Today with the help of Netvibes we are launching a ‘Netvibes Universe’ for both ChinesePod and SpanishSense. Netvibes is a leading provider of personalized homepages, along with iGoogle, Pageflakes, etc. We have been looking at a number of ways to customize the learning experience and using Netvibes is one good way to start along this path.
ChinesePod Universe: http://www.netvibes.com/chinesepod
SpanishSense Universe: http://www.netvibes.com/spanishsense
Right now we have just added modules to view the latest lessons for each level and a module to keep up to date with the latest conversations on the site. We are looking at developing a number of other modules that we think might be useful, such as:
- podcast player
- lesson review functions
- flashcards
- dictionary
Once we get a better understanding of how we can ’slice-and-dice’ the website into individual modules/gadgets, we are thinking that we will re-work the current Study page (soon to be Home?) into a 3*3 grid that can be customized with any of the modules.
Ajit Jaokar at FutureText refers to this type of design thinking as ‘microlearning‘, while other commentators, such as Fred Wilson, have referred to this trend as ‘de-portalization’. For me, it is just another way to deliver training on your terms.
As always, ideas for other types of modules/widgets are always welcome in the new poll or in the comments.
Hank.
Hank, I love it. Thank you. I’m always looking for new way to use ChinesePod. From viewing it on my TV through my Nintendo Wii or on my DS Lite, to my computer or iPod, and now through my netvibes. *happy smile*
Thanks,
That’s exactly what I was looking for.
Excellent. I’ve set mine to have the forums, the blogs, and Sinosplice, instead of the higher level lessons. Works very nicely indeed.
Actually, the more I play with it, the more impressive it becomes.
I was using NetVibes for a while, pre-V3, but then my use seemed to fade away and I gravitated back toward the Cpod site. Looks promising though now.
Can you add a list of Cpod feeds here. I realize it’s elsewhere, but I’m chao-lazy.
RECALL - I remember a little bit now why I drifted away from NetVibes. When I create a module for a view of a RSS feed, I’m able to select two view options. One is just a subject header, and when I mouse-over I see a popup of the whole comment. Second, I can select the ’show details’ view for a brief three sentence view of the comment.
I wanted a simple full display of the whole comment to scroll thru. Anyone know if this setting exists?
Otherwise I love the concept of NetVibes and really happy to see Cpod exploring it.
I am very curious about other types of potential modules.
David’s list in the poll is a start, but I think others could include:
- calendar linked to My Schedule (similar to Google Calendar) listing lessons to study
- schedule of upcoming lesson
- watchlist module showing what your friends are studying (similar to Facebook)
- to do list
- character of the day
- grammar point of the day
- featured Chinese press headlines
Pageflakes has a student edition that might also be of inspiration:
http://student.pageflakes.com/
I found some nice little Chinese learning widgets at http://www.china-8.com/cms/sit.....cfm?id=178
Oh Lord, why do the Techno-Gods continue to descend upon us with more and more complexities that would confound a Ph.D in Engineering ?
Jesus, please take me back to a simpler era where learning didn’t make my brain hurt and we had just one Chinesepod homepage. Amen.
I am using iGoogle. I don’t see a reason to switch to NetVibes. My life is complex enough. With all Web2.0 stuff, all the RSS feeds and mailboxes, all the media downloads, all the gadgets around me (MP3 player, mobile phone, PDA, …) - now it takes me more time to organize all this for my purposes.
Sometimes it’s better to say: NO, enough.
Hape, a little unfair. You are not required by law to use the tool.
For me it seems to be helpful, because I didn’t know that such a tool existed, and Chinesepod led me to it.
Phoebe
Clever Dick and hape,
No one is going to force anyone to use Netvibes. The point is that the information can be sliced, diced and re-served in all kinds of ways. That may be on Netvibes, but it may also just be on the ChinesePod Study page. As long as we choose good default settings, it can be as simple as the old ChinesePod home page was (and better in many ways).