Module 10

Web definition for Wiki; A wiki is a website that allows the easy creation and editing of any number of interlinked web pages.
Wiki opens up endless opportunities for learners of all ages to experience success, and it allows multiple people to contribute information to which videos and photos/images can be easily added. It also brings people together who have a common interest to create online.
I found '50 + Web 2.0 Ways To Tell a Story' link clearly set out for us beginners, and with easy to follow steps. The examples shown and information given, quite easily allowed me to set up a Wiki on Wikispaces. Will spend more time on that project at a later date.
What role do you see for using Web 2.0 tools in your own life as a learner and a member of the online community?
Are we not all students/learners of something, no matter what our age!! I know it will take some time for me to get my head around so many applications such as;Wikis, Delicious, Scootle, Flickr and many more, but by putting time aside (how many times have we said that?) to concentrate on these, all of which have huge potential, I know they will benefit me greatly, and then with my new found wisdom pass it on. I have been inspired and hope to engage, motivate and immerse todays students in the Web as part of their learning.

Module 9

Scootle has something for everyone. It is a fun, user friendly and informative tool for use in the classroom. The information is broken down into parts that make it easy to understand and follow.
There was a lot of reading and watching video links in this module, the majority of it was informative and showed how the needs of students are changing and as someone placed in the position of helping them learn and absorb this information I felt the more I learn and absorb the better (how much can one person absorb??).
Friend or Foe was informative and, listening to the comments of the experts it outlined the advantages and also the warnings of social networking sites. The video link School Matters pointed out that in order to go forward with students working with social networking sites there is a need to be able to trace back easily to be aware that the user is who they say they are and the content is appropriate. The abuse of these sites sometimes can have serious consequences.
Second Life really allows the imagination to flow. After spending a short time checking it out I can see the benefit of it for Drama, English and History students, in particular special needs students who could lose themselves in Ancient Rome, or examining the ceiling in the Sistine Chapel or being a part of a Shakespearean play. The experience would be like walking in someone else's shoes and they will also be stimulated by the 3D experience.
Am not a fan of Facebook or Twitter, especially Twitter as I don't think that my thoughts and actions are interesting enough for anyone else to want to read about. With the limited number of characters which can only be used on Twitter, could Google Docs be used instead in the classroom?.
Social Networking has been happening since the dawn of time, just in a more basic form. Now it is faster, easier and more accessible to a wider population than ever before, it has gone from local to global. As the Wikipedia definition of Social Networking says; Social Networking sites allows users to share ideas, activities, events and interests within their individual network.

Module 8

If technology is here to make life easier and quicker for us, then Google Reader, being part of that technology, is certainly achieving this. By using Google Reader you can locate and subscribe to your favourite websites. These websites will update without you having to spend precious time searching for information, or, 'surfing the net'. So as not to get swamped with information, the number of sites that are subscribed too would have to be limited.
Google Reader gives student's information at their fingertips and also gives them the responsibility of keeping up to - date with the latest in current events in any subject. They can access this information at school, at home , on the way home, anywhere.
Even though I don't spend a great deal of time on the web, I can see the immense value of clicking onto Google Reader and catching up with the latest news and information. Another advantage is that there will be less photocopying - that has to be a plus for the planet.

Module 7

Delicious is a unique tool to use to avoid forgetting your favourite websites when you are using different computers, and by adding tags, or key words, to link to the sites, makes looking for information quicker and easier. By having access to websites that work colleagues have found would be beneficial when time is limited. Delicious certainly has great potential both in the classroom and for personal use and it's great to know that people are willing to share their finds on the web. Sharing of resources assists in professional development and makes everyones workload just that bit lighter.

Module 6

I found Bubbl.us and Glogster simple (for most of it) to use and completely addictive!!!!. Really enjoyed playing around with the brainstorming/mind mapping part of the Module, and can see students whose past attempts at mind mapping, which turns up looking like the dog ate it for breakfast, able to achieve something that they would be proud of. To be able to add and delete boxes, to change the position and colour as the thoughts flow and fill in the boxes with great ideas would be a huge bonus.

Bubbl.us can be used by one student or a group of students commencing work on a new topic.

Making an online poster on Glogster made me realise that life isn't always meant to be taken seriously. With pictures, text, video, graphics and sound, students in many subjects, not just Visual Arts could use this application to produce work that is interesting and to do it in a creative manner.

Because todays students are mainly visual learners and having grown up in a world involving all things technical and digital, creating a poster online is really nothing out of the ordinary for them.

Module 5

In Module 5 we looked at the use of digital storytelling, podcasting and vodcasts in the classroom. The learning opportunities with websites such as YouTube are countless and just another way for students to learn.

Podcasts - Portable On Demand - are audio files that can be downloaded to your computer, MP3 or IPod to be used at any time. It's another way of getting something you have created out to the public. Students who are able to work together creating, recording and publishing are able to find unique ways to express their ideas. Ideas learnt by not just listening to the teacher in a classroom, but by doing.

A vodcast is a podcast that contains video content such as YouTube and TeacherTube.

Podcasts and Vodcasts are one step up on Flickr, while allowing great learning experiences, it has the extra bonus of voice and video to be recorded.

Students who are vision-impaired, have a physical or motor-skill disability could benefit from ITunes U as this works with VoiceOver and it would let them learn at their own pace and in a place and time that is more comfortable for them.

While YouTube has so many positives, there are also some negatives, eg. with all educational tools it is important to check the content of what is being used and viewed by the students, is it age appropriate and suitable.

How much fun is Garageband!!!. Who doesn't enjoy music, especially when in a short time you are able to put words or a song or a poem together with your choice of music or sound effects. This I really enjoyed. When Year 10 students have to present a task on MacBeth, how interesting and enjoyable would it be for them to use Garageband, they could add some dramatic music to it and have produced work that they are happy with.

All the tools mentioned in this Module are aimed at enriching the learning of students and these tools are all familiar to the students in classrooms today.

Module 4

In Module 4 we are learning about Flickr. Learning and doing are two different things!!. Being a private person I have never had a great urge to go on Facebook or anything similar and the only photos I take are usually left in the camera only to be looked at on rare occasions by myself or family members. Having said that, once I got my head around Flickr I could see what I had been missing.

The Flickr Feature Tour explained a brief overview of the features of Flickr and to be able to add a label, description, a comment and a tag to your photos if you wanted was interesting. If you wished to get really creative you could make a photo album or a coffee table book using your own photos and give them as gifts.

Creative Commons enables authors, musicians, artists and all creative people, to make available to the public the right to use their work without payment, but, at the same time retaining control over their copyright material.

The use of Flickr in schools would be useful for subject such as Geography, Art and Woodwork. Students could show their work, as well as adding a label and a description of the work. This way they are sharing and giving others the chance to comment.

As we go through Web 2.0 sharing, communicating and commenting is what it's all about.