Social Bookmarking and Custom Search Engines

Yes that's right..."Social" bookmarking. Would you like to access your favorite websites from any computer? Are you doing a research project and you ran out of 3x5 cards? Do you want to see what websites other teachers are looking at? Then social bookmarking is your tool. Social bookmarking on websites like Delicious and Google Notebook are fantastic ways to store your bookmarks on the web so you can access them from any computer. They are also a great research tool for students to use to keep track of the websites they visit.

Also, websites like Delicious make a great custom search for your students. You can pick the websites you want them to visit and post them on your Delicious page. The website even provides you with a link or an embedded code for your individual list. Another great way to guide search in your class is through the Google Custom Search. This option is a little more complicated than Delicious. However, you can create a custom page and a Google search box for your class website.

A couple of things you should know before you begin. First, you will have to set up an account. Second, you need to know that "tags" are a way for you to label and organize your bookmarks. They are also used to find similar topics of interst. Finally, both have downloadable tools for you to use from your browser. I have them both on my laptop and I have never had a problem with viruses.


Assignment:

1- Create a Delicious account and start bookmarking your favorite websites. Don't forget to use tags to organize your links.
3- Check out Google Notebook. This site has similar features to Delicious, but it's not a social bookmarking website. I use this feature of Google almost every day.
2- Post your link or RSS feed to your blog. Blog about your experience! How could you use this with your students?
3- Advanced (Optional) Create a Google Custom Search Engine and place it in your blog

Camel Video

Document Sharing

One of my favorite Web 2.0 tools is document sharing. Document sharing allows you to create an online word document, powerpoint, or spreadsheet (or upload one from your computer) and invite people to collaborate with you on the same document in real time. In the past, if you wanted to do something like this you needed to use email attachments. Now all you need to do is create a document, invite friends or coworkers to join you, and get to work. My students have loved the freedom this tool has to offer. They call one another or instant message one another to set up a work session. It's a great tool.


Assignment Part 1: Using Document Sharing



First, check out what is available. Look for links that give you a tour of what the website can do. Sign in to Google if you are looking at Google Docs. Try out what it has to offer. Below you will find a list of websites available for online document collaboration. Next, post a blog entry about what you see.
Google Docs
Think Free
Adobe Buzzwords
Scribd
Zoho Writer

***New*** - Drop.io - It's real time collaboration with documents! Check out the "how to"


Assignment Part 2: Share Your Document
Using Google Docs create your own Word Document. Start a story and invite two other classmates to participate. See what your story looks like in the end! OH and invite me too!

Assignment Part 3: How would you use this in your classroom?
Post your ideas on your blog!

A Couple More Things!

Check out Voice Thread- It's a photo sharing websites that gives you the freedom to record a narration over your project.

Also here's a link to Beryl's How to Use Movie Maker video. If you need a refresher check this out!!

Media Sharing: Digital Storytelling, Videosharing, Photsharing, and More!!

There are thousands of resources available on the web for videosharing and photosharing. Some provide you with a space to back up your photos and videos, order prints or dvds, and share with family members. Others provide you with the unique opportunity to get creative with your photos. You can create your own slideshow, comic strip, music video, photobook, timeline, etc. These website also provide you with a html code which you can use to post your work on your blog, or aggregator. The possibility for student project are endless! In this lesson you will learn how to create your own photo or video project.

Assignment Part 1: Check Out What's Out There

The title of this assignment explains everything. I just want you to explore, play with websites, sign up for websites, and figure out which one works best for you. The final assignment of this lesson will be to create your own photo project and design a project you could use with your students.

Start with the following websites from my Delicious bookmarks-http://delicious.com/MrsFitz/digitalstorytelling

Also, check out Marco Torres' website. I saw him speak last fall and he is phenomenal! He has done incredible things with his students!

Torres 21
http://homepage.mac.com/torres21/%29%20%29%20%29%20torres21%20%28%20%28%20%28.html

Assignment Part 2: Digital Storytelling Ideas

Check out these resources for ideas on how to use digital storytelling in your classroom.

Kings Park Elementary SchoolEducational Uses of Digital StorytellingDigital Storytelling Ideas

Next, share any ideas you may have on your blog.

Assignment Part 3: Create Your Own Story!

Choose one of the resources mentioned in Assignment 4 Part 1 and create your own photostory. If you teach Reading or English you may want to make a story about a book. If you teach Math, maybe a story about a math problem!
Post your work on your blog. You will need to "embed" the video in your blog. Finally, in your blog post share any ideas you may have for using digital storytelling in the classroom.

One More Resource!http://www.mcli.dist.maricopa.edu/learnshops/digital/resources.php

Wiki's, Review, and Embeding

This week we are going to spend a little more time on Wikis, reviewing any topic that you may have questions about, and embeding. Embeding is the process of taking something (like an image, a video, or an icon) and posting it on your blog or Wiki.

Check out the following websites to find things to embed on your Wiki or Blog:

http://www.rockyou.com/ - create cool titles, slide shows, and more
http://www.playlist.com/ (you will have to access this one from home)
http://www.teachertube.com/ - find educational videos that you could use with your students
http://www.scribd.com/ - share worksheets with students. The embeded code provides you with options to print, share, and email the page.

How to Embed
1- Find the object you want to embed. On a website you are using look for the “embed” code.
2- Copy the code
3- Open the dialog box in your blog or Pageflakes
4- Paste code
5- publish

For Fun- Check Out the Forward Thinking Museum! How could you you apply this in your classroom?

Wikis!

Wiki is the hawaiian word for "fast". However it has been suggested that Wiki stands for "What I Know Is". Wikis are an online collaboration website. Mulitple users can log on and modify a shared space. Wikipedia is one of the most popular Wikis on the internet. In this assignment you will view Common Craft's "Wiki's In Plain English", you will play around with a couple of wiki websites, and you will invite me and a couple of classmates to join you in creating something on a wiki. Finally, you will post a link to your wiki on your blog and reflect about your experience. Make sure you also comment on one of your classmate's blogs.

Assignments-
1- Watch Common Craft's "Wiki's In Plain English". Reflect about what you saw in the video on your blog and comment on the class blog.



2-Below you will find a series of websites dedicated to teaching teachers how to use wikis and wikis for educators to participate in. Check them out share what you thought in your blog. Also, come up with ideas for how you might use wikis in your classroom. Make sure you comment on at least one of your classmates' blogs.
Using Wikis in Education
Librarian Wiki
How to Wiki
Curriki- A teacher sharing wiki. I tried this one out. It wasn't working well when I tried it. However, the concept was really cool. You can share lesson plans, curriculum and resources with other teachers.

Marhsall Middle School Professional Sharing Wiki

And check out Will Richardson's Wiki on Web 2.0! It's fascinating!

Oh and I just found this great Wiki called "Learning in Maine" from Free Tech for Teachers!

Oh and Free Tech for Teachers has a wiki as well!

3-Choose one of the following wiki websites to create your own wiki. The topic of your wiki is your own choice. Try to think about how you would use a wiki with your students. I like to use wikis to create collaborative studyguides for my students. I upload the studyguide I give them in class and allow them to make changes to the document. It is a great way to see if they have been paying attention! However, there are many ways you can use wikis!
Wiki Webistes:
PBWiki- This site is directed towards educators. It provides tutorials and resources to put your class online.
Wikispaces- This wiki site is really easy to use. I have seen many educators use this website for their classes.
How to Wiki

Publish at Scribd or explore others:

Check out the Web 2.0 Wiki that Marianne Haggerty and I worked on for an inservice workshop.