Wikis, Blogs

1
Wikis, Blogs Podcasts

• Teaching and Learning with Web-Based Technologies

2
Objectives

• Explore reasons why Web-based technologies can
  help faculty teach and students learn.
• Look at challenges and concerns.
• Examine basics of wikis, blogs and podcasts.
• Collect some relevant Web resources.

3
Challenges and Concerns

• Start small!
• Warn students about safety!
• Warn students about plagiarism!
• Discuss ads!

4
Pedagogical Reasons for Considering

• Content creation (right brainers will rule!).
• Publishing (visible/audible to others).
• Collaborative space.
• Real-World applications.
• READ/READ became
• READ/WRITE became
• READ/WRITE/COLLABORATE.

5
Brainers

• Left Brain
• LogicalSequentialRationalAnalyticalObjective
• Looks at parts

• Right Brain
• RandomIntuitiveHolisticSynthesizingSubjective
  Looks at wholes

6
Discussion

• Do you think teaching styles and learning styles
  should be different for left brainers versus
  right brainers? If so, how?

7
We Are The Web!

• Web 2.0
• Web 3.0
• http//www.youtube.com/watch?v6gmP4nk0EOE
• Evaluate video

8
Wikis

• A collaborative Web site where users can
• Post data
• Edit data
• Track changes
• Compare version
• Do group work
• Learn collaborative skills
• Make wiki private or public

9
Wikipedia

• Not credible?
• Starting point?

10
Wiki Structures

• One class with single wiki with many pages.
• One class with several wikis.
• One class with each student having individual
  wiki.
• One faculty member with single wiki.
• One college department with single wiki.
• . . . Endless!!

11
Wiki Applications

• Google group wiki page
• Google docs
• https//docs.google.com
• WikiSpaces
• http//www.wikispaces.com/
• PBWiki
• http//pbwiki.com/
• MANY others!
• www.wikimatrix.org

12
The Wiki Prayer

• Please grant me the serenity to accept the pages
  I cannot edit,
• The courage to edit the pages I can,
• And the wisdom to know the difference.
• http//www.educause.edu/pub/er/erm04/erm0452.asp

13
Blogs

• Web logs
• Demonstrates evidence of evolving thinking over
  time
• Group or individual
• Searchable
• Automatic updates/subscriptions

14
Blog Set Up

• Live Journal http//www.livejournal.com
• Blogger http//blogger.com
• Blogspot http//www.blogspot.com
• Technorati http//technorati.com/ (mega
  blogsearches over 71 million bogs by topic, tag
  or post.
• Demo http//mnperkins.blogspot.com/

15
RSS

• Content comes to YOU!
• Really Simple Syndication
• Saves time!
• Aggregators
• Bloglines www.bloglines.com
• Google Reader www.google.com/reader
• Newsgator www.newsgator.com
• Comparison of the 3 http//labnol.blogspot.co
  m/2005/10/newsgator-vs-bloglines-vs-google.html
  

16
RSS (cont.)

• Demo Google blog to Google Reader
• Only works if read regularly.
• START SMALL!
• RSS A Quick Start for Educators
  http//weblogg-ed.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/05/R
  SSFAQ4.pdf
• Demo Add Richardsons All Events calendar to
  Reader.
• Yahoo News Feeds http//news.yahoo.com/rss

17
Podcasts

• Recording that is compressed in digital form (MP3
  file)
• Distributed over Internet
• Available by subscription using RSS feed
• Automatically synchronized to MP3 player

18
Steps in Creating Podcasts

• Record, Edit, Publish
• Use recording microphone and MP3 software
• Audacity
• http//audacity.sourceforge.net/

19
Higher Ed Uses

• Instructor-created
• Lectures
• Homework
• External resources
• iTunes podcasts
• Guest speaker
• User-created
• Oral presentations
• Interviews
• Field notes

20
Discussion

• What new tools have you discovered and how are
  you using them in teaching?

21
Sample Podcasts

• Subscribe.
• http//www.apple.com/education/itunesu/
• http//www.pbs.org/merrow/podcast/index.html
• Demo iTunesU
• Need to download Apples iTunes software first!

22
Summary Challenges Concerns

• Getting yourself startedSTART SMALL!
• Getting the students started
• Scaffold assignments
• Share explicit reasons why youre using these
  tools.
• Time/management requirements.

23
Summary (cont.)

• Webquest?
• http//webquest.org/index.php
• Inquiry-based activity that involves students in
  using web-based resources and tools to transform
  their learning into meaningful understandings and
  real-world projects.
• Rubric
• http//webquest.sdsu.edu/webquestrubric.html
  (10/29/07)

24
Managing ALL This!

• Social Bookmarking Web site http//del.icio.us/
• Store your bookmarks/favorites online.
• Demo http//del.icio.us/yshafer
• Note icon on IE browser.

25
Other References

• Pink, Daniel H. (2006). A Whole New Mind Why
  Right Brainers Will Rule the Future
• Kruse, Kevin. The Magic of Learner Motivation
  The ARCS Model, www.e-learningguru.com/articles/ar
  t3_5.htm (10/29/07)