EduTek n Social Media Advisor

Invite Only Domain Registration Service by Google

Google launches invite only domain registration service in beta.

Image source : http://domains.google.com/about/index.html

Google is working with website building providers like Shopify, Squarespace, weebly and Wix to enable you to create a beautiful website. For an additional cost, without requiring coding, you can get customizable web templates, e-commerce features and mobile site management.

Google offers following features to make your online presence easy.

• No additional cost for private registration
• Branded emails
• Capability to forward domains easily
• Customizable sub-domains
• Fast, reliable and secure infrastructure
• Simple domain management tools
• New domain endings
• Reliable support through phone and email

At present you can get the service through invitation only. But you could request an invitation by clicking here.

 

 

Canva the Designer’s Wonderland

 As a digital marketer, one would like to have a good FB cover or blog graphic or anything related to digital world that would enable you to present your product / service well. Your search for these things can be realized easily by visiting Canva in beta.

You can learn the various design techniques by clicking here.  It is online and free to use and lets you collaborate with anyone, anywhere.

The following video suggests a snapshot of what can be done using Canva.

Do let me know what you feel about Canva.

Explore Global Education Database (GED)

I thought exploring GED will be quite interesting to educationists and technologists as it allows you to explore on various topics such as

• Apps
• Hardware
• Software
• Web tools

Hovering of the tab ‘Great For’ lets you view various categories such as class management upto project based learning.

You can select any category and view all the resources mentioned under that.

Apart from using the resources, GED lets you add resources by clicking the tab ‘Add’. Therefore if you come across good resources you can add them to the database.

Happy exploring GED!

Complete Guide for Google Drive

Want to know how to create, save, share documents and communicate with others using Google Drive? Then watch the following video.

 

 

My Webslides on eLearning and other Topics

I had already mentioned in one of my earlier blog posts titled ‘Convert RSS Feeds and Bookmarks to Webslides’ about bookmarking and creating Webslides using Diigo.

Here are some of the webslides I’ve created on following topics.

·         eLearning

·         Higher Education

·         Learning and Technology

·         Social Media Marketing

 

Do keep visiting and viewing the webslides as I shall be updating them.

Convert RSS Feeds and Bookmarks to Webslides

Diigo now enables you to convert your RSS feeds and Bookmarks to webslides that can be embedded on any web page.

The following video suggests how it can be done.

 

Do share the URL of the webslides you’ve created.

Interesting Slide Show

I came across this interesting slideshow titled ‘Learning 3.0 and the Smart eXtended Web’ by Steve Wheeler.  I thought I shall share this presentation with you.

 

Learning 3.0 and the Smart eXtended Web from Steve Wheeler

Google Related is Cool!

‘Google Related is a Chrome Extension that shows you useful, interesting content while you browse the web.

When you're surfing with Related, you'll often see a thin bar along the bottom of your screen that offers videos, maps, reviews and other content that's relevant to that page. When you see an item you like, you can spread the word by using the built-in +1 button’

You can install the Google Related Chrome Extension by clicking here.

What you can find by installing Google Related can be realized by watching the following video.

 

The following screenshot (My Twitter a/c in Hoot Suite) shows the presence of Google Related as thin bar with the items such as video and webpages. 

Pointing the arrow near ‘web’, lists related websites that can be +1d as shown below.

In this case, Google Related suggests web pages related to HootSuite not even competitor’s applications. Of course I have not tried many web pages to generalize this.

 

 

 

Adding Vanity URL for Your Google+ Web Page

Today I got the Google+ invitation from one of my friends and just added a vanity URL for that. It is quite simple to get the vanity URL. Google provides your Google+ webpage identity in the form of string of numbers that is quite difficult to remember. Hence you can create a vanity URL that is easier to remember as follows.

gplus.to  enables you to achieve this easily. Just visit glpus.to webpage. The screenshot of the webpage is as shown below.

Decide a nickname for your Google+ web page.  It is better if you select a nick name related to your profession. Since I am a Consultant for eLearning and Social Media Marketing and my website is advisor2u.com, I chose my nick name as Advisor2U4eLnSMM.

Then add your Google+ Id, that is a string of numbers. Foe e.g. my URL for Google+ web page is

https://plus.google.com/106528453610174284802/posts  The highlighted portion of numbers is my Google+ ID.  Add the ID as shown above and click the button ‘add’. That’s all there is to do.

You get your vanity URL. Mine is as shown above, i.e. http://www.gplus.to/Advisor2U4eLnSMM

Do create your vanity URL for your Google+ webpage and Google+ this if you like the blog post.

 

Enhancing Learning through various Experiential Learning Strategies

Last Saturday, i.e. on 13^th Nov. I was invited as one of the speakers for National Level Faculty Development Program on ‘Experiential Learning in Higher Education: An Innovative Approach’ organized by ECE Dept. VIT, Chennai

I introduced Kolb’s experiential learning cycle through the following diagram.

 
Source for image: http://iteslj.org/Articles/Kelly-Experiential

Then I classified Experiential Learning into non web 2.0 based web 2.0 based ones.

In Non - Web 2.0 based Experiential Learning strategies I introduced the following:

• Case studies
• Simulation and Role play
• AdZap
• Mend – Debugging
• Tech-Wist (Tech and non-tech, comparison of similar products)
• Directed studies
• ILOP - Intensified Learning Opportunity Programme

In Web 2.0 based Experiential Learning strategies I introduced:

• Collaborative Mind Map (MindMeister)
• Google Applications for sharing, collaborative work (Google Docs, Google Groups and Google Calendar)
• Reflection on podcasts /videos
• Games based software simCEO

I demonstrated live, Google Docs for educational applications. But for Google Groups and Google Calendar, offered the demonstration through following links.

• Google Group
• Google Calendar

For games based software, I Introduced simCEO and explained how it can enable the student to become a good entrepreneur and a good investor.

Finally I just introduced Elgg, a social network application

• What can be done using Elgg
• Who can use them

The photographs taken during the program can be accessed by clicking here.