Apr 16, 2014 | News & Events
Those of us in the library monitoring ebooks closely wanted to share some details as many of you begin making textbook decisions for the fall. By now the majority of students on the ACU campus have access to an iPad, presenting ACU faculty with a unique opportunity to offer cost-savings on textbook purchases in 2014-15. Here are some of the providers you might consider.
iBooks – The standard ebook reader for iOS is Apple’s iBooks app (free). Most trade titles you teach are available on the iBookstore as well as a number of interactive textbooks from some of their publishing partners that include media. In addition to highlighting/annotation, the iBooks app allows students to turn their notes into notecards for later review.
You can also open and store PDF and ePub files in iBooks, whether you digitize an article or share a digital copy of your syllabus. The iBooks Author application for Mac also allows teachers to produce custom content with interactive maps and media.
• Search Textbooks in iBooks
• iBooks Textbooks
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Kindle – Amazon has Kindle reader apps for the iPad and iPhone as well as most mobile and desktop platforms. They offer Kindle versions for many trade titles you already teach on amazon.com that now include Xray which they describe as a “smart glossary” pointing to related content. Students buy the Kindle book and it syncs directly to the Kindle app for iPad (free), and they’re saving money.
Recently Amazon has also worked with textbook companies to offer rental options for Kindle where students are allowed to rent some textbook titles. The main point is that students don’t need to own a Kindle device to read Kindle books on their iPad.
• Search Kindle Textbooks
• Amazon Student (50% off Prime) (more…)
Feb 17, 2014 | News & Events, Unboxed
Recording a video can be a complex process. The checklist of settings and techniques to remember for any given camera is often daunting, especially for someone new to the equipment. That’s why in 2013, the Learning Studio began beta testing a new solution for quick video recording: the One Button Studio.
The One Button Studio was developed by Penn State University, who worked with us to install the first One Button Studio outside the Penn State system, upstairs in the ACU library.
The unique studio is perfect for students practicing a speech on camera or for a professor sending a short message or lecture to a class.
Now, any visitor to the Learning Studio can record a video in three simple steps:
- Place your USB drive into the slot
- Push the silver button to start recording
- Push the button again to stop recording
The HD camera mounted on the wall records directly to your USB drive. To enhance your video, three professional-grade lights and a directional microphone ensure clean, high-quality audio and video. Users can even project slides over their shoulder using a short-throw projector connected to the iMac in the room (You can ask the front desk for a remote to control your slides).
The One Button Studio is the personal film studio anyone can use.
[TIP: Reserve Studio 1 up to 7 days in advance to plan your next visit to the One Button Studio.]
Dec 11, 2013 | Lynda, News & Events
In our first year of Lynda.com, we’ve had 731 users view 4,310 different videos. Teachers have assigned Lynda content to support specific assignments or as a textbook replacement in some subject areas.
To get a sense of the variety of potential uses of Lynda content, just look at the list of our 12 most viewed courses in 2013.
1. Excel Essential Training
2. Premiere Pro Essential Training
3. C# Essential Training
4. QuickBooks Pro Essential Training
5. After Effects Essential Training
6. XML Training
7. Illustrator Essential Training
8. Time Management Fundamentals
9. Photoshop Essential Training
10. Sales Skills Fundamentals
11. Ruby Essential Training
12. Maya Essentials
If you’re looking to learn a new skill or piece of software over the holidays, don’t miss our 12 Days of Lynda playlist.
And if you’re teaching with Lynda.com next spring, you can create your own playlists to share with students as well. Here is a quick tutorial for how to create them.
Dec 5, 2013 | News & Events
This week we’re celebrating 12 Days of Lynda.com, giving prizes to some of the top lynda.com users from the ACU campus over the past year. You can also enter to win some stocking stuffers including 8gb key drives.
Over the holiday break if you’re looking to learn a new skill and try out some new software, check out this playlist featuring 12 of our favorite new Lynda courses.
And if you’re teaching with Lynda.com next spring, you can create your own playlists to share with students as well. Here is a quick tutorial for how to create them.
Dec 3, 2013 | News & Events
This week the Learning Studio is saying thanks to the ACU campus with stocking stuffers for your holiday media projects. Enter in one or more of the following ways. Give-aways begin Thursday, December 5th.
• follow @learningstudio on Twitter
• like ACUlearningstudio on Facebook
• create your Lynda.com login
Later in the week we’ll share other ways you can get involved along with a few of our favorite projects from the last year. Thanks for being a part of a great 2013.
