Q: I want to make my online course materials more engaging. Is it something relatively easy to use for a busy instructor?

A: Try Zaption to create a learning tour for your course. You can add existing videos from Youtube and Vimeo, trim your video to show the segments you want, add interactive elements such as quiz questions. There is a basic account for free to start.

Q: What technology is available to make writing activity more fun for my online students?

A: NewsMaker: "really is an extremely user-friendly program that students will enjoy. Now teachers finally have a tool driven by content not the technology". Here is an overview. Newsmaker improves writing, presenting and collaborating skills when students are emotionally involved in fun news production process; there is an opportunity to interact with a global community similar to publishing a blog. It will boost creativity in your classroom, especially online. Newsmaker provides the students another way of thinking about organizing their information creatively and using their sense of humor. Newsmaker tool  limits the amount of time students spent on editing and production. Students can focus on content and learning rather than production values.

Q: How faculty integrate technology in teaching? Could you share some examples?

A: I'd like to point to my colleagues:  Sustainability and success: Teaching with technology | ASU News

Q: I have videos in my course for students to watch in preparation to the next class. I have to summarize the video's content in class because I am not sure that students were watching the videos. Is a "flipped classroom" approach effective?

A: A new study from the Stanford Graduate School of Education flips upside down the notion that students learn best by first independently reading texts or watching online videos before coming to class to engage in hands-on projects. Studying a particular lesson, the Stanford researchers showed that when the order was reversed, students' performances improved substantially. More

Q: The mobile learning seems to be attractive to students in my class. It is easier for them to stay connected while working on a group assignment online. What mobile app would you recommend which is safe to use in a classroom environment?

A: I would recommend ooVoo app - it is free and user-friendly video chat. It can handle up to 12 people at a time. The alternatives are listed here.

Q: I'd like to boost my course to make more relevant to technology my students use (like iPhone or iPad). What platform would be a most modern one with the less challenging learning curve?

A: I would recommend iTunes U app. It gives you access to enormous resources and makes it easy to manage. You can build your course in it in private/public format. It is not an LMS. It has been designed to enhance students/instructor interactions in the flipped classroom or online setting. More

Q: Do you know any effective student response systems for cell phones?

A: With learning/catalytics students use any modern web-enabled device they already have — laptop, smartphone, or tablet to participate in a group activity or test, allowing a teacher to diagnose difficulties when working with students individually. 

Q: Do you know a technology to make a process of watching video materials for students active?

A: The researchers from Leeds University, Vania Dimitrova and Lydia Lau, designed a system I-CAW that gives you semantic linked data at the end. Meanwhile you can use this tool to have your students posting comments while watching the video on Youtube.  Students are labeling their comments with a corresponding aspect. You as a teacher design the aspects to emphasize the outcomes. This tool transforms students experience from passive to active. Read more

Q: In my class about student's success I'd like to use My Map tool in Google Maps. How do I create personalized, annotated, customized map?

A: Follow this tutorial : How to create a "My Map" in Google Maps   

Q: Where I can find good quality classroom ideas?

A: The Interesting Ways series continues to be a great example of crowdsourcing good quality classroom ideas

Q: Where I can find reviews and recommendations about educational tools?

A: edshelf has well organized resources. For example, if you are interested in teachers toolkit for video the search will take you to this page: https://edshelf.com/profile/jonnywathen/teachers-toolkit---video

Q: I want to find an alternative to clickers. What tool I can use in class to show the bell curve in real time?

A: You can use technology that students already own (laptops, cell phones). See the list of compatible tools below:

AdobeConnect: http://tv.adobe.com/watch/learn-adobe-connect/creating-a-poll/
Poll­Daddy: http://polldaddy.com Socra­tive: http://www.socrative.com/ Piazza: https://piazza.com/ ​ https://piazza.com/features#​
Lec­ture­Tools: http://www.lecturetools.com/ Ques­tion­Press: http://www.questionpress.com/ Learn­ing Cat­alyt­ics: https://learningcatalytics.com/ pollev­ery­where: http://www.polleverywhere.com/highered-student-response-system men­time­ter: http://mentimeter.com/ Celly: http://cel.ly/ eClick­ers: http://www.eclicker.com/ Turn­ingTech­nolo­gies Respon­se­Ware: http://www.turningtechnologies.com/studentresponsesystems/mobiledistancelearning/higheredresponseware/ Socra­tive: http://socrative.com/# Google Forms: docs.google.comhttps://sites.google.com/a/pjrprojects.co.uk/sitesguide/google-sites/how-tos/create-a-poll-using-google-formshttp://www.demogeek.com/2009/04/01/polls-made-easier-with-google-docs-spreadsheet/Top Hat Mon­o­cle: http://www.tophatmonocle.com/ GoSoap­Box: http://gosoapbox.com/tour iClicker Web Clicker:  http://www.iclicker.com/products/webclicker/ Click­er­School Vir­tual Clicker by Eduware: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/clickerschool-virtual-clicker/id444020820?mt=8 Soda­Head Polls-WP plug-in:  http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/sodahead-polls/ Pin­nion: http://www.pinnion.com/References:
http://blogs.princeton.edu/etc/2012/04/10/alternatives-to-physical-clickers-in-the-classroom/http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2011/10/three-alternatives-to-clicker-response.html#.UXm7AcolHuQ​

Q: I'd like to follow the discussion about today's emerging technologies. Where I can find the most recent information?

A: EDUCASE is the best conference to learn first hand about innovations in higher education. 2013 Horizon Report has some answers to your questions.
2013 Horizon Report | EDUCAUSE.edu
http://www.educause.edu/

Q: I'd like to use some tools to engage students in analysis of data. What is out there?

A: Lucky you! - Hans Rosling helps to see a joy of statistics (literally) with Gapminder software. It is available for download for free: http://www.gapminder.org/world-offline/
Enjoy!

Q: I heard a new term "gamification". What does it mean?

A: It is new way of incorporating games in your teaching style and mostly applicable for online learning environment. judge for yourself - this article is presenting all arguments for defining "gamification" as the use of game design elements in non-game contexts: bit.ly/o6aX1U

From Game Design Elements to Gamefulness: Defining “Gamification”

Q: I want to put something on the internet, but how do I do that.

A: I want to introduce you to the digital representation of a sticky wall - a drag-and-drop interface - Padlet: http://padlet.com/ (in case you didn't know about it).

It is available in Chrome browser. If you consider using more interactive tools with your students online it is a good addition to a blog. It gives your students more control on building a group website.

Resources:
http://techcrunch.com/2013/02/21/yc-backed-padlet-brings-drag-and-drop-to-collaborative-web-site-creation/
http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2013/02/wallwisher-is-now-padlet.html#.USucjWej-MQ

Check more creative tools at Chrome:
https://chrome.google.com/webstore/category/app/89-creative-tools?utm_source=chrome-ntp-icon

such as
Balsamiq Mockups (wireframing tool - not free)
bomomo - drawing tool (free)
mind map - mapping tool
Autodesk 123D Catch - turn your photo into 3D model
etc.

Q: How learning occurs?

 A: Read more about connected learning here:
A New Culture of Learning by Doug Thomas & John Seely Brown

Q: What is Playful Learning?

A: Follow the Learning Games Network. Alex Chisholm, Executive Director of Learning Games Network, said: “We established Learning Games Network to fill the gap between research and practice and are excited to be playing a role in helping to expand the marketplace, as well as the quality of games and resources available to educators and students.“ http://www.learninggamesnetwork.org/newschools-venture-learning-games-network/

Q: I am implementing the inquiry based approach to teach science. Could you share some examples of the best practices?

A: There is a successful project at Arizona State University - Virtual Field Trips: http://vft.asu.edu/#

Q: I am looking for a way to use a branching scenario in my video to make it interactive. Is it possible to do for a person withough special video editing skills?

A: Yes, you can do it with YouTube! The key word is to add annotation to your video. This article will help:  
 http://support.google.com/youtube/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=92710

http://www.movements.org/how-to/entry/how-to-make-your-youtube-videos-more-interactive-by-adding-annotations/

Notes

• Annotations appear on standard YouTube players and embedded players.
• Annotations do not appear on custom YouTube chromeless players.
• Annotations do not appear in video playbacks taking place on mobile, tablet and TV devices.