Transcript You need to know about … Blogs

UH, StudyNet & ‘e-learning 2.0’
Dr Andrew Oliver
[email protected]
LTDU & BLU
University of Hertfordshire
Preamble: We are officially web 2.0
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Web 1. 0: read only, Web 2.0: read AND write
Primary info on the net provided by the user:
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Blogs & podcasts taking over from websites as news
Wikis & tagging & forums: primary knowledge & research
sources
Data & structure no longer exclusive to the host
website
eLearning 2.0
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Socially based software: collaborative, iterative,
inclusive (discussion) = knowledge building &
sharing
Includes:
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Blogs
Wikis
Social tagging
Forums
Podcasting
Used in conjunction with each other
Blogs
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Google + ‘blog’ returns
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2.7 Billion results
How many blogs?
43 mill, 60 mill, 90 mill?
From July 2006: 175,000 new ones per day
or 2 per sec
Technorati track 50 million blogs
What are they?
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Blog = web and log = a simple webpage with
diary elements
‘owned’ by single person (blogger)
Items posted on regular basis
Unedited / conversational tone (uncensored)
Readers can leave comments - extend topic
public & linked to other blogs (blogosphere)
Search & subscribe (RSS) to receive updates
Blog types & StudyNet
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Individual:
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E Learning Now! (social bookmarking)
On line Ramblings (topical)
LIS Research Support
Group blogs
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‘StudyNet Groups’ & module websites
BusiBlogs (resources for Business staff &
students)
Providers & examples
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Blogger www.blogger.com
edublogs.org www.edublogs.org (10,000
academic users)
warwickblogs blogs.warwick.ac.uk (for
Warwick only!, 4000 blogs)
myspace www.myspace.com (100 mill users,
70% actively socialising)
So it’s a web diary? So what?
What are the benefits?
As a poster:
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Creative outlet - user can express
Reflection about course content, career, current
events
Improves writing, design & self critiquing
Enhance & establish reputation
As a reader
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Tagged entries (categorised – knowledge pool)
Keep up to date & spot emergent trends
Podcasting
Google results for ‘podcast’:
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May 2005: 4,460,000
June 2006: 318,000,000
So what is it?
Podcasting : iPod (MP3 player) and Broadcasting
What does it mean?
“a digital recording of a radio broadcast or similar
program, made available on the Internet for
DOWNLOADING to a personal audio player“, New
Oxford American Dictionary
BUT…
 But you DON’T need an iPod
 In fact – you DON’T need an MP3 player
The technology is NOT new
…but is MORE accessible. Easy to…
– Create
– Publish (i.e. upload to a website)
– Subscribe and
– Listen…
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at home, driving, exercising, waiting for buses
– the ‘Dead time’.
Mobile learning: when they want, how they
want and where they want.
How does it work?
Staff
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Record using digital voice recorder (MP3 format)
Upload (‘publish’) to website (StudyNet)
Student
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subscribes to the podcast (usually iTunes)
downloads the latest recording to their MP3 player
AND regularly checks for new content
But don’t need iTunes/ MP3 player…
…the workstation is fine
Some examples websites
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EdTechTalk
Podcast for Teachers (live from the
Bronx!)
UC Berkeley Courses & Events Live
Stanford on iTunes U
Musselburgh Grammar Sch (UK)
StudyNet! Public Law (Penny Tongue)
StudyNet: Public Law
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Module leader Penny Tongue
For revision and preparation
Recorded ‘live’ or pre-recorded
Range 7 mins to over 1 hour
instructions to user are included by default
(but aren’t really needed…)
UC Berkeley Courses & Events Live
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examples of podcasted lecture sessions
some live, some pre recorded.
Mainly free to outside world
Berkeley on iTunes U
Access to lectures, guides, events etc.
Stanford on iTunes U
Never mind the lectures here’s…
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News, visiting lecturers & speeches
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‘Best of Philosophy Talk’ ,Microdocumentaries
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Stanford Initiatives (environment, health,
International issues)
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sports (interviews and highlights, game coverage)
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music (concerts)
500 tracks (for the public) averaging 15,000 downloads
per week (130,000 during the first 2 weeks)
What are the benefits?
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Where the player goes… so does the
learning (makes use of ‘dead time’)
Familiar technology = widen education (non
threatening)
Sits along side other podcasts : reaches into
‘digital lives’
How can I use this? (staff)
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Record lectures (during / pre)
Weekly commentaries (hints, topical issues,
faqs)
Q & A and Tutorial sessions
Interview experts, guest lecturers
Podcasts: NOT repeats of lectures BUT an
extension
The future? Institution casting
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Institutional promotion
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Campus guides, student interviews, staff
interviews
used to promote the university and it’s location to
domestic and foreign students.
Student support (news, religion)
Linking institution to community
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Profcasts, guest lecturers (seeds of interest).
Establish links to local schools (& abroad).
How can students use this?
BIG in the States (K12) & Musselburgh, Scotland
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Field trips, placements, language practice,
record of group work, seminars, lectures,
interviews, field notes, interviews (with each
other, experts).
Oral essays (poster!) sound affects, music,
commentary, readings - pull in above to
create their own interpretation
And the students…
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“VERY good idea, it is hard to listen and take in
everything said in a lecture, and so to be able to
hear it again is useful.”
“This really helps me,....i struggle to take everything
in, even though im listening, and often end up
teaching myself!”
“If you didn't understand an explanation in the
lecture, you can listen back and maybe pick up on
something you missed the first time round.”
Wikis: what is it?
A collection of web pages – a website BUT…
…Pages can be EDITED and new pages ADDED
….by ANYONE (well more or less)
What are the benefits?
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Authoring
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No hierarchy – all contributors are equal
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collaboration on creating on-line documents / websites
ANYONE can add / change / remove: content, pages &
structure
Follow the evolution of thoughts and ideas
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each change is archived
How can I use this?
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Collaborative project work (staff & student)
Create:
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Common Knowledge pool
Website (online resources & prototype)
Edit textbook
Prepare journal article / report
Assemble reading list, syllabus, guidelines
Track evolution of thought processes
Works in conjunction with blogs & online forums
And finally
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Podcasting at UH: Sept 2006
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Guidelines (detailed & simple) are now available
Regular monthly sessions from Sept ‘06
E-Technology event 29th Nov ‘06
Pre HE students are using the technology
already!
More information
This presentation is a condensed version of
series of talks on elearning
For more info please contact Dr Andrew Oliver
(x 4754, [email protected])