Web 2.0 Tool for Collaboration

For module 4, “Tools for Communication”, we made a VoiceThread presentation entitled “Meeting the Needs of ‘Virtual’ Learners”.



1. Name of the Tool and Tool category


We used several Web 2.0 tools, Google Wave, Google Docs and VoiceThread. Goggle Wave is useful for Communication, Collaboration and Networking. Google Docs is useful for creating Collaborative Presentations or other Collaborative documents. VoiceThread is a tool that is useful for Communication, Collaboration Networking/Social Interaction and creating collaborative Presentation.


2. URL of the Tools


https://wave.google.com/
http://docs.google.com/
http://voicethread.com/#home



3. Using the Tools and Collaborating to develop a VoiceThread presentation.


A total of 3 people assisted in preparing a VoiceThread presentation entitled “Meeting the Needs of ‘Virtual’ Learners”. This presentation addresses the questions "What special needs does a distance learner have?” and “What specific skills does a teacher need in an online environment to meet the needs of students?"


We met virtually using Google Wave to discuss the presentation. Using Google Wave one can create a discussion thread that allows participants to post ideas and comments. The discussion can be conducted real-time like a chat function, or participants can add comments anytime that can be read later. In addition, the wave accepts media such as image files and maps and allows links to other sites to be embedded within the discussion thread. The wave contains many formatting tools for the texts and old posts can be edited and changed later. Waves can be made public or only available to invited participants.

Click this link for a YouTube presentation on Wave capabilities and use. http://wave.google.com/about.html

 

We used Wave to discuss what topics we would include in our presentation and to write a “rough draft” of what we would say during our VoiceThread.

Our presentation was first created in Google Docs. Google Docs allows you to create documents using Google online programs for word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, etc. Many templates are available for common tasks. Alternately you can upload existing documents in a number of different file formats including DOC, XLS, ODT, ODS, RTF, CSV, PPT. Google Docs is easy to use. Just create an account and start working. The editing toolbar is familiar so there is practically no learning curve. The great thing about Google Docs is that the documents are sharable so they encourage collaboration. You send invitations to people you want to be able to view or edit the documents.

Click this link for a YouTube presentation on getting started with Google Docs.

http://www.youtube.com/GoogleDocsCommunity#p/a/1DA09CC2C4CD8C8A/2/A-m-4Hmxspg

There are many other community created YouTube instructional videos at this site to guide a new user through specific tasks.

We created our Voice thread presentation in Google Docs. The presentation was moved between Google Docs and PowerPoint several times during the preparation process and was finally downloaded to PowerPoint for conversion to a jpg format.

The jpg presentation was uploaded to VoiceThread, and after a brief in-class meeting for instructional purposes we added our audio/video and written comments to the VoiceThread independently. This VoiceThread presentation and link were then embedded in this blog.

4. View our VoiceThread here by clicking the link or by clicking the play button within the VoiceThread screen.

http://voicethread.com/share/1260593/

5. Uses, Advantages and Disadvantages

All three of these tools were very user friendly and can be used by anyone familiar with the Microsoft Office suite with virtually no learning curve. They could be used for any collaborative student projects. A great advantage is their flexibility: so many file formats are accepted, so many tools are provided. The programs can be used for arranging meetings, or as we did discussing the project and creating the project.

On the down side, I found Goggle Wave and Google Docs unresponsive and sluggish. Scrolling through the Wave was slow and required lots of patience. I could not print the whole Wave for use in recording the VoiceThread, only the portion visible on the screen at any one time.

I had the same problem editing the presentation in Google Docs. There was frequently a delay while I waited for the visuals to reflect my changes. I tried several different computers but the problem was not solved. In the end I found it easier to work in PowerPoint and then move the presentation into Google Docs.

VoiceThread was great! User-friendly! Even for a novice at video/audio recording VoiceThread was simple. Even the video/audio quality was adequate, considering I was using the integral webcam and microphone on my netbook.

 

Web 2.0 Tools for Critical Thinking and Problem Solving

1. Name of the Tool


Webspiration

2. URL of the Tool

http://www.mywebspiration.com/

3. Please select the one, primary category for this tool:

Creativity, Thinking/Problem Solving Tool, but is also a collaboration tool and  creates interesting visuals for presentations

4. Please describe this tool in your own words in about 250 words.

Webspiration is an online program for creating visual representations of processes and relationships. Using Webspiration, you can create bubble diagrams, flow charts, concept maps, process flows. In addition, Webspiration contains templates for making written outlines for planning, study guides, papers, reports, etc. The two formats, written and visual, are integrated, so your work can be switched between the two formats automatically.

Webspiration includes a number of templates to help the user(s) get started or to provide ideas. Many of the templates are situation specific, for example, there are templates for organizing ideas to generate scientific hypotheses. This template contains fillable boxes that contain prompts to suggest ideas to the user.

Another template example for showing concept relationships.

Many editing tools are available to change the appearance of the document. The document is stored on the Webspiration server and are secure. Documents can be downloaded as a Microsoft® Word document, or as Google Docs™

Documents can be worked on collaboratively. Invitations are sent to collaborators via email and collaborators have access and editing rights to the document(s).In addition, other people can be invited to view but not have editing rights. Documents can be worked on simultaneously by multiple users. Webspiration automatically switches documents between active and inactive states if two users are working at the same time so that the edits do not conflict. Up to 25 people can work on a document at one time. There is a chat function so that users can converse at the same time they are editing documents.

Webspiration is currently being offered in a free Public Beta version, and user feedback is being requested. Currently no date has been set for end of the beta test, but eventually a subscription price will be charged. An Beta version for classrooms is set to launch in the Fall of 2010.

5. What do you need to know before using this tool?

The tool is user-friendly, but takes some practice to learn and use efficiently. Webspiration would be difficult for a novice computer user to pick up quickly. Competence with word processing or presentation programs would be very helpful in learning Webspiration.

6. What do you need to have before using this tool?

Computer with internet connection.

7. How do you use this tool?

1. Go to the Webspiration website at http://www.mywebspiration.com/.

2. Click the sign-up button and create a free account by entering a valid email address, creating a password and supplying minimal personal information (name, organization and occupation).

3. Once an account is created, or the user logs in a Launch screen opens. Several options are available. New documents can be created by clicking on one of the options, Diagram, Outline, or Templates buttons. Previously created documents can be opened using the Open button.

4. A new window opens with examples and templates. Clicking on an example or template opens a preview of that template in the right hand window (blue box). Previously created documents can also be accessed with the Document tab (red box).

5. You can also access the Help function from the Launch page or from the create documents page.

6. For a written explanation of how to create documents, go to:

http://www.ehow.com/how_5972037_create-graphic-organizer-using-webspiration.html

For a great YouTube video with an example of creating documents, go to:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1S-rBfW-dXA

Or view my example and scenario below in the teaching example.
8. Please create an example with this tool and either embed in your blog or submit the URL.

See above and below.

9. Please describe a scenario of how you might use this tool in a teaching environment (about 500 words).

Courses for graduate students in biomedical sciences are often taught by a group of professors who each deliver one or more lectures. Webspiration would be a terrific tool for course planning. The course director would create an outline and send invitations to all other lecturers who could fill in their part of the outline. Planning meetings for course organization could be done remotely. Each participant could alter the outline on his or her own schedule, or groups could meet online and work together.

Webspiration documents can be hyperlinked to one another, so each instructor can create outlines for their own lecture(s) and hyperlink them to the original document. Instructors can also create other Webspiration documents that could be hyperlinked to the outlines for individual lectures. During the class session, students can be invited as viewers and can access the important documents for the whole course.

click here for screencast:   http://screencast.com/t/ZDBkNTEwYTYt

For additional examples:
http://mywebspiration.com/classroom-examples/educators


10. What are the advantages of using this tool in a teaching environment?

• Students can brainstorm with one another on projects when not physically together
• The nature of the tool (visual representations) encourages creative thought
• The ability to hyperlink documents allows interconnected concepts or plans to be expanded and detailed

11. What are the disadvantages of using this tool in a teaching environment?

• While relatively user-friendly, Webspiration requires some study to become skilled at its use.

• Webspiration will soon be a subscription service, rather than a free web 2.0 tool.

Web 2.0 Tools for Creativity and Innovation

1. Name of the Tool


Jing

2. URL of the Tool

http://www.jingproject.com/

3. Please select the one, primary category for this tool:

Jing is a creativity tool, but can also act as a powerful communication tool as well as being useful for generating media for embedding in presentations.

4. Please describe this tool .

Jing is a bit different from other Web 2.0 tools in that it is actually software that is downloaded to your computer rather than a web tool. However it has characteristics of other Web 2.0 tools in that Jing created images are usually stored online and easily sharable; Jing is free and easy to use. Jing is a product of TechSmith, a company that provides screen capture and recording software for both individual and commercial use. Jing is their simplest and free software. At the most basic level, Jing captures screenshots of your computer screen. What makes it unique from the ‘Print Screen’ capture function of the computer is that Jing can capture video images as well as still images, Jing has a simple edit function that allows capture of specific portions of the screen rather than the entire screen, and audio can be added to the images.

When screenshots are captured with Jing they appear in a new window that allows simple editing. Text can be added to explain parts of the image. A highlighting tool can be used to highlight or draw attention to specific regions.

After edit, the captures can be saved as a file to your computer, copied and pasted into another document, or saved at a web hosting site. Jing’s parent company, TechSmith provides a hosting site for these files, Screencast. Screencast accounts are free and supply 2GB storage space and 2GB bandwidth. If captures are stored at Screencast, a link is instantly supplied so that the captures can be immediately shared.

Presentations about Jings capabilities and tutorials can be downloaded from the Jing website at
http://help.jingproject.com/jing-presenter-materials-for-e/

Jing can be upgraded to Jing Pro for only $14.95/year. Upgrading adds webcam capabilities, removal of Jing branding on captures, can instantly upload to YouTube, and adds more powerful video capabilities with reduced file sizes.

5. What do you need to know before using this tool?

Basic computer and internet skills.

6. What do you need to have before using this tool?

A computer with internet access.

7. How do you use this tool?

1. Download the Jing program to your computer. Go to the Jing website and click the download button.

2. After accepting the use agreement, the program will be downloaded and a simple tutorial will open in your screen.

3. Do the tutorial. It takes less than two minutes and teaches everything you need to know to use the program.

4. The first time you use the program you will need to start it manually. Click the start button, go to all programs, go to TechSmith, click ‘Jing’.

5. A translucent yellow ball will appear in the top center of your screen. It will appear there automatically after the first use of Jing.

6. Hover the mouse over the yellow ball and three buttons will appear.

• Use the ‘+’ button to capture your screen.

• Use the button with pictures of slides to show your capture history.

• Use the gear button to get help.

7. To capture a screen, click the ‘+’ button and use the opened tool to select the part of the screen to be captured.

8. After selecting the area to be captured a small menu opens.

• The area can be captured as a still.

• A video can be recorded.

• Or the image can be discarded.

9. If a still image is chosen a new window will open that contains some simple edit functions, and choices for saving the file.

10. If a video is chosen, a new menu opens with ‘start’, ‘stop’ and ‘resume’ functions for recording the video. Audio can be added simultaneously with a microphone.

11. After either still or video capture, choose between several options for saving the capture.

• The capture can be saved as a file to your computer.
• The capture can be copied and pasted directly to another document.
• The capture can be saved on the Screencast hosting site. If this option is chosen, a URL is instantly created that can be pasted into any document, blog, email, etc.

8. Please create an example with this tool.

example














See an additional example in teaching scenario below.

A terrific tutorial on how to use Jing can be found at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmBUg0KX3fI

9. Please describe a scenario of how you might use this tool in a teaching environment.

Jing could be used to create webcasts for online learning units that could be accessed anytime by students to review instruction. For example, an online learning unit could be created to teach students how to make charts and graphs in Excel. Several webcasts describing and showing the creation of charts could be embedded within the instruction to give students concrete examples of how to perform the task. I have created a model of this instruction using Jing.

Let’s say for example, that your lab has generated some mice with a mutation in a specific gene. Some data documenting the growth of these mice has been gathered and you want to create a line graph of this data using Excel. Click on the link below to view a video of how to use Excel to make the line chart.

http://screencast.com/t/MWI4NWRlY

Jing has been widely used as an educational tool. Several links below give additional ideas on how to use Jing in an educational setting.

https://wiki.itap.purdue.edu/display/INSITE/Jing, A great website with both ideas and How-tos.

http://www.jingproject.com/users/, Ideas from the Jing people.

http://blog.jingproject.com/, The Jing blog - lots of ideas and trouble-shooting from users

http://web20toolsforteaching.blogspot.com/2009/10/jing.html, The overview and 'getting started portions from the Jing website plus some ideas.

10. Advantages

•  SHOW and tell
• YouTube upload
• Create on demand tutorials
• Very simple to learn and use
• Flexible saving and storage options
• Simple edit functions instantly available

11. Disadvantages

• No video editing
• 5 minutes limit on recording
• You must download the program to your computer.

Since Jing requires a program download it does not fit a formal description of a Web 2.0 tool. However its usefulness, ease of use and the instantly sharable nature of the program output make Jing merit inclusion in a list of very useful tools for distance and traditional educational settings.

Web 2.0 Tools for Communication

1.Name of the Tool

edmodo

2.URL of the Tool

http://www.edmodo.com/

3.Primary category for this tool.

Edmodo is primarily a communication tool, but can be used as a collaborative, networking and feedback tool as well.

4.Please describe this tool in your own words.

Edmodo is intended as a tool for teachers and their students to communicate with one another. The teacher opens an account on the free edmodo site and issue invitations to their students or other teachers to create their own account and to participate at the class site. The teacher can give assignments, send 'alerts' (short messages containing updates, information, etc), or upload documents to a class 'library'. In addition, the tool supplies a function for conducting simple polls, a calendar function for lesson or semester planning, a gradebook function, and mobile networking options.
Students can submit assignments online and the teacher can grade assignments and homework, post the grades in a gradebook, and communicate grades to the students. Teacher reviews of the gradebook function say that it has enabled them to conduct virtually paperless classes.
Students can also post to the site and discuss class projects, assignments, etc. Thus, the site also provides a networking/brainstorming function for the students.

5.What do you need to know before using this tool? (What skills do you need to have?)

Essentially nothing! This site is incredibly user-friendly. A teacher with only basic computer and internet skills could set up an account and a site for their class in less than 5 minutes.

6.What do you need to have before using this tool? (Resources)

Access to a computer with internet connection for both teacher and students.

7.How do you use this tool?

1. The teacher opens a free account at the edmodo site.
Click on the 'I'm a Teacher' button on the edmodo homepage and fill in the information requested (name, email address, user name and password.

2. The teacher clicks on the 'create' link and chooses a name for the class site. From here the educator can also send invitations to students or other teachers. Invited teachers can also send alerts, give, assignments, use the gradebook and calendar functions and conduct polls.

3. The creation of the account generates a code that the teacher can supply to their students and to other teachers which allow them to create an account themselves and to access the class site that the teacher creates. The students create an personal account on the edmodo site created by the teacher and access the class website by using the teacher-supplied account code.

Students can personalize their accounts by addition of avatars or photos. In addition, students can contribute to the class site via posts.

8.Please create an example with this tool and either embed in your blog or submit the URL.

If you would like to explore this website, I have opened a teacher account and created a class site (You're so Far Away...). You may log on as a student using the code 'jvg4ff'. Alternately, if you send me an email I will invite you as a teacher and you can edit the site yourself. Below is a screenshot of the class website homepage.

9.Please describe a scenario of how you might use this tool in a teaching environment.

This tool seems most suited for a class that meets frequently and has many assignments to complete. It is a great tool for both educator and students to organize and access information and assignments. In general, the site is directed toward middle and high school education.
However, for medical or graduate education, the site would provide a place to post lecture notes, a network for students, and a way for students to readily communicate with their teachers. It would likely be most useful for classes in the first year of medical/graduate education in which the didactic content of the course is very high. For example, all medical students and most biomedical graduate students take Biochemistry in their first year. This course always contains a huge amount of information that needs to be memorized. The edmodo site could supply a library of lecture notes and supplemental material that would be freely accessible to students. In addition, students could post
questions to one another or the professor.

10.What are the pros and cons of this pool in a teaching environment?

The pros of this web tool are:
1. Its extraodinary ease of use. Even relative beginners can create a class site within minutes.
2. The page layout is similar to websites that are likely familiar to students such as Facebook.
3. The site is private. Its use can be restricted to a single class of learners.
4. File sharing is very easy.
5. An accessible library of files and reference materials is created for the learners and educators.
6. Teacher reviews say that the technical support at the site is excellent.
7. The mobile features (iPhone and Droid aps) increase accessibility and connectivity. Student questions and discussion can be received anytime and anyplace.
8. Students can share ideas and conduct online discussion with other students in the class.
9. The teacher can communicate with individual students privately, or with the class as a whole.

Cons of this web tool are:
1. Students must have access to a computer with internet to participate in the class fully.
2. The mobile features (iPhone and Droid aps) increase accessibility and connectivity. Is it really necessary to be available to students and discussion 24 hours a day?
3. The tool seems relatively simple compared to a tool like Moodle. For example, it does not allow for an extensive a discussion format. It is often described in reviews as 'mini-blogging'.