Sunday, December 5, 2010

Caught in a Web - Web 2.0 Tools

Frosty Morning Webphoto © 2007 John Haslam | more info (via: Wylio)Over the last few months I have been learning about Web 2.0 tools.  I went from not knowing what the term "Web tools" involved, to now knowing I will never know what it completely involves.  And, I'm okay with that.  Why, you ask?  The World Wide Web is infinite.  There are more tools available than I will ever be able to try, and that list continues to grow every day.  And for each new tool I encounter, it is like a journey.  Sometimes the journey is frustrating, like a road trip with my four children all in one vehicle for a long period of time and the DVD player has quite working.  Other times, it is like a relaxing holiday where everything runs as planned and I can sit back and enjoy the scenery.  I recognize the emotional experience I also encounter when I explore new tools.  I know they are part of the learning curve.

I finish my course on Web 2.0 tools with the understanding of the possibilities of the tools.  More importantly, I have tried enough of them to know that I can try any of them, if I so choose.  The web has been spun, and I am trapped in it.  Spin away, spider!  Let the web continue to grow! 

The Story of Spinning the Web

wwwphoto © 2008 Bogdan Suditu | more info (via: Wylio)A spider's web doesn't just appear, although it may seem that way.  You go to bed one night, and nothing is there.  By the morning, though, there is this beautiful, delicate web.  It appears as though it has been there forever; a permanent fixture in nature.  The reality is, it was intricately woven; a series of steps connecting one point to the next, using a different platform to secure each strand.  The World Wide Web is very much the same.  It seemed to appear overnight - as though one day we woke up and there it was; however, the process was a series of steps.  Each step continued to grow the Web until the Web literally extended around the world.  That is a big web to spin!  

My process of learning about the Web 2.0 tools is also very similar to this process.  The course I took to learn about these tools really had an experienced spider facilitating web weaving.  I was the rookie spider learning how to grow my web.  This facilitating spider must have understood the process well because the way she had scaffolded the web weaving lesson was so genius.

Step 1 - Assessing Your Foundation

The first day of my learning involved assessing what I already knew about the World Wide Web and technology.  Perhaps my facilitator had read some research on constructivist theories, because our learning grew from this foundation.  The web weaving was really differentiated for each rookie spider.  If you look at the various webs we created, you can see they are all very unique and reflect the prior knowledge each rookie brought to the course.

web 2.0 logosphoto © 2006 jonas_therkildsen | more info (via: Wylio)Assessing my knowledge of computers and web tools prior to this course was not easy.  As I indicated previously, the arrival of the computer and the worldwide web seemed to occur without much grandeur.  I couldn't remember the first time I had used a computer - I suspect it was in junior high.  I couldn't remember the first time I had emailed someone or received my first email (you would think this would have been exciting and I would have remembered it).  If I were to make my best guess, however, I would say it was when I was working in the bank during the early 1990s.  There were many other details to consider; you can check out my Autobiography of a Computer User if you want to know all the nitty gritty details.  Basically, my knowledge was limited to Facebook - and my use of Facebook was basic.

Step 2 - Building Your Frame

With the foundation of knowledge assessed, we began to weave the framework for our web.  Of course we were asked to look at the big picture, but it is hard to picture that when you didn't know what the big picture involved.  I was advised to read a few of the recommended course materials completely once through before the course began, but with it being September, the start up of my teaching year, and the start up of everything my kids are involved in, I wasn't able to do more than barely keep up with the weekly readings.  So, quite honestly, I maneuvered the exploration rather blindly. 

Wide Wet Webphoto © 2006 David McDermott | more info (via: Wylio)


To begin, I set up my blog.  Yes, Web2pt0Me was my first step.  I had to choose between different platforms for blogging.  I narrowed it down two main options; Blogger and Wordpress.  In the end, Blogger just seemed easier.  I wish I would have taken a screen shot of Web2pt0Me the day it was created.  It is like taking pictures of your children - you like to see how they change and grow.  I didn't know it at the time, but the blog really did become a part of me - I definitely have an attachment to my "baby".  

Step 3 - Assembling Your Team

With the blog set up, my master spider teacher wisely required us to set up certain social networks.  I already had Facebook and Twitter.  I joined a Ning - Classroom 2.0, as well as a book club, Shelfari.  Lastly, I set up a aggregate reader for my RSS feeds - I used Google Reader just because it was there on my iGoogle homepage.  I suspect the intent of the master spider teacher was to provide us with a strong support system - other rookie and not-so rookie spiders who were either learning to weave webs, or who had been weaving for a while - all of who were sharing their learning with others along the way.   

So now that each of us rookie spiders had frames for our webs and support systems established, our next step was to connect with each other.  Within our big group, we were assigned smaller groups.  It was in these groups that we could get to know one another a little better.  I'm not positive, but I suspect we were grouped with other rookies who were starting out at similar places in the learning curve.  I say this cautiously because I was always in awe of what others in both my small and large groups already knew.  I felt like the rookie-rookie spider!

Step 4 - Reading the Instructions 
Eye Arrangement of a Hogna Wolf Spiderphoto © 2010 Thomas Shahan | more info (via: Wylio)With our learning teams established, we pressed forward.  Each week we explored a new tool, read more from our Web 2.0 tools "manuals" (OK, they were the required reading materials), researched using our RSS feeds and Twitter connections, shared links to other great resources, discussed topics to critically assess the impact of Web 2.0 tools on our lives both personally and professionally.  I'm not going to sugar-coat this - it was a steep hill to build a web on.  The learning curve brought sweat to my brows. (Remember, I'm going with the metaphor of spiders, so you know spiders have many eyes which would logically mean they have many eyebrows - so lots of sweat!)

Step 5 - Reviewing the Tools

Tool 1 - Photo Sharing

The first tool we added to our web weaving toolbox was photo sharing.  This was a fun topic to explore.  I had only tried a couple of photo sharing sites previous to this.  One was an online photo editing and development site, Kodak Gallery.  My experience with this site had been good - I preferred this site to any other photo development I had tried.  The quality of the pictures was always superior in my experience. 

Facebook is another site I had used to share photos; however, I had never edited photos on this site.

How Much Time Does It Take Version 2photo © 2008 Cambodia4kids.org Beth Kanter | more info (via: Wylio)Those tools are good tools, but they are only good for certain jobs.  In the world of web weaving, sometimes I would need a different tool to make the connection to the next point.  It was great to explore other photo sharing tools.  I looked at Picasa and Flickr, to name a couple.  These two particular tools fit nicely with other Web tools, such as Google Earth and Blogger.  Creative Commons Flickr has been a gold mine for me - I finally understand copyright in relation to public photos.  I have good options of where to get pictures which I can use without fear of copyright infringements.  I know better how to teach this to the little rookie spiders I am facilitating learning for. 

As far as what this meant to me as a rookie - I learned how to share pictures of screen clips and other photos that helped me explain certain things.  When I researched things on the Web, pictures that others had shared also helped me better understand things.  Instructions on how to do something are so much easier to understand when there is a picture demonstrating the process.  A picture is worth a thousand words!  Plus, sometimes the pictures are just plain interesting to look at.

Tool 2 - Video Sharing

Naturally, the next tool to explore was video sharing.  I have not had a lot of success with videos of my own in the past.  I have a hard time getting them off my video camera and into a format I can do something with.  Videos frustrated me, period.  I did find some tools to help me with this frustration, though.  Smilebox, a tool I used for photo sharing, is also capable of sharing videos.  Windows Movie Maker was also another tool I found I could experience some success with.  I could publish this to YouTube and then share even further. 

All Video Sites - The Listphoto © 2008 HH-Michael | more info (via: Wylio)



On the flip side of this, I also found numerous sites with videos already made that I could use.  I set up a YouTube account and began adding favorites to it.  I explored alternative sites to YouTube.  It opened my eyes to the resources out there.

Just as with the photos, videos are invaluable when trying to understand something better.  I love the story I read about the boy who was trying to build a fire but was having no success.  He video taped what he was doing, shared the video on the Web, and received feedback on what to change so he could be successful.  That is the best demonstration of the how powerful this tool can be.

Side Note: One thing I learned with these tools is there are always two components to sharing - what we produce and what we consume.  This applies to all tools we encounter.  If the tool can be used to produce something and people are willing to share, then there is always something to consume.  As I continued to work with the tools, I became more aware of this fact.

So, when I look at Flickr with this in mind, I realize that it is important to contribute to the community I am consuming from.  As you can see in my previous posts, I relied on this site often.  As a good citizen of this group, I have a responsibility, in my mind, to contribute to the resources in some way.  So I do plan to go back after this course and get my Picasa and Flickr accounts working both ways (production and consumption). 

Tool 3 - Social Networking

By the end of September and the beginning of October, we were adding the next layers to our web weaving.  We began looking at social networking and the roll it played in connecting to the next points on the web.  Again, if you can create, you can share.  You can share your bookmarks with others, as well as looking at bookmarks others have made.  Often I could find categories of information, such as with Diigo, where information was organized based on tags and groupings.  This is when I realized tagging information effectively is important - it makes finding it so much easier. 

Digital Sharingphoto © 2008 Dave Duarte | more info (via: Wylio)As a rookie web weaver, I get the big deal with this.  I like that I can search my topic on a social bookmarking site and then find information that people have already bookmarked for that topic.  It saves me a lot of time searching through the endless amount of information out there.  If I need to know about a new tool for my web weaving,  or I need to ask a question, there is a community available I can go to.  Likewise, I may be able to help someone with their web weaving in such a place.

Tool 4 - Podcasting

This was new to me.  I can say my stress level was up with this tool.  I am thankful I had some master spiders I knew personally to get some help from.  I had trouble with my microphone due to some default settings on my laptop; however, once I got the technical issues out of the way, the podcasting was quite easy. 

21st Century Idea Dissemination Model (via podcasting)photo © 2006 Wesley Fryer | more info (via: Wylio)This is a neat tool to use.  Knowing how to create a voice recording is useful in many ways.  A picture is worth a thousand words, but sometimes you need the words to interpret the picture correctly.  I loved listening to many of the podcasts - they reminded me of the radio shows I used to listen to as a kid. 

And then there are the enhanced podcasts which provide visuals as well.  I was particularly excited to find the cooking podcasts.  I have been trying to find resources for my Foods 8 class (One video I found created specifically for teaching cooking courses was $100 whereas this podcast was FREE!) 

Plus, podcasts can be mashed-up with so many other tools.  Having this in your toolbox is a necessity, in my mind.  It gives you many options for extending your web weaving. 

Tool 5 - Wikis

wiki world (draft)photo © 2007 kaurjmeb | more info (via: Wylio)Just look at Wikipedia and you will get the idea.  That is a major web extension alone.  I was once told by a professor to not rely on Wikipedia too much.  I had used it for some basic definitions in a PowerPoint presentation I had made.  I felt embarrassed that I didn't understand the collaborative nature of this tool.  However, I have come to see this collaboration as a good thing.  I agree, this is not the resource you want to use for major research - but it is a good point to get you started in your exploration of a topic.  Whether you have a PhD. in a topic, or just a passion for it, you can add your knowledge to the discussion when you are part of a Wiki. 

As a rookie spider in web weaving, I love that there is a collaborative place I can go to when I need to discuss something.  I like that I can put a question out there and someone may be able to help me.  I like that often the questions I have are already out there, and someone has already answered them - because all I have to do is read their conversation.  Often I find I learn more from the conversation than I did from the site.

Tool 6 - Multimedia and Presentation Tools

Can you say FUN???  Sometimes frustrating, but man are they fun.  As fast as I created using these tools, I shared.  And as fast as I shared, I had other people wanting to use them to create.  There are some real duds out there - lots of bells and whistles, but you seriously wonder where you'd ever use them.  Then there are others that will change the way you teach. 

Wet Wet Webphoto © 2010 Tanti Ruwani | more info (via: Wylio)As far as web weaving goes, this is what makes your web fancy and effective.  If you want to link this to inquiry, this is the create phase.  When choosing the tool for weaving your web, you have to look at where you are and what you are trying to achieve.  You don't want to use a tool just to say you have used it - you want to use it because it is the best tool for the job.

By this time I was also getting familiar enough with my blog, that I really started to add widgets to it.  I could often embed many of these presentation tools into my blog.  This is what gives your blog a personality - your personality.  I like to think of my blog as my digital face!



Tool 7 - Social Networking Sites

5 Ways to Cultivate an Active Social Networkphoto © 2009 Mark Smiciklas | more info (via: Wylio)

These can be for fun and for work.  Well, sometimes work is fun.  This is where we are connecting with others, as we do with Facebook.  But there are so many other sites beyond Facebook.  There are book clubs, such as Shelfari and Goodreads, and Nings on just about any topic you can imagine.  It is a community of people sometimes based on connections, such as friendships, and other times based upon interests, such as education.  If you think of it like a series of night clubs, you gather at the one which matches your demographics, interests, preferences, etc.  Since I don't visit night clubs anymore, this setting provides me with the opportunity to chat and hang out with others who chose the same "club" and have the same interests. 

Tool 8 - Twitter

Twitter - you have to follow lots of people to really get the effect of this.  Follow people who share your interests and passions.  Search for them everywhere - on Twitter, on blogs, on brochures you receive...where ever!  Add them to your Twitter list, and then sit back and let the information come to you.  You will learn so much about the topics you have chosen.  Of course, lots of the information is just noise, so ignore it like a teenager does their parents.  Sometimes you get information which you feel is inappropriate, so block those people out.  In the end, you will have a personalized minute-by-minute news reel. 

twitter logo map 09photo © 2009 The Next Web The Next Web | more info (via: Wylio)You need some kind of platform, such as Tweetdeck, to really help you understand the full potential of this tool.  Tweetdeck can bring many of your social feeds together into this one spot.

This is another tool that can grow you web weaving immensely.  I just caution people about two things; you need to use it regularly (daily for 20 minutes), and you need to limit how much you use it.  Seriously, this can be addicting.  If you don't limit it, you can begin to feel overwhelmed by the information coming at you.  There is always more information than you will ever be able to read.  Lots of this information is good information.  But it is okay to let it pass you by and get the next one.  It is about managing your information and maintaining balance in your life.




Tool 9 - Blogs, Blogging and RSS Feeds

ist2_4242555_small_rss_feed_iconsphoto © 2008 Pimkie | more info (via: Wylio)Reading blogs, writing blogs and managing it all with RSS feeds is what this is all about.  Learn and share; share and learn - these are the 21st century learning skills we are talking about.  The answers are out there, we just need to know how and where to find them.  Blogs and blogging can be about absolutely anything, and all of it is useful to someone.  When you find the blogs you like, you manage the information by subscribing to the RSS feeds so that information will come to you (I suggest setting up an aggregate reader to manage your feeds).  It is like custom building a newspaper that is updated 24/7. 


Where Do I Go From Here?

Better question - where don't I go from here?  It is like learning to walk and then realizing there is a world beyond what you previously knew - so you start running.  Sometimes you fall, sometimes you scrape a knee - but you keep running.  My web weaving has only just begun.  There is a world out there to explore, and it is growing and changing everyday.  I will always be a rookie spider web weaver because there will always be something new to learn.  I may become experienced with the tools I currently know, but they will never remain the same because they can always be mashed up with other tools to be used in new ways. 

While we were learning to handle the tools, we were also participating in online discussions about specific topics.  The topics during the exploration of the tool were reading, managing and organizing information, personalizing and writing.  We explored the differences between online and traditional text for these topics, and how to facilitate the development of these skills in our students.  When did this type of reading and writing start happening?  When did we realize it is different than reading and writing with traditional text?  What is the effect of this type of reading and writing on brain development, comprehension, etc.?  What does this mean for how we manage information? 

All of this snuck up on me...kind of like computers and technology did (and continues to do).  But I get it - reading and writing online is different in many ways from reading and writing traditional text.  I am aware of these differences now when I teach.

So this is where I begin - but the web weaving is endless and has infinite possibilities.  I am open to them.  In fact, I am looking for them.  I am looking for ways to incorporate all of the Web 2.0 tools into my teaching practices, if for no other reason than to educate my students how to use these tools responsibly.

I ❤  The Webphoto © 2009 dullhunk | more info (via: Wylio)As far as where I am going to go with this, let me summarize.  Personally, I can't wait to continue exploring for personal uses.  I want to create and share for my own family and friends, just for the pure enjoyment of it.  Professionally, I am already sharing.  I have incorporated Museum Box into my latest AISI project - and my colleagues are excited to create their own.  I have shared sites for creating digital storytelling - ZooBurst is a three dimensional pop up book that has caught some teachers' eyes.  I showed another teacher a Prezi as an alternative to all the PowerPoints they see (yes, I would argue it is different from PowerPoint due to the non-linear ability - I used it to quite successfully demonstrate the complexity of major and minor themes in my last novel study).  I have shared my Web2pt0Me site with my administration, and plan to share it with many others who have been asking me about Web 2.0 tools.  These tools support the create phase of the inquiry model which is one great reason to start sharing them.  As an AISI lead, I am introducing the tools one at a time, when it fits.  I only encourage the use of these tools if they are the best tool for the job. 

I think all of these tools are beneficial to teachers; however, I don't think all teachers are ready to weave webs.  I would argue that everyone can benefit.  Whether people like it or not, the Web has entered all of our lives in one way or another.  You may not love it, or even like it, but you do benefit from knowing how to navigate and survive in it.  There is more information out there than we could ever manage, but we need to learn how to manage the information important to us personally.  These tools enable that. 

My Final Five

1. Web 2.0 tools help you to find, manage and share information. 
2. Learning about the tools is not as stressful as you think - try it!
3. RSS feeds and Twitter - so much information; so interesting!
4. Don't worry about reading every great article - there are always
   more.
5. Set a time limit - don't let it take over your life!

That is a summary of my web weaving course.  It is time for a little rest.


Cattail and The Dew Webphoto © 2009 Brian Garrett | more info (via: Wylio)

Thursday, December 2, 2010

Wondersay

Here is a cool little tool to bring a sentence or quote to life.  It is easy to embed into your blog and the link back to the site is included in the post for copyright.

Sunday, November 28, 2010

Blogs, Blogging and RSS Feeds

This is the final drawer in the Web 2.0 tool box.  I have been learning about blogs, blogging and RSS feeds for three months now.  It is due to these tools that I now understand what my iGoogle homepage is - a customized site for gathering information relevant to my needs and interests.  These tools are very versatile in the ways they can be used both personally and professionally. I know I have only skimmed the surface of the possibilities, and the list of uses will continue to grow and evolve over time.  It is exciting, however, to be aware of the tools and imagine the many ways they can become a part of your life.

To begin, a blog is a type of website an individual creates to share information (comments, videos, pictures, links, etc.) on the world wide web.  Posts to a blog appear in reverse chronological order on the web page.  A blog is also socially interactive in the sense that others can leave comments on your posts.  Generally, the blog is in an area of interest, and helps to connect you with others who share that same interest.  Blog - Wikipedia provides a good overview of these features.  The following Common Craft video by Lee LeFever - Blogs in Plain English, is a great starting point to understand the blogging world.


Truly, the best way to understand a blog is to begin blogging yourself.  There are numerous platforms to use when setting up your own blog, and the choice ultimately is a personal one, based on how you envision using it, what tools you are already using, and your comfort level.  As indicated in Blog-Wikipedia, blogs have been used in many ways.  The blogs can be defined based on the content they contain or how the content is delivered.  Some examples of how blogs can be defined are:
  • Personal blogs
  • Corporate and organizational blogs
  • Genre blogs
  • Media type blogs
  • Device
I chose to use Blogger as my blogging platform.  I chose this platform primarily because I could create documents in Microsoft Office Word and publish them directly to my blog.  Will Richardson also recommends this site due to the ease of use (2010, p. 48).  That being said, as I indicated previously, there are numerous platforms available.  Some are free web based sites, some are microblogging sites, some charge a fee, some are self-hosting, such as Blogger, and others a site-hosted, such as Twitter.  Here are a few to get you started in your exploration:
Once I created my blog page for this course, I could at least recognize other blogs when I came across them.  In the Web 2.0 world, there are so many tools and gadgets out there, it is hard to know whether you are on a Wiki, Ning, blog, etc.  Just as with these tools, when you begin to create your own or participate in others, you develop a feel for the characteristics, features and benefits of each type of Web 2.0 tool.  For that reason, by creating your own blog, you will become familiar with what it can do and how you can potentially use it.

After you have created your own blog, it is beneficial to explore other blogs.  Not only will you find sites which are useful personally and professionally, but it lets you see how various sites are designed and the numerous gadgets that can be used to personalize your site.  Look beyond the information and links in the blog post - focus on items found in the sidebars, headers and footers of the blog page.  The blog becomes the digital face of the author - it reveals their purpose and some of their personality.  For example, on my own blog page, I have included professional tools related to my career in education, a book club I am part of - Shelfari (I am going to dive into this once I done this course.  I have had a few people requesting to be my friend, but I haven't had time to play yet.), a Flickr photostream (also waiting for me to put to full use), a badge showing I am a member of Classroom 2.0, some samples of Web 2.0 tools I have tried, such as a Voicethread, my Twitter postings, and so much more.  Yes, in a digital sense, this is growing and evolving with me, very much becoming a digital image of who I am online.  Digitally speaking, I may be in the infantile stage, but I am maturing with the more digital experience I gain.

I remember the first day I set up my blog, I was unfamiliar with terms such as "html" and "embed" in relation to blogging.  It was very overwhelming.  However, now that I have been playing around with my own blog, I not only know what these mean, but I am using them to blog and share information on my blog.  Further, I better understand other issues I run into in other arenas of my life, such as issues with my computer at work and at home.  So, to keep with the metaphor of "infantile", in my first days I was fresh from the womb and needed someone to feed me (in this case, mostly Richardson).  As I learned the basics of creating a post and embedding a few pictures (working with html text), I began to feel a little less timid.  I began taking my first steps, wobbly at first (maybe a few tears were shed, and sometimes I cursed the screen when it didn't do what I wanted).  However, I am at the point where I am posting more than just pictures, working with html text, adding gadgets, and so much more.  I am not running, but the steps and footing are solid enough to give me the independence to know how to grow with these tools.

The question then becomes, how do you find blogs to follow.  There are a number of ways to do this.  In my case, I was given a list of recommended blogs for the Web 2.0 course.  If you are looking for this kind of information, here are some blogs to get you started:
Beyond that, you can look at my blog roll in my side bar.  I have found other blogs in the educational and technological field that I feel are worthy of being shared on my blog.  I often look at the blog rolls of sites I go into to find out who they are following.

However, there are a couple of other ways to find blogs about specific topics.  A second way is to use the tools to search the blog directory.  Some of these search tools are (Richardson, p. 108):
I will come to the third way of searching a little later on.

Knowing how to locate the information is only the first step.  Once you find great resources, you want to keep up with any new information which is posted to these sites, whether it be comments to existing posts, or new posts from the author(s) of the site.  Often on these site you will find RSS feeds.  This stands for Really Simple Syndication.  Wikipedia gives a good overview of RSS feeds.  As Richardson indicates (2010, p. 108)this allows you to subscribe to the blog so you don't have to return to it repeatedly to see if anything new has been posted.  Again, the Common Craft video on RSS In Plain English is useful in helping you visualize how this process works:


The RSS feeds makes the managing of the information on the web slightly more possible.  The RSS feeds can come to you in a couple of ways that I know of.  The first I am aware of is a tab under my email account. 


When subscribing to many of the pages, it will give you the option of heaving the feeds come to this location.  However, I chose to set up an aggregate reader.  There are many different readers to choose from.  I chose Google Reader because I wanted to learn more about the features of my iGoogle homepage.  However, Richardson does list other options (p. 109):
I have created files for all of the blogs and other types of sites I subscribe to.  These are similar to a filing cabinet.  A file for education. Another one for technology. Financial information, cooking, parenting, etc.  I then label the RSS feed with whatever file title they fall into.  I can have a RSS feed subscription which falls into more than one category, such as education and technology, for instance.  Why is this a big deal?  To help me search for specific information that is coming to me in my feed subscriptions.  It allows me to narrow down the search through the blogs when searching for specific information.  For instance, I wanted to include a blog roll on this site.  I went to my Google Reader and chose from the Web 2.0 Blogs file I had set up.  It saved me from searching my entire listing of subscriptions.  Similarly, when I am looking for information about cooking, I go to my cooking feeds first and scroll through the posts as a starting point. 

I should also mention at this point, the Google Reader is the third way I know of to search for blogs of a particular topic.  In my Google Reader page, there is a search option.  I can type in the topic of choice, and Google Reader will show a list of blogs related to that topic.  The rest is up to me - I have to sift through them until I find what I am looking for. 

All this said and done, Pam Berger and Sally Trexler say now you need to respond to some one's blog (2010, p. 109).  I think this is because it makes the game real - it makes this the Read/Write Web. 

Personal Uses for Blogs, Blogging and RSS Feeds

Personally, I have used blogs a few times that I am aware of.  I know for sure I used it once to figure out how to solve a problem I was having with my computer.  I have also responded to let them know the information was helpful.  I have posted information on sites like Facebook.  As Richard MacManus indicates, it is about getting your voice out there (2010, par. 1).  Beyond this, however, I haven't really tried too much.  Richardson (2010) does give me a few ideas, though.  These are a few of the things I can see myself trying or continuing to do in the future:
  • e-portfolio
  • as a resource
  • a collaborative space
  • connective writing
To illustrate what this might look like, I did a quick search on Technorati for the term "blogging".  I came up with an extensive listing of choices, a variety of bloggers who were writing about topics ranging from music, icy roads, to squid.


Dean Takahashi states in his article State of the Blogoshphere: More bloggers are doing it with their phones, that there are also the "mom-blogs", who often are writing about brands of products.  According to Takahaski, this tends to attract advertising to their sites.  Further, Takahashi refers to the annual State of the Blogosphere report that Technorati conducts.  In the survey conducted for this report, 48% of the bloggers felt more people in the future will be obtaining their information from blogs over the traditional forms of media.

Professional Uses for Blogs, Blogging and RSS Feeds

Professionally speaking, there are many uses for these tools, as well.  To begin with my own first hand experiences, I have created this blog for a university course on Web 2.0 tools.  That in itself was a professional use.  However, this blog has now become an educational tool for me as I lead other teachers in learning about 21st century tools for our classrooms.  It is a resource I can share with others to get them started in the Web 2.0 tools world.

Of course the blogs I follow are a great professional development resource.  I have found links to so many helpful and educating articles.  Through these connections, I have also been introduced to terms and concepts that truly are hot off the press.  The information is timely.  In addition, I am making contacts and developing working relationships with others who I am unable to meet face to face with.  This is even with my own school district which covers a large area. 

Richardson (2010) also mentions other professional uses, such as:
  • as a learning tool
  • as a resource
  • class portal
  • collaborative space
  • connective writing
  • e-portfolio
  • knowledge articulation
  • online filing cabinet
  • transactional writing
  • student blogging
The RSS feeds really are the "killer app", as Richardson indicates (2010).  This application revolutionized how I used the web for both personal and professional uses.  The fact that I could now subscribe to sites I found interesting or useful, and have that information come to me, has done two things.  One, it has made it more likely that I will read professional material on a daily basis.  It is there, and as I scroll through my feeds I inevitably find something that peaks my interest.  Therefore, I believe the RSS feed deserves credit for making me feel more intelligent.  Secondly, I am more likely to contribute something worthwhile to social networking sites such as Twitter or Facebook.  It is so easy to share what I am reading (if I feel it is worthwhile sharing). 

As an aside, it is interesting to know what happens to your information once you put it out there.  In Blogger, there is a page where you can look at your stats.  There is an overview data page which shows you where in the world the viewers of your page are, how many times your site has been looked at, and traffic on your site.  It looks something like this:



Another interesting statistic to look at is the traffic, including both the referring URLs and the Referring sites.  I followed up some of the recent ones on my site and was a little surprised to see one of my postings for this course had been listed in a blog roll on another site.  It made me feel good - like all my hard work had been beneficial beyond this course.  However, try as I might, I can't seem to find the trail tonight.  An example of what this page looks like is:


I am definitely still learning what all these statistics mean and how to follow up how the information I put out there is then being used.  For now, this is a good start.  Baby steps.


References

Berger, P., & Trexler, S. (2010). Choosing web 2.0 tools for learning and teaching in a digital world. Santa Barbara, CA: Libraries Unlimited

Fitzpatrick, J. (June 20, 2010). LifeHacker: five best blogging platforms.  Retrieved at http://lifehacker.com/5568092/five-best-blogging-platforms.

MacManus, R. (Nov. 24, 2010).  Top trends of 2010: the rise of tumblr, posterous, & light blogging.  Retrieved from http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/tumblr_posterous_top_trends_2010.php
Richardson, W. (2010). Blogs, wikis, podcasts and other powerful web tools for classrooms. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.

Takahashi, D. (Nov. 3, 2010).  State of the blogoshphere: More bloggers are doing it with their phones.  Retrieved at http://venturebeat.com/2010/11/03/state-of-the-blogosphere-more-bloggers-are-doing-it-with-their-phones/

Sunday, November 21, 2010

Twitter - Network Mining



Pet Market Beijing
Ivan Walsh's Flickr photostream
I set up my Twitter account over the summer, but really didn't do anything much with it at that time.  I don't recall who I was following or who was following me, but I know it involved some people from the online course I was taking at the time.  However, it wasn't until this course that I really began to network and become connected, thereby experiencing the power of this networking tool.  As William Kist indicates, "people are tethering themselves to each other, crisscrossing the Web as they Twitter everything from the mundane to the sublime" (2010, p. 3).  Twitter is that little bird we put in a cage and send down into the mine shaft to search for the quality air, so to speak.

My first tweet was uncomfortable.  I didn't like the idea of giving a play-by-play of my daily routines.  For one, they aren't that interesting.  Secondly, none of my family or friends use Twitter as a social or professional tool, and those are the only people I could imagine being slightly interested any of my tweets. 

Looking down the Mine Shaft
bradleyolin's Flickr photostream
As far as what I was getting out of Twitter...not much.  I didn't get some of the lingo being used - a condensed way of sharing information due to the microblogging nature of this tool (messages need to be given in 140 characters or less).  I wasn't following anyone I knew, so I wasn't really interested if they were going for coffee or doing errands. I felt alone
in the mine!                

I wasn't motivated to check out my Twitter account very often.  In fact, I didn't go on Twitter after that summer course ended.  It wasn't until this course began that I needed to revive the account and try to put some life into it.  So I sent the bird in the cage back down into the mine shaft.

There were a couple of key steps I took that enabled me to understand the potential of this tool on a personal and professional level.  The first was a link a classmate provided for a list of Twitter names to follow from the educational field.  It was a link similar to Canadian Educators Who Tweet on Listorious, a list I could add my Twitter handle to and in turn the list would automatically set me up as a "follower" to anyone on that list and they were automatically set up as followers on my account.  Listorious would do the same with the handles of any newcomers to the list.  This was key in growing the list of people I was following, as well as the people following me.  My list continued to grow (currently I am following 400 Twitter handles and have 167 following me).  The mine shaft was getting productive - and as with any type of information management, periodically one has to review their "workers" to see which ones a producing and which ones need a pink slip.


Woodhorn Colliery Ashington 09-12-2006 15-19-31
Glen Bowman's flickr photostream

I had also been following several Twitter handles required by this course.  These are great resources in the area of education, technology and web 2.0 tools.  The list recommended for this course, to get anyone started in these areas, is as follows (they are the light in the mine shaft): 


Woodhorn Colliery Ashington 09-12-2006 15-18-54
Glen Bowman's flickr photostream


  • Will Richardson (@willrich45)
  • David Warlick (@dwarlick)
  • Joyce Valenza (@joycevalenza)
  • Stephen Abram (@sabram)
  • Dean Shareski (@shareski)
  • Alec Couros (@courosa)
  • Ross Todd (@RossJTodd)
  • Miguel Guhlin (@mguhlin)
  • Steve Hargadon (@shargadon)
  • Scott McLeod (@mcleod)
  • Mack Male (@mastermaq)
  • Judy O'Connell (@heyjudeonline)
  • danah boyd (@zephoria)
  • Buffy Hamiton/The Unquiet Librarian (@buffyjhamilton)
  • Joanne de Groot(@joannedegroot)
As well, I added the classmates from my course, another thirty or so handles.  The superintendent from my school district is trying to use Twitter as a public relations tool, so I added all the handles from that professional group.  Finally, I have added Twitter handles to follow as I navigate the Web - I find many of the sites I visit have the option to follow them on Twitter.  I have added many personal interest Twitter handles to my account, such as The Edmonton Journal (@edmontonjournal), Oprah (@O_Magazine), YA BookShelf (@YABookShelf), and IndigoEvents (@indigogreenroom) to name a few.  David Parry from AcademHack referred to this YouTube - How To Use Twitter video as his starting point for learning how to work with Twitter.  Sam Harrelson posted this in 2007, which isn't the most current, but does explain the basics well.



Gold is Where You Find It
cliff106TM's flickr photostream
So now I had built my networking community and I had a good flow of tweets to scan each time I signed into the site.  I found this more interesting, and as I scrolled through the tweets I would find links to topics I was interested in.  The information I was seeking was now coming to me instead of me having to venture out into the world wide web to find it.  Twitter was starting to look better to me - I was beginning to see the use of this mining for information tool.

Startup Schwag #21 - tweetdeck.com Shirt
homard.net's flickr
 photostream
It wasn't until I set up TweetDeck that I really got this Twitter thing.  (Will Richardson mentions another platform, Nambu, which I have not investigated but at a first glance, does look very worthy of consideration.)  TweetDeck brought Twitter to life for me.  I have set up columns on this platform which allows me to manage my Twitter lists; to follow groups I have created, both public and private; and to sort and manage the information coming to me from Twitter.  I can chose specific groups identified by a hashtag (i.e. #edtech) which is typed somewhere in the tweet so anyone can search for any tweets containing this identifying hashtag (these are easy to create - just put # followed by a group name you want and include it in your tweets for that group).  Each list I select to add to TweetDeck then shows up on the TweetDeck dashboard.  I can create a list which displays Facebook newsfeeds from my Facebook account.  Another list I created was for the Direct Messages to my Twitter account.  There is also a list for recommended Twitter handles to follow and finally the list which display the tweets made by the Twitter handles I am following.  I could set up as many columns as I wish for particular listings I want to follow.  All tweets made under these columns are updated real-time. 

TweetDeck

Rosaura Ochoa'a Flickr Photostream

Three last things I can do with TweetDeck are searching, composing and syncing.  The search columns display searches I have done on TweetDeck and allows me to conduct other searches (i.e. search for specific hastags; search for particular type of information; etc.).  I can compose a message to join the conversations on Twitter from TweetDeck so I don't have to leave this site and go to my Twitter account.  I can sync TweetDeck with my iPhone (if I had one - I committed to HTC Hero last time I renewed, for reasons I won't go into here).  However, I did add Twitter to one of my home screens on my cell phone and I do check the tweets when I am killing time.  Anything I like, I simply retweet and then I can easily find it when I am at my computer (I just check out my list of tweets to find anything I have posted).

As I mentioned earlier, managing is a key part of this information mining.  I have done this two ways.  The first thing I tried to set up as my Twitter account was growing were groups.  As I followed a new Twitter handle, I would add it to a particular group, such as  "education", "finances", "technology", etc.  I have several groups which I have set up, including personal and professional topics. 

The second way I manage this information is in TweetDeck, as I mentioned above, by creating lists and columns on my dashboard. Tknoppe gives a good overview to explain the basics and show how to customize your TweetDeck in this Twitter TweetDeck Tutorial.


I can leave TweetDeck running in the background of my computer as I work on other things.  Any new tweets or posts will pop up on my screen.  I quickly scan them and if it is something I am interested in I look into it - otherwise I let it fade from my screen.  For example, tonight I came across a tweet with a link to 101 Ways to Use Twitter on Campus by Online Colleges.  It seemed to fit for this week's post, so I explored it.  Another tweet which caught my eye was Alternatives to Wallwisher because of my blog from a couple of weeks ago on presentation tools.  I doubt I would have found these links in my own searches, but someone was generous enough to share their learning on Twitter.  That is really what makes this tool so powerful - so remember to contribute to the community!

Which leads me to my discussion of what Twitter is and how it works.

For anyone new to Twitter and who wants a good overview to get them started, the Common Craft video Twitter in Plain English is where to start (again, they are just plain entertaining to watch!).  As Pam Berger and Sally Trexler (2010) state,

Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/) is a free microblogging tool that can be utilized from a computer, a mobile phone, or a PDA.  Postings, which are called "tweets", are limited to 140 characters, including spaces.  It is very similar to text messaging, but tweets are published to the Web (p. 172).
As Will Richardson (2010) so adeptly points out, "it's that blend of the professional and the personal that makes Twitter such a cool tool on so many levels" (p. 86).  This is the reality of Twitter; both pieces really do come in one package.

Personal and Professional Tweeting

Originally I tried to separate personal and professional uses of tweeting, but it really is hard to do.  In the many resources I have looked at, the two really do seem to blend together.  So, while I will try to address the personal uses first and the professional uses second, it really is hard not to blend here and there. 

 Gold Pan
Nate Cull's Flickr Photostream
Using Twitter for personal uses doesn't mean you have to tweet your every move to your followers, as it was originally created for (Richardson, p. 86).  You can if that is what you want, but I think that is a superficial use of Twitter.  On a deeper level, it can be a tool for just about any aspect of your life.  An example that comes to mind was a tweeter who kept appearing on my Twitter account one evening.  This person was trying to figure out why something on her computer wasn't working properly.  She sent her problem out into her network of Twitter followers - she posted a quick microblog identifying the problem, other gave her suggestions to try, further questions and responses, and finally signing off for the evening not yet having solved the problem but committed to picking it up the next day. 
I had never thought of using Twitter in such a way; it was similar to searching blogs and discussion forums for this type of problem solving; however, the responses seemed more immediate.  I now understand what Richardson means when he states it "creates a 'network at my fingertips' phenomenon where people ask questions and get answers, link to great blog posts or resources, or share ideas for projects as they go through the day.  For many, it's become a running river of conversation and ideas that has cemented their connections to the community..." (p. 86). 

William M. Ferriter writes a column for Educational Leadership.  In September of 2009 Ferriter wrote a column entitled Taking the Digital Plunge.  In this article Ferriter reveals his passion for Twitter and how it can be used to ask questions and share information.  In the February 2010 issue he continues this idea in his column titled Why Teacher Should Try Twitter.  The one point he makes is he reads through his Twitter feeds regularly - 20 minutes in the morning and again in the afternoon (February 2010, p. 74).  I think this is key in "cementing" the connections Richardson mentions.  It is like any relationship; you need to nurture it in order for it to thrive.

Ferriter also mentions a few resources worth exploring regarding Twitter.  Sheryl Nussbaum-Beach (@snbeach) is a "Teacher Leaders Network colleague and a digital learning expert" (February 2010, p. 73).  Her site is 21st Century Collaborative and contains a wealth of information about collaboration.  He also mentions Twitter4Teachers, which I had also come across in my own searches.  Again, this is another site full of ideas of how to use Twitter in almost any subject area and classroom setting. 

Richardson (2010) suggests Twitter Collaboration Stories, a wiki that Nancy White hosts (p. 87).  When I checked out this site, these were some of the ideas in a list of many:

Personal uses:
  • Coordinate efforts on your cell phone during a power outage;
  • A "water-cooler" type of visiting space;
  • Collaboration;
  • Get advice about purchases;
  • Give advice about purchases;
  • Locating original sources of information (quotes, books, movies, etc.)
  • Technical support;
  • Gathering consensus;
  • News updates;
  • Storytelling;
  • To remember ideas you come up with throughout the day.
Professional:
  • Searching for job candidates;
  • To get feedback throughout a conference;
  • Invite people to collaborate;
  • Request suggestions;
  • Extend the boundaries of the classroom;
  • Dissemination of publications and materials;
  • Live Real time databases;
  • Global presence and participation in workshops.
Berger and Trexler (2010, p. 172) also provide a list ways Twitter is being used;
  • To start conversations
  • To recommend books and online resources
  • To track favorite authors
  • To gain access to a greater pool of opinion
  • To post helpful URLs
  • To ask advice of experts
  • To send reminders
  • To share information from conferences
  • To promote activities and events
AcademHack by David Parry is another site to check out when trying to determine uses of Twitter for Academia.  Parry lists some ways he used Twitter in the classroom, commenting that it was one of the better things he did in his classroom.  Visit his site for a complete explanation of each item.



The most important sign you'll ever see in a mine
Kevin Dooley's Flickr Photostream

  • Class chatter
  • Classroom community
  • Get a sense of the world
  • Track a word
  • Track a conference
  • Instant feedback
  • Follow a professional
  • Follow a famous person
  • Grammar
  • Rule Based Writing
  • Maximizing the Teachable Moment
  • PublicNotePad
  • Writing Assignments
He invites readers to note an additional uses in his comments section.  I read through this, with the first post being in 2008 and the last post in March of 2010.  It is interesting to see the evolution in the comments.  Further, I figured out how to add my tweets to my blog page!  Loved it!

I recently attended a workshop which used microblogging throughout the session.  We used TodaysMeet for this networking.  Richardson suggests Edmodo as a secure social networking site to use in classroom settings.  It was the first time I had experienced this and I absolutely loved it.  Not everyone at my table shared my affections.  Some said they found it distracting.  I agree; sometimes I missed something the presenter was saying because I was engaged with something happening on the microblog, but my learning was exponential from this session.  I learned many things from the presenter, but my true learning came from the audience.  People would tweet questions about things in the presentation they didn't understand, and a wave of responses and links would ensue.  I came away with new knowledge and links to resources that the participants in the audience shared. 

As a side note, I used Microsoft OneNote to organize the information as it came in on TodaysMeet, so I left at the end of the day with a new section in my Web 2.0 notebook (I have made this notebook public), Digitales, which I created pages in to display the content of links from the day, the notes I had typed during the presentation, and clips of web pages and other pieces of information I gathered.  At the end, I was also able to export the transcript from the microblog to my OneNote notebook giving me a complete record of the day.  I then synced this with my online Evernote account, and the information is now available wherever I go, whether I have online access or my laptop for off-line access.

The Coal Miner
Michael Poley's Flickr Photostream

The lists are extensive for both personal and professional uses.  If you want to search for information and/or groups on Twitter, the Twitter Search is a good place to start.

Richardson also mentions InnerTwitter and this site makes sense, especially in light of a CBC documentary I recently viewed, Are We Digital Dummies?  I will leave you to explore both of these and see what connections you make.  I pulled the birdcage back up from the mine shaft, and everyone is still breathing!

Tweet! Tweet!




Resources
Bellanca, J., & Brandt, R. (2010). 21st century skills: Rethinking how students learn. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree.


Berger, P., & Trexler, S. (2010). Choosing web 2.0 tools for learning and teaching in a digital world. Santa Barbara, CA: Libraries Unlimited. 

Ferriter, W. (2009).  Taking the digital plunge.  Educational Leadership, 67(1), 85-86.

Ferriter, W. (2010).  Why teacher should try twitter.  Educational Leadership, 67(5), 73-74.

Kist, W. (2010). The socially networked classroom: Teaching in the new media age. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.

Richardson, W. (2010). Blogs, wikis, podcasts and other powerful web tools for classrooms. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.