What Is Poodll?

What is PoodLL?

PoodLL is a bunch of little applications that make it easy for you to add audio, video, & images (photos & diagrams) directly into your online course. Using PoodLL, you can:

Record Audio: Record your voice or other audio
Record Video: Record a video of yourself doing something, making a presentation etc. using your webcam
Draw Pictures & Diagrams: Draw or snap pictures and save them using PoodLL's online whiteboard application.
Take a snapshot: Use your webcam as a camera to take quick snapshot of your homework page, a diagram, or something you've created.

How do I use PoodLL?

PoodLL will be available for you to use wherever your instructor has enabled it. You're most likely to encounter PoodLL activities in an Assignment or in some other application where you type text into Moodle. But PoodLL needs a “flash player” in your browser to work! To make sure that Flash is working in your browser, visit this webpage: & click the “check now” button.

Recording Audio

This may sound obvious but... you will need a microphone hooked up to your computer if you want to make an audio recording.

Go to the assignment in Moodle.
Read your instructor's directions for completing the assignment & then click on the “Add submission” button.

In a moment or 2, you'll see a small popup window: the Adobe Flash Player Settings window. You must Allow this app if you want to continue.
Make sure your microphone is ready. Headphones with a microphone attached work best.

In a moment, you'll see the recording controls.

Check to make sure that the black bar along the bottom of the recorder changes to green as your volume changes.
The controls are straightforward: choose Record to start recording & Stop to end the recording.

You can preview your recording with the Play button.
If you don't like your recording, just Record it again. Your second (& subsequent) recordings will wipe out the previous one.
Keep an eye on the time! The embedded clock in the recorder will count down the time left.
When you're satisfied with your recording, scroll down to the bottom of the page & click on the Save changes button.
You'll know you were successful when you see a little audio player appear in the submission part of your assignment.

Recording Video

Again, this may sound obvious but don't forget you'll need not only a microphone hooked up to your computer but also a webcam if you want to record a short video. Recording video is very similar to recording audio. Here are the steps:

Go to the assignment in Moodle.

Read your instructor's directions for completing the assignment & then click on the “Add submission” button.
Once again, you'll see the Adobe Flash Player Settings popup window. You must Allow this app if you want to continue.
Straighten your hair & otherwise make yourself camera-ready ;-). If what you're saying is really important to the video, you may wish to wear headphones with a microphone attached.
In a moment, you should see your webcam come alive & your image appear in the recording window.

Click on Record to start recording & Stop to end the recording.

You can preview your recording with the Play button.
If you don't like your recording, just Record it again. Your second (& subsequent) recordings will wipe out the previous one.
Keep an eye on the time! The embedded clock in the recorder will count down the time left.
When you're satisfied with your recording, scroll down to the bottom of the page & click on the Save changes button.
You'll know you were successful when you see a video player appear in the submission part of your assignment.

Drawing pictures on the Whiteboard

The whiteboard type of assignment is easy to complete. Sometimes you'll be asked to add a diagram or sketch to a blank (white) whiteboard screen; sometimes you'll be asked to add your drawing or labels to an existing diagram.

Click on the assignment name.
To make the whiteboard appear, click on “Add submission”
Create your drawing or add to an existing diagram, using an ink colour & thickness that shows up well.
Note the buttons in the top right corner: you can reverse your most recent mistakes or you can clear all of your drawings & start over.
You'll see an obvious flashing SAVE button in the lower right corner, reminding you to save your additions!
Of course, you must also scroll to the bottom of the assignment & click on the 'Save changes' button when you're done.

Taking a Snapshot

Completing a Snapshot assignment is also very easy to do. Read the instructions, get your scene ready for photographing, then follow these directions:

Go to the assignment & click on the “Add submission” button.
You'll see the Adobe Flash Player Settings popup window. Remember, you must Allow this app if you want to continue.
In a moment, you should see your webcam come alive & your image appear in the snapshot window. Move your webcam or position your scene so that the webcam image is what you want.
Click the camera icon under the image to take the photo.
Save your changes to add it to your assignment.

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