Engage Your Students With Free Web 2.0 Tools Britt Watwood, Ed.D. Virginia Commonwealth University

Welcome !

Some initial thoughts on instructional technology…

“ I believe that the motion picture is destined to revolutionize our education system and that in a few years it will supplant largely, if not entirely, the use of textbooks.” ~Thomas Edison (1922) )

" New technologies are always used to do old tasks--until some driving force causes them to be used in new ways." ~Marshall McLuhan

How Have Recent Changes on the Web Opened Up Opportunities for Teaching and Learning?

2004 2004 2008 1998 2007 2005 2003 2001 2003 2005 2008 2004 2006 2008 1999 2005 2005 2005 2004 2007

Today’s Web Unprecedented access to information Freely available web-based tools New publishing opportunities User generated filtering, organization & distribution Web experience dominated by creation, interaction and participation…the social web

Unprecedented access to information

Freely available web-based tools

New publishing opportunities

User generated filtering, organization & distribution

Web experience dominated by creation, interaction and participation…the social web

What do we know about Today’s students ?

ECAR Study of Undergraduate Students and Information Technology, 2008 Fifth consecutive year of study 27,317 Freshmen, seniors and community college students 98 Higher education institutions Educause Center for Applied Research

Fifth consecutive year of study

27,317 Freshmen, seniors and community college students

98 Higher education institutions

Student Computer Internet Activity Average use of electronic devices exceeds 19 hours / week Community College students: 14.8 hrs 99.9% send and read email 98.6% write documents for course work 94.7% search the web & institutional library 91.7% create presentations

Average use of electronic devices exceeds 19 hours / week

Community College students: 14.8 hrs

99.9% send and read email

98.6% write documents for course work

94.7% search the web & institutional library

91.7% create presentations

Student Computer / Internet Activity 86.4% online shopping 73.8% send instant messages 82.3 % use course management system 85.2% online social network (Facebook) 78.3% play computer games 38.2% access / use wikis 32.7% create web pages 34.1% blogging

86.4% online shopping

73.8% send instant messages

82.3 % use course management system

85.2% online social network (Facebook)

78.3% play computer games

38.2% access / use wikis

32.7% create web pages

34.1% blogging

Student Preferences for IT use in Courses

Small Loosely Pieces Joined

Who Here Saves Websites? Favorites Bookmarks

Making Meaning From Tags Wordcloud based on Gettysburg Address

It’s deliciously simple!

Find Website You Like & Click “TAG”

Add Comments Add Tags Suggested Tags Your Network

Saved By 170 Other…

Note

Social Connections Interconnections between Gabriela Grosseck, Eduardo Pierano, and myself http://twoantennas.com/projects/delicious-network-explorer/

= Organization

Who Here Reads Newspapers?

How Does One Read a Newspaper?

RSS is like reading newspaper

What is RSS?

From “ Push ” to “ Pull ”

RSS in Plain English http://snipurl.com/1w8wi

Need Google Account This also gives you: Google Docs Gmail (but different account from school domain) Calendar Google Apps

Need Google Account

This also gives you:

Google Docs

Gmail (but different account from school domain)

Calendar

Google Apps

“ My” Google Reader

133,000,000 blogs

How Could Blogs Be Used Instructionally?

Blogs Wikis LMS Content

How Could Micro-Blogging Be Used Instructionally?

Do Small Pieces Loosely Joined Have Instructional Potential?

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