4. Blogs
• A blog is a website for which an individual or a group
frequently generates text, photographs, video or audio
files, and/or links, typically (but not always) on a daily
basis.
– The term is a shortened form of weblog.
– Authoring a blog, maintaining a blog or adding an article to an
existing blog is called "blogging".
– Individual articles on a blog are called "blog posts," "posts," or
"entries".
– The person who posts these entries is called a "blogger".
5. Blogs in School?
• Blogs are tools, and like any tools they can be
used or misused.
– Misuse occurs more often when there's a lack of
instruction. (MySpace, Xanga, Facebook)
• Interactivity, publishing, collective
intelligence
6. Blogs in School
Teacher Blogs Student Blogs
• Homework • This week in class, we...
• Keep Parents in the • Student Work
Loop • Online portfolio
• Virtual Inservice • Peer/teacher feedback
• Professional
collaboration
7. Why Students Shouldn’t Blog
• People will read it.
• People might not like it.
• They might share test answers with others.
• They might be found by a child predator online
• They might write something inappropriate.
• They might find something inappropriate.
• They might get other students to start blogging.
http://blogging101.wikispaces.com/whywhynot
8. Why Students Should Blog
• People will read it.
• They might like it.
• They might share what they've learned with others.
• They might participate in a collaborative learning project.
• They might become inspired to learn.
• They might inspire others to learn.
• They might get other students to start blogging.
• If they don't talk in class, they might on a blog.
http://blogging101.wikispaces.com/whywhynot
14. Podcasts
• iPod + Broadcast = Podcast
– Amateur radio
– Podcasting is the method of distributing
multimedia files, such as audio programs or music
videos, over the Internet using either the RSS or
Atom syndication formats, for playback on mobile
devices and personal computers.
15. Why use podcasts?
• Podcasts enable students to share their
knowledge and expertise with others through a
creative outlet.
• Podcasts tap into a mode of media input that is
commonplace for digital natives.
• Podcasts empower students to form
relationships with the content and each other
in relevant ways.
16. Why use podcasts?
• Podcasting is yet another way for them
[students] to be creating and contributing ideas
to a larger conversation, and it’s a way of
archiving that contribution for future
audiences to use.
– Will Richardson, Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts and Other
Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms
17. How can podcasts be used?
• In the classroom, educators and students can
use podcasts to inform others about class
news, current events, and areas of interest.
• Students can use a podcast forum to persuade
their peers to help others, make a difference, or
try something new.
• Podcasts can also be used to edutain others
through creative narratives.
18. How can podcasts be used?
• Podcasts engage students in thinking critically
about their speaking fluency and
communication skills.
• The opportunity to create a podcast about what
students would like to discuss and share with
others is extremely motivating.
19. Other Enduring Benefits
• Along with the use of technology there are certain
responsibilities that educators and students need to
follow.
– Educators need to instruct students on safe and acceptable
use of technology in and outside of the classroom.
– Not only do students need to learn how to appropriately
research, but also how to safely and properly share
information online.
– Podcasts allow students to learn first hand about copyright
laws and fair use issues.
20. Jumping in with both feet . . .
• Listen to a few podcasts online
– iTunes > Source List > Podcasts > Education
– http://www.podcastalley.com/
– http://www.ipodder.org/
– http://epnweb.org/
– http://www.jakeludington.com/archives/000405.html
(“Podcasting with Windows Media Player)
• Get a feel for the genre
– Podcasts are not “polished” – production value is
secondary to the content
26. What is a Wiki?
• A wiki is a type of website that allows users
easily to add, remove, or otherwise edit and
change most available content.
27. How is a Wiki Constructed?
• A single page in a wiki is referred to as a "wiki
page", while the entire body of pages, which
are usually highly interconnected via
hyperlinks, is "the wiki“
– in effect, a wiki is actually a very simple, easy-to-
use user-maintained database for searching and
creating information.
28. Are Wikis Safe?
• Wikis are generally designed with the
philosophy of making it easy to correct
mistakes, rather than making it difficult to
make them.
29. Are Wikis Safe?
• Thus while wikis are very open, they provide a
means to verify the validity of recent additions
to the body of pages.
– The most prominent, on almost every wiki, is the
"Recent Changes" page—a specific list numbering
recent edits, or a list of all the edits made within a
given timeframe.
32. Using Wikis as a Source
• Wikipedia is as reliable as other external sources we
rely on.
• Properly written articles cite the sources, and a reader
should rely on the Wikipedia article as much, but no
more, than the sources the article relies on.
• If an article doesn't cite a source, it may or may not
be reliable.
• Students should never use information in a wiki until
they have checked those external sources.
33. What the Experts are Saying
• Wikis are helping young people develop
“writing skills and social skills by learning
about group consensus and compromise—all
the virtues you need to be a reasonable and
productive member of society.”
– Jimmy Wales, founder of Wikipedia
34. What the Experts are Saying
• “The media is controlled by people who have
the resources to control it,” he says. “Wikis
show that all of us have an equal opportunity
to contribute to knowledge.”
– Andy Garvin, head of the Digital Divide Network
35. Ways to Use Wikis
• Use wikis as formats for subject guides.
• Invite students and teachers to annotate your
catalog on a wiki.
• Make wikis meeting places for communities
inside the school.
• Link librarians and teachers in your district in
a collaborative enterprise.
49. Links to Getting Started
• Wiki Walk-Through
http://www.teachersfirst.com/content/wiki/
– What’s a wiki?
– Who uses wikis?
– Wikis or blogs?
– How to use wikis with students.
– Ideas for activities, projects, collaborations, etc.
• Using wikis in Education (blog) http://ikiw.org/
• Classroom use of wikis
http://www.teachinghacks.com/wiki/index.php?title=Wiki
50. Wikispaces
• Wikispaces is offering K-12 organizations
their premium membership for free
– No advertisements
– Greater storage capacity
– Enhanced privacy settings
http://www.wikispaces.com/site/for/teachers100K
55. Stu.dicio.us Features
• Note-taking
– Note commenting
– Note sharing
• Keyword link to Google and Wikipedia
• To-Do Lists
• Schedule
• Document storage/tracking
• Grade organizer
• Privacy Features
• RSS Feeds
• Integration with Facebook
• Social Networking
http://stu.dicio.us/
60. Digg
• Find an article, video, or podcast online and submit it
to Digg.com. Your submission will immediately
appear in “Upcoming Stories,” where other members
can find it and, if they like it, Digg it.
• Subscribe to RSS feeds of particular topics,
popular/upcoming sections, individual users, and the
search terms of your choice
• Digg. Participate in the collaborative editorial process
by Digging the stuff that you like best.
• Build a friend list; then your friends can track what
you’re Digging. They can also subscribe to an RSS
feed of your submissions and/or your Diggs.
http://www.digg.com/
68. Wizlite
• Wizlite is a tool allowing users to
collaboratively highlight important passages
on pages on the Internet.
• Users can organize in groups and attach notes
to their selections.
• Wizlite is activated by a bookmarklet or
Firefox toolbar extension.
• Wizlite is great for many applications, such as
topic discovery (e.g. for talks) or reviewing.
http://wizlite.com/
69. NoteMesh
• NoteMesh is a free service that allows college
students in the same classes to share notes with each
other.
• It works by creating a wiki for individual classes that
users can edit.
• Users are free to post their own lecture notes or
contribute to existing lecture notes.
• The idea is that users in the same class can
collaboratively create a definitive source for lecture
notes.
http://notemesh.com
71. Flickr
• What you can do with your photos:
– Upload
– Tag
– Geotag (mapping)
– Blog
– Comment
– Organize
– Organize into online photo albums with annotation
– Form/join groups
http://www.flickr.com
72. Applications for Flickr
• Virtual field trip
• Categorize, analyze, evaluate images
• Geography practice
• Picture books-documentaries
• Display original artwork
• Online scavenger hunts
• Process live field trips
• Upload exported (jpeg) Inspiration graphic organizers
75. Video Editing Tools
Eye Spot Online Video Mixing http://eyespot.com/
Jump Cut Online Video Editor http://jumpcut.com/
Windows Movie Maker http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/
moviemaker/default.mspx
Avid Free DV http://www.avid.com/freedv/
Storyboard Pro http://www.atomiclearning.com/storyboardp
ro
Microsoft PhotoStory http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/
digitalphotography/photostory/default.mspx
80. BrainPop
• BrainPOP is an
educational program
that provides
curriculum-based
content spanning seven
main subjects including:
Science, Math, English,
Social Studies, Health,
Arts & Music, and
Technology.
http://www.brainpop.com/
81. QUIA
• Create:
– Activities (16 different types)
– Quizzes (10 types)
– Calendars
– Web pages
– Upload images and audio
– Track and report student progress
http://www.quia.com/
83. Library of Congress
• The Library of Congress has Image
Libraries, Video Libraries, and Exhibitions
online
– http://www.loc.gov/index.html
– American Memory Collection contains
historic media
85. NetTrekker d.i.
• netTrekker d.i., the
latest version of
netTrekker, the award-
winning search engine
for schools, supports
differentiated
instruction with
standards-based online
resources, organized by
readability level to help
every child achieve.
http://school.nettrekker.com/frontdoor/
86. Classroom Resources
• NoteStar enhanced research tools http://notestar.4teachers.org/
• RubiStar rubric creation tools http://rubistar.4teachers.org/index.php
• QuizStar online quiz creation tools http://quizstar.4teachers.org/
• TrackStar online hotlist and Internet activity creation tools
http://trackstar.4teachers.org/
• Web Worksheet Wizard http://wizard.4teachers.org/
• Project Poster online project-based activity creation tools
http://poster.4teachers.org/
• Discovery School Puzzle Maker http://www.puzzlemaker.com/
• National Library of Virtual Manipulatives http://
nlvm.usu.edu/en/nav/vlibrary.html
87. WebQuests
• A WebQuest for K-12 Teachers utilizing the WebGuide Template -
Internet4Classrooms version -
http://www.internet4classrooms.com/lesson_plan_quest.htm
• WebQuest Template -
http://www.internet4classrooms.com/lesson-template.htm
• San Diego State University Educational Technology Department
WebQuests Page - http://webquest.sdsu.edu/
• Best WebQuests - http://bestwebquests.com/
• WebQuest Templates SDSU -
http://webquest.sdsu.edu/LessonTemplate.html
• Teachnology WebQuest Generator -
http://teachers.teach-nology.com/web_tools/web_quest/
• Differentiated Instruction WebQuests - http://
www.lakelandschools.org/EDTECH/Differentiation/nine.htm
• Using the Understanding By Design Model to create WebQuests -
http://www.bclacts.org/Using%20Ubd%20to%20design%20a%20webquest.pdf
Editor's Notes
http://jdorman.wikispaces.com/Conferences
http:// en.wikipedia.org /wiki/Blog on 12/17/2005
Homework For years there have been web-savvy teachers who posted their homework on a website for their students and parents. This can still be done with blogs, and with many services teachers can post assignments daily with no knowledge of html, css, rss, and other random combinations of letters Keep Parents in the Loop Of course parents often like to know more about what's going on in your class than just "Do #s 2-106 on page 42." A teacher's blog could become an online newsletter that discusses all kinds of notable events such as units, scans of student work, field trip information and permission slips, and more. Virtual Inservice Many teachers have decided to use their blogs as a forum for sharing their views on educational psychology, technology, and so on. Other teachers have the power to post comments in each others' blogs or even write larger responses in their own blogs. The result is a series of conversations where teachers share their knowledge and experiences with each other where everyone comes out better informed at the end. This week in class, we... Some teachers encourage students to work as a group on a single blog, resulting in a sort of online newspaper where different students work on different articles. Knowing that their audience is now not just the teacher but the entire world, students often end up going above and beyond what they would ever do if they just had to submit a report, two pages, double spaced, MLA format. Student Work Along the same lines, each student could have their own blog where they can post their assignments. The teacher and classmates could then comment on each student's work, providing concrete evidence of class participation.
http://blogging101.wikispaces.com/whywhynot
http://blogging101.wikispaces.com/whywhynot
http://blogging101.wikispaces.com/bloggersbeware
Blogger - http:// www.blogger.com / This is a great service (owned by Google) that allows anyone to create and customize a blog. While it's designed so anyone can get started it also has enough versatility for the truly geeky to get almost everything out of it that they want. (audioblogger) Blogmeister - http:// classblogmeister.com / Many blogging services are turned down by schools or teachers because adults loose a certain level of control over the students. After all, bogging students have a global forum where they can say whatever they want. With Blogmeister (from the brilliant mind of David Warlick ), all student postings and comments do not go "live" to the internet unless a teacher approves them. NovemberLearning - http:// nlcommunities.com / Alan November's blogging service. Used to be free for educators, but will begin charging soon. Has support for photo albums built in to it. Designed for educators, but doesn't really have any significant features tailored to using it in an educational setting (like Blogmeister) Edublogs - http:// edublogs.org / James Farmer's Wordpress Multiuser offering to educators. Any teacher can get a free blog there. There are several themes to choose from. It is essentially a standard Wordpress installation, which is the blog engine of choice for many edubloggers because of it's powerful features and open source code. While the name is Edublogs, there are no features tailored specifically to using it in the educational environement. James also offers learnerblogs.org for students and uniblogs.org for university students and faculty.
Podcasts can also be used as formative or summative assessments.
Podcasting is a great tool in differentiating instruction.
http://jdorman.wikispaces.com/+Podcasting
"Wiki-wiki" means "hurry quick" in Hawaiian.
Import changes into an rss aggregator (bloglines)
Introducing wikis into the classroom provides a perfect vehicle for reinforcing or teaching students the importance of wide and reliable research, checking authors and sources, etc. Just as podcasting and blogging provides a vehicle for instructing students in copyright and fair use guidelines.
The Digital Divide Network is an online community of educators and policy makers who are seeking ways to narrow the gap between the Internet haves and have-nots.
Use wikis as formats for subject guides . “The great thing about that,” she says, “is that librarians would be creating the wiki themselves in concert with teachers.” Invite students and teachers to annotate your catalog on a wiki . “To students, the best advice comes from other students,” she says. “You could have kids write book reviews you could add to the catalog.” Make wikis meeting places for communities inside the school . For example, create a wiki as a kind of bulletin board, a repository for information that comes from the cafeteria, the principal’s office, students, teachers, and even parents. Link librarians in your district in a collaborative enterprise . When teaching in North Carolina, Rob Lucas set up a model for such a site. His Teachers Lounge is a wiki where first-year teachers can share lesson plans. Farkas’s libsuccess.org is another fine model.
