Blogs and wikis in the classroom
Elaine Plybon, Dallas Educational Technology Examiner

Over the last few years, more and more educators have begun using blogs and wikis in the classroom. This article will discuss what blogs and wikis are, some of their uses in the classroom, and provide resources for teachers who are hoping to begin using blogs and/or wikis this year.

Blogs
Blogs, short for “web logs” have become popular through all social circles. Blogs give an author or authors an opportunity to share information with large groups of people via the web in a very easy-to-use format. Readers of articles are able to post comments to them, which makes each blog a dynamic work-in-progress. Often used as a distribution point for information, news, and updates, many companies, newspapers, and individuals have experienced benefits from starting a blog.

In the classroom, blogs can be used as a place for students to talk about what they have learned, discuss perspectives on a news item, or provide information to individuals who have an interest in the class. There are multiple sources for free blogs. Visit the “For more information” section of this article to find a few.

Wikis
Wikis are another dynamic tool for use in the classroom. Wiki means “quickly” in Hawaiian. Whether that is how they were named or if it is an acronym for “What I Know Is”, using wikis is a way to create webpages without having any knowledge of the software programming languages required to write web pages. Wikis can be edited by several people, making them a useful tool for collaborative projects. Wikis also give students an opportunity to reveal what they have learned, begin conversations about topics they are researching, and display projects or other products from the classroom. Wikis are very easy to edit. Usually it only takes clicking an “Edit” button and a user will be given the opportunity to add their own content in a what-you-see-is-what-you-get (WYSIWYG) format. One example of a very popular wiki is Wikipedia.

True for both blogs and wikis:
Adding graphics and files for download are fairly easy. Teachers can use either format as a source of information for parents, including homework assignments, classroom calendars, and contact information. It is also very important when using blogs or wikis that students be reminded about following copyright laws at all times. The temptation to use images and other information they find on the internet can be difficult to overcome in a copy-and-paste society.

There are some classrooms that use both blogs and wikis. However, in my opinion a teacher should determine which one is right for his/her own classroom use. In my science classroom, for example, we will use a wiki this year to showcase what we’ve learned, create a word wall, and work on group projects. Other classrooms might lend themselves more towards a blog – as a place for students to comment on each other’s ideas and information.

It is important, as with any technology in the classroom, to make sure that what is used is relevant and the right tool for each classroom. Deciding to teach students how to use every technology tool just because it is a cool tool and has a use in some classrooms is not good practice. A teacher must thoughtfully consider what each classroom needs and give students the information they need to be able to use the tool efficiently and effectively.

Read the full article at the link below…

Link: http://www.examiner.com/x-12200-Dallas-Educational-T…

The creators of Fliggo describe it as “an out-of-the-box, all-in-one, solution for creating your own video website. Whether it’s a video blog, a YouTube-like community, a private site for your company or family, Fliggo is the most flexible platform for your needs.”

In a less flashy explanation, people can use Fliggo to create a community website that looks like a hybrid between Ning and YouTube.

Link: http://www.fliggo.com

The people at Academic Commons seek to form a community of faculty, academic technologists, librarians, administrators, and other academic professionals who will help create a comprehensive web resource focused on liberal arts education. Academic Commons aims to share knowledge, develop collaborations, and evaluate and disseminate digital tools and innovative practices for teaching and learning with technology. If successful, this site will advance opportunities for collaborative design, open development, and rigorous peer critique of such resources.

Feel free to join them at the link below!

Link: http://www.academiccommons.org/

Need to publish something on the web quickly? Got e-mail? Then, check out Posterous! It is “the dead simple place to post everything.”

Link: http://posterous.com

The Read-Write Matrix of Web 2.0 Tools for Learning
Paul Left

The horizontal axis shows who can read the published documents, the vertical axis who can write to them. In each case the mid-point relates to the group of peers – eg learners within a single course. A wider group (ie between the mid-point and the ‘world’) could include members of a broader community of practice, or the local community or family.
The plotted points could be exemplified by:

1. A personal reflective journal with no audience
2. A personal wiki or blog which other learners can read
3. A personal wiki or blog which a wider group can read
4. A personal wiki or blog which is publicly available on the web
5. A collaborative wiki for a sub-group of learners
6. A collaborative wiki for the course
7. A collaborative wiki for the course which a wider group can read
8. A collaborative wiki for the course which is publicly available
9. A collaborative wiki for learners and a wider group
10. A collaborative wiki which is fully open – publicly readable and writable.

Note: These are typical examples only – the matrix is intended to relate to other tools in addition to blogs and wikis.

Read Extending Read-Write Matrix
View Presentation

Link: http://www.verso.co.nz/mw/index.php?title=The_Read-Write_Matrix

Avoiding the 5 Most Common Mistakes in Using Blogs with Students
Ruth Reynard

The author describes his experience with using blogs in graduate-level classes. He believes that they can be very useful in learning, but only when the students actually believe the same thing as well. The ones that are disinclined to use blogs, he has found, see them as either more busy work or dislike the aspect of making their ideas public. Their objections stem from the five common mistakes he has identified and he explains how to deal with each one. The five mistakes are:

1. Ineffective Contextualization
2. Unclear Learning Outcomes
3. Misuse of the environment
4. Illusive grading practices
5. Inadequate time allocation

Link: http://www.campustechnology.com/articles/68089/

The Online Student Survival Guide, a program that kicked off in May 2008, is meant to give online students tips on adjusting to online learning and staying motivated throughout the courses, while balancing life and school.

Link: http://onlinestudentsurvival.com/

Twitter is an online application that is part blog, part social networking site, and part cell phone/IM tool. It is designed to let users describe what they are doing or thinking at a given moment in 140 characters or less. As a tool for students and faculty to compare thoughts on a topic, Twitter could be used academically to foster interaction and support metacognition.

Link: http://www.educause.edu/node/161801

You can also check out John Unger’s blog post, titled “Twitter Tools, Tweaks and Theories,” for more information on complimentary applications, websites, and usage of Twitter.

Link: http://www.typepadhacks.org/2008/03/twitter-tools-t.html

Wikis and Podcasts and Blogs! Oh, My! What Is a Faculty Member Supposed to Do?
Patricia McGee and Veronica Diaz

Kim ponders: What is a faculty member supposed to do? She concludes that if today’s ninth-graders are using the same technologies that her current students are using, there will be even newer technologies for her to learn about soon. Although that thought is daunting, she would rather actively participate in the decisions being made regarding the institutional selection and support of emerging technologies than scramble to catch up after a new initiative has been implemented. In her last e-mail of the day, she asks her department chair: “What can we do today to ensure that decisions about technologies represent what students and faculty need and what best supports teaching and learning?”

Full PDF: http://www.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ERM0751.pdf
Link: http://www.educause.edu/library/erm0751