[ale] [OT] Software and file formats for on-line/correspondence chemical education

[Tom Freeman]

Ron

The school supports Moodle and Eluminate. After that, student and
instructor are pretty much on their own. The education technologists
know Microsoft stuff sort of well, Mac not so much, and Linux has
been heard of. Tablets are total unknowns.

I like the non-Eluminate links - but will not be able to implement
them for this project since the school wants their servers used.
End of discussion.

On Fri, 20 Jan 2012, Ron Frazier wrote:

> Hi Tom,
>
> Good luck in the new job.  I taught for a little while at Lanier Tech
> and was just getting into the online learning technology when my
> assignment ended.  I've also been doing some research into online video
> and audio conferencing for a private mini online learning project I want
> to do with some associates involving learning Java.  I've gathered a few
> links that might be useful to you, while not specifically about file
> formats and such, they address some of the needs you'll face with
> distance learners.
>
> If the school is a Windows shop, then I'm sure they don't want
> additional expense or problems based on the introduction of Linux or Mac
> technology.  That doesn't mean you can't use those technologies, but it
> does mean your solution has to be seamlessly compatible with and
> accessible from Windows.  Also, most of your remote users will probably
> have Windows PC's at home, unless the school issues Macs or something.
>
> Regarding robustness, Lanier Tech used a very interesting technology
> which might be helpful to you.  It's a product called Deep Freeze, from
> Faronics.  They used it on all their computer workstations.  Basically,
> the product completely locks down a user workstation.  Once it's set up
> to a desired configuration and the other application software is set up,
> you "Freeze" the system.  This stores all the critical data and
> applications and configuration in a hidden spot.  Then, let the students
> have access to the system, in a lab, for example.  No matter what they
> do, whether they change the background, alter the setup, inject a virus,
> even delete the whole C drive, all the staff has to do it just reboot
> the computer and it's back to the way it was.  It's pretty awesome.
> This dramatically reduces the maintenance that the staff has to do.  You
> can unfreeze it to apply patches and change things, then refreeze it.
> Also, you have to make allowances for any new data you want to survive a
> reboot to be stored elsewhere other than the frozen drive.  It's mainly
> for workstations, but could possibly be used for a server too.  It's
> available for Windows and Mac, and is definitely not free, but very cool
> technology.  Their standard edition is about $35 / yr / seat.  They have
> enterprise offerings too.
>
> http://www.faronics.com/enterprise/deep-freeze/
>
> For Linux, you might look into the ZFS file system, which, I believe,
> can do system snapshots to give similar functionality.  I know nothing
> about it, other than what I've heard on a few podcasts.  You might have
> to go to FreeBSD or something to make that work.
>
> You're going to need some sort of web conferencing and web collaboration
> software, most likely.  Lanier Tech was using a system called Angel and
> a system called Elluminate, which you mentioned.  Unfortunately both of
> these have now been bought by Blackboard, so there's less competition.
> My (anecdotal) understanding of Blackboard software is that it's very
> powerful and very expensive.  If you've got the budget, it might be a
> good solution.
>
> Blackboard's Angel system:
>
> http://www.blackboard.com/platforms/learn/products/blackboard-learn/angel-edition.aspx
>
> Blackboard's Elluminate like product:
>      http://www.blackboard.com/platforms/collaborate/overview.aspx
>
> Blackboard's learning product:
>
> http://www.blackboard.com/Platforms/Learn/Products/Blackboard-Learn/Teaching-and-Learning.aspx
>
> Here's an open source solution for web conferencing which some of the
> people here on the list recommended for my Java project.  It has audio
> and video conferencing and whiteboard capabilities.  It's probably the
> one I'll use.
>
> Big Blue Button
>      http://www.bigbluebutton.org/
>      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Blue_Button
>      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Online_learning
>
> Here's one of many companies that can run a Big Blue Button server for
> you and provide web conferencing and e-learning services so all you have
> to worry about is your teaching, not running the technology
> infrastructure.  Prices are very reasonable: only $ 25 / mo for 10
> people and $ 75 / month for 50 people with various levels in between.
> They also have a 5 person plan.
>      http://www.genericconf.com/en/articles/distance-learning
>
> TeamViewer is another web conferencing software I've heard good things
> about.  It is compatible with with Windows, Mac, Linux, Iphone, Ipad,
> and Android.
>      http://www.teamviewer.com/en/index.aspx
>
> I hope you find this information helpful.  Please post back here and let
> us know what you come up with.  I know I and probably others would be
> interested to know.
>
> Sincerely,
>
> Ron
>
>
> On 1/20/2012 10:20 AM, Tom Freeman wrote:
>> I have accepted the job of teaching an on-line chemistry course for majors
>> next fall, with the requirement that the course be written this spring.
>> I for see an issue which I could use a whole heaping bunch of help with,
>> specifically ensuring that the students engage in using/generating the
>> visual aspects of chemical "language" and formally engage in showing
>> (documenting and defending) numeric problem solving. I am not being paid
>> enough to accept just showing a picture to the student, and accepting a
>> multiple guess regurgitation. I expect details given without hints from
>> me.
>>
>> The education technology types at the school have ideas which partially
>> get the problem solved, if we only accept Windows on all sides. Since I
>> use Linux (Ubuntu and Fedora mostly), with a little Mac work to help my
>> own children, setting a requirement to use Microsoft products only
>> _really_ has my back up, and heels dug in. Plus, I need to avoid more cost
>> to the student, as it looks like budgeting for this course is potentially
>> headed north of $600. Achieving sufficient interactivity to accommodate
>> online office hours in Moodle using Eluminate is a real positive here.
>>
>> What then am I looking for? Software which reads/writes a useful,
>> well defined file format which will support a work flow pattern which I
>> will attempt to describe below. Obviously cross platform availability; at
>> least including Linux/Unix, Mac, and Windows having software available,
>> with IOS and Android availability a plus. I'm open to commercial software,
>> but in the interest of holding costs down and personal values, I really
>> want open-source, with zero-cost ("free beer?") running a close second.
>> Plus I want it robust as a get out, since the students I've had so far in
>> class can break just about anything just by walking past it.
>>
>> With respect to the work flow, the current idea is that the student will
>> perform some task any way that they can. Unless it is already in an
>> appropriate form, the student will then scan their work, and upload the
>> resulting file to me. Using a tablet&  stylus, I then annotate the
>> student's work with circles, arrows, and indications of doom and dispare,
>> followed by returning the file to the student. At which time the cycle
>> will repeat until exhaustion or learning occurs, or a grade is assigned.
>> If possible, and it may not be, within the file being transferred, I would
>> like to keep the individual entries separate, such that the teacher's
>> notes can be easily obscured in order to view just the student's work. (In
>> my seated classes, any work performed in red gets a zero, since _all_ my
>> comments/notes/grading gets done in red. As a result, both the student and
>> myself have a chance of determining got what right/wrong and where. I want
>> to retain this ability.)
>>
>> So far, I _think_ the Adobe pdf format has the capability to handle my
>> needs, but I haven't proven it by discovering which software used how will
>> cause this to happen, especially happen reliably.
>>
>> If anybody on this list can make sense of the above word salad and suggest
>> a possible solution approach, I'd love to hear it.
>>
>> I thank everybody here for the use of their bandwidth and their patience
>>
>
> -- 
>
> (PS - If you email me and don't get a quick response, you might want to
> call on the phone.  I get about 300 emails per day from alternate energy
> mailing lists and such.  I don't always see new messages very quickly.)
>
> Ron Frazier
>
> 770-205-9422 (O)   Leave a message.
> linuxdude AT c3energy.com
>
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