Technology and Health Education: Options for Communication, Training,

and Research

William D. MilheimPenn State Harrisburg

2011 AAHPERD ConferenceSan Diego, CA

Goals of the Presentation• Focus on a variety of software tools to aid

health education professionals with respect to communication, training, and research

• Specific focus on low-cost or "free" tools since many individuals do not have access to significant budgetary resources

• Includes software that works on a variety of hardware platforms, particularly Macintosh and Windows

Audio and Podcasts

Product Website Software Type Platform

Adobe Soundbooth www.adobe.com/products/soundbooth/

Commercial Mac/Win

Audacity audacity.sourceforge.net Open Source Mac/Win

GarageBand www.apple.com/ilife/garageband/ Commercial Mac

Audio and Podcasts• Adobe Soundbooth– Non-destructive editing– Integration with other Adobe products

• Audacity– Popular software, free– Similar software for Macs and Windows

• GarageBand– Popular software– Already available on most Mac computers

Blogs

Product Website Software Type Platform

Blog.com www.blog.com Free Web

Blogger www.blogger.com Free Web

Edublogs edublogs.com Free Web

Posterous www.posterous.com Free Web

WordPress wordpress.com Free Web

Blogs• Blog.com– Popular blog platform– Support for multimedia and background themes

• Blogger– Popular blog platform– Use of templates, drag and drop, mobile devices

• Edublogs.org– Focus on instructional use by teachers/students– Variety of themes and presentation options

Blogs• Posterous– Innovative blogging software with focus on email– Effective integration with multimedia

• WordPress– Very popular blogging option, fast and easy to use– Numerous themes, effective editor

Chat and Conferencing

Product Website Software Type Platform

Adium adium.im Free Mac

AIM www.aim.com Free Mac/Win

Digsby www.digsby.com Free Mac/Win

Meebo www.meebo.com Free Web

Pidgin www.pidgin.im Free Win

Skype www.skype.com Free Mac/Win

Tinychat tinychat.com Free Web

Vyew vyew.com Free Web

WiZiQ www.wiziq.com Free Web

Chat and Conferencing• Adium– Free instant messaging client– Support for variety of chat-based systems

• AIM– Extremely popular, free– Already utilized by numerous individuals

• Digsby– Support for various chat systems– Support for social network systems

Chat and Conferencing• Meebo– Support for a variety of chat-based systems– Registration not required, but adds functionality

• Pidgin– Support for variety of chat-based systems– Includes multiple features

• Skype– Extremely popular, free– Video chat, audio conferencing

Chat and Conferencing• Tinychat– Free videoconferencing– Live video chatrooms

• Vyew– Free video conferencing– Also includes content collaboration tools

• WiZiQ– Free video conferencing– Focused on teaching and learning

Discussion Forums

Product Website Software Type Platform

Tangler www.tangler.com Free Web

Discussion Forums• Tangler– Discussion forums for Websites or groups– Groups can be public or private

Drawing and Illustration

Product Website Software Type Platform

Adobe Illustrator www.adobe.com/products/illustrator/

Commercial Mac/Win

Dia dia-installer.de Free Mac/Win

Inkscape inkscape.org Free Mac/Win

Drawing and Illustration• Adobe Illustrator– Comprehensive vector graphics program– Effectively creates Web-based graphics

• Dia– Visual editing software– Draw and edit many different kinds of diagrams

• Inkscape– Permits editing of vector images– Powerful and convenient software program

Image EditingProduct Website Software Type Platform

Adobe Photoshop www.adobe.com/products/photoshop/

Commercial Mac/Win

Adobe Photoshop Elements

www.adobe.com/products/photoshopel/

Commercial Mac/Win

GIMP www.gimp.org Open Source Mac/Win

iPhoto www.apple.com/ilife/iphoto/ Commercial Mac

Paint.net www.getpaint.net Free Win

Picasa picasa.google.com Free Mac/Win

Picnik www.picnik.com Free Web

Pixlr www.pixlr.com Free Web

Seashore seashore.sourceforge.net/The_Seashore_Project/

Free Mac

Image Editing• Adobe Photoshop– Comprehensive image editing tool– Numerous importing, exporting, editing functions

• Adobe Photoshop Elements– Comprehensive image editing tool– Provides most needed functions at lower cost

• GIMP– Popular, open source (free) image editing tool– Numerous editing tools

Image Editing• iPhoto– Popular image editing software– Available on most Mac computers

• Paint.net– Comprehensive image editing software– Many tools for editing, supports many formats

• Picasa– Popular image editing program, free– Effective image sharing options

Image Editing• Picnik– Popular image editing program, free– Works with numerous Web image storage sites

• Pixlr– Popular image editing program, free– Image design, paint tools, photo editing, etc.

• Seashore– Generally popular, free image editing software– Built on GIMP software foundation

Learning Management Systems

Product Website Software Type Platform

ANGEL www.blackboard.com/Teaching-Learning/Learn-Resources/ANGEL-Edition.aspx

Commercial Web

Blackboard www.blackboard.com Commercial Web

Desire2Learn www.desire2learn.com Commercial Web

Moodle moodle.org Free (req host) Web

Sakai www.sakaiproject.org Free (req host) Web

Learning Management Systems• ANGEL– Comprehensive system– Recently purchased by Blackboard

• Blackboard– Very popular, comprehensive system– Effectively connects to a variety of other software

• Desire2Learn– Popular commercial system– Comprehensive options

Learning Management Systems• Moodle– Very popular, open-source (free) system – Options for significant customization

• Sakai– Open source (free) system– Increasingly popular in a variety of environments

Online Surveys

Product Website Software Type Platform

eSurveyspro www.esurveyspro.com Free Web

KwikSurveys www.kwiksurveys.com Free Web

Survey Monkey www.surveymonkey.com Free Web

Online Surveys• eSurveyspro– Comprehensive online survey software– Unlimited surveys, questions, and responses

• KwikSurveys– Comprehensive online survey software– Easy to use

• Survey Monkey– Comprehensive online survey software– Extremely popular, free at many levels of use

Online Tests

Product Website Software Type Platform

EasyTestMaker www.easytestmaker.com Free Web

Kubbu www.kubbu.com Free Web

QuizStar quizstar.4teachers.org Free Web

Online Tests• EasyTestMaker– Options for multiple question types– Ability to create alternate tests

• Kubbu– Used to create games, quizzes, and crosswords– Straightforward and easy to use

• QuizStar– Develop quizzes for online use– Can include images and graphics in a quiz

Presentation Tools

Product Website Software Type Platform

Microsoft PowerPoint

office.microsoft.com/en-us/powerpoint

Commercial Mac/Win

Prezi www.prezi.com Free Web

Slideshare www.slideshare.com Free Web

Presentation Tools• Microsoft PowerPoint– Extremely popular, available on many computers– Requires little instruction for knowledgeable users

• Prezi– Permits interactive editing of PowerPoint files– Paid option has more options

• Slideshare– Posting of PowerPoint files on the Web– Original file also available for download

Screen Sharing

Product Website Software Type Platform

Gogrok www.gogrok.com Free Web

Mikogo www.mikogo.com Free Mac/Win

Screen Sharing• Gogrok– Remote screen sharing– Real time collaborative editing

• Mikogo– Cross-platform desktop sharing tool– Web conferences, online meetings

Screencasts

Product Website Software Type Platform

Jing www.techsmith.com/jing/ Free Mac/Win

ProfCast www.profcast.com Commercial Mac

Screenr screenr.com Free Web

Screencasts• Jing– Records screen actions and saves in a movie– Integrated with social media sites

• ProfCast– Program for recording and distributing lectures– Includes podcast options

• Screenr– Records screencasts with no downloads required– Effective connection to social networking

Social Networking

Product Website Software Type Platform

edmodo www.edmodo.com Free Web

Facebook www.facebook.com Free Web

Twitter www.twitter.com Free Web

Social Networking• edmodo– Social network focused on teachers and students– Permits attachments along with messages

• Facebook– Extremely popular, free– Numerous users already familiar with system

• Twitter– Extremely popular, free– Numerous users already familiar with system

Statistics

Product Website Software Type Platform

JMP www.jmp.com Commercial Mac/Win

Minitab www.minitab.com Commercial Win

PSPP www.gnu.org/software/pspp/ Free Mac/Win

SPSS www.spss.com Commercial Mac/Win

SYSTAT www.systat.com Commercial Win

Statistics• JMP– Comprehensive program– Closely linked with graphics and visualization

• Minitab– Comprehensive program– Long-standing utilization on personal computers

• PSPP– Comprehensive program, free– Can tweak program via open source agreement

Statistics• SPSS– Comprehensive statistical program– Very popular, student version available

• SYSTAT– Comprehensive statistical program– Primary focus on biological and physical sciences

Video and Vidcasts

Product Website Software Type Platform

Adobe Flash Professional

www.adobe.com/products/flash/ Commercial Mac/Win

Adobe Premiere Elements

www.adobe.com/products/premiereel/

Commercial Mac/Win

Adobe Premiere Pro

www.adobe.com/products/premiere/

Commercial Mac/Win

Animoto animoto.com Free Web

Avidemux fixounet.free.fr/avidemux/ Open Source Mac/Win

Final Cut Pro www.apple.com/finalcutstudio/finalcutpro/

Commercial Mac

iMovie www.apple.com/ilife/imovie/ Commercial Mac

JayCut jaycut.com Free Web

Video and Vidcasts• Adobe Flash– Very popular and powerful tool– Format becoming Web-based standard

• Adobe Premiere Elements– Comprehensive audio and video editing tool– Provides most needed functions at lower cost

• Adobe Premiere Pro– Comprehensive audio and video editing tool– Provides extremely full set of features and options

Video and Vidcasts• Animoto– Converts images and video clips into motion video– Straightforward editing tool

• Avidemux– Straightforward audio and video editing tool– Supports multiple file types

• Final Cut Pro– Comprehensive audio and video editing tool– Professional level editing program

Video and Vidcasts• iMovie– Popular software– Already available on most Mac computers

• JayCut– Straightforward audio and video editing tool– Can be integrated within a Website

Virtual Worlds

Product Website Software Type Platform

Second Life www.secondlife.com Free Web

Virtual Worlds• Second Life– Comprehensive system with people/communities– Very popular system used in multiple ways

Web-Based Development

Product Website Software Type Platform

Adobe Captivate www.adobe.com/products/captivate/

Commercial Mac/Win

Adobe Creative Suite

www.adobe.com/products/creativesuite/

Commercial Mac/Win

Adobe Contribute www.adobe.com/products/contribute/

Commercial Mac/Win

Adobe Dreamweaver

www.adobe.com/products/dreamweaver/

Commercial Mac/Win

Adobe eLearning Suite

www.adobe.com/products/elearningsuite/

Commercial Mac/Win

iWeb www.apple.com/ilife/iweb/ Commercial Mac

Web-Based Development• Adobe Captivate– Comprehensive software development platform– Numerous options and capabilities

• Adobe Creative Suite– Combines Web-based development tools– Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Acrobat Pro

• Adobe Contribute– Web publishing and Website management tool– Integrates authoring, reviewing, and publishing

Web-Based Development• Adobe Dreamweaver– Design, develop, and maintain Websites– Design and develop visually or directly in code

• Adobe eLearning Suite– Create professional eLearning courseware– Captivate, Flash, Dreamweaver, Photoshop, etc.

• iWeb– Popular software– Already available on most Mac computers

Wikis

Product Website Software Type Platform

PBworks pbworks.com Free Web

ProjectForum www.projectforum.com/pf/wiki.html

Free Mac/Win

Wikispaces www.wikispaces.com Free Web

Wikis• PBworks– Business, education, and personal use– Includes Web pages, images, video, documents

• ProjectForum– Private and secure professional Web workspaces– Share, discuss, and manage ideas and documents

• Wikispaces– Develop simple web pages for group editing– Straightforward interface and visual page editor