This document discusses experiences using podcasts, blogs, and Web 2.0 technologies for education and professional development. It describes how blogs, podcasts, and other Web 2.0 tools allow for online collaboration and interaction. While these tools showed potential, challenges included low levels of participation and interaction from intended users. Further research is needed to better understand how to maximize the benefits of these technologies for online learning.

1. Experiences of Using Podcasts, Blogs And Web 2.0 For Education And Professional Development Twenty-Fifth Annual International Nursing Computer / Technology Conference

2. Margaret Hansen Associate Professor, The University of San Francisco, USA W. Scott Erdley Clinical Associate Professor, University at Buffalo, NY, USA Peter J. Murray Founding Fellow and Director, CHIRAD, UK

3. Collaborating on blogs, podcasts, vodcasts and other projects www.hi-blogs.info http://differance-engine.net/rutgers2007/ http://differance-engine.net/SINI2007blog/

8. From: http://headrush.typepad.com/creating_passionate_users/2005/10/the_best_thing_.html The best thing about Web 2.0 is that… nobody knows what the hell it really means. Even the ones who coined the term are still struggling to find a compact definition. And this is the true beauty and power of Web 2.0 - it makes people think.

9. Web 2.0 websites are different from those of early web development, retroactively labeled Web 1.0. They are designed to deliver interactive, versus static, applications to end-users. Their content is characterised by open communication, decentralised authority, and freedom to share and re-use materials across a more dynamic, interlinked and interactive World Wide Web. They are often referred to as 'read/write web' applications.

13. Blogs (web logs), podcasts, and wikis constitute a sub-set of what are commonly described as Web 2.0 or social networking tools. They increasingly provide international online communication and collaboration among nurses and health informaticians. Many applications are available as libre/free and open source software and will run on all operating systems – eg GNU/Linux, Mac OS ... (and Windoze if you must).

14. Blogs – some basics A blog (or weblog) is a website in which messages are posted and displayed with the newest at the top ... blogs often focus on a particular subject ... Some blogs function as online diaries. A typical blog combines text, images, and links to other blogs, web pages, and other media related to its topic. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blog

15. Blogs – structure A blog is usually edited, organised and published using a Content Management System (CMS) ... many of are built with Linux/Apache/MySQL/PHP (LAMP) architecture. Blogger (www.blogger.com) - owned by Google WordPress (www.wordpress.com) - FLOSS Serendipity (s9y.org ) - FLOSS

16. Blogs – structure And then it starts to get interesting ;-)) Other embellishments we have used: - automatic podcasts with text-to-speech software eg Talkr, feed2podcast - RSS feeds – Feedburner, etc. - tags –Technorati, etc - added swickis and other things - new for 2007 - accessible on a mobile phone

17. Conferences provide an opportunity for both formal and informal professional development, social networking, and collaborative knowledge development. Web 2.0 tools, many of which are also often described as social networking software, afford connection and collaboration among individuals who wish to affiliate with one another.

18. Why do we want to provide blogs for virtual conference participation? - not everyone can get to conferences - what goes on at such events may not be shared with others - so much good learning may be 'lost' to most colleagues – or those most in need of it

19. Why do we want to provide blogs for virtual conference participation? - to provide virtual interaction for those unable to attend - to promote the event - to play with (explore) the technology - to explore/research a collaborative model of blogging

20. Blogs for virtual conference participation What we hoped for: - lots of people wanting to post items - lots of comments - lots of readers - demonstration of the collaborative model working.

21. Blogs for virtual conference participation What we found: - many promised but few delivered - the principal providers were the main bloggers - levels of use were lower than hoped - reminders to people help in readership levels - interaction is lower than hoped for

22. Blogs, interaction and participation – some evaluation data - Generally felt to be a useful adjunct to events - Most felt was easy to use - Should be available post-event (archive) '... personal ancedotes give a sense of voyeurism. ..being there without actually being physically there.' 'I like the first person 'conversation' style - as though speaking directly to me. Informal, easy to follow and relate to. If I disagreed or had comments, I knew I could add the blog to benefit other readers.'

23. Blogs, interaction and participation – some lessons learned Must be as easy as possible to access and participate - eg wireless – or people won't post during the event Reminders boost readership RSS feeds to email/browser

24. Blogs, interaction and participation – is it worth the effort? - where next? We currently do new clean install for each blog - to try out new tools – but labour-intensive May look at one site for multiple events – but possible confusion here We believe it is worth it, and valuable to those who do use it - but need to boost both readership and interaction

26. Further information and contact www.hi-blogs.info [email_address]

27. Podcasting Giving education a voice…. Margaret Hansen

30. Image credit: University of Missouri School of Journalism

41. Lions & tiggers & wikis, oh my! the ‘beast’ & ‘ taming’ it W. Scott Erdley

42. - a dynamic, group-developed web pages easily created and accessed via a browser - content may be updated or changed by anyone visiting the website (open authors) - allow for asynchronous group socialisation, communication and collaboration - a tool for archiving documents, brainstorming, and collaborative writing Wikipedia (www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page), Wikinews (www.wikinews.org/wiki/Health) What is a wiki?