Wikis, Blogs & Podcasts
• Teaching and Learning with
Web-Based Technologies
Objectives
• Explore reasons why Web-based
technologies can help faculty teach
and students learn.
• Look at challenges and concerns.
• Examine basics of wikis, blogs and
podcasts.
• Collect some relevant Web
resources.
Challenges and Concerns
• Start small!
• Warn students about safety!
• Warn students about
plagiarism!
• Discuss ads!
Pedagogical Reasons for
Considering
• Content creation (right brainers will
rule!).
• Publishing (visible/audible to others).
• Collaborative space.
• “Real-World” applications.
• READ/READ became
• READ/WRITE became
• READ/WRITE/COLLABORATE.
Brainers
Left Brain
• Logical
Sequential
Rational
Analytical
Objective
Looks at parts
Right Brain
• Random
Intuitive
Holistic
Synthesizing
Subjective
Looks at wholes
Discussion
• Do you think teaching
styles and learning styles
should be different for left
brainers versus right
brainers? If so, how?
We Are The Web!
• Web 2.0
• Web 3.0
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gmP
4nk0EOE
 Evaluate video
Wikis
• A collaborative Web site where
users can
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
Post data
Edit data
Track changes
Compare version
Do group work
Learn collaborative skills
Make wiki private or public
Wikipedia
• Not credible?
• Starting point?
Wiki Structures
• One class with single wiki with many
pages.
• One class with several wikis.
• One class with each student having
individual wiki.
• One faculty member with single wiki.
• One college department with single wiki.
• . . . Endless!!
Wiki Applications
• Google group wiki page
• Google docs
– https://docs.google.com
• WikiSpaces
– http://www.wikispaces.com/
• PBWiki
– http://pbwiki.com/
• MANY others!
– www.wikimatrix.org
The Wiki Prayer
Please grant me the serenity to
accept the pages I cannot edit,
The courage to edit the pages I
can,
And the wisdom to know the
difference.
http://www.educause.edu/pub/er/erm04/erm0452.asp
Blogs
• Web logs
• Demonstrates evidence of
evolving thinking over time
• Group or individual
• Searchable
• Automatic updates/subscriptions
Blog Set Up
• Live Journal:
http://www.livejournal.com
• Blogger: http://blogger.com
• Blogspot: http://www.blogspot.com
• Technorati: http://technorati.com/
(mega blog—searches over 71
million bogs by topic, tag or post.
• Demo:
http://mnperkins.blogspot.com/
RSS
•
•
•
•
Content comes to YOU!
Really Simple Syndication
Saves time!
Aggregators:
•
•
•
•
Bloglines: www.bloglines.com
Google Reader: www.google.com/reader
Newsgator: www.newsgator.com
Comparison of the 3:
http://labnol.blogspot.com/2005/10/news
gator-vs-bloglines-vs-google.html
RSS (cont.)
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–
–
–
Demo: Google blog to Google Reader
Only works if read regularly.
START SMALL!
RSS: A Quick Start for Educators
http://weblogg-ed.com/wpcontent/uploads/2006/05/RSSFAQ4.p
df
– Demo: Add Richardson’s All Events
calendar to Reader.
– Yahoo News Feeds:
http://news.yahoo.com/rss
Podcasts
– Recording that is compressed
in digital form (MP3 file)
– Distributed over Internet
– Available by subscription
using RSS feed
– Automatically synchronized to
MP3 player
Steps in Creating Podcasts
• Record, Edit, Publish
• Use recording microphone and
MP3 software
– Audacity
– http://audacity.sourceforge.net/
Higher Ed Uses
– Instructor-created
• Lectures
• Homework
– External resources
• iTunes podcasts
• Guest speaker
– User-created
• Oral presentations
• Interviews
• Field notes
Discussion
• What new tools have you
discovered and how are
you using them in
teaching?
Sample Podcasts
• Subscribe.
• http://www.apple.com/education/itunesu/
• http://www.pbs.org/merrow/podcast/index.h
tml
• Demo:
iTunesU
– Need to download Apple’s iTunes software first!
Summary: Challenges & Concerns
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–
–
Getting yourself started—START SMALL!
Getting the students started:
• Scaffold assignments
• Share explicit reasons why you’re using these
tools.
Time/management requirements.
Summary (cont.)
– Webquest?
• http://webquest.org/index.php
• Inquiry-based activity that involves
students in using web-based
resources and tools to transform their
learning into meaningful
understandings and real-world
projects.
– Rubric
• http://webquest.sdsu.edu/webques
trubric.html (10/29/07)
Managing ALL This!
• Social Bookmarking Web site
http://del.icio.us/
– Store your bookmarks/favorites online.
– Demo: http://del.icio.us/yshafer
• Note icon on IE browser.
Other References
• Pink, Daniel H. (2006). A Whole New Mind:
Why Right Brainers Will Rule the Future
• Kruse, Kevin. The Magic of Learner
Motivation: The ARCS Model, www.elearningguru.com/articles/art3_5.htm
(10/29/07)