E-Books and Online Classes

Tech Tips Newsletter March 1, 2012 Editor: Karen Franker

This e-newsletter is brought to you by University of Wisconsin-Stout School of Education. If you do not wish to receive future issues, please see instructions to manage preferences at the bottom of this message.     Find us on Facebook   -------------------- In this issue... Top eBook and ePublishing Tips Featured Instructor - Dr. Susan Manning New Online Course  “Using Games for Learning and Assessment” List of Summer Online Courses Including Four New Courses Tech Tip: Read ePub Files in Your Web Browser; Write an ePub Book in Google Docs   Top eBook and ePublishing Tips This newsletter features how to use eBooks and electronic publishing to create customized and meaningful content. Explore our list of best resources for helping instructors and learners to create and share digital books.   9 Things You Should Know About ePubs The Ohio State University’s Office of the CIO has created a useful guide describing the “why’s” and “how’s” of e-publishing.   Discussing What Apple’s eBook Moves Mean for Higher Ed Lisa Spiro delves into the possible impact of Apple’s digital publishing initiatives on higher ed textbook creation.   Classroom Publishing: Enable Students to Create eBooks of Their Work with These Easy-to-Use Applications Richard Byrne provides an excellent overview of tools for creating eBooks, including Simple Booklet and 2EPUB. How to Create Your Own Textbook—With or Without Apple Dolores Gende describes a three-step process for involving students in the creation of a digital textbook.   How to Create ePubs James Lengel explains how to select tools for creating and sharing eBooks.   eBooks and mLearning Aren’t as Easy as iBooks Author Michael Grant shares three key findings about creating an eBook that he has shared with his instructional design students.   The Best Platform to Design an eBook Nicolas Franz describes common eBook design platforms from low to high complexity.   Student eBook Creations Explore eBooks created by K-12 students in the Clarke County (GA) School District.   Tech Tips:  Read ePub Files in Your Web Browser; Write an ePub Book in Google Docs   Read ePub Files in Your Web Browser Richard Byrne explains how to use two browser add-ons to read ePub files: ePUBREADER for Firefox and Magic Scroll for Google Chrome.   Write an ePub Book in Google Docs Cheryl Davis provides a step-by-step guide to creating a book to share on the ePub Bud site.     Meet Our Instructor – Dr. Susan Manning We interviewed Susan Manning to find out what she enjoys about her new Using Games for Learning and Assessment online course.   “In the late 1990's, educators took a huge leap forward with distance education as they developed the first online courses.  Today we take their early efforts for granted.  Teaching this new course in a badging program feels a little like that again.    I am confident that game-based learning and badging opportunities will take root in many schools and colleges, and that makes teaching this course especially exciting.  Teaching with game-based learning and in a new interface also reminds me of the simple truths of learning  - clear instruction, ongoing feedback, personalized (and internalized) assignments, community,  humor and levity!  If you'd like to stretch yourself as an educator, please join us!” EDUC 696C Using Games for Learning and AssessmentExplore quests, incentives like badges, the core tenets of game-based learning and how it supports the inquiry process. Get your game on and gamify learning for your students! 1 graduate credit April 9 - May 4, 2012 or July 9 – August 3, 2012 You may enroll in this course to meet your goals for continuing education professional development and license renewal.   Summer Online Courses List of Summer 2012 Online Courses  Check out the four new courses. Register now to reserve a spot.  No tuition due now; tuition is due on the first day of the course. Register Online!   Request Information Online  School of Education Online Professional Development University of Wisconsin - Stout Phone: (715) 232-2253 Archives - back issues in case you missed the most recent newsletter.