Resource development kits to create eLearning resources

St George College library has been proud to take delivery of a resource development kit designed for teaching staff use to allow them to create eLearning resources for use with their classes. The kit contains an ACER notebook computer with a range of accessories (external hard drive, speakers, webcam, USB headset with microphone and more) as well as a host of software, additional to a Sydney Institute computer standard build, that will allow teachers to modify, manipulate and enhance objects that they create.

As well there is a whole box full of fun equipment that teachers can go wild with in creating interactive objects and also including students in the creation of learning objects and resources. An iPod with a Belkin recorder makes creating audio files (or a regualr podcast a piece of cake), there are also lapel or interview microphones for higher quality audio recording. On top of this there is a 7.1 mega pixel digital camera for taking still images or video and the cables that you need to download the images to the computer, or broadcast onto a TV.

As if that is not enough you can also hook up a whole classroom using some conference style microphones through an audio mixer to ensure that class discussions are recorded for future reference. The whole lot is packaged up in a hard case (with two layers for the equipment) on wheels and an extention handle that the notebook can also be attached to.

Library staff are looking forward to hearing lots of success stories from teachers about how they used the equipment (how easy it was to use) and about how much the eLearning resources enhanced their students learning experience.

Sydney Institute staff can find out more from the myLearning wiki (accessible from SydNet).