Transcript Beyond the Coconut Telegraph

Beyond the Coconut Telegraph:
A Web Instruction Idea for Master
Gardeners
Allison Level
Colorado State University
Natural Resources Librarian
Coconut Telegraph, What?

Album image from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coconut_Telegraph
Coconut Telegraph Fun
 “Ah,
put it on the coconut telegraph
All the celebration and the stress
Baby put it on the coconut telegraph
In twenty-five words or less”
 Coconut Telegraph by Jimmy Buffett
 How to get the word out and have
some fun in Margaritaville style
CSU Library Connections &
CSU Extension
 Subject
librarian for the College of
Natural Resources
 CSU Extension librarian liaison
 Volunteer life includes Colorado
Master Gardener work for Larimer
County since 2003
Starting Out, Dirt and Weeds
 Planned
library research sessions for
new CSU Extension personnel
 Promoted research consultations,
database help, etc.
Preparing the Soil
 Provided
CSU Library Research
Information to new Extension
personnel including new Larimer
County Horticulture Agent
 Discussed the idea of a Larimer
County MG information session
Planting the Seed
 Offered
a classroom MG session
 Was asked about a way to create
information for broader impact
 Asked for Captivate 2 software
 Worked with instruction librarian
 Asked MGs who attended the class,
what they felt would be useful
Water & Nurturing
 Blocked
out time for project
 Created practice examples
 Tested ideas with horticulture agent
 Created a lesson plan
 Worked on tutorials
 Time elapsed, relearned software
Grow, Grow, Grow
 Shared
a test tutorial
 Incorporated feedback (need audio)
 Learned to record audio
 Created Web page for tutorials
 Launched publicity
Garden is in Bloom!
 Tutorials
were viewed
 Success! Good feedback
 Suggestions for other tutorials &
improvement (create handouts)
Dirt Under The Fingernails
 How
to create & plant your garden
 Can I really learn Captivate?
 Tips for successful tutorials
 Tutorial example LIVE from the Web
Tutorials Highlight Simple
Computer Help Tips
 Use
“find” feature to locate specific
fact sheet by name
 Problem, the list is 9 pgs by number
Find Feature Tutorial
 Reality,
people search by words
 Shows computer features, cursor
movement
Tutorials Include Web Pages &
PowerPoint Slides
 Add
notes or URL via PowerPoint
Captivate 3
 Menu
driven
Some Captivate 3 Screens
 Setting
your window size
Captivate 3 In Progress
 Storyboard
view of project:
Captivate 3 Edit
 Editing
view
Captivate 3 Details
 Sample
timeline of slide:
“Publish” File, Then You Are Almost
Done
 Create
Web page for easier linking
 Upload files needed
 Computer needs Flash to run tutorial
 Test and go
Have Fun, Avoid Burnout
 Plan
time to work on the PROJECT
 Create reasonable tutorial topics
 Short & sweet vs. long & complex
Tips for Success
 Plan
out a skill to teach, Web site, or
computer feature to highlight
 Write steps then practice
 Record the tutorial
 Create PowerPoint slides (if needed)
 Edit Captivate frames
 Add in PowerPoint
Tips for Success
 Get
the tutorial where you like it
 Run the tutorial then add spoken
words
 Go frame by frame with audio
 Edit as you go, if you don’t like the
way it sounds, re-record that frame
 Play it again, for Sam, or your
colleagues; use feedback
Give Captivate a Try
 Sometimes
beauty comes in
unexpected places

Photo by Carla Casler, pincushion cactus in bloom
But I Really…
Don’t like my voice
 Like complex
examples
 Don’t have $ for
software
 Don’t know where
to begin

Find a volunteer
 Treat them as
“chapters” and link
 Investigate campus
technology to use
 Create tutorial for
a class or group
you usually teach

Colorado Master Gardener Tutorials
List of Tutorials:
 Searching Fact Sheets & the Find Feature - Dollar Spot (2:12 minutes)
 Google Advanced Search -- Attracting
Butterflies (0:53 seconds)
 Google Advanced with Domain Limit -Snow Mold (2:44 minutes)
 AnswerLink Search Tips -- Pruning Lilacs
(3:07 minutes)


http://lib.colostate.edu/research/coopext/tutorials.html
Thanks!
 Contact
Allison for more information
 Do you have MG training materials?
Please let me know about them
 Comments & suggestions about this
project are welcome
 Thank you Cathy Cranston for help
with software & instruction

http://lib.colostate.edu/research/coopext/tutorials.html
Questions?
 Are
there any questions for the
panel?