Welcome to Rob and Mark Bashforth's Classroom 2.0 WIKI
Follow our 'sidebar' links to see how we are using this WIKI -------->
Introduction
We want to use this WIKI to bring some new concepts, ideas and musings about web 2.0 together into one place. Particularly, the prime focus is on how learners are using Web 2.0 sites and services in the classroom or at home, and what they think and feel about them. We have surveyed over 300 learners in Secondary and FE about how they communicate, publish and share. All of the sites and services mentioned on this WIKI have been tried (or at least are being tried) in the classroom/VLE environment in the Secondary or FE education sectors.
You can contact us via this WIKI by using the link at the bottom of the page. Please do not edit our home page, instead email us with your ideas or suggestions. You are welcome to edit any of our other pages and create new pages if you wish. Indeed, the strength of this WIKI will be the power of your ideas and contributions.
Wiki's are no longer one-dimensional text and link pages. The 'Insert Plugin' feature on PBWiki allows for a rich multimedia experience. This Wiki offers a glimpse into some of the endless possibilities of Web 2.0 for teaching and learning. Web 2.0 sites and services have exploded in the last two or three years and a huge range of new and exhilarating tools have become available.
Discussion
Is the future of the e-portfolio a series of links and signposts to Web 2.0 content hosted remotely? (Youtube and Animoto videos, pbwikis, edublogs, podomatic podcasts, mobile G-casts, collaborative documents etc)? Is it necessary to write and type meeting agendas and minutes when a WIKI enables real-time editing, posting of rich multimedia content and is shareable to multiple creators and editors? Do we need static web pages or private favourites lists anymore? Global communities can be brought together using DIY social networking sites such as NING. Whole classes can collaborate in real-time on shared documents or concept maps to thought-shower ideas for a topic or lesson. Free communication tools such as Flashmeeting, Skype and MSN enable ask-the-expert or E-mentoring V-Conf sessions without limits. Twitter and Cardboard fish enable instant text syndication for group collaboration or text polling for instant feedback.
Do we need traditional 'factory style' school buildings with noisy corridors that invite learners to run down headlong down them into uncomfortable and frustrating bottlenecks? Do we need 'clunky' computer suites and server rooms? Classrooms of the future can be re-configurable by the learner using snap-furniture, rails to hang and slide interactive elements and portable wireless-but-always-connected technologies that learners can use and drop as required. Learners are perfectly capable of deciding their own learning environments and the mediums and ways through which they learn. Learning materials and objects can be housed on external web storage space which is secure, unlimited and accessible anytime, anywhere.
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The Birkdale Eye
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The VLE at Birkdale High School was developed using Moodle at no cost. Students are downloading resources, participating in discussions and uploading assignments. Teachers can mark and grade assignments anytime, anywhere from portable devices. Students can create their own wikis, chat, follow webquests, conduct surveys, make audio recordings and create hot potatoes quizzes online 24/7/365. Plugins and modules including star-ratings and votes enable web 2.0 functionality. |
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Lifelong WIKIS?
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Imagine a Year 7 learner starting a WIKI in order to jot down ideas and to reflect on their learning journey through school. What would their WIKI look like by the time they leave University? What if plenary time in ICT lessons allowed them to update it with what had been learned during that lesson? What if homework was set for them to build new pages centred around new topics? What if they used it to invite discussion and comments from classroom peers or learners from other schools anywhere in the world? Interestingly, the chances are they would be using technologies and techniques that haven't been invented yet! |
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Reflective BLOGS
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Blogs offer the possibility of in-depth and extended writing, or reflecting at the higher end of Blooms taxonomy. Discussions can be stringed and people can be invited to contribute. Millions of concurrent blogs make up the 'blogosphere'. Web 3.0 may suggest patterns of usage and make connections between like-minded people. |
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Social Networking
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Public or private social networks can be created using Ning. Members of the network can add videos, photos and participate in forums and discussions. They can customise a public profile on a 'facebook' style homepage. Learners could participate in a Bebo type of social network site only accessible to members within school. Also, expert group sessions can be set up quickly and easily for particular subjects. For instance ICTNET Ning was set up for the purpose of networking SSAT lead practitioners and friends. ICTNet ning |
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Free V-Conf
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FlashMeeting is an application based on the Adobe Flash 'plug in' and Flash Media Server. Running in a standard web browser window, it allows a dispersed group of people to meet from anywhere in the world with an internet connection. Typically a meeting is pre-booked by a registered user and a url, containing a unique password for the meeting, is returned by the FlashMeeting server. The 'booker' passes this on to the people they wish to participate, who simply click on the link to enter into the meeting at the arranged time. During the meeting one person speaks (i.e. broadcasts) at a time. Other people can simultaneously contribute using text chat, the whiteboard, or emoticons etc. while waiting for their turn to speak. This way the meeting is ordered, controlled and easy to follow.
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Collaborative documents
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Collaborate on documents, presentations and spreadsheets online. Control who can see and make changes to your documents. Store all documents on a remote server entirely free of charge. |
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