Links for 1-6-08 to 1-12-08

Here are my links for this week. I have to warn you, there are more than a few. I wonder if I should post them all or be more selective? At any rate, here's what I found interesting this week:

• Remove Clutter in the Background of Photographs. I stink at photo editing, so I'm always looking for tips.


• The Secret to Creating your own PowerPoint Templates for e-Learning. Again, I'm no graphics expert, so I appreciate someone telling me how to be better.


• Social Networks, or "I'm a Hermit." Dave Warlick at the 2¢ Worth blog tries to wrap his mind around Facebook and other social networks. I've already blogged about my usage of Facebook and how it has enhanced my interaction with students and about my thoughts for Facebook as a CMS. It's interesting to me to see other's opinions about something I feel strongly about.


• The Bamboo Project Readers' Guide to Getting Back Your Creative Mojo. Ever get stuck in a rut and you can't get your juices flowing to get things done? Here are some suggestions. Me? I throw darts in my office.


• The Value of Instructional Designers. Okay, I have to admit I'm geeking out COMPLETELY about Cammy Bean's Learning Visions blog. It's all things instructional design! The interesting thing about this post is that it attacks a question my fellow students and I grappled with while in graduate school. What good are we as instructional designers? I think I'm going to need a full post on this one. (You know, in my immense free time!)


• How to Avoid the 10 Worst Energy Zappers. I'm always looking to be more productive, and I've tried to start implementing some of these suggestions to see if they help. I particularly like the Toxic People suggestion. Sometimes I let others control me way too much.


• Quickly Install the Best OpenSource Apps with WinLibre and MacLibre. I love OpenSource technologies, and I'm all about getting the newest things easily. I haven't downloaded and used these yet, but when I do, I'll let you know how it went.


• Convert any Audio File with MediaEncoder Audio Edition. I've got some files I need converting, so I'm going to give this one a whirl.


• Instructional Design and Market Sector Differences. Another post by Cammy Bean that I need to follow up on. This one asks the question, "Just what is it that you do, Dr. Curry?" Actually, it asks what those of us in academia do.


• New Blogs for Learning. Jeff Utecht at the Thinking Stick blog talks about the power of putting the technology in student hands.


• Download and Listen to Free Music on the Web. Great overview of the different places to get music on the web. I do so much podcasting with my students that I'm always looking out for buffer music. Granted, I have something like 10,000 songs on my iPod, but you can never have too much music. You have to have something for every occasion. Plus, I try to make my buffer music apply to the topic. I'm quirky that way.


• Top Ten Underhyped Web Apps. The best web applications you've never heard of.


• Watch Full-Length TV Online with Fancast. This one's just for fun . . .


• Edit PDFs Online with PDFHammer. A neat looking new tool for editing PDFs online.


• PRISM Video Converter. I've been having problems with Handbrake as of late, so I'm going to give this one a try. Thanks, Neil, for the tip! It seems they also have an audio converter as well. YEE HA!


• See Real Recent Car Sale Prices at PriceHub. I've got to get a new car, so I need some help countering the dreaded car salesmen of the world . . .


• NEULIO. I'm not going to use this to publish a course, but I'm interested in seeing how it works.


• Convert WMV files to MOV Files for Free. Another interesting-looking tool.


• Getting Productive in 2008 with JOTT. Now this looks COOL. This is a longer post about one of the above mentioned underhyped web apps. I will DEFINITELY use this one. Basically, you call a toll-free number, leave yourself a message, and it sends you a reminder (text-based) via e-mail.


• Social Networking in Education. Steve Hargadon provides a HUGE list of social networking sites specific to education.

And my links from my del.icio.us account:

• Five Dangerous Things You Should Let Your Kids Do. This is video of a TED talk given by Gever Tulley. Very insightful and entertaining.


• Blue Moon of Kentucky performed by Conan O'Brien. HILARIOUS. Great, but hilarious.


• Technology Skills for Instructional Designers. This parallels the conversation Cammy Bean has above.


• Dizzler.com. Free music and video with the MySpace player.


• Taxonomy of Technology Integration. I'm working on an article that deals with levels of technology integration, and this proved helpful.


• CARET. ISTE's Center for Applied Research in Educational Technology's research database.


• 100 Excellent Free WordPress Themes. Who knows, maybe one of these will show up on here one day.


• Five Effective e-Learning Design Strategies. Webinar given by Karl Kapp.