Wikis and Blogs Leveraging Collaborative Web Technologies as Learning Tools Rock Eagle, 2008 Eric Robertson, PT, DPT , OCS Assistant Professor, Physical Therapy School of Allied Health Sciences Medical College of Georgia

Program Objectives: Using a Case Study, we will explore the use of a blog and wiki in a physical therapy course. By the end of this program, you will be able to: Describe important design considerations of a class wiki. Discuss the strengths and weakness of this approach. Develop your own strategy to using Wikis and Blogs in learning.

Using a Case Study, we will explore the use of a blog and wiki in a physical therapy course.

By the end of this program, you will be able to:

Describe important design considerations of a class wiki.

Discuss the strengths and weakness of this approach.

Develop your own strategy to using Wikis and Blogs in learning.

About Me Physical Therapist Orthopaedics & Manual Therapy Interest in Web Technology & EBP Blogger

Physical Therapist

Orthopaedics & Manual Therapy

Interest in Web Technology & EBP

Blogger

Starting from Scratch… Setting: Medical College of Georgia School of Allied Health Sciences Physical Therapy Dept. Course : Orthopaedics II Mission : Deliver a good course! Unknown: “ How can I use collaborative web tools in the course?”

Setting: Medical College of Georgia

School of Allied Health Sciences

Physical Therapy Dept.

Course : Orthopaedics II

Mission : Deliver a good course!

Unknown:

What did I Do? Setting: MCG DPT Program Ortho II Class Intensive 3.5 week format Decision to use both a blog and a wiki to assist with delivery or course content The Wiki The Blog

What did I Do?

Setting:

MCG DPT Program

Ortho II Class

Intensive 3.5 week format

Decision to use both a blog and a wiki to assist with delivery or course content

The Wiki

The Blog

“ Web 2.0 is not a fad, but is changing the way patients and physicians interact.” Web 2.0 A New, Interactive Web Experience Guistini D. How Web 2.0 is Changing Medicine. BMJ 333(7582): 1283-84. (December 2006). Sharing of Ideas Collaboration Communication

“ Web 2.0 is not a fad, but is changing the way patients and physicians interact.”

Sharing of Ideas

Collaboration

Communication

Web 2.0 in a Nutshell Make Sites Sticky Notification of updated content

Web 2.0 in a Nutshell

Make Sites Sticky

Notification of updated content

Defined : Web 2.0 is a trend in the use of World Wide Web technology and web design that aims to facilitate creativity, information sharing, and, most notably, collaboration among users. These concepts have led to the development and evolution of web-based communities and hosted services, such as social-networking sites, wikis, blogs, and folksonomies. Source: Wikipedia

Web 2.0 is a trend in the use of World Wide Web technology and web design that aims to facilitate creativity, information sharing, and, most notably, collaboration among users. These concepts have led to the development and evolution of web-based communities and hosted services, such as social-networking sites, wikis, blogs, and folksonomies.

Source: Wikipedia

Example of a Web 2.0 App Easy to share information with others People know who you are You know when someone updates information Rich with media like images, videos, widgets, and blogs Efficient and “sticky”

Easy to share information with others

People know who you are

You know when someone updates information

Rich with media like images, videos, widgets, and blogs

Efficient and “sticky”

Important Social Learning Tools Blogs Allow Self-Directed Learning, provoke discussion, chronology of content Wikis Moderated, Various Quality of Information, useful for organization of information, from the Hawaiian word for “quick” referencing easy edits. Podcasts / Videos PT Journal Podcast Series, PT Student Videos of CPR’s File Sharing / Tagging / Pictures / etc. NEJM: Pictures in Medicine, for example, bookmarking Searching and Push Technologies Power Searches, RSS Feeds (Collaborative Tools)

Blogs

Allow Self-Directed Learning, provoke discussion, chronology of content

Wikis

Moderated, Various Quality of Information, useful for organization of information, from the Hawaiian word for “quick” referencing easy edits.

Podcasts / Videos

PT Journal Podcast Series, PT Student Videos of CPR’s

File Sharing / Tagging / Pictures / etc.

NEJM: Pictures in Medicine, for example, bookmarking

Searching and Push Technologies

Power Searches, RSS Feeds

Intentional and Reflective Learning Blogs & Wikis vs. Traditional CMS Collaborative nature promotes higher levels of learning Much more than a copy machine Learning as a goal Web 2.0 tools can foster this Contribute to content Collaboration Open for peer-review

Blogs & Wikis vs. Traditional CMS

Collaborative nature promotes higher levels of learning

Much more than a copy machine

Learning as a goal

Web 2.0 tools can foster this

Contribute to content

Collaboration

Open for peer-review

Some Background Info: Tech savvy class 22/32 use laptops for notes 2 have their own blog ~50% read other blogs VLE frustrations General unrest about our web homes for courses “ Clunky” “ Slow” “ Ugly” Intensive Format Ortho II is a 3 credit hr course delivered in 3 weeks! MCG DPT Class of 2010 VLE = Virtual Learning Environment

Tech savvy class

22/32 use laptops for notes

2 have their own blog

~50% read other blogs

VLE frustrations

General unrest about our web homes for courses

“ Clunky”

“ Slow”

“ Ugly”

Intensive Format

Ortho II is a 3 credit hr course delivered in 3 weeks!

THE PLANNING PHASE

Identifying Goals/Needs Efficient Learning Smooth interface Organization Premeditated Structure Control Private Interface No Hassle! Smooth Sign-up Process Easy to Use – No Learning! Wiki is derived from “wiki wiki,” meaning quick. It refers to a style of website consisting of a simple syntax used to compose and edit pages by multiple people.

Efficient Learning

Smooth interface

Organization

Premeditated Structure

Control

Private Interface

No Hassle!

Smooth Sign-up Process

Easy to Use – No Learning!

? Traditional VLE Course Management System Wiki as a VLE

Wiki Considerations Can be used in a variety of ways: Group projects Research and project collaboration Community resource Need to know Wiki syntax For example: [[link|Name of Link] or [<img: tree]

Can be used in a variety of ways:

Group projects

Research and project collaboration

Community resource

Need to know Wiki syntax

For example: [[link|Name of Link] or [<img: tree]

Wikidot Features: Free! (no ads) Privacy Easy Edit Clean Designs File Storage (300MB)

Wikidot Features:

Free! (no ads)

Privacy

Easy Edit

Clean Designs

File Storage (300MB)

Wiki Considerations Wiki syntax and WYSIWYG

Wiki syntax and WYSIWYG

Wiki Considerations Wiki syntax in Wikidot

Wiki syntax in Wikidot

Wiki Considerations Site Navigation Keep focus on content, not technology Minimal to No learning curve Simple is better but, I crave visual interest

Site Navigation

Keep focus on content, not technology

Minimal to No learning curve

Simple is better

but, I crave visual interest

Peeps are yummy, but this list of links is not very appetizing!

Wiki Navigation Content-Based List-Based Contextual navigation Favored by stronger students in general Told a story Could get lost! Main resource page Initially hesitant, but student demand drove this feature Google Analytics Feature Requests Accessible from ANY page within the site via top nav.

Content-Based

List-Based

Contextual navigation

Favored by stronger students in general

Told a story

Could get lost!

Main resource page

Initially hesitant, but student demand drove this feature

Google Analytics

Feature Requests

Accessible from ANY page within the site via top nav.

Content-Based Navigation

List-Based Navigation

Internal Page Navigation

Basic Page Contents Sidebar/Top- Bar: Main Navigation Also included nested parent pages All Pages had link to Course Resources Page Lecture Slides Hosted on Zoho Show Quote of Interest or General Information Resources Links to Further Content/Readings for that specific topic This page used a tabbed frame to condense the view

Sidebar/Top- Bar:

Main Navigation

Also included nested parent pages

All Pages had link to Course Resources Page

Lecture Slides

Hosted on Zoho Show

Quote of Interest or General Information

Resources

Links to Further Content/Readings for that specific topic

This page used a tabbed frame to condense the view

Posting Lectures Zoho Show Free Privacy Control Custom Visual Display Traditional PDF’s Posted on Lectures page as a list Note: Lectures page received most total page views!

Zoho Show

Free

Privacy Control

Custom Visual Display

Traditional PDF’s

Posted on Lectures page as a list

Note:

Lectures page received most total page views!

Tabbed Navigation * Java application which saved page space, moderately difficult to code.

The Blog

Blog Goals Daily Summary Main points Loose ends Additional Points Formative Assessment Polls to assess class comprehension Student Contribution Enrich the experience Voluntary sharing Further the conversation Instill good habits

Daily Summary

Main points

Loose ends

Additional Points

Formative Assessment

Polls to assess class comprehension

Student Contribution

Enrich the experience

Voluntary sharing

Further the conversation

Instill good habits

Class Summary Post Example

Live polls on the blog in the form of cases. 88% Agreed! Free Tool Posted on Blog Debriefed in Class

Live polls on the blog in the form of cases.

Free Tool

Posted on Blog

Debriefed in Class

Student Post Example

OUTCOMES & REFLECTIONS

11, 500 Pageviews!!!

Survey to Assess Technology Use. 88% Agreed! 10 Questions Anonymous No incentives Return rate: 100% (32/32)

Survey to Assess Technology Use.

10 Questions

Anonymous

No incentives

Return rate: 100% (32/32)

NAVIGATION

Statement: I found the process of signing up for the wiki and blog to be no additional burden and easy to do. 94% Agreed!

Statement:

I found the process of signing up for the wiki and blog to be no additional burden and easy to do.

Statement: The Wiki site was easy to navigate. 88% Agreed!

Statement:

The Wiki site was easy to navigate.

Statement: I was able to find and access all the course materials I needed online. 100% Agreed!

Statement:

I was able to find and access all the course materials I needed online.

THE BLOG

Statement: The blog in general was helpful. 75% Agreed! *weakest support of all survey responses

Statement:

The blog in general was helpful.

Statement: The class summary blog posts were helpful. 81% Agreed!

Statement:

The class summary blog posts were helpful.

Statement: I made a blog post or commented on the blog.

Statement:

I made a blog post or commented on the blog.

Statement: Top reasons for not contributing to the blog.

Statement:

Top reasons for not contributing to the blog.

OVERALL IMPRESSIONS

Statement: The wiki site was an improvement over GA View Vista. 91% Agreed!

Statement:

The wiki site was an improvement over GA View Vista.

Statement: Dr. Robertson should continue to use a wiki for this course. 100% Agreed!

Statement:

Dr. Robertson should continue to use a wiki for this course.

Statement: The use of instructional technology (blog, wiki, etc.) in this course enhanced my learning. 97% Agreed!

Statement:

The use of instructional technology (blog, wiki, etc.) in this course enhanced my learning.

REFLECTIONS

Items to Improve Blog integration into Wiki site Student Contribution to Wiki Relocate all lectures on Lectures page only. Improve lecture presentations to optimize formatting for web More tabbed navigation More formative assessment polls and interactive feedback

Blog integration into Wiki site

Student Contribution to Wiki

Relocate all lectures on Lectures page only.

Improve lecture presentations to optimize formatting for web

More tabbed navigation

More formative assessment polls and interactive feedback

Utility for Others? Learning Curve Test Wiki Public vs. Private site It’s free, but could be enhanced by institutional support for software Time investment Many ways to use a wiki!

Learning Curve

Test Wiki

Public vs. Private site

It’s free, but could be enhanced by institutional support for software

Time investment

Many ways to use a wiki!

Physio-pedia.com My new project Turn-key wiki for PT instructors worldwide Can find full presentation linked there!

My new project

Turn-key wiki for PT instructors worldwide

Can find full presentation linked there!