Sunday, June 10, 2012

Communication Tool Review-Eyejot



1.   Name of the Tool


Eyejot


2.   URL of the Tool


3.   Please select the one, primary category for this tool:

Communication Tool

 
4.   Please describe this tool in your own words in about 250 words.

The premise of the website was to eliminate confusing contexts of the written text or email that are commonly encountered in both business and personal communication. It allows the user to create and send video messages without coordinating online time with the receiving parties.  The website states this is useful for personal connections involved with the military or in different time zones.  Businesses can use it for virtual communication of business plans, projects or proposals to be sent to employees or clients.

The tool is compatible with both PC and Mac computers as well as with iphone mobile devices and the ipad.  There is no current droid application however the website states this will be available in the future.  Eyejot does not require the user to download a program to their computers.  It is run from the internet, either on a mobile device or computer, which decreases security risks and concerns.


The tool has several tiers of use.  The free plan allows the user to record and send videos up to 5 minutes long. The user’s video inbox expires in 1 month and you cannot upload videos already on your computer or mobile device.  Pro upgraded plans range from 29.95 to 99.95 and allow the user up to 15 minute messages, no inbox expiration, the ability to upload video from computers, and the capability brand their videos with business logos.


5.   What do you need to know before using this tool? (What skills do you need to have?)


A user needs to be able to navigate the internet to the site first since it is not a program that the user can download.  The user then needs to be able to navigate the initial set up program and understand his/her audio and visual capabilities of their computer.  A user needs to understand the difference between using an embed code and a direct email of the file in order to save the video in their desired manner.

6.   What do you need to have before using this tool? (Resources)

Computer, with internet connection, microphone/video capabilities

7.   How do you use this tool? (Write the basic steps using a numbered list)


1.   Sign up on website

2.   Enable eyejot to use your microphone and camera

3.   Automatically taken to page to create first video message

4.   There is a record message button.  In this link, you can upload a save video or record a new video. 

5.   To start recording, click the button with the red dot. 

6.   You may then save the video to your computer, send directly to an email address or create an embed link.

7.   Over time, you will create a compilation of video in your sent box and as you receive video, in your inbox.


8.   If applicable, please create an example with this tool and either embed in your blog or submit the URL.



9.   Please describe a scenario of how you might use this tool in a teaching environment
I recently taught a class on pediatric respiratory distress that incorporated patient multimedia presentations to provide the learner with concrete examples of respiratory distress in children. The learners I was targeting have a paucity of pediatric experience and exposure and thus retention of the material is expected to be poor.  The learners were appreciative of the additional training and voiced wished to have more pediatric training.  After the class, I wanted to continue to provide educational materials for the learners even though the official class was complete.  Plausibly, I could only facilitate this with online training.  Intermittent electronic educational modules to help improve retention of the original material would be a model of spaced training for these learners.  Spaced training is proven retention model for adult learning.


Eyejot could potentially be used in spaced training projects that require multimedia applications.  Specifically for this project, the educator can create new and original video of live patients, with permission of their parents.  Since eyejot can be used on a mobile device, an educator is able to spontaneously capture new patient videos with appropriate clinical findings related to pediatric respiratory distress. This is important as respiratory distress is usually intervened upon quickly and thus the opportunity to capture it on video is fleeting.  These videos could be used in the spaced training to remind learners of the clinical features they should be able to recognize quickly in order to appropriately diagnose and subsequently treat respiratory distress in children. The video could be linked with an embed code so that the communication to the learner could also include a short set of questions.  The learner could be tested on findings in the video as well on recall of more specific facts regarding etiology, physiology and treatment of respiratory distress.  Ultimately, this could assist the learner in their retention of information between training sessions.

10.        What are the advantages of using this tool in a teaching environment?

This tool is free for the limited version which is always an advantage in education.  It can be used on macs and PCs which is convenient for the learner who is at home.  The tool does not require a download which is appropriate for shared educational computers which often have restrictions on downloading capabilities. The setup of the website with the computer is simple and easy for anyone who may not be software or hardware experts.

11.        What are the disadvantages of using this tool in a teaching environment?

A learner cannot upload already composed videos for free so this is not a good platform for the learner to share already completed work.  The inbox expiration at one month would also not support the tool’s use over a semester in a traditional learning environment as received messages would be lost after a month.  As I discovered while making my sample video, using a laptop to video anything other than yourself, takes an additional user to assist with the video or becomes quite difficult for a single user.  The mobile application would make this easier on a single user.




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