The How 2 of Web 2.0 has been an interesting challenge It has introduced some Web 2.0 tools which, given time need deeper investigation, however as a final comment I feel a little disappointed.
Many potentially interesting topics were introduced but little information, if any, was given about them other than that they existed. I didn't really feel we were taught anything.
There is potential to learn from other participants in an online course such as this. We were given a list of participants blogs but I found it very time consuming to click on these very often to find this person had not started or was not up to where I was. There was no corrolation between this list and the Progress Table.
From our first assignment I felt it was established that Web 2.0 was about learning through collaboration rather than learning on our own. I didn't feel this happened in this course.
Earlier in the year I completed a Challenge with Edublogs. Like this course it was all done online. Each week, along with our assigned task, we were directed to certain blogs for a particular reason and were encouraged to leave suitable comments. eg. Visit these blogs to see how they have used Google maps or see these blogs to read some interesting ideas about e books etc.
As a consequence of this activity, dialogue was established between participants as we visited each others blogs and left comments.. This activity over time ensured that all participants blogs were visited at least once over the course of the Challenge. As we visited each others blogs, reading what each other had done for various activities we found like minded people. Five months later many of us are still communicating and learning with each other initially through our blogs and later through email.
As I began, this has been a course which has introduced some very interesting topics some of which I will most certainly delve into deeper.
Thank you for the opportunity.
Monday, 23 May 2011
More on e books
Harper Collins has just released several picture book titles as ebooks – available via the Australian Apple iBookstore. They are limited to use with the Apple ipad
The titles are:
9780730444244 $8.99 Diary of a Wombat written by Jackie French and illustrated by Bruce Whatley
9780730446040 $8.99 Zoobots written and illustrated by Bruce Whatley
9780730497202 $8.99 Queen Victoria’s Underpants written by Jackie French and illustrated by Bruce Whatley
9780730499220 $8.99 Feathers for Phoebe written and illustrated by Rod Clement
9780730444602 $8.99 Josephine Wants to Dance written by Jackie French and illustrated by Bruce Whatley
9780730443513 $8.99 Baby Wombat’s Week written by Jackie French and illustrated by Bruce Whatley
9780730445487 $8.99 The Tomorrow Book written by Jackie French and illustrated by Sue deGennaro
All great favourites. The market must be there.
#22 and #23 Downloadable Media
E books and audio books are not things that I have used so far but I can see this is going to change.
I have been aware of the Project Glutenberg site as my youngest son, (in his late 20's) enjoys reading many of the old classics on this site and has been talking about it for some time.
I enjoyed checking out the World e-Book Fair and found a few books to enjoy. I had always thought reading on the computer screen would not be pleasant but it was much easier than I had imagined.
Last week, Jennifer Byrnes conducted an interesting interview on ABC TV titled 'The Future of Books'. Although it was probably more about the future of reading in this digital age, rather than the future of books, there were some very interesting thoughts given. The observation was made that in 2009 3% of books sold in Australia were e books compared to 10% in 2010.
It was also suggested that the price of e books could determine their success. The history of books shows (according to the program) that when books become cheaper we get an explosion of of literacy and great literature. (eg printing press and the advent of paper back books).
I think there will always be a place for the beautiful feel of pages flicking through your fingers and the unique smell of a new book. To be able to linger on page and connect wth its contents is something only a real book can give.
However in this quick multi tasking world we now live in there seems to be a place for the audio book. On a long drive to work through traffic snarls and jams, the audio book is a wonderful way to soothe the self.
For those who are not fluent readers this is a fantastic way to access the written word.
As a teacher-librarian in a Primary School I pride myself on reading aloud well and bringing a book alive for the children. Oh, how often I have wished someone would read to me. Maybe this is my chance.
I have been aware of the Project Glutenberg site as my youngest son, (in his late 20's) enjoys reading many of the old classics on this site and has been talking about it for some time.
I enjoyed checking out the World e-Book Fair and found a few books to enjoy. I had always thought reading on the computer screen would not be pleasant but it was much easier than I had imagined.
Last week, Jennifer Byrnes conducted an interesting interview on ABC TV titled 'The Future of Books'. Although it was probably more about the future of reading in this digital age, rather than the future of books, there were some very interesting thoughts given. The observation was made that in 2009 3% of books sold in Australia were e books compared to 10% in 2010.
It was also suggested that the price of e books could determine their success. The history of books shows (according to the program) that when books become cheaper we get an explosion of of literacy and great literature. (eg printing press and the advent of paper back books).
I think there will always be a place for the beautiful feel of pages flicking through your fingers and the unique smell of a new book. To be able to linger on page and connect wth its contents is something only a real book can give.
However in this quick multi tasking world we now live in there seems to be a place for the audio book. On a long drive to work through traffic snarls and jams, the audio book is a wonderful way to soothe the self.
For those who are not fluent readers this is a fantastic way to access the written word.
As a teacher-librarian in a Primary School I pride myself on reading aloud well and bringing a book alive for the children. Oh, how often I have wished someone would read to me. Maybe this is my chance.
Friday, 29 April 2011
# 21 Youtube and Teachertube
It was interesting to note the number of video sharing sites available.The only one I had previously heard of was Vimeo. This is the site used by our school for sharing videos on our school website. This maybe because the DET blocks Youtube from student use.
I am quite familiar with Youtube and often find sites to help teachers in the classroom. All classrooms in our school have interactive white boards so youtube has replaced my collection of pictures and sometimes (but not often) replaces a book as well.
I thought this was a great way for students to show their learning as they help produce the video.
I think as we begin to have our students produce these great things it is important that we teach about copyright from an early age.
Mrs Yollis who teaches young students has recently written an excellent post called Using a Creative Commons Licence on her blog relating to copyright. To find the post open her blog and scroll down to find the post. It was written on April 22nd 2011 In this post she directs her students to flickercc where we can use images without fear of copyright infringment. Her post also shows another use for Youtube in the classroom.
When I investigated Teachertube I found this great video explaining Google Docs and its use in schools. I thought that would be a good one to share with staff.
I am quite familiar with Youtube and often find sites to help teachers in the classroom. All classrooms in our school have interactive white boards so youtube has replaced my collection of pictures and sometimes (but not often) replaces a book as well.
I thought this was a great way for students to show their learning as they help produce the video.
I think as we begin to have our students produce these great things it is important that we teach about copyright from an early age.
Mrs Yollis who teaches young students has recently written an excellent post called Using a Creative Commons Licence on her blog relating to copyright. To find the post open her blog and scroll down to find the post. It was written on April 22nd 2011 In this post she directs her students to flickercc where we can use images without fear of copyright infringment. Her post also shows another use for Youtube in the classroom.
When I investigated Teachertube I found this great video explaining Google Docs and its use in schools. I thought that would be a good one to share with staff.
#20 Podcasts...a little more
While researching podcasts I was amazed at how many there are and the variety of topics they cover. Anything from Literature to Politics, Technology, Travel, Self Development, Daily Bible Readings, the topics seemed endless.
Not yet for me.....enough time with technology already and I MUST be choosy. Podcasts are for later....
Not yet for me.....enough time with technology already and I MUST be choosy. Podcasts are for later....
#20 Podcasts
Podcasts are something I have not used before although of course I had heard about them and was interested to learn more. It was good to have an excuse to investigate them futher.
I did a little bit of exploring and found some, that given time, I would love to subscribe too.
As a daily life style I do not listen to radio at all. (a downside of living close to where I work and prefering to listen to my CD'S ), however when I make the two and a half hour trip to visit my mother I love to listen to ABC radio. I always find the interviews and discussions very informative and entertaining. Thus finding ABC AM an ABC PM as podcasts excited me. I do not have the time to listen to these broadcasts at present, but I believe there will be a time when I can.
Another ABC podcast I thought would be worthwhile is Conversations with Richard Fidler I have heard his broadcasts before and find he often has very interesting people on his show.
Vodcasts are similar to Podcasts except the have visual download as well as audio. One Vodcast I really enjoy is Talks with TED.
Wikipedia describes TED (Technology Entertainment and Design) as "a global set of conferences owned by the non-profit Sapling Foundation, formed to disseminate ïdeas worth spreading." These talks are usually entertaining, thought provoking and worthwhile.
I know some teachers do use Podcasts as a teaching tool and I did look for some but they all seemed to take too long to download. I will be interested in reading what sites other people found useful when searching for podcasts to be used in teaching.
Thank you for this opportunity to investigate Podcasts.
I did a little bit of exploring and found some, that given time, I would love to subscribe too.
As a daily life style I do not listen to radio at all. (a downside of living close to where I work and prefering to listen to my CD'S ), however when I make the two and a half hour trip to visit my mother I love to listen to ABC radio. I always find the interviews and discussions very informative and entertaining. Thus finding ABC AM an ABC PM as podcasts excited me. I do not have the time to listen to these broadcasts at present, but I believe there will be a time when I can.
Another ABC podcast I thought would be worthwhile is Conversations with Richard Fidler I have heard his broadcasts before and find he often has very interesting people on his show.
Vodcasts are similar to Podcasts except the have visual download as well as audio. One Vodcast I really enjoy is Talks with TED.
Wikipedia describes TED (Technology Entertainment and Design) as "a global set of conferences owned by the non-profit Sapling Foundation, formed to disseminate ïdeas worth spreading." These talks are usually entertaining, thought provoking and worthwhile.
I know some teachers do use Podcasts as a teaching tool and I did look for some but they all seemed to take too long to download. I will be interested in reading what sites other people found useful when searching for podcasts to be used in teaching.
Thank you for this opportunity to investigate Podcasts.
# 19 Rollyo
I had a little play with this tool but didn't think I would personally be bothered using it. I sometimes think we can spend alot of time trying to play around with what we already have without gaining too much advantage.
That's what I felt about Rollyo. I'm more than happy with Google and feel I can refine my searches fairly well without the need to create my own custom search engine.
It is good to know there are other alternatives though.
That's what I felt about Rollyo. I'm more than happy with Google and feel I can refine my searches fairly well without the need to create my own custom search engine.
It is good to know there are other alternatives though.
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