connecting learners using web 2.0 tools
TRANSCRIPT
Connecting Learners using Web 2.0 Tools
Dr. Sawyer
Web 2.0 Tools
• Online resources that enhance student learning include audio and video, collaboration websites, mobile broadband tools, and data mashups. These types of Web 2.0 tools are organized to encourage author access and design rather than information presented in a designated framework that has been determined by another person.
Web 2.0 Tools
• Web 2.0 tools give learners different ways to access information and share their knowledge. Integrate these resources into your lessons to ensure students are able to communicate and share their knowledge and understanding with others.
Open source resources
• Open source resources are designed to foster collaboration and allow access to tools that make work easier.
• Open source Web 2.0 resources include programs such as word processing, database, and image software that are freely available to educators for use in the classrooms.
Examples of open source resources
• One new direction for open source tools is called cloud computing in which applications are available through networked computers to distribute greater access to processing power and applications. Cloud based resources are free or have a very low cost. The software and files are stored in the cloud or network of computers supporting the software application. One of the most familiar types of clouds is a wordle: a visual created out of words.
Tagxedo.com
Collaboration Websites
• Collaboration websites are resources that provide ways for users to interact with other users for education purposes, most commonly in the form of blogs and wikis.
• Blogs, short for web logs, are a set of personal commentaries about a specific topic. (Examples: Tumblr.com, Blogger.com, Blogtastic, http://teacherlingo.com, and so forth).
• Wikis are web based resources that let users engage in collaborative writing and editing.
Blogs
• Blogs, which can contain text, visuals, and links to websites, allow learners to share information with each other and with the teacher. The structure of a blog is arranged so that the most recent posting is first, allowing easy access to the most recent comments.
Wikis
• Wikis are web-pages that permit users to interact with a document that others have written or edited. Wikis allow users to write new information or edit the information that is posted on a collaborative site. (Examples: Wikipedia, Google Docs)
Social Networking
• Another type of collaboration web-based resources, social networking sites are open to anyone who wishes to create a page about themselves and share that information with others. (Examples: Twitter, MySpace, and Facebook, https://delicious.com/)
• Social networking sites are different from wikis because the amount of text is limited to only a few words, encouraging brief communications when exchanging information.
Data mashups
• Data mashups create sites that are new and different from the original sources. (Examples: online news media sites combine text, video, audio and real time information updated about every 15 minutes).
• How can students take advantage of mashup sites? They can combine mapping and satellite information to identify specific locations in cities around the globe.
Advantages of using Web 2.0 Tools in the Classroom
• Web 2.0 Tools are:• Portable-information can be accessed and used anywhere.• Authentic audience-you can reach readers beyond the
classroom who can provide feedback.• Connectedness: communication among students is
facilitated, encouraging collaboration. • Social awareness: students become more sensitive to
others through social networking sites where they have access to others’ information.
• Easy to produce: new types of technologies simplify the process of preparing materials such as podcasts or online videos.
• Free
Limitations of Web 2.0 Tools
• Require sophisticated hardware.
• Quality of messages.
• Credibility.
• Safety issues.