A wiki is a collaborative website and authoring tool that allows users to easily add, remove and edit content. Wikipedia, the online open-community encyclopedia, is the largest and perhaps the most well known of these knowledge sharing tools, but with benefits that wikis provide the use and popularity of these tools is exploding.
Some of the benefits that make the use of wikis so attractive are:
· Anyone (registered or unregistered if unrestricted) can add, edit or delete content.
· Tracking tools within wikis allow you to easily keep up on what been changed and by whom.
· Earlier versions of a page can be rolled back and viewed when needed.
· Users do not need to know HTML in order to apply styles to text or add and edit content.
As the use of wikis has grown over the last few years, Libraries all over the country have begun to use them to collaborate and share knowledge. Among their applications are pathfinder or subject guide wikis, book review wikis, ALA conference wikis and even Library best practices wikis.
Watch this CommonCraft video. It illustrates a wiki "in Plain English" very well.
Take a look at some Library wikis. Here are a few examples to get you started:
http://teacherlibrarianwiki.pbwiki.com/
AASL Conference 2007 interactive presentation by David Loertscher with presentation notes and audience responses.
Library Success: A best practices wiki
Library Bloggers Wiki
SJCPL Subject Guides – a pathfinder wiki developed by the St. Joseph County Public Library system.
Book Lovers Wiki - developed by the Princeton Public Library.
The Albany County Public Library Staff wiki – an example of a wiki created for Library staff to document procedures.
Sample school wiki
Sample Literary Circle Wiki (10th Grade English)
Sample AP World History Wiki
Other library wiki examples such as library instruction.
For more Wikis including ones used by teachers see Blogroll at this blog: http://alibraryisalibrary.blogspot.com/
Use these resources to learn more about wikis:
· Wiki, wiki, wiki - from the Core Competency blog of the Public Library of Charlotte-Mecklenburg County.
· Wikis: A Beginner’s Look – an excellent short slide presentation that offers a short introduction and examples.
· What is a Wiki? – Library Success wiki presentation.
· Using Wikis to Create Online Communities – a good overview of what a wiki is and how it can be used in Libraries.
Curriculum Connections:Wikis can be made for any classroom:
· Idea #1: Collaborative note-taking. Everyone pitches in and adds a fact or two about a topic. Teachers can encourage students to include opinions, challenges, and appropriate criticism. Students would then write essays using only these notes. Make sure that each addition includes a citation to website, book, or database, including page numbers so that it can be checked.
· Idea #2: History. Students can compile a wiki of famous artists, architects, writers, and other key historical figures from a city, state, or country.
· Idea #3: Create a "top 10" lists and supporting material. This could include scientists and their discoveries, top writers and their books, ... you get the idea.
· Idea #4: Mission trading cards (see Week 3), once completed, could be added to a class wiki.
A sandbox is a term that wikis often use to describe the area of the website that should be used for pure play so for this discovery and exploration exercise, go to the sandbox portion of the CFISD Librarians' wiki -- go ahead and play!
Discovery Exercise
1. Visit the sandbox portion of the CFISD Librarians' wiki and add something about your 23 Things learning experience to this point. You may want to add a link. Click on Sign-in in upper right corner Fill in username and password as listed above. Click on the edit button. Add you comment (just like you would type a post box on your blog) Be sure and click on Save--either at the top in the editor bar or at the bottom way on the right!
Discovery Exercise 2. Create a post in your blog about the experience.
How might you use wikis?
Discovery Resources:
· PB Wiki Tour - Find out how this collaborative tool can be used (YouTube-won't show in district)
· PBWiki Video Gallery - Short videos of PBwiki features
· PB Wiki Tips
Curriculum Connection:
Idea #1: Select one of your favorite curriculum ideas from your own blog. "Copy and paste" it to the sandbox portion of the Spring Branch Library Future wiki wiki. The username is "sbisd" and the password is "sbisdlib." What did you find interesting? What types of applications within Libraries and schools might work well with a wiki?
By the way: Have you made some comments in any other Players' blogs?
12.31.2008
12.30.2008
Thing #17: Rollyo
Are you tired of wading though thousands of irrelevant search results to get to the information you want? Ever wish you could narrow your search to sites you already know and trust?
With Rollyo, you can easily create your own custom search engines - we call them Searchrolls - and explore, save, and personalize those created by others. Rollyo puts the power of search in your hands, by giving you the tools to create your own personal search engines - with no programming required. All you have to do is pick the sites you want to search, and we'll create a custom search engine for you.
Not quite ready to roll? We've created a starter kit of Searchrolls you can personalize. What else can Rollyo do?
Share Your Searchrolls
You can explore and save searchrolls created by the community of Rollyo users and share your knowledge on a particular set of topics. You can even edit Searchrolls created by others. More than a thousand new Searchrolls are created every day!
Search Your Top News Sites and Blogs
Rollyo searches for the latest news articles and blog posts, giving you up-to-the-minute search results from the news sources you know and trust when it comes to a particular topic or area of interest.
RollBar
The RollBar Bookmarklet allows you to drag your entire Rollyo experience onto your browser. Search any site, use your Searchrolls wherever you are, add sites to your rolls on the fly, even create new rolls from the site that you're on.
Roll a Firefox™Search Engine
Firefox™ users can quickly create custom Searchrolls and add them to their browser toolbar in one click. You can include one site that you search all the time or a topical list of up to 25 sites. Any Rollyo Searchroll can be added to Firefox™ with one click.High RollersRollyo welcomes several high profile,
High Rollers:
Debra Messing, Arianna Huffington, Rosario Dawson, Brian Greene, Diane Von Furstenberg, our friends at PBS Frontline and many top bloggers have all rolled custom search engines. You can be a High Roller too if your searchroll becomes popular with the Rollyo community. Think of it as our version of Star Search.
Single Site Search
If you're always going back to the same site over and over again like Dictionary.com, Amazon or Ebay, you can create a searchroll that includes just that single site so all your searches are in one place.
Web Search
You can always expand any search to include the whole Web.With Rollyo you can search one site, the whole web, and everything in between.
Tools
We are constantly adding new tools to make Rollyo more useful. A few of these include a Firefox™ Plugin, a custom searchbox for your site, our RollBar, and a simple way to import your bookmarks so you can use them to quickly create a variety of searchrolls. You can check out our excellent buzz and there's plenty more that you'll discover as you start using Rollyo. But ultimately Rollyo is really about a very simple idea: Quickly and easily getting you the results you want from the sites you trust. Ready?
Discovery Activity:
Create your own customize search and write about it in your blog and post a link to it.
With Rollyo, you can easily create your own custom search engines - we call them Searchrolls - and explore, save, and personalize those created by others. Rollyo puts the power of search in your hands, by giving you the tools to create your own personal search engines - with no programming required. All you have to do is pick the sites you want to search, and we'll create a custom search engine for you.
Not quite ready to roll? We've created a starter kit of Searchrolls you can personalize. What else can Rollyo do?
Share Your Searchrolls
You can explore and save searchrolls created by the community of Rollyo users and share your knowledge on a particular set of topics. You can even edit Searchrolls created by others. More than a thousand new Searchrolls are created every day!
Search Your Top News Sites and Blogs
Rollyo searches for the latest news articles and blog posts, giving you up-to-the-minute search results from the news sources you know and trust when it comes to a particular topic or area of interest.
RollBar
The RollBar Bookmarklet allows you to drag your entire Rollyo experience onto your browser. Search any site, use your Searchrolls wherever you are, add sites to your rolls on the fly, even create new rolls from the site that you're on.
Roll a Firefox™Search Engine
Firefox™ users can quickly create custom Searchrolls and add them to their browser toolbar in one click. You can include one site that you search all the time or a topical list of up to 25 sites. Any Rollyo Searchroll can be added to Firefox™ with one click.High RollersRollyo welcomes several high profile,
High Rollers:
Debra Messing, Arianna Huffington, Rosario Dawson, Brian Greene, Diane Von Furstenberg, our friends at PBS Frontline and many top bloggers have all rolled custom search engines. You can be a High Roller too if your searchroll becomes popular with the Rollyo community. Think of it as our version of Star Search.
Single Site Search
If you're always going back to the same site over and over again like Dictionary.com, Amazon or Ebay, you can create a searchroll that includes just that single site so all your searches are in one place.
Web Search
You can always expand any search to include the whole Web.With Rollyo you can search one site, the whole web, and everything in between.
Tools
We are constantly adding new tools to make Rollyo more useful. A few of these include a Firefox™ Plugin, a custom searchbox for your site, our RollBar, and a simple way to import your bookmarks so you can use them to quickly create a variety of searchrolls. You can check out our excellent buzz and there's plenty more that you'll discover as you start using Rollyo. But ultimately Rollyo is really about a very simple idea: Quickly and easily getting you the results you want from the sites you trust. Ready?
Discovery Activity:
Create your own customize search and write about it in your blog and post a link to it.
12.29.2008
Thing #18: Online Productivity Tools
Open Office
OpenOffice.org is a multiplatform and multilingual office suite and an open-source project. Compatible with all other major office suites, the product is free to download, use, and distribute.You will need to download the product and then play with the features. Remember to choose the format when you go to save your document, you can save it in several different formats, including MS Word '98, 2000, and 2003.
Another option to explore is Google Docs you will have to register, but they offer a "tour" of the things they offer and an information video for getting started.
Syncplicity and Dropbox also provide file-sharing among groups.
Discovery Exercise: For this discovery exercise explore one or both of the free options above and post a blog with your opinion of the advantages and/or disadvantages of using a free online tool instead of Microsoft Office.
OpenOffice.org is a multiplatform and multilingual office suite and an open-source project. Compatible with all other major office suites, the product is free to download, use, and distribute.You will need to download the product and then play with the features. Remember to choose the format when you go to save your document, you can save it in several different formats, including MS Word '98, 2000, and 2003.
Another option to explore is Google Docs you will have to register, but they offer a "tour" of the things they offer and an information video for getting started.
Syncplicity and Dropbox also provide file-sharing among groups.
Discovery Exercise: For this discovery exercise explore one or both of the free options above and post a blog with your opinion of the advantages and/or disadvantages of using a free online tool instead of Microsoft Office.
12.28.2008
Thing #19: Web 2.0 Awards List
There are about 500 2.0 tools on the web. You have explored just a few so far thorough this series of activities. These collaborative, social networking, and information tools cover so many different aspects of using the web that we want you to have the opportunity to pick one from a list of proven winners and explore it.
Discovery Activity:
1.Explore any site from the Web 2.0 awards list and play with it.The awards are listed by name OR are arranged by subject groups. A handful are not free, so be on the look-out!
2. Write a blog post for Thing #19 about your findings. Consider these questions when organizing your thoughts. What is special about the tool? What are its useful parts, especially with regards to Libraries and school? How might you use this tool in your own setting?
So many wonderful 2.0 resources...SO little time! Have fun with the one you choose!
Discovery Activity:
1.Explore any site from the Web 2.0 awards list and play with it.The awards are listed by name OR are arranged by subject groups. A handful are not free, so be on the look-out!
2. Write a blog post for Thing #19 about your findings. Consider these questions when organizing your thoughts. What is special about the tool? What are its useful parts, especially with regards to Libraries and school? How might you use this tool in your own setting?
So many wonderful 2.0 resources...SO little time! Have fun with the one you choose!
12.27.2008
Thing #20: YouTube, TeacherTube and Zamzar
You have viewed several YouTube videos and other online videos throughout the earlier activities of this project. Streaming videos, especially through video hosting websites such as YouTube have proven to be very useful web 2.0 resources because they can be created for personal learning/teaching needs and uploaded at point of need. Both Yahoo and Google also include video hosting components.
Another important video hosting source for educationally-based videos is TeacherTube. All of the videos included there are resources for classroom settings or educator-based training. (this site is NOT blocked in CFISD.)
Sample videos to view:
1. Evaluating Websites Tutorial ...an idea for something you could tailor to meet your situation.
2. Three Steps ...food for thought? how many of the tools do you now recognize?
3. Portal to Texas History...Tease (advertisement) for a useful website?
You have been provided with the URLs to these sample videos. Several embedded videos can be found in other "Things"...you can tell an embedded video because you see a small screen in the blog.
To embed, follow the directions given at the particular site.It usually consists of copying some code for the particular site you are taking the video TO.
Then you paste it into your blog post on the code or HTML tab, not the usual Compose tab. It's easy to switch back and forth. You will want to position the cursor where you want the video to embed.
It is hoped that your institution has allowed these video resources to be open and available to use with students. However, in the event that sites like YouTube are blocked by the firewall, you may have to download the video at another location and use a .flv player to be able to view the video. This PowerPoint slide show gives you some directions in doing that. [UPDATE: this is a more involved cumbersome way to bring in youTube videos because it requires you add a player.]
Another way of getting videos that may be "blocked" is to use a file conversion program such as Zamzar which takes the URL of the wanted video and converts it to a format that available. This blog posting will explain the process of URL conversion. You choose to the file as a .avi or other formats that will play on your computer without adding a player. Zamzar will also convert text, music, or graphic files. [UPDATE: this is the conversion method of choice! simple! quick!]
If you would like to search the web in general for useful videos, current events or news stories, or even historical items, you can use the search engine Blinkx to search for sources of videos. Whether the video will be available, downloadable, or able to be embedded will depend on the actual source of the material. Blinx acts like a one stop shop for locating video streaming!
Another overview of these resources
Discovery activities:
1. Go to YouTube and find a video using the search box. Search for something such as libraries, librarians, learning and teaching, Web 2.0, Library 2.0, educational technology.
2. Go to TeacherTube and locate a video for a subject of your choice...math, science, social studies that might be useful for students or teachers in your sphere of influence.
3. Write a post for Thing #20 about your video finds and the value of having access to so many video resources. Embed at least one of the videos you selected into your post.
Have fun learning from the "movies"...anyone got popcorn?
Another important video hosting source for educationally-based videos is TeacherTube. All of the videos included there are resources for classroom settings or educator-based training. (this site is NOT blocked in CFISD.)
Sample videos to view:
1. Evaluating Websites Tutorial ...an idea for something you could tailor to meet your situation.
2. Three Steps ...food for thought? how many of the tools do you now recognize?
3. Portal to Texas History...Tease (advertisement) for a useful website?
You have been provided with the URLs to these sample videos. Several embedded videos can be found in other "Things"...you can tell an embedded video because you see a small screen in the blog.
To embed, follow the directions given at the particular site.It usually consists of copying some code for the particular site you are taking the video TO.
Then you paste it into your blog post on the code or HTML tab, not the usual Compose tab. It's easy to switch back and forth. You will want to position the cursor where you want the video to embed.
It is hoped that your institution has allowed these video resources to be open and available to use with students. However, in the event that sites like YouTube are blocked by the firewall, you may have to download the video at another location and use a .flv player to be able to view the video. This PowerPoint slide show gives you some directions in doing that. [UPDATE: this is a more involved cumbersome way to bring in youTube videos because it requires you add a player.]
Another way of getting videos that may be "blocked" is to use a file conversion program such as Zamzar which takes the URL of the wanted video and converts it to a format that available. This blog posting will explain the process of URL conversion. You choose to the file as a .avi or other formats that will play on your computer without adding a player. Zamzar will also convert text, music, or graphic files. [UPDATE: this is the conversion method of choice! simple! quick!]
If you would like to search the web in general for useful videos, current events or news stories, or even historical items, you can use the search engine Blinkx to search for sources of videos. Whether the video will be available, downloadable, or able to be embedded will depend on the actual source of the material. Blinx acts like a one stop shop for locating video streaming!
Another overview of these resources
Discovery activities:
1. Go to YouTube and find a video using the search box. Search for something such as libraries, librarians, learning and teaching, Web 2.0, Library 2.0, educational technology.
2. Go to TeacherTube and locate a video for a subject of your choice...math, science, social studies that might be useful for students or teachers in your sphere of influence.
3. Write a post for Thing #20 about your video finds and the value of having access to so many video resources. Embed at least one of the videos you selected into your post.
Have fun learning from the "movies"...anyone got popcorn?
12.26.2008
Thing #21: Podcasts and Audio Books
A podcast is a digital media file, or a series of such files, that is distributed over the Internet using syndication feeds for playback on portable media players and personal computers. A podcast is a specific type of webcast which, like 'radio', can mean either the content itself or the method by which it is syndicated; the latter is also termed podcasting (Wikipedia)
Podcast vs. Vidcast - Video podcast (sometimes shortened to vidcast or vodcast) is a term used for the online delivery of video on demand video clip content via Atom or RSS enclosures. The term is an evolution specialized for video, coming from the generally audio-based podcast and referring to the distribution of video where the RSS feed is used as a non-linear TV channel to which consumers can subscribe using a PC, TV, set-top box, media center or mobile multimedia device. (Wikipedia)
Here is a short video from the CommonCraft guys that will explain podcasts "in Plain English"
The possibilites for using Podcasts or Vidcasts are endless! Some examples are; book reviews posted on line for sharing with other students, book reviews done by a librarian or teacher for "virtual" or "digital" booktalks, sharing a voice performance with others, sharing a presentation at a conference or other such gathering so that those unable to attend can hear the speaker, just to name a few!
To put a podcast into a Blog you will need a "hosting site" --- this is a place where you would "park" your podcast and then put a link to it in your blog. Because a podcast is a file you can email it and put it on a regular webpage, but for some reason blogs don't like podcast files!
You can however upload a PhotoStory!
So if you want to post your podcast in your Library2Play blog, try using a podcast hosting site like Switchpod.You will need to register, but then you can park your podcast there and then put a link to it in your blog here!
Two great tools for getting started with Podcasts and Vidcasts are Audacity, which is a simple free program to use to record vocal presentations, and Photostory, which allows you to combine vocal recordings with pictures and create a great "movie" type presentation easily. There are many other tools like Garage Band and others that can be used to create Podcasts and Vidcasts, so feel free to explore the options out there. We would recommend that if you do record using your computer that you invest in headphones with a microphone to use for recording, they will block out some of the background noise and create a better voice recording.
Below is an example of a Podcast using Audacity and a Vidcast using Photostory:
Find more videos like this on TeacherLibrarianNetwork
Book Review Podcast
Discovery: Use either Photostory or Audacity to create a Podcast (you will need to link the podcast) or Vidcast and post it in your blog along with your thoughts about using this kind of technology. Have fun!
Note: Photostory uploads directly to Blogger. MUST be saved as .wmv (not just wp3, the default.) A little more help. Click images for larger version.
Podcast vs. Vidcast - Video podcast (sometimes shortened to vidcast or vodcast) is a term used for the online delivery of video on demand video clip content via Atom or RSS enclosures. The term is an evolution specialized for video, coming from the generally audio-based podcast and referring to the distribution of video where the RSS feed is used as a non-linear TV channel to which consumers can subscribe using a PC, TV, set-top box, media center or mobile multimedia device. (Wikipedia)
Here is a short video from the CommonCraft guys that will explain podcasts "in Plain English"
The possibilites for using Podcasts or Vidcasts are endless! Some examples are; book reviews posted on line for sharing with other students, book reviews done by a librarian or teacher for "virtual" or "digital" booktalks, sharing a voice performance with others, sharing a presentation at a conference or other such gathering so that those unable to attend can hear the speaker, just to name a few!
To put a podcast into a Blog you will need a "hosting site" --- this is a place where you would "park" your podcast and then put a link to it in your blog. Because a podcast is a file you can email it and put it on a regular webpage, but for some reason blogs don't like podcast files!
You can however upload a PhotoStory!
So if you want to post your podcast in your Library2Play blog, try using a podcast hosting site like Switchpod.You will need to register, but then you can park your podcast there and then put a link to it in your blog here!
Two great tools for getting started with Podcasts and Vidcasts are Audacity, which is a simple free program to use to record vocal presentations, and Photostory, which allows you to combine vocal recordings with pictures and create a great "movie" type presentation easily. There are many other tools like Garage Band and others that can be used to create Podcasts and Vidcasts, so feel free to explore the options out there. We would recommend that if you do record using your computer that you invest in headphones with a microphone to use for recording, they will block out some of the background noise and create a better voice recording.
Below is an example of a Podcast using Audacity and a Vidcast using Photostory:
Find more videos like this on TeacherLibrarianNetwork
Book Review Podcast
Discovery: Use either Photostory or Audacity to create a Podcast (you will need to link the podcast) or Vidcast and post it in your blog along with your thoughts about using this kind of technology. Have fun!
Note: Photostory uploads directly to Blogger. MUST be saved as .wmv (not just wp3, the default.) A little more help. Click images for larger version.
12.25.2008
Thing #22: Nings
Ning is an online platform for users to create their own social websites and social networks, launched in October 2005. Ning was co-founded by Marc Andreessen and Gina Bianchini. Ning is Andreessen's third startup (after Netscape and Opsware), and gets much of its notability from Andreessen's successes with those companies. Ning hopes to compete with large social sites like MySpace and Facebook, by appealing to users who want to create networks around specific interests or have limited technical skills. The unique feature of Ning is that anyone can create their own custom social network for a particular topic or need, catering to specific audiences. At its launch, Ning offered several simple base websites developed internally and by members of a closed beta. In late September of 2006, Ning narrowed its focus to offering a group website, a photos website, and a videos website for people to copy and use for any purpose. Later, these three templates were superseded by a single customizable template aimed at allowing non-developers to more easily customize their copy of the social website. However, Ning does allow developers to have some source level control of their social networks, enabling them to change features and underlying logic.
Read 7 Things You Need to Know About Ning.
The bottom line is that a Nings is a social networking tool that allows you to collaborate with people in your field of interest from all over the world. There are many different things you can do in a Ning, and there are many different Nings out there that cater to specific interests. So go out and explore these online "group gatherings" to see what they are like and the advantages of belonging to one.
Here are three Nings to try looking at:
Teacher Librarian Ning
Texas School Librarian Ning
Ning for Teachers
Discovery:
Go to either one of the Nings above or find one that intrests you and look at the different features and options then write a blog post about what you think a Ning would be good for and how you might use it.
Read 7 Things You Need to Know About Ning.
The bottom line is that a Nings is a social networking tool that allows you to collaborate with people in your field of interest from all over the world. There are many different things you can do in a Ning, and there are many different Nings out there that cater to specific interests. So go out and explore these online "group gatherings" to see what they are like and the advantages of belonging to one.
Here are three Nings to try looking at:
Teacher Librarian Ning
Texas School Librarian Ning
Ning for Teachers
Discovery:
Go to either one of the Nings above or find one that intrests you and look at the different features and options then write a blog post about what you think a Ning would be good for and how you might use it.
12.24.2008
Thing #23 Summarize Your Thoughts about This Program
Congratulations!! You’ve reached the 23rd thing. Give yourself a pat on the back for completing the program.
Please give us your feedback on your experience by reflecting on your learning journey by blogging a few thoughts. Here are some questions to prompt you:
Please give specific answers for each question.
Please give us your feedback on your experience by reflecting on your learning journey by blogging a few thoughts. Here are some questions to prompt you:
Please give specific answers for each question.
- What were your favorite discoveries or exercises on this learning journey?
- How has this program assisted or affected your lifelong learning goals?
- Were there any take-a-ways or unexpected outcomes from this program that surprised you?
- What could I do differently to improve upon this program’s format or concept?
- If I offered another discovery program like this in the future, would you choose to participate?
- How would you describe your learning experience in ONE WORD or in ONE SENTENCE, so I could use your words to promote 23 Things learning activities?
- Now go and comment on some of the other Players' blogs?
I hope this is not the end of our learning journey together as a staff and a system, but the start of something amazing …such as:
- maintain your blog as your educational journal
- add your blog URL to your e-mail signature line
- re-purpose it as your School Library blog
- share it with your colleagues and administrators
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