Exploring wikis, blogs, and web publishing
- 1. My Online Course Experience By Natalie Murray
- 2. My Personal Goals for the Course: Through this course, I hoped to… Practice creating online tools for the classroom Learn about some possible uses for blogs, wikis, and other web publishing tools in the classroom
- 3. Course Products Wiki: http://murrayworldciv.wikispaces.com/ (private— need invitation) Blog: http://englishteachermusings.blogspot.com RSS Feed: Chose Google Reader/iGoogle Other Web Publishing Tool: http://www.jogtheweb.com/run/s05VcuFj3OGm/Colo nial-and-Revolutionary-Literature
- 4. Most Useful Tool Award Difficult choice! Close tie between Blogger and Capzles (an interactive timeline tool that I found on a teacher wikispace example connected to Moodle.)
- 5. Blog Benefits: I was surprised at how much I liked the blog. I was a bit skeptical before creating it as to whether it would be a “timewaster” that wasn’t particularly helpful but rather addictive. But I was startled to realize how helpful blogging is for the reflection process (and that before discussion was even added). I also realized that in the flurry of teaching these last few years, I have not been able to stretch my own reading and writing personally. It was good to hit the keyboard again!
- 6. Blog Benefits: 3. Way for students to collaborate and share ideas with classmates, 2. Way to collaborate/share 1. Reflective tool schoolmates, students from other opinions with other teachers schools, and actually people anywhere in the world. 4. Students can literally publish 5. Uses a medium to which writing. students are attracted.
- 7. A Blog I Particularly Liked http://twowritingteachers.wordpress.com/ Great to get ideas from other English teachers. Two at a time--even better. Offer classroom ideas and resources for reading/writing
- 8. Capzle Capzle example I found through one of the teacher wikispace examples provided through Moodle: http://www.capzles.com/#/FF8FC5BC-DE7C-40EE- BDBF-71CA61E120B3/ Includes higher-order thinking Not just putting events in order and saying what was significant Also developing the events through logical connections and examples Visually impressive
- 9. Successes During This Course: Taking electronic tools that I was not familiar with and bringing them through to completion Learning how to embed videos Learning what a widget is Exploring the technology/researching the internet to understand the tools better Online format actually encouraged me to problem-solve minor issues with the tools on my own Being able to problem-solve new technology=a must in the 21st century!
- 10. Challenges: Self-directed approach to problem-solving new technology (both success and a challenge!) Quantity of available information and the large number of optionslots of decisions! Blogger or Wordpress? Glogster or Jogtheweb? Google Reader or Pageflakes?
- 11. Thoughts on Moodle/Online Learning •Worked well for my purposes this summer. •Allowed me to use the tutorials/demos for guidance and to problem-solve with a Google search when necessary. •Found the format flexible—it worked well with my shifting schedule; I could work at my own pace. •Self-directed format encourages exploration. •Did miss the conversation/interaction of a face-to-face learning setting.
- 12. Future Goals for My Self/Class: Classroom wikispace for Class Blog for English: Personal Blog: social studies: • Use for group work. • Students would be • Continue blogging on • Students can outline required to post literature/teaching. info from text or detailed thoughts on • Use it to reflect on research and report to the literature we read. lessons. the class on a related • Could ask • Use it to write out ideas topic. juniors/seniors to for future classes. comment on the • Get feedback from other sophomores’ discussion English teachers. posts since older • Practice my personal students have already reading/writing skills. read the same texts. • Enjoy using words! • Could expand discussion to other schools.
- 13. Outcomes of Course: Now have some ideas for how I can use these web tools in the classroom Have the skills to implement those I have practiced Feel confident that I can learn those that I have not yet tried