Communication Tools and Web 2.0 Resources

Communication Tools and Web 2.0 Resources Jack Emeleusjack.emeleus@jcu.edu.au

Net Communication Tools • Websites (HTML) • Wiki websites • Bulletin Boards • Email (including Lists) • Chat • Video Chat • VOIP – Skype etc • SMS • Syndication – Blogs, Pod & Vod Cast • Other tools – mySpace, YouTube, Facebook

Some considerations for choosing or evaluating an ICT for the classroom

Is the ICT worth it? Motivation(Malone) • Are ICTs still motivational as for Malone in the early 80s? • The best inventions are often new applications of existing technologies • Expanding the use of an ICT tool beyond the narrow extrinsically motivated focus of a child

Is the ICT worth it? Theoretical paradigm (SC/CC?) Literacy aspects Is a blog what you think it is? Does RSS mean Really Simple Syndication or Rich Site Summary? Can I use FTP to cook eggs? Will a Wiki bring good luck? Is an iPod a bit like a pea pod? What is a pea pod anyway?

Is the ICT worth it? Frameworks Productive Pedagogies EYCG ……

Is the ICT worth it? • Will it make teaching easier? • A legitimate question that teachers might be embarrassed to ask • Sharing resources with other teachers • Reducing administration • Will I need support to implement it? • Can I get the support if required?

What are the risks? • Nature of iCt is that new channels of communication are open • Are the risks going to land you in trouble? (EPPR) • Are the risks justifiable? • Confer with a higher authority…

Other Considerations • Cost • Equity – a whole lecture for this one! • Potential long term benefits • Innovations $$ (normally overlooked) • Your own professional development If in doubt….always give it a try!

Which CT are we talking about? The Web………………….……….Web 2.0

Websites (CMS and Static) • For teachers or students • Can be great information sources • If you are using someone else’s there is usually no cost – but also less motivation (teachers AND students) • Generally difficult to use as ‘almost live’ communication tools • Great for keeping a big community up-to-date (eg www.smithfieldshs.com.au )

Websites - Static Web Server Request to view website User .html, .jpg, .gif files etc stored on server Final rendered file in Browser window Delivers HTML / images Costs: Server hosting, Domain Name (base of the URL) Benefits of static: cheap, simple (in server terms), quick from server Cons of static: hard to maintain, can’t give multiple admins, need continual FTP access to update and build

Web Server Request to view website User .asp/php, .jpg, .gif files etc stored on server Final rendered file in Browser window Delivers HTML file Render HTML Database Server Websites - Dynamic (data driven) Costs: Server hosting incl. database, domain Name (base of the URL) Benefits of Dynamic: easy to update, separates content and formatting, decentralised management is an option, lots of pre-built packages, no need for Dreamweaver etc Cons of Dynamic: higher cost, initial set-up can be tricky, ongoing support?

Websites (CMS and Static) • Use your own and you’ll need to • Build • Maintain • Write / edit copy • How do you give kids pages • How do you maintain consistency, security, privacy,….

Wiki Websites (the post-it note of the web) • A completely different paradigm • Content over formatting • Requires some level of trust • Needs daily supervision • Wonderful medium for instant publications, journals, full class shared projects… • What would you use it for? http://ed4492.awardspace.com/wiki

Bulletin Boards / Forums • Announcements page on LearnJCU • Strictly controlled by the administrator • BB is One-way communication, Forum is two way • Excellent for senior schooling and VocEd situations where forms and messages from the convenor are a regular thing • Blurred boundary – BB, Blog & Forum http://ed4492.awardspace.com/forum

Email • Every child in an EQ or CES school has an email address. Probably every child in QLD • Who doesn’t have one? • Uses: asynchronous communication with.. • Parents – individual and class lists • Students – individual and class groups • Staff • Professionals in fields • List Servs (see text) how to find a good one http://www.lists.edna.edu.au/

Email • Why use email in a class situation? • Archive all communications • Low-pressure literacy (not as formal as a letter, but still use a spell check!) • Submission of written work • Flattens the hierarchy (access to the top) • Consider: changing nature of student/teacher relationshiphttp://www.firstmonday.org/issues/issue9_1/huffaker/index.html • Example – draft discourse

Chat • Synchronous communication • Grammatical correctness v expression • Global / Local / In class • Management Issues: • Security / Safety • Time management (or lack of) • One-One or Many-Many • Low tech requirements

Video Chat / Video Conferencing • Synchronous communication • Verbal, but with textual back-up • Global / Local / In class • Virtual classrooms • Hardware requirements • Mic / Speakers / Camera • Bandwidth on connection • Other uses – web cams – monitoring projects with time lapse.

VOIP • Why use a free phone… • Virtual classrooms • In-school communication • Long distance projects become affordable • VOIP will be the standard telephone system within the next 2 years. Why not get your students familiar with the idea?

SMS • Excellent communication tool with parents. • Requires some $$ so admin support would be necessary • Administrative use most appropriate Commercial example: www.messagemedia.com.au

Syndication Different things, but use both to see the full power! • Blog – Web Log • RSS – Really Simple Syndication Blog Sample: http://ed4492.awardspace.com/blog POD Case: http://jjj.net.au • Interactive or Read Only • Owner moderated • Free & simple to set up • Build on your school site or hosted

Syndication - RSS Incorporating RSS • Build into a website • http://www.smcc.qld.edu.au • Use an online aggregator like http://www.newsgator.com • Examples • Custom feed: http://search.abc.net.au/search/search.cgi?query=cairns&collection=abcnews&form=simple • http://www.edna.edu.au/edna/go/resources/toolkit/rss_services/pid/1140 • Desktop download - subscribe to homework? http://allrss.com/rssreaders.html

Syndication – Pod Casting • As with blogs/rss, but a pod cast utilises audio • MP3s as hyperlinks on the web OR • Use a Pod Casting aggregator like Doppler or Juice • Start your own Pod Cast – great for media studies, FTV, Radio…. • Utilise previously Pod-casted material

Social Networking http://www.aftrsmedia.com/digimedia/?p=66 “Online social networking fulfills the same function as ‘hanging out’ for teenagers and they generally only communicate with people their own age … teachers generally fulfill the role of the only older mentor modern kids are likely to get…Comparisons between schools and jails were mentioned. “ “I appreciate schools duty of care and understand that there are pressure to protect their students but offering the education needed to avoid these problems seems a much smarter approach than the aforementioned head in sand model. “

Social Networking Next Week…. Techniques for Animation and Video Purposes of Animation and Video Hooking up the media to the NEW media…YouTube? mySpace?

Questions? • Internet Resources • Optional Workshop Project

Communication Tools and Web 2.0 Resources