1. Web 2.0 Tools
A Review of Two Web 2.0 Tools: Blogger and Scoop.It
J Taylor 2011

2. Web 2.0 Tools to support online learning
Reviewing:
Scoop.It an online curation and social bookmarking tool
Blogger a content management system
Source:McLoughlin, C. and Lee, M. J. W. (2007) Social software ad participatory learning: Pedagogical choices with technology affordances in the Web 2.0 era. From: Proceedings ASCILITE, Singapore.
3. SCOOP.IT
4. A Little Bit of History
Scoop.It was launched in November, 2010
Designed to be an alternative to blogging which can be time-consuming in terms of posting, etc
Designed to be collaborative and interactive
Main difference from other Social Media supported communities you follow topics rather than people as on Facebook and Twitter
Designed to curate and share information
5. Scoop.It Features
Topic of the Day
Advice on effective curation and other helpful hints
Whats New? people following your topic (You will find more people whose topics you can follow through this)
Statistics for your topic if youre interested in stats (A good way to see how well youre connecting with your community)
Variety of ways to connect with your Personal Learning Network (PLN) Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, Wordpress, Tumbler and Google + has just been added this provides more ways to share information within your online learning community and keep track of the latest on your topic of interest
6. Explaining Scoop.It
The following clip is from the blog section of Scoop.It.com (Click on the iPod)
7. Why Use Scoop.It?
Quick and easy to curate your own topics
An effective way of sharing information in your online learning community
Access to a wide range of resources through the topics others curate
Linking to other curators from Scoop.Itthrough Facebook, Twitter, etc. Broadens your PLN and expands your knowledge through community curation and sharing
8. How Easy is Scoop.It to Use?
Go tohttp://www.scoop.it/ and click on Get Invite
Within a few days you will have access to the site
Use the Dashboard to begin curating instructions are available as you work through this process.
If you would like to look at my Scoop.It, please click HERE
9. How Does Scoop.It Support an Online Learning Community?
Sharing information on a particular topic that is the focus of your online learning community
Being able to access a wider range of research through collaboration with others in your group
Communicating your ideas and understandings through linking to Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, Wordpress, etc
Discussions within the community itself
Being able to connect with others who have the same learning needs / interests
10. An Example from the Online Scoop.It Community click on the image
11. An Article: Curating Community by Curating Content Marjorie Clayman(Found on Scoop.It of course! Click on the image)
12. Advantages of Using Scoop.It
One place to curate all the resources you find on the web for your topic of interest
An online community of learners could use it as a central resource area to share resources and information
Scoop.Itbookmarklet can be added to your bookmarks click on it when you find something interesting on the web
Easy to set up simple instructions
13. Advantages continued
Suggests topics for you to Scoop makes finding information easier
Topic suggestions speeds up the process of research
Others can suggest resources on your topic and you can suggest resources to them (builds community interaction)
Suggestions often include a summary so you can check relevancy
You can create your own summaries for resources you find
Each topic has a unique RSS feed and URL easier for people to follow your topic
A variety of widgets to connect with your blog to widen your community (tools that link the two)
14. Disadvantages of Using Scoop.It
Still in private beta which means its being tested; you need to request an invite
Time to curate; made easier through using the Scoop.Itbookmarklet on your bookmarking toolbar
Key words you choose for your topic you sometimes need to redefine if the suggestions arent relevant.This can be frustrating!
Need to take the time to check recommendations
Time, in the initial setting-up phase, to explore all the resources available
15. Disadvantages contd
Multicuration can be set up but its fiddly.You would want to be able to have this feature for an online learning community to make the most of sharing resources.
At the moment the suggestion is to set up a Googleaccount with one password that everyone can use.Thisis fiddly if someone leaves and passwords need to be changed.
16. BLOGGER
17. Explaining Blogger
18. Why Use Blogger? How Easy is it to Use?
Easy to set up and start blogging in a few steps
Ability to link to other blogs and websites by adding gadgets
Ability to choose your own design
Web-based and free
Easy to use help section for troubleshooting
Can have up to 100 authors
19. How Does Blogger Support an Online Learning Community?
You can have up to 100 users attached to one blog great if you want to use this as an online learning community blog
All members can contribute to the blog and use it as a reflection tool to develop shared knowledge on a particular topic
It can also become a curation tool through using the sidebars to link to resources to inform teaching and learning practice.
20. Advantages of Using Blogger
No need to know computer language its WYSIWYG (What you see is what you get) just like writing in Word, etc
Privacy settings can be altered so that only your online community sees the discussion
Easy to use the design features
Blogger help and support are well-organised
Web-based so it wont crash
Owned by Google so its always being updated with the latest features
21. Disadvantages of Using Blogger
You need a Google account not everyone wants one
It will sometimes ask for a cellphone number to confirm that youre human. (This can cause problems when setting up multiple accounts for students as it will only allow the one cellphone number to be used a limited amount of times)
Blogging can be time consuming and, if you want to build your online learning community, you need to be consistent in your posts to maintain interest and discussion
22. Disadvantages contd
It can be frustrating if there are few, or no, responses to your posts
This can mean it is hard to develop a true online learning community where ideas and understandings are created and explored
23. EXAMPLES OF BLOGS TO FOSTER ONLINE LEARNING COMMUNITIES
24. Blogs to support online learning communities
The blog below click on the link was a blog used as part of an assignment for EDUX423 in the first semester of 2011
It explored what blogs are and how they can be used to foster an online CoP
TO BLOG OR NOT TO BLOG
25. Blogs as Part of an Online Learning Community to Build New Knowledge
This was a blog set up by 4 Masters students
Its purpose was to explore the use of blogs to promote personalised, collaborative lifelong learning, interactivity and student-centred learning
It became our online learning community as we explored our thinking about these purposes and created the knowledge and understandings shared on the blog
26. Blogs in the Classroom
The blog linked on this page was my previous classs learning blog
We used the blog to share and reflect on our learning and to give and receive feedback
This became our classroom online learning community
THE TEAM IN ROOM 8
27. Ways Our Classroom Blog Supported our Online Learning Community
Anytime, anywhere recording of ideas, reading of others, responding to and giving feedback, creating knowledge through discussion and sharing of ideas
Removal of the timetable students could communicate and share their thinking and post at anytime they werent restricted to school hours
Helped them to realise that learning happens all the time and is supported with discussion
28. Why Do We Blog?
For an insight into the power of blogging as a tool for an online learning community, please click on the following link
These are the ideas of the Year 5 and 6 students I taught
THE TEAM IN ROOM 8
29. Blogs as a Personal Reflection Tool and as a way to Develop an Online Learning Community
THE eLEARNING BUZZ
This is an example of a Blogger blog
It is a personal learning blog where teaching and learning is reflected on and ideas shared with others
The online community aspect comes from the discussions with other like minds
Through this blog Ive connected with other educators to participate in other online communities of learners
30. What are your thoughts about these Web 2.0 tools?
Do they have potential for use in your learning environments?
Do they have potential in your own professional learning?
Im looking forward to discussing these with everyone!