Post on Collaborative Wiki (Tool #2)

Bernie and I worked together on a collaborative wiki.  We did this project using a google document, assuming that we would have been in different locations when we created it.   Bernie created the initial document and then shared it with me, giving me editing privileges.

We decided to make plans to build a theme park.  We listed the questions that we would need to answer:  the kind of theme park;  the size and location of the theme park;  and a materials list for the park.  We used different colors of fonts to show who was doing the writing.   After we made the decisions on the location and type of park, we each found an image of a family park.  We also added a link to a photo, as well as a link to a YouTube video of a boy swinging in a park.  We inserted a table and entered information about the materials needed, as well as the cost of each item.  

This project showed that students could work on a document/project together, even though they might not be in the same room.  Google docs uses various colors of insertion bars to show who is editing and where that person is editing.  If someone makes unnecessary or inappropriate changes in the collaborative document, you can look at the “revision history” to see who made the changes.  It is possible to revert back to a previous edition of the document.   This type of collaborative work has many possibilities in the classroom.

Organizational Tool Post #1 (social bookmarking - Delicious)

The tool that first caught my attention is social bookmarking, so I investigated with the Delicious website tool.  In the units that I teach with my 7th grade World Geography classes and my 8th grade U.S. History classes, my students often need to do Internet research.  I usually provide them with a list of websites that I want them to use.  I typically would have a document with a current list of websites.  In order for the students to have access to the website, I would save the document as a pdf file and then post it on my blog.  This works okay, but it’s a pain whenever I want to made changes to the list.

By using the Delicious tool, I can have all of my selected websites at one location.  If I make changes in one list, that change is instantly available to my students.  Here are a list of advantages that I see in using the Delicious tool:

1. The list of websites are not tied to any one computer.
2. The websites can be grouped together by common themes or topics
3. The list does not have to be constantly updated on a document or personal webpage.
4. It is an easy way to provide websites for students to use for research.
5. Students can make comments about the usefulness of the websites.

Response to Chp. 1/2

Response post for preface/chapters 1 and 2

One of the ideas that stood out to me after reading chapter 1 is the idea that “users moved from consuming what was on the Internet to producing the content on the Internet.”  (p. 5)  As I look back on my use of the Internet and the use of my students, I totally agree with that idea.  This idea helps me to understand the use of the term “Web 2.0”. My students have been getting information from the Internet for at least the past fifteen years.  Most of that use has been as consumers.  It has only been in the past few years that I have also been producing the content found on the internet.  My students have been using technology to show what they have learned for many years, but not very much of it has been published on the Internet.  I would like to give my students more opportunities to be producers of the Internet. 

Hi, fellow TINT class members.  I hope you are enjoying the class.