Public or Private? Which Makes Most Sense?

In creating some MP4 videos using TechSmith's Camtasia software, I decided to post some publically on YouTube--with back-ups on TeacherTube in case of firewall problems with YouTube. 

It is a real question--whether or not to give the public access to some of the information we may want to share with others.  How many others?  For what purpose?

One of my videos is of a presentation I made called Using Audio Books to Improve Reading and Academic Performance.  That's the video I was working on yesterday.  It's up today on my website at http://www.joelmonty.net/education/education.htm.  (My computer may have been multitasking while I was making the video, so I'll have to double check to make sure that the audio is well synchronized with the video throughout.)  I may try to put that video on TeacherTube later because I want as many teachers to access the presentation as possible.  The information is important.

That's a major key for me to keep in mind.  Who do I want to have access to material I make available and why?  What do I need to do to preserve my privacy and copyright on the materials I share?  Both of these are decisions to be made on a daily basis.

I have another research paper recently published that I need to turn into a presentation.  It is about working with "reluctant" English language learners (ELLs) and encouraging them to produce higher quality in the classroom.  I'd like for that to be a video on TeacherTube as well.

It's amazing how many hours are required to keep these things going and available for others to make use of.

Keeping Current with Communication Technology--Challenging

My friend converted a Microsoft PowerPoint Show from his 2007 Microsoft Office software to a You Tube video using TechSmith's "Camtasia Studio" software.  He had voice over and the You Tube video looks great.

I've been working all day to get a narrated presentation converted from Adobe Presenter or Microsoft PowerPoint to be copied and played effectively using Camtasia or Apple's QuickTime and Microsoft MovieMaker.

After more than a half-day of working at it, I have nothing more than partially completed draft projects.  The challenge at the moment is the audio.  (I have recorded it a few times and want to use what I already have in place rather than recording it again.)

I'll master this soon--and the practice has given me great ideas for the kinds of digital movies I want to create for clients and students.  TechSmith's trial software is full-featured during the 30-day trial period.  That should give me time to understand its value before I invest in the full package.

I had feedback from TechSmith--creators of Camtasia--with a "work around" for the sound.  (Just use a cable with two 3.5mm male connectors between the headphones and the microphone jack, then adjust the playback on the computer and the "mic" on Camtasia to make sure the signal is "mostly green.")

I tried it and have three videos up and running.  I've put two up on YouTube and on TeacherTube (for those who cannot access YouTube from school.)  Go to my web page at http://www.joelmonty.net/profile/profile.htm for links to all of these.

Keeping Current with Technology Changes--Challenges to Communication

Creating web sites to share information becomes a challenge when the software used to post the information changes without notice.  For example, I used Adobe Presenter to share a presentation on my website in May and the software has changed (improved).  The old presentation no longer worked and I needed to recreate it and to post a revised copy on the website--done today (http://www.joelmonty.net/information_links/information_links.htm).

We need to keep revisiting what we have created to make sure that it is still accessible, especially as people are using a variety of web browsers.  As I begin to build more and more presentations, webinars, podcasts, and teleconferences, I will be using all sorts of new technology to make these accessible to as many people as possible.

It is always a challenge to keep things current and active, both in terms of content and in terms of the technology used to access the content.  Books were recorded and became audiobooks.  Audiobooks have been digitized and become eAudiobooks available for download.  Along the way the players and the software keep changing--much more rapidly that the transition of home-based audio from vinyl record to  cassette tape and CD to digital fines available on MP3 players, iPods, computers, etc.

Another dimension is to keep the content interesting with interesting graphics.  "Black and white" are boring.  Oops, I'll have to change the format of this blog pretty soon.

Reflections--My Life since September 11, 2001

September 11, 2001--The events of the day were a wake-up call for me that has had profound impact on my life.  That morning I went to a water aerobics class at the wellness center associated with my local hospital.  As I came out of the shower I saw the news broadcast of a plane flying into the Twin Towers in New York.  Our first thought was that it must have been an awful accident.  In just a few minutes, the second plane hit and it became clear that it was no accident.  The day progressed in slow motion.  I was due for an annual physical at my doctor's office later in the morning and was there when I heard about the atack on the Pentagon.  While in the doctor's office, I was advised that I needed a biopsy because I had an elevated PSA level in my routine bloodwork.  The biopsy revealed that I had prostate cancer in six of the twelve cores they tested.

Attacks from without and from within--this was truly a wake-up call for me.  A few days later (once the flight ban had been lifted) I flew to New York City for a second opinion about my condition.  I decided to have my prostate completely removed and, once I was cancer free, I also decided that it was time for me to make a difference for K-12 students.  I delayed my surgery only long enough to freeze some sperm at the University of Illinois at Chicago sperm bank, then had my surgery in November.  It was completely successful. 

When I had recovered I went to the local Regional Office of Education in Kane County, Illinois (where I live) and offered my services.  I had a doctorate in education, though it was for teaching adults rather than children.  I was advised that, because I had a doctorate, I must also have a bachelors--the degree required to be a substitute teacher.  I mentioned that I also spoke Spanish and was advised that, if I could pass the Target Language Proficiency exam for Spanish, I could get a provisional bilingual teaching certificate (a T-29 certificate) which would allow me to be a full-time teacher of English language learners (ELLs) for six years--with a possible extension of two more years while I worked on getting my credentials to teach children.

I substitute taught until I could take and pass the Target Language Proficiency exam in Spanish.  My passing scores came back in November, 2002, and in December, 2002, I was invited to be a mid-year replacement bilingual (Spanish) teacher at Larkin High School in Elgin (school district U-46).  I began my teaching there and have since then earned a post-doctoral Master of Arts in Teaching and have earned Illinois certification to teach children from Kindergarden through ninth grade (K-9) (an Elementary Teaching Certificate with endorsements to teach in middle school in the areas of language arts and social studies.  Last summer I completed five three-graduate-hour courses at the University of Phoenix Online to add to some coursework completed with my doctorate degree.  At the conclusion of those courses the state of Illinois gave me approval as a bilingual (Spanish) teacher and as a teacher of English as a second language.  I am now fully certified to teach in Illinois through ninth grade.

Beginning at Larkin High School, I have now taught in two high schools, an elementary school, and two middle schools.  I am still cancer-free and, in the six years I have been teaching, it has become a high priority to be available to spend quality time each day with my now 94-year-old mother who lives nearby.

Visit the profile page on my website to access a multimedia version of my digital portfolio for education.  For a copy of the digital portfolio without narration, visit http://joelmonty.wikispaces.com/ and scroll down to the digital portfolio for education link.

On September 11, 2009, I am still cancer free.  I have learned much from my years of teaching English language learners (ELLs) and have built what I have learned into the framework I offer to schools and businesses.  Visit my business-related digital portfolio on the same pages listed above for the education version of the profile.

Network Marketing--Hype, Hope . . . Sometimes a little of both

For me, the terms "Network Marketing" bring lots of reflection on my experience.  While this type of business can most certainly be a legitimate enterprise offering value to customers/consumers and to the people who participate in the business, it can also be a scamming technique intending to overcharge, provide something of little value for high costs, and "rip-off" the last group of people investing in the scheme.

Another word for network marketing is "multilevel marketing."  In general, it means that you recruit people into one or more "legs" or "downlines" and receive commissions on what your downlines produce to whatever limit is set by the business model.  Some business models are legitimate and some are not.  Often the Attorneys General of states get involved to decide which models are legitimate.  Some (like Amway/QuickStar) have passed these tests over time.  Others fall by the wayside.

One "test" for legitimacy is that there has to be a product or service being sold--the "membership" in the business cannot be the only thing someone pays for.

I have been involved with perhaps 20 network marketing programs over the years.  One of my first was Amway--a legitimate business which has evolved into QuickStar and which has been around for years.  Since then I have explored businesses with a focus on training, health care, insurance and investments, and many more.

Robert Allen will be releasing a new book (sure to be a best seller) in about two months, telling how to use Network Marketing to build a solid source of passive, residual income.  (I received an e-mail today from Robert advising me about a webinar he will hold on the subject on Friday, 9/11.)  Check Robert Allen out on Amazon.com to see when his next book will be available.)

Years ago the information was published that more people become millionaires through direct marketing (of which most Network Marketing programs form a part) than through any other source of revenue generation.

I am interested in the concept, providing that the business is legitimate, the products or services have value and are offered at a value to the public, whether or not the public chooses to participate in the business part of the program.  Better programs do not require a heavy initial investment, nor do they require someone to purchase a lot of inventory or to make a certain amount (dollar or quantity) of "sales."

I remember that it is important to keep asking questions and not to make any logical "jumps" (into the fire).  The saying about "if it sounds too good to be true, it probably isn't" is good advice when considering a network marketing opportunity.

I heard about a network marketing opportunity today that sounds very interesting.  I certainly need to check it out fully before I decide if it's "right" for me.  Many are excellent and just not something I have the time and passion to be involved in.

Gradual income based on growth and sales will probably be one indicator of a company not set on scamming the consumer.  A most significant requirement is the value of the product or service being provided--and its cost.  This is certainly a time when people would like to bring in more income and a time when "money-making" scams abound.

Robert's book, like his others, will have lots of great tips about Network Marketing.  I look forward to reading it.  While I'm waiting, I just purchased a book by Ray H. Duncan from Amazon.com called the MLM Binary PlanThe MLM Binary PlanThe MLM Binary Plan. 

I had a birthday yesterday and building steady streams of legal, residual income is certainly a priority for me at this stage in my life.  I'm looking forward to learning more about the state of network marketing today.

Digital Portfolios--A Better Way to Communicate?

Earlier posts talked about the challenge of resumes in today's multimedia environment.  A digital portfolio with voice-over capability seems to be a more engaging alternative--possibly backed-up with more traditional documentation.

SlideShare.net houses a variety of Microsoft PowerPoint presentations, including a few digital resumes.  The digital portfolio combines graphics and words to communicate ideas in a more concentrated form.  When someone wants more details, they can follow-up using links contained in the digital portfolios.

Take a look at my digital portfolio for business and at my digital portfolio for education.  (The Safari web browser doesn't want to open Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) files in the browser.  The link works with both Internet Explorer and Firefox.)   To see the entire site, go to http://joelmonty.wikispaces.com/.

The digital portfolios with voice-over are shared in Adobe Presenter and can be found on my website following this link.

What I do best---Reprise

Throughout this blog, I have mentioned what I do best in several posts.  Today I've been thinking about that.

What do I do best?  I make a positive difference in the world by helping people and organizations learn to  change to improve their quality of (business) life now and for the future.

I've been doing that since I began working 40+ years ago.

I do the work wherever I am in whatever job I take on--independently or for others.  It is an essential part of who I am and, over time, I have come to recognize it--as do the people who know me and who work with me.

I am very good at assimilating what is going on in context and channeling that context in ways that follow research-based best practices to come up with what needs to be learned to change to produce the improvements.  The good news for me is that I have learned to do that with children, adults, and organizations.  I've also learned to do it across cultures and languages.

In the course of doing what I do best, I have worked with people in North and South America, Europe, Asia, and Australia.  That's good because I enjoy meeting new people and cultures and practicing new languages.  I've provided these services in English, Spanish, Italian, and French and have picked-up some conversational fluency in other languages along the way if I've stayed in the country long enough.

I've worked for the federal government in the USA and Canada, public and private businesses, colleges and universities, K-12 school districts, and have owned my own businesses along the way.  I've worked with more than 100 organizations and more than 16 different industries and with thousands of people--children and adults.

I've grown and learned quite a bit along the way and enjoy sharing what I have learned and continue to learn with the people I work with day to day.

My challenge now is to tell this story in a multimedia format--probably starting with MicrosoftPowerPoint and moving on from there.  If you want to help, please let me know.