Zoom - Record Video Conferences in HD

Zoom.us is a great service for hosting and recording video conferences in high definition. I was introduced to it by Rod Berger when he proposed using to record segments for the #askRichardByrne video series that we're producing. I'm glad he recommended it because it is a fantastic tool.

Zoom.us allows you to record your video in a side-by-side format to equally feature both people in the recording or switch between featuring one person more than another in the video (click here for an example). When you record through Zoom you're given an HD video file to save locally as well as a separate HD voice recording. Zoom isn't limited to just webcam views as you can also share your screen through the service. Zoom's free plan allows you to record for up to forty minutes in each video. The number of videos that you can create is not limited.

Zoom does require that you install a desktop client in order to call, receive calls, and to record.

Applications for Education
Zoom.us could be a great platform to use to record the virtual appearance of an author or expert in your classroom.

As you can screenshare through Zoom it could be also be a good platform for hosting remote tutoring sessions and or creating short instructional videos.

DEN Fall VirtCon - A Good, Online PD Event

Last October I had the privilege of giving one of the keynotes for Discovery's DEN Fall VirtCon. This year, my friend Kelly Wade Hines is giving a keynote and you will not want to miss it. The DEN Fall VirtCon is a blended online and physical conference. You can participate virtually as I did last year or attend one of the physical events organized in locations all over North America.

The theme of this year's DEN Fall VirtCon is "Tech or Treat." The event will feature presentations packed with tips, tricks, and treats for incorporating technology into your lessons.

Click here to register and learn more about the DEN Fall VirtCon.

Register Now for the Wolfram Virtual Education Conference

Wolfram, the producers of the popular Wolfram Alpha computational search tool and Wolfram Mathmatica, is hosting a free virtual conference on September 17th. The event is focused on using Wolfram Mathmatica, Alpha, and CDF to support STEM teachers. The conference has two strands. One strand is focused on the how-to for your classroom. The other strand is focused on changing STEM curriculum.

The conference runs from 2pm to 6:30pm EDT on September 17th. You can get the complete details and register here.

Before the conference begins you might want to take a look at Wolfram Alpha for Educators. Wolfram Alpha for Educators is a collection of free lesson plans, examples of, and ideas for using Wolfram Alpha in the classroom. The lesson plans are currently arranged in three categories; mathematics, science, and social studies. All of the lesson plans are available as free pdf downloads. The lesson plans are labeled according to grade level, but you cannot see the grade level label until you download the lesson plan. In addition to the free lesson plans, Wolfram Alpha has a small collection of videos featuring teachers explaining how they are using Wolfram Alpha in their classrooms.

Join.me Offers an iPad App for Virtual Conferences

Join.me is a web conferencing service that makes it easy to share your screen and talk with others in realtime. I first gave it a try in 2010. Since then Join.me's list of features has expanded. The latest feature is a new iPad app that you can use to host or join virtual conferences on Join.me. The iPad app is free to download and use to join conferences hosted by others. To host your own conference through the iPad app you will have to be a subscriber to Join.me pro. There is a still a free hosting option for the desktop version of Join.me.

Applications for Education
Join.me takes just a few minutes to set-up on your desktop. Once it's set up you can share your screen and invite others to join your conference. Joining a Join.me conference doesn't require anything other than entering the room number assigned to the conference. This ease of joining a conference makes Join.me a convenient tool for students to use to get some virtual assistance from you.

H/T to TechCrunch.