Sunday, January 31, 2016

Accessibility and usability of online videos in MOOC context

The MOOC case book

Accessibility (ease of access) and usability (ease of use) of online videos are meaningful needs to be addressed, especially in the MOOCs context.

Scientific literature is full of information and best practices about users optimal engagement time, the notions of subtitles and transcripts and their usability under standard situations, whether with disabilities or not.

We have to keep in mind that accessibility and usability complement each other: by meeting the needs of specific users who can represent only a fraction of our visitors, we help all the others.

For instance, when we provide high-quality subtitles for people with hearing impairment, it is also useful for people watching the video in a noisy environment, like in a subway, or in places where noise level has to be minimal, as in an office or at the library.

The chapter I have published in “The MOOC case book: Case Studies in MOOC Design, Development and Implementation” entitled “Towards an Engaging and Usable Video Content: Addressing Accessibility and Usability Issues During Video Development” deals with these issues in the MOOCs context, and is also useful whenever a video content is provided.

After a case studies of five MOOCs proposed on three different platforms, I talk about the state of the art of research in the relevant fields.

The MOOC case book

The MOOC case book
under the direction of Drs. Joseph Rene Corbeil, Maria Elena Corbeil and Badrul H. Khan
Linus publications (2015)
ISBN: 978-1-60797-561-8

Sunday, December 6, 2015

Introduction to Google’s Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP)

Petra, Jordan

Google’s Accelerated Mobile Pages initiative is getting a lot of exposure since its launch in early October. Let’s see what it is, how it works, and how you can publish your own AMP HTML pages.

In this age of speed, a page that takes more than a few seconds to load is losing its appeal, and this is especially important on mobile phones. The AMP project serves to mitigate this problem. The articles published in this format will be highlighted by Google in its search results from the beginning of next year.

Would you like to know more about it? I invite you to read the full version of this article I have published on SitePoint’s website: Introduction to Google’s Accelerated Mobile Pages.

Saturday, October 3, 2015

Why Japanese is such a fun language to learn

Cherry tree flowers

Let me share with you a few fun facts about Japanese language after a 30-hour intensive Japanese summer class.

Sunday, February 8, 2015

Human-Computer Interaction (MOOC)

Human-Computer Interaction (MOOC)

Hosted by Coursera, this Human-Computer Interaction course from the University of California in San Diego is presented by Scott Klemmer, Associate Professor of Cognitive Science and Computer Science and Engineering. It presents the concepts of prototyping, comparative evaluation, the principles of visual design, of perception and cognition. To sum it up, it helps building human-centered design skills.

Saturday, January 24, 2015

Foreign language MOOCs: kill two birds with one stone

Japanese Power Pop MOOC

If you are interested in languages and continuing education, why not kill two birds with one stone?
Many online courses are offered around the world in a very wide variety of areas and many languages. Even though English still predominates, you can practice many foreign languages and get used to many accents, improve your understanding and expand your vocabulary while learning specific knowledges.
Here is a selection of a few courses to make you learn and travel.

Tuesday, November 11, 2014

Introduction to Neuroeconomics (MOOC)

Introduction to Neuroeconomics (MOOC)

With the full title Introduction to Neuroeconomics: how the brain makes decisions, this course available on the Coursera platform is at the convergence of economics, psychology, and neuroscience. It is presented by Vasily Klucharev from the Higher School of Economics of Moscow (Russia).

Saturday, August 30, 2014

Data journalism (MOOC)

Data journalism (MOOC)

Available on the Canvas platform, this course is titled Doing journalism with data: first steps, skills and tools and is part of the European Journalism Center initiative. It is aimed at providing concepts, techniques and skills to effectively work with data and produce compelling data stories.