Wikis, Blogs, and Social Networking in the Classroom

Wikis, Blogs, and Social Networking in the Classroom Jessica Pater Georgia Tech Research Institute August 25, 2007 GTRI_B-1 Overview • Poll • Define concepts and trends • Benefits of using wikis, blogs, and social networking in the classroom • Success stories of implementation GTRI_B-2 Poll 1. Who has visited Social Networking Sites (SNS) in 21% post daily In 2002, 12 percent ofdownload the past 3 months? Weekly? had social 32% of students teens 24% upload/post weekly 30% of students download 42% post weekly network profile(s) ordaily 81% of12% updateweek music every a visited a student shave website(s) movies every week 2. Who posts messages everymonths Daily? 22% post original artwork SNS in the last 3 week? In 2002weekly 25% update of their own NOW this week? 10% upload music 3. Have you downloadedmovies of their 9% upload music 49% 71% Visit themweek have at one timedaily creation every uploaded own creation daily this week? 7% posted weekly 4. Have you downloaded a video – 17 who have pictures;Students ages was 12% in 2002 96% of U.S. % postedthis 9 17 weekly access a the internet use social 5. Have you posted to picture this week? networking sites WEEKLY 6. Have you updated your website/profile this week? Today? National School Boards Association GTRI_B-3 What is a Wiki? • A website or similar online resource which allows users to add and edit content collectively by anyone who visits the wiki. • Wiki also refers to the collaborative software used to create such a website. • Content on a wiki is only limited by the imagination of the creator and/or people editing content. GTRI_B-4 What is a Blog? • A Portmanteau of web log • A website where entries are written and displayed; provide commentary on a multitude of subjects • Often incorporates images, video, links, and other media into the text • Readers have the ability to comment on postings GTRI_B-5 History of the Blog • The trail blazers • Usenet, early CompuServe, WebEx • The Next Generation • Drudge Report, Justin Hall, Jerry Pournelle • LiveJournal, Xanga • The Metamorphosis • Social Networking Sites (Myspace, Facebook, Orkut) and personal blogs GTRI_B-6 Trends in Blogging http://www.alexa.com GTRI_B-7 What is a Social Networking Site? • The "social networking site" is the 21st century term for "virtual community," a group of people who use the Internet to communicate with each other about anything and everything. • Members communicate by voice, chat, instant message, videoconference and blogs, and the service typically provides a way for members to contact friends of other members. GTRI_B-8 History of Social Networking Sites • The trail blazers • Six Degrees, LiveJournal, Xanga, SkyBlogs • The next generation • Ryze, Friendster, Match.com, LinkedIn • The rise of the titans • Myspace, Facebook, YouTube, Second Life *Personal social networking sites (Ning) GTRI_B-9 Trends in Social Networking http://www.alexa.com GTRI_B-10 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Yahoo! Microsoft Network (MSN) Google YouTube Windows Live Myspace Baidu 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 163.com Google (UK) Google(DE) Amazon Internet Movie Database Taobao Flickr 40% of Top Ten 35% of Top Twenty 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Orkut Wikipedia Facebook Hi5 QQ Rapidshare Blogger 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 Google (PL) Google (ES) Passport Photobucket ImageShack Universo TOM 15 16 Megaupload Yahoo (JP) 40 41 Yandex BBC 17 18 Microsoft Network (MSN) Friendster 42 43 Wretch Onet 22% of Top Fifty 23% of Top One Hundred http://www.alexa.com GTRI_B-11 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Sina Fotolog Ebay Sohu Inc Mail.Ru Google (FR) Google (BR) 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 Skyrock Google (CN) Craigslist Yahoo (CN) Go Google (MX) Dailymotion Future of Social Networking • 300+ • Mini-sites (Ning) • Defined by the creator of the site • Less than 30 minutes to create • Less than $20 month – can be free • Thousands in number GTRI_B-12 The Web 2.0 Classroom Learning, Classrooms, Peers, Collaborations, Conversations, Colleagues, Content GTRI_B-13 Benefits Within the Classroom • Read/Reflect/Write • Engages students in conversation and learning • Empowers students • Creates a learning community • Extends the audience for writing beyond the teacher • Allows for instant and continuous feedback • Promotes creativity • Supports differentiation • Encourages further study • Builds technology skills GTRI_B-14 Educational Blogs • Uses: replace the standard class web page, integration of internet into courses, organization of class discussions, provide summaries of lessons, integrate student work into more accessible forum • The Journal of Harriet Tubman • World War II • 7th Grade Math GTRI_B-15 Educational Wikis • Uses: easy and quick websites, project development with peer review, group authoring, tracking a group project, data collection • Flat Classroom Project • Jerusalem Literature Project GTRI_B-16 Educational Social Networking • Even though social networking is seen by some as a dangerous prospect within the traditional classroom, there are some valuable (yet limited) ways to integrate them. • Elgg/Eduspaces • YaHoo! Teachers GTRI_B-17 Questions? We are here to help! Jessica Pater Jessica.Pater@gtri.gatech.edu Foundations for the Future www.f3program.org GTRI_B-18