Introduction
You have probably just listened to a brief workshop presentation attempting to define the impact of Web 2.0 and the potential these tools have for assisting learning or maybe you found my blog via Twitter.
Learning professionals and more importantly, their students, will greatly benefit by using Web 2.0 tools to create, collaborate and communicate.
This ‘Social Media for Learning Professionals’ page at my blog has been established to support my students, presentations at conferences and professional development activities. The intention is that delegates can continue to pursue their professional learning by further developing a ‘Personal Learning Network’ PLN post-conference.
Hopefully, this page will assist you to establish the beginnings of a Personal Learning Network (PLN) or, in other words, assist you to understand how a Personal Learning Environment (PLE) may operate.
Self-directed learning
You may wish to choose your path from the following suite of options:
- Jane Hart’s 2008-12 lists of Top 100 Tools is a great place to start
[slideshare id=10141863&doc=top2011-111113120601-phpapp01]
[slideshare id=5467243&doc=top100tools2010-101017150103-phpapp01]
[slideshare id=2509241&doc=top100tools2009-091116040558-phpapp02]
[slideshare id=733816&doc=top1002008-1226159775914793-8]
Here is another list of web 2.0 tools.
- Read more about PLNs (here, here and here too) and check out some fine educational blogs
- Read more about Twitter or Google Reader
- Establish a Google Reader Account. You may wish to watch this video before commencing.*
- Everything you need to further understand RSS feeds is here
- Establish your identity at Twitter . This wiki will help.
- Here’s a good collection of resources and another video about Web 2.0
- If you are interested in blogging, an earlier conference workshop post may get you started and here’s a tutorial on establishing a WordPress blog.
- Find other educators to follow on Twitter here & here + enjoy this ’Twitter love song’ too.
*You can find all my saved videos (collected using VodPod) here.
Here is a Connectivist learning (PLE) video to view that will further explain the concept.
More resources…
Here is a great presentation by Graham Attwell on Personal Learning Environments:
[slideshare id=46423&doc=personal-learning-environments-3483]
Here’s the most intellectually stimulating video about Web 2.0 available (from Professor Michael Wesch): The machine is us/using us
And here is a presentation on PLNs you may wish to browse:
[slideshare id=943434&doc=pln012009ppedit-1232656927150436-3]
A collection of Web 2.0 resources compiled by John Larkin can be found here and this post will help too. Elaine Talbert has collected many Slideshare presentations that may be of use too. Finally, here’s an A-Z toolkit.
And, there’s so much more…
Conclusion
The internet, specifically Web 2.0, is having an impact similiar to that of the printing press and the explosion of inexpensive digital technologies is transforming our hyperconnected world.
Developing a PLN is the most practical way that a teacher can learn more about pedagogy, their subject and what the internet has to offer learning in our schools. It is the only way most of us are likely to stay relevant and professional.
Quite simply, we need to collaborate!
I look forward to dialogue about these ideas.
Darcy Moore
7 Comments
Hi there,
I couldn’t agree more that we need to look at web 2.0 tools for inclusion into our practice. Indeed, imagine if students and teachers could collaborate using rss, blogs and more. There has to be a way to create the platform and norms that make this happen.
I recently came across one system that is somewhat addressing the gap between social networking technology and the classroom. From what I could see, it is fairly new but definitely has the right idea. FatClass is a web 2.0 facebook-like application specifically geared toward students and teachers. It is designed by educators and it allows teachers to create “fatclasses” around the classes they teach. Students can be added to the network and a class can communicate and collaborate using web 2.0 tools, such as blogs, file sharing and more. As you mention with the PLE idea, I wonder if this system could even be applied to teachers joining into a common network within a school?
Jeff,
It seems to me that, ‘fatclasses’, a new term to me, are the way to go. You should check out this video: http://darcymoore.net/2008/11/30/connectivism-in-plain-english-2/
Thanks for posting!
Darcy
I have written a free teachers resource about Web 2.0 tools in the middle years English classroom! It’s at http://otherworlds.yolasite.com
Cheers
Lizzie
There are many ways to learn and endless ways to learn how to teach. Step by step, teachers go for a walk and technology is beside all teachers. It´s a Great presentation to be implemented right now!!! Olga T.
Why has Prezi fallen and PowerPoint risen in the 2012 rankings?
Good questions and there is a very concrete answer. PowerPoint has improved technically in a number of ways, especially with managing audiovisual file types and continues do so: http://www.microsofttraining.net/versions/powerpoint-difference.php http://blog.duarte.com/2012/11/powerpoint-2013-new-and-mostly-improved/
NB I have stopped using Prezi due to the expense of the annual price.
Darcy, You have some AMAZING content on your blog! WOW.
Would you mind posting some of your favorites to my LinkedIn Group about teaching with 21st Century Technologies?
Just this page alone has so much phenomenal information that would be incredibly beneficial to anyone who came across it.
I’ll provide a link to the group, hope to see you there!
http://www.linkedin.com/groups/Teaching-Math-Science-21st-Century-4816728/about?trk=anet_ug_grppro