All Things Kinsidered

Google+ Groups and Communities: Tailored for You

2013-05-02T20:00:00Z

by Brenda Senger '14, Communications Assistant

Many social media sites make it easy to share every last detail of your personal life with the entire world, but haven't you ever wanted to share one passion, idea, or common interest with a specific group of people? The customizability of Google+'s Circles and Communities make that possible.

Google+ Circles allow users to categorize friends, co-workers, and family into separate circles. Users can either post publicly or post to a specific group of people. This is a great function because it provides the option of maintaining a professional presence among co-workers and a social presence with friends. An education-based example of this might be organizing contacts (students) into different classes or sections.

Google+ Communities are broken down into two categories, public and private. Public communities range from Coffee to Fly Fishing. You can join a community with other Google+ users who are interested in that same topics. (Like, eLearning, perhaps?) You can also create your own private community using an invite-only process. For example, private communities could be used for a niche research interest or in-class activity.

Whether you are posting to the world or a selective group of users, Google+ gives members an individualized experience and I think it creates a safer, more effective way share varying kinds of content.

Check out Google+ Circles, and Google+ Communities for more detailed information.

New Apps We Love: Whims & Vine

2013-04-25T14:46:45Z

by Emily Corken '13, Communications Assistant

As part of the E + DS Team, we are always on the search for the latest apps and social networks. Two of our favorites are Whims and Vine. Both are leverage content in a unique way, allowing you to stay connected to people, places, and brands.

What is Vine?
Vine, a social media app developed by Twitter, lets you create a six-second, looped video. These videos can be shared or embedded on a variety of social networking services, such as Twitter or Facebook. As of April 8, Vine was the No. 1 free app in Apple's App Store. We like Vine because it provides a quick (and quirky!) way to capture a moment. Be sure to follow us and view our very first Vine (a peek at last week's Research Symposium) here!

What is Whims?
Whims is also based on unique user-generated content. Instead of creating videos, Whims users create status updates, posts, and messages for followers to see. For lack of a better description, Whims is like Instagram for typography and text. There are also other tools similar to Whims, like Over or Overgram.

Two ways to set up notifications in Google Forms

2013-04-18T16:21:47Z

by Silke Moeller, eLearning Assistant

Google Forms is a useful tool to help you plan events, send a survey, give students a quiz, or collect other information. You can receive notifications when particpants submit data. Here are two ways to set up notifications (one is easy, the other more advanced!).

Simple notification setup

Open the spreadsheet (result) view of the form and select Tools>Notification rules...

Here you can setup the way you would like to be notified. Notify me at ...@umn.edu when... ✔ a user submits a form and Notify me with ... ✔ Email - daily digest

Watch this video for detailed step by step instruction

Note: You will be the only receiver of this notification, shared form user don't get the notification. In case you would like to distribute the notification, see the advanced setup "FormEmailer" information below.

Advanced notification setup
Install steps:

Open your Spreadsheet/Form. (It should already have at least the basic structure of your data, i.e. the 1st row filled with the data headers. In case of a Form it's done automatically when you create the form).

Click menu Insert > Script.

A internal popup window should open, click the search box and type: formemailer

A list with some scripts should appear, locate the "FormEmailer" script, developed by hgabreu and click its install button.

A authorization popup shows up and you need to click Authorize to proceed.

A browser popup window shows up, it should close itself automatically. And back to the main window, you can close the Script Gallery internal popup window by clicking Ok.

Configuration steps:

An additional menu option, "FormEmailer," appears in your spreadsheet.

Click FormEmail in menu and install script.

An additional worksheet will be created in your spreadsheet with information about "FormEmailer" .

Click FormEmailer>Settings to configure the recipients and the email you would like to distribute.

For detailed settings and more information, go to the FormEmailer website or watch this demo video how to install, configure and use "FormEmailer".

As always, don't hesitate to contact the School of Kinesiology E+DS Team for questions or support!

Application Review: Reflector

2013-04-05T12:43:15Z

by Silke Moeller, eLearning Assistant

Are you looking for a wireless way to display an iPad without a dongle or the overhead projector? Would you like to mirror your (or your students') iPad in the classroom?

REFLECTOR is a Windows/Mac tool that mirrors one or multiple iPads or iPhones [Video]. After installing and opening Reflector on a PC or Mac that is in the same wireless network as the mobile devices you would like to mirror, you only have to activate AirPlay on the mobile device. This is an amazing way to project and/or record activities on an iPad or iPhone. Be aware: the performance depends heavily on the wireless network you are using and that it also slows down when multiple mobile devices mirror simultaneously.

Some suggested uses include:

to use the iPad as a mobile Docucam

easily record "how to do's" on an iPad or iPhone

to model how to use a specific app

use a handwriting app (like Notability) and a stylus for instruction

quickly summarize student group results during a class

demonstrate student projects

System requirement:

Mobile devices and workstation have to be in the same wireless network.

Windows XP, Vista or 7 (for recording Win7 is required)

Mac OS X Lion (OS X 10.7.3 for recording)

IPad 2 and up, IPad mini

IPod Touch 5th generation

IPhone 4S and up

Trial is free, single license $12.99

#KINnect with the School of Kinesiology this Spring

2013-03-28T18:07:42Z

by Emily Corken '13 and Brenda Senger '14

The School of Kinesiology E+DS team has created a spring campaign in efforts to connect the kinesiology students, staff, and faculty. Each week, a new topic or question is presented through our social media outlets including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Google+. With each post, we use the slogan #KINnect to represent kinesiology and the word "connect". By using this slogan we are able to view interaction from students, faculty, and staff across all of the social media platforms.

The topics and questions that are presented range week to week. Some focus more on academia, while others focus on light-hearted topics such as spring break plans and study tips. Often, our weekly topics showcase the amazing research being done in the school while sparking conversations with peers and professors, making it beneficial for both groups.

Here are some of our first posts on Facebook and Twitter:

We are hoping that this campaign will create a greater connection between students, faculty and staff in the School of Kinesiology. Make sure you follow us on all channels and #KINnect with the kinesiology community this spring!

Evernote: A new way to organize

2013-02-15T19:28:46Z

By Brenda Senger '14, Communications Assistant

With thousands of organizational apps and websites eager to gain customer loyalty, it can feel overwhelming when choosing just one application. Many tools initially seem appealing and it is only after hours of organizing and compiling all of the upcoming events, deadlines, and commitments that an app crashes and nothing was saved. At that moment, technology seems confusing and frustrating, and a pen and paper never seemed so ideal.

Not every organizational application will cause users this trama. In fact, some could change the way your world works. Evernote may just be that tool. It think it is a great way to simplify and store information or share ideas and projects with others. It syncs data to all devices, and best of all, it is free. Evernote is available for Mac, Windows, iPhone, iPad, Blackberry, and Android.

Ways to use Evernote:

Share documents from any device with colleagues, family, or friends.
Snap photos of handwritten class notes or whiteboards. Save them as notes and Evernote recognizes words within photos.
Use it to study with Evernote Peek, turning notes into virtual quizzes with your tablet or iPad.
Scan and organize photos.
Create itineraries and lesson plans.
Keep an electronic address book, linking individuals with social networking sites such as LinkedIn or Facebook.
Use in classes, meetings, or personally to organize that busy schedule.

Pinning into class: A student perspective

2013-02-08T18:57:27Z

by Emily Corken '13, Communications Assistant

Social media seems to be everywhere these days, so why not use it in the classroom! One way to incorporate social media in education is with Pinterest. Pinterest is a virtual pinboard that lets you share images on the web and search for inspiration. Austin wrote about Pinterest back in the Fall of 2011. As a student at the University of Minnesota, I have found Pinterest to be a useful tool in the classroom.

Last semester, in my Basic Media Design course, I was required to join Pinterest and to follow and post to the class board. Some of our Pinterest assignments included pinning images that were linked to class concepts and pinning links related to graphic design resources.

The best part about using Pinterest is that the boards are still accessible even though the semester is over. I have been able to stay connected to the course by looking back on the boards to find new resources and tools for graphic design. This has opened my eyes to the positive potential of using social media in the classroom.

Pinterest can also be a great tool for educators, beyond pinning with students. Educators can connect with other professionals in the field to share ideas and materials. It is an easy and fun way to follow trends and to find inspiration.

Personal web space to be decommissioned

2012-12-14T19:08:53Z

Do you maintain a personal website (e.g., http://www.tc.umn.edu/~x500/) on the U's servers? If so, this message from OIT is for you:

Personal web space is scheduled to be decommissioned on June 30, 2013. In preparation for the decommission, new personal web space folders no longer will be created, effective Dec. 31. A plan to offer an alternate service has been initiated, and further information on a new service will be forthcoming as the plans progress. Meantime, users with personal web space needs should use NetFiles, beginning Jan. 1, 2013. Existing personal web space users will receive additional information in the coming weeks.

If you would like create a self-maintained personal website, I am more than happy to help you set up a Movable Type , Wordpress, or Google Apps site.

Poster Designing & Printing Resources

2012-12-05T20:19:30Z

Designing a research poster is a common, but often under-appreciated, skill required of faculty and graduate students. Here are some new, and old, resources to help you in this process.

School of Kinesiology poster templates (PowerPoint) are available on Google Drive.

CEHD communication staff just announced a poster design workshop to be held on February 13, 2013. Learn more at http://z.umn.edu/researchposter.

The University of Minnesota Libraries has some robust resources on how to create a poster in PowerPoint, as does the University of Minnesota Extension [Website] [PDF Handout].

You can now print wide-format (42" max.) posters for free in Burton Hall if the poster is related to college activities, e.g., research conferences, displays. Poster printing instructions are available on the CEHD intranet. Contact Annette Olson (626-5119) with questions or to set up a time to print. Available times: Mon., Tues., and Wed., 8 a.m.-2 p.m.; Thur., 8-11 a.m.; Fri. by appointment.

Also, note that the School of Kinesiology's poster printer has a new home in Cooke 220. Happy designing!

Google Groups is the new LISTSERV

2012-11-12T14:47:39Z

OIT recently accounced that while it would continue to support existing LISTSERV lists, new email lists are now created and managed in Google Groups. As a Google evangelist, I think this is a great move. However, it does require some thoughtfulness and planning from the end of the list creator because Google Groups are customizable. For example, there are four different kinds of lists, depending on your purpose and needs.

Email List: An email list allows users to post from the web or through email. This is a mailing list group.

Web Forum: A web forum is designed primarily to allow users to interact with the group through the web user interface. Initially, these forums have web-only features (e.g., tagging of posts) enabled. Users post topics through the web interface, but can recieve updates via email, as well.

Q&A Forum: A Question and Answer forum allows members to post questions and followup answers. Members can identify which answers are the best, and also mark questions they are interested in. As with web forums, users must post through the web interface, but are able to recieve updates via email.

Collaborative Inbox: A collaborative inbox allows members of a group to manage the workflow state of topics within the group. These groups have specific features and permissions set. If you choose to not use these features, they will need to be disabled individually.

Because of the myriad options afforded by this tool, I will be hosting a discussion about the potential of Google Groups to enhance our communications and teaching strategies. Please join me in Cooke 226 at noon on Tuesday, November 13. Feel free to bring a lunch.

A Nifty Dropbox Accessory

2012-10-29T13:48:04Z

After last week's post, Jonathan suggested this tool, Send to Dropbox, as an additional reason why/how to use Dropbox.

I know many of us are guilty of emailing ourselves our content (paper drafts, powerpoints, notes, etc!). Send to Dropbox draws on our desire to email ourselves our files. Instead of large files appearing in your inbox, your files will be sent to your Dropbox and stored in a folder called, Attachments.

P.S. Send to Dropbox is free. You have nothing to lose.

The Great Dropbox Space Race

2012-10-22T14:20:16Z

There are countless ways to back-up your data these days, and many cloud-computing tools to use to access that data on your mobile device, your tablet, or your desktop computer. Dropbox is hoping that its newest campaign, the Great Dropbox Space Race, will encourage you to utilize their services—and to have a little fun while you're at it! The gist of the Space Race is that you earn points AND memory for you and the U of MN by signing up and sharing the information with your peers and students. Here is a selection of the specifics, by way of the Dropbox blog:

You must register for Space Race with an eligible school email address (if you have an existing Dropbox account you can still join)! If you've signed up for Dropbox with a non-school email, no problem! You can verify your school account on the Space Race page.
Your school gets 1 point for each person who registers for Space Race and installs Dropbox on their computer (if they haven't already). Your school gets 2 more points for each person that goes through the Get Started guide (including you!)
Just by signing up, you get 3 GB for two years.
You'll have 8 weeks to get as many people as you can from your school signed up for Space Race!

If free space doesn't light the fire in you to considering signing up for the race or Dropbox, perhaps appealing to your competitive spirit will. There is a leader board. This is a game and currently, the U of MN is 37th. Big 10 foes Northwestern, Michigan, Penn State, and Purdue are all ahead of us. If we aren't going to win on Saturdays, we might as will win in Space!

What we're loving Wednesday - Google Hangouts!

2012-09-19T14:12:00Z

The Google Apps Suite never ceases to amaze me. Just when I think I've figured out all the capabilities of Google Sites or Google Drive, I learn how to develop and repurpose application scripts and the power of both of these tools doubles, no, triples. I know that I'm a bona fide nerd when this kind of thing excites me.

Today, I am loving a Google product that is far simpler, but has a lot of potential for professional and academic uses - Google+ Hangouts. Hangouts combines the power of Gmail, Google+, and Chat into a video-chatting, conferencing tool. It is conceptually very similar to UMConnect, but the interface is what you would expect from Google (clean, streamlined, intuitive).

Just last week, I used Hangouts from Cooke 220 to have a virtual meeting with Jonathan in Cooke 204. We were able to troubleshoot a complex computer issue without leaving our desks. Hangouts could also be used for a doctoral defense, for a meeting with telecommuters, or to broadcast a guest speaker to the public.

Here is a video about Hangouts that will likely inspire you to use this tool in YOUR everyday life.

The ever-expanding Google Apps Suite

2012-08-07T20:51:53Z

This week, the University of Minnesota's Office of Information Technology (OIT) announced that YouTube had joined the suite of available Google Apps. OIT notes that with the addition of YouTube we also get access to broadcasting live video via Google Hangouts. Here are some additional possibilities of this new intergration, via OIT:

Sharing content is made easier through the integration of contacts and/or distribution lists.

By way of Google+, Google Hangouts provides a tool for videoconferencing with up to nine other users.

You can also use "Hangouts On Air" to broadcast that same conference to the world via YouTube, Google+, or another website.

Read more about what YouTube and livestreaming additions means to you at the U here: http://blog.lib.umn.edu/oit/news/2012/08/broadcast_yourself_at_umn_yout.html

A reminder from OIT:

When publishing content to YouTube or broadcasting a Hangout On Air, please be mindful that these are public environments where private or protected content, such as Protected Health Information (PHI), should never be shared. Read more about Acceptable Use and Data Security on the UMN Google Apps website.

Olympics apps that go for gold

2012-07-30T20:42:35Z

It seems everyone has Olympic fever right now. With four connections to the Summer Games in London, the School of Kinesiology is no exception. To help quench your thirst for Olympic updates while on the job, on the road, or at the beach, here are a few apps that are podium-worthy:

1. NBC Olympics (GOLD): It should be no surprise that NBC's basic app is a favorite. With a streamlined design, the app provides everything from news and scores to photos and tv schedules.

2. London 2012 Results (GOLD): The official app of the London Organizing Committee is just that—official. Easy interface? Check. Schedules and scores? Check. Military time? Check. What more do you need?

3. TEAM USA (SILVER): For fans of Team USA, this app is a must. It combines all the voyeuristic qualities of Facebook and Twitter into a Flipboard-style interface. The TEAM USA app also gets points for containing content related to the Olympics and the Paraolympics.

4. Reuters Olympics London 2012 (SILVER): Despite being focused on delivering the iconic moments of the Games via photography, this app also provides scores and schedules. The images are why you should download the app, but the extras might make you actually use it.

5. NBC Olympics Live Extra (BRONZE): This app had a lot of potential -- and then it false-started in the finals of the 400-meter medley relay. This app promises to deliver live event coverage (YAY!), but only if you login with your cable provider (BOO!).

All of these apps are not only free, but the majority of them are available on multiple platforms.