Rich Internet Applications:
Audio and Video Dropbox,
Conversations, and Mashups
Scott Sterling
Some tech lingo
Term
AKA
Definition
Rich Internet Application
RIA
An embeddable web application
Embed
Link
An element added to a website. It is
directly usable from the website.
A link
hyperlink, link
An object that takes you to a
different website
Center for Language
Education and Research
CLEAR
Federally funded language resource
center
Where is my handout?
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We have some flyers available
However, CLEAR has been working hard to
create digital documentation
o
http://clear.msu.edu/teaching/online/ria/
What is a RIA?
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•
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Rich Internet Application
They are FREE to use
Can be used in most course management
sites (D2L, Moodle, Edmodo, Wordpres)
Currently 12 different web applications
No content, just functionality
o
You create the content
What is a RIA? (cont.)
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Pedagogically motivated
Benefits
o
o
o
Allow shy/quiet students to talk more
Give students more chances to practice speaking
Can help ease stress in the classroom
What do I need to use the
RIAs?
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A CLEAR account (free to sign up for)
Basic computer knowledge
o
o
o
copy/paste
drop and drag
Identifying online elements (embed code, URL)
What will we talk about today?
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Audio Dropbox - online audio recorder
Video Dropbox - online video recorder
Conversations - simulated conversation
Mashups - simple web page creator
Problem
•
Your students are not getting enough verbal
practice
o
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50 minutes divided between 20 students = 2.5
minutes of talk time per student
You have one student who talks too much or
one student who talks too little
You are teaching a speaking class and want
One solution
•
Use web-based tools that allow students to
practice:
o
whenever
wherever
o
at their own pace
o
Audio DropBox
•
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This tool allows you to embed an audio
recorder into your website
Students’ recordings automatically get sent
back to your Audio Dropbox account
Audio Dropbox: what the students
see
Stop
button
Recording
indicator
Recording
Playback
Start
recording
Recording
time
Upload
recording
Delete
recording
Audio Dropbox: What you see
Live demo
http://clear.msu.edu/teaching/online/ria/audioDropbox2/
Video Dropbox
•
Similar to Audio Dropbox but it allows your
students to record video of themselves
Video Dropbox: what the students
see
Buttons should look
familiar to you
Video Dropbox: What you see
Live Demo
http://clear.msu.edu/teaching/online/ria/videoDropbox/
Problem
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My students need to practice for the AP
exam, OPI, or a class speaking test
My students have no idea how to interact
with people from X
I don’t get to have many one-to-one
conversations with my students
Our solution
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Use a static tool that simulates
conversations
o
**CLEAR’s Conversations
o
CeLTA has practice OPI tests in Spanish, German,
and French

http://celta.msu.edu/assessment/improving.php
Conversations
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Similar to an Audio/Video Dropbox
o
embed it into your website
When students start app
o
o
o
they see a prerecorded question
respond immediately to it
repeat until all questions are finished
Sample Conversation
Conversations: student view
Select practice
question
Record
Stop
Listen
Listen to
practice
question
Student side
Starts the app
Playback
responses
Playback
student
responses only
Instructor view
Live demo
http://clear.msu.edu/teaching/online/ria/conversations2/
Problems
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These tools look great but I am not good at
technology
I want my students to design web pages for
a project but I want to keep it simple
I don’t have a homepage/course
management site
Our solution
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Use Mashup
o
A simple web page developer
All of the examples today have been in
Mashups
Mashups
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Allows you to create a web page and include
various elements
o
o
o
o
o
Video (Youtube)
Audio
Embeddable elements (wikis, Conversations,
Audio/Video Dropboxes
Text
Images
Student view
Instructor view
Live demo
http://clear.msu.edu/teaching/online/ria/mashu
p2/index.php?code=editMashup&folderID=0&
ID=23466
Your turn!
Build an activity that helps solve one of these issues
1. You have a test scheduled for next Thursday. You want
your students to practice asking for directions.
2. One of the goals for your course is to have students
learn how to order food at a restaurant.
3. Students in your class are having trouble pronouncing
certain sounds.
Share!
How to D2L!
Questions and play time
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Please ask any questions you have
Use the rest of the time to design an activity
you need for your class. I will come around
and help everyone I can.