Month: November 2005

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mp3, mp4, m4a, m4b, m4v – codec explained

This article gives an overview of the emergent codecs. People are now utilising the mp4 layer for their file encodings. Read this article to gain this know-how.

.m4a for podcast using the AAC format (may also contain either chapters or images or a mixture)
.m4b for podcasts with chapters and images (as in audiobooks; aka enhanced podcasts)
.m4v for vodcasts using the codec for movie files compatible with video iPods
.mp4 for vodcasts using this general video format
.mov for vodcasts using this traditional video format

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On videoblogging

Well, videoblogging (or vlog) is slowly taking its place in the family of blogs. Until we solve the problem of bandwidth and video equipments, using vlog in our classroom would not be as pervasive as we would like to. In the meantime, some links/resources for those who would like to explore vlog:
If you would like to start viewing/subscribing to some vlogs, Mefeedia is where you can find thousands of videobloggers (video podcasts), and subscribe to their feeds to watch independent videos in the browser, or even on your video iPod or on your PSP.
Besides Mefeedia, if you are monitoring updates in some vlogs, get FireANT. It is a RSS reader for vlogs, featuring automatic downloads and many other features.
If you want to start your own videoblog today (for free), check out Freevlog, a step-by-step guide to setting up a videoblog for free.
Last but not least, if you would like to just READ more about vlog, download this article entitled “7 Things You Should Know About Videoblogging” by EDUCAUSE. It’s only a 73KB PDF! 🙂

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Podcast Projections

Based on a sample of 4400 radio listeners in ten national markets, Bridge Ratings … estimates that 5 million people will have downloaded podcasts in 2005, compared with just 820,000 in 2004 …the podcast audience would reach critical mass in 2010 with 62.8 million users.

The figure in 2005 is 609% that of 2004 and it will be 7658% by the year 2010. Are we harnessing podcasting for our teaching and learning yet?
Click here for the full article.

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The Technology Source Archives

Published from 1997 to 2003, The Technology Source (ISSN 1532-0030) was a peer-reviewed bimonthly periodical whose purpose was to provide thoughtful, illuminating articles that would assist educators as they face the challenge of integrating information technology tools into teaching and into managing educational organisations.
The website maintains all of the articles originally published in The Technology Source …

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Teens wear their hearts on their blog

This report from USAToday.com writes about how millions of youth who grew up with a mouse in one hand and a remote control in the other are pourring out their hearts, minds and angst in blogs.
The section on “Advice for blogging” could be useful for teachers who may be embarking to allow students to blog for their subjects:

Anything on the Internet is public. For safety, Parry Aftab, executive director of WiredExperts, and others recommend:
– Treat everyone you meet online as if he were a stranger, even after you’ve traded information. Lying online is easy.
– Leave out identifying information like your name, where you work and go to school.
– Use e-mail addresses that don’t use your name and can’t be traced to your other online activity.
– When possible, protect your information with passwords.
– Obscure identities in pictures.
– Post only stuff you wouldn’t mind seeing on a billboard.
– Team up with a buddy to check each other’s sites for problems.
– Teens under 13 should only blog with constant supervision.

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