It's not working and I can prove it!

Submitted by:  Janet Wortman

Have you ever had a problem with software (Blackboard???) but when you reported the problem nobody would believe you?  I’m sure that would never happen, but what if it did?  You can now recreate the problem and record the steps taken by using a great new utility that is built into Windows 7. 

The name of the utility is the Problem Steps Recorder.  To access it click on the  Start button in the lower left corner of the screen.  Then type psr in the Search Programs and Files box.  By clicking on either of the psr listings a small tool bar will open that allows you to start, stop and annotate the recording.    

For example, if I was having difficulty getting a feature in SoftChalk to work properly I would open my project in SoftChalk, turn on the Problem Steps Recorder and retrace the steps that caused the problem.  When done I would save the recording (by default it saves in .zip format) and I would email the file to someone who could help trouble shoot the problem.  Once the file is unzipped sequential images will be displayed in your browser showing the exact steps taken and the results.

The file will contain screen shots that will correspond to every click of your mouse with the option to watch them as an automated slide show.  It also includes an Additional Details section which provides a text account of each of the steps taken.

The image below shows the results that can be achieved using the Problem Steps Recorder in Windows 7.

Sitting on the Fence

Submitted by: Mz.Martha

National Distance Learning Week (NDLW) celebrates the educational and training needs of learning communities via the constant new concepts of communication technologies coupled with broad multidiscipline applications.

College of the Mainland's Distance Education Department will be participating in the National initiative with our first ONLINE OPEN HOUSE Wednesday, November 9th from 11:00 – 2:00. During the three hours we will be featuring the following departments online ~ live: Admissions, Advising, Financial Aid, Scholarship, and Distance Education.

According to the United States Distance Learning Association there are, “…Currently, over 3.5 million college students are taking online course and/or earning online college degrees. At the secondary school level, over 700,000 high school students are taking one or more courses online…”

Read more at http://www.usdla.org/ndlw/

Challenge Accepted; or Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes

Submitted by:  Brad Denison

When I was hired on as the Media specialist for Instructional Technology I knew that I was expected to clean up and reorganize a few things here at College of the Mainland.  A few weeks into the job I was shown the back of L-131:

This is just an example of the chaos that was “stored” back in L-131.  There were laserdisc players, random wires, 8-track tapes, an abundance of slide projectors, more random wires, 8mm projectors and heaps more.  So I quietly said “challenge accepted.”

The week before convocation Chris Boyd and I put on our work gloves, loaded up on industrial strength garbage bags, put on face masks and got to work.






There was broken furniture to throw out.  We had to sort through piles of wires.  I’m pretty sure there was equipment older than either of us and we had to decide if certain things were worth keeping.

By Wednesday we tossed out over 35 garbage bags and who knows how many truck loads of boxes and broken chairs.  When we were done taking out the trash we sorted through the working equipment, keeping anything that could be useful and setting the rest aside for auction.

So what was the end result?

L-131 can now be used to store some of the excess equipment kept in the hallway between L-115 and L-120.  The area can be used as a workroom for soldering wires with out worrying about setting anything on fire. Right now the area is holding 11 lots that are will soon be up for an "emergency auction" that includes things like:

Emerson 19” TV/ VCR (the VCR is broken)

Emerson VCR (it turns on)

Kodak slide projector (no carousel for slides)

Newcomb record player (powers on and spins)

Reel to reel audio system (might even work)

4 Frazier speakers (in decent shape)

AND SO MUCH MORE!

We've added a forum to the blog. Please post!

Submitted by:  Brett Stephens

One thing we've been looking at off and on since the inception of this blog is adding a forum.  We'd like to make it easier for our faculty and staff to discuss ITC related topics with us and each other, and a forum may be the answer.  If you look to the right sidebar, you'll see the "Q&A Forum" link there at the top.  If you'd like to pose a question or start a discussion, please feel free.  We will do our best to check it regularly and get back to you promptly.  If you see a question or discussion that interests you, please reply and get involved.