Learning Management System
[Blackboard Vista]

Emerging Technologies

Media & Web Development

Classroom Technology

E-Portfolios

Blogs and Wikis

WIKI? Blog? What?
What is the difference between a Wiki and a Blog? What is the place of either in the classroom? Both Blogs and Wikis are means of quickly publishing content to the web and can be alternative means of content delivery or collaboration both in and outside of the classroom.

A Blog (short for Web Log) is more user defined in that the individual or group authoring the content is the focus of the site. Content is created by the authoring individual or group and can be commented on by outside parties visiting the site but ultimately the content is regulated by the Blog owner. Roughly 70 percent of the Blogs currently on the Web are personal or journal type sites.

A Wiki is more content centered where there is no one author or group of authors, rather the content being discussed is the focus of the site and anyone can publish material or overwrite material to the site. There generally is one administrator for a Wiki but the focus of the site is not to be a platform for that individual but rather a place to post information or content regarding a subject. All Wikis have the ability to return to a previous point in history so that overwritten material is not lost.

Both Blogs and Wikis will allow you to post text, images, and other commonly used Web file formats (pdf, flash movies, etc.). Used in conjunction with a CMS a Wiki or a Blog could be useful tools to add to your course offerings.

For more information regarding Blogs and Wikis please see the following links:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wiki
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blog

Some interesting examples of Blogs and Wikis in the classroom can be found at the following URLs:
http://wiki.elearning.ubc.ca/FastAndCheap
http://weblogs.elearning.ubc.ca/brian/

Wikis in Plain English

Using Blogs in the Classroom
Blog is short for weblog, a website which is updated regularly. It is an online journal or a diary. A blog may combine text with images, and wit links to other blogs, web pages, and other media. They can have one author or multiple authors, and they may have a section where visitors can leave comments. A blog can be made public or private. The blog is unique in that it empowers people to publish their ideas easily and for free. It is often our best option for managing and sharing information.
Student-authored blogs open up many opportunities for educators. Students are far more likely to write with care and consideration when they know that the end product will be accessible to their peers. The quality of their thinking and writing improves. All the students blog can be viewed by posting the addresses onto WebCT.

Blogs engage students and encourage class participation. Teachers and students can leave comments and critiques for the author. This ongoing communication strengthens their dialog, giving a stronger voice to students and new insight to instructors.

Blogs function as an archive of a body of work. Students see how what they do fits into a continuum of the learning process. Their work is instantly accessible. And the dog cannot eat it.

E-zines

Basic Web Design

• Use Tables to place content. Set the Border to "0" when you are finished. Tables stabilize the layout behind the scenes and allow more control.

Font

• Use clear, web_friendly typefaces such as Verdana and Georgia; they are more legible even at smaller sizes.
• Do not use more than two different typefaces.
• Try not to use more than thrffee different font sizes (depending on the amount of text on the screen).
• Never use blue or purple text and never underline text (users will assume it is a link - but it isn't).
• Use a type color that contrasts well with the background.

Background

• Use very light background; a dark background may cause problems if the user wishes to print pages.
• Avoid background images or use them very, very transparent.

Content

• Place content that belongs together also visually together (headline and actual text).
• Break information up with subheadings, bullet points or indentation.

Social Networking

Social Networking Technologies
You have probably heard about blogs, and the websites such as facebook and myspace – these innovative websites have captured the younger students and in many cases these innovative websites are the reason students are “logging on” to the web. Perhaps you didn’t know that colleges and some faculty are utilizing these and other web technologies to enhance or support their instruction, and sometimes these sites are used on campus as tools for student activity support.

The 2007 Horizon Report lists and discusses six technologies that will have significant impact on education in the very near future. These six technologies include educational gaming and virtual technologies that are technology intensive, but also discusses the less technical blogs and social networking websites. Do these technologies have a place in education? The 2007 Horizon Report states,
“Social networking is already second nature to many students; our challenge is to apply it to education. Social networking sites not only attract people but also hold their attention, impel them to contribute, and bring them back time and again—all desirable qualities for educational materials.”

These social networking sites can be used to help foster collaboration, share notes, ideas, and discussion. Student clubs and campus associations can more easily communicate and collaborate. Students are utilizing these tools now – are we harnessing the power of their interests?

Are you or your colleagues using a social networking tool now? How are you students utilizing these tools? Perhaps this is a topic for discussion with peers, campus clubs, associations, and even classes. The insightful short report, The 2007 Horizon Report, published by Educause, can be downloaded in pdf format at http://www.educause.edu/
LibraryDetailPage/666?ID=CSD4781

Social Bookmarks

Social Bookmarking in Plain English

RSS Feeds

RSS in Plain English

Second Life

Educational Ideas in Second Life
Second Life is an Internet-based virtual world. It is entirely built and owned by its nearly seven million residents. Residents can design and change every aspect of their avatars (the representations of their personas in Second Life), as well as buy land, build homes and start businesses. Because residents retain the rights to their digital creations, they can buy, sell and trade with other residents. It has an economy, a social contract regarding human interaction, and facilities for education, work and leisure.

Many educators are now using this flexible environment to explore distance learning, 3-D software, communication, computer-supported cooperative work, role-play, organizational behavior and simulation of real-world scenarios. Students and educators can work together from anywhere in the world as part of a globally networked classroom environment. It is a great opportunity to practice skills, try new ideas, and learn from mistakes.

Second Life is free, and contains several easy tutorials. You must join initially from an off-campus location. If you plan to use it in a class, Second Life has several resources to support you.

Beth Anne Cooke-Cornell – Teaching with Writing Portfolios

Diana Renn – Paper Trails