Web 2.0 and YouWeb 2.0 and You

Using free web resources to improve your teaching

Benjamin CurranUniversity Prep Academy

November 4, 2008

Presentation Outline

• Web 2.0 Basics• Web 2.0 for Teachers• Web 2.0 for Students• More Web 2.0 sites• Web 2.0 FAQ• Q & A

WEB 2.0 BASICS“Change is the law of life.” --JFK

The old web…

The new web…the

Read-Write Web

Web 2.0 is the future

Web 2.0 is about community.

Web 2.0 is famous!

Web 2.0 is everywhere.

But most important for us…

Web 2.0 is good for kids.

Web 2.0 is for you if you want students that can…

• Collaborate• Plan• Synthesize• Create• Design• Cooperate• Visualize• Use metacognition• And much more!!!

WEB 2.0 FOR TEACHERS

The best Web 2.0 resources are…

• Free• Appropriate for school• Perfectly suited for higher order thinking skills• Easy to use—for both kids and adults• Accessible at school (they get through the filter…

for the most part)• No need for downloading• Did I mention free?

Blogs

Reading them can help you…

• Keep up with news and trends• Connect with other educators• Get ideas

Where you find them…

My favorite way to find new blogs…

Blogrolls!

How creating one can help you…

Use it to…

• Communicate with parents• Post assignments and homework• Share links• Connect with other teachers• Reflect and offer insight

How you can make one…

Posting is Easy

Customizing is Easy

Change the Look

Add Gadgets

RSSContent comes to you

What kinds of sites have RSS feeds?

• Blogs• News Headlines• Podcasts• And many more

Any site where you see this symbol has an RSS feed:

By subscribing to RSS feeds, you make the web work for you.

The news and blogs you want to read comes directly to you, you don’t have

to search for it.

When you see the RSS logo or the words SITE FEED or the

word SUBSCRIBE:1. Right click on it

2. Choose “Copy Shortcut”3. Then paste into your feed

reader of choice

My favorite way to view feeds?iGoogle

How to do it…

Then…

Now you can add stuff…gadgets and feeds

How to get a feed onto iGoogle…

SOCIAL BOOKMARKING

The best choice…delicious.com

Delicious lets you…

• Tag them for easy organization• Search popular bookmarks for any tag• Subscribe to a tag and get an update anytime

anyone adds something to that section.• Create a delicious NETWORK and share

bookmarks with friends and colleagues• Send bookmarks directly to other delicious

users

A delicious must have…

the delicious toolbar.

VIDEO SHARING

You Tube

Teacher Tube

Edublogs.tv

Go beyond viewing…

OTHER TOOLS FOR TEACHERS

Flickr

Things to do with Flickr

• Explore others’ photos• Share class photos• Play with fun Flickr Tools and Mash Ups

Micro-blogging with Twitter

Slideshare

Social Networking with Ning

Podcasts for Educators

A Great Resource…epnweb.org

iTunes…not just for music

Better yet, why not make your own?

WEB 2.0 FOR STUDENTS

Wikis

My wiki host of choice…

What can you do with a wiki?

Example #1: Group Research•Your group is researching Michigan.

•You must write a research paper together.

•Each member is assigned a region.

•Group members can complete research independently, then post their portion of the project to the team’s wiki page.

Example #2: Wikibooks• This month’s social

studies unit is “The Civil War.”

• Each member of the class can research a different figure or battle and post that info to the wiki, creating a WIKIBOOK.

Example #3: Long Distance Collaboration

• Your class and classes at four other schools around the country want to track meteorological data in their region.

• Each class posts their data to a spreadsheet on the wiki, making the data easy to analyze and compare.

Online Glossaries & Study Guides

• Each student assigned a concept or vocabulary words to explain

• Students post explanations to the class wiki • The result? A collaborative study guide

Study Guide Example

Source: http://studyingsocietiesatjhk.pbwiki.com/

Other Uses• Writing Practice

• Weekly Edits• Weekly Writing Prompt• Student Blogs

E-portfolios• Showcase student work from on and off the wiki

Source: http://westwood.wikispaces.com/

Classroom Discussion Board• Respond to teacher’s question• Respond to each other• Great for Literature Circles or Literature

response

Online Storytelling

Promote creativity and collaboration by creating online stories, complete with images and/or illustrations.

Example:Choose Your Own Adventure

Source: http://terrythetennisball.wikispaces.com/

Podcasting

Why Podcast?

• Great collaborative project• Authentic learning experience• Highly motivational• Creative outlet• It’s fun!!!

How to Podcast

1. Write a script2. Rehearse 3. Record using Garage Band (mac) or Audacity (PC)4. Edit and Mix5. Upload and link

Hot Tip of the Day…GCast

What to Podcast

• Book recommendations• Writing Projects• Interviews• Classroom news• Field trip reports• Anything and everything!

Podcasting tips

• Plan it out ahead of time• Practice makes perfect• Always write a script• Upload to your blog or website so families can

listen or download• Podcast regularly…perhaps a monthly “show”• Listen to other podcasts for ideas

A Sampling…

A podcast by fifth graders

Presentation Tools

Bookr

280slides.com

Zoho Show

Animoto—the end of slideshows?

VoiceThread

Flowgram

MORE WEB 2.0 SITES

Library Thing

Wordle

Bubbl.us

Web 2.0 Directory

WEB 2.0 FAQ

Questions Questions Questions

• What about inappropriate use?• Where do you find the time?• Who owns Web 2.0 material?• What’s the best way to learn more?

Q & A