Using the Web to enhance classroom and online instruction means an expanded universe of resources at our fingertips.
On this page you will find some of the electronic resources I use almost daily, both as instructional resources for my students and for my own professional development.
Tech Help | Research | Tutoring | Intellectual Property | The Cloud | Grammar and Style | Design and Graphics |TED Talks
Tech Help
Penn State Media Commons – A multifaceted support system for all things technical and educational.
Sites At Penn State – Create a website easily
Lynda.com At Penn State – An online training library
MediaTech (MTSS) – Borrow high quality equipment. Free for Penn State Students
Angel – Penn State course management system
Research
University Libraries Home – Penn State’s powerhouse library ranked above Princeton’s and Cornell’s.
Research Guides – A guide and a librarian for every major.
Google Scholar – “Stand on the shoulders of giants.”
Tutoring
Penn State Writing Center – Free. Great hours. No appointment necessary.
Intensive English Communications Program (IECP) – Help with the English Language.
Intellectual Property
Copyright Perspectives – A comprehensive guide to intellectual property, copyright and legal alternatives.
Creative Commons – A legal alternative.
CC Search – Free media.
The Cloud
Flickr – Images and videos.
Scribd – Shareable online library.
Box at Penn State – Accessible, shareable content management and storage.
Jing – Free screencasts.
YouTube – User-generated video library.
Animoto – Animated slide shows.
Jamendo – Free music source
Prezi – Zooming slide shows.
Grammar and Style
Purdue Online Writing Lab – Everything you ever wanted to know about grammar and style.
Grammar Girl – Affect? Effect? Number? Amount? She explains all your grammar conundrums.
University Libraries Citation Guides – Comprehensive citation guides in digital format.
KnightCite Citation – Fill-in-the-blank citation generator. Approved by librarians and writing instructors everywhere.
Design and Graphics
Fonts in Use – Bringing fonts together.
Contrast Rebellion – Real contrast is not for wimps.
Practical Typography – A discussion of resumes.
Chartporn – Aggregates the best graphics.
TED Talks
TED Talks have revolutionized presentations and increased the accessibility of great ideas. These relatively short videos can condense complex information in a fascinating format that engages student’s imaginations and promotes discussion. Perfect for introducing rhetorical content from some of the best communicators in the world.
Here are some of my favorites:
The Beauty of Data Visualization, by David McCandless. Talking points: Telling stories with data, data in context, avoiding fallacies, analyzing data, truth in data, data is beautiful.
The Magic Washing Machine, by Hans Rosling. Talking points: Persuasion, use of visuals, organization of content in a persuasive presentation, world poverty levels.
Laws That Choke Creativity, by Lawrence Lessig. Talking points: Copyright, creativity, mash-ups, intellectual property rights, Powerpoint design.
Selling Condoms In The Congo, by Amy Lockwood. Talking points: Audience analysis, marketing, branding.
Gaming Can Make A Better World, by Jane McGonigal. Talking points: Creativity, technology, perseverance.
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