New icons, updated course materials, new Moodle help

I've recently updated several things in the Lion Den:

Need a new computer?

All course syllabi and related course materials have now been updated for the Fall 2011 semester.

The icon for Power-Point compatible slides has been updated.

A new icon for sound files, podcasts, or any other audio has been added.

Both new icons now appear on the Kinda Smart page and in the Key available in the top menu bar of any outline page.

New audio icon

New slide icon

I've added a link to an NPR story on the impact of culture on science research to the History & Culture Mini Lesson.

I've added new Moodle Help page on how to get all the questions from a previously taken test, quiz, or Check In to appear so you can print them out.

I've added links to the new Moodle Help page in the top menu bar. Read More!

Moodle is here!

Because SCC has now transitioned to the use of Moodle as our learning management system (LMS), I've added a bunch of "Moodle Help" pages to the Lion Den. 

Students in Kevin's classes can now get answers to their questions about using Moodle all in one location.  Any issues related to using Moodle in BIO 095, 240, 241, 242 and other courses can likely be resolved here.

For a current list of Moodle helps, go to lionden.com/moodle.htm or use the top navigation bar in any Lion Den page. Read More!

Our MILLIONTH viewer!

I just found out that lionden.com just passed the MILLION VIEWER mark:

http://my-ap.us/ihzvBp

Over a million folks have tuned in to the Lion Den since 2006, when the count was started. 

However, I started Lion Den eight years before that, in 1998, so perhaps there really have been BILLIONS of viewers, eh? Read More!

New videos, new navigation, newsletter, and more!

Today I made the following updates to the Lion Den website:

•  Added videos to these Study Tips & Tools pages 
• Concept Maps
• Concept Lists
• Taking Tests
  
• Added a button at the bottom of each page, enabling users to subscribe to the Lion Den Newsletter
  
• Added specific Lion Tracks "breadcrumb" navigation hints to top of several pages in the Study Tips & Tools  collection
  
• Migrated the Patton Fan Club page from the legacy site

Read More!

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Floating bar & feedback form removed

Today, I'm removing two features of lionden.com that many users found to be annoying.  And none of us want the Lion Den to be annoying.  Well, except for the smell . . . but there's nothing to be done about that, eh?

The menu bar at the top of each page was originally set to float along and stay at the top of the browser window, even as you scroll down the page.  Unfortunately, many users have slower systems that caused the floating bar to float in the middle of the page for a few moments after scrolling down, then back up again.  So I reset this feature to stay at the top of the page.  If you want to access another page in the Lion Den, you'll now have to scroll all the way up to the top of the page.  But you can do it . . . I know you can!

I was also using a third-party service to solicit feedback (like how annoying the floating menu bar is).  But because it occasionally asks viewers to respond, and many users are FREQUENT users, you were getting tired of either giving feedback or telling the popup feedback request to go away.  So from now on, please give feedback by using the email response link found in several places in each page in the Lion Den. Read More!

Course materials updated for SP 2011

I just updated the syllabus, schedule, and related online documents for my Anatomy & Physiology 2 (BIO 241) course for the SP 2011 semester.  Go to lionden.com/ap2.htm to see the syllabus . . . then follow links to the related documents from there.

Also updated:

• All pages related to slides now include FREE access to the Lion Den Slide Collection.  Go to lionden.com/slides-form.htm to get access to the download site.
  
  
• Course documents related to my Anatomy & Physiology 1 Supplement (BIO 242) course have also been updated.  Go to lionden.com/ap1-supp.htm to start at the syllabus for that course.
  
  
• The copyright notice for all pages in lionden.com has been updated to reflect the new year.

Read More!

New feature: Pencasts

I've recently added the first in what I hope will be a series of pencasts.  These are quick, handwritten and often narrated overviews of individual anatomy & physiology concepts.

The first pencast is a quick overview of bone cell actions. It quickly runs through the main actions of osteoblasts and osteoclasts.

Hopefully, other pencasts will soon follow.

If you'd like to make your own pencasts, you can do that with a Livescribe 2 GB Pulse Smartpen or similar model.  If you have one that you think would help other users of Lion Den, be sure to pass it along! Read More!

New video on using flash cards

I just added a new video that offers some practical tips for using study cards to reduce your study time and get a solid foundation in learning any topic.  This video also includes some surprising advanced techniques that show how to use flash cards to also learn higher-level thinking in any subject. Includes discussion of the Leitner system (plus Patton's adaptation of the Leitner system), color codes and symbols, using cards to learn processes and ordered structures, and using cards to build concept maps (mind maps).

You can find this video, along with other tips on using flash cards at the newly updated page New Terms at http://lionden.com/new_terms.htm Read More!

Lion Den is now a registered trademark

Just in case . . . the Lion Den trademark is now registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Read More!

Updated course information

Syllabi and related course materials for two courses has been updated:

• BIO 240 Anatomy & Physiology 1
• BIO 242 A&P 1 Supplement

Course information for BIO 095 is continually and frequently updated Read More!

Started a Moodle section

In anticipation of the upcoming migration of all SCC courses from WebCT to Moodle learning management system, I've begun a section in the A&P Study Tips & Tools area to start building help pages.  Students can use these pages to quickly find help when they run into trouble.

lionden.com/moodle.htm Read More!

St. Kevin pages are ready

The St. Kevin pages have now been moved to the main Lion Den site from the old legacy site. . . albeit a bit too late for the big St. Kevin's Day celebration on June 3.  Well, at least I'll be ready for next year's big party, eh?

St. Kevin's Day

Amazing Coincidences

Hymn of St. Kevin

Read More!

Reproductive Systems outline updated

The A&P 2 Learning Outline for the Reproductive Systems has been formatted and updated and is reasonably ready to be used. Read More!

Urinary outline updated

The A&P 2 Learning Outline for the Urinary System (including fluid/electrolyte balance and acid/base balance) is now updated and formatted and ready for use at
http://lionden.com/ap2out-urin.htm Read More!

Muscle names added to Study Tools and Tips

Another Study Tips & Tools page has been added to help A&P students use muscle names as a way to find and learn their muscles.

The new page Muscle Names includes videos that walk the reader through the basic concept of muscle naming.  This page also includes downloadable, printable tables to aid in learning major muscle names and their translations (plus pronunciation of muscle names).

http://lionden.com/tips-lab-anatomy-muscle-names.htm

Several linked pages (and the top nav bar on all pages) have been updated to reflect this addition. Read More!

Digestive System outline updated

The A&P 2 Learning Outline for the Digestive System has been formatted, updated, baked, and sliced . . . ready for your enjoyment! Read More!

Lion Tracks breadcrumbs . . . the saga begins

Ok, finally . . . I'm starting to leave a trail of breadcrumbs.  Well, that's what ORDINARY webmasters call this navigation tools that shows where a page is in the heirarchy of organization within a website.  In the Lion Den, however, it's no wonder that this navigation tool is instead called Lion Tracks. 

Found at the top of all pages at lionden.com, the Lion Tracks tool is not yet complete on all pages.  I've started with the A&P 2 pages . . . from there, I'll finish the remaining A&P pages . . . then eventually the whole site. Read More!

Respiratory outline updated

The A&P 2 Learning Outline for the Respiratory System is now formatted and updated.  Of course . . . as always . . . expect the occasional additional tweaks. Read More!

Lymphatic-Immunity Learning Outline updated

The A&P 2 Learning Outline for the Lymphatic and Immune Systems is now formatted, updated, shined, and polished . . . and ready for your reading enjoyment! Read More!

Navigation menu improved

The top menu bar in all pages has been updated to better navigate to the Review Outlines for the course Foundations in Science (BIO 095).  The label "Learning Outline" was changed to "Review Outline" to better reflect the term used in BIO 095. Read More!

Cardiovascular outline formatted and updated

I just posted the formatted and updated version of the Learning Outline for the Cardiovascular System.  Enjoy! Read More!

Blood outline updated

The A&P 2 Learning Outline for Blood is now fully formatted and updated . . . and ready to roll! Read More!

A&P 2 course info updated

The syllabus, schedule, and related pages related to BIO 241 (A&P 2) have been updated for Spring 2010.
Learning Outlines are still unformatted and updated at LionDen.com (but the formatted previous versions can still be accessed at LionDen.info). Read More!

Student Success info added

I recently added some brief Student Success strategies at lionden.com/APsuccess.htm including links to overviews of my "refresher course" and my "shortcut course" for A&P.

I also updated the list of links for all A&P pages (it's still not complete, but closer to it). Read More!

Clarified cholesterol/steroid hormone connection

In the chemistry outlines for both A&P 1 and Foundations in Science, the role of cholesterol as the molecule from which the steroid hormones are derived (converted) has been clarified. Read More!

AP 1 syllabus updated

I added a clarifying table to show how Participation Points in BIO 240 are awarded.  They are awarded for specific ranges of Clicker Points accumulated. Read More!

Endocrine outline now live

The formatted and fully updated Learning Outline for the Endocrine System (A&P 1) is now available. Read More!

Nervous System Part 2 now live

The Learning Outline for Nervous System - Part 2 is now formatted, updated and "ready to roll."

Next up: Endocrine System Read More!

Free Parking

A tab for Free Parking was added to the top menu under A&P 1 Lecture and A&P 2 Lecture.   This item previously appeared only under the WebCT help portion of the top menu under "Missed test deadline." Read More!

Nervous System Part 1 live

Today I uploaded the complete, formatted version of the Nervous System Part 1 outline for A&P 1.

Other updates this weekend:

• Nervous System Overview formatted and updated
• WebCT 18 updated today, further clarifying gradebook issues
  
• Blog newsfeed added to Hot Tips drop-down box in the right sidebar of all pages
  

Read More!

The migration continues!

The conversion of hte Lion Den website from Frontpage format to Dreamweaver has been taking WAY longer than planned.  But the migration continues . . .

PLEASE change the URL in the address bar from "lionden.COM" to "lionden.INFO" if you land on a page that has not yet been migrated.  This will take you to the old "legacy" site and the content you are looking for will be there. Read More!

Welcome!

After more than 10 years of lionden.com, I guess it's time to have a blog, eh?

The intent of this blog is to keep users of the Lion Den website up to date on the status of the website, new postings, changes, the story behind the story, and general silliness. Read More!