Recently, I decided to give Libguides a go which my current school has provided for some time now. I was quite surprised at quickly I mastered it being able to draw on my experience with Web 2.0 technologies.
What I love most about Libguides is how you can gather library resources for a selected topic and host it in one location without the need to browse the OPAC in depth. Not only can you list the varying resources (and links) but also documents and other details.
I created my first libguide for Year 8 students studying Geography where they have to complete a research assignment on global issues. I found it challenging as a professional just to locate the resources on the OPAC and search engines. I wonder how the students would have coped on their own. Also I felt that online resources were in abundance on their topics, especially some of the topics were print resources were quite limited (few books are actually published on them sadly). I decided to focus on the harder to research topics and managed to find some resources for them. I bought these together all on the one page.
An awesome feature about it as well is how easy it is to update. As websites change and as the curriculum changes, I can modify the libguides. If anything new appears, it can be added in an instant.
For extra measure, I got the web resources added to the OPAC as well and even ensured that current links in the OPAC were still working.
Showing posts with label web 2.0 technologies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label web 2.0 technologies. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 25, 2014
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Module 10 (Web 2.0) - Learning Communities, Constructing Knowledge Together in Wikis
Wiki's have proven to be quite popular for accessing information whether you are a student or a teacher. I try to avoid them because I question the accuracy of the information contained within them but I will often access a wiki such as Wikipedia to get a background on a topic of interest to me, and then head off to other well established websites or print resources.
They do have one advantage - the fact that you don't need any skills in web publishing and this works fine with many people who more than likely cannot be bothered learning the skills needed to make a website.
The focus is on the presentation of the information itself which is what people want to focus on when presenting their information. I like the fact you can update a wiki at any time from any location on any machine and that it can occur in real time. Groups of students can collaborate together to present information as it is sought and allow for input.
If I had to choose between students creating a web page/site or a wiki for a learning task, I'd favour the wiki. The focus should be on the presentation of the information as opposed to the layout of the site. Students don't need to get into the nitty gritty associated with creating web pages.
However the concern with Wiki's is that other students may "hack" into the wiki and wreck other students work. It might mean backup versions of text may have to be kept just in case the worst happens. Everyday on Wikipedia there are trolls that wreak havoc by changing information to cause trouble. I remember a Wikipedia entry for Ballina several years ago was changed to say that only one person lived there and that they were a "tool". The data and facts for the town had been removed. In fact according to the altered entry it was settled by the Balinese.
As for creating websites, I think they come in more handy where information may have to be presented in a variety of formats such as photographs or video. Websites are more personal as well. I'd use them where the task needs to be done individually and requires multiple formats to be used.
Being a casual teacher, I have found it quite challenging to engage as a member of a professional network because it is harder to meet and get to know other teachers. I feel encouraged by sites such as Ning that allow me to meet other teachers and share my ideas and thoughts on issues affecting the profession but also be informed on the latest happenings in teaching practice.
They do have one advantage - the fact that you don't need any skills in web publishing and this works fine with many people who more than likely cannot be bothered learning the skills needed to make a website.
The focus is on the presentation of the information itself which is what people want to focus on when presenting their information. I like the fact you can update a wiki at any time from any location on any machine and that it can occur in real time. Groups of students can collaborate together to present information as it is sought and allow for input.
If I had to choose between students creating a web page/site or a wiki for a learning task, I'd favour the wiki. The focus should be on the presentation of the information as opposed to the layout of the site. Students don't need to get into the nitty gritty associated with creating web pages.
However the concern with Wiki's is that other students may "hack" into the wiki and wreck other students work. It might mean backup versions of text may have to be kept just in case the worst happens. Everyday on Wikipedia there are trolls that wreak havoc by changing information to cause trouble. I remember a Wikipedia entry for Ballina several years ago was changed to say that only one person lived there and that they were a "tool". The data and facts for the town had been removed. In fact according to the altered entry it was settled by the Balinese.
As for creating websites, I think they come in more handy where information may have to be presented in a variety of formats such as photographs or video. Websites are more personal as well. I'd use them where the task needs to be done individually and requires multiple formats to be used.
Being a casual teacher, I have found it quite challenging to engage as a member of a professional network because it is harder to meet and get to know other teachers. I feel encouraged by sites such as Ning that allow me to meet other teachers and share my ideas and thoughts on issues affecting the profession but also be informed on the latest happenings in teaching practice.
Module 9 (Web 2.0) - Networks on the web – professional and social
Like many others in Generation Y, online social networking has become a significant part of our lives. I think the challenge for me as a professional is to move beyond the social use of social networking and take advantage of the educational and professional opportunities that it has to offer.
I'll comment on each of the tools explored in Module 9 individually in terms of their educational use and how they can be used to enhance learning inside and outside of the classroom.
Scootle
I think it is a fantastic tool for teachers because it allows resources to be easily shared amongst teachers but also with students through the one site.
Exploring the History section of the site allowed me to access many resources that would otherwise not be accessible either online or in hard copy formats.
I like the fact that I can create Learning Paths containing resources from the database that are most relevant to student learning and make that accessible to students. I also provide learning activities through Scootle.
I was also impressed that students can upload and host their own content provided it is their own work of course.
In my Master of Education (Teacher Librarianship) Degree, I did an elective on ICT use in the classroom. As part of our studies, we were required to engage in discussion via a Facebook group created specifically for the subject.
Our lecturer Lyn Hay made a very good point about its educational use which I did not pick up. I was interacting with other Facebook users yet I was not their friend.
You don't need to be a persons friend to interact with them on Facebook.
There was alot of discussion going on in the group on our learning experiences as well. I thought it was nice that were learning and using a social networking site as a means to learn.
Lyn was also the administrator for the group and only let those study the subject access the group and contribute to discussions.
So lets shift towards the classroom.
I think Facebook does have educational use in the classroom given my experience of using the site provided that the teacher can control the activity that goes on within the group. Obviously I would have not "friend" any of them for professional reasons. I didn't "friend" my lecturer in my studies nor did she with me.
My concern is that restricting access to sites such as Facebook can actually do little in terms of encouraging responsible use of the internet and develop appropriate digital citizenship within our students. If a site is blocked they are more likely to use the alternate sites to break the firewalls of the servers especially with Facebook. I think it also prevents students from exploring alternative uses for Social Networking, which can help them in their tertiary studies or careers.
I think within the next few years, restrictions on Facebook etc will have to be lifted. Social Networking has become a crucial part of life in our society and it is inevitable that this will have to happen.
In the meantime, I have to accept restrictions placed by educational authorities and explore alternative sites that cater to school students.
I signed up with LinkedIn earlier this year and in a professional sense I think its a great way to promote myself as a professional. If you are to look at my account, I've been able to virtually make my CV available in electronic form. If professionals want to know about my work history etc, they can access it. There is also scope to engage in professional discussions by joining various groups that exist online.
I have noticed too that people have actually viewed my profile that are curious to find more about who I am professionally. These people are usually listed on my page. Its good overall.
I find that Twitter is quite limited in how one can express themselves. 140 characters is quite limited to express yourself. The curriculum requires students to engage in critical thinking and Twitter sadly does not allow this. I would not use it in this format.
However I do like Twitter as a form of communication to remind students of upcoming assessment tasks, posting useful links etc. It can also be used for lesson reviews e.g "List one thing that you learn't today". For learning it can be good for keeping records of events happening at a moment in time e.g. "What is the temperature at home?" or to report on findings.
In professional contexts as a teacher, I am trying to explore it as a tool of communication with members of the profession whether it may be sharing items with other professionals or contributing to professional discussions. This was after being encouraged by this article published in The Sydney Morning Herald on Monday (click below to read):
http://www.smh.com.au/national/education/teachers-unlock-tweet-smell-of-success-20121109-292zz.html
I would love to get in touch with other teachers not just in my area of expertise, but also other areas.
You can follow me on Twitter at @FabianAmuso1.
Second Life
I've always been curious about Second Life and what it offers. I have never considered its educational use at all. I like the fact that you can provide a virtual experience of the world and how it works whether it may be viewing artworks, experiencing life in Ancient Rome or visiting a village marketplace to understand how business transactions may take place.
The question I have to ask is - How can I use Second Life in the classroom?
Here are several methods in which I could apply Second Life.
- Role Playing exercises. Kids love to role play in the physical world, but the big challenge is that they have to do it with no props. You can do that in the virtual world with props. In fact you enter a virtual society and you can immerse yourself, whether it is the world of the 21st century or ancient Rome.
- You can experience the world as another person sees it through custom built environments and gain insights into how they experience life or even enter an object and explore its functions.
- Its impossible to take people back in time. Second Life can allow the students to explore the world at a certain point in time.
- Scavenger Hunts - locating information relating to a concept or topic. This might be locating definitions, key people or creating a timeline. In a subject like Ancient History, Second Life allows students to locate objects from the historical period that they are engaged in study at that point in time e.g. Ancient Rome.
- Creating 3D objects relating to their unit of work.
The big challenge in applying Second Life is that this is the time needed to engage in such a experience. As teachers we already have to spend alot of time to cater for set up and pack up. Periods can be short as 40 minutes at some schools - not really much time to get much done.
Thursday, November 8, 2012
Glogster
Finally, Glogster got it's act together and I was able to create my glog to show my ideas of Web 2.0 in classroom learning. I enjoyed this because it allows for more creativity and for students, they would make great summaries of what they have learn't in the classroom. Need to play around it a little more to see how much further I can go with it.
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Module 3 (Web 2.0) - Google Docs
I had never known of the existence of Google Docs before starting this module and wow I was impressed what you can do with it.
I find that it comes most handy in classroom settings for collaborative learning tasks where students have to work in groups. Traditionally, each group member has needed their own computer with an offline version of Microsoft Office or word processing program. If ideas had to be shared emails with attachments had to be sent to each other. Changes could not be made in real time. You had to wait for team members to reply back to your emails with changes.
Now it can be done in real time. The file is uploaded on Google Drive onto the web and modifications can be made by team members using the apps. This allows for learning to occur at all times of the day. If there is an assessment task, group members dont have to meet at once unless to discuss who is doing what and progress. Content can be added or edited at any time. This works around the schedules of each team member. It also allows for accountability because team members can see who is doing what and when. Learning time becomes more productive, however there is that question of what to do should the internet go down and all the work can be accessed only in cyberspace?
I find that it comes most handy in classroom settings for collaborative learning tasks where students have to work in groups. Traditionally, each group member has needed their own computer with an offline version of Microsoft Office or word processing program. If ideas had to be shared emails with attachments had to be sent to each other. Changes could not be made in real time. You had to wait for team members to reply back to your emails with changes.
Now it can be done in real time. The file is uploaded on Google Drive onto the web and modifications can be made by team members using the apps. This allows for learning to occur at all times of the day. If there is an assessment task, group members dont have to meet at once unless to discuss who is doing what and progress. Content can be added or edited at any time. This works around the schedules of each team member. It also allows for accountability because team members can see who is doing what and when. Learning time becomes more productive, however there is that question of what to do should the internet go down and all the work can be accessed only in cyberspace?