In previous posts, I have talked about various applications and widgets: Photo-editing software, audio manipulation software, animated avatars, etc. These applications or resources may or may not have been specifically created for educational purposes. There is a myriad of applications out there, and a multitude of skills to learn - this sometimes can be a bit overwhelming. There is always a constant pressure on us teachers to perform and to create new and interesting resources, and especially, resources which can be shared online.
Author Archive for Amanda R. Debattista
Google Maps (formerly known as Google Local) is a freeware web mapping service application provided by Google. It powers many map-based services, including the Google Maps website, Google Ride Finder, Google Transit, and maps embedded on third-party websites via the Google Maps API. It encompasses street maps, a route planner for traveling by foot, bicycle, car, or public transport and an urban business locator for numerous countries around the world. It also can help find the location of specific buildings.
One of the very first posts of this Blog described how we could download YouTube Videos from the Internet and embed them in our everyday lessons in the classroom. I explained in detail how this could be done by using the popular video-downloading site, Keepvid.com (Using YouTube Videos as a Resource in the Classroom). Sometimes though, we might come across a video with a really good soundtrack or commentary, and we would like to use just that, the audio; perhaps to add special effects to an Audacity Project or for quizzing our students in class. Today I am going to focus on how we can extract Audio Files from these downloaded videos (and from other AVI - MP4 files in general).
Extracting Audio Files from Downloaded Videos
To extract audio from a video which is already on your PC, all you require is a simple audio extraction program. There are various freeware and shareware audio extraction applications available for downloading off the Internet, and they are relatively simple to use (just open the video file and the program does the rest). One of my favourites is AoA Audio Extractor, which is available for free download from AoA Media. This little application will effectively convert popular video formats - such as MP4s, AVIs, FLVs, WMVs and MOVs into MP3s, WAVs or AC3s. To start extracting audio files, simply click on Add Files on the top right hand corner of the screen. You will be prompted to choose the video file to convert. Click on Open and then choose the file format for conversion (MP3, WAV or AC3). Finally, click on the large round Start button on the bottom right hand corner of the screen, and the application will do the rest. You can download AoA Audio Extractor from the AoA Media site, which can be found at http://www.aoamedia.com/audioextractor.htm.
Extracting Audio Files from Online Videos
If you wish to use a YouTube Video primarily for its audio component, there is no need to download the video using KeepVid. Instead of using KeepVid, use another site called (wait for it…) ListenToYouTube. What this site does (in a similar way to KeepVid actually) is download the video for you, but instead of giving you the video file (FLV or MP4 format), it just presents you with the extracted audio file in MP3 format.
First, log onto YouTube and locate the video you wish to use, and start playing it. On the right hand side of the screen, you will see the video’s URL. Copy the URL (by right clicking and selecting copy). Then, open a new window and type in http://listentoyoutube.com/. In the centre of the screen, you will see an empty address bar in which you can enter your video’s URL directly from YouTube. Simply paste the URL you had previously copied (right click > Paste) and click on Go. You will see some basic information about the video you are trying to convert - such as Title, File Size, etc - and in a minute or two, the application will start processing the video for you. Depending on the speed of your connection, the online video will be processed and converted into an MP3 file.
Up to this stage, your MP3 is still not down laded, but is it simply residing on ListenToYouTube’s servers. To actually save a copy of this file, click on Download MP3 and you will be taken to another page where once again you will be prompted to download your file. Click once again on Download MP3 and a dialog box will open, prompting you to insert a username and select a save location for your file. Click on Save and your MP3 will be saved onto your PC.
Which is the best system to extract audio from video files? The answer is up to you. It rather depends on your preferences and what you wish to use your newly-extracted audio file for. If for example, you wish to use the file as a lesson starter, you might want the audio clip plus the original video file to show to the students later on. Or you might just need some special sound effects to embed into an Audacity Project. Whatever system you use, please remember the usual pros and cons of using material straight off the Internet, especially with regards to copyrighted materials and suitability of content - refer to my previous entry about YouTube videos at:
Sites to remember:
Note: A special thanks goes to my colleague Kevin Grima for pointing out ListenToYouTube.com to me. Thanks Kevin 
When talking about uploading and sharing of videos online, the vast majority of people automatically think of YouTube. However, YouTube is definitely not the only site which offers these online services. Another popular site (especially in the US) is Vimeo.
Vimeo is a video-centric social networking site, launched by InterActiveCorp in 2004. Its name, “Vimeo“, is, in fact, an anagram of the word “movie”. The site hosts around 13,000 video uploads daily, 10% of which in HD. Most notably, the White House regularly uploads HD versions of Barac Obama’s broadcasts on Vimeo.
Although Vimeo is primarily used to upload videos, its core purpose is very different from that of YouTube. It is not commonly used to download music videos or cartoons or excerpts from movies. Vimeo is essentially a social networking site, where people of similar interests can create groups and upload instructional, demonstrative or simply entertaining videos. It offers a somewhat safer, cleaner environment in which to work with our students.
Getting Started
Although anyone can access Vimeo, it is always best to create an account first (otherwise you will find yourself locked out of many features). When signing in for the first time, it will ask you if you want to link you Vimeo account with your own Facebook account for convenience - I did, of course When you first log in, your display should look something like this…
On the top right hand side of the screen one can find the Menu Bar with a series of drop-down menus. Clicking on Me will allow the user to edit the Home Page, Profile, Settings and Contacts. The Me menu will also allow the user to engage in private messages and conversations with their contacts on Vimeo. From the Video menu one can, apart from uploading Videos, manage Albums, Groups, Channels and Subscriptions. Alternatively, to upload a video, simply click on the Upload menu.
Uploading Videos
To upload a video, simply click on the Upload Video button. Vimeo offers the user the possibility to upload up to 500MB of videos every week (including HD). Videos can be tagged so that they are labelled and more easily found. Altough it allows users to share videos and to download each other’s videos, its rigid privacy settings mean that the users can decide if they want their video to be available for others to watch or download from the site, or not. In other words, uploaded videos can be kept totally secret from the general viewing public. Users may opt to use Vimeo purely to keep a backup of their videos.
This short screen cast was developed by the Vimeo team, and shows how one may upload a video and keep it private…
Additional Features
Below is a list of some additional stuff that can be done with Vimeo. To learn more about these features, click on the Explore menu on the top right hand side of the screen.
Groups: Creating a Group in Vimeo is like creating a mini community within Vimeo of people with common interests like yourself. Within a group users are able to share and discuss videos, music, photos, events, etc. (When searching Groups, I managed to find a good number of teachers’ groups).
Channels: A simple way to showcase videos is to create a Channel where your viewers can watch your creations.
Projects: Users here can discuss ongoing or future audio-visual projects they wish to embark upon. It is also a sort of forum, where the users may engage in discussions about technical issues, requested features, general discussions about videos, etc.
Toys: Vimeo Toys are discovery applications that enable users to check out the latest videos and activity on the Vimeo service. Vimeo Land is a cartoon-style 2D world, while Pulse is one huge collage of all the videos being uploaded in real time. Users can actually engage in and create their own “Vimeo Toys”.
As one can see, there is more to Vimeo than just uploading and sharing of videos. It is more of a specialised community of people who share videos and ideas with each other. It is very, very different from YouTube, and do take my word for it. It can be safely used to upload children’s content videos online and embed them into a Blog or even on Skola portal. Try it out at http://www.vimeo.com/
When someone hears the word ‘Google’, the usual response would be to think of the popular search engine, or, maybe, the familiar online webmail, Gmail. However, in recent years, Google Inc has truly evolved and offers an array of online Applications (Google Apps), most of them available to use for free on the Internet.
History
Gmail and Chat
More than e-mail…
Google Docs
- Create and edit documents, spreadsheets and presentations online;
- Upload documents directly from their Inbox;
- Easily share documents with others, without the need of sending multiple e-mails
For more information about Google Apps, visit:
Animoto is an online service, enabling the user to create unique trailer-like videos which can be shared with other users. The application also enables the user to upload a soundtrack to accompany the photos. Its creators claim that the ensuing video takes into consideration the music’s genre, rhythm and tempo to generate a trailer that takes into the song’s nuances.
Animoto was founded by a New York based company, with previous experience in the entertainment industry. In March 2008, The Animoto Videos application was launched on Facebook and became a popular way for users to showcase their photos on this social network
Getting Started
The first time you log onto Animoto, you will be asked to sign in with an active e-mail account. After signing in, log onto your
e-mail in order to activate your newly created Animoto account. Upon logging in, click on Choose your Video Type to start your project. There are two types of videos on offer: the Animoto Short 30 sec Video or the Full Length Extended Video. While the former is free of charge, the Full Length version can be created only against payment and requires the user to purchase Video Credits (from the website).
Uploading your Images
Animoto will let you use images from one or more of the following locations: from your computer, from online sources or from its very own digital library, which contains a good selection of stock photos and images and are great for getting started or for introducing Animoto to students. Click on the Images tab to start uploading. You will also be given the choice to rotate, highlight or move your pictures along the timeline, but sadly, nothing else. If you wish to edit or crop your pictures, you must do that before you upload them on Animoto.
Adding Music
After choosing your images, you can then proceed to upload a suitable soundtrack to go with your slide show. Click on the Music tab in order to choose your preferred music. Once again, Animoto has a good array of pre-loaded music tracks, however it also lets you upload music of your own. (Animoto’s creators claim that, when the final slide show is being generated, it takes into account the music’s genre and tempo to generate a trailer-like video, and that is why users don’t have the option to set their own transitions and/or animations).
Your Video is served…
After the images and music have been uploaded, its time to click on the Finalise Tab and generate your video (this might take some time, especially on slow connections). In the case of Animoto Shorts (i.e., the freeware version of the application) one cannot have a tangible copy of the video on the hard disk (for example, as with MS PhotoStory or Picasa Video). The video will actually only be “saved” in cyberspace. However, the video will be available for viewing on the user’s Animoto account. To share with others, one can:
- click on Send video to friends icon, so that your friends will receive a link to the video by e-mail;
- click on Post/Embed Online to post your video on a website or blog;
- click on Export to YouTube icon to upload the video on YouTube;
- click on iPhone Options to send the video to an iPhone.
So, although one cannot actually have a downloaded version of the video on the hard disk, there are many ways to share an Animoto video with others. Animoto’s strength lies in its user friendliness and the ability to easily share your creation with others, without having to leave the application or hog your or your friend’s mailboxes with too-large attachments.
Below is my very first Animoto Short video. For more information about Animoto, go to http://animoto.com/
Flickr is an online photo and video management application, used for editing, organising and uploading digital images online. It was developed by Ludicorp, a Vancouver-based company that launched this application in February 2004. In 2005, both Flickr and Ludicorp were acquired by Yahoo! Flickr has since undergone many changes in both appearance and interface. The latest version (Flickr Gamma) was launched in May 2006.
Flickr requires a Yahoo! account to sign in, and it’s a free and easy way to share photos with friends. When logging onto the website, you will be prompted to sign in with your Yahoo ID, or, alternatively, create a new Yahoo e-mail account to be able to log onto Flickr.
Upon loading, you will be greeted with your own personal Flickr page. There are also various upload choices available, both for beginners and for more advanced users. One can upload:
- via the Flickr Uploader (available for both PC and Mac);
- via iPhoto, Aperture, or Windows XP plug-ins;
- via Flickr upload web page;
- via email via various free third-party desktop programs;
Uploading Photos (through Flickr Uploader)
The easiest way to upload photos in Flickr is through its very own Flash uploader. When you sign in, you will see your Photostream on the top right hand side of the screen, and the Upload link on the top left. Click on Upload to start uploading your pictures in 3 simple steps: first choose your photos, then upload, and finally edit them. (After uploading, you will be able too see them in your Photostream – see above). When uploading, remember that you can decide who will see your photos: you can either make them public (can be viewed by anyone logging onto Flickr) or private (viewable only to those you choose).
Problems with uploading?
At times, you may not be able to work with Flickr’s flash uploader. This can happen for a variety of reasons: the most common being that you do not have the required flash plug-in or your Internet browsing security settings are set too high. If you do not wish or cannot rectify this, click on the basic uploader link which will let you upload your pictures in much the same way as you would send an attachment in an e-mail. Slow, but does the trick.
Tagging your photos
Once your photos are online, you may wish to tag them. Tagging a photo means giving it a sort of label or short description, so that you or other persons may be able to search for the photo more efficiently. To tag a photo, simply select a photo in your Photostream and click on Add a Tag (on the right hand side of the screen; just underneath your photo’s thumbnail.)
While up to this point, this process is similar to other tagging features available on other photo management applications, Flickr can then take tagging into a whole new level: it lets you select parts of the photo and tag different parts of it with different words. For example, if you upload a photo of a street lined with houses, you would be able to tag each individual house and perhaps input the name of the family who inhabits it. The same goes for group photos: Flickr lets you pin-point the individuals in the picture, one by one.
With Flickr, tagging becomes a visual process: the tagged parts of the photo will be encircled and the tags clearly visible on different parts of the picture, creating interesting compositions. This is known as adding notes. To add a note to an uploaded picture, simply click on the photo you wish to tag, and click on Add Note. You can drag the note around the required position on the photo, and you may also delete or edit it at a later stage.
Editing your photos
In 2007, Yahoo! announced its partnership with Picnik, a web-based photo editing application, and it was integrated into Flickr. By clicking on the Edit Photo tab, Picnik will open and allow the user to access its editing features. These include:
Basic editing: Lets you perform basic fixes to your photos, such as rotating, cropping and sharpening of a photo. Click on the Edit Tab;
Basic effects: Allows you add simple effects, such as Black and White, Sepia, Colour Invert, Tint, etc. Click on the Create Tab and then on Effects;
Add Frames: Lets you add novelty frames to your photos. Click on the Create Tab and then on the Frames Tab;
Advanced effects: More advanced special effects, created by clicking on the Create Tab and then on Sandbox Tab.
Viewing your photos and sharing them with others
After you have tagged and edited your photos, you may wish to share them with your friends. First, click on the View as Slideshow icon in your Photostream, to see how your pictures will look on your friend’s PCs. Then, if you are happy with the results, click on the share icon (either in your Photostream or, if you are in Slideshow mode, it will prompt you to e-mail your photos to your friends at the end of the show). Basically, what your friends will receive is a link to your Photostream. Add your friends’ e-mail addresses (separated by a comma) or just copy and paste the link and use your regular e-mail account to send the link over.
For more information about Flickr and its many uses, click on the following links:
http://flickr.com
http://www.picnik.com/
www.flickr.com/help/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flickr
What is an Avatar?
An avatar is a graphical representation of oneself, or, in other words, a picture which represents the user. It can be similar in appearance to the user who created it; or it could be totally different, like an ‘alter ego’ of oneself. Avatars can be static or animated.
In Hindi, the word Avatar means…
“…the descent of a deity to the earth, in an incarnate form,
or some manifest shape…”
Most commonly, Avatars are used in Internet forums, social networking sites (such as Facebook or MySpace) or as e-mail signatures. More recently, users of Nintendo Wii have been creating ‘Mii’s’ (Nintendo’s version of Avatars) to represent the different players.
The simplest way to create an Avatar is to log onto websites which let you design, download and paste the graphics - all in a few minutes. Avatars can be saved by right clicking on the graphic and choosing “save picture as” (and saving like any other regular picture off the Internet) or else by copying and pasting the code (which is automatically generated by the website).
2D Avatars: DoppelMe
One of the most user-friendly freeware Avatar creators I came across is Doppelme.com. It lets you create a basic 2D Avatar and since the picture generated is a .Gif file, it can be uploaded practically anywhere.
Log onto http://doppelme.com/, and sign in the first time you use the website. When you sign in, you will be asked to submit an active e-mail address. After registration, open your e-mail account (the one you used to register) and click on the activation e-mail. Now you are ready to start your Avatar! Choose whether you want your character to be male or female, give it different facial expressions and hair colour and dress him/her up as you fancy. When you are ready, save your changes and copy the picture by right clicking on it and saving it onto your hard disk. Alternatively, copy and paste the code onto your personal website, blog or social networking page.
3D Avatars: Voki
As with everything else, simple 2D (static) Avatars have evolved into animated,
talking graphical representations, again created with incredible simplicity but with amazing end results. One such 3D Avatar creator is Voki. To log in, go to http://voki.com/.
As with DoppelMe, sign in the first time you log onto the website and you will be sent an activation e-mail. Click on the link in the e-mail to start your new Voki.
Upon entering the website, one notices several differences from the previous 2D Avatar-generator: the main difference being, of course, that the graphics are animated! There is a much wider choice of characters to choose from: not just male or female, but even popular animals such as cats or dogs. Simply click on ‘Customise Your Character’ to start editing your character.
Backgrounds, too, can be either static or animated; and again there is quite an impressive array to choose from. And if the offered selection isn’t enough, one can choose to upload a picture from the hard disk to use as a background picture.
Giving A Voice To Your Avatar
Perhaps the best feature of Voki is the ability to give a ‘voice’ to your character. There are various ways to do this: the simplest being typing the words and clicking on the Text to Speech button (the ‘key’ icon’). Voki will ‘voice out’ what you have written (and it lets you choose which character will read it out too). Alternatively, click on the record button (microphone icon) to record a simple .wav file to attach to your character or if you have previously recorded a sound, click on the open button to locate the file on your computer.
Since Voki creates animated Avatars, it is not possible to just copy the graphic; however it lets you copy and paste the code (you can even choose which kind of code you require; be it for Blogger, Wordpress, Hi5, etc). It also lets you share your Voki with friends by sending it in an e-mail link.
For more information about 2D and 3D Avatars, go to :
Audacity is a freeware program typically used to record and manipulate audio files. With Audacity you can take a project from start to finish, and the end result can be quite professional sounding too. Its main features are:
- Recording of live audio;
- Converting tapes and records into digital recordings;
- Editing MP3, WAV, AIFF and other sound files;
- Cut, copy, splice, and mixing of sounds together;
- Changing the speed or pitch of a recording.
Below is a list of Audacity’s editing tools. The tools are described in chronological order (according to the way they appear on the toolbar).
- Selection Tool: Click on this icon to select part or all of the audio file
- Envelope Tool: Lets you change the pitch (loudness) of a selected clip
- Draw Tool: Zoom in until you can see the individual samples, and change the frequency of the samples
- Zoom Tool: Zoom in or out of your clip
- Time Shift Tool: Move clips along the timeline
- Multi-Tool Mode: Lets you use more than one tool at the same time.
Picasa is a software application for organising, editing and displaying digital photos. It was originally created by Idealab, but in 2004 it was acquired by Google and made available for free download.
The first time you install and load Picasa, it tracks down and organises all the photos in your picture folders. It is important to remember when working with Picasa, that any changes made to the photos within Picasa, will also effect the original photo on your hard drive. However, Picasa creates a backup of your original photo file in a special hidden folder created by the program itself (aptly named ‘Originals’).
Picasa distinguishes between Folders and Albums. Folders in Picasa are basically the original folders containing photos on your PC. Albums on the other hand, are created within Picasa and allow you to work with a specific set of photos while retaining the originals untouched in their folders.
So…What can I do with Picasa?
Editing Pictures: Picasa allows simple yet refined editing on your favourite photos. Simply double click on your desired photo and the program will take you to the Basic Fixes Tab: where you can crop, straighten, re-touch, fix colours and add text to your photos. The Tuning Tab will let you manually fix colours in your photo. The Effects Tab will then let you add special effects, such as B&W, Sepia Tint, Glow, Image Sharpening, etc.
Collages: After you have successful edited your pictures, you can create a ‘Collage’ with the results, either to save as screensaver / desktop or else to print out. Simply click on the ‘Collage’ button, and click on ‘Add’ to add the pictures you wish to use for your collage. There are various collage settings to choose from too – picture borders, picture settings, etc. The collages you create will go into a special album created by Picasa (called ‘Collages’…). Save or print your collage.
Creating a Video with your Pictures: Picasa lets you create a small animated 
video (if you are familiar with MS Photostory, this is basically the same!). Simply select the photos you wish to work with, and click on the “Create Video” icon. Once again when you save, the video goes into the aptly titled “Videos” album. You can add ‘Title’ slides, which explain what the video is going to be about, and add background music too. It’s a little more limited than MS Photostory in the video-creating stakes, but I’m positive the guys at Google will catch up pretty quickly : ) Also, it has a handy “Upload to YouTube” tool, which lets you upload your creation straight to YouTube.
This article is, of course, just a very slight overview about all the things that can be done with Picasa. For more information about the software, and to download the free updates, simply go to http://picasa.google.com/support.
Links
Fronter Launch Briefing
View the presentations, documents and video from the iLearn Platform Phase 1 Launch Briefing held on 14th December 2011
