Web 2.

0
Beyond Browsing

Randy Rodgers
http://mossfreestone.com
http://twitter.com/rrodgers

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 Contents
U What is Web 2.0? .............................................................................................3
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U Why Web 2.0 in the Classroom? ..........................................................................4

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U Web 2.0 Tools for the Classroom .........................................................................4

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Blogs ..........................................................................................................4
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Wikis ..........................................................................................................5
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Podcasting ..................................................................................................5
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Collaborative Documents/Office Applications .................................................6

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Social Bookmarking .....................................................................................7

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Social Networks ...........................................................................................8

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Guided Browsing and Note-taking ................................................................9

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RSS/XML ...................................................................................................10
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Personal Start Pages ..................................................................................10

U U

Digital Storytelling .....................................................................................11

U U

Additional Resources .................................................................................11

U U

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 0B What is Web 2.0?
For most of us, using the Internet has primarily been an event that involved
opening a browser, entering a URL for a particular page or using a search
engine, then reading information and viewing images posted on a website. The
Internet in this form has certainly been an invaluable tool, giving us access to a
wealth of information from sources around the world.

However, the use of the Internet in this manner has limitations. In

essence, this is nothing more than utilizing it as one would use a
massive library. The search engine is the card catalog. The websites are
the books, magazines, and periodicals. The size of the virtual library and
its ease of use are the only real advantages.

Web 2.0 refers to a new Internet world, one that has only come into its
own in the past few years. Web 2.0 refers to the part of the Internet
that not only gives information, it allows users to contribute
information. Web 2.0 allows users to use the Internet in a collaborative
manner, to customize the web for their own needs, and to form
valuable networks with other users, who share the same interests,
expertise, and goals.

Web 2.0 is a dynamic resource. New applications are being created almost daily.
Some of the earliest tools included blogs, wikis, and filesharing sites. The list
now includes, among other examples:

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  Blogs—online journals that allow creators and viewers to interact,
sharing news, opinions, etc.
 Wikis—collaborative web pages. Content is generated and monitored
by groups, drawing on a greater pool of knowledge/resources.
 Social networks—an evolution of blogs, social networks revolve
around the creation of groups of users who communicate/share similar
interests, occupations, etc.
 Filesharing sites—these include sites where users can create and
share audio or video.
 Digital Storytelling –create and share stories online, including
images, sound, video, and more.
 Social bookmarking—sites designed to allow users to recommend
websites, videos, music, etc. via online lists of favorites, or bookmarks.
 Podcasts—audio or video files that may be downloaded by users for
display on mp3 audio/video players.
 RSS/XML—online subscription tools that allow users to remain
constantly informed about new information, news, podcasts, etc.
 Productivity tools—online versions of traditional software, such as
word processors, spreadsheets, slideshows, etc.

1B Why Web 2.0 in the Classroom?

Web 2.0 is a valuable teaching tool for several reasons:
1. Collaboration—the widespread availability of the Internet allows
students to work together, even from remote locations.
2. Motivation—students can and will be very motivated to create online
products. A potentially worldwide audience is a big motivator to create
quality products.
3. Meaningful—products reflect “real” society and the latest technological
skills.
4. Communication—web-based student products, RSS/XML, blogs, etc. all
facilitate communication between schools and parents/communities.
5. Availability—being Internet-based, students and teachers can access
Web 2.0 tools from school, home, libraries, or anywhere Internet access is
available, effectively expanding the school day.
6. Creativity—students move beyond acting as knowledge consumers to
become information experts and creators.

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2B Web 2.0 Tools for the Classroom
3B Blogs
Blogs provide an easy way for teachers and students to get started in Web 2.0.
Several good sites exist for creating educational blogs. These sites provide
important features such as teacher controls, privacy options, and filters. Some
good sites for student/teacher blogs include:
 ( ) HULandmarks Class Blogmeister UH HUhttp://classblogmeister.com UH

 Kidblog (http://kidblog.org/)
 ( ) HUEdublogsUH HUhttp://edublogs.orgUH

 Posterous (http://posterous.com/)
 ( ) HUGaggleUH HUhttp://www.gaggle.netUH

 ( ) HUBloggerUH HUhttps://www.blogger.comUH

 ( ) (okay, it’s not really blogging, but it’s close!)

HUTwitter UH HUhttp://twitter.com/homeUH

Student blogs can be powerful writing tools. Students can create online pieces
that may be reviewed and critiqued by peers. Students can also use blogs as
effective learning logs, recording new information and reflecting/expanding on
previous learning. Students and teachers can use blogs to post thoughtful
discussion topics and receive input from a wide audience. Teachers and
administrators can also use blogs as tools to communicate class/school news,
policies, and events.

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4B Wikis
Wikis provide students an easy method of creating web pages. Teachers set up
student accounts, and students work with other students to add content to
pages. For example, a group of students researching the Civil War might create a
web page on causes of the war, another on battles, another on effects, etc. The
content could be added at the students’ convenience. Imagine a student viewing
a program on the Civil War on the History Channel, then logging in to their team
site and updating its information. Sites such as ( ) allow teachers to HUWikispacesUH HUhttp://www.wikispaces.com UH

monitor/edit student contributions, assess time spent on the pages, etc. Pbworks H

( ) and ( ) also offers many of the same resources for educators.

HUhttp://pbworks.com/ UH HUWetPaintUH HUhttp://www.wetpaint.com/ UH

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Notes_____________________________________________________________
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5B Podcasting
A podcast is an audio or video file which is generally
distributed via RSS/XML subscriptions to be played either on a
computer or an mp3 or portable media player. Wikipedia
describes the key difference between a podcast and other
media on the web as being the fact that podcasts may be set
up to be automatically downloaded immediately after their
creation/publication.

A podcast is a product that is relatively easy to create. All that

is needed is a computer, a microphone, a webcam, audio/video editing software,
and a host site. Students or teachers can create podcasts, which can be
subscribed to by parents, classmates, or the community.

Podcasting offers some wonderful advantages, if done properly. Students must

write well, first of all, in order to create a quality podcast script. Podcasts can
combine many audio/visual elements, such as music, effects, narration, etc. This
is a task that requires advanced planning and organization to be effective.

Some good websites for podcasting information/resources include:

 ( )
HU Education Podcast Network UH HUhttp://epnweb.org/UH

 ( )
HUPodomatic UH HUhttp://podomatic.com/ UH

 ( )
HUPodcasting in the Classroom UH HUhttp://userwww.sfsu.edu/~nshelley/ UH

 ( )
HUPodsafe Music NetworkUH HUhttp://music.podshow.com/ UH

 ( )
HUIntelligenic UH HUhttp://www.intelligenic.com/blog/ UH

 ( )
HUMobile LearningUH HUhttp://mlearning.edublogs.org/UH

 ( )
HUiTunesUH HUhttp://www.itunes.com UH

 ( )
HUAudacity UH HUhttp://audacity.sourceforge.net/ UH

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6B Collaborative Documents/Office Applications

This category refers to an ever-growing number of sites that offer traditionally
desktop-based applications, such as word processing, spreadsheets, desktop
publishing, databases, etc. These sites make it possible for students/teachers to
work independently or collaboratively. They also offer up quality applications to
any user with a web connection, without the expense traditionally associated
with the Office suite and other similar software. Some examples include:
 ( )
HUThinkfreeUH HUhttp://www.thinkfree.com/common/main.tfo UH

 ( )
HUZohoUH HUhttp://zoho.com/ UH

 ( )
HUGoogle DocumentsUH HUhttp://www.google.com UH

 ( )
HUBuzzword UH HUhttps://buzzword.acrobat.com/ UH

 ( )
HUSliderocketUH HUhttp://app.sliderocket.comUH

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7B Social Bookmarking
These sites give users the opportunity to create online bookmarks
lists. This is useful for a couple of reasons. First is portability—
users have access to their favorites from any computer connected
to the Internet, not just their home machine. Secondly, bookmarks
can easily be shared. Students or other visitors need only to go to
the URL of the bookmark list. Finally, such sites offer a way to
network with other users. This is done via tagging, which is
assigning category descriptors to a link. For example, a link to Yahoo might
include the tags search, browsing, information, web, etc. By clicking on one of
these descriptors, a user can see other sites marked by other users in the same

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category. Additionally, users’ sites with the same site bookmarked can be
viewed. Because users who mark the same sites often share similar
goals/interests, valuable new resources can often be found this way.

Some sites that provide social bookmarking include:

 ( )
HUDel.icio.usUH HUhttp://del.icio.usUH

 Diigo (http://diigo.com)
 ( )
HUStumbleuponUH HUhttp://www.stumbleupon.com/ UH

 ( )
HUBlinklist UH HUhttp://www.blinklist.com/ UH

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8B Social Networks
Social networks are an evolution of blogs. Often entirely personal in nature, they
go beyond blogs in that they allow users to create “networks” of other users.
These networks then communicate through their social network sites, share
images and video, arrange events, and more. Beyond the seemingly superficial
application most make of sites such as MySpace, Xanga, or Facebook, these sites
offer some good opportunities for educators, as well. Sites can be created for
schools/classes, which can network with other institutions. Students and teachers
can use these networks to share information or projects, communicate beyond
the school day, and more.

Edmodo (http://edmodo.com) is a site that merges social networking and some

tools of a content management system. Teachers can set up password-protected
networks to share resources, engage students/parents in discussions, conduct
surveys, and more, all in a very simple-to-use interface.

There are a few social networking sites that are self-described as child-friendly,
meaning they have taken steps to prevent inappropriate content and unfriendly
visitors. A couple of these sites are:
 ( )
HUWhyvilleUH HUhttp://www.whyville.net/smmk/niceUH

 ( )
HUClub PenguinUH HUhttp://www.clubpenguin.com/UH

 ( )
HUWebkinzUH HUhttp://www.webkinz.com UH

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  Togetherville (http://togetherville.com/)

It should also be noted that some schools/districts have taken the further step of
creating/hosting their own social network, for the exclusive use of their faculty
and students. ( ) is an open-source tool for the creation of such a network.
HUElggUH HUhttp://www.elgg.org/UH

( ) is a very useful site that allows users to create their own networks, either
HUNingUH HUhttp://www.ning.com/ UH

privately or publicly. Users can blog, participate in discussions, share resources,

upload and share images and videos, and more.

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9B Guided Browsing and Note-taking

These types of sites offer users the chance to change existing pages, adding
information, questions, or other text to suit their needs. Actually, pages are not
edited. The user simply adds content to a virtual replica of any page, and that
content is stored in a user account. These sites might be useful for adding study
notes to web pages, posing questions to students, or summarizing important
information.

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A couple of examples of this type of application are (seen above-- ) and HUFleckUH HUhttp://userwww.sfsu.edu/~nshelley/ UH HUTrailfireUH

( ). Fleck allows expandable/contractible notes to be easily added to a page.

HUhttp://trailfire.com/ UH

Trailfire adds the ability to create a “trail” of linked, marked pages.

Another useful application of several web sites is the ability to save notes,
images, videos, clippings of text, etc. online. These can be ordered and arranged
for easy access later. Additionally, resources can be shared and supplemented by
others. Some examples include:
 Evernote (http://evernote.com_
 ( ) HUClipmarksUH HUhttp://clipmarks.comUH

 ( ) HUNotestar UH HUhttp://notestar.4teachers.org/ UH

 ( ) HUMynoteITUH HUhttp://www.mynoteit.com/ UH

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10B RSS/XML
RSS and XML are specially-designed website code that allow users to receive
instant updates anytime a site is modified. For example, a teacher can receive,
via a RSS aggregator, such as ( ) or ( ) a notification as soon as a HUBloglinesUH HUhttp://www.bloglines.com UH HUFeedreader UH HUhttp://www.feedreader.netUH

student group’s wiki is updated or a comment is added to a blog. Parents can be

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notified in real-time of class/school announcements, homework, news, etc.
Students can use a feed reader to keep abreast of the latest news and trends.

Three basic types of aggregators exist. One is a downloadable, stand-alone

software piece, such as Feed Burner or Feed Reader. These are very easy to use,
but they are limited by the fact that you must be viewing the home computer to
see the feeds. Some browsers, such as Firefox, Netscape, and the new Internet
Explorer (7.0) have subscription tools built in, or they can be added with a
plugin. The third type is through an online service, such as Bloglines or Google
Reader ( ). To use any of the three, simply visit any site with RSS/XML.
HUhttp://reader.google.com/ UH

Typically, they can be identified by a button such as the following: The

button will most often link to a page displaying a url, which can be copied and
pasted into the feed aggregator. This completes the subscription process.

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11B Personal Start Pages

Personal start pages bring many Web 2.0 tools together in one site. Users can
customize pages to include personal calendars, email, RSS/XML feeds, and more.
Additionally, some start pages include features that allow multiple users to
contribute and share content. A few of the available start pages include:
 ( )
HUiGoogleUH HUhttp://www.google.com/ig UH

 ( )
HUNetvibesUH HUhttp://www.netvibes.com/ UH

 ( )
HUPageflakesUH HUhttp://www.pageflakes.com/ UH

12B Digital Storytelling

One exciting trend in education is using technology accompanied with student
writing, digital photos, video, and graphics to produce student-created stories.
Web 2.0 affords students not only with tools to create such products, but to
share them with a global audience, as well. ( ) is a unique site that allows HUKerpoofUH HUhttp://www.kerpoof.com/ UH

students to create cartoon-style pictures, sketches, digital storybooks, and

animated videos, including different settings, characters, props, music, text, and
actions. ( ) is a site that enables students to tell stories in the format of a
HUScrapblogUH HUhttp://scrapblog.com/ UH

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digital scrapbook, using drag-and-drop to add pictures, backgrounds, text,
stamps, music, and more. ( ) is a useful site that lets users upload images,
HU Voicethread UH HUhttp://ed.voicethread.comUH

then add text or voice narration. Visitors can record their own voice comments,
leave text comments, or doodle their comments on individual slides. Animoto
(http://animoto.com/education) lets users create stunning digital videos using
images, video, text, and audio, and it includes a large selection of royalty-free
music.

13B Additional Resources

--Web 2.0 bookmarks
HU http://del.icio.us/randyrodgersU H

http://www.diigo.com/user/randyrodgers --Even more bookmarks

--Course wiki
HUhttp://web20resources.wikispaces.com/ UH

--Gliffy—online graphic organizers

HUhttp://www.gliffy.com/ UH

? –free browser with built-in web 2.0 tools

HUhttp://www.flock.com/tour/ UH

--Firefox--free browser with many, many web 2.0 plugins

HUhttp://www.mozilla.com/en-US/UH

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