Blogs and wikis Tools for teaching and learning Teacher Librarian Network 22 September 2009 Ruth Mason, Senior Learning Design Officer

Blogs and wikisTools for teaching and learning

Teacher Librarian Network 22 September 2009

Ruth Mason, Senior Learning Design Officer

Presentation name v.100 2

Life in the 21st century


Website links

Most of the important web links in this presentation are available at:

http://delicious.com/lilythebud/wikis

Note

Del.icio.us is a social bookmarking website, which means it is designed to allow you to store and share bookmarks on the web, instead of inside your browser


Key themes

■ Quick update

■ Differences between wikis and blogs

■ Considerations

■ How to create your own

■ How teachers use them


DET update

■ The DET Blog should be available this year

■ The DET Wiki trial is still going ahead this year with release 2010


What is a blog?

■ the word is a contraction of “web log”

■ is a website, similar to a diary or journal

■ the owner and invited participants write their thoughts

■ can include text, images, voice, videos

■ 10 ways to use blogs

http://edublogs.org/10-ways-to-use-your-edublog-to-teach/

■ Edublogs handout

Example A blog from a librarian in USA containing discussions on blogs and other Web 2.0 tools

http://librarystream.wordpress.com/about-the-learn-more-series/


What is wiki?

■ a web site that lets any visitor become a participant (once permission has been given)

■ a means of collecting team knowledge, planning events, or working on group projects

■ a website where participants can create, modify and update the contents without any special technical knowledge or tools.

When setting up a blog or wiki …..

Consider:

your purpose your audience a voice which tool will best suit your

purpose



Differences between blogs and wikis

Blogs:

■ A way for participants to express individual ideas and opinions by posting them on the blog

■ Others can comment on these ideas and opinions but cannot change what has been written

Wikis:

■ A more open structure ■ Participants can make changes to what others have written


Differences between blogs and wikis - analogiesBlogs:

A chat show with call in guests who can comment but it’s ultimately one person’s show

Wikis:

A chat show with a panel where everyone contributes to the discussion

OR

http://www.converstations.com/2008/10/hey-blog-coac-1.html


Sample blog

http://firsttime-rm.blogspot.com/


Sample wiki

http://wikinewbies.wikispaces.com/Handout


Create your own blog

https://www.blogger.com/start


Create your own wiki

http://www.wikispaces.com/


Why would teachers use blogs?

Blogs can:

■ provide a space for sharing opinions, allowing everyone to be heard

■ provide an opportunity for collective and collaborative learning

■ provide the opportunity to teach responsible public writing

■ be a means to create enthusiasm for writing and communication

■ facilitate reflection and evaluation

Reason’s for blogging handoutExample A blog from a librarian in USA containing discussions on blogs and other Web 2.0 tools http://librarystream.wordpress.com/about-the-learn-more-series/


Blogs – the learning

Slide from Rachel Boyd and Tania O’Meagher Eating The Elephant (that is ICT) and eating it one bite @ a time! http://theopenclassroom.blogspot.com/


How would teachers use blogs?

http://sandylibrarian.blogspot.com/


How could secondary teachers use blogs?

http://thebestyeareightclassever.21classes.com/


How would teachers use blogs?

The possibilities are endless……. Edublogs handout

20

Example

http://librarystream.wordpress.com/tag/blogs/


A blog for teacher librarians mentioned in http://theopenclassroom.blogspot.com/ available at

http://teacherlibrarian.ning.com/

Example


Why would teachers use Wikis?

A wiki allows users to easily create, edit and link web pages (Wikipedia).

■ often used for collaborative projects where different people need to contribute

■ also great for creative writing tasks■ the wiki keeps track of each person's contribution as well as versions

■ contributors can add their own “pages”■ can be public or private■

http://www.commoncraft.com/video-wikis-plain-english

“7 Things” and Wiki FAQs Handouts


Wikis – engaging and motivating

We are only a Year 3, and it is only the kids' own words and thoughts……... We love it, but it's only a very modest little wiki.

The big thing for me was that it involved the family in the child's learning and that it was motivating - they were much keener to research and write for the wiki than for their exercise books. It's that whole thing of purpose and audience.

(DET teacher, 1 August 2008)


How could primary teachers use wikis?

Class3ewikispaces.com


Science and technology camp wiki


How have secondary teachers use wikis?

http://elementsofcivilization.wikispaces.com/


How have secondary teachers use wikis?

http://communityrights.wikispaces.com/


iwbteachers.wikispaces.com


Why use wikis and blogs in your teaching?

■ tools for students and teachers to collaborate and communicate

■ tools to collect evidence of participation

■ encourages higher order skills eg group work, problem solving

■ this technology is used by many of our students away from school

A tool has to go beyond "hey, cool" and contribute something useful. (George Siemens)


Copyright

■ http://www.curriculumsupport.education.nsw.gov.au/schoollibraries/assets/pdf/hbkcopy.pdf

■ http://www.smartcopying.edu.au/guidelines/info.html

recent amendments to the Act allow teachers to “use podcasts of programs that have been previously broadcast on free-to-air radio or television and made available on the broadcaster's website (eg, an episode of Behind the News or a Radio National program made available as a podcast on the ABC's website)”. Smartcopying


Now it’s over to you…..

How could you use wikis and blogs to enhance student learning?


….it’s your turn to get down and dirty!

Explore blog and wiki links mentioned during this presentation

OR

Go to the following website and join wikispaces http://wikispaces.com

OR

Go to the wiki space I have set up and have a play http://wikinewbies.wikispaces.com


Some Key References - wikis■ Wikispaces

http://wikispaces.com

■ Teachers first, wiki walk-through http://www.teachersfirst.com/content/wiki/

■ “7 Things You Should Know About” series http://www.educause.edu/7ThingsYouShouldKnowAboutSeries/7495

■ Wikis in Plain English

http://www.commoncraft.com/video-wikis-plain-english

■ Copyright http://www.smartcopying.edu.au/guidelines/info.html


Some Key References - blogs

■ “7 Things You Should Know About” series http://www.educause.edu/7ThingsYouShouldKnowAboutSeries/7495

■ EduBlog Insights http://anne.teachesme.com/2007/01/17/rationale-for-educational-blogging/

■ Blogs in Plain English http://www.teachertube.com/viewVideo.php?video_id=12423&title=Blogs_in_Plain_English

■ Directory of Australian Edubloggershttp://australianedubloggers.pbworks.com/

■ Copyright http://www.smartcopying.edu.au/guidelines/info.html

Documents

Blogs and wikis Tools for teaching and learning Teacher Librarian Network 22 September 2009 Ruth Mason, Senior Learning Design Officer