Ronda's TL Blog

How Canadians Define Their Country - MSN news

2008-06-30T12:57:00.000-07:00

A recent survey asked Canadians to define “Canada.” Watch this video clip to see the highlights: Survey offers snapshot of what defines Canada.

Check out 101things.ca to vote on the list of things that you feel define Canada.

PART 4 - Future Plans

2008-04-08T19:53:00.000-07:00

Learning More

My blog has become an online archive of my learning experience. I have gone from being a person who was completely helpless on a computer, to having a great deal more confidence and understanding about technology. I intend to continue adding to it as I explore further. With summer soon approaching, I anticipate having some time to learn more about Web 2.0, and even look at sites (such as Animoto, Furl, and co.mments) that I only had the chance to quickly browse through this semester. Additionally, I hope to integrate blogging, wikis, and podcasting into my teaching in the fall, and I want to be prepared for that. I intend to learn more about the features offered by Edublogs for teacher and students accounts, managing privacy, etc.

Integrating Technologies into my Classroom

My plans for integrating blogging may depend upon my school division’s policy relating to their accessibility from school computers (presently, they are piloting a blogging integration activity with a few classrooms). However, if there are restrictions in place, I hope to lobby for that being changed. Nevertheless, I anticipate structuring the organization of my courses differently and utilizing blogs as a portal so that students can access course materials. I eventually would like to set up individual blogging accounts for each student to use as e-portfolios of their work. It will also provide a more interactive way of providing feedback on assignments.

I also know that wikis will be integrated into my teaching practices. Based on my experiences with them this semester, I know that they are powerful tools for collaboration.

The integration of these new technologies will also require rethinking assessment. I am now aware of resources I can consult to see how teachers are assessing learning outcomes of students. I soon hope to start collecting a variety of examples to guide my own rubric creations.

Inspired to Create

Although I am still very new to Web 2.0 technologies, I have been inspired by the wonderful web sites I have found which are organized specifically for teaching other educators about Web 2.0. I would like to create my own comprehensive wiki web site (similar to that of Valenza, Vesper and Peacock’s wikis). I would aim to include things such as: tutorials, definitions and handouts, links and feeds, pages organized according to tasks or subject areas, etc. I realize that I still have much more research to do, but this is a future goal.

Another lofty goal I have set for myself is connected to the research I did for virtual school libraries. I hope to learn more about web page creation, and use the elements of design and content I learned about in order to create, or recreate a school library web site. I will likely try to work in collaboration with a computer teacher on such a project in the future.

Lastly, I have to admit that this experience has generated a great deal of interest in exploring Web 2.0 topics further, perhaps in my Capping Paper experience. I am taking the summer to give it some serious thought.

The blog I have established this semester will continue to grow, even though I will no longer be responding to assigned exploration tasks, I will be creating my own!

Concluding Thoughts

This learning journey has left plenty of food for thought. My definition of what it means to be literate has evolved to include the Internet and ICT. As Richardson (2006) explains in his chapter “What it all Means,” the Read/Write Web is prompting us to re-examine the way we think about content and curriculum.

Richardson’s explanations about the “big shifts” in how best to teach students are ideas I am starting to understand, mainly because of my own experiences this semester. Many of these shifts are very challenging to the traditional conventions of teaching.

I feel that I my job description has changed, or rather, evolved. It has always been multifaceted, but I am seeing firsthand, the impact that web technologies will have on education. This will definitely change the role of teachers.

At this point, I don’t have all the answers. However, I have heard the message loud and clear. I know I will never be able to teach the same way again. And that’s a good thing.

I’m inspired, I’m motivated, and I’m ready to get to work.

"Start to model, in your job as a teacher, the practice of being a master learner" (David Warlick, from Path to Becoming a Literate Educator).

References

Richardson, W. (2006). Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts, and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms. Corwin Press: Thousand Oakes, CA.

Last but not least…

This video made me laugh…but only view it if you have a good sense of humour!

The Librarian Song by Joe Uveges

PART 3 - The Highlights and Lowlights

2008-04-08T19:49:00.000-07:00

In my Reflecting on Learning Web 2.0 post, I commented about the ten tools I learned about this semester, along with the difficulties and discoveries associated with each of them. However, there are few final comments I’d like to make about some of the other HIGHS and LOWS of my learning experience.

The Lowlights:

* I struggled with understanding how to properly set up RSS feeds through an aggregator. However, I needed to go through this struggle in order to make sense of how linking and the interconnectivity of the Web works.

* Creating a podcast was fun; publishing a podcast on the Internet was a nightmare. I did not understand how or why Podcasts need to be uploaded onto a host or server. Plus, I found conflicting suggestions because I had consulted too many tutorials. After a major breakthrough, this turned into a positive experience. I was able to practice what I had learned through this experience for an assignment in another class, and it went much more smoothly!

The Highlights:

*I am proud that I was able to dig myself out of difficult and frustrating situations (i.e. podcasting). “Never tell people how to do things. Tell them what to do and they'll surprise you with their ingenuity” - George S. Patton (from 180 Technology Tips). I basically surprised myself.

* I have discovered some amazing resources during this semester. These web sites and tutorials have helped me have those “a-ha” moments when a new technology finally makes sense!

o Common Craft videos by Lee LeFever (all of them!)
o Flickr Tutorials Series by Mediamazine
o Delicious Tutorial video on YouTube
o Educause – 7 Things You Should Know About… ( a series of information brochures about web technologies)
o Online Learning Studio – Podcasts
o Creative Cow podcasting tutorials by Franklin McMahon
o How to Podcast by Jason Van Orden
o Information Fluency wiki by Joyce Valenza (with links to everything imaginable)
o Educational Software and Web 2.0 by Susie Vesper
o Web 2.0 For Teachers by Kim Peacock
o 180 Technology Tips by 180techtips.com
o Edublogs

* Learning about wikis opened up many ideas about their uses in education. I really understood their value as a collaboration tool, and presentation tool by getting to use a wiki in each of my three courses this semester.

* Avatars, especially Vokis, were a fun discovery! I love how they personalize web pages and can be used along with podcasting.

* Widgets (a third party item that can be embedded in a page) are fun and impressive web tools which also help “personalize” the web. I can understand their attraction for kids. I loved discovering Shelfari and Postit Notes.

* Virtual school libraries was a topic of great interest to me, as I would like to one day design, create, and manage my school library’s web site. This is both exciting and intimidating at the same time!

* Comments/compliments from respected educators have motivated and inspired me! Jenn’s comment, in reference to my blogs about virtual school libraries, and Susie Vesper’s comment about the exploration of tools in my blog have made me think about where I’d like to take my blogging in the future.

PART 2 – Learning from other Great Minds

2008-04-08T19:46:00.000-07:00

Learning with and from my classmates has been an important part of my journey. Here are just a few of the highlights of my learning for which I gratefully acknowledge my colleagues:

Arlene has exemplified how blogs enable writing to mature and evolve. Her blogs were impressive right from the start, but she has proven that she is a masterful writer and composer of educational blogs. I am in awe of her writing style. She has inspired my own writing attempts.

John’s blogs demonstrated a sophisticated use of technology, which always impressed me. His visually attractive blog prompted me to ask him to give me some guidance with creating thumbnail images. He responded quickly to my request with a detailed explanation, which taught me how to create my own thumbnails. As a visual learner, I am thrilled to be able to incorporate images with my writing now. Thanks so much, John!

By observing Jess’s blogs, I made the connection about hyperlinking words in my blogs. Prior to that, I had been giving complete URLs in my blog posts when making references. I did not like the way it looked. Jess’s example of good blogging protocol helped me improve my ability to reference and link in my blogs.

Steph’s blogs have been a true demonstration of what it means to a lifelong learner. She has highlighted her triumphs and challenges in an enduring and optimistic way. I always look forward to reading her blogs. Her Photobucket project has also inspired me to try this photosharing site.

Overall, having shared similar challenges with a group of people has made learning about new technologies far less intimidating. It was a relief to read about their experiences, which were very reflective of my own. I looked forward to reading about the various approaches we had to the same problems.

I continue to be inspired by the willingness of educators (like my classmates) to share, collaborate and help each other out.

PART 1 – Reflecting on Learning about Web 2.0

2008-04-08T19:36:00.000-07:00

Introduction: The Learning Curve

It may be an overused analogy, but the image of driving a car at breakneck speeds around an unfamiliar, hilly, and windy terrain would best exemplify my learning journey with technology this semester. (I barely even felt qualified to “drive” at first, let alone figure out where I was going!) But there’s nothing like immersing yourself in something new in order to figure it out, and that is exactly what has happened. I only came close to hitting the ditch once, but I managed to hang on. Thus, I feel it is appropriate to describe some my experiences with the phrase: “the learning curve” to symbolize the challenges of learning about web 2.0, utilizing the driving metaphor. My learning journey has been an exciting one!

Ten Web Tools to Learn…

Ronda’s Learning Curve: how challenging was it?
1= relatively easy
3= moderately challenging
5= very challenging

1) Blogs and RSS
Setting up my Blogger account was actually quite a lot of fun. I was a bit nervous going into blogging, and had some friends on “stand-by” in case I ran into any problems, but I didn’t have any with my blog! The hardest part was thinking of a title for my blog (and I wish now that I had come up with something a little more interesting…) but I was anxious to start investigating the features and settings of the blog.
Learning Curve: 1/5

My fun was cut short when I tried to set up an RSS feed through an aggregator. I really did not have a complete grasp of RSS, let alone all the terminology related to it at the beginning of this course. I was frustrated. I gave up on my first attempt of getting set up at Bloglines. (I had not investigated the tutorials available for setting up an aggregator, which looking back, was an important learning experience for me; this prompted me to seek out tutorials for each new web tool before attempting to use them with the rest of our assignment).

I went through a process of setting up individual RSS feeds to other blogs. I knew something wasn’t right. It seemed like there had to be an easier way of doing this. However, I did not understand enough about RSS to know what that was. All I can say was that I am still grateful to Elisa, who posted about Google Reader in our class discussions, which helped me overcome this hurdle.

I came to understand that there was a difference between subscribing to a blog by setting up an individual RSS feed, and setting up an aggregator. An aggregator allows for ALL of one’s subscriptions to be “bundled” and delivered to one place. By adding a blogroll, you can simply select “Read More” and see the most recently posted blogs. If I were to not use an aggregator, my numerous RSS feeds would be more time consuming to check, as they would have to be clicked on individually. I now realize the powerful uses of RSS feeds, and have embraced this tool as an essential part of navigating the web.
Learning Curve: 4/5 (I’m a little embarrassed by this, but I was quite a novice back in January!)

2) Photosharing
Setting up accounts with Picasa and Flickr was fun and easy to do (this time, I did watch a Flickr tutorial to get me started!) I found that I was far more intrigued by what Flickr had to offer: by selecting “Explore” I was able to browse through amazing pictures, look at maps, check out interesting creative possibilities with “Cool Stuff” and the list goes on. (Creating a Flickr badge was quite enjoyable!)

Since I have only been the owner of a digital camera since Christmas, (and I still am learning how to use it) I did not find myself wanting to explore the editing features of these sites. However, I did find it interesting to read about the editing tools described in the blogs of my classmates. For my basic purposes, I felt that this web tool was pretty interesting, and one which I wanted more time to explore. I also felt that I would like more time to fully understand licensing and permissible uses of photos before using this tool with students.
Learning Curve: 2/5

3) Videosharing
I was worried going into this one. First of all, I had really never spent any time on the Internet looking at videos. Secondly, I had some preconceived notions about sites such as YouTube because of negative news stories which have been associated with it.

I was wowed by how many videosharing sites exist on the internet. After browsing through YouTube and TeacherTube, I began to recognize the educational potential of this tool. Certainly, I am not naïve about the fact that there is inappropriate material on some videosharing sites. However, I think that with some careful planning, teachers can use videosharing in the classroom. I was cognizant of my own school division’s policy pertaining to videosharing sites, as they had only recently lifted the block on YouTube for teacher access. This proves that schools are slowly starting to recognize the potential of Web 2.0 tools in the classroom.

I found several videos which I felt I would be comfortable using for my lessons. This is a tool I have not used in the past, but now see how it could become an integral part of my teaching practices.
Learning Curve: 2/5

4) Social bookmarking
Social bookmarking was one of the least intimidating and most useful web tools we learned about. I loved Lee Lefever’s way of explaining in Social Bookmarking in Plain English that saving our “Favourites” to our computers was the old way (boo!) and saving favourites to a web site is the new way (yah!) The most significant learning which came from this tool was the importance of tags and folksonomy. I really see folksonomy changing the way people search for materials. It has certainly been interesting to bring this new realization into the context of my cataloguing course (EDES 547) this semester as we discussed controlled search terms.
Learning Curve: 1/5

5) Podcasting
Learning about this web tool was the rockiest part of my journey; the learning curve was the steepest!

Before I explain, I must point out that understanding the concept of Podcasts was straightforward; they are audio broadcasts (similar to radio programs). Finding and listening to Podcasts on the Internet is easy. All you need is a set of speakers! Creating a podcast is kind of fun. On the other hand, publishing a podcast is another story.

After many days of researching and reading about podcasts, I came to realize that one must have a good understanding of several programs and applications related to podcasting. While previous Web 2.0 tools required only learning about the intricacies of one particular site, podcasting requires proficiency in several applications. For me, this included: Audacity, LAME, Internet Archive and Blogger. I watched and/or read about six various tutorials on creating a podcast. No two tutorials were exactly the same. This did two things: it made me very frustrated, and it made me realize there was more than one way to create a podcast. I just wanted to figure out which was the easiest! I literally spent five days of reading and testing out these tutorials.

It was pure trial and error which led me to my breakthrough moment with publishing my podcast. I realized that I needed to upload my podcast onto an internet host site (such as Internet Archive) and then find a way to feed the podcast to my blog. I luckily discovered that the XML code I needed was provided by Internet Archive, and I could easily cut and paste the code into my blog. I had been barking up the wrong tree playing around with OurMedia and Feedburner (as was suggested by one of the many tutorials I had viewed). I was relieved, but exhausted by the time I made this discovery.

Although learning about podcasting may have been one of my “darkest” moments on my journey, it also turned out to be my most memorable. I am so proud that I did not give up, and completely figured out how to finish this task on my own. This may have been another pivotal or defining moment for me on my learning journey. It gave me a new sense of confidence, even though I had come very close to wanting to throw in the towel.

Since that time, I have a much more positive attitude about podcasting, and am excited about using this tool. I was able to use what I learned for my EDEL 561 course, where I created a longer podcast for a presentation. I also published the podcast to a wiki for the presentation. It went so much more smoothly this time around.

Lastly, discovering the fun associated with creating an avatar (Voki) and combining it with a podcast was great way to wrap up my podcasting experience.

I continued to investigate some other ways podcasts can be published on the Internet. After talking with a colleague, I discovered that if a person has an Edublog account, she can upload a podcast directly from her computer. Edublogs provides the server or host that is needed to support an audio file. Edublogs has many other desirable features, but hassle-free podcasting can be added to the list!
Learning Curve: 5/5 (this one was a toughy)

6) Virtual School Libraries
Exploring virtual school libraries was more of a reward than it was work (and what a relief after podcasts!) I recently have become extremely interested in learning more about the design and content which go into school library web sites. I’m surprised at myself; I have absolutely no background in web site creation. However, I have come to appreciate the value in well-organized, user-friendly web sites that are rich with information and resources. Joyce Valenza’s Springfield Township High School web site is just one example of the many fantastic sites I explored. I am aspiring to create my own someday in the future. I am certain that I will be pursuing this tool further in the future.
Learning Curve: 2/5

7) Wikis
Learning about wikis was one of the unexpected highlights of the course. I had absolutely no experience with them. Additionally, I had a great deal of scepticism when it came to the most well-known wiki; Wikipedia. This was one of those times where I will admit that I was wrong: there is some value to Wikipedia! The research done by Alex Halavais helped me to accept that there can be just as many inconsistencies in what is deemed to be a reliable source as there can be on Wikipedia. (It is still important that Wikipedia’s information be cross referenced with other sources, but it does have its merits).

I got my feet wet learning how to use a wiki with Wikispaces (this was part of the requirement for our EDES 545 presentation). Our group ended up moving our information over to PBWiki, which I found to be very visually appealing. The overlap and timing of an assignment for my EDEL 561 course allowed me create another PBwiki. This was when I really got the chance to play around with the editing features and other capabilities of wikis. It was very rewarding to be able to use the skills learned in one course and apply them in another assignment. I really got to experience the ease with which collaboration can occur when using a wiki for a group project. Wikis melt the barriers of time and distance; wikis can be accessed at one’s convenience. I look forward to using this tool with students.
Learning Curve: 3/5

8) Multimedia: Voicethread
I am glad that this web tool was saved until later in the course; it was a culmination of many other web tools we had explored (such as photosharing, podcasting, and videosharing). When I first watched a Voicethread presentation, I was a little intimidated by the technical know-how it appeared to require. However, creating a Voicethread was not as challenging as I thought it might be. The tutorials on the site were very helpful. This tool looks highly impressive, but doesn’t require a high level of tech-savvy. I also liked the idea of this type of collaboration tool for classroom use (EdVoicethread) more than other forms of social networking.
Learning Curve: 2/5

9) Social Networking
Here was a web tool which I was completely fascinated by, and intimidated by, at the same time. My experiences this semester while researching web tools often led me to discover the positive uses for social networking. Classroom 2.0 (Ning in Education) is a prime example of a social networking site that works well; where like-minded people with similar goals can converse and share ideas. However, it made me nervous to think about social networking with students in an educational setting. Again, there have been many examples in the news where sites such as Facebook and MySpace have done considerable harm. The issue of cyberbullying would have to be addressed proactively by any teacher introducing this tool to students for classroom use.

For me, the jury is still out on social networks. I would feel more comfortable using a social network which I could create and monitor with my students (such as can be done with Ning in Education). In the meantime, using blogs and wikis is where my comfort level is currently at.
Learning Curve: 1/5

10) Blogs/Blogging for Professional Development
Reading the blogs of other professionals has provided much of the support and foundation for leaning about other web tools this semester. I have found that I have come to rely a great deal on the ideas, opinions and suggestions made by other educators in their blogs. This illustrates a major shift in my thinking: from once regarding blogs only as forums for reflective diaries, to seeing blogs as places to share important findings and information. The shared experiences of other educators have informed my own thinking about education.

Engaging in my own blogging has been by far one of the most meaningful professional development activities as a teacher. I used to dread the journal-like activities associated with various education courses because it felt unnatural. Blogging is more interactive; the comments of others push ideas to evolve. It is not a solitary activity, like keeping a journal. I can envision more future professional development activities for teachers utilizing blogging, which brings people together in a professional learning community with common goals to share and explore ideas.
Learning Curve: 1/5

Technology Integration: Looking at the Big Picture

2008-04-08T19:26:00.001-07:00

As has been previously discussed, introducing staff to “blogging” is only the first step in a program of technology integration. The ultimate goal is to have teachers become comfortable with technology and find ways to integrate these into their teaching practices. The first goal is getting teachers to move from using technology in “domesticating” ways and make the transition to “liberating” (Subramaniam, 2006).

David Warlick’s blog called: A Path to Becoming a 21st Century Literate Educator provides a self-development guide for educators who wish to expand their own learning about technology. He gives some suggestions which still have relevance in the planning of a larger group professional development initiative. Some of his suggestions include:

· identify the teachers in your school who have expertise, and draw on their support

· begin working with someone in your school or district who can provide technical support and configuration, if you require this

· prepare a wiki for posting notes, links, and step-by-step instructions

· model your work as a fellow-learner; sharing your reflections on what you are learning and how you are learning it

Teachers will be at various places in their skill development with Web 2.0 technologies. It is extremely important that they have “just-in-time” support when they require it. Providing a strong support structure and resources will be a key factor in making this professional development successful. An excellent example of the kind of online resource support I would hope to provide can be seen at Web 2.0 For Teachers and Educational Software and Web 2.0. These fantastic sites provide well-organized links, tutorials, etc. to support teachers while learning about Web 2.0.

Adding to “The Toolbox”

According to Richardson, there are several key technologies which promise to change the way we teach and learn (pp. 8-9):
* weblogs (blogs)
* wikis
* RSS
* aggregators
* social bookmarking
* online photo galleries
* audio/video-casting

These Web 2.0 tools are ones which allow for publishing content, manage content, and share content in collaborative ways.

As I mentioned in my introduction, blogging is an important starting point for becoming comfortable with Web 2.0. Blogs provide a foundation or springboard for other Web 2.0 tools, as many of the concepts are transferable to learning about and understanding other web tools.

Access to Web 2.0

A major factor in the implementation of any computer related technology and the Internet must fall under the Acceptable Use Policy of school and school division. Some school divisions have blocks or filters which do not allow for access to some of these Web 2.0 tools. For example, my division has only recently allowed for teachers to access videosharing sites such as YouTube, but student access is still blocked. As administrators, teachers and parents come to see the educational value in using Web 2.0 tools in the classroom, these barriers will come down.

Scaffolding the Bigger Plan for Professional Development

Consider the process of “building” as a metaphor for learning about Web 2.0 tools.

Knowledge needs a foundation, or a starting point; a place where one can relate back to and connect new learning. In my opinion, blogs can provide this foundation for learning about Web 2.0. And perhaps similar to pouring concrete, it may take a while for a strong foundation to become established and ready to hold more weight. This is best done when there is support in place; teacher mentoring and collaboration.

Each new Web 2.0 tool that we learn about rests on the foundation. We can start to see the interconnectivity of these tools, and how they can be used together to create and learn. The shape of structure starts to emerge…

Several web sites exist which are dedicated to building teacher knowledge with Web 2.0 technologies. Sites such as School Library Learning 2.0 and Learning 2.0 Challenge provide step by step instructions and forums to guide teachers. These sites provide many ideas for how professional development can be “scaffolded” for an entire staff.

Professional development instructional sessions must be reinforced and supported through mentorship, regular meetings, resources and guides.

Teachers may be given the same tools to work with, but how and what they construct for their own classroom uses will vary! The potential of using web 2.0 tools in education is unlimited!

References

Richardson, W. (2006). Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts, and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms. Corwin Press: Thousand Oakes, CA.

Subramaniam, K. (2006). Teachers' mindsets and integration of computer technology. The British journal of educational technology 38(6), 1056-1071.

Integrating Technology Over Time

2008-04-08T19:22:00.000-07:00

Building Momentum

Momentum for integrating technology can only happen when there is adequate support in place. As Kadijevich (2006) stated, support is one of three factors which will affect technology use of teachers.

I would propose two forms of support to sustain the professional development of teachers in their uses of technology. The first would be in-service days, or half days, where instructional time is spent exploring a new technology. Adequate time is necessary for teachers to receive instruction, and begin engaging meaningfully in the use of the technology. Secondly, I propose regular meetings between teacher-pairs for mentorship time related to the new technology.

In my school division, designated meeting time set aside once every month for “Team Meetings.” In the past few years, this time has been used for the various Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) which exist within the schools. For example, one PLC centered on issues related to health and wellness programs in our school. Another PLC centered on the school-day schedule and other planning issues. A case can be made for this time to be used for Professional Learning Communities related to technology integration within the school.

Showcasing Integrated Technology

As teachers become more comfortable with blogs, they may start using them in various ways: Blogs can be used as:

* Class Portals: to communicate information about the class and to archive course materials; a place to publish the course curriculum, syllabus, class rules, homework assignments, rubrics, handouts, and presentations (blogs are a powerful course management tool!)

* Online Filing Cabinet: a digital filing cabinet for students to archive their work and create a space for an online portfolio of work. (a record of student work)

* E-Portfolio: students collect the work they want to highlight; they can reflect on their work in a blog post and publish the results

* Collaborative Space: a place for students to collaborate with others online; learn from each other or from other professionals who can work side by side in a digital space

* Knowledge Management and Articulation: a place for school committees and groups to store documents and information

* School Website: could be linked to the school’s main website, and maintained by each department, sports team, clubs and activities to keep up-to-date

(Richardson, 2006, pp. 21-26).

As part of this professional development, I would ask for regular feedback from teachers to tell me how they are using blogs in their teaching and learning. Those who are comfortable could allow their use of blogs to be shown in staff meetings, which would be relevant and motivating for other staff to experience. Eventually, the use of blogs could be showcased by linking them to the school’s web page, or the school library’s web site. Information about the school’s successful uses with new technologies can be shared with the community through school newsletters.

References

Kadijevich, D. (2006). Achieving educational technology standards: The relationship between student teacher's interest and institutional support offered. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 22. p. 437-443

Richardson, W. (2006). Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts, and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms. Corwin Press: Thousand Oakes, CA.

The Implications for Teaching and Learning of Adults

2008-04-08T19:19:00.000-07:00

An “Attitude Adjustment”

Educators know that it is virtually impossible to make someone learn something if they do not have a willingness and openness to the learning. We’ve all probably used the old cliché: you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink it, when reflecting upon the attitudes of certain resistant students. In a nutshell, attitude is everything.

Why would this be any different for teaching adults about technology? Can it be expected of teachers to embrace and learn new technologies just because they have been told to do so? If we try hard to make meaningful and relevant connections to our students’ lives in our teaching, we should be doing the same for teachers with how we deliver professional development. A “one-size-fits-all” approach simply will not be successful. "Technology use by teachers is strongly influenced by their own attitudes towards that technology..." (Becker, 2007).

Kadijevich’s research (2006) found that of the three factors which affect technology use in teachers (interest, support and attitude), the one factor which needs to be focused upon the most, is developing attitude. Computer attitude is crucial in motivating teachers’ intentions to use the technology. This is affected by how the teacher perceives the “usefulness” of computer technology.

Kadijevich found that a positive computer attitude may be developed through interactions and cooperation between inexperienced and experienced users of technology, through mentorship, that promote a teachers’ understanding of why, when and how to use technology.

He also stated that teacher development should be continuous, thus, not sporadic and without follow-up. When the use of educational technology is made more personal, teachers will maintain the use of the technology.

Asselin’s research (2005) maintains similar findings: teachers require mentorship and collaboration in order to support information literacy.

Based on these findings, I suggest that partnerships be set up with teachers, between experienced and inexperienced users of technology. Preferably, these partnerships could be formed within subject-specific departments. This way, teachers could approach the use of the technology with common goals and desired outcomes in their subject area which would not happen as easily with teacher-partnerships which are spread out across various disciplines. Regular, on-going meeting times for would need to occur in order to sustain development. Once every two weeks would be ideal.

Teaching teachers to use technology needs to be done so in a way which is: fun and motivating; personalized and practical; supportive and sustained over time.

References

Asselin, M. (2005). Teaching information skills in the information age: An examination of trends. School Libraries Worldwide, 11(1). (ProQuest)

Becker, K. (2007). Digital game-based learning once removed: Teaching teachers. British journal of educational technology, 38(3), p. 478-488.

Kadijevich, D. (2006). Achieving educational technology standards: The relationship between student teacher's interest and institutional support offered. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 22. p. 437-443

Seeing is Believing: Blogs in Educational Context

2008-04-08T18:58:00.000-07:00

What are Blogs?

Here’s an explanation, in “plain english” to help us better understand blogs.

(Blogs in Plain English by Lee LeFever – Common Craft)

Web 2.0 tools are important in the teaching practices of the new educational landscape.

(Why Let Students Blog? )

Looking at the Blogs of other Educators

By visiting the blogs of other educators, we can start to see very quickly how other professionals are using this web tool. Mainly, these examples show how blogs can be used in the context of professional development.

As a starting point, let’s take a look at a few blogs of educators:

* 2 cents worth by David Warlick
* Weblogg-ed by Will Richardson
* Neverending Search by Joyce Valenza

A second site to visit in order to gain some understanding about how educators are using blogs is taking a look at Edublogs. Edublogs hosts hundreds of thousands of blogs for teachers, students, researchers, professors, librarians, administrators and anyone and everyone else involved in education.

This web site is specifically designed to provide blogs as a place for:
- providing blogging accounts for educators and students
- forums to answer questions
- troubleshooting
- feedback and discussion
- reflections
- support

Blogging across the curriculum

Next, let’s start to narrow down our scope of the blogosphere, and try to imagine its uses in our classrooms. Although there are obvious connections for reading and writing which point to blogs having their place in English language arts classrooms, blogs can be used in all subject areas. Here are few suggestions to consider:

* Math – students can work on math problems with peers from another class
* Science – students can compare results of science experiments with other classes
* Language classes – students can converse with native speakers
* Phys. Ed. – students can log and analyze their workouts and/or diets
* History – students can construct resource sites for their studies
* English language arts – students can respond to literature readings
* Art – students can critique art work and projects

Take a peek at a few examples of some real examples of how classroom teachers are using blogs in their subject areas:

A Science blog: http://classblogmeister.com/blog.php?blogger_id=84725
A Math blog: http://mykhmsmathclass.blogspot.com/
An Art blog: http://mshearman.edublogs.org/
An English blog: http://mrscaldwell0.edublogs.org/

(There are many examples of classroom blogs to be found at: http://supportblogging.com/Links+to+School+Bloggers)

These are only a few examples! What other uses for blogging can you start to see for your classroom?

Source: http://mrcoyle.edublogs.org/

Setting up a Blog

As Richardson suggests, teachers must become bloggers themselves so that they can fully understand the potential of blogs as a teaching and learning tool. Teachers should start out small; create accounts and gradually familiarize themselves with the blogging software and the experience of publishing online. They may wish to begin only responding and posting to existing blogs before writing and publishing their first post. As teachers get more settled into the rhythm and mental work that is blogging, they will learn to write more critically and indepth.

An introductory use of blogs for teachers can be as a course management tool to put basic information relevant to the class, such as: handouts, assignments, deadlines, upcoming events, etc. This does not require them to have students to set up their own accounts (unless they decide to do so later on). The information is completely controlled by the teacher. As teachers feel more comfortable, they can introduce their students to other uses of blogging.

As a staring point, I would show my staff the process of setting up a blog with Blogger or Wordpress.

Ideally, this professional development session would take place in the computer lab, with each teacher sitting at a computer station, while I guide them using an large screen projection of my computer screen. By providing a demonstration of how to set up an account, followed by instructions on managing the settings, teachers can then get started “hands on” with personalizing their blogs. It is important that an adequate amount of time be given for teachers to investigate the features and settings of their blog accounts.

This document, Setting up a Blogger.com account for use in the classroom, provides extremely helpful information pertaining to setting up a Blogger account; something I would use as a handout for teachers to supplement a demonstration.

(For teachers who are familiar with blogging, and wish to start investigating how they can set up blogging accounts for their classes, I would direct them to Edublogs.)

A Brief Introduction: Adding RSS Feeds Through an Aggregator

Although the primary focus of this particular professional development session would be to introduce blogging to teachers, there may also be an opportunity to demonstrate how RSS feeds can be utilized along with blogs. Therefore, only a brief introduction to this web tool might be given at this time. A PD session completely devoted to RSS feeds and the Internet would be a logical next step in the process of learning about Web 2.0. Richardson’s chapter “RSS: The New Killer App for Educators” from Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts, and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms would provide a guide for this explanation and demonstration.

Making the Case for Web 2.0 Tools

2008-04-08T18:49:00.000-07:00

The educational landscape as we once knew it is experiencing a time of unbelievable growth and change. Bob Dylan said it best: “…the times they are a-changin’”. Living in the Age of Information has prompted educators to rethink, revamp, and revitalize the goals of curriculum to prepare students for living in the 21st century; a new world where exponential changes in technology are happening.

Many researchers have acknowledged that the way students learn today has changed from a generation ago. As Ian Jukes (The Committed Sardine) explains:

Kids today are different. Clinical research shows that children neurologically adapt to their pervasive digital experiences, and that they absorb and process information in ways fundamentally different from their predecessors.

Technology has changed, and will continue to change education.

Students must be given the opportunity to actively construct their own knowledge, and to develop the ability to understand and apply key content concepts and ideas, to solve problems, ask questions and question answers, link disciplines, and explore multiple routes to knowledge. Digital Learners like to receive information quickly from multiple multimedia sources, multi-task, process pictures, sounds and video before text, have random access to hyperlinked information, network with others, learn "just in time", have instant gratification, and learn things that are active, relevant and instantly useful.

Education changed from the Agricultural age to the Industrial Age, and it needs to now change from the Industrial age to the information age (Ian Jukes, The Committed Sardine).

Will Richardson (Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts, and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms) also provides some key questions educators need to address about the impact of the Internet – the “Read/Write Web” on our futures:

* What needs to change about our curriculum when our students have the ability to reach audiences far beyond our classroom walls?

* What changes must we make in our teaching as it becomes easier to bring primary sources to our students?

* How do we need to rethink our ideas of literacy when we must prepare our students to become not only readers and writers, but editors and collaborators as well?

* How do we best put to use the reams and reams of “digital paper” that Weblogs provide?

We begin to realize that literacy is more complex than ever before; it is being re-conceptualized to encompass the multiple forms of literacy that students will need to develop in order to participate fully in the 21st century.

Make way for the teaching of the NEW literacies: the Internet and ITC (information technology and communication) which are central to the use of information and acquisition of knowledge (Asselin, 2005).

It is generally agreed upon that these new literacies are important goals in education, but how are classroom teachers really addressing and teaching these literacies? Are Web 2.0 tools an important part of how we teach the new literacies? The answer is, yes. As Richardson explains: “…these tools have considerable relevance to state and local core content curriculum standards, and there is much reason to believe their implementation in schools will better prepare students for a slew of new literacies and competencies in their post-education lives” (Richardson, 2006, p. 5).

Additionally, Web 2.0 tools support multiple intelligences and constructivist learning. All of these reasons point to the need for integration in our teaching practices.

Building Educational Experiences with Web 2.0 Tools

2008-04-08T18:45:00.000-07:00

Introduction

For this assignment, we have been asked to select a Web 2.0 tool to introduce to our staff, and outline the professional development that we would plan. Upon reflection of the ten new web tools I have just learned about in this course, I would like to approach this type of professional development by planning instruction about blogs and blogging.

Blogs are one of the tools which I believe provide a foundation or springboard for other Web 2.0 tools. The concepts about web tools learned through an exploration of blogging would be transferable to learning about and understanding other web tools.

Another reason for selecting blogs as a starting point for staff professional development is that blogs provide novice users a chance to “get their feet wet” and start to familiarize themselves with the “Read/Write Web” (Richardson, 2006). For more tech-savvy users, they can explore more the sophisticated uses for blogs, but can still use blogs as a place to reflect and showcase their discoveries.

Ideally, I would like to have copies of Will Richardson’s Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts, and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms available for staff to begin reading. Many of Richardson’s statements about why educators should be using web tools in the classroom are the same points I would use to introduce blogs to my staff.

Part 5 - Some Final Thoughts

2008-04-06T11:06:00.000-07:00

Professional blogs have become an essential resource in my learning journey this semester. Until this year, I had never read any professional blogs. I did not even consider them a “reliable source” of information; mainly due to my lack of understanding about them. It was not until I created my own blog, and began investigating this particular Web 2.0 tool that I have come to recognize the important contributions made by professional educators in the blogosphere.

Another important realization I have made is that educators are some of the most generous, helpful and patient people around. This has become apparent by visiting blog after blog which has been designed with the sole purpose of helping and supporting other educators. One can see the effort and hard work which has gone into creating and organizing meaningful information to empower teachers. I have also been amazed by the positive feedback and interactions I have read in some of these blogs. I was most pleasantly surprised by receiving some positive comments from other educator-bloggers on my own blogs this semester. All of this has helped me grow as an educator in ways I would have never imagined three months ago.

I believe that blogs are truly a powerful part of a professional learning community.

Part 4 - Learning from other Professionals through their Blogs

2008-04-06T11:02:00.000-07:00

The way in which educators engage in professional development can be multi-faceted. Attending conferences, meetings, and workshops with other educators are often the most valued PD opportunities, since educators seem to thrive on discussion and interactions with one another. Whenever you have two or more teachers in a room together, how long before “shop talk” begins? From my experience, not very long! Sharing ideas, stories, successes and failures are all part of growing as a professional. Since blogging occurs on the internet, it is like having an on-line conference, meeting or workshop to participate in at one’s convenience. It is a new way for educators to stay connected.

Since the beginning of this semester, I have subscribed to the blogs of seven professionals: educators, technology experts and teacher-librarians. (I set this up through an aggregator; Google Reader, which brings RSS feeds directly to my blog). Each week, I have read about the various topics which have been timely or at the forefront of their professions. Their blogs have provided me with insights, instruction, resources, web links, book titles, opinions, rants, and ideas; all which I have “soaked up” like a sponge! I have come view these individuals to as guides on my journey to learn about becoming a teacher-librarian in the 21st century.

Here are a few of the professional blogs from which I have been gaining wisdom:

2 cents worth by David Warlick
Weblogg-ed by Will Richardson
Neverending Search by Joyce Valenza
Blogging in the Classroom by Lorna Costantini
November Learning News by Alan November
Technology in the Education Arena by Julia Zangl Colby
TL-DL Blog by Jennifer Branch

Although I have not spent as much time at Edublogs, this site has been referred to many times by colleagues. Edublogs appears to be a prime example of how blogging enhances professional development. The description of the site states: “Edublogs hosts hundreds of thousands of blogs for teachers, students, researchers, professors, librarians, administrators and anyone and everyone else involved in education.”

Edublogs offers educators:
* forums to answer questions
* troubleshooting
* feedback and discussion
* reflections
* support

One does not have to look far to find other online communities such as this, which attract like-minded people.

(Check out Top 100 Educational Blogs)

Part 3 - Blogging as part of Research

2008-04-06T10:58:00.000-07:00

Some professionals (such as those of us who are currently studying in the TL-DL program) are engaged in ongoing research for assignments and projects. Research processes are evolving with the expansion of technological tools.

Buffington’s article Blogging With Graduate Students looks at the use of blogs as a research tool. She wanted to explore the idea that the research process, the researcher’s thoughts and the publication process could be combined through a blog.

She describes the evolution of their blogging process:

"Our blog started slowly, with a few test posts and discussions of passwords and the functionality of the blog. As time went on, the posts changed to questions about the research process, testing out focus group questions, analyzing data, and generating theories about data. Additionally, the blog became a place to share successes and challenges with both the academic portions of thesis writing as well as the intellectual and family challenges of negotiating the thesis process."

Upon reflection, Buffington found two main factors which she believes contributed to the successful blogging experience of these graduate students:

* the nature and structure of the blog - its informality, the organization, and its focus

* the support of social interaction - the feedback and connections with those who have similar motivations

One of the students mentioned how this informality, as contrasted with the formality of the traditional thesis format, helped her think, generate ideas, and receive feedback, knowing that she could focus only on the ideas and not worry about spelling, punctuation, grammar, formatting, and so forth. This informality in tone, ideas, format, and length led to freedom to express ideas in emergent states and to experiment with alternate themes in data analysis.

Thus, professionals (and students) can utilize blogging as means to further their research and inquiry into relevant topics. Blogs can become the part of the process or journey of professional development. Because blogs allow for the responses and feedback of others, ideas can emerge through collaboration. Blogs are not meant to be a “soliloquy board” (Helms as cited in Bufferington), and only work when we read and respond to the work of others. To blog or not blog... that is the question!

Part 2 - Blogging as Professional Development for Teachers

2008-04-06T10:55:00.000-07:00

A way to achieve common goals

Will Richardson’s post Blogs For Professional Development on his Weblogg-ed site gives an example of how blogs and blogging are becoming part of the professional development scaffolding for educators.

His reference point comes from “The Fischbowl” which is the work of Karl Fisch. Fisch discusses how blogging has become the pathway to reach the common goals set by his staff: “to improve teacher and student use of technology, to achieve curricular goals, to help transform our school to a more student-centered, constructivist approach, and to prepare our students to succeed in the21st century.”

Fisch sees blogging as a way have teachers “push” their thinking and make sure they are not only doing the best job they can, but that what they are doing truly aligns with their beliefs. Blogging provides a place to openly discuss challenges facing their students, and allows teachers to work together to achieve their common goals.

From this viewpoint, blogging has become another form of a professional learning community for educators.

Subscribing to other peoples’ brains

Edublogging @ Macworld describes itself as a “workshop blog to learn more about blogging in educational settings.” As I was researching for this topic, I discovered a blogging discussion which perfectly illustrated the networking aspect this web 2.0 tool, which is an essential component of professional development.

The question posed for workshop participants asked: “How has blogging impacted your professional development?” These are a few of the responses:

* What’s your most powerful/memorable experience that’s resulted from blogging? A complete stranger becoming my blogging mentor and helping me build a better site (kolson29)

* I use it to keep tabs on what smart people are thinking. I call it, “subscribing to other peoples’ brains (SkyDaddy)

* I was hooked by the idea of being able to reflect regularly on what I was discovering about Web 2.0 for schools and libraries, by being able to share information, and by being able to help develop social networks between bloggers (heyjude)

* social network blogging… offers a way to deliver a message to like-minded individuals, while keeping tabs on professionals with similar interests (Lucy Gray)

Another great example of how blogging is related to the professional development of teachers can be seen at the So You Want to Teach site: 8 Ways Blogging Makes Me A Better Teacher.

Painting Ourselves into the Picture

Konrad Glogowski’s blog The Embedded Practitioner uses the painter Caravaggio to draw parallels between his painting and the role of the teacher in the blogging community. Caravaggio is well-known for inserting his self-portrait, inserting himself, so to speak, into his paintings. Similarly, Glogowski feels that a teacher in a blogging community should enter the context that gives rise to his or her work. Glogowski states that “we can gain a better understanding of our classrooms-as-communities if we immerse ourselves in them.”

Professional development in the networked world requires that we look closely not only at what we do as educators but also at how we are embedded in educational contexts. Much like Caravaggio, we have to narrate ourselves into existence through participation in our classrooms in a way that is non-authoritarian, readerly, and conversational.

By engaging in reflective blogging with our students, we are participating in both their learning journeys, as well as our own.

Part 1 - An Introduction: Blogs/Blogging for Professional Development

2008-04-06T10:50:00.000-07:00

Much of our focus for exploring Web 2.0 tools this semester has been to understand how these tools can be used in school classrooms. Generally speaking, we have mainly looked at how they would benefit student learning. But what about the professional development of teachers? How can these same tools further their own development as educators, specifically blogs?

The reasons which make blogging significant learning tools for students are the same reasons they enhance the professional development of teachers.

Blogs can:

* promote critical and analytical thinking
* be a powerful promoter of creative, intuitive, and associational thinking
* promote analogical thinking
* be a powerful medium for increasing access and exposure to quality information
* combine the best of solitary reflection and social interaction

(Eide Neurolearning Blog, 2005, as cited in Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms by Will Richardson)

Will Richardson (2006) also explains that blogs are ways for teachers to “manage and communicate the knowledge that gets created” and can be used as “articulation tools” to share best practices, lesson plans and learning objects. Blogs allow teachers to share with one another without having to be “in the same room.”

So as I see it, this topic really has two components to it:

* BLOGS (noun – “an online diary”) for professional development
These are weblogs which offer advice and information; places to read and retrieve information; engage in discussions.

* BLOGGING (intransitive verb – “to write entries in a weblog”) for professional development
This is the process of maintaining your own site to explore your own professional development. Blogging is expressing one’s thoughts through writing.

Part 4 – Social Networking in Education

2008-03-29T08:58:00.000-07:00

Issues and Concerns

While social networking sites lend themselves to numerous educational uses, there are many school districts that block these types of web sites. Since Acceptable Use Policies for computers in schools are intended to convey that computer resources are meant for school work, “social networks” are likely regarded as non-school related because of the potential for misuse. If certain social networks (such as Facebook) are blocked in a school district, it still may be possible for teachers to use social networks with their students. Instead, teachers may have to subscribe to a social network which is designed and created specifically by the teacher, such as Ning (check out Ning in Education: “a community of educators using Ning to build social networks”). Also, some school districts can lift the block off certain sites for particular class projects, by special request from the teacher.

A recent and highly publicized issue relating to Facebook as a tool for peer tutoring in Ryerson University reveals how students have adapted social networking for educational purposes. Chris Avenir and his classmates used Facebook as means of comparing notes and sharing homework tips and questions. The controversy lies in the fact that his professor stated that the assigned work was to be done individually, and not worked on with others. However, Avenir’s argument remains that an online study group is no different from an in-person mentoring group, or peer tutoring. Despite the circumstances of this situation, the use of social networking as a method of online peer tutoring becomes apparent.

Potential Uses of Social Networks in Classrooms

How can classroom teachers use social networking? Social networks allow students to:

* learn how to come together in an environment to interact for a specific purpose; build a community
* personalize pages to express individuality and creativity
* pose questions to the community
* hold forums to discuss topics of interest
* find and share research resources
* create study groups and peer tutor
* interact with people who are working on similar projects/homework

Educators and students may find some of the following sites useful for their activities:

LinkedIn: A networking site for professionals looking to make contacts and build relationships in their professional communities.

Xivio: This is a networking site designed for children or young adults. You have to have permission of an adult if you are under 18 and the site is monitored to ensure appropriateness. It is a 3D world for chat and video and music uploading and sharing.

Imbee: Imbee is designed for children ages 8 to 14 and is designed to be a chaperoned site that adults can keep tabs on. Accounts are free and they are actively courting teachers to set up classes using the service.

Bebo: Bebo is a social media network where friends share their lives and explore great entertainment. Open to anyone 13 and older.

Yahoo360: This site combines a personal webpage with a blog and a photo album.

Ning: An online service where you can create, customize, and share your own Social Network for free in seconds.

Twitter: Twitter is a service for friends, family, and co–workers to communicate and stay connected through the exchange of quick, frequent answers to one simple question: What are you doing? It provides a constant feed of updated personal information to those in a social network.

For other ideas about how educators are using social networks, take a look at the list of links at Social Networks in Education.

Potential Uses of Social Networks in the Library

Social networks, such as Facebook, can have many potential uses for the school’s library. Miller and Jenson (Connecting and Communicating with Students on Facebook) suggest that Facebook be used as a way to communicate the events and services of the library to students. The four Applications they recommend to utilize to grab students' attention are: My Profile, Notes and Posted Items, Albums, and Events.

Some suggestions include:

* posting up to date contact information and office hours
* share favourite books, TV shows, interests, or quotes
* get the word out about a new database or resource
* post a weekly trivia question and offer a prize to the first person who messages you with the correct answer
* create a library tour that features hotspots in the building and details guidelines for their use
* describe how to use library technology, including software and hardware. For example, you could provide screen shots of citation management software and the instructions for using it.
* plan a drop-in workshop that highlights a new tool at your library. The R.S.V.P. feature will let you know how many students to expect.
* create Events for book groups, exhibit openings, or student appreciation festivities

Merideth Farkas writes about another interesting way libraries can utilize the power of social networking. She explains:

“We need to start thinking about how to make our content more portable so that we can easily place it into the paths our users travel online. The more places our content can be found and ways it can be accessed, the more likely it is that our content will get used…. If the library is literally in our patrons' faces when they need to do research, they are much more likely to utilize our resources….Last spring, I wrote about creating a portal to library services in Facebook (facebook.com) and MySpace (myspace.com) (AL, Apr., p. 27). Since then, Facebook has opened up its platform to software developers, enabling people to create applications that will either pull content from other places into Facebook or to search content already in Facebook. A number of libraries have created applications that will search the library catalog and selected databases. Patrons can add these tools to their profiles for easy access” (Your Stuff, Their Space).

Currently, the University of Michigan Library, among many others, has created a Facebook application for searching their library catalog, while the Birmingham Public Library has a catalog search widget in MySpace. Patrons can easily add these widget applications to their profiles so that they may search the library from within these social spaces (Kroski).

Social Networking for Educators

There are many professional development opportunities available through social networks. Edublogs has several recommended social networking sites for educators:

Classroom 2.0
EFL classroom 2.0
Kingswear School Network
Talkabout Primary MFL
Voices of the world

Social networks for educators can provide forums to share teaching strategies and ideas. I have found Classroom 2.0 helpful on numerous occasions while learning about the uses of web 2.0 tools!

Some Final Thoughts

I could not help but find myself completely consumed by this week’s blog topic. I am fascinated by the phenomenon of social networking, and how it is shaping our day to day interactions. I recognize that there are still several barriers which may prevent social networking from finding its way into classrooms immediately, but it is not likely a permanent situation. As with any new technology, there is learning curve, as well as some “troubleshooting” which must happen before the educational uses can be fully realized. With some careful preparation by a knowledgeable teacher, I believe that social networking can become an effective tool in classrooms and libraries. Social networks provide a way in which we can teach, and learn from others through a collaborative “dynamic” online community!

Part 3 – The Facebook Phenomenon

2008-03-29T08:54:00.000-07:00

The name of the website refers to the paper facebooks depicting members of a campus community that some American colleges and preparatory schools give to incoming students, faculty, and staff as a way to get to know other people on campus. (Wikipedia)

Facebook has certainly made its mark. Created in 2004, Facebook is one of the most well-known social networking sites. In January 2007, the site had 3.3 million users, compared to a whopping 15.3 million users a year later (Peesker). While Canadian Facebookers showed a recent drop in use of the site, the U.S. figures show a continued increase in users per day (Peesker).

Facebook has dramatically affected the way people communicate. Many people have an account, or have at least been invited to create an account. Signing up for an account allows Facebook users to go out and find their friends who have also created accounts. Teens and adults alike can keep track of their friends’ lives by: viewing status updates; photo albums; sending notes, gifts, cards, and videos; as well as other fun and nonsensical applications available on the site. (I have sent “Tim Horton’s coffee” to my friends on Facebook; doesn’t that say it all?)

However, Facebook doesn’t impress everyone. Sites such Snubster, Enemybook and Hatebook are appealing to Internet users who get a kick out of the tongue-in-cheek humour of mocking their friends and others who are just plain cynical (Parody sites start anti-social trend). One criticism of Facebook is that some users are “friend collectors” and add as many people as they can to their friends list as a symbol of status. Having hundreds of friends on Facebook doesn’t really mean that all of those connections are genuine or meaningful relationships.

The Future of Facebook?

Social networking expert Charlene Li states that although Facebook is entertaining, it should expand into more practical areas. Li asks: wouldn’t people like to know more about things such as what books or restaurants their friends recommend? While Facebook does offer some insights into the likes and dislikes of the users, there is a limit on the types of interactions which can take place, and it does not allow users the ability to share information with other user-based websites. As Li points out, there are difficulties which arise in the privacy filters which would need to accompany such interactions.

Therefore, Facebook may be “the leader of the pack” in social networking for now; that is, until something better comes along.

Privacy and Safety on Facebook

One of my major concerns when I first signed up for a Facebook account was about how to maintain privacy. I have learned that there are a number of ways in which users can safely connect with friends, while at the same time, not feel completely “exposed” on the Internet.

Under the “Privacy” tab, users can select the degree of privacy they wish to control on the following:

a) Profile – users can control who can see their profile and personal information
b) Search – users can control who can search for them, and how they can be contacted.
c) News Feed and Mini-Feed – users can control what stories about them get published to their profile and to their friends’ News Feeds.
d) Applications – users can control what information is available to applications they use on Facebook.

Additionally, there is also the option to “Block People” so that they will not be able to search for you, see your profile, or contact you on Facebook.

My preference has been to connect with my friends and family whom I know to be on Facebook, but now having done that, I have chose not to be available for anyone else to contact me. One main reason I have done this, was so that I would not be contacted by students. I preferred not to include them in this particular social network.

It is also interesting to note, that should a Facebook user decide to deactivate or delete an account there may still be actually be information connected to him on the site. Andy Greenberg’s article, “How to erase your Facebook profile” explains the steps necessary so that a former user actually becomes “web dead” on Facebook. Other web privacy information is provided by this article, such as: deleting your MySpace page, subscribing to ReputationDefender; deleting photos off your blog, and deleting Google results.

Social Networking and Cyberbullying

Bullying is not a new phenomenon; however, with the increased ability to produce and publish content on the internet, bullying has taken a new twist. Social networking sites provide opportunities to target and terrorize individuals in insidious new ways. Due to the fact that bullying can take a more anonymous form on the Internet, social networking sites can become open forums for bullies.

Many schools block social network sites for this reason. Furthermore, some schools have updated their student code of conduct to clarify that bullying by electronic means-"interactive and digital technologies or cell phones"-will be treated as seriously as the traditional schoolyard variety (Stover, 2006).

Teachers, students and parents must engage in discussions about what is deemed appropriate and inappropriate web behaviour. Social networking is similar to the other web 2.0 tools which require respect for other participants.

* An excellent source of information about online safety can be found at:
Social Networking Sites: Safety Tips for Tweens and Teens.

Part 2 – Social Networking Web Sites: The New “Hot Hang-Out”

2008-03-29T08:52:00.000-07:00

Wasn’t “the mall” the preferred hang-out for teens? Times are changing. Social networking now occurs in-person and on-line.

A January 2007 survey found 55% of all online American youths ages 12-17 have created profiles at social networking sites, such as MySpace and Facebook, with 48% visiting social networking sites at least once a day. As with other teen activities, social networking filters down to younger kids. A recent survey found 71 % of tweens and teens between the ages of 9 and 17 visit social networking sites weekly (Hayes, 2007).

For 15-17-year-olds, the socializing sites are the big draw: 91% of all social networking teens say they use the sites to stay in touch with friends they see frequently, and 82% use the sites to stay in touch with friends they rarely see in person. While 70% of older girls have used an online social network compared with 54% of older boys, the boys are more likely than girls to use the sites to make new friends (60% vs. 46%). (Hayes, 2007).

Older teens are more likely to use the same site their friends use, typically MySpace, Facebook, or MyYearbook. As users update their content frequently to continue drawing in friends, and as they grow older, their pages evolve toward utility and maturity and away from frantic animations and edgy, repetitive content. (Hayes, 2007).

The Big Three

The three most popular social networking sites are generally agreed to be Facebook, MySpace and Friendster.

Facebook: “Facebook is a social utility that connects people with friends and others who work, study and live around them. People use Facebook to keep up with friends, upload an unlimited number of photos, share links and videos, and learn more about the people they meet.”

MySpace: “MySpace is an online community that lets you meet your friends' friends.Users can create a community on MySpace and share photos, journals and interests with a network of mutual friends.”

Friendster: “Friendster is focused on helping people stay in touch with friends and discover new people and things that are important to them. Online adults, 18 and up, choose Friendster to connect with friends, family, school, groups, activities and interests.”

Part 1 - Social Networking: An Introduction

2008-03-29T08:44:00.000-07:00

Do you remember the trivia game “Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon”? This game was based on the theory that any actor in Hollywood could be linked through his or her film roles to actor Kevin Bacon in six steps or less. I recall playing this game with friends during road trips to pass the time. You had to really know your movies, and the ability to remember who co-starred with whom. This quirky little game illustrates how connected or linked people really are, through their associations with one another. It’s a small world, after all!

I was reminded of this game after watching Lee LeFever’s video: Social Networking in Plain English. LeFever explains that in the real world, the connections between people are hidden from us. We often can’t see how people are connected, or to whom they are connected. However, when networks of people (or social networks) are displayed on the web, it allows us to see these connections that would be hidden in the real world. Thus, social networks are people networks, which reveal or create connections between people.

“What makes social network sites unique is not that they allow individuals to meet strangers, but rather that they enable users to articulate and make visible their social networks. This can result in connections between individuals that would not otherwise be made, but that is often not the goal, and these meetings are frequently between "latent ties" (Haythornthwaite, 2005) who share some offline connection. On many of the large SNSs, [social network sites] participants are not necessarily "networking" or looking to meet new people; instead, they are primarily communicating with people who are already a part of their extended social network” (Boyd & Ellison).

After joining a social network site, users are prompted to identify others in the system with whom they have a relationship. The label for these relationships differs depending on the site—popular terms include "Friends," "Contacts," and "Fans" (Boyd & Ellison). Many people refer to this as “friending;” which is just a way of noting that you have common interests on a web tool (Learning 2.0 Challenge).

A Brief History

“Social networking tools and technologies allow like-minded people to find each other” (Robin Good). Social networking has evolved with the expansion of the internet:

1995 = Classmates.com founded
1997 = Six Degrees of Separation founded
1999 = Circle of Friends founded
2002 = Friendster.com founded
2003 = MySpace.com founded
2004 = Orkut.com founded
2004 = Facebook.com founded
2005 = Yahoo!360 founded

(Source: NFi Studios)

For a comprehensive list, check out Wikipedia’s list of social networking websites, which also includes a brief description/focus for each site, and its intended audience for registrants.

A Social Network Timeline:

Source: Boyd & Ellison

Educational Uses for VoiceThread

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Part 1 - Ed.VoiceThread

VoiceThread has an educational counterpart called Ed.VoiceThread. While still an internet based tool, it is a secure network or closed community for educators and students. It provides a safe place to collaborate on the internet. As Valenza (NeverEndingSearch) explains: “the new web-based, multimedia collaborative network, offers a more secure solution for those who'd like to play in the 2.0 sandbox but have to deal with the realities of district restrictions on social networking.”

Ed.VoiceThread is also described as “a space for creating digital stories and documentaries, practicing language skills, exploring geography and culture, solving math problems, collaborating with other students, or simply finding and honing student voices.”

Ed.VoiceThread is not a free service. This is because many web services with free accounts are blocked by school districts because of online protection policies. Therefore, Ed.VoiceThread offers reasonable pricing for whole-school subscriptions. Ed.VoiceThread points out that they would prefer that the costs of these kinds of safe, effective learning tools should be not fall on the educator. They urge teachers to advocate for this service, and Ed.VoiceThread offers to provide a complete refund to any educator who signed up as part of the “Pioneer Class.”

This option is perfect for schools who wish to use a collaborative Web 2.0 tool, but want to safeguard students against some of the risks associated with publishing information on the Internet.

Part 2 - VoiceThread in Teaching and Learning

VoiceThread was ranked as #24 in the Top 100 Tools for Learning Spring 2008. Wesley Fryer in his blog, Moving at the Speed of Creativity also has high praises for this tool. He says reasons for using VoiceThread in the classroom are:

* Digital storytelling is a pedagogically sound activity for learners at all levels in all content areas.
* VoiceThread is simple, focusing on still digital images and recorded audio narration.
* VoiceThread stories are immediately web-accessible via a link or HTML code which can be embedded on another webpage.
* VoiceThread permits MODERATED feedback, so teachers can control text and audio feedback to their students’ shared digital stories.

Fryer also likes VoiceThread because it allows for immediate publishing on the global stage. He also believes this technology will help teachers have "a-ha" moments once they realize how to use it in an instructional context and purpose.

Some suggestions for using VoiceThread in the classroom include:

* Teachers can post an image or video (example: video from united streaming) with comments.
* Student can post comments creating an online discussion.
* Each student creates a Voicethread to discuss an essential question (example: What if images such as … never existed?). Students and teachers can create a discussion with each voicethread. (JAG Stacks)

Other educational uses and ideas for VoiceThread can be seen by browsing through the examples on these web sites:

VoiceThread4Education Wiki: A very useful site with examples of VoiceThreads posted by grade level.

PageFlakes VoiceThread Page: A lot of examples linked to from this page.

Maths 247 Wiki: This wiki is trying to build up a huge library of number problems organised by level and using VoiceThread to demonstrate and solve them.

The Connected Classroom: This web site offers a detailed information, explanations and links for teachers wishing to explore digital storytelling.

JAG Stacks: This web site offers handouts which teachers can use to engage students in critical thinking while viewing a VoiceThread.

The 50 Tools: Alan Levine explores VoiceThread, as well as other tools to build a story for digital storytelling.

Part 3 - Some Final Thoughts

What I have found so appealing about VoiceThread is that it allows users to incorporate so many forms of media, thus, it truly is “multimedia sharing.” Collaboration can center on various media formats; not just one or two. The more examples of VoiceThreads I view, the more ideas and uses for this tool become apparent. While it is perfect for digital storytelling, VoiceThread goes way beyond one possible function, and holds potential for any subject area and grade level.

Teachers who decide to incorporate VoiceThread (instead of Ed.VoiceThread) into their classroom should carefully plan how create identities for their students which will be viewed on the Internet. Photos of students should not be used without explicit signed permission from parents. A good alternative is to create an avatar (a computer generated character), or even a scanned image of a student’s artwork.

This is a media-rich tool which has unlimited potential for teachers and students in both the process and products of learning. There are many "a-ha" moments on the horizon!

Waskesiu VoiceThread

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Setting up an account and creating a VoiceThread

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Signing up for a VoiceThread account requires an email address and a password. After signing into the website, a person can view several tutorials by clicking on the “Help” tab to get started. It is quite remarkable to realize, after watching the “One Minute VoiceThread” tutorial, how easy and user-friendly this tool appears to be. There are further tutorials offered to explain everything from setting up a microphone, to comment moderation, to embedding a VoiceThread. I chose a picture (from my own photos) to represent myself for my account, and I was set to go.

I quickly launched into the making of my first VoiceThread, which I found quite easy to do. After selecting the “Create” tab, only three steps appear: Upload, Comment, and Share (it is very straightforward!) I already had many pictures uploaded onto my computer from my digital camera, so I decided to make a presentation using digital photos. I discovered that a person creating a VoiceThread has the option to upload many different types of media, such as image formats like: jpg, gif, bmp, and png. Document formats such as: ppt, pps, pdf, doc, xls, and video can also be used.

After selecting my photos and uploading them to the site, I was able to arrange them in the correct order. Next, I used the Comment tab to record my voice with a brief commentary on each picture. I also had the option to type in text, instead of using audio.
Other added features are available to enhance the presentation effect of the VoiceThread. By using the “Doodle” feature, a creator can make drawings directly on the images being viewed, while the commentary is unfolding. Instead of seeing the final product of the presenters’ thoughts, the viewer gets to see the entire process. These “doodlings” brings a sense of live presence, as if the presenter is sitting right next to you. There are several other features unique to this form of media-sharing.

In the last stage of creating my VoiceThread, I chose to make my presentation public, but I selected not allow for outside comments. Next, I chose to embed in my blog. Voila! My first VoiceThread was a simple presentation, but one which allowed me to begin to understand how very user-friendly and creative this Web 2.0 tool can be.

An amazing and unexpected find!

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All I can say is, WOW!! Stop everything, and go visit this amazing site right now! Educational Software and Web 2.0

As has been my custom when approaching a new Web 2.0 tool, I tend to look around for tutorials or web sites which offer “how-to” explanations. Before even visiting the VoiceThread web site, I discovered the Educational Software and Web 2.0 web site. I highly recommend this site to educators, or anyone, learning more about Web 2.0! (Don’t worry, I shall return to my VoiceThread momentarily).

I discovered the web site after first finding Suzie Vesper’s blog, Sharing the Addiction. Vesper, an ICT facilitator in New Zealand, along with other contributors, have created this web site with a wealth of information, tutorials, examples and links for educators to learn about Web 2.0. It has many similarities to Valenza’s Information Fluency; another absolute must for any teacher-librarian’s favourites links.

At Educational Software and Web 2.0, I loved the “Online Tools” page, and I intend to investigate it further when I have more time. The “VoiceThread Workshop” (a pdf) is greatly beneficial to anyone who wants to set up an account to use with their students, as it explains how to add identities to your Voicethread for each student.

Don’t forget to “Furl” this site or add it to your del.icio.us!

Multimedia Sharing: An Introduction to VoiceThread

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VoiceThread is a Web 2.0 tool which is best described as a “collaborative slideshow.” This multimedia-sharing tool provides a way for people to share images, and then add commentary; a sort of mix between slideshows and podcasting (Educational Software and Web 2.0). As described by Suzie Vesper:

“VoiceThread.com is an amazing application that holds great promise for the classroom. A VoiceThread is an online media album that can hold essentially any type of media (images, documents and videos) and allows people to make comments in 5 different ways - using voice (with a microphone or telephone), text, audio file, or video (with a webcam) – and share them with anyone they wish. A VoiceThread allows group conversations to be collected and shared in one place, from anywhere in the world. It can be used for collaborative digital storytelling at ALL levels of the school” (VoiceThread Workshop).

Similar to other Web 2.0 photosharing sites such as Flickr, Voicethread allows its users to create “mash-ups;” a combination of things to create or display a thought of some kind. (VoiceThread can incorporate Flickr and Facebook photos). However, photosharing mash-ups tend to be artistic visual creations, and do not incorporate audio and text in the creation.

Educational uses for wikis

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In Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts, and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms, Richardson describes the student learning which is generated from using wikis: students learn how to publish content; students develop and use collaborative skills; and students negotiate with others about correctness, meaning, relevance.

Profetic's site about wikis, Pedagogical Potential , describes other important educational functions of utilizing wikis, such as: they maximize interplay; work in real time; and are text-based. As best described by Richardson, “It’s a very democratic process of knowledge creation.”

Some Ways to Use Wikis in the Classroom:

* create a wiki to act as a resource list of curriculum related materials for a specific class; this could include text, links, graphics, reflections, videos, powerpoints, audio files, and spreadsheets

* use a wiki as a form of note-taking: compile links to websites, images, books, databases, etc. as a part of one’s research

* for writing workshops where students wish to peer edit

* group work projects can use wikis to share important notes and articles so that no one person is left responsible to be the “keeper” of the notes

* wikis make great forums for teachers to share lesson plan ideas; it becomes a library of lesson plan idea

*use a wiki to present a final project

Other educational Uses for Wikis:

* can be used as pathfinders or subject guides, such as Joyce Valenza’s Information Fluency wiki

* can be used for book talks, such as Meet The Stars: Books & Web 2.0

* can be used as a virtual school library website, such as Acadia Library

* can be used as a website for upcoming events or announcements for classrooms, sports teams, or organizations, such as the ALA Conference wiki

* can become used as a Professional Learning Community, such as the Teacher Librarian Wiki

Addressing teachers’ concerns about wikis

Teachers may see great potential for using wikis with their classes, but at the same time, have some reservations about how they can keep them school-appropriate, and safe from vandalism on the internet. Teachers could choose to use a wiki-site which features a password and login system (similar to blogs) to track who interacts with the site. This will provide a way of restricting those who can edit and access the site; Wikispaces has this feature. (On one the wikis I created for a course project, I set the restrictions so that only those whom I invited could make edits).

Teachers may be tempted to keep a tight control over the happenings of their class wikis. Although there must be teacher supervision and monitoring, Richardson believes that in most classes where the teacher turns responsibility and control over the students, it is usually has the best results. When students have ownership, they will protect and maintain the integrity of the site.

Another concern about wikis relates to how intellectual property is created and published. Richardson explains, “philosophically, wikis can play havoc with the traditional ideas of copyright and intellectual property.” Wiki software challenges and complexifies traditional notions of - as well as access to - authorship, editing, and publishing (Profetic). Using wikis provides even more opportunity for teachers to dialogue with their student about these issues. It becomes important that students know the differences about community collaborations and individual ownership of ideas.

In conclusion, wikis are another web 2.0 tool which have unlimited potential for teaching and learning experiences. My own learning about wikis is presently unfolding, as I am currently using them for several of my presentations in my TL-DL courses. I am fascinated by other possibilites for their use.

Setting up a wiki

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Just like many other Web 2.0 tools, there are an abundance of wiki sites to choose from. Wiki Matrix is an excellent site to use to compare various wikis. It provides a detailed analysis of the features of wikis, and which of these features are provided by the wikis you have selected to compare.

Some of the most popular wiki creation sites include: Wikispaces, PBWiki, and WetPaint. While all of these are free sign-ups, a person will have to put up with varying degrees of advertisements on these wikis. For example, Wikispaces offers an ad-free wiki for $5 a month. All sites are very welcoming of educators and students.

My first experience actually using and collaborating on a wiki was for our Assignment 2 group project. Elizabeth created our group’s wiki, so when I “arrived” there, it was ready with pre-made pages just waiting for our research and ideas to be recorded. Our group began at working on Wikispaces, which was user-friendly, but very basic in features and appearance. Elizabeth suggested moving the wiki to the PBWiki site, which we discovered to have a more polished website appearance, as well as other features.

While Wikispaces allows for fast and furious editing, there are some things that I found frustrating. When you choose to “edit this page,” the next page suddenly no longer appears to have the same formatting as the page you were previously looking at. For example, extra spaces appear which were not seen on the original. What this means, is that while editing, Wikispaces is not WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get). This can make editing a bit of a guessing game, perhaps requiring a bit of back-and-forth until you get the page to look how you want it.

However, WYSIWYG is true of PBWiki. This makes editing pages much simpler. Additionally, the editing toolbar has features such as: colour text and background; font style and size; and other commands similar to editing in a Word Document. It can even tranform your wiki pages into a pdf.

Recently, I had the opportunity to create a wiki on Wikispaces for a group project in another class. It was very simple to set up. Yet, we may select a different wiki site to transfer our information for a nicer visual presentation of our final project.

Despite, all of the little details which accompany editing something into an attractive visual product, the concept behind wikis is very straightforward. As Lee LeFever explained, it’s a simple as edit, write, and save!

The most well known wiki: Wikipedia

2008-03-08T13:09:00.000-08:00

Jimmy Wales and Larry Sanger created Wikipedia in 2001, with the intent that every single person on the planet be given free access to the sum of all human knowledge. Thus, when you arrive at the home page, you are greeted with: “Welcome to Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia that anyone can edit.”

In Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts, and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms, Richardson says, “…every time you access Wikipedia or most any other wiki for that matter, you do so as Editor in Chief. And it’s that freedom that has made Wikipedia the phenomenon it is as tens of thousands of Editors in Chief, people just like you and me, take on the job of collecting the sum of human knowledge.” Wikipedia has more than 75,000 active contributors, and almost 2,270,000 articles in English (Wikipedia).

Is Wikipedia a Reliable Source for Information?

A typical first reaction might be to question the reliability of something that is open and available to anyone to change. We don’t exactly live in a utopia; people make mistakes! What about vandals? Many people are skeptical that what is made “wrong” on Wikipedia will be made “right” by other collaborators.

However, “wikis are generally designed with the philosophy of making it easy to correct mistakes, rather than making it difficult to make them. Thus, while wikis are very open, they provide a means to verify the validity of recent additions to the body of pages” (Wikipedia). Most wikis have a way of looking at any recent changes. Often this is a list of all the recent edits. Therefore, a watchful eye can change back anything which has been altered inappropriately.

University of Buffalo professor, Alex Halavais, tested the facilitation of corrections made on Wikipedia, and found that after creating 13 purposeful errors on Wikipedia, all of them were changed back within a few hours. Furthermore, Wikipedia was compared to Encyclopedia Britannica; Wikipedia was found to be only slightly less accurate (Richardson). Perhaps this is surprising to the skeptics, but it does help build the case for the collaboration!

It is interesting to note that Wikipedia is an example of a wiki which follows “soft security” principles. This means that it uses discussion pages, history, policies and guidelines, in contrast to traditional document control with password protected authorization.

While it is important to be aware that wikis, by their nature, are susceptible to misinformation, Wikipedia can not be completely discredited. However, caution should be used in referring to Wikipedia as a primary source. Rather, it provides an excellent starting point for one’s research, by providing background information, which should be followed up and validated by other reliable sources.

What is a Wiki?

2008-03-08T12:53:00.001-08:00

A wiki is a collaborative website whose contents can be edited by anyone who has access to it (Dictionary.com). Will Richardson explains in Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts, and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms, that the term “wiki” actually comes from the Hawaiian wiki-wiki, which means “quick.” First created by Ward Cunningham in 1995, a wiki was intended to serve as an easy authoring tool to encourage people to publish. A wiki is a website where anyone can edit anything anytime they want.

Wikis have all sorts of uses, but they are websites intended to allow for changes. Thus, they are perfect for situations or tasks which require collaboration from a group of people. They allow people to compile and edit each other’s ideas.

Although older technologies, such as email, exist to aid those who wish to work collaboratively, wikis are considered the “new way.” In the video, Wikis in Plain English, Lee LeFever explains, “email is not good at coordinating and organizing a group’s input. Important information gets scattered over everyone’s inbox. This is the old way! Boo! A wiki allows for better coordination. They make it easy for everyone to change what appears on a web page with the click of button.” LeFever also explains in the Wetpaint Wikis in Plain English video, “…a wiki is a type of website where everyone can easily pitch in… a useful and organized site created by a group… its like a potluck dinner on the web.”

Virtual School Libraries for Teaching and Learning

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Ideally, the virtual school library should be a student or teacher’s first choice to begin any inquiry task. If the goals of the virtual school library are to help students become successful learners and give teachers support in their efforts to craft meaningful learning experiences, the site must be shaped accordingly. Successful virtual school libraries are those which help teach and support information literacy.

When users have to follow difficult paths to find information, they are more likely to become frustrated and turn elsewhere. The virtual school library web site should be a resource that allows users to feel confident that they will find guidance, support and quality information. Its design should be organized, appealing, and user-friendly; its content should feature reliable resources, search tools, and links.

Students and teachers have varying levels of ability when it comes to conducting research with the school library web site. Therefore, it is important that the usability of the site meets the needs of novice users, as well as the needs of advanced searchers. Considerations for the design of a web site, as well as the content featured on the web site, should be suited to the needs of the learning community who will be the primary users of the site.

If looking for a list of sites to browse in order to get ideas, one should consult the lists provided at Joyce Valenza’s Models of effective practice site and Rhonda Will’s McLurg Elem entary School Virtual Library.

There is a great deal of variety to be found in virtual school libraries!

Bibliotheque Liz Edmonds Memorial Library
Walter Murray Collegiate
Saskatoon, SK

Further Inquiry into the Elements of Exemplary Virtual School Libraries - CONTENT

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CONTENT features which are important for exemplary virtual school library web sites include:

1. library home page
A school library home page should act as a launching pad for the user and provide a picture of the on-line environment for the user. From a school library home page, users should be able to access search engines, databases, references and general library and school information.

2. information about the library
Basic information about the school library should be present on the school library web site: the names of the library staff; library contact information; hours of use; and library policies are a few examples.

3. active links
It is important that the content provided by the web site in the form of hyperlinks be checked to make sure they are viable.

4. search options
Age-appropriate toolkits grouped according to subject-specific search tools, subject portals, and databases should be available to facilitate inquiries which go beyond the use of Google. Users should know how the varieties of search options available to them are useful for meeting different kinds of information needs. Links to search engines should be annotated so the user knows what to expect.

5. databases
The school library web site should offer quality databases such as: peer-reviewed journal articles; magazines; reference materials; and primary sources which may not be found with only commercial search engines.

6. guides for ethical use of information
Information literacy and the ethical use of information should be modeled or demonstrated on the school library web site. The web site should contain: tutorials for research methods, search strategies, citation advice, writing assistance, use of presentation software, examples of ways to demonstrate learning, and samples of assessment tools. Users who can find support in how to properly cite and reference information will be less frustrated and more likely to maintain academic integrity with information.

7. archives for sharing information
Sharing information through archives (such as wikis) for teachers and students has many benefits for teaching and learning collaborations.

8. help features
Help links, or a place to email a question to the librarian is important to make sure students have their questions answered. Instructional blogs which are regularly updated can explain the library’s services or help users answer their most frequently asked questions.

9. pathfinders
The presence of pathfinders for teachers and students will help users more readily access information related to specific topics. These could be grouped according to grade levels, or subject areas.

References
Baumbach, D. J. (2005). The school library media center web page. Knowledge Quest, 33 (3), 8-12.
Braxton, B. (2004). Putting your school library online. Teacher Librarian, 31 (4).
Clyde, A. (2002). School library web sites. Teacher Librarian, 28 (2), 51-53.
Jurkowski, O. (2004). School library website components. TechTrends, 48 (6), 56-60.
Minkel, W. (2002). Remaking your web site. School Library Journal, 48 (5), 46-49.
Valenza, J. K. (2005). The virtual library. Educational Leadership, 63 (4).
Warlick, D. (2005). Building web sites that work for your media center. Knowledge Quest, 33 (3).

Further Inquiry into the Elements of Exemplary Virtual School Libraries - DESIGN

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Amongst the research and professional literature, there exist a few commonly mentioned elements of design and content when it comes to the creation of successful school library web sites. Some of the experts in the field of web site design, such as Baumbach, Braxton, Clyde, Jurowski, Minkel, Valenza, and Warlick have identified certain elements (although they may refer to these as quality indicators, principles, or commandments), for good web site design. The following is a synthesis and brief explanation of what the experts deem significant in good school web site creation:

DESIGN features:

1. target audience
Understanding the target audience of the school library web site relates to how well the needs of the users will be met, which is best reflected in a mission statement.

2. content and format
The information that is provided on the web site should empower the behaviours that you wish to see in the users.

3. visual appeal
This encompasses a number of factors which contribute to the overall appearance: standard templates; consistent layout; appropriate fonts; appealing colours; and visual magnets.

4. organization of information
Brief and concisely organized information should be a goal, so that pages are easily scannable by the user. Key words and small manageable pages lend themselves to the patience of the users.

5. no distracting features
The use of icons or graphics should enhance the web site, not distract the user. Generic looking images should not be used, so as to lend credibility to the site. Digital photos are desirable, because they can feature the resources of the library.

6. user-friendly/easy to navigate
Some navigational features that make a web site user-friendly are: home page links on each page; navigational bars on each page; the purpose for a search tool is clearly stated; information can be retrieved in a consistent manner; hyperlinks; a minimal number of clicks for common research tasks; and help information is available on each page.

7. regular updates or changes
The web site should not remain static; rather it should have a changeable feature that occurs daily, weekly, or monthly.

8. accessible to all users
Users with visual or hearing impairments should have access to all information presented on the web site, including images. Images should include a text description that can be used with a screen reader. Any video or audio elements on a page should also include captions or a text transcript of the file.

9. unique features
Interesting features make the web site stand apart from other school library web sites. “Inviting returns” are created when a web site offers something new when a user logs on. This could include: fun links to cool sites; book clubs; local event links; or weather information.

10. credibility
The school library web site should be designed to be regarded as a credible source of information. This means that aside from ensuring the relevance of the information available on the site, there should also be provided the name and contact information of the webmaster, and when the site was last updated.

Considerations for Creating an Exemplary Virtual School Library

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Thinking about goals

It was repeatedly stated throughout the literature that good web site design must have a clear goal. Creating a school library web site is more than simply learning how to link other sites, and thus, web site design should “begin with the end in mind” (Braxton, 2004). The goal of a school library web site should relate to how it will be beneficial to the users; the students, teachers, teacher-librarian, and community. As Regan (2005) states, it is easier to point the users to the information they need if you know what they’re looking for.

What makes for an exemplary virtual school library?

There are general standards which can be used to evaluate what constitutes an effective virtual school library. For example, every year, the IASL/Concord School Library Web Page of the Year Award is determined according to an agreed upon set of criteria, based on the results of research and comments/advice in professional literature. This criteria includes:

* Evidence of school teacher-librarian involvement in site development
* Relevance of site to goals and objectives of the school library
* Visual appeal: layout, choice of images, type face and style
* Organization of the information on the site
* Quality of the writing and use of language
* Ease of use of the site and navigational features
* Educational, information or public relations value of the site
* Appropriateness for the needs of users
* Currency, evidence of update policy, and the provision of current information and/or links
* Technical quality
* Value of site as a model for other school libraries and/or teacher-librarians
(Clyde, A. (2002). School library web sites. Teacher Librarian. 28 (2), 51-53).

Scotch College
2001/2002

Springfield Township High School
2000/2001

Chico High School Library
1999/2000

Joyce Valenza’s A WebQuest About School Library Websites, offers two very detailed taxonomies addressing the features/content and characteristics of school library web sites. This is an extremely helpful resource for the pre-planning of a school library web site.

Other helpful resources exist to help guide the planning, or updating of virtual school library web sites. The International Association of School Librarianship (IASL) provides a list of Internet resources for the Creating a Web Page for your School Library. Another site with web design ideas and art resources to check out is TL Links & BC Social Studies 8-12 Resources Web site.

References
Braxton, B. (2004). Putting your school library online. Teacher Librarian, 31 (4).
Regan, B. (2003). Usability in school web sites: Five steps to a better web site for your school. Library Media Connection, 21 (4), 71-72.
*** Special thanks to John Lobe for his tech-help with creating thumbnails!

Virtual School Libraries – An Introduction

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What is a virtual school library?

A virtual school library is an online learning center which provides its users with access and guidance to information and resources. Virtual school library web sites extend the physical walls of the library. They make the library accessible any time of day or night, from anywhere there is Internet access. It helps reinforce that learning does not just take place during “school hours” but at anytime!

As described by Joyce Valenza:

“your library Web page is your second front door. It meets your students where they live, and play, and work, with 24/7, just-in-time, just-for-me support and intervention. It creates online signage for students and staff. It projects the image of the librarian as a 21st century teacher and information professional. The effective library Web page pulls together, in one unified interface, all of a library's resources--print and electronic.

The library website represents the library program. It offers guidance and instruction while it fosters independent learning. It models careful selection. It offers valuable public service and can redefine ‘community.’ The site supports reading, learning, and the building of knowledge.” ( A WebQuest About School Library Websites ).

Part 8 – Podcasts and Avatars: too much fun!

2008-02-18T13:44:00.000-08:00

I have stumbled across a few web sites over the past several weeks that have had a rather fascinating and curious feature: a talking head. These little cartoonish-faces have blinked at me, and followed my curser with their eyes when it moved around the page. When I pressed the play button underneath the head, I found that I was listening to someone speak at me, via this “life-like” face.

I now know that these little speaking characters are called avatars. Avatars are a way of personalizing web pages. They can be used in a variety of ways; one being as a greeter or announcer on your web site. Podcasting can be matched up with an avatar to bring both sound, as well as a visual image to one’s message.

I was inspired by the Vokis found on the Disruptive Innovators’ wiki site, where Donna DesRoches and Carlene Walter (librarians) have used avatars to give brief greeting messages.

After reading through some of the blog discussion threads at the Classroom 2.0 web site, several ideas about how avatars (in particular, Vokis), could be used educationally started to emerge. One idea for application was describe by Paul Hardt (January 17, 2008):

“In an intermediate setting, students have been using VOKI to build similar characters to those in the book in which they are reading. Then their animated character verbally applies a skill such as theme, setting or cause and effect, or whatever.... Then when VOKI animates, we are presented with a 2.0 application that allows integration of appropriate skills along with some fun creative animation. Students love it.”

This application was a lot of fun to set up, so I can understand why teachers would want to approach this web tool carefully. Much time and effort can be wasted playing. Yet, when used as part of the finishing touches on a podcast, it creates an impressive looking final project. If I were setting up additional instructions or greetings on my school library home page, I would certainly use a tool such as this to make it more interesting and personalized.

It’s creative and fun! I have added it to my “bag of technology-tricks.”

Part 7 – The Educational Uses for Podcasts

2008-02-17T15:54:00.000-08:00

If you stop to think about it, it becomes more apparent that anywhere there is a need to communicate verbally, podcasting could be used. There are countless imaginative possibilities!

The Online Learning Studio web site provides detailed suggestions and explanations for the educational uses of podcasts. There are three areas where the potential of podcasting could be realised within schools:

* Devising a cross-curricular activity;
* Providing alternative teaching approaches;
* Promoting and using personalised learning

A cross-curricular activity is one which would utilize the IT skills learned in podcasting with a curriculum topic. Some suggestions include creating:

A) Tourism Guides – promote a city by linking a podcast to a tourism website with a guided tour of sights and attractions; give a geographical tour of the area around the school; give a description of the library resources available

B) Storytelling – listen to audio books; record readings of student-produced stories; give book reviews

C) Radio Shows – create interviews or panel discussions on topics of interest based on areas of curriculum study

The Online Learning Studio also explains how podcasting can be used as alternative teaching approaches. Some of these might include extending existing audio methodologies, creating additional materials to support specific learning needs, and reinforcing curriculum tasks with instructional content.

Many other relevant and practical classroom applications for podcasting are discussed in the video: How to use Podcasts in the classroom. Katie Grassel suggests to use podcasting for various purposes in particular subject areas, such as:

* English - find a podcast as part of research on an author or book
* Social Studies - find a podcast discussing a current event or historical speech
* Science - find research related to a topic, such as global warming

Grassel emphasizes that teachers should try to find ways to get students to use information by way of using the technology they like to listen with: MP3 players, iPods, cell phones, etc.

A note about copyright and legal issues:

Educators who want to use podcasting with their students need to be aware that copyright laws can pertain to podcasts. In particular, copyright may come into play when there is music used as part of a podcast.

If music is to be part of a podcast, the following solutions are suggested by Online Learning Studio:

* Arrange for a music licence (covers the performance rights and royalties);
* Use royalty free music (carefully check the conditions of use);
* Create your own, original music (this is your own copyright).

Terms and conditions are usually outlined on Internet Service Providers, and should be checked carefully so as to avoid copyright infringement.

A Final Thought…

Wow, I made it! A few days ago I was feeling terribly frustrated, but now I am feeling rather proud that I have figured out a bit more about this web 2.0 tool. I see tremendous opportunities for its use, and I am a bit sad that I can’t “test it out” on my students just yet! (Well, that might be for the best, since I really still have a lot more experimenting to do with podcast creation). Nevertheless, I have added another form of information technology to my tool belt.

Oh yes, maybe I should also work on my "radio voice"...

Part 6 - Creating Podcasts: The importance of Tags and Titles

2008-02-17T15:53:00.001-08:00

The tutorials provided by CreativeCow.net really helped explain an important concept for the creation of podcasts: providing descriptive information in the form of tags. Creating new content requires clear labelling of exactly what the media contains; this is what makes it accessible and usable. Depending on which program one uses when recording and then saving a podcast, you will be prompted to add information so that the media becomes easy to identify amongst other similar forms. McMahon explains that it is very important to give a descriptive title to your podcast MP3, because when your sound file shows up in someone’s player, they should have written information to identify what they are listening to.

Audacity prompts for information to be filled out for “ID3 Tags” when exporting as an MP3. This includes tags for: title, artist, album, year, genre, etc. which are helpful to listeners in identifying the source of the podcast.

Part 5 – Creating and Publishing a Podcast

2008-02-17T15:50:00.000-08:00

As mentioned in my blog on set-up, there is a particular order of skills and software needed to create and publish a podcast. Here is what I would recommend doing to create and publish a simple podcast:

1) Download Audacity and LAME. The tutorials on these sites will help you properly set both up. I did run into some trouble unzipping the LAME compressed file, but eventually got that solved. Now you are set up to record your voice, save it, and export it as an MP3 file. Don’t forget to use the descriptive tags to properly identify your podcast later on.

2) Set up an account at The Internet Archive. Once you have done that, you can “upload” your MP3 podcast on to the site. It will prompt you for information about the title, description, keywords, etc. about the podcast, so be ready to fill in that information.

3) After submitting and waiting a few moments, you will be provided with a URL link. Click on that hyperlink, and you will see your podcast details as it appears in the Internet Archive. Information about the format and size are detailed on this page.

4) The next step is to click on the embedding and help link. It will take you to a new page with a few different types of HTML code. Depending on what your needs, one of these codes will work. For my blog, the third HTML code was the one that successfully worked. I simply copied and pasted the code from this page into the appropriate spot in my blog under “add a page element” in the “HTML/Java Script” box.

This was the process that allowed for me to successfully create and post a podcast on my blog. I did not try anything “fancy” as my main goal was just to learn the basics.

Part 4 - Getting Set-Up to Create a Podcast

2008-02-17T15:46:00.000-08:00

A disclaimer: there exists more than one way to go about setting up for podcasting. I consulted several sources in the creation and understanding of my podcasting, but there may be better or easier ways to go about this. The following is what I discovered during my inquiry.

There is a certain order of software and skills required in order to successfully create a podcast. These include:

1) an audio recorder and editor
* I used Audacity, which is a free download. Audacity allows you to: record live audio; convert tapes and records into digital recordings or CDs; edit various sound files; cut, copy, splice or mix sounds together; and change the speed or pitch of a recording.

2) an MP3 encoder
* I used LAME, another free download, which works in conjunction with Audacity. LAME allows you to save your recordings as MP3 files, (the preferred format for podcasts). iTunes is another MP3 encoder, and a free download, as well.

3) an Internet storage site
* I used The Internet Archive, which is a digital library of Internet sites and other cultural artifacts in digital form. It is like regular library and provides free access to researchers, historians, scholars, and the general public. This is the place where your podcast gets “stored” so people can access it. It also provides the HTML needed to embed a sound file on a web site.

4) a file transfer program
* I took a look at Feedburner. It is a leading provider of media distribution services for blogs and RSS feeds which allows for content to be promoted and delivered on the web. FeedBurner's contribution to the world of podcasting can best be described as the missing link or the feed, which makes distribution possible.

5) a web site or blog
* I already have a Blogger account, which was also free to create. Amongst other features, it allows for posting links to podcasts or adding html to post a podcast.

(In the end, I did not need to use Feedburner to create a link from my podcast to my blog. This was because Internet Archive provided that service for me. It was easy to retrieve the HTML code after uploading my podcast, then, I cut and paste the code into my blog!)

Part 3 - Consulting the Experts: A Variety of Tutorials on Podcasts

2008-02-17T15:45:00.000-08:00

It is nice to know that there exists a great deal of information about how to go about setting up a podcast. I ended up viewing and reading through several tutorials in order to seek out the most “user-friendly” directions possible. What is interesting to note, is that there were very different methods described in these tutorials, which did leave me feeling rather confused at a few stages. However, the information provided did help explain concepts, even if my computer wasn’t always cooperating.

Here are a few tutorials which I found quite helpful:

How to Podcast by Jason Van Orden – provided very detailed directions, and did not skip over much. The only downside: the tutorial is about 3 years old, and the web pages discussed no longer look the same.

CreativeCow.net Podcasting Tutorials by Franklin McMahon – also provided excellent explanations and visuals, but the web pages I visited did not look the same as in the tutorial.

CNET Reviews Create Your Own Podcast by Rick Brodia – had some good explanations, but a far different method than I ended up following for podcasting.

Online Learning Studio provides educators step-by-step assistance for setting up and exploring the educational uses of podcasts. I grew a little impatient with the feedback/questions at the end of each learning session, so consulted other resources. However, I would use this if I had more time.

Part 2 - Podcasting 101

2008-02-17T15:43:00.000-08:00

The term may sound technical, but a podcast is a lot like an “on-demand” radio show (Learning 2.0 Challenge). It is an audio program or broadcast, which instead of being played over the airwaves, is played over the Internet. The listener can control when he would like to listen to it because it is a recorded file which can be played back at one’s convenience. A good way to think of podcasting is as a form of time-shifted digital radio (Online Learning Studio).

Podcasts can take many forms, from short commentaries (just a few minutes) to much longer in-person interviews or panel group discussions. The world of podcasts is expansive, and caters to a variety of interests! Podcasting is for anyone for any reason. It empowers you with a voice that can literally reach around the world (About, Inc.).

A podcast is somewhat related to a blog: the difference is that a podcast uses sound files whereas a blog uses words (Learning 2.0 Challenge). Thus, a podcast is like a blog with sound. Podcasts use the MP3 file format, which is a compressed format for audio files. There are a variety of ways to access podcasts which go beyond needing an iPod or MP3 player; podcasts can be accessed by your PC, laptop, or other portable device. You only need the right software (such as iTunes or MediaPlayer) and headphones or a speaker to listen to it.

When subscribing to a podcast, it is best to remember the similarities with blogs. Since blogs are subscribed to using an RSS feed (like Bloglines or Google Reader) podcasts are directed the same way.

Depending on how one wishes to utilize podcasts, there are few different concepts to understand. One may wish to create, publish or subscribe to a podcast. There are several steps required to get set up. After that, the world of podcasting will open up its doors…

Part 1 - My Podcasting “Hangover”

2008-02-17T15:42:00.000-08:00

After several straight days of being completely immersed in the technicalities of podcasting software applications and lingo, I have emerged as a survivor. For a web 2.0 novice like me, podcasting was a huge challenge, because it required so many additional applications and aspects to make it work. The path was not a straight one. I revisited tutorials, directions, and websites so many times, I was getting pretty dizzy. I almost feel like I am recovering from a hangover.

However, the challenge has been met. Now, it’s time to reflect and put this whole experience into perspective. I feel that I have managed to learn a concept in a way which will better enable me to help teach other educators who were at the same place I was a few days ago: “ground zero.”

I’m feeling better now, and the Tylenol is working.

Social Bookmarking: Applications in Education

2008-02-09T09:34:00.000-08:00

An educational approach to social bookmarking is explained in “7 Things You Should Know About Social Bookmarking” found at Educause Learning Initiative (http://www.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ELI7001.pdf ).

Educause outlines the uses of social bookmarking; one being that it is particularly useful when collecting a set of resources that can be shared with others. This makes it the perfect tool for group collaborations. It lets you find information about a topic you are researching even in areas that aren’t obviously connected to the primary topic.

According to Educause, the implications of social bookmarking for teaching and learning are:
* it may become less important for us to know and remember where information is found, and more important to know how to retrieve it using a shared framework
* it simplifies the distribution of reference lists, bibliographies, papers and other resources

Here’s an example of what one educator had to say about the significance of social bookmarking. This was posted on the Classroom 2.0 blog site by Lynne Wolters:

“When asked which social networking or Web 2.0 tool you could not give up - hands down it is delicious social bookmarking. http://del.icio.us Features I [Lynne Wolters] appreciate and use often:

1. Personal network - I have added top leaders, thinkers, and developers in educational technology. By having a look at what they are posting, I become aware of quality sites and can view with interest where their current thinking is taking them.
2. Ability to send bookmarks to anyone in your network - just added their tag to the tag list.
3. Ability to view my bookmarks from any computer with an Internet connection.
4. Open to anyone who wants to view my bookmarks.
5. Ability to organize by tag designations.
6. High quality resources posted. The del.icio.us community are their own filter for content.”

(Retrieved from Classroom 2.0 web site: http://www.classroom20.com/forum/topic/show?id=649749%3ATopic%3A45675by )

Some final thoughts

Anyone can participate in social bookmarking. It is not formal; but rather an “amateur” method of classifying information. There are no hard and fast rules that govern tagging. It develops a social community of people with common interests, and leads to development of a unique structure of keywords to define resources: folksonomy.

However, the nature of folksonomy means that there may be inconsistent or poor use of tags, which is not always understood by all users. It raises some questions about the ways in which we have classified information in the past, and how it will be classified in the future. Social bookmarking has the potenial to redefine this. It is possible that the design and function of databases, or the way information is labelled, will mature and alter with the growth of this technology.

I have now entered into one of these social bookmarking communities with my EDES 545 colleagues. We are sharing resources of interest to our course topics, and using a folksonomy which is understood by one another. It is becoming clearer how useful this particular web 2.0 tool can be, particularly for educators and students. Social bookmarking is another way to strengthen smaller or similar-interest online learning communities, and thus, an invaluable tool for classroom use in the Information Age.

Social bookmarking – Let’s Play “Tag”

2008-02-05T15:03:00.000-08:00

Do you still bookmark your favourite web pages by saving them under “Favourites” on your computer? Have you ever needed to access one of those pages when you were working on something from a different computer? Wouldn’t it be more convenient if you could access those “favourites” from anywhere?

I answered “yes” to all three, but only because I hadn’t been aware that there was a better way to access my favourites, until now.

According to Lee LeFever, saving web pages to our browsers is the “old way” and has become messy, and tied to only one computer. The “new way” uses a web site to keep track of favourite web sites: this is called social bookmarking. His video “Social Bookmarking in Plain English” (http://www.commoncraft.com/bookmarking-plain-english) was a truly a great starting point to learn about this new concept. (I’m adding it to my list of helpful tutorials/videos that help the not-so-techy become more adept).

Another way to think of social bookmarking, is as the practice of saving bookmarks to a public web site and tagging them with keywords. Thus, social bookmarking creates a true web of resources and connections – one that is not limited to individuals and their folders but represents the interests and judgements of a community of users (Educause Learning Initiative). Tags play an important role in many web 2.0 tools: you can tag photos, blogs, and videos with the words that best describe or categorize them. I have discovered that learning to “play tag” is key in getting the most out of these technologies!

School Library 2.0 defines “tagging” as: “an open and informal method of categorizing that allows users to associate keywords with online content (webpages, pictures & posts). Unlike traditional library subject cataloguing, which follows a strict set of guidelines (e.g., Library of Congress subject headings), tagging is completely unstructured and freeform, allowing users to create connections between data in any way they want” (http://schoollibrarylearning2.blogspot.com/2007/02/13-week-6-learn-about-tagging-and.html). Certainly, I believe that this will have some implications on the way users search and use “natural language” to identify what they are looking for.

So, are you ready to try social bookmarking? Which one should you choose?

“The Social Bookmarking Faceoff” written by Alex Iskold (http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/social_bookmarking_faceoff.php ) provides a breakdown of the pros and cons of ten popular social bookmarking sites. Iskold concludes that “the social bookmarking market is dominated by del.icio.us and StumbleUpon. These leaders split the market, as they bring orthogonal approaches to bookmarking - del.icio.us builds a hierarchy for people to browse (it does related relationships, etc.), while StumbleUpon is more of a random discovery system.”

Since I prefer something a little more systematic, I chose to begin with del.icio.us as my social bookmarker. I found it easy to get started, until the point where the two new buttons were supposed to appear on my toolbar. This took a bit of time to address and figure out. By going to the FAQs page, selecting one of the questions under the category “the posting buttons”, then clicking on the hyperlink “bookmarklet buttons,” I was able to view a tutorial which showed me how to get the buttons to appear. Problem solved.

Out of my concern for encountering more potential road bumps, I decided to consult a video tutorial about del.icio.us which I found on TeacherTube (http://www.teachertube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=5e608e863301eb98e180 ). It helped me understand several steps in properly utilizing social bookmarking. I was able to upload my favourites from my browser onto del.icio.us by accessing “settings” and selecting “import/upload”. Very simple. I also began the process of tagging my bookmarks by clicking on “edit” of each bookmark and adding the keywords that best describe the content found at the web site.

At this point, I am ready to discover more of the features of my new web-based social bookmarking!

Videosharing Part 5 – Summarizing Thoughts

2008-02-03T16:02:00.000-08:00

I feel like I have only begun to scratch the surface of videosharing. It is a web 2.0 tool which has something to satisfy just about any interest. It has multi-purposes for both those who wish to create and add content to the internet, but also for those who wish to seek it out.

Videosharing has contributed to a “participatory media culture” (The Center for Social Media). It is constantly evolving and changing the way we communicate. It allows self-expression through video production and direct information sharing. Its impact on our culture becomes more apparent as videosharing grows in both its form and popularity.

I think that videosharing has two main contributions for enhancing the education of our students. First, there is an abundance of video content available which can be used as a viewing resource in our classrooms. Teachers who take the time to search through sites can find appropriate and interesting videos which can support curriculum objectives: such as an instructional math video; or a video clip used as the basis to discuss an issue. Although higher quality educational videos are more likely to be found on sites such as TeacherTube, that does not discount the useful resources which can be found at sites such as YouTube. However, since videosharing is open to various forms of expression, it is still critical to be careful and selective before using any video with students.

A second contribution videosharing has made towards enhancing educational experiences is in the form itself. Student-produced video can be seen as a product of their learning. Teachers can opt to give students the opportunity to display their media literacy and create their own content in video productions. Again, since videosharing on the internet is completely accessible to anyone, serious precautions and guidelines must be discussed with students to ensure that potential privacy risks are not overlooked.

On a side note, many school divisions do not provide students access to videosharing sites. There is much debate around the reasons to either lift or keep these bans. I do believe that this resource has a time and place for its use in our teaching, and banning access to these sites does not allow students to become fully media-literate. I think that teachers, administrators, and parents all play a role in teaching students the responsible uses for this type of tool. The issues surrounding videosharing can not be addressed if we are not allowed to face it head-on.

In closing, I found an inspiring video on TeacherTube called "When I Grow Up" which I feel is a reminder of the reasons why should be EMBRACING this tool, not shying away from it.

"When I Grow Up..." (TeacherTube Video)

Videosharing Part 4 - Thinking about Fair Use

2008-02-03T15:00:00.000-08:00

One issue I wanted to know more about was whether or not videosharing infringed on copyright laws. YouTube’s "Help Center" provides answers to questions about copyright and fair use. These guidelines mainly cover the information and responsibilities for those who wish to upload videos to the site. Teachers who intend to use YouTube with their students for displaying their videos should address these guidelines. YouTube emphasizes “original creation” as a way of ensuring that video makers will not violate copyright infringement.

The article “Recut, Reframe, Recycle” found at The Center for Social Media web site (http://www.centerforsocialmedia.org/resources/publications/recut_reframe_recycle/) discusses the issues surrounding copyrighted content making its way into student-made videos. Although Fair Use permits new makers to use copyrighted material without asking permission, in order to make “transformative” material, there may be some hurdles lurking in the future. “Participatory media culture” is at risk, because large content holders may succeed in having copyrighted material removed from shared-video sites.

However, it is worth noting that at this time, YouTube has partnership deals with content providers such as CBS, BBC, Universal Music Group, Sony Music Group, Warner Music Group, NBA, and The Sundance Channel.

As for the guidelines for showing videos in the classroom, Michael Wesch, in Presentation: YouTube in/on/of/for the Classroom, says that educators’ intentions behind using videos found on YouTube usually fall within the guidelines of Fair Use; “if it is for commentary, criticism, parody, or education, chances are it is fair use”. Wesch also provides a linked checklist for Fair Use which can help educators determine whether or not a video is appropriate for classroom use.

Videosharing Part 3: Educational videosharing sites

2008-02-02T17:02:00.000-08:00

TeacherTube is a videosharing website whose “goal is to provide an online community for sharing instructional videos… [and] seek to fill a need for a more educationally focused, safe venue for teachers, schools, and home learners. It is a site to provide anytime, anywhere professional development with teachers teaching teachers. As well, it is a site where teachers can post videos designed for students to view in order to learn a concept or skill” (TeacherTube). There are numerous features on this site. I found that selecting “channels” brought me to a page where I could look at video according to subject or grade level. While TeacherTube does not have the same volume of videos offered at YouTube, it does have some quality educational videos for teachers and students.

A wonderful example of how videosharing holds real educational value can be seen at http://springfieldvideo.edublogs.org/ which is link from Joyce Valenza’s Springfield Township High School Virtual Library. After clicking on “New Instructional Videos and Podcasts,” I discovered a page filled with student and teacher produced videos. The categories of videos included: book trailers, grammar, information skills, math instruction, runons and fragments, Shakespeare, thesis, verb tense, vocabulary and Wikipedia. These categories each contain anywhere from one to several videos on the stated topic. What a fantastic use for video sharing!

I recommend taking a peek at: Hamlet Revenge in Plain English which was a short student created video done in the same style as Lee Lefever’s Common Craft videos (a white background, cut-out pictures, arrows to show relationships, a narrator’s voice). This exemplifies the educational value of videosharing as a product of student learning.

Videosharing: Part 2 - An Introduction

2008-02-02T16:52:00.000-08:00

Video hosting sites allow its users to upload and share videos on the internet.

How many videosharing sites are out there on the internet? Run the term through a search engine, and the answer is: LOTS. Some include:
- Blip.tv
- ClipShack
- Crackle
- GoFish
- Google Video
- iFilm
- Yahoo! Video

However, the most popular site may in fact be YouTube with over 1 million videos viewed daily (School Library 2.0 Learning). An incredible variety of content videos can be found at such sites. A simple keyword search will turn up videos which have been tagged according to subject content and title. Videos range from amateur creations, to clips from movies or television programs, to creative combinations of both.

It is explained in “YouTube Comes to the Classroom” by Anna Adam and Helen Mowers (School Library Journal, January, 2007), that videosharing sites, such as YouTube, are looked upon as places for students to discover their voice. While inappropriate material does exist, the article points out that there are “gems” for educators to be found. The site’s K12 education group is a safe area for posting and searching, where one can find teacher- and student-submitted videos, including a piece on using blogs, wikis, and other social media in the classroom. The article also makes suggestions for discouraging the viewing of inappropriate video content.

Michael Wesch provides another supportive voice in Presentation: YouTube in/on/of/for the Classroom. He explains “yes, you can (& should) use YouTube videos in the classroom” because of its relevance, engagement, and it is the new media literacy.

Videosharing : Part 1 – Pre-conceptions

2008-02-02T16:39:00.000-08:00

Although I admittedly spend a great deal of time on the Internet, I actually have spent very little, if any, time really exploring videosharing sites, until now.

I had certainly heard of YouTube and even TeacherTube, yet had not really been curious enough to see what these sites had to offer. Perhaps this was because I had some belief that a great deal of what gets posted on YouTube consisted of meaningless content for entertainment value. On the other hand, TeacherTube had always sounded interesting and potentially more useful, but still, a consumer of my time.

Some questions I had about exploring video sharing sites included:
* Is there meaningful, educational content to be easily found on sites such as YouTube?
* What other videosharing sites exist? What are the differences between them?
* What are the ways in which videosharing can enhance classroom instruction or become a product of student learning?
* If videosharing sites such as YouTube have been banned in certain school divisions, what case can be made for lifting these bans?
* Are there copyright laws which must be taken into consideration if videosharing sites are used in a classroom?
* How can educators make videosharing safe for students?

I approached this web 2.0 tool with some trepidatation. Perhaps my lack of experience in creating video media has prevented me from establishing a comfort level. I also had (and still have) concerns about the grave misuses of this media.

However, I tried to approach this challenge by focusing on what other educators had to say about the “benefits” of this web 2.0 tool, so that it can be used in a safe and educational manner.

Photosharing and the Classroom

2008-01-26T17:58:00.000-08:00

I began to think about how photo-sharing sites could enhance the educational experiences of students. Photosharing sites:

* provide a place for people to post their pictures, and then retrieve them from anywhere (no need to burn pictures to a disk, or email them to yourself)

* allow for ways to organize, classify and collect photos (these can be left in digital albums, or made into tangible products later on)

* open up a world of images – photos can be shared openly with the public, thus providing glimpses of images from around the world

So, with these capabilities, how can we use sites like Flickr or Picasa in the classroom?

Prompted by Arlene’s post “Flickr – Real Life Examples,” I went to read David Jakes’ Classroom Uses of Flickr (http://strengthofweakties.org/?p=62). His list is fantastic! He suggests using Flickr: when visual images are required (like a presentation); for image analysis; for creative writing prompts; in digital storytelling; for virtual field trips; to examine geo-tagged images for geography; for visual documentation of student work; to teach about the use of intellectual property, etc.. These suggestions inspire various applications that can be appropriately adapted for use in elementary and secondary classrooms.

I linked to Jakesonline.org, and found even more resources under “Flickr Sites.”

* I now know Flickr allows students to contribute to the development of online stories about images! They can write storylines in the comment area of each photograph; this is called Flicktion.

* students can subscribe to any Flickr member’s account (called a photostream) through RSS feeds, and be notified when new photos are added

David Gran’s site “U Tech Tips: Tips and Tricks for Educators” also provided suggestions for Flickr applications in the classroom, in Five Fave Functions for Flickr. Why not teach art history by using the photos available on Flickr? Why not let students do creative projects using images from the Creative Commons? More exciting ideas!

Still, one must proceed with caution...

As with any Web 2.0 tool that we intend to use with students, there are some important etiquette, safety, and maturity issues to be addressed. From not giving out personal information, to anticipating a few inappropriate photos which could be stumbled upon, we need to prepare students for the proper use of this tool. Teachers should have a good grasp of its uses before they introduce it into their teaching. However, once they are ready, the sky’s the limit with creative uses to enhance learning!

Photosharing 2.0 – A Web of Images

2008-01-26T14:33:00.000-08:00

I was curious about both Picasa and Flickr. Instead of making my life simpler, I decided to look into both.

I stepped into the world of photosharing earlier this week by setting up an account for Picasa. I chose to start with this site because it was one I had some familiarity with; I had been sent a link to view a photo-album of my brother’s new house (in Texas) about two months ago. It was simple to sign up, and the layout was familiar/similar to my other Google accounts (Blogger and Google Reader… am I building a “Google empire”?) The site was easy to navigate, and I uploaded a small album of 8 photos from my digital camera. I learned how to control the private/public settings, added a slide show to my blog, and also posted the URL link. Not too tricky.

My next challenge was learn about Flickr, of which I knew nothing, but had heard mentioned more often than Picasa. The link provided by Jennifer in the “TL-DL Blog” (http://tldlblog.wordpress.com/) led me to a fantastic tutorial on how to get started using Flickr. The site “School Library Learning 2.0” (http://schoollibrarylearning2.blogspot.com/) gives guidance and tutorials on various Web 2.0 tools. The Mediamazine Flickr Tutorials
(http://www.indezine.com/mediamazine/2006/05/flickr-tutorials-series.html) helped me on my way.

A quick side note: I’m becoming a huge fan of tutorials on web technologies. If you can’t have someone sitting beside you pointing out the intricacies of a new technology, then this is the next best thing. I plan on making a list of the best tutorials I discover during my learning journey.

With the help of the tutorial, I was able to sign up for a Flickr account, upload some photos, learn how to add tags, titles and descriptions (I even added a map of where the pictures were taken!) Since Flickr is meant to be a site for the sharing of images, it is strongly recommended that one include descriptive tags, or keywords, for each picture. Some of the types of tags recommended from Flickr would help describe various aspects of the photo, such as: the medium, genre, subject, name, and location. These tags (keywords) make it easier to find a photo later, once you have many in your collection. Tags can also be used in searching for images that relate to a particular topic. (I'm starting to realize the importance of tags... they work for blogs, too!)

Browsing the images and photos on Flickr is truly amazing and a bit overwhelming. There are so many! Where to begin? I found the “Explore page” under the “Explore” icon at the top of the page was a great place for me to start. There’s even a tutorial showing you how to explore on Flickr! Very helpful.

If one clicks on “Explore” and chooses “Creative Commons” a wealth of photos can be accessed that do not have the same rules as full copyright. Explanations of the various permissible uses of the photos from Flickr members are given on this page. (This is something important to take note of, since using the shared photos for educational purposes is permitted, there are a few “boundaries” that need to be discussed with students who wish to use some of these particular photos.)

Now, with two photosharing sites added to my list of accomplishments, there is much to consider for the implications of these tools for teaching and learning. There are some very exciting possibilites!

Databases have RSS feeds? That is so cool!

2008-01-26T10:57:00.001-08:00

Just one more interesting article on RSS…

Joyce Valenza’s blog “Database searches and RSS feeds” (November 24, 2007) from NeverEndingSearch (http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/blog/1340000334.html?nid=3714), discusses how certain databases have expanded the way we can retrieve information. Many databases will enable a searcher to set up email alerts. However, Valenza points out that EBSCO will also allow for an RSS feed to be set up. If she seemed excited about this, then it must be something significant!

She puts this discovery into the context of how her students can use it. While conducting research, Valenza’s students set up feeds for blogs which are relevant to their inquiry. Once they become better at database searches, she plans to show them how to take their search content via the RSS feeds, into their research blogs (in this case, iGoogle pages through Google Reader).

Blogs are proving to be a multi-purpose tool. I knew that blogs provided a useful tool for students conducting research. They can use it to reflect upon the process, ask questions about what they are discovering, and share their learnings. But now that I am gaining a better understanding of how RSS feeds work, and where they can be found, all kinds of possibilities are opening! The discovery that a database can be linked to one’s blog while conducting research is exciting! Easier access to relevant, credible, updated information.

I’m in a bit of awe.

RSS – It really is that “simple”

2008-01-26T10:55:00.000-08:00

A growing obsession with RSS feeds has shown me a new ways to think about information retrieval. After reading Will Richardson’s “RSS: A Quick Start Guide for Educators” from www.weblogg-ed.com, I see some incredible possibilities. This document provided many suggestions to meet a variety of information needs of teachers and students. A step-by-step guide to set up an RSS feed, followed by classroom suggestions showed me how I can improve the research and information retrieval.

Richardson gives some great ideas for how RSS can be used:

- teachers can collect the work of their students who are maintaining weblogs through RSS (benefits: quick, easy to make comments, “paperless”, accessible to parents)
- students can create an RSS feed for specific information needs, such as a topic they might be researching, so that recently published news information about the topic is brought to the aggregator (you can select the news sources you want to follow, such as The New York Times)
- students can create an RSS feed to find Google websites on the internet regarding their topics. When information or new web sites become available on the topic, it shows up in the aggregator

Other interesting uses are explored. This guide is a “must-have” for any teacher wanting to learn more about RSS and its applications in the classroom.

An "RSS" Renovation

2008-01-23T17:41:00.000-08:00

I have not had what I would describe as an easy time wrapping my brain around a few things. All of this blogging business was new to me, but not nearly as tricky as getting my RSS feeds "successfully" dealt with. I had some issues. I did learn how to add individual RSS feeds to my blog, but I hadn't figured out how to add a "blogroll" through an aggregator. This required some investigation, and a lot of trial and error. But I think I have finally connected a few more of the dots. Some credit must be given to my classmate, Elisa, who shed some light on Google reader in one of our class discussions.

I had not started out using Google Reader, but instead, Bloglines. Perhaps I was not patient enough, or perhaps everything still seemed a bit foreign to me, but I did not have any luck getting a blogroll set up using Bloglines. I clicked around aimlessly on Bloglines without getting a sense of totally understanding what I could do with it.

Yet I still added RSS feeds to my blog. I clicked on "add a page element" under the Template option. I then selected the "Feed" option, and cut and pasted the URLs of the blogs I had pre-selected earlier. I had to repeat the process over five times, once I had finally figured this much out. It took a while, and I knew that there had to be an easier method, but I just didn't know what it was! I was somewhat frustrated.

Then, Elisa supplied me with some inspiration to take a look at a second blog aggregator: Google Reader. I signed up, and got started. The critcal concept I was searching for finally made sense. I was able to "add a blogroll" to my site! I now understand the HUGE difference in what I set up earlier, and what an aggregator provides.

Sure, in my first attempt, I had RSS feeds coming to my blog, but each was "individually packaged." I would have to click on each one, read the latest article, then go back to start the process of looking at the next blog and its latest article. Not terribly slow, but it could be better. With my blogroll set up, all I have to do is click "Read More" and I have all my blogs right there, with the latest articles all at the top of the page. I had no idea what a blogroll would actually look like until I figured this out today.

It may seem like small potatoes to most people, but it was a major breakthrough for me today. It's a huge relief, because I knew there was more to it... even though I didn't know what, exactly.

Getting started...

2008-01-19T10:44:00.000-08:00

Alright, here I go! I’m totally starting this journey as a complete Web 2.0 novice. I am excited to learn about how to use the various technologies out there, but wow, intimidating!

My name is Ronda, and I am a full-time TL-DL student these days. Believe me, this is an amazing and glorious change of pace after 11 years of classroom teaching. I love the “student life” but I do miss my classroom when I engage in discussions about the exciting learning experiences we as teachers have been witness to. I can’t wait to go back in the fall, hopefully in a new role, as a TL!

This world of blogging is a new one for me. I have only read a few blogs, usually prompted by my friends who are teaching abroad and have found that blogging is a great way for them to let everyone know how they are doing without having to send out endless emails. I was always impressed by how sophisticated the sites looked! Only once or twice did I ever leave a comment, so I continue to remain somewhat oblivious as to how I might use a blog for my own purposes! But, I am confident that this is the start of something I can use in a meaningful way for learning opportunities.

I chose Blogger to get set-up and it was very easy. I have to admit, I am still looking forward to playing around with features, so my blog will likely go through several “renovations” over the course of the semester. Since I can’t reno my house just yet, I might as well reno my personal cyber-space, right?

My immediate challenge seems to be figuring out how to get RSS feeds to work for me, and decide which ones to subscribe to! I have liked the “similes and metaphors” I have read during my inquiry that try to make sense of what this is all about; such as: RSS is like having subscriptions to your favourite magazines - it delivers the latest edition to you. (As an ELA teacher, I greatly appreciate explanations like this!)

However, I must continue to engage in the new language which accompanies these technologies. I am looking forward to the day when I can say that I speak English, French, and Web 2.0.