Librarian Days 2007 - Wikis, Podcasts, and Blogs

Web 2.0

The Evolution of the Internet
The Internet was originally a text-based research tool that was primarily used by researchers and government officials to share data. With the invention of the first Web browser, Mosaic, the Web rapidly evolved to be a graphical resource of information for all people who had access via a computer with a modem. The "web" of hyperlinked information grew exponentially. People would "surf" the Web for information and entertainment. Creating documents to be accessed via the Internet required knowledge of HTML and FTP. Communication was one-way - from the Internet to the person.

Web 2.0 ("Read / Write Web")
The invention of new technologies has made it possible for people to create Web documents without knowledge of HTML and FTP. Blogs and wikis are both tool that allow anyone with computer and an Internet connection to create web pages and contribute to the vast store of information. What was once one-way communication is now multi-way. People are now not just "surfing" the Web, they are helping to expand the Web. They are sharing and collaborating with others using new "social networking" tools such as:

• Blogs
• Wikis
• Podcasts
• Photo sharing
• Video sharing
• Cell phones
• iPods
• Social bookmarking

• As students and teachers move into the Internet ocean, they should understand how to protect their identity, report inappropriate behavior, and communicate safely. This simple challenge has tempted many well-meaning educators and parents to completely shut students off from the real Internet world. This is a grave disservice.
• I liken this to having a saltwater fish in a saltwater fishbowl. If the intent is to release the fish into the ocean, the longer the fish remains in the fishbowl, the more difficult it will be for that animal to make it in the ocean where there are predators.
• As I use this analogy with my students, I explain to them that we are swimming on the shores of a vast ocean and that we have shark nets in place (filter, etc.). Just like it is possible for a shark to get through a shark net, it is possible any time we’re online to run into “sharks.” That is why they must communicate with the lifeguard (the teacher) and be aware. They also should know how to protect their privacy. In effect, good privacy skills will help camouflage them from sharks when they swim in the Internet ocean without me.
• I believe as a student nears graduation from high school, that a progressive strategy of Internet freedoms should be allowed so that when it is time for them to interact in the “real world” Internet that they can do so safely for a lifetime. Students who are not taught these skills become virtual “shark bait” in my opinion! Just as writing should be part of every classroom (even math), so should Internet privacy and safety skills. It is a ubiquitous skill that is essential for succeeding in today’s world.

• Thinking critically
• Analyzing and synthesizing
• Communicating meaningfully and ethically
• Collaborating with people virtually
• Writing for a global audience

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Wikis

What is a wiki?

A wiki is a web site that allows visitors to become participants in the collaborative effort of creating and editing the site.  Participants can easily add, remove, edit and change the content of the site without any special technical knowledge or tools apart from a computer with an Internet connection.  This ease of use and accessibility makes a wiki an ideal tool for mass collaborative authoring.  Additionally, wiki participants can easily include links to other pages within the wiki as well as external links to the Internet and incorporate images, animations, audio and video into the wiki.  The most well-known wiki is Wikipedia, which is an online encyclopedia that has millions of contributors and editors.

Where did wikis get their unique name?

Ward Cunningham invented the first wiki in 1994.  He decided to name his new software tool “WikiWikiWeb” using the Hawaiian word for quick instead of naming it “quick-web.”

Information about Wikis for K-12 Educators

Wikis are most often used by K-12 educators for communicating with parents and for professional development collaboration.  However, wikis are an ideal tool for student communication and collaboration as well.  The TeachersFirst Wiki-Walkthrough offers many suggestions for using wikis in the classroom based on subject and grade level.  It also offers additional information such as:

• Benefits of student wiki participation
• Planning and setting up a wiki
• Choosing a wiki tool
• Issues you should consider
• Setting up a wiki
• Getting students started on the wiki

Wikis in the Classroom
Victoria Davis of Westwood Schools in Camilla, Georgia created an informative video presentation about using wikis in the classroom. Access the video with the link below:
http://k12online.wm.edu /k12wikipresentation_highres .wmv

Example Wikis
http://terrythetennisball.wikispaces.com/ - Terry the Tennis Ball continuing story
http://schools.wikia.com/wiki/Main_Page - High School Online Collaborative Writing Project
Westwood Schools Wiki (Victoria Davis of Westwood Schools in Camilla, Georgia)
http://kyliandpalmer.wikispaces.com/ (students of Victoria Davis)
http://www.podcastercon.org/share/index.php?title=Main_Page (a wiki that contains information about podcasting)
The Aristotle Experiment (David James Conlay of Estancia High School in Costa Mesa, California)

Resources
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wiki
http://www.edutopia.org/php/article.php?id=Art_1756
http://www.teachersfirst.com/content/wiki/
http://www.recap.ltd.uk/Web2/wikis.php
http://recap.ltd.uk/wiki/Main/Guide
http://www.wikispaces.com/site/for/teachers100K
http://webloggedlinks.pbwiki.com/Wikis
http://scienceofspectroscopy.info/edit/index.php?title=Using_wiki_in_education
http://writingwiki.org/default.aspx/WritingWiki/ForTeachersNewtoWikis.html
http://weblogg-ed.com/book-info/
Richardson, W. (2006). Blogs, wikis, podcasts, and other powerful tools for classrooms. Thousand Oaks, California: Corwin Press.

Wiki Tools for Schools
Find out about Wikispaces' offer to give 100,000 K-12 educators free K-12 Plus wiki space!
http://www.pbwiki.com - Free Wiki Software

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Blogs

What is a blog?
A blog is a frequently updated web page of short journal entries (called posts) about the author’s opinions and thoughts, current news, links to interesting web sites, and much more. A blog is written in a relaxed, conversational style. Readers of the blog may make comments on the posts made by the author, allowing them to contribute to the conversation. Blog entries are listed in reverse chronological order – the most recent entries are at the top of the page.
Teachers can use blogs to communicate with their peers, students, and their students’ parents. Some schools also provide individual blogs for their students. This provides a way for students to post their journal entries and for the teachers to respond back with their comments.

Where did blogs get their unique name?
Blog is short for weblog, which is a descriptive name for what a weblog is – “web” for the World Wide Web and “log” because bloggers often include a list of interesting links to websites they have visited in their blog. In this way, others who are interested in the same topics have access to websites of special interest to them.

Weblogs in Education
Watch a short video created by Will Richardson, an educator at Hunterdon Central Regional High School in Flemington, New Jersey, USA.

Information about Blogs for K-12 Educators
http://anne.teachesme.com/2004/10/05 - Classroom uses of Weblogs
http://www.teacherlibrarian.com/tlmag/v_30/v_30_2_feature.html
http://www.infotoday.com/mls/nov03/fichter.shtml

Example Blogs
http://weblogs.hcrhs.k12.nj.us/bees/
http://bobsprankle.com/blog/index.html
http://coolcatteacher.blogspot.com/
http://primaryblogs.suprglu.com/http://www.mpsomaha.org/willow/blog/sanbornstudents/
http://mt.middlebury.edu/middblogs/ganley/bgblogging/
http://anne.teachesme.com/
http://handheldlib.blogspot.com/
http://theshiftedlibrarian.com/
Speaking of History
Cool Cat Teacher's Student Blog

Resources:
http://aamcolorado.mscd.edu/LibDayPres/WebLoggingSmall.wmv
http://www.weblogg-ed.com/
http://www.recap.ltd.uk/Web2/weblogs.php
http://librarian.net/
http://www.lisnews.com/
http://librarystuff.net/
http://liblog-usa.blogspot.com/
http://www.waterborolibrary.org/blog.htm
http://catalogablog.blogspot.com/
http://bloggingineducation.blogspot.com/
http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/carraher/stories/storyReader$6
http://www.edutopia.org/magazine/ed1article.php?id=Art_1299&issue=jun_05#
http://www.ebn.weblogger.com/
http://www.libdex.com/weblogs.html

Free Blog Providers
http://wordpress.org/
http://edublogs.org/

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Podcasts

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What is a Podcast?
A podcast is simply a digital audio file, like a song or MP3 file on your computer, which people can download and play on a portable audio device.
Podcasts are basically radio shows. The main differences between a radio show and a podcast is content and delivery. Podcasts usually target a specific audience and offer a great deal of variety whereas radio has to appeal to a much broader audience in order to cover costs. Podcasts also offer the ability to be automatically downloaded using software capable of reading formats such as RSS or Atom.
So what is the appeal? Podcasts can cater to any niche imaginable. The audience has the power to choose what they want to listen to, when they want, where they want, and how they want. Plus, most podcasts are free.

Where did Podcasts get their unique name?
The term podcast developed from Apple's portable audio device called the iPod and the term for transmitting radio, broadcast. (iPod + Broadcast = Podcast).

Information about Podcasts for K-12 Educators
http://www.learninginhand.com/podcasting/index.html - Podcasting resources for educators
http://recap.ltd.uk/podcasting/index.php - Podcasts for educators, schools, and colleges
http://engage.doit.wisc.edu/podcasting/index.html - Podcasting at the University of Wisconsin – Madison
http://www.apple.com/education/products/ipod/podcasting.html - Podcasting in education from Apple
http://www.infotoday.com/cilmag/apr06/eash.shtml - Podcasting 101 for K–12 librarians

Example Podcasts
http://podcastforeducators.blogspot.com/ - Podcast for Educators "What is a Podcast?"
http://www.mpsomaha.org/willow/radio/shows/Willowcast24.html - WillowWeb podcast about ants
http://www.mpsomaha.org/willow/radio/shows/Willowcast20.html- WillowWeb podcast about the Constitution
http://mrmayo.typepad.com/podcasts/ - M&M Online Magazine from a class in Virginia
http://www.xplanazine.com/broadcast/clips/radio/july/jul7/jul7.html - Podcast for teaching spanish

Resources
http://aamcolorado.mscd.edu/LibDayPres/Podcasting.html - Podcast from presentation
http://epnweb.org/ - Education Podcast Network
http://www.podcastalley.com/podcast_genres.php?pod_genre_id=7 – Podcast Alley education section
http://recap.ltd.uk/moodle/course/view.php?id=2 - Podcasting basics
http://www.mpsomaha.org/willow/radio/listen.html - Radio WillowWeb
http://www.speakingofhistory.blogspot.com/ - Teacher example page
http://www.podcastingnews.com/ - Current news in the world of podcasting

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