One of the key developments in ICT in schools in recent years has been the emergence of Web 2.0 and its associated tools/utilities. The emphasis of Web 2.0 in school based education is on sharing ideas and information, and on the creation of websites, not only by experts or institutions, but by teacher librarians, teachers and students. Participation, interaction and engagement are key elements of Web 2.0.
Web 2.0 provides teacher librarians and other educators with a range of tools which can be used to:
· improve information literacy outcomes;
· provide students with access to mediated resources;
· allow students to participate creatively on the web; and
· encourage collaboration between teacher librarians, students and teachers.
Go to Discovery Education, Web 2.0 tools Website
Web 2.0 allows you to:
Presentation tools:
· Share presentations anytime, anywhere and with anyone.
· Simple and accessible.
· Slideshare, http://www.wiziq.com/
· Prezi http://prezi.com/ presentations
· Picsviewr http://www.picsviewr.com/ turns flickr photos into slideshow presentations
· Instead of PowerPoint
Video Tools:
· Animoto.com http://animoto.com/
· Animoto.com/education http://animoto.com/pro/education
· Gizmoz.com use animation http://gizmoz.com/
· Photopeach.com http://photopeach.com/ slideshows with music
Mobile Tools:
· PollEverywhere.com create survey experiences from your mobile device http://www.polleverywhere.com/
· Drop.io share files and collaborate in real time by web, email, phone, mobile and more.
· Phone.io free voicemail, conference calling, podcasting and more
· Jott.com voice to text
Community Tools
· Edmodo.com https://www.edmodo.com/ social platform for students and teachers
· Googledocs real time online collaboration https://accounts.google.com/ServiceLogin?service=writely&passive=1209600&continue=https%3A%2F%2Fdocs.google.com%2F%23&followup=https%3A%2F%2Fdocs.google.com%2F<mpl=homepage
· Wikispaces.com create your own wiki http://www.wikispaces.com/content/private-label/k-12
· PBWorks.com Collaborative learning for schools
· Ning.com create your own social network http://www.ning.com/
· Classroom 2.0 – online community for teachers http://www.classroom20.com/
· Yugma – desktop sharing and collaboration. Host webinars, audio and video conferencing https://www.yugma.com/
· Smartboard revolution – whiteboard file sharing (have another look at this as website was under maintenance http://smartboardrevolution.ning.com/
· Creative commons.com – share and remix media legally http://creativecommons.org/
Related Links
· Wordle.net – creative word cloud generator http://www.wordle.net/
· Glogster – poster yourself with multimedia. Uses pictures, symbols, sound, video http://www.glogster.com/http://edu.glogster.com/
· Voicethread – share images, docs and video. Voice and video http://voicethread.com/#home
· Smilebox – online scrapbooking, invitations, collages, cards and slideshows http://www.smilebox.com/
· Makebeliefscomix – make you own comics http://www.makebeliefscomix.com/ This is awesome!!!
· Class Blogmeister – blogging for classrooms http://www.classblogmeister.com/
· Dabbleboard – online whiteboards and organisers http://www.dabbleboard.com/ Defunct I think
· Wiziq – share slides, whiteboards and more http://www.wiziq.com/ more for online teaching
What do you think are the key aspects of Web 2.0 that are likely to impact on education in today’s schools?
· Working collaboratively with others
· Creating publications that can be accessed and viewed asynchronously
· Education authorities blocking social networking sites (Hauser, 2007, p. 48)
· Offer internet safety training in schools, eg, i-SAFE and WebWiseKids (Hauser, 2007, p. 48)
· Teach pros and cons of web content while demonstrating web 2.0 tools
· Consider copyright when adding content to the web. Give attributions and links to other websites (Hauser, 2007, p. 48)
· If using music or graphics, go to Creative Commons or Royaltyfreemusic.com (Hauser, 2007, p. 48)
· Web 2.0 tools are user or learner-centric tools, which support constructivist approaches to teaching and learning (Bates, McClure & Spinks as cited in O’Connell, 2012, p. 5)
· TLs must understand, teach and make use of personal learning environments
· TLs and schools must bring services and programming to every student and teacher throughout the school, wherever learning takes place in new spaces and places, to prepare our students for the digital world of work (O’Connell, 2008, p. 52)
· TLs need to develop the library catalogue and define the required metadata so that the automated capabilities of these systems allow students to find and access information easily (O’Connell, 2008, p. 54). Eg, incorporating ‘federated searching’ in the library catalogue, which is the ability to simultaneously search multiple data sources (O’Connell, 2008, p. 55).
· Students will need to be taught how to use web 2.0 to devise a search strategy. Students need to be familiarised with the differences between natural language, visual, clustering or metadata search engines in order to appreciate ‘Search 2.0’ versus traditional search (Ezzy as cited in O’Connell, 2008, p. 56). Explain about the tools available for searching the deep end of the web for information that can only be found by very specific and direct queries (Turner; Trinity College, as cited in O’Connell, 2008, p. 56).
· Provide students with training in how to use tagging and RSS feeds for information gathering and sharing (O’Connell, 2008, p. 59)
What are the opportunities here for teacher librarians?
There are different mechanisms and web 2.0 tools through which students can organise and present their learning and information. It provides many different options and a variety of formats for the TL to implement in order to keep students engaged with their work as well as learning new skills.
It provides student with opportunities for participation, interaction and a wider audience for their completed work. Responding to the work of others, evaluating and reflecting are all important skills which can be developed through the use of web 2.0 tools.
The links to web 2.0 tools provided by Discover Communications (2013) provides web 2.0 tools that can be used in primary and high school contexts, which as a primary school TL is great! I especially loved makebeliefscomix.
Engaging in the use of web 2.0 tools and publication on the web reinforces the fact that anyone can create anything and put it on the web, so evaluation of information is important.
TLs can create their own topic search tool or book review finder for students to use. They can develop curation tools and other tools, connect them to the school library website for student and teacher use. TLs can create social networking spaces as virtual learning and collaboration spaces. TLs can use RSS feeds and tagging to deliver professional learning programs, news and information. They also need to develop online tutorials, videos, audio podcasts, slideshows and more as part of a skill-development toolkit for students to access (O’Connell, 2008, pp. 58-60).
Teacher librarians can also (Hauser, 2007, p. 7):
· Teach information literacy and media literacy through Web 2.0 tools
· Learn about web 2.0 tools in order to keep up-to-date with students who already use them.
· Collaborate with colleagues
· Implement student projects
· Share information with students, staff and parents
· Web 2.0 tools support innovation (O’Connell, 2012, p. 6)
· Web 2.0 tools develop communication and collaboration (O’Connell, 2012, p. 6)
· Web 2.0 tools support research and information fluency (O’Connell, 2012, p. 6)
· Web 2.0 tools develop critical thinking, problem solving and decision making (O’Connell, 2012, p. 6)
· Web 2.0 tools develop digital citizenship (O’Connell, 2012, p. 6)
· Web 2.0 tools develop technology operations and concepts (O’Connell, 2012, p. 6)
TLs can also use the social web for their own development. They can understand and make use of (O’Connell, 2012, p. 6):
· Personal learning environments – rely on people we connect with through social networks
· Personal learning networks – knowing where/who to go to for professional content
· Personal web management tools – for tracking and powering our professional organisation/library
· Cloud computing – access between sources and devices
· Mixed reality environments – adopting e-devices
· Content curation – utilising web services to filter and disseminate resources, news and knowledge prompts
TLs can become models and leaders in lifelong learning by being proactive within the school community and participating in professional dialogue regarding web 2.0 tools and their use in (O’Connell, 2012, pp. 6-7):
· Curriculum and innovation – PBL, GI, Virtual and gaming environments
· Digital divide and credible online information
· Digital citizenship
· Global sharing of leading practice and resources to support the 21st century learner, ie, web 2.0 tools
· Community development – professional conversations, student development, staff development, contributing to and supporting school visions and missions
Can teacher librarians afford to ignore Web 2.0 tools?
I don’t think TLs can afford to ignore web 2.0 tools because the technology used and the collaborative skills required are those that students will be expected to use in the workforce. So in preparing our students for lifelong learning we must be equipping them with the skills to function in the 21st century – using digital technology and working collaboratively.
Web 2.0 tools are user or learner-centric tools, which support constructivist approaches to teaching and learning. TLs cannot ignore them because they support the current pedagogy in teaching and learning today (Bates, McClure & Spinks as cited in O’Connell, 2012, p. 5)
TLs cannot afford to ignore Web 2.0 tools because they also support the three areas of influence as outlined by Stanley (as cited in O’Connell, 2012, p. 5):
1. Information fluency – collaborating in virtual environments and delivering material resources online.
2. Digital citizenship – understanding responsible and ethical use of information, and maintaining safe online practices
3. Digital storytelling – creating, collaborating and sharing in a range of mediums
Web 2.0 tools play an important role in supporting the development of transliteracy (Ipri, as cited in O’Connell, 2012, p. 5) and meta-literacy (Mackey & Jacobson, as cited in O’Connell, 2012, p. 5). Web 2.0 tools support the development of transliteracy which is a term used to explain “being literate in the 21st century, where the relationship between people, technology and the social meaning of literacy is recognised in past, present and future modalities” (Ipri, as cited in O’Connell, 2012, p. 5). Meta-literacy refers to information literacy which acknowledges that information takes many forms online and is produced and communicated through multiple modalities. Meta-literacy brings together “multiple literacy types and places a particular emphasis on producing and sharing information in participatory digital environments” (Mackey & Jacobson, as cited in O’Connell, 2012, p. 5). So web 2.0 tools are necessary for the TL in the teaching of transliteracy and meta-literacy, and therefore cannot be ignored.
TLs must be leaders in future learning, 21st century learning and as such must embrace and teach the use of web 2.0 tools. Web 2.0 tools are interesting and can be used to engage students in reading, writing, exploring, explaining, thinking and deducting in our multi-modal, multi-literate 21st century environments (O’Connell, 2012, p. 7).
References
Discovery Communications. (2013). Web 2.0 tools. In Discovery education. Retrieved on September 20, 2013 from http://web2012.discoveryeducation.com/web20tools.cfm
Hauser, J. (2007). Media specialists can learn web 2.0 tools to make schools more cool. Computers in Libraries, 27(2), 6-8. Retrieved from Charles Sturt University Library.
O’Connell, J. (2008). School library 2.0: new skills, new knowledge, new futures. In P. Godwin & J. Parker (Eds.), Information literacy meets Library 2.0 (pp. 51-62). Retrieved from Charles Sturt University.
O’Connell, J. (2012). Learning without frontiers: School libraries and metaliteracy in action. Access, 26(1), 4-7. Retrieved from Charles Sturt University Library.\