Blogs, Wikis and Websites............!!

Well, well, well. Turns out I am a technical whiz… NOT!

This week in Managing E-Learning, we learnt all about BLOGS, WIKIS and WEBSITES. We have such a vast range of e-learning tools at our fingertips, if only we knew how to use them!

Okay, so let’s start with the most obvious – a BLOG. Considering I’m posting to one, I think I’ve pretty much got this down pat. I’m using the platform called BLOGGER, powered by Google. It’s very simple to set up, customise your settings, and personalise the look and layout. And best of all… it’s free!

BLOGS
STRENGTHS -       FREE services offered by Blogger, Wordpress and others -       EASY to use (don’t need much technical knowledge) -       Can be PERSONALISED as much or as little as you want -       Offers an online space to JOURNAL and/or reflect -       Can imbed videos, links and graphics (MULTIMODAL delivery of information) -       Can post ANONYMOUSLY	WEAKNESSES -       Can be accessed by anyone (unless SECURITY settings are changed) -       Only ONE PERSON can add blog posts and others can only comment (not so much a collaborative tool) -       Easy to unintentionally post PERSONAL INFORMATION and breach COPYRIGHTS of videos, information and graphics
OPPORTUNITIES -       Students can use a blog as a reflective journal for part of an assessment, that can be CHECKED ONLINE anytime by the teacher -       ENGAGING for students as it is an interactive, customisable technology -       Allows students to continue learning OUTSIDE of the classroom (through having to research and blog findings, or reflect on their learning) -       Gives students a sense of OWNERSHIP and pride for their work -       Meets students at their technological INTERESTS and their abilities	THREATS -       Risk of students using the blog UNSAFELY by posting personal information -       Copyright and PLAGIARISM issues could arise when using a blog to share research -       Easy to spend a lot of time customising and personalising the blog, which could DISTRACT students from the purpose (to research or reflect) -       Increases opportunities for CYBER BULLYING to occur (students accessing peers’ blogs and commenting)

I believe there is a place for blogs in teaching and learning. If students are properly EDUCATED about online safety, cyber bulling, plagiarism and copyright issues, there is a lot of potential in blogging. In my classroom, I would use a blog to REMIND students of the work we had covered that day and keep absent students up to date with what they had missed. I would also use it to remind students about upcoming assessments and events, and my expectations associated with these. As a Maths/Science teacher, I would ask students to use a blog to JOURNAL for assessments such as scientific investigations or REFLECT upon a new mathematical concept they had learnt. So I think that blogs could be very USEFUL!

Next up is a WIKI. These are fairly straightforward to set up through WIKISPACES, and can be customised if you have some time to play with fonts and images. As mentioned last week, a wiki is a collaborative sharing space where a group of people can contribute and discuss ideas. It is more INTERACTIVE than a blog, and can be used for discussion rather than reflection.

WIKIS
STRENGTHS -       COLLABORATIVE, so everyone can be involved and contribute ideas -       CUSTOMISABLE to suit the group’s needs and preferred aesthetics -       FREE services offered by Wikispaces -       Offers an online space to DISCUSS and share ideas -       Can imbed videos, links and graphics (MULTIMODAL delivery of information) -       Can post ANONYMOUSLY -       Can be made PRIVATE, so only members of the group can access and edit it	WEAKNESSES -       Can be quite DIFFICULT to use and navigate when unfamiliar with Wikipsaces -       Only ONE PERSON can edit at a time, so brainstorming cannot be completely simultaneous -       Easy to become CLUTTERED and confusing when information and contributions build up -       Other entries can be DELETED/written over by anyone contributing
OPPORTUNITIES -       Used as an ONLINE brainstorming activity -       Can be used alongside discussion FRAMEWORKS such as de Bono’s Hats, SWOT analysis, etc. -       A space for students to PRESENT and support their opinions on a topic, or their findings from a research task -       Can be MONITORED and MODERATED by the teacher -       ENGAGING and INTERACTIVE sharing space for students -       Allows QUIETER students the opportunity to input their ideas	THREATS -       Easy to spend a lot of time customising and personalising, which could DISTRACT students from the purpose (to share ideas) -       Students could DISENGAGE from the activity when it becomes cluttered or confusing, or if they are unable to navigate it with ease -       Students could just add their own ideas without reading and RESPONDING to others -       Easy for students to DELETE and MODIFY others’ work

When used in a monitored, focussed environment, I believe Wikis are a useful educational tool. The teacher would need to monitor and moderate contributions, clearly OUTLINE EXPECTATIONS for work, and demonstrate how to navigate Wikispaces without confusion. Last week, we used a wiki to discuss mobile phones in the classroom, and it worked like a CHARM!

I have made an example Wiki for the Grade 11 Chemistry class I am currently working with. You can access it HERE: http://pshs11chemistry.wikispaces.com/home

Finally, a WEBSITE… now, what on Earth is that!? While everyone knows that, in school, websites are used for FINDING INFORMATION, did you know that allowing students the opportunity to CREATE THEIR OWN website could be a useful learning tool, too?

WEBSITES
STRENGTHS -       Very interactive, and completely STUDENT-AUTHORED -       Websites such as WEEBLY offer free, easy-to-use website templates -       CUSTOMISABLE to almost any colour, theme and layout -       Online, public PUBLISHING creates a sense of ownership, pride and academic responsibility -       Can imbed videos, links and graphics (MULTIMODAL delivery of information) -       Can be EDITED at any time by the author	WEAKNESSES -       So customisable that students may become DISTRACTED by the setting up, and spend less time on content -       Unless options are embedded, a website is STATIC to members of the public (cannot be altered or commented on) -       Easy to unintentionally post PERSONAL INFORMATION and breach COPYRIGHTS of videos, information and graphics
OPPORTUNITIES -       Can be used as a PRESENTING tool for students to publish a research task or assessment, or a WHOLE-CLASS research activity culminated and published in a single website -       Student-authored and publicly published so students are prompted to present QUALITY work -       Can be MONITORED by the teacher for inappropriate, personal or unreferenced content -       ACCESSIBLE for students of all technological abilities (engages creatively and academically)	THREATS -       Easy to spend a lot of time customising and personalising, which could DISTRACT students from the purpose (to present information) -       Risk of students UNSAFELY posting personal information -       Copyright and PLAGIARISM issues could arise very easily

Particularly for research assignments or scientific investigations, I believe that using a student-authored website would be a fantastically creative and engaging PRESENTING platform! To prove just how easy it is, I’ve made my own about a little passion of mine – Irish dancing! You might even find me in a few of the photos… HERE: http://irishdanceworld.weebly.com/

So what do I think about BLOGS, WIKIS and WEBSITES?

Not too bad. Not too bad at all…!