Software Tools We have Discussed
Note: This page will be expanded with greater detail to follow later, upon my return.
-- Roger Boston
1. You should JOIN THE CHINATALK LISTSERV by clicking the menu selection on the left side.
2. You should send your LISTSERV Email to: CHINATALK@swc2.hccs.cc.tx.us. Email addressed to this ID will be delivered to every single person who is a member of the listserv. This is a good way to "stay in touch" and learn from one another as you progress.
3. Learn to use the free keyboard chat room which you can enter by clicking from the CHINALIVE website.
4. Download, install, and enjoy the REAL PLAYER G2, free from www.realaudio.com. This will let you play the sounds and the videos on the internet and watch our live broadcasts from Houston. This file is about 3 Megabytes in size.
5. Consider learning to use NET MEETING. If you do please feel free to log on to our Net Meeting server as your "meeting place" the address is SWC2.hccs.cc.tx.us. Also Net Meeting is free, download at www.microsoft.com/netmeeting. This program is about 2 Megabytes in size.
6. Download, install, and learn to use the REAL PRODUCER G2, free from www.realaudio.com. This will allow you to CREATE recorded content for the internet, sounds, videos, aound AND video, and even LIVE BROADCASTS. The file is about 3 megabytes in size.
7. Download, install and enjoy the FREE "Live Picture viewer 3.2", avilable from www.livepicture.com. This will allow you to see the Virtual reality scenes I showed you earlier. The file size is small, about 1 Megabyte.
8. Download and install the free program for using our AUDIO TALKING ROOM, by clicking the microphone ICON in the CHinaLve Menu, which will take you to the instructions page that contains also the free plugin for your web browser. Go to this room whenever you wish, but invite another person there so you will have someone to talk to. This file is small, about 1 Megabyte.
9. Learn to use Power Point. Then learn to make voice recordings with Power Point.
10. Go back to www.realaudio.com, and download the FREE "Real Slide Show" program, which lets you create talking slide shows with Power Point kinds of transitions, and integrate music in the background. This file is about 3 Megabytes in size.
11. Internet Skills to practice:
--- Using EMAIL
--- Browsing the WWW with Explorer or Netscape
--- Using search engines.
--- Using NEWS GROUPS
12. Visit the LOTUS website, www.lotus.com, and learn about the LOTUS SCREENCAM RECORDER, which you saw create full screen computer recordings in vivid detail with excellent sound. A wonderful tool for teaching subjects which require high clarity of moving image.
.. more to be listed
.. REMEMBER: You don't have to do everything at once. Begin with the LISTSERV and email with your colleagues. Then slowly try those tools which seem the most useful to YOU.