Fostering an Online Learning Environment to Develop Literacy Skills

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Fostering an Online Learning Environment to
Develop Literacy Skills

• Julie Lindsay
• Head of Technology
• International School Dhaka, Bangladesh

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Modern Learning Pedagogy

• Use of the WWW for teaching and learning
• Fostering a sense of community between isolated
  learners
• Use of asynchronous learning network
• Anytime, anywhere learning
• Complements traditional face-to-face teaching and
  learning
• Encouraging responsible and independent
  participation in the learning process
  constructivist approach

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Online Tools for Promoting Information Literacy
and Communication

• Foster learner engagement and include techniques
  for learner-learner and learner-teacher
  interaction
• Deliver content (information), provide a forum
  for publication and can stimulate opportunities
  for knowledge development
• Examples
• Weblogs and Blogging
• Discussion Forums
• Digital Portfolio development

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Weblogs and Blogging

• Some Definitions
• Weblog An online journal
• Blog Slang form of Weblog
• Blogger Someone who maintains and/or
  contributes to a blog
• Blogging (To Blog) to write into the
  journal
• Blogosphere All blogs can be found here

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Webopedia definition

• http//webopedia.com/TERM/b/blog.html
• (n.) Short for Web log, a blog is a Web page
  that serves as a publicly-accessible personal
  journal for an individual. Typically updated
  daily, blogs often reflect the personality of the
  author.

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21st Century Definition of Literacy

• Literacy Communication
• (reading writing)
• Blogging Communication
• (reading writing)
• Blogging Literacy
• From David Warlick,
• Classroom Blogging A Teachers Guide to the
  Blogosphere

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Characteristics of Weblogs

• Format
• Designed to be updated with items
  chronologically, similar to a personal journal or
  diary
• Articles and postings can be grouped by the date
  and time they are posted

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Characteristics of Weblogs

• Software
• Often implemented using special software
• Common software includes Blogger, Manila,
  Greymatter, Movable Type
• Free weblog registration available online

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Characteristics of Weblogs

• Personality
• Often the subject matter is of a personal nature
• The journal can be about the author and/or their
  opinions of the world

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Characteristics of Weblogs

• Community
• Fostering an online community by comments posted
  in response to articles
• Often encourages active participation in the
  discussion

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Common Uses of Weblogs

• Journal Personal (with group input and
  discussion optional)
• Journal Group (to share materials and ideas
  formally or informally)
• To present information online (news, organisation
  focus website)
• Store and share knowledge (discussion and
  collaboration)

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Weblog and Blogging Examples

• Baghdad Burning girl blog from Iraq
  http//riverbendblog.blogspot.com/
• EduBlog Insights teacher blog
  http//anne.teachesme.com/
• eLearning Blog school community
  http//www.123elearning.blogspot.com

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Weblog and Blogging Student Examples

• Blogger.com process journal
• Sakib
• Prottoy
• Shabab
• Theory of Knowledge discussion forum
• Saif
• Literature class
• Secret Life of Bees and a discussion example

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Student Digital Portfolios

• Students to digitize their work and present it
  via a web-page interface
• Work through the process of planning, selecting
  and reflecting, creating and publishing

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Student Digital Portfolios

• Advantages of using a Weblog for online
  publication
• Instant publication
• Always accessible at school and at home
• Provides web page publishing flexibility
• Can upload many file formats
• Can be modified to suit individual personality
• Has the potential for greater collaborative work
  via the discussion areas on class and individual
  weblogs

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Student Digital Portfolios

• Why an online learning community?
• Students are involved in
• Maintaining an online journal and discussion work
• Creating a collaborative learning community to
  help each other through the portfolio
• development process

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Student Digital Portfolios

• Examples
• Shaveena
• Shakila
• Nahar
• Rayan

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How Do You Get Started?

• Free online services for weblogs and blogging
• www.blogger.com
• www.schoolblogs.com
• www.bloglines.com

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• Presented by
• Julie Lindsay
• Head of Technology
• International School Dhaka
• julie.lindsay_at_isdbd.org