Robin Good's Latest News http://www.masternewmedia.org/index.html http://feeds.feedburner.com/Robin-Good-Latest-Newshttp://www.masternewmedia.org/images/Robin-Good_logo-130.jpgRobin Good's Latest News What Communication Experts Need To Know - Breaking News About Ideas, Digital Tools, Methods And Skills To Communicate And Learn More Effectively With New Media Technologies (daily) en-us Wed, 3 Dec 2008 13:58:00 GMT http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/This is an XML content feed. It is intended to be viewed in a newsreader or syndicated to another site. <![CDATA[Mobile Ecommerce: Usability Techniques To Improve Your Mobile Website]]> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Robin-Good-Latest-News/~3/oJxiUQsbVCo/ Is your site accessible on a mobile phone? Not yet? Do you think your readers are all still accessing your site only via their PC-based computers? Think again: The number of people who surf the web via their mobile phones has been increasing tremendously in recent times and, whether you like it or not, your web site is going to be no exception to this. mobile-ecommerce-usability-size485.jpg Photo credit: Knitware Blog edited by Daniele Bazzano
"The US is the most tech savvy nation with nearly 40 million Americans - 16% of all US mobile users - using their handset to browse on the move. The UK and then Italy come a close second and third..." (Source: Nielsen Mobile / BBC)
This is why is so important that you add to the list of key usability questions some of the following: Can your readers access your web site via mobile phone easily? If you have an ecommerce site, what precautions have you taken so that if your reader loses his connection in the middle of a transaction nothing gets lost? Ecommerce via mobile phones poses specific usability issues that need to be addressed as priorities if your site provides any type of interaction feature. The result is the need to address with more attention the design aspects of your mobile-enabled web site as to effectively deal with the specific usability concerns characteristic of the mobile universe, such as the smaller keyboards available to your readers, or the limited size of their screens. In this article, Alexander Baxevanis provides a detailed list of usability issues that must be addressed by any serious web publisher wanting to reach out to the emerging mobile audience(s). Here all the details:


Ecommerce On The Go - Selling Through The Mobile

mobile_ecommerce_usability_id691868_size400.jpg

Introduction

Since we last wrote about the usability of mobile websites, the rise of the iPhone and other high-end handsets has meant that even more people use the Internet on their phone. (Source: Nielsen Mobile / BBC). Companies have responded by creating more mobile-optimised websites, some of which now allow people to complete ecommerce transactions on the mobile, instead of simply researching for information. For example: However, while many people are already comfortable making online purchases using a computer, doing the same through a mobile phone poses unique challenges. These challenges need to be addressed by mobile ecommerce sites. This article provides best practice guidelines for removing potential barriers between your customers and your mobile ecommerce site.


Help People Find Your Mobile Site

mobile-ecommerce-usability-image001.jpg Having a mobile-optimised site is no use if your customers can't find it. You should always detect when visitors are accessing your site through a mobile phone, and automatically redirect them to the mobile-optimised version of the site. Although you may also advertise the link to your mobile site, people may still remember the link to your main site only, or may arrive on your main site through a search engine link. Ensure that the link to your mobile site is easy to remember and type into a mobile phone. For example:
  • Append the word 'mobile' to your main domain (e.g. www.example.com/mobile)
  • Use a .mobi domain with your brand name (e.g. www.example.mobi)



Cater For Dropped Internet Connections

mobile-ecommerce-usability-image004.jpg Mobile internet connections can often be unstable, e.g. when a mobile phone moves into a low signal area or runs out of battery. It's usually not a big issue if this happens while someone is simply consuming information e.g. reading the news. However, a dropped connection in the middle of a transaction may leave people wondering if the transaction has been completed or frustrated that the information they've entered so far was lost. While there's not much you can do to improve mobile network coverage, you can mitigate the effects of dropped connections by:
  • Saving all details in every step of a transaction e.g. the items in a shopping basket or the shipping details already entered
  • Ensuring that a transaction can be resumed from the point where it was left, without having to start over
  • Capturing visitors' e-mail addresses or mobile phones at the beginning of a transaction and sending them instructions to help them continue an interrupted transaction
  • Ensuring that all transactions available on your mobile site can be completed in a few short steps



Avoid Data Entry Where Possible

mobile-ecommerce-usability-image005.jpg Although high-end smartphones increasingly incorporate a full physical or on-screen keyboard, typing on a mobile phone still isn't as easy as on a computer. Unfortunately, completing an ecommerce transaction often requires a lot of information that isn't always easy to type, such as addresses and credit card numbers. In order to decrease the chances that customers will drop off at this point, you can mimimise data entry by:
  • Allowing customers to log-in with the same username and password that they use for your main website in order to retrieving shipping and billing information stored in their account
  • Encouraging customers to create an account to speed up future transactions
  • Integrating with 3rd party billing services for which customers need to enter only a username & password e.g. PayPal



Reassure Users About Transaction Security

mobile-ecommerce-usability-image008.jpg With frequent reports on the news about credit card fraud and identity theft, most shoppers are looking to be reassured that their online transaction will be secure. While most desktop web browsers prominently highlight secure websites and protect users from visiting fraudulent sites, many mobile browsers are primitive in that respect. Also, because there are many mobile phones with different web browsers, people haven't yet become accustomed to a certain way of highlighting that a website is secure. It's a good idea to prominently highlight that your mobile site is secure on the homepage and on pages that ask for sensitive information. Customers may also feel more comfortable if they don't need to enter any sensitive information because it's already stored in their account, as discussed in the previous point.


Think Mobile For The Post-Transaction Stage

mobile-ecommerce-usability-image009.jpg Interacting with your customers doesn't stop when they complete a transaction. A good mobile user experience should extend well into the post-transaction phase, e.g. when customers need to track the goods they ordered or check a booking confirmation. After all, if your customers have chosen to complete a transaction using a mobile phone, they'll likely appreciate following up on this transaction in the same way. Depending on the nature of the transaction, the following guidelines may apply:
  • When customers can buy physical goods through your mobile site, provide a mobile solution for tracking the progress of the order and the delivery of the goods.
  • When customers can book tickets or other services through your site, provide a mobile-friendly booking confirmation e-mail and consider mobile ticketing solutions, where tickets can be electronically stored in a mobile phone in the form of a special barcode
  • In any case, ensure that all e-mails following up on a transaction are mobile-friendly



Conclusion

With increasing mobile internet use, it won't be long before your customers will expect to transact with you over their mobile phone. This will take more than simply “downscaling” your existing website to fit in a mobile screen. Only if you carefully consider the unique challenges and opportunities offered through the mobile channel will you be able to offer your customers a truly mobile user experience.

Originally written by Alexander Baxevanis for Webcredible and first published on December 1st 2008 as "Ecommerce on the go - selling through the mobile"

About the author alexander_baxevanis_thumbnail.gif Alexander Baxevanis is crazy about usability - so crazy that he works for Webcredible, an industry leading user experience consultancy, helping to make the Internet a better place for everyone. He's very good at information architecture training and extremely talented at eyetracking.

Photo credit: Ecommerce On The Go - Selling Through The Mobile - solarseven All other images by Webcredible]]> Is your site accessible on a mobile phone? Not yet? Do you think your readers are all still accessing your site only via their PC-based computers? Think again: The number of people who surf the web via their mobile phones has been increasing tremendously in recent times and, whether you like it or not, your web site is going to be no exception to this. "mobile-ecommerce-usability-size485.jpg" Photo credit: Knitware Blog edited by Daniele Bazzano
"The US is the most tech savvy nation with nearly 40 million Americans - 16% of all US mobile users - using their handset to browse on the move. The UK and then Italy come a close second and third..." (Source: Nielsen Mobile / BBC)
This is why is so important that you add to the list of key usability questions some of the following: Can your readers access your web site via mobile phone easily? If you have an ecommerce site, what precautions have you taken so that if your reader loses his connection in the middle of a transaction nothing gets lost? Ecommerce via mobile phones poses specific usability issues that need to be addressed as priorities if your site provides any type of interaction feature. The result is the need to address with more attention the design aspects of your mobile-enabled web site as to effectively deal with the specific usability concerns characteristic of the mobile universe, such as the smaller keyboards available to your readers, or the limited size of their screens. In this article, Alexander Baxevanis provides a detailed list of usability issues that must be addressed by any serious web publisher wanting to reach out to the emerging mobile audience(s). Here all the details:


Ecommerce On The Go - Selling Through The Mobile

"mobile_ecommerce_usability_id691868_size400.jpg"

Introduction

Since we last wrote about the usability of mobile websites, the rise of the iPhone and other high-end handsets has meant that even more people use the Internet on their phone. (Source: Nielsen Mobile / BBC). Companies have responded by creating more mobile-optimised websites, some of which now allow people to complete ecommerce transactions on the mobile, instead of simply researching for information. For example: However, while many people are already comfortable making online purchases using a computer, doing the same through a mobile phone poses unique challenges. These challenges need to be addressed by mobile ecommerce sites. This article provides best practice guidelines for removing potential barriers between your customers and your mobile ecommerce site.


Help People Find Your Mobile Site

"mobile-ecommerce-usability-image001.jpg" Having a mobile-optimised site is no use if your customers can\'t find it. You should always detect when visitors are accessing your site through a mobile phone, and automatically redirect them to the mobile-optimised version of the site. Although you may also advertise the link to your mobile site, people may still remember the link to your main site only, or may arrive on your main site through a search engine link. Ensure that the link to your mobile site is easy to remember and type into a mobile phone. For example:
  • Append the word \'mobile\' to your main domain (e.g. www.example.com/mobile)
  • Use a .mobi domain with your brand name (e.g. www.example.mobi)



Cater For Dropped Internet Connections

"mobile-ecommerce-usability-image004.jpg" Mobile internet connections can often be unstable, e.g. when a mobile phone moves into a low signal area or runs out of battery. It\'s usually not a big issue if this happens while someone is simply consuming information e.g. reading the news. However, a dropped connection in the middle of a transaction may leave people wondering if the transaction has been completed or frustrated that the information they\'ve entered so far was lost. While there\'s not much you can do to improve mobile network coverage, you can mitigate the effects of dropped connections by:
  • Saving all details in every step of a transaction e.g. the items in a shopping basket or the shipping details already entered
  • Ensuring that a transaction can be resumed from the point where it was left, without having to start over
  • Capturing visitors\' e-mail addresses or mobile phones at the beginning of a transaction and sending them instructions to help them continue an interrupted transaction
  • Ensuring that all transactions available on your mobile site can be completed in a few short steps



Avoid Data Entry Where Possible

"mobile-ecommerce-usability-image005.jpg" Although high-end smartphones increasingly incorporate a full physical or on-screen keyboard, typing on a mobile phone still isn\'t as easy as on a computer. Unfortunately, completing an ecommerce transaction often requires a lot of information that isn\'t always easy to type, such as addresses and credit card numbers. In order to decrease the chances that customers will drop off at this point, you can mimimise data entry by:
  • Allowing customers to log-in with the same username and password that they use for your main website in order to retrieving shipping and billing information stored in their account
  • Encouraging customers to create an account to speed up future transactions
  • Integrating with 3rd party billing services for which customers need to enter only a username & password e.g. PayPal



Reassure Users About Transaction Security

"mobile-ecommerce-usability-image008.jpg" With frequent reports on the news about credit card fraud and identity theft, most shoppers are looking to be reassured that their online transaction will be secure. While most desktop web browsers prominently highlight secure websites and protect users from visiting fraudulent sites, many mobile browsers are primitive in that respect. Also, because there are many mobile phones with different web browsers, people haven\'t yet become accustomed to a certain way of highlighting that a website is secure. It\'s a good idea to prominently highlight that your mobile site is secure on the homepage and on pages that ask for sensitive information. Customers may also feel more comfortable if they don\'t need to enter any sensitive information because it\'s already stored in their account, as discussed in the previous point.


Think Mobile For The Post-Transaction Stage

"mobile-ecommerce-usability-image009.jpg" Interacting with your customers doesn\'t stop when they complete a transaction. A good mobile user experience should extend well into the post-transaction phase, e.g. when customers need to track the goods they ordered or check a booking confirmation. After all, if your customers have chosen to complete a transaction using a mobile phone, they\'ll likely appreciate following up on this transaction in the same way. Depending on the nature of the transaction, the following guidelines may apply:
  • When customers can buy physical goods through your mobile site, provide a mobile solution for tracking the progress of the order and the delivery of the goods.
  • When customers can book tickets or other services through your site, provide a mobile-friendly booking confirmation e-mail and consider mobile ticketing solutions, where tickets can be electronically stored in a mobile phone in the form of a special barcode
  • In any case, ensure that all e-mails following up on a transaction are mobile-friendly



Conclusion

With increasing mobile internet use, it won\'t be long before your customers will expect to transact with you over their mobile phone. This will take more than simply "downscaling" your existing website to fit in a mobile screen. Only if you carefully consider the unique challenges and opportunities offered through the mobile channel will you be able to offer your customers a truly mobile user experience.

Originally written by Alexander Baxevanis for Webcredible and first published on December 1st 2008 as "Ecommerce on the go - selling through the mobile"

About the author "alexander_baxevanis_thumbnail.gif" Alexander Baxevanis is crazy about usability - so crazy that he works for Webcredible, an industry leading user experience consultancy, helping to make the Internet a better place for everyone. He\'s very good at information architecture training and extremely talented at eyetracking.

Photo credit: Ecommerce On The Go - Selling Through The Mobile - solarseven All other images by Webcredible ...]]>

]]> Wed, 3 Dec 2008 13:58:00 GMT http://www.masternewmedia.org/mobile-ecommerce-usability-techniques/ <![CDATA[Add Multimedia Links And Embeds To Your Website With One Click: Apture Reviewed]]> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Robin-Good-Latest-News/~3/6PUvLSRmIzw/ Apture is a new tool for bloggers and online publishers that can add interactive multimedia links and embeds to their site with a single click. Apture takes the traditional act of linking to a whole new level and provides your site with greater functionality and depth by providing your reader with the opportunity to browse related off-site content without ever having to leave your site. So in essence, Apture can potentially increase your reader engagement. And best of all, it is completely free. apture-review-intro.jpg Photo credit: Apture edited by Andre Deutmeyer Links are the currency of the web. Any self-respecting blogger... independent publisher... website owner knows this. But when you are trying to maximize your readers engagement with your site, linking (and sending them away) to content elsewhere on the web seems to be a counterproductive process. Wouldn't it be nice if you could link to outside content, but still keep the eyeballs on your site? That is where Apture comes to play. Apture gives independent publishers the power to find and incorporate relevant multimedia items, such as video clips from YouTube, photos from Flickr, Wikipedia articles, music, podcasts, and much more from around the web directly on to your site with a single click of a button. You can also bring new life to old content you created by using Apture to upload that content from your computer and embed or link to it on your pages. Readers can then access these linked items without ever having to leave your site. By doing this, you can increase reader engagement time with your blog or site by providing your readers with a deeper, richer web experience. This in turn can help you monetize your content by keeping your readers on your blog. Still have questions about Apture? Continue reading below for the full review. Here all the details:


Apture Overview

Apture is a free next-generation linking tool that allows you to add a wealth of multimedia links to your site. Once installed on your site, you can create Apture links by simply highlighting the word or phrase that you want linked and then selecting the relevant media. Traditional linking creates a link that opens up in another tab / page, sending visitors away from your content if they want to view that link. But Apture changes the game. Rather than sending visitors away, links built using Apture open up in new interactive windows that can be repositioned anywhere on the page, or enlarged to fullscreen, allowing your visitor easy access to the content behind the link without ever leaving your site. Apture further extends the traditional linking by allowing you to combine multiple sources of multimedia content together in one place. Each Apture link can be associated with content plus related media, enabling you to build a web of off-site information accessible without ever having to leave your site, and help your users learn more about the topic you are writing about. If you have existing links to Wikipedia articles, Flickr photos, YouTube videos, and other common web destinations on your website, Apture can automatically go through your site and create Apture links out of them with Apture Auto Link, saving you time and effort. However, Apture is more than just a linking tool. Apture allows you to quickly and easily embed new media to your post / existing content. Using Apture you can add new videos, pictures, documents into a page without having to log in to your CMS backend. Once embedded, you can resize the content to best match your page layout, and add a caption to introduce it. Installing Apture is as easy as pie. And if you use Blogger or Typepad then it is even easier - one click will set you up with Apture. For other CMS platforms (like WordPress, Drupal, MovableType) installing Apture is a straightforward process if you follow the step by step instructions provided to you by Apture. You only need one line of code to bring the Apture experience to your website. Finally, Apture offers unique advantages for large publishers. For publishers like The Washington Post, Apture can serve as a new opportunity for commerce and advertising because you can display advertising within the Apture window that pops up when a visitor hovers over the link. By virture of the way Apture works, these ads are guaranteed to appear at the center of your visitor's attention - an Apture window only appears when a visitor hovers over the link, indicating interest. Apture splits the revenue from these ads 50/50 with the publisher.


Key Features

Apture key features revolve around their next-generation linking service, providing your site visitors with a wealth of information without ever having to leave your site. Apture succeeds admirably. And the approach Apture takes is so innovative that there really is no direct competition for their service at the moment. Features include:
  • Wikipedia Links
  • Video Links
  • Audio Links
  • Image Links
  • Document Links
  • Easy Media Embeds to published pages
  • Related Media option allows you to connect multiple sources of media to a single link
  • Auto Link
  • Content Monetization (Advertising) for large publishers
Below is a graphical tour of these key features with details about how they work.

Wikipedia Links

apture-wikipedia-link.jpg Apture allows you to easily link to any Wikipedia article. Link any article that you want by highlighting the word or phrase that you want linked. Apture will then open up a pop-up from which you can choose the Wikipedia article that you want linked to the term. Apture tweaks the display of the Wikipedia article so that it displays beautifully within the pop-up box.


Video Links

apture-video-link.jpg YouTube is by far the easiest video sharing site to grab videos from, but as long as you have a web address, you can link to any video that you want and share it through Apture. If the video you want linked is sitting on your local drive, Apture also has an option to upload content and link that instead. In addition to the ease with which you can link video, Apture also provides a nice feature that allows you to select the video playback start time and end time so you can show your visitors only the part you deem the most relevant.


Audio Links

Audio links work similar to video links. As long as you have the web address of the audio file, you can link any bit of audio that you want through Apture. Like video links, you can also choose to upload audio and link that instead. Similarly, with audio links, you can select the start time and end time of the audio track so that the portion of the track that is most relevant to your reader automatically plays.


Image Links

apture-image-link.jpg Apture makes linking images simple too. Like video and audio linking, you can link any image to Apture if you have the web address for it. If you don't have a specific image in mind, Apture's built in search of Flickr, Yahoo Images, and Wikipedia Images makes finding and linking images a painless task. Or if you choose to, you can upload content from your local drive and have that display instead.


Document Links

Apture allows you to easily link PDF or other documents using Scribd iPaper technology. This allows your reader to access the article you are linking and read it without ever having to leave your site. The one problem that I noticed with this is that if you set up the Apture link for the document, there is no easy way for the reader to directly download that document anymore if you would like them to be able to do so.


Media Embedding

If you want to quickly embed media (video, audio, images) into your already published article without logging into your CMS backend, you can do so with Apture. Apture allows you to embed new media almost anywhere into your article with a single click of your mouse. You just point to the spot on your page that you want that media embedded, click, choose the media that you want (via search or web address), and presto... you are done. Although the media you embed through Apture will probably not fit your site layout as well as, say, one that you do through your backend, Apture is an excellent solution for embedding media quickly and easily without having to work with HTML.


Related Media

The capability to link multiple resources to one term or phrase is, perhaps, your greatest advantage with Apture. Traditionally, when you link something you can only have that link pointing to one location. But now with Apture, you can provide multiple types of media for you reader to enjoy... all linked to the term or phrase. So if there is a picture, video, and a Wikipedia link that you want pointing at the same term, you can do that with Apture.


Auto Link

apture-auto-link.gif Apture Auto Link is exactly what it sounds like. Rather than having to manually go through your old posts and create Apture links for your content, Apture automatically goes through your post and changes popular linking destinations (like Wikipedia, Flickr, YouTube, and more) to Apture links. You can control which types of links that you want Apture to automatically convert through your Apture Dashboard. By default, all the links are selected, so if there are certain types of links that you do not want Apture to convert, then all you need to do is deselect those options.


Content Monetization (Advertising) For Large Publishers

apture-wapo-ad.jpg Unfortunately, Apture only offers content monetization options for large publishers like the Washington Post (the above image is from the Washington Post) for now. Larger publishers will be able to serve ads within every Apture pop-up. These ads could potentially have a higher click-through-rate than other display and contextual ads because as Apture argues, these Apture ads are going to be displayed where the reader is focusing his or her attention. The ads are all cost-per-click (cpc) types. And like Google, Apture will take a cut of any ad revenue that the publisher makes from those ads. Hopefully, Apture will soon extend this option to smaller independent publishers as well.



Pros and Cons


Apture Review - In Brief


Editor's Comments

Apture is a very functional solution. Other similar linking solutions like Snap fall short when compared to the functionality that Apture provides. Snap in many ways works like Apture. Snap provides pop up windows that link to videos, Wikipedia content, photos, etc so that visitors can view that content without having to leave your site. But unlike Apture, Snap previews are much more limited. When selecting the content that you want the link to point to, Apture really has few limits. Snap is limited to only those 'Snap Shots' that are presupported. Apture allows you to link almost anything, even content that you have stored on your local drive. Furthermore the Apture 'Related Media' function is great. More than once I have wanted to link multiple pages / media / content to the same term. And Apture is the only platform that allows me to combine multimedia content from around the web, together on one link. Furthermore, I am not aware of another tool that allows you to embed multimedia into your website as easily as Apture does. The ease with which Apture allows you to embed new media into your post is great. The one shortfall of this, however, is that the media you embed may not fit always as cleanly into your page as media you embed through your CMS backend. One of the major complaints that I have seen about Apture is that it adds unnecessary noise to a web page. That complaint is understandable. I myself hate the unwelcome pop-ups that occur when you accidentally scroll over text-link ads. But the difference with Apture is that Apture actually provides relevant, interactive content to the viewer... not irritating irrelevant advertising. So despite the annoyance that the unsolicited Apture pop-ups may generate, the added functionality and information that you provide to your readers are well worth the cost. These factors make Apture a unique product and well worth checking out. Apture is free, so go give it a shot.


Additional Resources



Do you see any mistakes? Would you like to share your own experiences with Apture? Please leave a comment below.

Originally written by Andre Deutmeyer for MasterNewMedia and first published on December 2nd 2008 as Add Multimedia Links and Embeds To Your Website With One Click: Apture Reviewed.]]> Apture is a new tool for bloggers and online publishers that can add interactive multimedia links and embeds to their site with a single click. Apture takes the traditional act of linking to a whole new level and provides your site with greater functionality and depth by providing your reader with the opportunity to browse related off-site content without ever having to leave your site. So in essence, Apture can potentially increase your reader engagement. And best of all, it is completely free. "apture-review-intro.jpg" Photo credit: Apture edited by Andre Deutmeyer Links are the currency of the web. Any self-respecting blogger... independent publisher... website owner knows this. But when you are trying to maximize your readers engagement with your site, linking (and sending them away) to content elsewhere on the web seems to be a counterproductive process. Wouldn\'t it be nice if you could link to outside content, but still keep the eyeballs on your site? That is where Apture comes to play. Apture gives independent publishers the power to find and incorporate relevant multimedia items, such as video clips from YouTube, photos from Flickr, Wikipedia articles, music, podcasts, and much more from around the web directly on to your site with a single click of a button. You can also bring new life to old content you created by using Apture to upload that content from your computer and embed or link to it on your pages. Readers can then access these linked items without ever having to leave your site. By doing this, you can increase reader engagement time with your blog or site by providing your readers with a deeper, richer web experience. This in turn can help you monetize your content by keeping your readers on your blog. Still have questions about Apture? Continue reading below for the full review. Here all the details:


Apture Overview

Apture is a free next-generation linking tool that allows you to add a wealth of multimedia links to your site. Once installed on your site, you can create Apture links by simply highlighting the word or phrase that you want linked and then selecting the relevant media. Traditional linking creates a link that opens up in another tab / page, sending visitors away from your content if they want to view that link. But Apture changes the game. Rather than sending visitors away, links built using Apture open up in new interactive windows that can be repositioned anywhere on the page, or enlarged to fullscreen, allowing your visitor easy access to the content behind the link without ever leaving your site. Apture further extends the traditional linking by allowing you to combine multiple sources of multimedia content together in one place. Each Apture link can be associated with content plus related media, enabling you to build a web of off-site information accessible without ever having to leave your site, and help your users learn more about the topic you are writing about. If you have existing links to Wikipedia articles, Flickr photos, YouTube videos, and other common web destinations on your website, Apture can automatically go through your site and create Apture links out of them with Apture Auto Link, saving you time and effort. However, Apture is more than just a linking tool. Apture allows you to quickly and easily embed new media to your post / existing content. Using Apture you can add new videos, pictures, documents into a page without having to log in to your CMS backend. Once embedded, you can resize the content to best match your page layout, and add a caption to introduce it. Installing Apture is as easy as pie. And if you use Blogger or Typepad then it is even easier - one click will set you up with Apture. For other CMS platforms (like WordPress, Drupal, MovableType) installing Apture is a straightforward process if you follow the step by step instructions provided to you by Apture. You only need one line of code to bring the Apture experience to your website. Finally, Apture offers unique advantages for large publishers. For publishers like The Washington Post, Apture can serve as a new opportunity for commerce and advertising because you can display advertising within the Apture window that pops up when a visitor hovers over the link. By virture of the way Apture works, these ads are guaranteed to appear at the center of your visitor\'s attention - an Apture window only appears when a visitor hovers over the link, indicating interest. Apture splits the revenue from these ads 50/50 with the publisher.


Key Features

Apture key features revolve around their next-generation linking service, providing your site visitors with a wealth of information without ever having to leave your site. Apture succeeds admirably. And the approach Apture takes is so innovative that there really is no direct competition for their service at the moment. Features include:
  • Wikipedia Links
  • Video Links
  • Audio Links
  • Image Links
  • Document Links
  • Easy Media Embeds to published pages
  • Related Media option allows you to connect multiple sources of media to a single link
  • Auto Link
  • Content Monetization (Advertising) for large publishers
Below is a graphical tour of these key features with details about how they work.

Wikipedia Links

"apture-wikipedia-link.jpg" Apture allows you to easily link to any Wikipedia article. Link any article that you want by highlighting the word or phrase that you want linked. Apture will then open up a pop-up from which you can choose the Wikipedia article that you want linked to the term. Apture tweaks the display of the Wikipedia article so that it displays beautifully within the pop-up box.


Video Links

"apture-video-link.jpg" YouTube is by far the easiest video sharing site to grab videos from, but as long as you have a web address, you can link to any video that you want and share it through Apture. If the video you want linked is sitting on your local drive, Apture also has an option to upload content and link that instead. In addition to the ease with which you can link video, Apture also provides a nice feature that allows you to select the video playback start time and end time so you can show your visitors only the part you deem the most relevant.


Audio Links

"" Audio links work similar to video links. As long as you have the web address of the audio file, you can link any bit of audio that you want through Apture. Like video links, you can also choose to upload audio and link that instead. Similarly, with audio links, you can select the start time and end time of the audio track so that the portion of the track that is most relevant to your reader automatically plays.


Image Links

"apture-image-link.jpg" Apture makes linking images simple too. Like video and audio linking, you can link any image to Apture if you have the web address for it. If you don\'t have a specific image in mind, Apture\'s built in search of Flickr, Yahoo Images, and Wikipedia Images makes finding and linking images a painless task. Or if you choose to, you can upload content from your local drive and have that display instead.


Document Links

"" Apture allows you to easily link PDF or other documents using Scribd iPaper technology. This allows your reader to access the article you are linking and read it without ever having to leave your site. The one problem that I noticed with this is that if you set up the Apture link for the document, there is no easy way for the reader to directly download that document anymore if you would like them to be able to do so.


Media Embedding

"" If you want to quickly embed media (video, audio, images) into your already published article without logging into your CMS backend, you can do so with Apture. Apture allows you to embed new media almost anywhere into your article with a single click of your mouse. You just point to the spot on your page that you want that media embedded, click, choose the media that you want (via search or web address), and presto... you are done. Although the media you embed through Apture will probably not fit your site layout as well as, say, one that you do through your backend, Apture is an excellent solution for embedding media quickly and easily without having to work with HTML.


Related Media

"" The capability to link multiple resources to one term or phrase is, perhaps, your greatest advantage with Apture. Traditionally, when you link something you can only have that link pointing to one location. But now with Apture, you can provide multiple types of media for you reader to enjoy... all linked to the term or phrase. So if there is a picture, video, and a Wikipedia link that you want pointing at the same term, you can do that with Apture.


Auto Link

"apture-auto-link.gif" Apture Auto Link is exactly what it sounds like. Rather than having to manually go through your old posts and create Apture links for your content, Apture automatically goes through your post and changes popular linking destinations (like Wikipedia, Flickr, YouTube, and more) to Apture links. You can control which types of links that you want Apture to automatically convert through your Apture Dashboard. By default, all the links are selected, so if there are certain types of links that you do not want Apture to convert, then all you need to do is deselect those options.


Content Monetization (Advertising) For Large Publishers

"apture-wapo-ad.jpg" Unfortunately, Apture only offers content monetization options for large publishers like the Washington Post (the above image is from the Washington Post) for now. Larger publishers will be able to serve ads within every Apture pop-up. These ads could potentially have a higher click-through-rate than other display and contextual ads because as Apture argues, these Apture ads are going to be displayed where the reader is focusing his or her attention. The ads are all cost-per-click (cpc) types. And like Google, Apture will take a cut of any ad revenue that the publisher makes from those ads. Hopefully, Apture will soon extend this option to smaller independent publishers as well.



Pros and Cons


Apture Review - In Brief


Editor\'s Comments

Apture is a very functional solution. Other similar linking solutions like Snap fall short when compared to the functionality that Apture provides. Snap in many ways works like Apture. Snap provides pop up windows that link to videos, Wikipedia content, photos, etc so that visitors can view that content without having to leave your site. But unlike Apture, Snap previews are much more limited. When selecting the content that you want the link to point to, Apture really has few limits. Snap is limited to only those \'Snap Shots\' that are presupported. Apture allows you to link almost anything, even content that you have stored on your local drive. Furthermore the Apture \'Related Media\' function is great. More than once I have wanted to link multiple pages / media / content to the same term. And Apture is the only platform that allows me to combine multimedia content from around the web, together on one link. Furthermore, I am not aware of another tool that allows you to embed multimedia into your website as easily as Apture does. The ease with which Apture allows you to embed new media into your post is great. The one shortfall of this, however, is that the media you embed may not fit always as cleanly into your page as media you embed through your CMS backend. One of the major complaints that I have seen about Apture is that it adds unnecessary noise to a web page. That complaint is understandable. I myself hate the unwelcome pop-ups that occur when you accidentally scroll over text-link ads. But the difference with Apture is that Apture actually provides relevant, interactive content to the viewer... not irritating irrelevant advertising. So despite the annoyance that the unsolicited Apture pop-ups may generate, the added functionality and information that you provide to your readers are well worth the cost. These factors make Apture a unique product and well worth checking out. Apture is free, so go give it a shot.


Additional Resources



Do you see any mistakes? Would you like to share your own experiences with Apture? Please leave a comment below.

Originally written by Andre Deutmeyer for MasterNewMedia and first published on December 2nd 2008 as Add Multimedia Links and Embeds To Your Website With One Click: Apture Reviewed. ...]]>

]]> Tue, 2 Dec 2008 13:24:00 GMT http://www.masternewmedia.org/add-multimedia-links-and-embeds-to-your-website/ <![CDATA[Turn Any RSS Feed Into A PDF Newspaper: FeedJournal And Tabbloid Reviewed]]> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Robin-Good-Latest-News/~3/E-3BfOFcAzg/ FeedJournal and Tabbloid are two innovative web services that allow you to turn any RSS feed into a customized PDF newspaper. You can then either print out and read your newspaper, or consult it on your computer or mobile device when you're not connected to the Internet. turn-any-rss-feed-into-a-newspaper-size485.gif The procedure is very easy: just grab the URL of any RSS feed you want, and paste it into the web page of the service. Then provide a valid e-mail address, and click "Generate". FeedJournal and Tabbloid will generate a customized PDF newspaper for you. Now you decide: you can print your newspaper to read it on your sofa, in the underground, at the bus stop, or in any occasion when you're not connected to the Internet, or you can just open the PDF with your default PDF viewer and enjoy your newspaper immediately. There's no limit to the number of newspapers you can create. Without spending a dime, you can generate a newspaper for each topic you're interested into. Curious? Want to know more on how to turn any RSS feed into a customized newspaper? Then go further and check these two web services I tried and tested for you: FeedJournal and Tabbloid. Here all the details: Intro by Daniele Bazzano


Overview

turn-any-rss-feed-into-a-newspaper-feedjournal_paper-example.gif Click the image above to go to the fullscreen version FeedJournal and Tabbloid are two web-based services that let you turn any RSS feed into a newspaper. Simply copy and paste the link of the feed you want to turn into a newspaper, and click the "Generate" button. The content of your RSS feed will be extracted and arranged into a newspaper-like outline. Whether you print your customized newspaper, or choose to read it on your computer screen, the immediate benefit of these services is you can save yourself from clicking back and forth through the whole list of feeds you got. Just gather and place your feeds in one place. You can also create as many newspapers as you want, each one dedicated to a specific topic. You're more into sport than foreign policy? Aggregate a list of feeds that deal with sport news, and enjoy just the content you like. And when you're done customizing your content, you can choose whether to generate your newspaper immediately, or rather schedule a delivery date to receive your news selection right in your mailbox. Your newspaper will be delivered in a PDF format. So, if you run out of paper you could also consider syncing your newspaper directly with your smart phone or iPod. Get the old-fashioned style of news reading in a 21st century way! And what if you have a blog, and you'd like to share your news selection with your readers? FeedJournal has a social feature which lets you distribute your newspaper through a widget, a direct download link, or by embedding a small piece of code inside your blog site.


Key Features


1) FeedJournal

  • Reader and Publisher

    turn-any-rss-feed-into-a-newspaper-feedjournal_reader-publisher-icons.jpg FeedJournal offers two choices to aggregate your news sources.
    1. If you want to have your list of RSS feeds turned into a newspaper to consult them more easily, Reader is the one that you need. Provide a valid email address, register, add your feed, and you're ready to go.
    2. But if you are a blogger, and you'd like to share the news you gathered, or you want to have greater control over the customization of your newspaper, you may want to consider switching to a more complete solution like Publisher. Publisher comes in two versions: one free of charge with limited features, and a second one, with enhanced customization possibilities, priced at $49 (apx. €38) per month.

  • Feed Supported

    turn-any-rss-feed-into-a-newspaper-feed-supported.gif FeedJournal supports both RSS (1.0 and 2.0) and Atom feeds.

  • Customize Your Newspaper

    turn-any-rss-feed-into-a-newspaper-newspaper_layout_feedjournal_b.gif You can customize the aspect of your newspaper by adjusting some layout options:
    • Column Count: Number of text columns you can have in your newspaper.
    • Page Size: The default size of the paper.
    • Margin: Amount of white space which separates the text from the border of the page.
    • Justified Columns: If checked text columns are justified, otherwise the text will be indented.
    • Language: Set of characters used in the text of the newspaper (still in beta testing).

  • Available List of Feeds

    turn-any-rss-feed-into-a-newspaper-use_articles_published.gif Choose from the RSS feed list of feeds available (subdivided in categories), or add a feed URL to start creating content for your newspaper.

  • Share Your Newspaper

    turn-any-rss-feed-into-a-newspaper-feedjournal-embed.gif FeedJournal Publisher allows you to embed a small piece of code inside your blog site to share your personal selection of news. Here is the complete list of social sites available, as specified on Feed Journal site: You can also use a customized widget provided by Widgetbox, or provide your users with a direct link to your PDF newspaper.


2) Tabbloid

  • Start Immediately

    turn-any-rss-feed-into-a-newspaper-tabbloid_get_started.gif Tabbloid does not require any login nor registration. You can immediately start to add RSS feeds and generate your newspaper right away.

  • Subscriptions List

    turn-any-rss-feed-into-a-newspaper-subscription_list_tabbloid.gif Add the RSS feed you want to turn into a newspaper, or choose from a list of available categories. You can provide as many feeds as you want.

  • Scheduled Delivery

    turn-any-rss-feed-into-a-newspaper-delivery_options_tabbloid.gif If you prefer, you can set Tabbloid to delivery your newspaper directly to your mailbox at a specific time. Just set date and time, and provide a valid e-mail address.



How To Use FeedJournal and Tabbloid


1) FeedJournal

FeedJournal offers two different solutions: Reader and Publisher.

Reader

turn-any-rss-feed-into-a-newspaper-feed_properties_feedjournal.gif FeedJournal Reader generates a personal newspaper with a list of customized RSS or Atom feeds you submit. The service is free to use, but requires a registration process. Here's the procedure to follow: 1) Register for a free account. You will be asked to choose a nickname, a password, and a valid e-mail address. 2) Add some personal information that will appear on your customized newspaper. 3) Customize the layout of your newspaper. 3) Pick a feed from those included in the default list, or add your own. 4) (Optional) Select the feeds of your choice, and specify for each one which articles you want inside your newspaper. 5) Generate your newspaper and enjoy!

Publisher

turn-any-rss-feed-into-a-newspaper-generate_form_feedjournal.gif FeedJournal Publisher turns your RSS feeds into a branded and personalized selection of news that you can embed (via Widgetbox or other services like Issuu), or share with a direct download link on your blog site. Here's how: 1) Type the email address where you want to receive your newspaper. 2) Choose the feed to turn into a newspaper. The content of the feed must be owned by you. 3) Generate your newspaper and have it sent to your mailbox. 4) Check your mailbox, and find the email from FeedJournal. Your newspaper is in the attachment. Enjoy!


2) Tabbloid

turn-any-rss-feed-into-a-newspaper-how_it_works_tabbloid_gif.gif Tabbloid has a very simple interface to create your personal news selection. And because you don't need to go through any registration process, you can immediately start creating and customizing your newspaper. Here's a quick step-by step guide: 1) Click on the big "Get Started" button. 2) Add the URL of the feed(s) you want to turn into a newspaper. You can also choose from a list of available subscriptions. 3) Use the "Delivery options" form if you want Tabbloid to sent you a scheduled e-mail with your newspaper. 4) Generate your free PDF newspaper and enjoy!


Summary Review

1) FeedJournal - Key Strengths

  • Two different solutions for:
  • Highly customizable newspaper layout.
  • No limit to the number of feeds you can add to every issue.
  • Both RSS and Atom feed formats are supported.
  • Forum and FAQ sections to receive help.
  • Guide-newspaper with detailed instructions available.

Areas For Improvement

  • No scheduled email delivery available.
  • In FeedJournal Publisher your e-mail address should belong to an email provider (e.g. you cannot use your company one).
  • Basic plan of FeedJournal Publisher has very few features.



2) Tabbloid - Key Strengths

  • Simple and extremely easy-to-use interface.
  • No limit to the number of feeds you can add to every issue of a newspaper.
  • No login, or registration required.
  • Highly customizable scheduled delivery via email.

Areas For Improvement

  • Newspaper layout is not customizable.
  • Atom feeds are not supported.
  • No FAQ or forum section to receive support.



Additional Resources

FeedJournal


Tabbloid



Other Resources



Do you see any mistakes? Would you like to share your own experiences with FeedJournal and Tabbloid? Please feel free to use the comment area below.

Originally written by Daniele Bazzano for MasterNewMedia and first published on December 1st 2008 as "Turn Any RSS Feed Into A PDF Newspaper: FeedJournal And Tabbloid Reviewed".]]> FeedJournal and Tabbloid are two innovative web services that allow you to turn any RSS feed into a customized PDF newspaper. You can then either print out and read your newspaper, or consult it on your computer or mobile device when you\'re not connected to the Internet. "turn-any-rss-feed-into-a-newspaper-size485.gif" The procedure is very easy: just grab the URL of any RSS feed you want, and paste it into the web page of the service. Then provide a valid e-mail address, and click "Generate". FeedJournal and Tabbloid will generate a customized PDF newspaper for you. Now you decide: you can print your newspaper to read it on your sofa, in the underground, at the bus stop, or in any occasion when you\'re not connected to the Internet, or you can just open the PDF with your default PDF viewer and enjoy your newspaper immediately. There\'s no limit to the number of newspapers you can create. Without spending a dime, you can generate a newspaper for each topic you\'re interested into. Curious? Want to know more on how to turn any RSS feed into a customized newspaper? Then go further and check these two web services I tried and tested for you: FeedJournal and Tabbloid. Here all the details: Intro by Daniele Bazzano


Overview

"turn-any-rss-feed-into-a-newspaper-feedjournal_paper-example.gif" Click the image above to go to the fullscreen version FeedJournal and Tabbloid are two web-based services that let you turn any RSS feed into a newspaper. Simply copy and paste the link of the feed you want to turn into a newspaper, and click the "Generate" button. The content of your RSS feed will be extracted and arranged into a newspaper-like outline. Whether you print your customized newspaper, or choose to read it on your computer screen, the immediate benefit of these services is you can save yourself from clicking back and forth through the whole list of feeds you got. Just gather and place your feeds in one place. You can also create as many newspapers as you want, each one dedicated to a specific topic. You\'re more into sport than foreign policy? Aggregate a list of feeds that deal with sport news, and enjoy just the content you like. And when you\'re done customizing your content, you can choose whether to generate your newspaper immediately, or rather schedule a delivery date to receive your news selection right in your mailbox. Your newspaper will be delivered in a PDF format. So, if you run out of paper you could also consider syncing your newspaper directly with your smart phone or iPod. Get the old-fashioned style of news reading in a 21st century way! And what if you have a blog, and you\'d like to share your news selection with your readers? FeedJournal has a social feature which lets you distribute your newspaper through a widget, a direct download link, or by embedding a small piece of code inside your blog site.


Key Features


1) FeedJournal

  • Reader and Publisher

    "turn-any-rss-feed-into-a-newspaper-feedjournal_reader-publisher-icons.jpg" FeedJournal offers two choices to aggregate your news sources.
    1. If you want to have your list of RSS feeds turned into a newspaper to consult them more easily, Reader is the one that you need. Provide a valid email address, register, add your feed, and you\'re ready to go.
    2. But if you are a blogger, and you\'d like to share the news you gathered, or you want to have greater control over the customization of your newspaper, you may want to consider switching to a more complete solution like Publisher. Publisher comes in two versions: one free of charge with limited features, and a second one, with enhanced customization possibilities, priced at $49 (apx. €38) per month.

  • Feed Supported

    "turn-any-rss-feed-into-a-newspaper-feed-supported.gif" FeedJournal supports both RSS (1.0 and 2.0) and Atom feeds.

  • Customize Your Newspaper

    "turn-any-rss-feed-into-a-newspaper-newspaper_layout_feedjournal_b.gif" You can customize the aspect of your newspaper by adjusting some layout options:
    • Column Count: Number of text columns you can have in your newspaper.
    • Page Size: The default size of the paper.
    • Margin: Amount of white space which separates the text from the border of the page.
    • Justified Columns: If checked text columns are justified, otherwise the text will be indented.
    • Language: Set of characters used in the text of the newspaper (still in beta testing).

  • Available List of Feeds

    "turn-any-rss-feed-into-a-newspaper-use_articles_published.gif" Choose from the RSS feed list of feeds available (subdivided in categories), or add a feed URL to start creating content for your newspaper.

  • Share Your Newspaper

    "turn-any-rss-feed-into-a-newspaper-feedjournal-embed.gif" FeedJournal Publisher allows you to embed a small piece of code inside your blog site to share your personal selection of news. Here is the complete list of social sites available, as specified on Feed Journal site: You can also use a customized widget provided by Widgetbox, or provide your users with a direct link to your PDF newspaper.


2) Tabbloid

  • Start Immediately

    "turn-any-rss-feed-into-a-newspaper-tabbloid_get_started.gif" Tabbloid does not require any login nor registration. You can immediately start to add RSS feeds and generate your newspaper right away.

  • Subscriptions List

    "turn-any-rss-feed-into-a-newspaper-subscription_list_tabbloid.gif" Add the RSS feed you want to turn into a newspaper, or choose from a list of available categories. You can provide as many feeds as you want.

  • Scheduled Delivery

    "turn-any-rss-feed-into-a-newspaper-delivery_options_tabbloid.gif" If you prefer, you can set Tabbloid to delivery your newspaper directly to your mailbox at a specific time. Just set date and time, and provide a valid e-mail address.



How To Use FeedJournal and Tabbloid


1) FeedJournal

FeedJournal offers two different solutions: Reader and Publisher.

Reader

"turn-any-rss-feed-into-a-newspaper-feed_properties_feedjournal.gif" FeedJournal Reader generates a personal newspaper with a list of customized RSS or Atom feeds you submit. The service is free to use, but requires a registration process. Here\'s the procedure to follow: 1) Register for a free account. You will be asked to choose a nickname, a password, and a valid e-mail address. 2) Add some personal information that will appear on your customized newspaper. 3) Customize the layout of your newspaper. 3) Pick a feed from those included in the default list, or add your own. 4) (Optional) Select the feeds of your choice, and specify for each one which articles you want inside your newspaper. 5) Generate your newspaper and enjoy!

Publisher

"turn-any-rss-feed-into-a-newspaper-generate_form_feedjournal.gif" FeedJournal Publisher turns your RSS feeds into a branded and personalized selection of news that you can embed (via Widgetbox or other services like Issuu), or share with a direct download link on your blog site. Here\'s how: 1) Type the email address where you want to receive your newspaper. 2) Choose the feed to turn into a newspaper. The content of the feed must be owned by you. 3) Generate your newspaper and have it sent to your mailbox. 4) Check your mailbox, and find the email from FeedJournal. Your newspaper is in the attachment. Enjoy!


2) Tabbloid

"turn-any-rss-feed-into-a-newspaper-how_it_works_tabbloid_gif.gif" Tabbloid has a very simple interface to create your personal news selection. And because you don\'t need to go through any registration process, you can immediately start creating and customizing your newspaper. Here\'s a quick step-by step guide: 1) Click on the big "Get Started" button. 2) Add the URL of the feed(s) you want to turn into a newspaper. You can also choose from a list of available subscriptions. 3) Use the "Delivery options" form if you want Tabbloid to sent you a scheduled e-mail with your newspaper. 4) Generate your free PDF newspaper and enjoy!


Summary Review

1) FeedJournal - Key Strengths

  • Two different solutions for:
  • Highly customizable newspaper layout.
  • No limit to the number of feeds you can add to every issue.
  • Both RSS and Atom feed formats are supported.
  • Forum and FAQ sections to receive help.
  • Guide-newspaper with detailed instructions available.

Areas For Improvement

  • No scheduled email delivery available.
  • In FeedJournal Publisher your e-mail address should belong to an email provider (e.g. you cannot use your company one).
  • Basic plan of FeedJournal Publisher has very few features.



2) Tabbloid - Key Strengths

  • Simple and extremely easy-to-use interface.
  • No limit to the number of feeds you can add to every issue of a newspaper.
  • No login, or registration required.
  • Highly customizable scheduled delivery via email.

Areas For Improvement

  • Newspaper layout is not customizable.
  • Atom feeds are not supported.
  • No FAQ or forum section to receive support.



Additional Resources

FeedJournal


Tabbloid



Other Resources



Do you see any mistakes? Would you like to share your own experiences with FeedJournal and Tabbloid? Please feel free to use the comment area below.

Originally written by Daniele Bazzano for MasterNewMedia and first published on December 1st 2008 as "Turn Any RSS Feed Into A PDF Newspaper: FeedJournal And Tabbloid Reviewed". ...]]>

]]> Daniele Bazzano]]> Mon, 1 Dec 2008 13:49:00 GMT http://www.masternewmedia.org/turn-any-rss-feed-into-a-pdf-newspaper/ <![CDATA[Media Literacy: Making Sense Of New Technologies And Media by George Siemens - Nov 29 08]]> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Robin-Good-Latest-News/~3/wp7h9QPP1rc/ Is our worldwide education system ready to prepare for the unpredictability and fast changes that the 21st century will be serving? Media_literacy_George_Siemens_by_Elizabeth_Hanson-Smith.jpg Photo credit: Elizabeth Hanson-Smith Education isn’t only about creating employees. It’s about empowering individuals to become individuals with the ability to manage effectively the increasingly faster transformations of a complex world like ours. This is why, one should measure education by looking at how tangibly such goal is achieved rather than by measuring the number of tested and certified students the school system is capable of producing. True education, when successful, must essentially prepare its students for dealing with greater and more complex problems. But not those served in a neat and sanitized math test, but rather those emerging from the clash of the multidisciplinary realities we inhabit. Learning how to handle uncertainty, as well as how to rapidly adapt to fast changing environments is the real blockbuster formula to an education approach that provides the mental tools to cope with whatever can come your way, rather than pre-emptying you with static notions and arid, reality-isolated formulas.. Here all the details:


eLearning Resources and News

learning, networks, knowledge, technology, trends by George Siemens


Connectivism: Networked Learner

Media_literacy_george_siemens_id251340.jpg Over the last 12 weeks, Stephen Downes and I have facilitated a course on Connectivism and Connective Knowledge. The final “project” for enrolled participants is to reflect on the quality of their own learning networks. Wendy Drexler has posted a video of her final project that is (deservedly) getting significant attention: Connectivism: Networked Learner (also available on YouTube)


Definition of Emerging Technologies for Learning

Media_literacy_george_siemens_emerging_technologies.jpg I received an email recently asking for my definition of emerging technologies for learning. To enlarge the conversation, I asked the question on Twitter. The following are responses:
  • Eduinnovation: “Those technologies that allow learners to connect, collaborate, and create with other learners, mind-to-mind, anywhere & anytime”
  • prawsthorne: “an innovation that captures attention, engages and deepens learning so the learner/teacher can self-measure the improvement.”
  • MarkMilliron: “any technology YOU don’t quite understand that you’ve heard might improve teaching and learning”
  • UNMVCTLC: “using technology TOOLS to improve the learning process while enhancing the instructional environment” and “using those tools that are not fully explored to reach new frontiers in methodology, experiences and concepts”
  • jdwilliams: “I think emerging (web) technologies are just sites/apps my district hasn’t found to block (yet)”
  • Darren Draper: “Emerging technologies for teaching and learning consist of all hardware, software, concepts, and ideas that can be employed to advance social, connective, and educational processes”
  • davecormier: “usually defined as - stuff George likes - I believe”
  • bengrey: “A body of knowledge or innovation not yet widely adapted or fully actualized which holds educational implications”
  • StonyRiver: “New Direction Learning Technologies”
How do you define emerging technologies for learning (or is the attempt to provide a definition sooo web 1.0?)?


Social Computing

Media_Literacy_george_siemens_id14039621.jpg Dave Snowden is well-known in the knowledge management field. He has been kind enough in the past to present to online conferences that we have hosted at University of Manitoba (most recently, our Future of Education conference). Over the last few years, his writings / presentations have taken a turn that very much fits in with concepts presented in this forum and in CCK08. Dave started blogging about two years ago, but I’ve been following his work through his publications and contributions to ACT-KM. I could be imagining things, but his shift to blogging seems to coincide with his increased attention to the fragmentary nature of information. Distributed conversations, not packaged as they have been in the past through frameworks such as articles and books, in blogs provide an interesting experience in personal sensemaking. In a recent presentation (.pdf of slides - why not slideshare?… podcast is here), Dave details seven principles of KM, including: “Tolerated failure imprints learning better than success.”


Visualizing Data

Media_literacy_george_siemens_visualizing_data.gif Click the image to go to the interface page OECD has been learning from Hans Rosling and Gapminder. In order to make their data more accessible, they’ve created (or had someone create) an application for visualizing data. I personally prefer gapminder’s interface, but OECD’s contribution is appreciated. If data is made more accessible it will be used more often as a guide for decision making (he says in his most idealistic voice).


Microsoft’s Personal Reboot: Web-Centric, But Beyond “The Cloud”

Media_literacy_george_siemens_Live_Mesh.jpg Microsoft has been a favorite source of mockery for all the cool web 2.0′ers. Microsoft is seen as too closed, too confined to the desktop, too late to search, and too out of touch with how people want to compute. In the face of this criticism, Microsoft continues to attempt a transformation - Personal Reboot: Web-Centric, But Beyond “The Cloud”:
“Cloud computing may be trendy, but Ozzie says MSFT’s best course moving forward is a hybrid desktop/Web-based strategy… future success hinges on new products that win over the masses instantly.”



Education Needs to Be Pulled Into The 21st Century

Media_literacy_george_siemens_id26713661.jpg Short rant. Articles like - Education needs to be pulled into the 21st century - cause many educators to smile and nod in agreement. The report broadly splashes all the latest and coolest terms that cause sensible educators to viciously agree:
“In an increasingly complex and competitive world, teachers must understand technology and connect coursework to the global economy, curricula should eliminate less relevant material and incorporate modern skills such as global awareness, technology and media literacy, and standardized tests must include these new subjects”.
Ok. That’s very nice. We are then treated with the typical mis-focused comment: “I hope to encourage policymakers to better equip our graduates for today’s and tomorrow’s jobs”. Education isn’t only about creating employees. It’s about assisting individuals to develop into the types of people that can tackle and handle the continual gyrations of a complex world. I don’t buy into the “education must prepare people for jobs that don’t yet exist” view. Education - as it always has - must prepare people for an unknown future. This isn’t new. When I was going to school, the particular job that I have today did not exist. How should we prepare people for, let’s say, the current financial crisis? By training people to be stockbrokers? No. You can’t prepare people for black swans. People must be capable of handling uncertainty, but also adapting as environments shift and change. At its most basic, education must move from epistemology to ontology. Getting back to the report: give us something useful. Statements as broad as those provided in the article (i.e. “develop new programs, standards, partnerships and assessment measures”) are hardly a basis for action. Perhaps it’s time that we stop focusing on what our curriculum is and start focusing on how we actually do curriculum in the first place.


Systems for Supportive Open Teaching

Media_literacy_george_siemens_id2015381.jpg We’ve experienced this in CCK08: Systems for Supportive Open Teaching:
“I think it more valuable to think about how openness changes the basic praxis of teaching from an essentially individual activity to a shared activity.”
But, as we’ve discovered, openness may produced shared activity at some levels (students helping each other, taking on leadership roles, connecting to others outside of the course, etc). Open teaching is really best seen as open learning. When we learn in transparent ways, we become teachers. But not everyone wants to learn in open ways. In CCK08, we had numerous participants who did not contribute by posting or commenting. Instead, they observed / lurked. They did not contribute in the way we would have expected. Lack of direct participation does not mean they didn’t learn - at least that’s what some participants have expressed here. Open teaching, therefore, means also rethinking our expectations of engagement. We simply can’t control students the way we have done in classroom environments. Open teaching will become a rather shallow concept if we bring too much of closed-classrooms to the process.


Online Learning Requirements

Media_literacy_george_siemens_id17879081.jpg Grassroots activities in incorporating technology into teaching and learning goes a long way. Due to the current design of the education system, grassroots activities keep bumping up against barriers. However, initiatives like this one in Minnesota will become more common:
“To expand access, increase technology skills, provide exciting and inspiring course content, and maximize efficiency and use of taxpayer resources, Governor Tim Pawlenty and Minnesota State Colleges and Universities (MnSCU) Board of Trustees Chair David Olson today announced a goal to have 25 percent of all MnSCU credits earned through online courses by 2015.”
It’s a start. I’d like to hear more about how they’re planning to develop the faculty to actually teach the online courses… and how they’re redesigning the existing education system to ensure that they aren’t only transferring content online, but that they are actually transforming the learning experience to utilize the affordances of the medium.


Google’s Experimenting With New Search Features

Media_literacy_george_siemens_Google_logo_c.gif Google is experimenting with search. Basic idea: when you’re signed in to your Google account, you’ll see the option of voting results up / down and to add comments to results. This doesn’t (yet) impact the results others see. It’s supposed to help personalize search. Results are mixed.

Originally written by George Siemens for elearnspace and first published on November 27th 2008 in his newsletter eLearning Resources and News.

About the author George-Siemens.jpg To learn more about George Siemens and to access extensive information and resources on elearning check out www.elearnspace.org. Explore also George Siemens connectivism site for resources on the changing nature of learning and check out his new book "Knowing Knowledge".

Photo credits: Connectivism: Networked Learner - solarseven Definition of Emerging Technologies for Learning - PDAToday Social Computing - Dawid Makowski Visualizing Data - Gapminder Microsoft’s Personal Reboot: Web-Centric, But Beyond “The Cloud” - PDA Thoughts Education Needs to Be Pulled Into The 21st Century - Helder Almeida Systems for Supportive Open Teaching - Andres Rodriguez Online Learning Requirements - sefa öncül Google’s Experimenting With New Search Features - Google]]> Is our worldwide education system ready to prepare for the unpredictability and fast changes that the 21st century will be serving? "Media_literacy_George_Siemens_by_Elizabeth_Hanson-Smith.jpg" Photo credit: Elizabeth Hanson-Smith Education isn't only about creating employees. It's about empowering individuals to become individuals with the ability to manage effectively the increasingly faster transformations of a complex world like ours. This is why, one should measure education by looking at how tangibly such goal is achieved rather than by measuring the number of tested and certified students the school system is capable of producing. True education, when successful, must essentially prepare its students for dealing with greater and more complex problems. But not those served in a neat and sanitized math test, but rather those emerging from the clash of the multidisciplinary realities we inhabit. Learning how to handle uncertainty, as well as how to rapidly adapt to fast changing environments is the real blockbuster formula to an education approach that provid