Thing #8

This week we're taking a step away from the visual world of text on a screen and focusing on audio and video as it relates to Web 2.0.  Podcasts refer to non-musical audio or video broadcasts that are distributed over the Internet.  They take many forms, from short commentaries to longer interviews or discussion panels.  The nice thing about podcasts is that because they use the MP3 format, you really only need a computer with headphones or speakers to listen to them.  An iPod or other MP3 player isn't a requirement for taking advantage of podcasts!  The most popular service for finding and downloading podcasts is iTunes, but you don't have to have that program installed to find podcasts.  Below are some directories that have all kinds of podcasts collected that don't require a download as iTunes does.  I've focused on educational resources, since that's our main focus, but be aware that podcasts exist for about every subject imaginable.  (And of course, iTunes is a great place to find podcasts too if you have it downloaded.)
The Education Podcast Network
Apple Learning Exchange--Educational Podcasts
Education Podcasts
Podcasting News

Podcasts can also be helpful as a teaching tool to create with students.  You probably noticed on the directories above there were several classes or schools who had posted student-created podcasts.  To create a podcast, all the equipment you need is a microphone, headphones, and a computer with podcasting software on it.  Audacity is a program that can make recordings, and it is a free download.  Go here to learn more about Audacity.  (As a side note, Mr. Philbrick uses Audacity with his jr. high students in music technology and they find it relatively easy to use.  He has one pair of headphones with a microphone attached.  This may be something I think about investing in so we at the elementary school can explore creating podcasts with younger students.)

Next, take a look at VoiceThread.  It takes the idea of podcasting to a whole new level.  Basically, it is a way to discuss images and video with a group of people in an online environment.  Once you create an account, you can create individual VoiceThreads in which you upload images and/or videos, comment using text, audio, or video, and then share the VoiceThreads with other users who can comment using text, audio, or video as well.  Here is a link to a VoiceThread created by an educator to be used with other educators.
http://voicethread.com/share/3352/
The equipment needed to create a VoiceThread is mostly the same as to create a podcast, with the addition of a webcam if you're interested in making a video comment.

To complete Thing #8, browse through the directories listed above and find a podcast that interests you.  Then, with Thing #8 as your subject or heading, create a new post on your blog.  If you can, create a link with the podcast you found explaining why you found it helpful (It will be interesting for the rest of us to hear!).  If you can't figure out how to make a link, at least explain what the podcast was that you found.  Then give your thoughts on whether or not you think podcasts have a place in the classroom.  Do you see yourself using them, either professionally or with your students?  Next, share your impressions of Audacity and how you feel about actually creating podcasts with your students.  Finally, make some observations about VoiceThread.  Does the addition of images and/or video make this a worthwhile tool?  Do you see any application of VoiceThread in your classroom environment? (Don't forget, the Idea Sheet is still open to add your ideas about how to use these web 2.0 tools.  The more ideas that are included at the end, the more useful the document will be!)

Thing #7

A wiki is a collaborative website and authoring tool that allows users to easily add, remove, and edit content.  Wikipedia, the online open-community encyclopedia, is probably the largest and most well-known of these knowledge sharing tools. 
Some of the benefits of a wiki:

• Anyone (registered or unregistered, if unrestricted) can add, edit or delete content.
• Tracking tools allow you to easily keep up on what has been changed and by whom.
• Earlier versions of a page can be rolled back and viewed when needed.
• Users do not need to know HTML in order to apply styles to text or add and edit content.
• Multiple pages can be added to one wiki.

For another explanation of wikis, watch the video below:



Use of wikis in a classroom environment is exploding.  In fact, I have heard some say using wikis with a classroom group is becoming more prevalent than using blogs.  Below are some wikis that are used in classrooms; browse through them and see what you find that might apply to your situation.
BHS English 10
5th grade classroom
2nd grade wiki
Arbor Heights Elementary School
8th grade US History

Wikispaces, one of the most popular hosting sites for wikis, has a Wikispaces for Educators where you can create a wiki for free with no advertisments included as long as you are using it for educational purposes.  Go there and create a wiki if you are interested but at least explore what Wikispaces has to offer.

To complete Thing #7, after you have watched the brief video and explored the educational wikis as well as the Wikispaces site, create a new blog post.  Using Thing #7 as your subject or heading, explain any use you see for wikis in a classroom environment.  How might wikis be more or less beneficial than blogs or GoogleDocs?  Do you see yourself using wikis with parents and/or students?

Thing #6

With this Thing, we are really stepping into the world of Web 2.0 tools.  This week we will be exploring an application called Diigo.  First, watch the video below from the Diigo website for a tutorial on how it all works.  (It's a six minute video, so hang in there.)


Diigo V4: Research ~ annotate, archive, organize from diigobuzz on Vimeo.

Remember, this is a video tutorial only on the Research aspect of Diigo.  You can also share and collaborate on Diigo, but we're not going to focus on those two parts.  Once you've watched the video, go to Diigo and create an account for yourself (don't worry, it's free).  Then go to "My Library" and add the Diigo Toolbar or the Diigolet button to your favorites bar (if you choose to add the Diigolet button you won't have to worry about downloading anything on the school computers).  Note that once you've created an account, you can apply for a free educator upgrade which allows you to create a group for your class.

To complete Thing #6, create an account for yourself on Diigo and then play around with it.  Look at some websites and try highlighting parts of pages or adding sticky notes.  Then, with Thing #6 as your subject or heading, create a new post on your blog explaining your reaction to Diigo.  Is it something you could see yourself using either on your own or in a classroom situation?  What might be the benefits or disadvantages to using an application like this?  (And don't forget to keep adding ideas to the Idea Sheet as you have them!  I'm hoping that can be a useful document for all of us at the end of this experience.)

Thing #5

For this thing, we are going to look at another feature of a Google account.  (If you haven't already created a Google account, be sure and do that first.) 

At the top of the Google search page, you should see a list of other options (Web, Images, Video, etc.).  At the end is the "more" option.  Click on that, then click on "even more" at the bottom of the list.  That will take you to a list of Google products.  The sixth on the list is "Custom Search."  Click on that.

Creating a custom search through Google allows you to select the websites your users have access to when they conduct a search.  Below is a definition of a custom search from the Google Custom Search FAQ page.

What is a Custom Search Engine?

A Custom Search Engine is a tailored search experience, built using Google's core search technology, that prioritizes or restricts search results based on websites and pages you specify. Your Custom Search Engine can be tailored to reflect your point of view or area of expertise. With a Custom Search Engine, you can:

• Apply your website's look and feel to the search results page.
• Provide search refinements within results pages to make it easier for searchers to find the information they're looking for.
• Add sites to your search engine's index as you surf the web.
• Invite friends and trusted users to co-edit and contribute to your search engine.
• Make money from your Custom Search Engine by participating in Google's AdSense program.

Once you've defined your search engine index, Google will give you a simple piece of code for a search box to place on your site or blog. You'll then have the option to choose various customization options to make the look and feel and functionality of your search engine your own.

Think about what kind of custom search you would like to create.  It might be a custom search for your students with websites focusing on a particular topic or just websites you know will be appropriate for them, a custom search for you professionally with websites you often visit, or a custom search for you personally with websites you search for fun.  Before completing Thing #5, make a list of the websites and their URLs you would like to include in your custom search.  Once you have that list, you're ready to go.  Remember, you can always go back and add websites to your custom search.

To complete Thing #5, create a custom search for yourself.  To do that, click on the "Create a Custom Search" button on the custom search page and follow the steps.  It can be professional or personal.  Then create a new post on your blog, and using Thing #5 as your subject or heading, record your impressions of creating a custom search and whether or not you see use for a custom search tool in your particular situation (classroom, grade level, etc.).  (If you're feeling adventurous, you can add your custom search bar to your blog post, but that's not required since it requires copying and pasting html code.  Let me know if you'd like to do that but aren't sure how!)
Don't forget...to continue adding ideas as you have them about how we can use these Web 2.0 tools on the Idea Sheet.
Just for fun...Another website that serves this same function is Rollyo.  Go there and explore the differences.  Do you find Rollyo easier or more difficult than Google Custom Search to use?  What benefits or disadvantages do you find with one versus the other?