To create a page of links:

1). Create an External URL from MediaCAST by selecting External URL Builder on the panel to the right of the video.

From External URL Builder

2). Enter your username and password and select the access option (usually allow indefinite access), then Click Proceed.  The link will open the video without the user needing to login to MediaCast.
3). Next, copy and paste the link(s) in a Word Document as a hyperlink (Use Insert Hyperlink after the copy and paste). 

4). Save as a Word file.  That document can be saved on the computer desk top for easy access for a sub or someone who does not login.
5). The user then can click open the Word document and  simply click (if using Word 2003 CTRL/Click)  the link and it will load the video in a web browser. 

To login to MediaCAST, all EVSC employees will use their EVSC email username and password. Your username should be your firstname.lastname. If you don't know what your password is, please email login@evsc.k12.in.us or call 812.435.8461 for assistance.

If you can't find a video satisfactory to your needs on MediaCAST, there are other resources available.

1). YouTube - The EVSC has unblocked YouTube for teachers to use as a video resource on their teacher computers [NOTE: YouTube is blocked on all EVSC netbooks.] Be sure to watch all videos from YouTube prior to showing in your classroom, since YouTube videos are posted by other Internet users and could contain questionable and inappropriate content.

2). WatchKnow.org - This website is a video search engine that connects many video resources such as YouTube, SchoolTube, GoogleVideo, TeacherTube, and WatchKnow's own videos. Like any search engine, be sure to prescreen any material against inappropriate content that may sneek into the results as no search engine is perfect!

To go directly to the other above sites, just click on their links.

3). Digg.com is a place for people to discover and share content from anywhere on the web. From the biggest online destinations to the most obscure blog, Digg surfaces the best stuff as voted on by its users.

Mike Russ wrote an email to all the principals and tech coordinators September 29, 2009 asking them to forward it to all concerned staff. Here is an excerpt of what the email said about the change from Discovery Streaming to Learn360.

"The reason for this change  was primarily economic. Since we started with Discovery/United Streaming the cost has increased about two and a half times what we originally paid. As they added new video groups, everything we were interested in was an added cost, but the base price continued to increase.

As we searched for a viable alternative that would also be cost effective, we looked at Learn360 and, after trying it out, made a decision to go with this new service. Since this decision was made, we have learned that many other districts have made the same decision. Since last spring, Learn360 has more than doubled its number of videos and continues to add content.

One big advantage of Learn360 is the ability to integrate it with MediaCAST. If you haven’t looked at MediaCAST yet (and we haven’t made a big push up to now), it is a one stop site for access to all types of video:
    1. Learn360 videos
    2. Commercial videos that are purchased by the EVSC or individual schools
    3. Videos created by EVSC staff and students
    4. Cable TV stations.

This means that any of the above can be accessed over our network to a computer and projected onto any size screen. As each classroom gets an ACTIVboard installed, this will become your video/TV screen as well as your interactive white board.

When you do a search for a video, not only will Learn360 videos be searched, but also other commercial and locally-developed videos.

Thanks,
Mike

Michael K. Russ
Chief Technology Officer
Evansville Vanderburgh School Corp."