Hi all,
The below message is re-posted from the NIFL Professional Development list.
Regrds,
Mariann

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>Delivered-To: professionaldevelopment at nifl.gov

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>Date: Thu, 2 Mar 2006 19:39:31 -0500

>

>Dear all,

>

>I have never used it in an educational setting, but have considered it in

the past.  It is an excellent program and is very easy to use.  If you have
used Instant messenging programs like AOL IM and MSN Messenger, you should
not have a problem with this program.  I speak with my brother in Montana
all the time and the lag time is less than a second.  I even think the
quality can be better than some cell phone providers.  As the distance
increases, the quality suffers, but my only experience with bad quality was
making Skype calls to my brother while he was in Iraq.  If the
communication is within the states, I doubt there would be problems.  And
best of all--TOTALLY FREE!!.

>

>www.skype.com

>

>James Yeager

>

>

>

>-----Original Message-----

>From: professionaldevelopment-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of jataylor

>Sent: Thu 3/2/2006 11:03 AM

>To: professionaldevelopment at nifl.gov

>Subject: [ProfessionalDevelopment] Skype and teacher PD

> 

>Hi all!

>Please see Jennifer Rafferty's message to the Technology List below. Do

any of 

>you use Skype or other free online means of voice and video conferencing

with 

>teachers? If so, how's it working for you? It seems this would be an

excellent 

>means for small groups of teachers, mentor projects, or teacher networks to 

>stay connected with comparatively little expense. According to David

Collings' 

>message below, the user would require a headset (needed for good quality 

>sound), a Webcam (if using the video component), a computer, and high-speed 

>Internet.

>

>Thanks, Jackie Taylor

>

>>===== Original Message From Jennifer Rafferty <Jennifer.Rafferty at umb.edu> 

>=====

>Hi, I'm Jennifer Rafferty from the MA ABE DL Project.  In Massachusetts we

>have played around with Skype and Gizmo Project in a professional setting.

>Notice my choice of words, "played".  Gizmo Project allows a larger of

>number people to participate in a conference call, so we have had up to five

>participants from our Distance Learning Advisory Board using the software on

>occasion. The purpose of our calls were really just to test the waters and

>see if it is a viable option instead of picking up the phone.  It seemed

>that the one participant who was on a dial-up connection had the hardest

>time hearing and being heard when we did our test runs.  We did not use the

>videoconference feature at that time so I cannot speak to that.

>I use Gizmo Project on a weekly basis with one of my dl teachers who loves

>new technologies as much as I do.    I must say I have seen a bit of a drop

>in my monthly phone bill charges as well!  I know that this teacher who

>communicates weekly with me via Skype and Gizmo also uses Internet telephony

>with her learners.  She has even used Yahoo messenger to teach math with the

>whiteboard that is included in the software program.

>

>-----Original Message-----

>From: technology-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:technology-bounces at nifl.gov]On

>Behalf Of Lobaccaro Gina (DOC)

>Sent: Wednesday, March 01, 2006 2:41 PM

>To: david at collings.com; The Technology and Literacy Discussion List

>Subject: Re: [Technology] Welcome David and Alex

>

>

>David,

>I use Skype regularly to talk to my brother in law in Hungary and other

>friends all over the world.  I would love the experience of using it in a

>professional setting.  I would like to be involved in a Skype video

>conference....

>

>Gina

>

>-----Original Message-----

>From: technology-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:technology-bounces at nifl.gov]On

>Behalf Of David Collings

>Sent: Wednesday, March 01, 2006 1:30 PM

>To: 'The Technology and Literacy Discussion List'

>Subject: Re: [Technology] Welcome David and Alex

>

>

>Carla, it can certainly seem like a daunting task to put the pieces together

>for

>a multi-faceted project like distance learning.  If you have found a company

>with experience that you trust to assess your needs, you should be able to

>avoid

>some of the learning curve.  Hopefully, our current discussion can take away

>part of your pain as well.  Let us know about any issues that apply to your

>teachers, learners, and budget.  There are many fine folks on this list who

>can

>help with the details.

>

>Videoconferencing is a more specific topic.  The hardware and software have

>become much cheaper and easier to use in the past few years.  Most of the

>new

>devices communicate over a high-speed Internet connection.  It's possible to

>connect with a dial-up user, but the video quality that I have seen is so

>bad

>that you won't want to try it.

>

>Some of the most popular videoconferencing devices are made by Polycom

>(polycom.com).  I have not used these, but have seen demonstrations by the

>folks

>in California adult education.  ** Marian Thacher, are you out there? **

>The

>Polycom ViaVideo desktop model is in the $500 to $600 range per unit.

>Educational pricing should bring it down a bit more.  The quality of these

>units

>is good enough for most educational purposes.

>

>If this is beyond your budget, you might want to try one of the free

>conferencing services.  I know that several of the folks on this list have

>used

>Skype (skype.com).  They offer free voice and video calls over an Internet

>connection for anyone using their software (a free download).  You provide a

>headset (needed for good quality sound), a Webcam, a computer, and

>high-speed

>Internet.

>

>Would anyone like to share a Skype videoconferencing experience?

>

>David C.

>

>________________________________

>

>	From: Carla Watson [mailto:watson.carla at gmail.com]

>	Sent: Wednesday, March 01, 2006 10:33 AM

>	To: david at collings.com; The Technology and Literacy Discussion List

>	Subject: Re: [Technology] Welcome David and Alex

>

>

>	Just wanted to throw my name in the hat. This is fantastic information.

>We are just beginning to embark on distance education and are working with a

>company to meet our equipment needs. I am curious about how best to ensure

>that

>our equipment will serve our purposes. We are hoping to start video

>conferencing

>as well as distance learning. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

>

>	Carla Watson

>	Northeast Kingdom Learning Services, Inc

>	Newport, Vermont 05855

>

>

>	On 2/28/06, David Collings <david at collings.com > wrote:

>

>		I want to echo Alex's thanks and welcome all list readers to

>this discussion.

>		Please jump right in with your comments or questions.

>

>		I will address the topic of students entering an online system.

>The adult

>		learners who enter our Delaware online programs are assessed for

>their academic

>		level using the TABE, SelectABLE, and ABLE-3 tests.  The results

>of these tests

>		determine whether someone is a candidate for one of our three

>programs.  These

>		include ABE-At-A-Distance (ABEAAD), GED, and

>Diploma-At-A-Distance (DAAD -

>		receive a high school diploma).  All students new to our online

>programs must

>		enroll in a course on computer literacy unless they have

>received a high school

>		credit for this.  These courses last ten weeks for DAAD students

>and five weeks

>		for ABEAAD students.  Our GED students enter a self-contained

>online system.  We

>		use the one from McGraw-Hill Contemporary.

>

>		We do not use any sort of computer skills assessment prior to

>enrollment in a

>		program.  Do others use this?  If so, does it seem to screen out

>most of those

>		who are unprepared to work in an online environment?

>

>		David Collings

>

>		-----Original Message-----

>		From: technology-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:

>technology-bounces at nifl.gov ] On Behalf

>		Of Alex Quinn

>		Sent: Tuesday, February 28, 2006 10:53 AM

>		To: The Technology and Literacy Discussion List

>		Subject: Re: [Technology] Welcome David and Alex

>

>		Thanks for the introduction Mariann.  Over the course of the

>next few days we'd

>		like to generate a discussion about the uses of media and

>emerging technologies

>		in adult education.  We thought a good starting point would be

>to look at what's

>		being used now.

>

>		We received the following question in advance:

>

>		"I am interested in learning about the different

>programs/curriculums used for

>		distance learning for GED students.  Who are the best students

>to use them?

>		What kind of instruction is needed with these programs?"

>

>		An excellent resource to answer this question is Project IDEAL

>		( http://www.projectideal.org <http://www.projectideal.org/> ).

>Project IDEAL has been working with several

>		states over the last few years to help them develop effective

>distance

>		education programs for adult learners.   One of the many

>publications

>		available on their website is the "Handbook of Distance

>Education for Adult

>		Learners."  There is a good discussion in the handbook about the

>skills required

>		for a student to succeed in a distance learning program.  Some

>of the

>		characteristics they mention are the ability to work

>independently, familiarity

>		and level of comfort with the technical tools required, well

>organized, and

>		self-motivated.  Most of all, the material should be matched

>academically to the

>		student's ability.

>

>		There is another good resource on the Project IDEAL website, a

>Working Paper,

>		"Exploring Distance Education Curricula for Adult Learners."

>This paper gives a

>		nice overview of the more commonly used distance education

>curriculums.

>

>		What have other's experiences been working with GED distance

>education.

>		What has worked for you?

>

>		Alex Quinn

>

>

>		On 2/28/06 9:53 AM, "Mariann Fedele" < mariannf at lacnyc.org>

>wrote:

>

>		>

>		> Hello technology list colleagues,

>		>

>		> I would like to welcome David Collings and Alex Quinn to the

>NIFL

>		> technology and Literacy Discussion list as our guest

>moderators to

>		> lead a discussion on current and emerging uses of media in

>adult basic

>		> education instruction in the classroom and at a distance.

>		> They will be leading the discussion beginning today and

>through this

>		> Friday, March 3rd.

>		>

>		> David Collings is the Technology Coordinator for the Adult and

>		> Community Education Network in Delaware - the unit responsible

>for

>		> support of adult education teachers, learners, and

>administrators

>		> throughout the state.  He is also Chair of the Adult  Literacy

>and

>		> Technology Network - a national organization which  promotes

>the use of

>		instructional technology.

>		>

>		> David has worked in adult education for eighteen years and has

>

>		> presented on distance learning and technology at national

>conferences

>		> in each of the past ten years.  These include  conferences of

>the

>		> American Association for Adult and Continuing Education, the

>		> Commission on Adult Basic Education, the Correctional

>Education

>		> Association, and the Adult Literacy and Technology Network.

>Prior to

>		> his role with Delaware adult  education, David was Project

>Manager for

>		> PBS LiteracyLink, a partnership which developed instructional

>content

>		comprised of video, print, and Web components.

>		>

>		> Alex Quinn is the Executive Director of the Adult Literacy

>Media

>		> Alliance (ALMA), a project of Education Development Center.

>ALMA

>		> produces multimedia curricula on basic reading, writing, and

>math

>		> skills, as well theme-based curricula on topics such as health

>		> literacy, financial literacy, and family literacy.  ALMA is

>the

>		> producer of the Emmy Award-winning television series, TV411,

>seen on

>		> public television and cable stations around the country, and

>an

>		> extensive web site for adult learners and their instructors,

>www.tv411.org <http://www.tv411.org/> .

>		>

>		> Alex is the principal investigator for a National Science

>Foundation

>		> project - Tune In To Math - involving the production of

>television,

>		> print, and web materials on basic math topics as well as

>extensive

>		> distribution and outreach collaboration with public

>televisions

>		> stations.  Alex has led several multimedia projects at ALMA

>including:

>		> development of a DVD-based financial education curriculum, in

>English

>		> and Spanish, produced in partnership with Bank of America;

>Health

>		> Smarts While You Wait, a multimedia health literacy curriculum

>		> designed to be delivered in hospital and clinic waiting areas;

>and, as

>		> part of the American Film Institute's Enhanced TV Workshop, an

>		> interactive television prototype on math basics designed for

>distribution on

>		advanced cable television platforms.

>		>

>		> Welcome Alex and David and thank you for joining us!

>		>

>		> Regards,

>		> Mariann

>		>

>		>

>		>

>		> Mariann Fedele

>		> Coordinator of Professional Development, Literacy Assistance

>Center

>		> Moderator, NIFL Technology and Literacy Discussion List

>		> 32 Broadway 10th Floor

>		> New York, New York 10004

>		> 212-803-3325

>		> mariannf at lacnyc.org

>		> www.lacnyc.org <http://www.lacnyc.org/>

>		>

>		> ----------------------------------------------------

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>

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>		----------------------------------------------------

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>		Technology and Literacy mailing list

>		Technology at nifl.gov

>		To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go

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>

>

>	--

>	Carla S. Watson

>	Newport Learning Center Interim Site Manager/Special Projects Officer

>	Northeast Kingdom Learning Services, Inc.

>	802-334-2839

>

>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

>Jackie Taylor, Adult Literacy Professional Development List Moderator, 

>jataylor at utk.edu

>National Institute for Literacy http://www.nifl.gov/

>Association of Adult Literacy Professional Developers http://www.aalpd.org/

>

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Mariann Fedele
Coordinator of Professional Development, 
Literacy Assistance Center
Moderator,
NIFL Technology and Literacy Discussion List
32 Broadway 10th Floor
New York, New York 10004
212-803-3325
mariannf at lacnyc.org
www.lacnyc.org