iTeacher

I am absolutely in love with Google Docs. Imagine having universal access to your word processing, spreadsheet and slide presentation documents. Google Docs allows you to create these documents online using their easy web interface. Documents are saved in your online Google account, which means you can access and edit them any time, anywhere (as long as you have an internet connection). You can even share them with others and allow them to collaborate in their creation. I’ve even imported Microsoft Word documents into my Google Docs for universal access. No more carrying around USB drives or emailing documents back and forth. I’m currently using Google Docs to write report card comments for my students. I can open it up anywhere and continue working where I left off. Since I use multiple computers between school and home, this is a great solution for me. Here’s a Commoncraft tutorial video “Google Docs in Plain English.”

The real power behind Web 2.0 tools is realized when regular, everyday classroom teachers begin embedding them into their teaching repertoire. Realistically, though, most teachers have barely heard of these technologies, let alone feel confident enough to go out on a limb and implement them.

It was the average, everyday teacher that I had in mind when I created a Web 2.0 tutorial on Wikispaces. I wanted to create an atmosphere where technology novices could get to know some of these new technologies without getting bogged down with computer jargon. I wanted to convey how easy it is to use these technologies, and how the Read/Write Web supports the values and goals of 21st century education.

This tutorial discusses blogs, wikis, RSS feeds and social bookmarking. It provides easy definitions, educational benefits, classroom applications, concerns and solutions, real-world examples from teachers and links to other useful sites. I also include links to more detailed “how-to” tutorials and helpful videos I have found along the way. This wiki is by no means finished, but it is finally in a presentable format. In the true spirit of a wiki, I encourage others to contribute. Feel free to add additional resources and insights. I hope you find this wiki useful in your school as part of a wider professional development program.

You can find the Web 2.0 tutorial at http://web2tutorial.wikispaces.com.

I came across this excellent multimedia presentation on TeacherTube called A New Way to Publish: The Rise of Web 2.0. The presentation is perfect for teachers wishing to learn more about the Web 2.0 phenomenon. It defines Web 2.0, and then it goes on to show classroom examples, as well as instructions on how to begin implementing blogs and wikis. This is really good material for technology novices who resolve to begin using some of these exciting, 21st century teaching tools.

Download Video: Posted by suziea at TeacherTube.com.

A new social networking site, Ning, has been gathering serious momentum over the past couple of months. Ning is a free web service that allows you to “create your own social network for anything.”

Many professionals and educators are using Ning to share ideas with others in their field. Several education Nings are popping up, allowing teachers and administrators from all over the world to share ideas in forums and blogs. Files and multimedia are also shared. Teachers can meet here to collaborate projects with other teachers, linking classrooms from all over the globe. Some teachers are even creating their own class Ning as a method of communicating with their students, parents and community.

Some of the Ning networks I belong to include:

• School 2.0
• Classroom 2.0
• The Global Education Collaborative
• NextGen Teachers
• Ning in Education
• Edublogger World

I would love to see examples of Nings set up for classrooms, particularly ones being used by students. If you have any stories about using Nings in this way (advantages, pitfalls, etc.) please share your thoughts. Happy Ninging!

I’ve recently downloaded an excellent professional development packet called Web 2.0 Ideas for Educators; A Guide to RSS and More by Quentin D’Souza. This packet is written at a basic level for any teacher to begin using Web 2.0 technologies in their classrooms. Teachers of all technical experience can easily make sense of this packet.

The packet includes information on getting set up with RSS feeds, blogging and wikis. A major focus of the packet is on RSS applications. If you’re a non-techie teacher reading this and scratching your head at all of this jargon, then this packet is definitely for you.

Quentin D’Souza operates the Teaching Hacks blog, which is a good read.

Link:  Web 2.0 Ideas for Educators

Judy O’Connell is an education officer in Sydney, Australia.  I must plug her blog Judy’s Web 2.0 Notes because I think it is an amazing collection of resources for teachers wishing to test the waters with these new technologies.  Judy’s blog is very approachable, even by hesitant teachers with limited technical skills.  I am recommending it to the staff at my school as a primer to Web 2.0 possibilities in education.

In this blog, Judy uncovers blogs, RSS, wikis, social bookmarking, podcasting, tagging and social networking sites.  If you are just dipping your foot in the Web 2.0 pool or want a great place to direct interested teachers, I highly recommend Judy’s Web 2.0 Notes.

Many of the people reading this are familiar with the works of Will Richardson.  He is a well-known edublogger who advocates the implementation of the Read/Write Web into classrooms.  I consider him the authority on this subject.  He authored the book Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts, and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms, which I consider to be my bible for 21st century education.  If you haven’t picked up a copy, I highly encourage you to read it.  It’s a great primer for teachers who want to use these awesome technologies but do not know where to begin.

In his book, Will takes the time to carefully explain the pedagogy behind these new technologies.  He uses easy-to-comprehend language to describe the technical process of getting started with these applications.  Most importantly, though, Will explains how these technologies can support higher-order thinking, collaboration, critical literacy and innovation.  In other words, he writes this book as an educator, not an IT wiz.  The book is certainly not about using the Read/Write Web because it is cool and fun.  The book is about using the Read/Write Web because it has proven educational benefits.

Will Richardson is the man!  I will definitely go out of my way to see him speak someday.  (He’s coming to Australia later this month, but he won’t be anywhere near me.  Doh!)  Until then, I read his Weblogg-ed blog and keep his book by my side for quick reference when I need creative inspiration. 

I found this way-cool Web 2.0 widget called Virtual Earth. You can perform many of the searching functions of Google Earth right within your web browser. The widget comes from Widgetbox (which, by the way, has hundreds more cool widgets).

They only offered it in medium and large sizes, so I apologize for Virtual Earth taking over most of the screen. Nonetheless, enjoy playing with it. Imagine the applications this could have in the classroom. And you don’t have to install any special software.

The code, if you wish to embed it on your site, is:

<embed src=”http://xfacts.com/widgets/map.swf” quality=”high” pluginspage=”http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer” type=”application/x-shockwave-flash” width=”620″ height=”429″></embed>

I am interested in hearing about teacher experiences with Whyville, the virtual world for children. Similar to Second Life for adults, Whyville allows children to create their own avatar, an online identity, that can interact with others in a virtual world.

According to the Whyville website: “Whyville has places to go, things to do, and of course, people to see. Whyville has its own newspaper, its own Senators, its own beach, museum, City Hall and town square, its own suburbia, and even its own economy - citizens earn “clams” by playing educational games. And much, much, much more!”

I have explored the Whyville site a bit but have not introduced it to students. I’m worried about parental backlash, about creating a group of students who sit in front of the computers for hours participating in a virtual world rather than experiencing a real world. Please post a comment if you have used Whyville in your classes or have heard any positive or negative feedback about virtual worlds for children. Let me know your thoughts.

One of the most significant innovations on the new Read/Write web is the advent of the RSS feed. What is an RSS feed? RSS is commonly defined as Really Simple Syndication. Basically what an RSS feed allows you to do is subscribe to various websites so you can have updated information sent directly to you. This may sound confusing, so I’ll try to make it easier.

Before RSS, people had to individually visit websites to see if any new information had been posted. This was very time consuming, especially when half of your time was spent visiting websites that had not been updated since your last visit. In the era of blogs and online news sites, new content is always being added to websites. Wouldn’t it be great if you could subscribe to your favorite websites and visit one place that tells you when any new content has been added? That’s exactly what RSS does.

I use a website called bloglines that lists all of my RSS subscriptions. With one click of the mouse I can see which of my subscriptions have new content, so I don’t waste time visiting unaltered sites. Once you get the hang of RSS feeds, you wouldn’t know how you lived without them. I check my bloglines everyday. I subscribe to blogs about education, news, my friends and even some of my favorite tv shows.

In the classroom, students can subscribe to blogs based on current study topics. They can stay informed on current events and keep in touch with other students, teachers and family members. Teachers can connect with other educators around the world by subscribing to their blogs. Many professional associations have RSS feeds. Subscriptions are always free and are super easy to manage once you’ve set up an aggregator to organize them (such as bloglines or Google Reader). Not every website allows for RSS subscriptions, but most of them do if they are updated frequently. Learn to recognize the RSS logo (the orange box below) and begin organizing your Internet.

A really helpful site to get you started can be found at the Infinite Thinking Machine.