This seems to have caught people's attention! Having experienced a lecture a
couple of weeks ago where I was competing with my students' obsession for
reading and sending text messages, I think I've maybe hit upon a way of
talking their language... I wonder if I could be the first person to give a
lecture via text message? ;-)
To answer several requests for more info:
I use http://www.mtnsms.com to set up an address book and send SMS text
messages to students. This is free.
Not all services accept messages like this - BT Cellnet, for example -
because of the potential for abuse (phone text spam - a horrible thought!)
With this service you tick the people you want to message, then type the
message. It takes about 5 seconds to reach them. It's a pain having to tick
people - you can't set up groups, unfortunately. I have listed my students
by course code - e.g. VW071 John Smith - so that if I start to have
different year groups on there, they'll show up together.
There are a few programs out there for doing this without using the web. The
one I know of for the Mac is 'PowerSMS', which looks like it would be just
the job. Unfortunately it doesn't yet work through firewalls. I contacted
the programmer who said - wait for it - it was on his list of improvements,
but he hasn't got much time yet as he has to go to school! I noticed
policemen are looking younger these days, too...
To look at what else is available, go to http://www.download.com and search
for SMS. When you go to the site it will automatically detect if you're on a
PC or Mac and confine its search to that platform. So if you want to do a
wider search, you need to say so.
This site also lists software for palmtops, but I haven't looked into this.
I use a Palm III - anybody else? - and could feasibly get a connector to my
mobile phone. So if I wanted to send a message I could do it anytime,
anyplace. Another area for investigation.
It's getting a bit like Star Trek. There've been some tutorials where I wish
I had a matter transporter either to rescue me or get rid of the student.
Any hope of diverting some research funds into this???
To set up email conferencing and chat room facilities I use
http://www.egroups.co.uk
You can store files on your group area, as well as set up calendar reminders
to email students directly. There's a polling facility too.
You can make tutors members of the group if you wish, or have it 'private'
so students can email each other without being eavesdropped. Whether they'll
believe you or not, I don't know!
I sent a message to the list on Saturday and got two responses within
minutes, which suggests either that my students are keen, or they spend
their whole life on the net (or both). Either way, it was gratifying to
experience.
Again, this service is free and I started using it last summer to help
graduating third years keep in touch. And it's worked - they are all still
emailing each other and arranging get-togethers. So a potential tool for
alumni and tracking of graduates' progress, as well as for keeping in touch
with current students.
To design my web site I used Macromedia Dreamweaver and Fireworks, which I
used in my earlier incarnation as a web designer. Dreamweaver has a set of
extensions called 'CourseBuilder' which allow you to set up web-based
learning activities - drag and drop, multiple choice, true/false etc.
These are free for version 4 owners, or can be bought for earlier versions.
Macromedia Flash 5 also has similar features, and Macromedia have a larger
set of software tools to use with Director and Dreamweaver for tracking of
students etc. Sadly I've not had the time to investigate (I had to do all
this in my inter-semester holiday!)
I'll post the address of the site here soon - I just need to sort out a few
copyright issues on some of the material posted on it, but it's an area I
know little about.
Hope all that helps someone. Let me know!
Jonathan
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