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This page is aimed at giving you examples of tutorials on various topics and subjects which are freely available on the web. Take a look and have a go, and evaluate online learning for yourself.
BBC Languages - excellent free tutorials with sound and images in Spanish, French, Italian and others http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/languages/learn/index.shtml .
BBC Learning provides a set of online learning in subjects such as basic skills, creative writing and gardening http://www.bbc.co.uk/learning/onlinecourses/index.shtml
BBC Skillswise Tutor Centre is more of an interactive teacher centre than tutorial, but is a superb example of the interactive and comprehensive use of the internet. Look at http://www.bbc.co.uk/skillswise/tutors/
GCSE Bitesize Revision is another excellent BBC resource has many tutorials in different areas including English, Business Studies, Science and Spanish http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/
Open Learn - Learning Space - from the Open University. A fantastic free resource. The OpenLearn website gives free access to course materials from The Open University. The LearningSpace is open to learners anywhere in the world.
Starts at http://openlearn.open.ac.uk/
OTiS project - This is for 'developing and supporting on-line tutors'. The effective use of ILT in teaching and learning depends on teachers being effective facilitators and motivators of their students' on-line learning. The aim of OTiS is to prepare staff in Scottish HEIs to act as tutors in the growing and competitive global education economy and to exploit current good practice that already exists. The project will develop:
Tutor Guidelines: a set of case studies, Q&A, hint and tips for staff working in an on-line environment.
Staff Development Guidelines: a collation of ideas, problems, best practice, and other issues associated with formulating an effective staff development strategy.
A Resource Pool: materials, tools and other resources on supporting on-line learning.
The OTiS project will draw on existing international good practice and expertise to create a collection of materials and resources to help staff in Scottish HEIs develop their skills in supporting on-line learning http://www.otis.scotcit.ac.uk/
There is an on line learning programme called the 'Online Tutoring E-Book' , which is particularly useful, and is relevant to all teachers, not just IT and on line teachers. It is at http://www.otis.scotcit.ac.uk/onlinebook
Using PowerPoint in the classroom at http://www.actden.com/pp/
Resource Discovery Network - Internet Skills Development Site - Set of HE-produced web-resources to teach internet skills to academic staff, in a subject specific way. Very wide range of subject areas covered. Looks like it'll be a hard job to keep current. www.rdn.ac.uk
Searching - "Bare Bones 101" - a basic tutorial on searching the web - is at http://www.sc.edu/beaufort/library/pages/bones/bones.shtml
'Finding Information on the Internet: A Tutorial' http://lib.berkeley.edu/TeachingLib/Guides/Internet/FindInfo.html Excellent introduction to Web searching basics; materials come from the University of California, Berkeley Teaching Library's Internet Workshops series.
Spanish tutorial .. with sound, which needs shockwave player to be downloaded at http://www.studyspanish.com/index.htm
TEACHING WITH TECHNOLOGY RESOURCE SITE - The University of Maryland University College-Bell Atlantic's "Virtual Resource Site for Teaching with Technology" is a resource for faculty seeking direction in appropriate ways to use Web-based technologies in instruction. The project is a joint initiative of two units at University of Maryland University College: the Center for Teaching, Learning, and Assessment and the Center for the Virtual University. "The guiding principle of this project is to go beyond technical skill towards a full examination of the Teaching/learning issues in technology-enabled instruction." The site consists of two modules:
Module 1 gives examples of, and guidance on selection and use of Web-based media in the context of several different learning strategies.
Module 2 focusses on delivery of instruction. For details on the project, link to http://www.umuc.edu/virtualteaching/
Texas Information Literacy Tutorial - TILT is a developing on-line tutorial system which aims to familiarise students with fundamental research skills. When completed it will include information on the variety of information sources, selection of sources, effective searching and strategies for the evaluation of information. Nicely designed, clear and very useful for anyone undertaking research. http://tilt.lib.utsystem.edu/
Tutorial on gaining student feedback through interviews, questionnaires, focus groups by Philip Barker for the LSDA. Although it is in the context of IFP, the principles apply to most contexts. http://www.vocationallearning.org.uk/tutorials/Planning_managing_IFP/
If you want to improve your expertise with PowerPoint, there is a variety of web sites with tutorials. Some are better than other, but here are some you may wish to try :
The Internet4Classrooms (I4C), web site is certainly worth a look, though it is US school oriented. It is at :
http://www.internet4classrooms.com/on-line_powerpoint.htm
The Indezine web site has mountains of content on PowerPoint, including tutorials, articles and many other items :
http://www.indezine.com/products/powerpoint/index.html is where the PowerPoint content starts
http://www.indezine.com/articles/index.html has a wide range of articles, by no means all of which are positive about PowerPoint
A UK-based site from the University of Wolverhampton has a number of tutorials, guides and articles at
http://pers-www.wlv.ac.uk/~le1810/ppt.htm
To view a presentation, with notes, called 'Powerpoint .. Good or Evil ? ' which was presented at a Teacher Development Workshop at Bath Spa University in May 2004 Click here
Tip sheet 1 - to download click here to save the file where you want it
Tip sheet 2 - to download click here to save the file where you want it
1 - Interactive Lectures
The SWAP web site is the subject centre for Social Policy and Social Work, and has some very relevant content. Although not specifically about PowerPoint, there is a section on 'Interactive Lectures' at http://www.swap.ac.uk/learning/interactive1.asp
How might you be able to use PowerPoint in ways which would promote more interaction. What are your views on how useful / helpful that may be ?
2 - PowerPoint Do's and Don'ts
Here are a few Do's and Don'ts which came from a recent workshop on PowerPoint at Bath Spa University
Don't
Use PowerPoint without carefully considering the value of the content, how it contributes to your module and session learning outcomes and whether it will genuinely improve the learning in your lecture or seminar.
Use images or other electronic content without checking the copyright (which you have to do at source)
Ever use PowerPoint without a backup plan (on the basis of the 'if technology can go wrong it will at some stage' principle !)
Be tempted to put too much on a slide
Do
Experiment and try new things out. Most things with PowerPoint are fairly easy.
Use the technology as a tool. How is the presentation going to help your students learn this section of content more effectively ?
Ask your students what they think of the way you and others use PowerPoint
Try to allow some flexibility in any presentation, to adapt to changing circumstances during the session.
Provide supplementary notes, sources and other items to back up the PowerPoint content
Now try to add some of your own !
VIRTUAL TRAINING SUITE - a set of online tutorials designed to help students, lecturers and researchers improve their Internet information skills. NEW FE related material added in June 2002. 11 subject specific tutorials, including Health & Social Care, IT, Business others. You can work in your own time at your own pace - no one is monitoring you! The tutorials take around an hour each to complete, and include quizzes and interactive exercises to lighten the learning experience. Why not have a go? These tutorials are a comprehensive and growing resource, which is well worth visiting. Well structured, accessible and well designed, with a number of very useful features making them more interactive. Probably one of the best resources of its type on the net. http://www.vts.rdn.ac.uk/
Webwise, the BBC's well-known and very effective Internet Tutorial at http://www.bbc.co.uk/webwise/course/