyone, from the Director to the hotel driver were simply amazing. Although, the workshops didnt work out as well as I had hoped, I do hope that they benefited from them in one way or the other. Yes, those two workshops (3+2 days) with a Umrah smacked in between was really exhausting (of course my fault!). I am for sure not planning to try something like that again (at least not as a one-man show!). Hm, on the last day of the second workshop, my brain simply malfunctioned. At one stage, I was babbling things that werent making any sense at all. Oh I forgot, I was even interviewed by one of the Saudi TV Channels on the second day of this adventure. 10.00 pm local time, no make-up, 5-hour jet lag, meaning 3.00 am Malaysian time. In other words, I must have looked really tired! In short, I have produced a laundry list of things that I could have done better (or have avoided).
Then a couple of days ago (21/12), I conducted a lecture about critical thinking at the Ministry Of Health Malaysia Tutors Conference in Kuantan. Again, it was another speedy energetic inter-galactic infusion-of-confusion kind of delivery. In short, it was a mess (from a learning point-of-view), but hopefully they benefited from the slides and some of the points I made. Though, I would like thank and congratulate the hosts for their hospitality, caring and understanding. One of the organizers even apologized to me on behalf of some of the tutors who fell asleep during the lecture.
Whether it was the dinner (just before the lecture), their long journeys to the event that day (from all over Malaysia), or my confusing lecture that was to blame is something that could be debated, but surely it has changed my plan and hedgehog goals for 2009.
To sum up 2008, I would say that the ZaidLearn online learning adventure has been quite successful (No mood to discuss it, but you can Google zaidlearn to figure it out), but the worldly adventures have been rather a big question-mark (lectures, workshops and work)!
To transform this big question mark (failure!) into success, will be my major hedgehog goal for 2009. So, the Learning Innovation Lab and PhD adventure (unless I can align it with this hedgehog goal) will be put on hold. This time it is personal!
So, what is my hedgehog goal for the near future?
THE ZAIDLEARN METHOD
Why me? Why now? But, then again, everything happens for a reason, and hopefully this is the case here. I am still learning (the hard way! As usual!). But then again, no point crying about it. I suppose the best thing to do, is to zoom in on the problem (me!) and transform it into a learning opportunity. So, after a couple of shaky learning adventures I have decided to dedicate 2009 to mastering the art of simplifying ideas (or content) and inspiring people to learn. Some might argue that people can only inspire themselves to learn. So, if that is the case, I need to master the art of triggering people to inspire themselves to learn. But first, I need to trigger myself to inspire myself to learn.
By the end of 2009, this learning journey (or approach) will hopefully be known as the ZaidLearn Method (Simplify Ideas, Inspire People!). I am not sure if I can get a PhD on that (unless I complexify the simplifying!), but hopefully I will increasingly be able to simplify my ideas (and content), and connect with learners in new and inspiring ways, as I learn.
I was thinking, what if I could learn how to simplify content like the Zen, and inspire people like Obama. What if I could apply this to... Not everything can be learned (nature vs nurture!), but we will never know unless we challenge ourselves beyond thinking about it!
For years, people have been telling me to focus, and perhaps now I have found an area that at last excites me to focus (for a longer period than a few hours!), besides the personal mind enforcement kind of approach. If I am not mistaken, I wrote somewhere about doing a PhD entitled The Lecture some time back (here it is!). I suppose now this prediction might even come true. Well, not perhaps the PhD part, but the journey to mastering the art of lecturing. This time it is about survival!
2009 here I come! Only God (Allah) knows where that will end! But, at least the hunger to learn is back in me. Yes, I am back, hopefully on the right track :)
Although, the online learning adventures have brought me joy and some success, I cant say that of my last learning adventures in the physical world. Somehow, they have been way below what I had envisioned (a real wake-up call!). Though, I was really impressed and humbled by the amazing hospitality and kindness I received in Saudi Arabia (Thank you so much!). Everyone, from the Director to the hotel driver were simply amazing. Although, the workshops didnt work out as well as I had hoped, I do hope that they benefited from them in one way or the other. Yes, those two workshops (3+2 days) with a Umrah smacked in between was really exhausting (of course my fault!). I am for sure not planning to try something like that again (at least not as a one-man show!). Hm, on the last day of the second workshop, my brain simply malfunctioned. At one stage, I was babbling things that werent making any sense at all. Oh I forgot, I was even interviewed by one of the Saudi TV Channels on the second day of this adventure. 10.00 pm local time, no make-up, 5-hour jet lag, meaning 3.00 am Malaysian time. In other words, I must have looked really tired! In short, I have produced a laundry list of things that I could have done better (or have avoided).
Then a couple of days ago (21/12), I conducted a lecture about critical thinking at the Ministry Of Health Malaysia Tutors Conference in Kuantan. Again, it was another speedy energetic inter-galactic infusion-of-confusion kind of delivery. In short, it was a mess (from a learning point-of-view), but hopefully they benefited from the slides and some of the points I made. Though, I would like thank and congratulate the hosts for their hospitality, caring and understanding. One of the organizers even apologized to me on behalf of some of the tutors who fell asleep during the lecture.
Whether it was the dinner (just before the lecture), their long journeys to the event that day (from all over Malaysia), or my confusing lecture that was to blame is something that could be debated, but surely it has changed my plan and hedgehog goals for 2009.
To sum up 2008, I would say that the ZaidLearn online learning adventure has been quite successful (No mood to discuss it, but you can Google zaidlearn to figure it out), but the worldly adventures have been rather a big question-mark (lectures, workshops and work)!
To transform this big question mark (failure!) into success, will be my major hedgehog goal for 2009. So, the Learning Innovation Lab and PhD adventure (unless I can align it with this hedgehog goal) will be put on hold. This time it is personal!
So, what is my hedgehog goal for the near future?
THE ZAIDLEARN METHOD
Why me? Why now? But, then again, everything happens for a reason, and hopefully this is the case here. I am still learning (the hard way! As usual!). But then again, no point crying about it. I suppose the best thing to do, is to zoom in on the problem (me!) and transform it into a learning opportunity. So, after a couple of shaky learning adventures I have decided to dedicate 2009 to mastering the art of simplifying ideas (or content) and inspiring people to learn. Some might argue that people can only inspire themselves to learn. So, if that is the case, I need to master the art of triggering people to inspire themselves to learn. But first, I need to trigger myself to inspire myself to learn.
By the end of 2009, this learning journey (or approach) will hopefully be known as the ZaidLearn Method (Simplify Ideas, Inspire People!). I am not sure if I can get a PhD on that (unless I complexify the simplifying!), but hopefully I will increasingly be able to simplify my ideas (and content), and connect with learners in new and inspiring ways, as I learn.
I was thinking, what if I could learn how to simplify content like the Zen, and inspire people like Obama. What if I could apply this to... Not everything can be learned (nature vs nurture!), but we will never know unless we challenge ourselves beyond thinking about it!
For years, people have been telling me to focus, and perhaps now I have found an area that at last excites me to focus (for a longer period than a few hours!), besides the personal mind enforcement kind of approach. If I am not mistaken, I wrote somewhere about doing a PhD entitled The Lecture some time back (here it is!). I suppose now this prediction might even come true. Well, not perhaps the PhD part, but the journey to mastering the art of lecturing. This time it is about survival!
2009 here I come! Only God (Allah) knows where that will end! But, at least the hunger to learn is back in me. Yes, I am back, hopefully on the right track :)
Your Top 10 Videos That Inspire Us To Rethink The Way We Learn
- Starting point - 80+ Videos for Tech. & Media Literacy
- My Top 10 List (Vote or rearrange according to...)
I was last night exploring Dr. Alec Couros amazing list of videos for Tech. & Media Literacy, and then an idea popped in my wondering mind.
Ironically and sadly, many of us are still trying to persuade our dear fellow educators to rethink the way we educate and learn (even until today! Believe it or not!), but often fall short for one reason or the other. Lets face it, not all of us can inspire like Obama.
Ironically and sadly, many of us are still trying to persuade our dear fellow educators to rethink the way we educate and learn (even until today! Believe it or not!), but often fall short for one reason or the other. Lets face it, not all of us can inspire like Obama.
However, if we cant personally inspire mindset change, others perhaps can. Personally, I always use videos (usually short ones. 3-10 minutes) in my presentations to spark or inspire participants to think about, or rethink the way we learn and teach in the 21st century (It is already 2009!). Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesnt. But, overall participants get excited and appreciate whenever I have infused a relevant video or two in my presentations.
However, the real challenge is to choose the appropriate video(s) for the learning event, while taking into consideration all the racial, cultural or religious challenges it might cause. But before even getting there, we need to discover excellent videos. Dr. Alec Couros has done the world a great favor by sharing with us his amazing list. Thank you!
However, the real challenge is to choose the appropriate video(s) for the learning event, while taking into consideration all the racial, cultural or religious challenges it might cause. But before even getting there, we need to discover excellent videos. Dr. Alec Couros has done the world a great favor by sharing with us his amazing list. Thank you!
OBJECTIVE
Wouldnt it be nice if other learning professionals (or anyone for that sake!) shared their list of favorite learning videos with the rest of us. Lets virally share our favorite videos, enabling those that struggle to find such videos, find them more conveniently.
To be a bit more instructionally sound, lets create an objective for this video discovering event:
To be a bit more instructionally sound, lets create an objective for this video discovering event:
- To list and share our top 10 favorite videos that inspire us to rethink the way we learn and educate in the 21st century.
Besides the title, author and link (URL) to the video, please add a short description and why you selected that particular one (if possible).
MY TOP 10 LIST
Here is my current top 10 list of videos that inspire us to rethink the way we learn and educate:
- A Vision of Students Today (Michael Wesch)
Created to inspire teachers to use technology in engaging ways to help students develop higher level thinking skills. Equally important, it serves to motivate district level leaders to provide teachers with the tools and training to do so. - Do Schools Kill Creativity? (Ken Robinson)
Sir Ken Robinson makes an entertaining (and profoundly moving) case for creating an education system that nurtures creativity, rather than undermining it. - Did You Know? 3.0 (Created by Karl Fisch, and modified by Scott McLeod)
"Widely viewed video by Karl Fisch and Scott McLeod that gives light to the changes imminent in our emerging knowledge-based society. This is an excellent video for framing and introducing the new reality to students, teachers, faculty, and administrators." - Dr. Alec Couros - The Machine is Us/ing Us (Michael Wesch)
"Web 2.0" in just under 5 minutes. - Five Minute University (Father Guido Sarducci)
Father Guido Sarducci teaches what an average college graduate knows after five years from graduation in five minutes. The video gives humorous critique to learning in higher education. - Pay Attention (Darren Draper)
This presentation, simply entitled Pay Attention, was created by Darren Draper in an effort to motivate teachers to more effectively use technology in their teaching. - Teaching Teaching & Understanding Understanding (Claus Brabrand and Jacob Andersen)A 19-minute award-winning short-film about teaching at the University. It shows examples of good and bad teaching, and promotes constructive alignment learning approach using Solo Taxonomy to test students level of understanding (deep understanding?).
- Brain Rules (Dr. John Medina)
How do we learn? What exactly do sleep and stress do to our brains? Why is multi-tasking a myth? Why is it so easy to forget--and so important to repeat new information? Is it true that men and women have different brains? In Brain Rules, molecular biologist Dr. John Medina shares his lifelong interest in how the brain sciences might influence the way we teach our children and the way we work. In each chapter, he describes a brain rule - what scientists know for sure about how our brains work - and then offers transformative ideas for our daily lives. - Debunks Myths about the so-called "Developing World" (Hans Rosling)Youve never seen data presented like this. With the drama and urgency of a sportscaster, statistics guru Hans Rosling debunks myths about the so-called "developing world." Yes, we could learn a few tricks from him on how to inspire students to learn our topic for the day.
- PowerPoint Extreme Makeover (Dean Shareski)
How do you use PowerPoint effectively? Using Camtasia studio, Dean Shareski shows you what you can do to make your PowerPoint presentation more attractive, engaging and effective. - A Brave New World-Wide Web (David Truss)I know it is a top 10 list, but I just discovered this excellent learning video, and want to include it here (so I dont ever forget it!). It makes you reflect about how technology is changing the way we learn and teach, and is a great video to kick-start a discussion on using technology to facilitate learning.
YOUR TOP 10 LIST?
Wouldnt it be cool if we could do something similar to Jane Harts Top 10 Tools Lists of Learning Professionals 2009 for inspiring learning videos, and then do the top 100 and hoopla, hoopla, hoopla...! Jane, if you are reading this post, I would recommend that you take charge (seriously!) of this project (no money involved, just 1000s of more hits!). We could replicate, or reuse your template for learning tools, and do one for videos, too.
If not, we could use a wiki. If anyone has already posted their 10 top videos (or whatever list), please feel free to share it with us (in the comments section).
In short, I believe this inspiring project in the making could be really helpful to many enlightened and inspired educators (but perhaps not inspiring to others) out there that are looking for sparks (e.g. learning videos) that could inspire their fellow educators to rethink the way they educate and learn.
Educators who have shared their top 10 lists, or favorite learning videos (until now):
Lets get busy sharing our favorite learning videos with the rest of the learning world :)
If not, we could use a wiki. If anyone has already posted their 10 top videos (or whatever list), please feel free to share it with us (in the comments section).
In short, I believe this inspiring project in the making could be really helpful to many enlightened and inspired educators (but perhaps not inspiring to others) out there that are looking for sparks (e.g. learning videos) that could inspire their fellow educators to rethink the way they educate and learn.
Educators who have shared their top 10 lists, or favorite learning videos (until now):
- DigiZen
- Alfredo Calderón
- Tracey Mollins
Lets get busy sharing our favorite learning videos with the rest of the learning world :)
How to Make Your Text Small Caps
Ive designed a few wedding invitations for my friends and this tip definitely came in handy since I could use any font I wanted and make it look exactly the way I wanted!
Unfortunately this tip doesnt work in PowerPoint, but it does work in Microsoft Word! (And if you want to put it into PowerPoint, you can copy/paste from work and it will keep the formatting.) I have no idea why it does work directly in PowerPoint though!
I hope you can find some uses for this in your classroom projects... Id love to hear from you if you do!
Read more »
Unfortunately this tip doesnt work in PowerPoint, but it does work in Microsoft Word! (And if you want to put it into PowerPoint, you can copy/paste from work and it will keep the formatting.) I have no idea why it does work directly in PowerPoint though!
I hope you can find some uses for this in your classroom projects... Id love to hear from you if you do!
Saturday, February 28, 2015
How to Add a Facebook Like Button to Your Blogs Side Bar
This weeks poll was really exciting... the bloggers united to vote for adding a facebook like button to the side bar of the blog! You can check out how mine looks on the side of my blog under where it says "Social Networks!"
Check out the poll!
For the tutorial, youll this link:
https://developers.facebook.com/docs/reference/plugins/like-box/
For next weeks poll, Ill add another blogger tutorial - how to add a poll to your blog! Be sure to vote!
Read more »
Check out the poll!
For the tutorial, youll this link:
https://developers.facebook.com/docs/reference/plugins/like-box/
You can download this tutorial as a PDF by clicking this picture!
Note: This tutorial is hosted on Google Drive. To save it from there, just open the file and click File > Download to save onto your computer!
For next weeks poll, Ill add another blogger tutorial - how to add a poll to your blog! Be sure to vote!
10 Secrets to Great Teaching Part 1
- TeacherTube version
- YouTube
- Google Video
PART 1
In part 1, I explore 4 (of 10) secrets to great teaching, or ingredients to become a great teacher. What are the ingredients of a great teacher? Well, when I complete the 2-part series you will at least know my standpoint on this issue. My findings is basically based on what I have observed, read, experienced and learned over the last few years in Higher Education.
Yes, you are certainly free to agree or disagree with all my ideas and thoughts about great teaching. What really matters, is not being right or wrong, but taking this wonderful opportunity to be part of a messy global conversation (in audio format) about this issue.
Here, enjoy part 1 (not sure about that!), and hopefully part 2 will be out sometime next week:
ZAIDLEARN EXPLORES AUDIO & VIDEO
This is probably the first time most of you hear me speak. I have to admit that I speak much faster normally (I tried hard to slow down, and probably sounded a bit too slow this time around.). Also, I did not use any script, as I wanted it to be as natural as possible.
I used PowerPoint to create the slides, and interestingly (exploring!) used Adobe Presenter to record the audio (Recommendation: For audio recording, use Audacity, which is easy-to-use and has more features). Finally, I used Windows Movie Maker (first time using!) to integrate the PNG converted PowerPoint slides, and the audio (MP3) files from the published Adobe Presenter presentation. Although, Windows Movie Maker is quite limited in terms of features, I actually enjoyed using it.
To explore uploading possibilities, I uploaded my 10-minute presentation to YouTube, TeacherTube and Google Video. The Google Video output is not good, but the YouTube and TeacherTube outputs are alright. I suppose I will explore slidecasting on SlideShare later, after I have completed part 2.
SELF-EVALUATION
My voice is a disaster and the PowerPoint slides need a face lift! Yes, perhaps I should include more music (to spice it up!), pictures, and flower it with a bit more animations. A video showing me babbling would be interesting, too (not really!).
Though, I really enjoyed exploring my voice, and hopefully I will create many more videos (learning nuggets of 10 minutes or less) sharing my ideas, thoughts and reflections about learning in the near future. Hopefully, someone out there will be listening and joining the conversation.
I suppose it is about time that ZaidLearn speaks out, besides rambling this and that with written words only.
I AM STILL LEARNING, and hopefully I will evolve. In the meantime, please be patient as I learn how to talk (on the Tube) :)
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