Ready-Made Videos that work behind Firewalls or Embedded in Web Sites

[Sue Waters]

One of our members has asked on her page "Where to find ready-made videos suitable for learning (that work behind TAFE firewalls or if embedded somewhere)." Now I know for many this is a very important question!

In Australia, within our education system, access to video sharing sites, web sites and ability to view videos online varies with each State/Territory. For example, access in some State/Territory is controlled centrally and is blocks apply to both TAFE and schools (which is hard because we have different needs). Whereas other State/Territory each TAFE college makes their own decision on what is or isn't blocked.

Can you help us by answering these questions:

• Can you please let us know what access to online video and web sites is like in your location?
• What are some of the key sites that are being blocked that you need access to?
• What sites are you able to use for locating 'ready made videos'?
• If the video is blocked on the original site does it display when embedded in a web site?

[Kerry Trabinger]

Hi everyone - I am a newbie to Ning so not sure if there are more replies I have not seen.
I think an issue with access is the firewalls at TAFE for eg not being able to access Youtube.

Cheers Kerry :-)

[viovio]

Well, here in Iquique, and at the Universities where I work we can use/see all video sharing sites. The real problem is that sometimes computers don't have flash player installed, do not have speakers, or the cable from the headphones is too short, etc. But that's easily fixed.
I imagine your frustration when you want to use these sites and they are blocked. Is it because of viruses or what other reasons do they have for blocking ning, for example ? All connectivity feeling is lost then.

Thanks Sue for your time.

[Lance Treloar]

Our systems restrict access to just about all video storge sites (yet to find one that it lets me to): I have just tried YouTube and GoogleVideo with the same result. Files such as animoto, mypick and slide share, will not play. For example the files on Sue's Online Video Editors and Creators post will load, but will not play (the mypick presentation can be reviewed by forwarding manually through the slides, but there is no audio).

[viovio]

How sad!

[Lance Treloar]

Elluminate pages also seem to present an issue - as I found out today, at about 3:15pm

[Frank Guerin]

At TAFESA, there are firewall blocks on most social networking, mp3 and software download sites. To access this Ning forum, I had to put in a request. On the good side IT responded quickly, on the bad side, it only gives me access to the e-tools forum, but I can't access my own Ning site, nor any other forum members - I guess each of these will be a seperate request :~(

It's a bit sad when one of my colleagues, doing his adult education degree is blocked from entering the term 'Adult education' into any search engine.

At the end of the day, it's infinitely easier to access at home

[Harriet]

Hi Sue, this is a really timely question for me. I am currently having You Tube/Teacher Tube, and most social networking sites including Bebo, Facebook and MySpace blocked on the student network.

I've been asked to prepare a report for Tech services documenting issues from Bandwidth through to inappropriate usage, as well as why lecturers/students require access to these tools, including risk management......PHEW...

We currently have one trial project with Youth at Risk running, where access has been unblocked, and this is providing valuable research, however, I'd be interested to know how other people are going about implementing change in these areas.

[Brian Mobbs]

This is an extremely belated reply, but as they say better late then never. The following link allows you to download you-tube videos to a memory stick, which can be played in the class room at a later date, via a laptop and light probe or similiar.

http://keepvid.com/

[Sue Waters]

Late is always better than never for sure :) Keep VId is excellent for downloading movies. I also like using Zamzar because you can convert a wide range formats.

[Matthew Bibby]

I am a fan of Kiss You Tube - I love just having to alter the url to download the video! For those of you who have an even more restrictive IT policy to deal with and are not able to take USB sticks to class . . . a workaround I have used successfully is to re-post the video to another site (e.g. screencast.com) which is not blocked by IT.

Remember, it is about bandwidth as much as anything . . .