Creating Digital Books

I am preparing for a workshop on creating eBooks.  I will demonstrate Apple iWork Pages, iBooks Author, and SoftChalk.  My special interest is creating interactive books.

• iWork Pages will save a file in an ePub format, which can be viewed on mobile devices.  The downside, is that the digital books are not interactive. 
• iBooks Author is my choice of platform.  The updates to the free software make it very easy to create interaction.  The downside is that you must use a Mac and that the books are available in iBooks Author for iBooks.  You can save the books as a PDF file, but then you lose all of the interaction.
• SoftChalk is a great tool to use when creating online lessons.  You can also design eBooks with the software and save them in an ePub format.  Although, SoftChalk indicates that there are a variety of interactive tools you can use with the ePub, I was able to only to create a one item interactive quiz.  Drag and drop and timeline revealed raw code.  I reported the problem.  The SoftChalk ePub feature is in beta development.  The other downside to SoftChalk is that the software is not free.  I am able to use it because our University has a site license. 

Slide Presentation Design - There is an Exception to Every Rule

When I teach slide presentation design - the main thrust is for designers who use bullets to create messages.  To that extent, I recommend use of no more than 2-3 fonts, font color and the use of the 6x6 rule.  The 6x6 rule is no more than 6-7 words on a line and no more than 6 lines per slide. 

When attending the Symposium of the Future of Textbooks last week, I was reminded of exceptions to the rules I just stated. Cable Green did an amazing presentation (as he always does) on open education.  His slides punctuated his presentations.  Of course, his slides are available for re-use and re-mixing with the Creative Commons license.  The link to the slide presentation he did last Thursday evening is at http://www.affordablelearninggeorgia.org/documents/Cable_EveningPlenaryKeynote.pdf

On Friday, David Wiley, was the opening plenary speaker.  He spoke on affordable education. 
His slides are also available for re-use and re-mixing with the Creative Commons license.  The link for his slides is at http://www.affordablelearninggeorgia.org/documents/Wiley-ALG-UGA.pdf

I suggest that you take a few moments to review the slides from the links above.  Notice, that they were used to supplement presentations.  Both presentations were outstanding.  If you have an opportunity to hear with of the presenters - do just that. 

How to Use Hog Wild Questions - Interesting Concept

I was reviewing abstracts for a conference and ran across a concept developed by Ben Johnson - How to Use Hog Wild Questions.  Johnson suggests that the instructor could use Bloom's taxonomy and develop question while constructing a lesson.  It makes sense.  As I look forward to tweaking courses for next semester and developing a new one - I plan to use the concept. 

My idea is to "flip a lesson" into an interactive eBook chapter.  SoftChalk v9 and iBooks Author both provide ways to create an interactive ebook.  I will work on developing questions for the chapters using Johnson's approach.

You can read more about Johnson's concept on his blog at http://www.edutopia.org/blog/hog-wild-questions-classroom-ben-johnson

Office 365 Video - New Feature

I discovered a new Office 365 app this afternoon - Office 365 Video.  I am using Office 365 with the University's sharepoint server.  It is a developing Office feature and we are sure to hear more. The YouTube video below explains how the app will work.  More information is available from the Office blog at http://blogs.office.com/2014/11/18/introducing-office-365-video/

Draw MD - A Free App with Lots of Possibilities - Find it in MERLOT

I spent time finishing triages for contributions to MERLOT (http://www.merlot.org)  this week.  I discovered some amazing apps.  Draw MD is one - http://www.merlot.org/merlot/viewMaterial.htm?id=906206

Actually Draw MD is many apps.  It has anatomical images that the user can modify to teach others. While it was designed to assist physicians to teach patients, it has possibilities for all health science educators and students. The user can draw on the image, add text, and use "stamps."  The video from YouTube shown below provides an example using a urology image.  The final image can be saved or emailed.  Instructors might want to create images to use in slide presentations for lectures.  Students might create images to share what they understand about disorders. 

Diabetes Website - Guiding Principles for the Care of People With or at Risk for Diabetes

An amazing group of organizations banded together to create Guiding Principles for the Care of People With or at Risk for Diabetes, which assist providers to deliver diabetes care.  The website is at http://ndep.nih.gov/hcp-businesses-and-schools/guiding-principles/ 
It is sponsored by the Department of Health and Human Services, the NIH, and the CDC.

The ten principles are:

1. Identify undiagnosed diabetes and prediabetes
2. Manage prediabetes
3. Provide self-management education and support
4. Provide individualized nutrition therapy
5. Encourage regular physical activity
6. Control blood sugar
7. Reduce cardiovascular disease risk
8. Detect and monitor microvascular complications
9. Consider special populations
10. Provide patient-centered care

iPharmacy Pill Reminder App for iOS and Android Devices

There is a pill reminder app, iPharmacy, available for iOS and Android devices.

The information about the iOS app is at http://www.merlot.org/merlot/viewMaterial.htm?id=906065
The information about the Android app is at http://www.merlot.org/merlot/viewMaterial.htm?id=674849

View the video below to learn more.