Once in a while a great idea merges with excellent execution.  Even less often the result actually has a positive impact.  This is one of those times.  I was showing our newest feature to the instructional technologist from a large marketing company the other day and he used more superlatives in those ten minutes than I've heard in a long time.  Check it out for yourself and tell me if you don't immediately think of a dozen ways that Embed the Web™ could make your life as an educator easier and more exciting.

As you know, we upgrade haiku LMS almost every week.  This week's upgrades include some amazing new features and some really useful additions to our current functionality.  Be sure to try them out and tell us what you think:

New

1. With Embed the Web™ you can place widgets from just about any Web 2.0 app right on your class pages.  A widget is a movable mini-application that runs inside your haiku LMS class, right on the page. Applications like chats, videos, slideshows, collaboration tools, file sharing, games and more make for excellent widgets you can use to facilitate learning and communication. Look for Embed the Web™ under the +Add Content Block button inside haiku LMS.  If you don't see the widget you want under the "browse" tab, try placing it anyway.  Suggest your favorite sites and we'll add it to our Embed the Web™ catalog. 

Embed the Web™ NEW!

Embed the Web™ has been getting some wonderful reviews during our testing period.  One haiku LMS user said, "I think this is absolutely fantastic... you guys nailed it! Haiku LMS is what has brought the possibility of exploring embeddable content to me and helped me get my head around the idea that it does not need to be that difficult!  LOVE IT!" 

2. New chat feature(s).  We all have our nuanced favorites when it come to chat.  With Embed the Web™ you can now place your favorite Web 2.0 chat widget on any (or every) page.  Placing a chat widget (like Gaggly, TokBox, or MeeboMe) on your class pages keeps chats with students safe and secure as long as your class is "private."  Try it; you'll love it.

Enhanced

3.Reuse and Import Assessments.  Instructors have been clamoring for this one since we first launched our Assessment tool.  These upgrades do a couple of cool things:  1)You may now import test questions from a third party (publishers, Blackboard, ExamView, etc.).  2)You may now reuse test questions from previous assessments when you create new tests.  If you haven't yet tried the haiku LMS

Assessment tool, I encourage you to set aside ten minutes sometime to create your next exam.  Think of it, no more grading tests late at night on your livingroom floor.  You create the test, students take the test, haiku LMS grades it and places the mark in your Gradebook for you.  Ahhh, sleep.

 4. Print the class roster.  Yep, you can do that now. 

5. Confirmation that an assignment was handed in.  Students want proof that assignments sent to the Dropbox made it through.  Now they will receive an email telling them just that. 

We love hearing from you, so keep the comments coming and don't forget to tell your friends about us.    Next week we will be exhibiting at NECC in San Antonio, Texas. If you plan to be there, please stop by booth number 5030 to say hi.  We have some cool stuff we'd love to give you as a thank you for your confidence in HAIKU.