As a free open-source instructional format, Moodle may not be the most elegantly designed and even the most intuitive to use, but it has many features that are useful for the classroom:
(1) It can extend the instructional time of a course. Students can continue to interact with it, with each other, and, possibly, with the teacher beyond the confines and the schedule of the school day.
(2) It offers an introduction to hybrid or online courses that students will undoubtedly be taking on the post-secondary level.
(3) It is a time saver for teachers: Tests and grading and recording can all be administered by Moodle, thus freeing up the teacher for less mundane activities.
(4) Moodle may open the door and provide a source of motivation for students who don't thrive in a traditional environment. That's a potentially significant advantage.
(5) What have I forgotten? Moodle and its cousins have many other advantages. I've only begun to explore them. You should, too. Find Moodle
3/25/2010
3/14/2009
Thing 32: And now for an update . . .
Strictly speaking, this is not a new thing, not entirely anyway. It's more of an announcement to let fellow Web 2.0 followers know that this blog has been cleaned up (meaning the links have been fixed, not what you were thinking in terms of language . . . ), and the content has been updated. For your patience, here's a reward: One of my favorite Web 2.0-like search engines: Search Me. Take a look.
7/08/2008
Thing 29: The Dumbest Generation
If you've had a nagging feeling that Web 2.0--or the Internet in general--may be oversold, that maybe it's not contributing to the miracle of improved education and access to information, that maybe all the glitz and interactivity amount to a lot of distractedness toward no larger consequence, then you're not alone. Take a look at the dumbest generation. Does it have merit?
In the interest of fairness, see The Dumbest Generation? for a rebuttal.
For another view: Generation Y: The Dumbest Generation.
And another: The Dumbest Generation?
In the interest of fairness, see The Dumbest Generation? for a rebuttal.
For another view: Generation Y: The Dumbest Generation.
And another: The Dumbest Generation?
5/27/2008
Thing 28: More on Virtual Reality
I recently watched a video conference offered by Minitex entitled "Library Trends, Fads, or Folly." While it didn't actually discuss anything that one could define as folly, it did get extensively into Second Life and how libraries could play a role in their patrons' use of virtual reality.
What about kids? Is there virtual reality for kids? It turns out there is. One such example is called Whyville. While it's a bit primitive in appearance, it could be an introduction to a virtual world that kids will probably be using as commonly as we use the Internet today. The kids of today will--if not forgo brick and mortar education--undoubtedly supplement it with classes in virtual reality. Will it happen in twenty years? Ten? Five? Well, universities today are already offering courses via virtual reality. Have you signed up for one yet?
What about kids? Is there virtual reality for kids? It turns out there is. One such example is called Whyville. While it's a bit primitive in appearance, it could be an introduction to a virtual world that kids will probably be using as commonly as we use the Internet today. The kids of today will--if not forgo brick and mortar education--undoubtedly supplement it with classes in virtual reality. Will it happen in twenty years? Ten? Five? Well, universities today are already offering courses via virtual reality. Have you signed up for one yet?
5/07/2008
Thing 26: Shared Resources with a Catch
Quia is a site that offers several free samples of lesson activities from a wide variety of curricula. After that it charges. Is it worth the cost? Explore it to come to your own conclusions.
4/21/2008
Thing 25: Web 2.0-Like Resources
I've been accumulating resources in my quest to enrich the available activities for others. Whether they all constitute Web 2.0 applications may be up for debate. Still I've included them for general reference. My list includes examples of simulations, interactive sites, video sites, games, and virtual reality. A few items overlap from my previous entries.
My list also includes several essays about the issues surrounding using these relatively new kinds of applications and about how to best use them for educational purposes.
It's messy. It's disorganized. But it's also full of useful stuff. Check out my list.
4/12/2008
Thing 24: Smarty Pig
Not to be confused with Smartypig.org, Smarty Pig is another Web 2.0 social networking site that has a financial purpose: You can set up a savings account and invite others to contribute to it. They can then check up on your progress to determine how well you're achieving your financial goals. A question: Wasn't the Me-Generation back in the '70s?
Another question: Can you say tech-narcissism?
Setting up an account is not as easy as what is required by other sites. Check this link to find the detailed personal information this site requires. Related to the question of setting up such an account is an increasing number of stories about the inherent risks of social networking sites, including identity theft. Check out this site for a discussion of social networking sites and identity theft.
Others: Can Social Networking Cause Identity Theft?
Defenses Lacking at Social Network Sites
Another question: Can you say tech-narcissism?
Setting up an account is not as easy as what is required by other sites. Check this link to find the detailed personal information this site requires. Related to the question of setting up such an account is an increasing number of stories about the inherent risks of social networking sites, including identity theft. Check out this site for a discussion of social networking sites and identity theft.
Others: Can Social Networking Cause Identity Theft?
Defenses Lacking at Social Network Sites
3/20/2008
Thing 23: Some Thoughts before Moving On
At this point, it appears as though discovering Web 2.0--and whatever follows it--is going to be a life-long process. Just as high school graduation is a commencement--a beginning--my experience is my introduction to the rapidly growing and increasingly important online world of collaboration, sharing, and creating, a world characterized by a bottom-up flow of information, a decentralized dissemination of information, and information as interaction. It's complex and messy and chaotic and fundamentally different from the traditional Dewey approach to clear, orderly taxonomies for finding, storing, and even determining what qualifies as information. We're not in Kansas any more.
Thing 22: What Did I Learn Today?
How do I plan to keep up to date on the ever-changing world of Web 2.0? And what would I recommend?
I've attempted to archive my personal favorites on my own blog for reference.
Web 2.0 is the subject of much discussion on YouTube, in T.H.E. Journal, EdTech, and other sources, and I plan to attempt to keep up with trends as they apply to libraries and schools. (See my links.)I hope this isn't too obvious, I plan to use and to teach many of the online applications, especially those relevant to classroom collaboration and the sharing of ideas, presentations, and information.
Both MEMO and TIES conferences will undoubtedly have workshops on the latest trends in Web 2.0. I hope to get in on those as well.I would simply recommend all of these options, depending upon available resources. I would also recommend using the Web 2.0 tools for keeping up with Web 2.0, such as the readers, the personalized homepages, the blogs, the alerts and tags, and the social networking tools. And I would strongly recommend that there be a next time--perhaps a Web 3.0--in the not-too-distant future.
I would also recommend taking a break from Web 2.0 to go outside and dig in the garden, to go for a jog or a bike ride, and to rest your eyes from the omnipresent blue glare of the computer screen. Take a break and reflect. Take a break to digest. Do your laundry. Catch up on your children's literature. Then get back to it. Technology waits for no one. . . .
Thing 21: Other Social Networks
Reference:
When I read the article entitled "Building a Social Networking Environment at the Library," (after failing to access MySpace for Books) I began to wonder whether a little moderation might be in order. True, libraries are seen as stodgy institutions slow to change. But maybe there's value in taking it slow. Will, for example, the emphasis on technology to build "community" distract the library from its traditional mission? Given limited resources, will any other priorities receive short shrift? Will such activities leave out a segment of patrons who are not crazy about going online, creating profiles, and making friends, but who just want to read books? There's a certain "keeping up with the Jones" in thrusting libraries into the MySpace world--a world dominated by self to the point of narcissism, by the trivialization of community and communication, and by--via unnaturally created friendships--the distortion of reality and its associated risks. That libraries want to seem hip and relevant is understandable, yes. But has anyone stood back and reflected on this trend? Any critics? Playing Devil's Advocate, if nothing else, demands at least a temporary shift in thinking and perspective.
Gather is a huge departure from the MySpace mentality and could be an interesting place to visit from time to time. It's serious and informative. I'm not so sure about Ning; it could easily become another MySpace--given enough time and exposure to a larger audience.
Classroom 2.0 could be a good resource for keeping up with Web 2.0 applications.
43 Things strikes me as an exercise in self-involvement. I would be embarrassed to expect others to share in my goals or to even care about them. This sort of activity is too self-indulgent from my perspective.
Nings and other social networks that provide information and thoughtful commentary appeal to me. Most of the resources I have listed above have tremendous potential as alternative means for gaining new insights and perspectives. On top of all the other ways to access and share information, the burden of information overload is a distinct possibility, however. Perhaps setting aside an hour a week to review these sites would be sufficient.
3/12/2008
Thing 20: Libraries & Social Networks
Reference:
Before I started this "Thing," I was not a big fan of creating online friendships through MySpace or Facebook. Given their bad publicity and potential as "time stealers," I can understand parents' anxiety over having their kids use this kind of application. After the experience, my attitude remains in limbo: MyDistrict blocks MySpace and Facebook. I will return after trying this "Thing" free from the bonds of filter-ship. I have returned. After creating an account with Facebook, I found the entire process to be easy and straightforward, and I could envision relying on the networks for connecting with people with common interests, especially those who could also serve as resources. I also noticed that some people use it as a means for distributing surveys or studies, which raises interesting possibilities for research. But given the choice, I doubt that I will be returning to this application. Blame it on being born too early.
As for MySpace, it's a bit rougher around the edges and has something of a "dangerous" feel. Some postings are obscene and disturbing. Now I understand the desire to block it. I did visit the Denver Library on MySpace and would be curious to know whether its attempts to appeal to teens are successful. My guess is that visiting a library would be one of the last things teens would want to do on MySpace. While the Hennepin County Library example looks less professional, it also creates a friendly impression--perhaps worth revisiting. I also noticed that Meg Cabot had a page of her own, which is an interesting, personalized way to get to know an author, although the blatant self-promotion was either obnoxious or informative--depending upon your perspective. (Is it free advertising?) From this and other examples, though, it strikes me that there's a connection between the number of friends one has and the nature of the photographs posted. I'm still not a big fan, but at least now I can speak to these online applications without complete ignorance.
Tutorial
Before I started this "Thing," I was not a big fan of creating online friendships through MySpace or Facebook. Given their bad publicity and potential as "time stealers," I can understand parents' anxiety over having their kids use this kind of application. After the experience, my attitude remains in limbo: MyDistrict blocks MySpace and Facebook. I will return after trying this "Thing" free from the bonds of filter-ship. I have returned. After creating an account with Facebook, I found the entire process to be easy and straightforward, and I could envision relying on the networks for connecting with people with common interests, especially those who could also serve as resources. I also noticed that some people use it as a means for distributing surveys or studies, which raises interesting possibilities for research. But given the choice, I doubt that I will be returning to this application. Blame it on being born too early.
As for MySpace, it's a bit rougher around the edges and has something of a "dangerous" feel. Some postings are obscene and disturbing. Now I understand the desire to block it. I did visit the Denver Library on MySpace and would be curious to know whether its attempts to appeal to teens are successful. My guess is that visiting a library would be one of the last things teens would want to do on MySpace. While the Hennepin County Library example looks less professional, it also creates a friendly impression--perhaps worth revisiting. I also noticed that Meg Cabot had a page of her own, which is an interesting, personalized way to get to know an author, although the blatant self-promotion was either obnoxious or informative--depending upon your perspective. (Is it free advertising?) From this and other examples, though, it strikes me that there's a connection between the number of friends one has and the nature of the photographs posted. I'm still not a big fan, but at least now I can speak to these online applications without complete ignorance.
3/10/2008
Thing 19: Podcasts
Before exploring this "Thing," in the interest of full-disclosure, I have played with podcasts to some extent, including downloading Audacity and creating a couple brief examples to promote books. Although podcasts are easy to make (with lots of free support materials on the Web) my impression of them is that they are a transitional online tool. Given the heavy saturation of graphics on the Web--and even in these "Things"--I think today's students will become bored with the audio-only character of most podcasts, preferring to rely on video or animation instead. Podcasts can still serve a powerful role in learning, however. Information or lectures can be downloaded and listened to while a person is out for a walk or doing something else that doesn't require concentration; podcasts can also be a resource for the visually impaired and others, such as students who are unable to attend a presentation or discussion.
Reference:
Visit my podcast.
See my list of podcast resources.
To explore podcasts, I visited the Education Podcast Network and was impressed by the sheer volume of podcasts, categorized by grade level and subject. I began by going to the elementary grades, then to the subject specific podcasts involving computer/tech skills. The Digital Media Dude Daily Tip podcast was my first selection: It required downloading an 18.5 MB file, which took a bit of time. Then when I tried to open it with the Windows Media player, I found out the M4V file was not playable. Response: Aaaaaaaauuuuuugggggghhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!! What are these M4V files? What happened to MP3? How are people playing them? I tried my Yahoo! media player, with the same result. Now, I can hear everyone shouting, "Use iTunes, dummy!" Well, I don't have it on this computer, at least not for another 40 minutes until it's done downloading. One thing about these "Things": They require downloads, sometimes a lot of downloads. Time-consuming downloads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (indicating a long wait) . . . . . . . . . . . . . (I go do laundry) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Now with iTunes on my desktop, I continued perusing through podcast titles, only to find that many of them simply don't have podcasts, or they're unavailable. Finally, I found one from Poem Present: Finally, it worked--and without iTunes. It played through the player on Mozilla Foxfire. So the waiting was for not. At least now I have iTunes, Windows Media Player, and Yahoo! Music Jukebox.
Bottom line: Podcasts offer a means for accessing insights, ideas, perspectives that can serve to enrich a person's life. Librarians have a responsibility to share information about the opportunities of this format with their patrons.
Beneath the bottom line: Podcasts offer students a chance to collaborate, organize, and present their ideas in this nontraditional format. Here's a quote from the directory: "RADIO ON THE EDGE - Edgewood's Podcasting Station: Students at Edgewood are learning how to create podcasts in order to share information about exciting things students are learning at Edgewood. Stay tuned for new episodes each month." An experience such as this could help improve student motivation and attitude toward learning. Of the many claims made by technologists, this one I tend to believe.
3/05/2008
Thing 18: YouTube & Other Online Video
Reference:
That YouTube is blocked by school districts may reveal their lack of knowledge of this extremely powerful resource: Harvard lectures. Yale lectures. Presentations by great and important people. Tremendous resources for education.
Library Dominoes could be a lesson in how NOT to treat books in your friendly neighborhood library.
Funny library commercial could inspire reading--or diving over furniture.
I could see using the Funny Blond Library Joke until it included the Bible verses--off limits in school.
Here is a sample of a Charlie Rose show video, which talks about post-secondary education in America and the future of technology. I selected this example to illustrate that there's a lot of valuable, educational material on YouTube, and it can be extremely relevant to the needs of today's students. Such videos can be useful for supplementing classroom instruction, and they can be used in library instruction to illustrate that video can be a source for research.
3/04/2008
Thing 17: ELM Productivity Tools
ELM Productivity Tools: http://elm4you.org/For the researchers out there, or just the incessantly curious, the search alert tool could be a real time saver. Just for fun, I set up an alert in my Google Reader to let me know about "free applications." Just as the other tools bring information to the user, this one works nicely to bring research to the researcher. Maybe I'll discover some new tools along the way.
EBSCOhost also offers an alert. It does allow the user to store searches in a folder, and it does actively connect the user/reader/researcher/patron with incoming research.
Challenge: Finding articles in the multimedia format was a serious challenge. Trying a dozen different search terms, I came up empty every time. Apparently, one must be lucky to find other formats.
How are these tools useful? First, if the librarian/media specialist is aware of them, his role as a resource/consultant becomes more vital to patrons/teachers/colleagues/students. It's sort of like knowing inside-baseball and will be received excitedly by at least some folks. Second, using these tools helps streamline the research process, also making it more in-depth, thorough, and, ultimately, more gratifying and credible. I know that when I do research I feel an underlying anxiety about leaving significant sources out of my discussions and analysis; and if others feel the same way, then I can play a role in alleviating some of that anxiety. Of course, the anxiety of writing a 25-page paper will probably never completely disappear. Nor should it.
Creating a personalized EBSCOhost folder and Web page: "We're sorry, but the My EBSCOhost personalized folder feature is temporarily unavailable, in order that we may perform a system upgrade. We apologize for any inconvenience." I'll try again later. Although not able to access it, I watched the video demonstration of the page maker and thought that it would make a good storage place for information and research.
ProQuest Newsstand Complete? I did not find that feature. What am I doing wrong?
Reference:
2/25/2008
Thing 16: Assignment Calculator & the Research Project Calculator
The U of M Assignment Calculator--with the e-mail reminders, the work process broken down into stages, and the resources provided throughout those stages--is an impressive tool that, unfortunately, is limited to U of M students. Enough said.
The Research Project Calculator is another application that I've already explored to some extent. I was so impressed with it that I did the following:
I printed out a copy of a description of the research calculator, handed it to a teacher, and explained how it might work in her research writing class--and that was about the end of it. This tool, as with many others discussed so far, won't translate into classroom application if it is simply offered to teachers: Workshops might help, but the problem there is getting teachers to sign up. E-mail offerings of tools are virtually ineffectual. So what's the answer? How do we library media specialists motivate teachers to at least try some of these tools? I think one answer is leadership and timing: Just as companies train their employees on the job, it's probably most realistic to schedule such training into teachers' days--and I don't mean "Tech Tuesdays" or something along those lines that require before- or after-school participation: I mean staff development days, paid time, uninterrupted time--which probably also means getting administrators on board. Will this happen? In some places I know it is happening. But all too often, it is not, and therefore the "tracks of technology on the educational landscape are still barely visible." Unfortunate. Still, I am impressed by the Research Project Calculator and how it mimics the U of M product; I especially like how it too breaks down the stages of the research process and distinguishes among the formats for the final product: It's not just a calculator. It's a learning tool, a guide, a veritable source of comfort.
Can these tools (or at least the RPC) be used for classroom application and for library projects? Absolutely. It's just a matter of creating an opportunity to demonstrate them to teachers and to point out how well they would work to blunt student excuses that they "forgot." These tools may be even more appropriate for college-level, even graduate-level, courses in which the deadlines are longer and the stakes are higher. As for library projects, I think they could be used to schedule events that require multiple stages over a period of weeks, especially when one stage must be completed before moving on to the next: Planning an event that requires scheduling committee meetings, completing tasks, contacting the media, sending follow-up information, etc., etc., could be a good use of the calculator. That the same features can be found on a good e-mail program--or even on the Google calendar (though this may be just another step toward Google's attempt at world domination)--suggests a certain redundancy that may reduce motivation for using it.
I printed out a copy of a description of the research calculator, handed it to a teacher, and explained how it might work in her research writing class--and that was about the end of it. This tool, as with many others discussed so far, won't translate into classroom application if it is simply offered to teachers: Workshops might help, but the problem there is getting teachers to sign up. E-mail offerings of tools are virtually ineffectual. So what's the answer? How do we library media specialists motivate teachers to at least try some of these tools? I think one answer is leadership and timing: Just as companies train their employees on the job, it's probably most realistic to schedule such training into teachers' days--and I don't mean "Tech Tuesdays" or something along those lines that require before- or after-school participation: I mean staff development days, paid time, uninterrupted time--which probably also means getting administrators on board. Will this happen? In some places I know it is happening. But all too often, it is not, and therefore the "tracks of technology on the educational landscape are still barely visible." Unfortunate. Still, I am impressed by the Research Project Calculator and how it mimics the U of M product; I especially like how it too breaks down the stages of the research process and distinguishes among the formats for the final product: It's not just a calculator. It's a learning tool, a guide, a veritable source of comfort.
Can these tools (or at least the RPC) be used for classroom application and for library projects? Absolutely. It's just a matter of creating an opportunity to demonstrate them to teachers and to point out how well they would work to blunt student excuses that they "forgot." These tools may be even more appropriate for college-level, even graduate-level, courses in which the deadlines are longer and the stakes are higher. As for library projects, I think they could be used to schedule events that require multiple stages over a period of weeks, especially when one stage must be completed before moving on to the next: Planning an event that requires scheduling committee meetings, completing tasks, contacting the media, sending follow-up information, etc., etc., could be a good use of the calculator. That the same features can be found on a good e-mail program--or even on the Google calendar (though this may be just another step toward Google's attempt at world domination)--suggests a certain redundancy that may reduce motivation for using it.
Reference:
2/22/2008
Thing 15: Online Games & Libraries
Findings and thoughts about Second Life and its potential for a librarian to play a role: After watching the YouTube video tour of Info Island/Second Life Libraries, I found the virtual world of Second Life to be exactly the kind of environment that teenagers are probably already exploring extensively and that, with some thought, could be a resource for learning. In fact, teens may well be the "educational" consultants who could assist teachers in understanding, exploring, and applying tools such as Second Life. Although I had no success finding it, I think the idea of an online virtual university or even high school has intriguing possibilities. If there is a concern, it would be a lack of control over interactions (with strangers), images, and content--which I've already experienced--inappropriate for teens within (or even outside) the school environment. Another concern might be the potential for users to become obsessed by or addicted to the virtual world environment.
The potential role of a librarian may be more in terms of a resource than anything else, explaining to patrons, parents, students, and others the use and implications of this sort of online game or virtual world. Of course, I will be checking on other blogs to explore more concrete applications suggested by other participants.
In light of the previous comments, I went ahead and signed up for Second Life after initially exploring some of its features. (The actual experience did not resemble the video at all. Maybe that was the premium version. Other videos discussing virtual universities were frustrating in that I could not find them in my practice sessions.) First off, it requires a download. Second, it tempts a person to buy the premium package. Third, it's a very bizarre experience at first. Running into other avatars and trying to communicate with them are somewhat unnerving experiences. I can see its lure but also its potential for abuse. I can also see its potential to be a "time stealer." (The flying feature was sort of fun, though.)
For Reference:
The potential role of a librarian may be more in terms of a resource than anything else, explaining to patrons, parents, students, and others the use and implications of this sort of online game or virtual world. Of course, I will be checking on other blogs to explore more concrete applications suggested by other participants.
In light of the previous comments, I went ahead and signed up for Second Life after initially exploring some of its features. (The actual experience did not resemble the video at all. Maybe that was the premium version. Other videos discussing virtual universities were frustrating in that I could not find them in my practice sessions.) First off, it requires a download. Second, it tempts a person to buy the premium package. Third, it's a very bizarre experience at first. Running into other avatars and trying to communicate with them are somewhat unnerving experiences. I can see its lure but also its potential for abuse. I can also see its potential to be a "time stealer." (The flying feature was sort of fun, though.)
For Reference:
ALA Techsource Gaming- PEW Online Activities and Pursuits (Report)
- Puzzle Pirates
- Puzzle Pirate Wiki
- Second Life
- Video Tour of Second Life Library
- Eight Myths about Video Games Debunked (PBS)
- Ohio University Second Life Campus
- Gaming, School Libraries, and the Curriculum
Simulations, online video lessons, and interactive tutorials all seem related to gaming to some extent; they may play an important role for school media specialists, who could tap into these techno-trends in teaching various subjects and then share new findings with faculty. Some examples: Quest Atlantis, SodaPlay, Games, Learning, and Society Conference, Whyville, Habbo, Science Daily: Videos, SchoolTube: Science & Technology, and BrainPop.
Addendum: Another free multi-player online game that focuses on avoiding an ecological disaster is called PowerUp the Game.
Addendum: Another free multi-player online game that focuses on avoiding an ecological disaster is called PowerUp the Game.
2/21/2008
Thing 14: The Library Thing
The Library Thing has been around now for a few years. I set up an account with it about two years ago. I think it offers a number of advantages: It has kept me accountable for my reading; it provides nifty ways of categorizing my types of reading; the book covers provide a nice visual display; and like many of the other applications, it has a welcome social/sharing component, allowing interaction with other readers, i.e., reading their reviews, joining their groups, creating a group that they can join, and so forth. The options are varied and extensive. That it has a link to Amazon.com is tolerable, considering that it has to survive some way. My LibraryThing (already outdated, unfortunately).
In terms of promoting this product to teachers, I think its value for classrooms lies in its ability to create a fairly personalized resource for finding and responding to books; I would open the process up for student input (perhaps with supervision or control over the login) to reinforce its ability to appeal to students.
In terms of promoting this product to teachers, I think its value for classrooms lies in its ability to create a fairly personalized resource for finding and responding to books; I would open the process up for student input (perhaps with supervision or control over the login) to reinforce its ability to appeal to students.
For Reference:
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