Social software: blogs, wikis, social bookmarking Ian Calder Information Services and Systems

Part 1: Blogs Blog - a journal-style personal web site you can edit directly in your web browser and which allows visitors to leave comments to posts/pages you publish. Structured chronologically, you can update a blog as frequently or infrequently as you wish. Content can include text, images, attached files and also multimedia elements (in some cases).

Blog - a journal-style personal web site you can edit directly in your web browser and which allows visitors to leave comments to posts/pages you publish.

Structured chronologically, you can update a blog as frequently or infrequently as you wish.

Content can include text, images, attached files and also multimedia elements (in some cases).

Part 1: Blogs Most blogs tend to be personal spaces but collaboration is possible. The software which powers blogs can either be installed on a server or can be used via free web-hosted sites, examples of which can include; Wordpress Blogger

Most blogs tend to be personal spaces but collaboration is possible.

The software which powers blogs can either be installed on a server or can be used via free web-hosted sites, examples of which can include;

Wordpress

Blogger

What can you use blogs for?

Blogs and learning Development of thinking and writing skills Ideal tool for thinking, planning, reflection Sharing of resources made easier Demonstration/documentation of progress/evolution of processes Comments allow for discussion and critique Try new technologies and methods

Development of thinking and writing skills

Ideal tool for thinking, planning, reflection

Sharing of resources made easier

Demonstration/documentation of progress/evolution of processes

Comments allow for discussion and critique

Try new technologies and methods

Characteristics of a blog Journal format / reverse chronology (most recent post displayed first) Posts or pages Comments can be added by viewers Use of links to help organise the content categories (tags), date RSS feeds - allows your blog to be delivered via other sites Single author or multiple author - collaborative May be personal, but also possibilities for departmental/institutional, etc

Journal format / reverse chronology (most recent post displayed first)

Posts or pages

Comments can be added by viewers

Use of links to help organise the content

categories (tags), date

RSS feeds - allows your blog to be delivered via other sites

Single author or multiple author - collaborative

May be personal, but also possibilities for departmental/institutional, etc

Examples of blogs in King's KCL ISS Etheses at King's blog King's Graduate School War In The Modern World KCL Medical Ethics and Law

KCL ISS Etheses at King's blog

King's Graduate School

War In The Modern World

KCL Medical Ethics and Law

Examples of blogs elsewhere 'Stephen's Web - OLDaily' (Stephen Downes) (http://www.downes.ca/news/OLDaily.htm) 'Making Change - ideas for lively learning (http://blog.cathy-moore.com/) e-literate (http://mfeldstein.com/index.php)

'Stephen's Web - OLDaily' (Stephen Downes) (http://www.downes.ca/news/OLDaily.htm)

'Making Change - ideas for lively learning (http://blog.cathy-moore.com/)

e-literate (http://mfeldstein.com/index.php)

Activity 1 Looking at some blog examples and thinking about how you might use blogs Go to: http://kingscollege.blackboard.com Make sure you click on ‘Training’ from the list Login with the username and password provided From the Course List click on the section '00 Training 1 - Introduction to Blogs, Wikis and Social bookmarking' Click on the folder 'Blog examples‘ Spend the next fifteen minutes looking through some of these and make notes on any features you like, or dislike and think about the potential applications that blogging might have for your own teaching and learning

Looking at some blog examples and thinking about how you might use blogs

Go to: http://kingscollege.blackboard.com

Make sure you click on ‘Training’ from the list

Login with the username and password provided

From the Course List click on the section '00 Training 1 - Introduction to Blogs, Wikis and Social bookmarking'

Click on the folder 'Blog examples‘

Spend the next fifteen minutes looking through some of these and make notes on any features you like, or dislike and think about the potential applications that blogging might have for your own teaching and learning

Activity: Creating a blog using a free Wordpress.com account TASK A: Create a blog using WordPress.com - this gives you a much more powerful set of features to use for blogging than in Blackboard Vista. You will need to set up a WordPress.com account, but this is normally quite quick to do and is free. Once it is created you can start creating posts and then link to your blog from inside Blackboard Vista. Notes: There is a supporting presentation showing this procedure in the 'Introduction to Blogs, Wikis and Social bookmarking' Blackboard Vista section that you will have access to this afternoon. Or, afterwards access it from http://bit.ly/12xKlQ A free online blog using WordPress.com is not hosted on King's College London servers - for any sensitive information this may well not ne an appropriate host

TASK A: Create a blog using WordPress.com - this gives you a much more powerful set of features to use for blogging than in Blackboard Vista. You will need to set up a WordPress.com account, but this is normally quite quick to do and is free. Once it is created you can start creating posts and then link to your blog from inside Blackboard Vista.

Notes:

There is a supporting presentation showing this procedure in the 'Introduction to Blogs, Wikis and Social bookmarking' Blackboard Vista section that you will have access to this afternoon. Or, afterwards access it from http://bit.ly/12xKlQ

A free online blog using WordPress.com is not hosted on King's College London servers - for any sensitive information this may well not ne an appropriate host

Some of the main blogging tasks you will perform using the Dashboard Creating new posts (or pages) Adding files or images to your posts Moderating comments Editing previous posts (or pages)

Creating new posts (or pages)

Adding files or images to your posts

Moderating comments

Editing previous posts (or pages)

Creating your first post

Adding an attached file to a post

Adding an image to a post

Some other areas and settings in the Dashboard to be aware of ‘ Edit Posts’ is where you can manage your existing posts, e.g. Edit, Delete, Preview Note some options you have about comments to your posts allowing/disallowing comments / trackbacks/pingbacks Post revisions allow you to see a record of updates you have made to a post ‘ Media Library’ is where you can manage your uploaded files, images, etc ‘ Users’ is where you can add other people who can contribute to your blog, e.g. you might want to set up a collaborative department/project/course blog Users can be allocated different degrees of access, similar to Blackboard Vista concepts ‘ Comments’ is where you manage any comments submitted to your posts, e.g. Approve, Mark as Spam, Delete, Edit, etc

‘ Edit Posts’ is where you can manage your existing posts, e.g. Edit, Delete, Preview

Note some options you have about comments to your posts allowing/disallowing comments / trackbacks/pingbacks

Post revisions allow you to see a record of updates you have made to a post

‘ Media Library’ is where you can manage your uploaded files, images, etc

‘ Users’ is where you can add other people who can contribute to your blog, e.g. you might want to set up a collaborative department/project/course blog

Users can be allocated different degrees of access, similar to Blackboard Vista concepts

‘ Comments’ is where you manage any comments submitted to your posts, e.g. Approve, Mark as Spam, Delete, Edit, etc

Activity - continued Task B: After you have created your own blog add a link on your section home page so users can access it. Task C: Try returning to the Course List and visit other participants newly created blogs - interact with the blogs, noting what features have been enabled or used - and try leaving some comments.

Task B: After you have created your own blog add a link on your section home page so users can access it.

Task C: Try returning to the Course List and visit other participants newly created blogs - interact with the blogs, noting what features have been enabled or used - and try leaving some comments.

The WordPress blogging tool Positive aspects: more customisation of layout, look and feel - easier to digest / search ability to include widgets, link to allow RSS feed, etc easy inclusion of media files

Positive aspects:

more customisation of layout, look and feel - easier to digest / search

ability to include widgets, link to allow RSS feed, etc

easy inclusion of media files

The WordPress blogging tool Negative aspects: yet another system to learn? more complex to manage? moderation of comments - and spam? easy inclusion of RSS feeds from other blogs on yours where does the data live? how permanent is it? will the plug get pulled without warning?

Negative aspects:

yet another system to learn? more complex to manage?

moderation of comments - and spam?

easy inclusion of RSS feeds from other blogs on yours

where does the data live? how permanent is it? will the plug get pulled without warning?

Finding blogs published by other people

Part 2: Wikis Website that allow users to work collaboratively by editing/updating existing content or creating new content Done via a standard web browser without the need to install any additional software. The ability to edit pages may be possible for all users of the site or it can be restricted to a smaller group of users. Update of the edited pages is normally instantaneous, with page revisions made recorded and documented through the 'history' feature

Website that allow users to work collaboratively by editing/updating existing content or creating new content

Done via a standard web browser without the need to install any additional software.

The ability to edit pages may be possible for all users of the site or it can be restricted to a smaller group of users.

Update of the edited pages is normally instantaneous, with page revisions made recorded and documented through the 'history' feature

Wikis - continued Being web browser-based and normally featuring graphical editing interfaces, wikis are easy to use and can be an ideal way to work as a group on shared information. The most famous example of a wiki is Wikipedia, an online encyclopaedia that you or I can contribute to by editing directly online. Within King's Wiki software called 'Confluence' has been installed and can be used, though at present on a small scale. As well as the institutional offering, it is also possible to set up free wiki spaces online.

Being web browser-based and normally featuring graphical editing interfaces, wikis are easy to use and can be an ideal way to work as a group on shared information.

The most famous example of a wiki is Wikipedia, an online encyclopaedia that you or I can contribute to by editing directly online.

Within King's Wiki software called 'Confluence' has been installed and can be used, though at present on a small scale.

As well as the institutional offering, it is also possible to set up free wiki spaces online.

Uses of a wiki Allows web-based collaboration - edit existing content, add new content Single centrally-located copy of information rather than multiple individual copies Display of different revisions can demonstrate thought processes evolution Collection and reflection of thoughts and materials - e-portfolio capabilities May be strongly project or purpose based Input from the wider community though comments possible

Allows web-based collaboration - edit existing content, add new content

Single centrally-located copy of information rather than multiple individual copies

Display of different revisions can demonstrate thought processes evolution

Collection and reflection of thoughts and materials - e-portfolio capabilities

May be strongly project or purpose based

Input from the wider community though comments possible

Ning From Wikipedia: "Ning competes with large social sites like MySpace and Facebook by appealing to people who want to create their own social networks around specific interests with their own visual design, choice of features and member data. The unique feature of Ning is that anyone can create their own social network for a particular topic or need, catering to specific membership bases."

From Wikipedia:

"Ning competes with large social sites like MySpace and Facebook by appealing to people who want to create their own social networks around specific interests with their own visual design, choice of features and member data. The unique feature of Ning is that anyone can create their own social network for a particular topic or need, catering to specific membership bases."

Ning Some of the features you will find on Ning Member profile pages Discussion Forum Individual blogs Upload and share photos, videos Chat feature Groups Inclusion of RSS feeds and widgets Moderation and Privacy - you can make your social network public or private for members only and you can moderate contributions before they are posted

Some of the features you will find on Ning

Member profile pages

Discussion Forum

Individual blogs

Upload and share photos, videos

Chat feature

Groups

Inclusion of RSS feeds and widgets

Moderation and Privacy - you can make your social network public or private for members only and you can moderate contributions before they are posted

Activity) Exploring a wiki and contributing your own content http://hsapsc.pbwiki.com/

http://hsapsc.pbwiki.com/

Wiki activity Think back to the 'Blogs and learning' slide and the following points which were displayed as possible benefits: Development of thinking and writing skills Ideal tool for thinking, planning, reflection Sharing of resources made easier Demonstration/documentation of progress/evolution of processes Comments allow for discussion and critique Try new technologies and methods Having tried out some blogging activities of your own in the previous tasks, add your own thoughts now - do you agree with the above? disagree? have anything else to add?

Think back to the 'Blogs and learning' slide and the following points which were displayed as possible benefits:

Development of thinking and writing skills

Ideal tool for thinking, planning, reflection

Sharing of resources made easier

Demonstration/documentation of progress/evolution of processes

Comments allow for discussion and critique

Try new technologies and methods

Having tried out some blogging activities of your own in the previous tasks, add your own thoughts now - do you agree with the above? disagree? have anything else to add?

Part 3: Social bookmarking Online bookmarks/favourites No longer tied to a specific computer - access from anywhere by logging in Sharing - allow others to see your bookmarks/favourites Social - find other people with similar interests easily Student tasks - collaborate to build up useful resource links Delicious (example)

Online bookmarks/favourites

No longer tied to a specific computer - access from anywhere by logging in

Sharing - allow others to see your bookmarks/favourites

Social - find other people with similar interests easily

Student tasks - collaborate to build up useful resource links

Delicious (example)

4) Flickr and SlideShare

What is SlideShare? A service that allows you to upload files such as PowerPoint, Word, Excel docs, etc and then allow them to be embedded in other places, such as blogs, as they are converted to Flash format. A great way of displaying them via the web Handy for accessing your presentations from anywhere with web access

A service that allows you to upload files such as PowerPoint, Word, Excel docs, etc and then allow them to be embedded in other places, such as blogs, as they are converted to Flash format.

A great way of displaying them via the web

Handy for accessing your presentations from anywhere with web access

What is Flickr? An image (and video) sharing and retrieval system Allows you to upload your own images and videos and share them with anyone - or you can set access control on who can view them (family/friends) Images/videos can be tagged for easier search/retrieval Can be set so you can post directly to a blog Social / community aspects - you can see who is commenting, adding as favourites, etc RSS feed possible - embedding on other places, e.g. blogs, Ning, etc

An image (and video) sharing and retrieval system

Allows you to upload your own images and videos and share them with anyone - or you can set access control on who can view them (family/friends)

Images/videos can be tagged for easier search/retrieval

Can be set so you can post directly to a blog

Social / community aspects - you can see who is commenting, adding as favourites, etc

RSS feed possible - embedding on other places, e.g. blogs, Ning, etc

Uses of Flickr in education Collaboration and feedback - adding notes or comments to photos - notes can be added to specific portions of the photo - visual arguments can be developed As a copyright-free image library - searching for images with creative commons licenses that allow re-use As an image repository Use of images as prompts or for storytelling ('flicktion') Documentation of events, e.g. field trips, etc

Collaboration and feedback - adding notes or comments to photos - notes can be added to specific portions of the photo - visual arguments can be developed

As a copyright-free image library - searching for images with creative commons licenses that allow re-use

As an image repository

Use of images as prompts or for storytelling ('flicktion')

Documentation of events, e.g. field trips, etc

Issues with Flickr to be aware of Users need to have a Yahoo account in order to view materials which are restricted to family/friends - does not accept OpenID Tagging is user created - therefore inconsistent - people can use different words to mean same thing - searching could be a problem Videos are limited to 90 seconds in length, and 150MB in filesize Any and all kinds of images are uploaded to Flickr - inappropriate imagery from searches is a possibility

Users need to have a Yahoo account in order to view materials which are restricted to family/friends - does not accept OpenID

Tagging is user created - therefore inconsistent - people can use different words to mean same thing - searching could be a problem

Videos are limited to 90 seconds in length, and 150MB in filesize

Any and all kinds of images are uploaded to Flickr - inappropriate imagery from searches is a possibility