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Throughout ECI 719 you will steadily increase your knowledge of many web-based tools. This page will serve as a Resource and Reference Guide for these tools.

Voicethread

We will be using VoiceThread.com this semester as a means to provide voice-based critique on some of our project assignments. You will need a microphone for your computer to use VoiceThread. If you do not own one, or if your computer does not have one built-in, a microphone can be purchased from the NCSU bookstore for under $20. There are also many other cheaper options available through websites such as amazon.com. You will need to create a VoiceThread account in order to record on these posts. To create a VoiceThread account go to: http://voicethread.com

Having trouble figuring out how to use VoiceThread? Download a tutorial

Second Life

We will be using Second Life for some meetings this semester and for group work. You will need to create an avatar to use for this purpose if you don’t already have one. Second Life is a free virtual world application. Go to: http://secondlife.com You can select your own first name, however you will have to choose from a set of last names provided by Second Life. (I recommend choosing a first name similar to your actual first name to make it easier for other people to remember who you are! I didn’t, but wish I had.) Once you set up your avatar, you can download the free application. You will log in and go to the Second Life Orientation Island and have a brief orientation on how to modify your avatar’s appearance and use the navigation and tools in Second Life. Be sure and write down your avatar’s first and last name and your password some place.

After you complete your Second Life orientation, please visit NCSU Wolflands.

We will be conducting group work in the NCSU Wolfland area in Second Life.

Elluminate Live!

We may use Elluminate Live! this semester for some live meetings online to review some of the applications and concepts we’ll be studying. Prior to a live class session in Elluminate, go to:http://www.elluminate.com/support/ You will set up your computer in preparation for our class session.

  1. Step 1 will check that you have Java installed.
  2. Step 2 will make sure your speakers and/or microphone are set up correctly. You need to enter the “Configuration Room” in order to test your audio setup. It is not required that you have a microphone, but useful if you’d rather use audio to ask a question than the text chat.
  3. Under Step 3, do the “Recorded Introduction” to get an overview of how to use Elluminate as a participant.
  4. You need to do this at least 24 hours in advance of class in case you have any problems so you can resolve them. If you have any hardware or software issues call Elluminate Support at 1-866-388-8674, option 2.
  5. I will send you a link that you will use to enter our online classroom. We will not use a password, so leave this space blank, and sign in with a username that is your first name.
  6. Please email me or call if you have difficulty logging in.
  7. Directions on Configuring Elluminate are provided

Your Reflective Blog

For this course you will need to create a blog and regularly post reflections that directly relate to course material, readings, assignments, and projects.  You may choose to incorporate your posts for this course into an already existing blog that you maintain provided that you tag posts specific to this course with “eci719″.

We recommend using either Blogger or WordPress for your blogging platform.  For more detailed information, see the Assignment description.

Twitter

Announcements throughout the semester will be posted to the course Twitter account, @eci719. These updates can also be found at the bottom of the course website.  These will include when new assignments have been released, when grades have been posted, and general reminders.

For this course you are also required to sign up and maintain a personal Twitter account.  For more detailed information, see the Assignment description.

Once you have created your account, go to http://twitter.com/eci719 and follow the course account.

Twitter has recently made hefty revisions of its homepage and you may choose to simply use this to update your Twitter account and check in on those that you are following.  However, if you would prefer an application to follow your Twitter subscriptions, check out: http://tweeterapps.com. There are lots of applications. We recommend Tweetdeck (http://www.tweetdeck.com).  If you are interesting in using Twitter on your mobile device, see this review of mobile Twitter applications.

Google Apps

NC State has recently fully transitioned into Google Apps including Sites, Calendars, and Docs. We will be looking at ways to incorporate these technologies into 719 this semester.