a holistic selection process centered on digital literacy
Tim Miller
Digital Media & Learning Librarian
Humboldt State University
All text, html, css & js CC BY, Tim Miller, 2019
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Goals
Why Open? What is 'free'?
A digital literacy-centered approach to selecting software
Major Considerations
Teaching & Learning
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What is 'free'?
If you're not paying for the product, you ARE the product.
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Why free?
- Paid services also serve ads, spy on your usage, and sell your data.
- Free services are equally afraid of losing customers.
- Lack of monetary cost allows for people without monetary resources to participate.
- However, both will often try to keep you in their ecosystem.
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Why open?
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- Many "eyes"
- bugs
- security
- tutorials & forum posts
- less loss of agency
- usually easier to migrate/use with other programs (open formats)
Why digital literacy?
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- Work: adoption == training
- software users
- yourself
- Education
- tools to meet course needs
- "actively participate in civic society and contribute to a vibrant, informed, and engaged community"
American Library Association. (2013). Digital literacy, libraries, and public policy. Report of the Office for Information Technology Policy’s Digital Literacy Taskforce. Retrieved January, 20, 2015.
Considerations - Open
On Campus
- IT support
- Updates
- Campus buy-in
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Considerations - Open
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Off Campus
- Downloading (malware...)
- Options
- Free =/= Open
- Try out and test
- Make recommendations
- Model
Considerations - Open
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Off Campus
Opportunities
- Can be installed on personal computers
- Not limited by tuition
- Not an extra financial burden
- No bloatware, no spam
Considerations - Privacy
What are you actually paying?
- Usage
- early adoption in attempt to
- move to a paid model
- establish ad value
- sell data
- use data
- track your usage to set costs
- early adoption in attempt to
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Considerations - Accessibility
Who can use the software?
Who can create with the software?
Does the software prioritize accessibility?
Prezi vs PowerPoint vs Google Sites
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Prezi
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Minimal 'free' services
- make presentations
$19/mo
- Offline access
- Voice-over*
$59/mo
- Analytics
*one of few ways to hack Prezi to make it more accessible
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PowerPoint
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No 'free' services
Download model is moving to subscription
Likely the most ability to create accessible presentations.
Creator needs to understand accessibility to make use of the features.
Guides for accessibility
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Google Sites
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No 'paid' version
Storage limit on 'free' accounts
Simple interface, limits most options to those that keep the site accessible.
Creator needs a basic understanding of accessibility.
Guides for accessibility
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Overview
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Pricing
- PowerPoint - $100/year max
- or $159 one-time
- Google - 'free'
Storage
- PowerPoint - computer ('free')
- Google - $100/yr 2TB
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Overview - Accessbility
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What are your goals?
How much time do you have?
- PowerPoint - more complex, but more in-depth.
- Google Sites - simpler and easy to implement, but fewer learning opportunities.
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Image editing
Assignment
Health Ed 342 - in small groups, students make two flyers for nutrition supplements: one for general public, one for experts.
Goals
Visualizing data, design for audience, persuasive 'advertisement.'
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Inkscape
Vector Graphics Editor
- Free & Open Source
- Windows, Mac, Linux
- Lots of tutorials online
OVERKILL
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Google Slides
Slide presentation software
- Web-based
- Free, HSU students already have an account
- Collaborative
- Any device with a browser*
- Lots of tutorials online
A bit much?
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Canva
Graphic design software
- Web-based
- Free, premium options
- Any device with a browser*
- Mobile apps
- Lots of tutorials in the site
- Design tutorials
- Software tutorials
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Emerging Technologies?
Virtual Reality
- Web-based
- Cross-platform
- Learning
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Web Development
Glitch.com
- Web-based
- Cross-platform
- Lots of tutorials online
- Remix community
- Integrates with GitHub
- Works great with A-frame!
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Web VR
A-frame
- WebVR
- Cross-platform
- Lots of tutorials online
- Works great with Glitch.com!
- Remix Aframe templates
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3D Modeling
Tinkercad
- Web-based
- Cross-platform
- Remix & share
- Lots of tutorials to get started
- Export in .obj (works well with A-frame)
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3D Modeling
Sketchfab
- Web-based
- Cross-platform
- Remix & share
- File conversion to .gltf (A-frame)
- AR option
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3D Modeling
Sketchfab
- Web-based
- Cross-platform
- Remix & share
- File conversion to .gltf (A-frame)
- AR option
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Emerging Technologies
Accessibility
- Not all formats have to be accessible.
- All information/content has to be accessible.
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Thank you!
Tim Miller
- tim.miller@humboldt.edu
- GitHub
- Glitch
Open Tools DIS 2019
By Tim Miller
Open Tools DIS 2019
- 1,214