WordPress

Since I moved my main blog, 4R x T, to WordPress, I've been pretty happy with how it's working. I like the header I created. I also like the fact that my latest del.icio.us bookmarks are posted to my blog automatically every day. Unfortunately, I have to go in and change the category, but at least they get posted. I couldn't figure out how to do that with Blogger. I also don't miss having to type in a verification word--usually twice--every time I wanted to post an entry when I was using Blogger. (I don't have to do that with my other Blogger blogs, so I don't know what the problem is.) I also lost the videos and presentations that were embedded in the blog when I imported it to WordPress, but the links are still there.

4R x T Moved to WordPress

I've moved my main blog, 4R x T, to WordPress. If you want to continue reading about my adventures in educational technology, please go to http://4rxt.wordpress.com/.

Twine

I read about Twine in a post on Read/Write Web. It looks very interesting. According to the About page, "Twine is a new service that intelligently helps you share, organize and find information with people you trust." In addition, "Twine uses the Semantic Web, natural language processing, and machine learning to make your information and relationships smarter."

I've requested an invitation to try it in beta, but I haven't heard back yet.

Presentation on Wikis, Blogs, and Social Networks

In a recent post on his blog, Karl Kapp included links to handouts and slides from a presentation he did on wikis, blogs, and social networks. Both can be accessed on a page in the wiki for the book he just had published: Gadgets, Games and Gizmos for Learning: Tools for Transfering Know-How from the Boomers to the Gamers. The wiki includes a glossary for the book.

I'm still trying to decide whether or not to buy the book. I'd be interested in hearing from anyone who's read it.

Web 2.0 Tutorial

I recently ran across a link to a Web 2.0 tutorial for teachers. The author explains what Web 2.0 is and also discusses blogs, wikis, RSS feeds, and social bookmarks. For each of these applications, he includes lists of and/or links to popular tools of that type, educational benefits, classroom applications, concerns and solutions, real-world examples from teachers, further reading, and tutorials (including videos).

Co-Author at Tek Trek Blog

I'm going to be co-authoring the Tek Trek blog with Bethany Bovard. I hope to post my first entry next week.

Blog vs. Wiki

Since last January, I've been using a blog for my classes at Red Rocks Community College. I post what we've done in class, so the students don't have to try to get in touch with me if they miss class or forget. I also have links for each class.

It finally occurred to me this week that a wiki might suit my needs better, so I've started one at PBwiki, though I don't have anything in it yet.

I guess it seemed logical to use a blog because I was making regular chronological posts about the classes. However, the students aren't commenting on the posts--at least no one has to date--so I don't really need that feature. Another problem with the blog is that during times when I'm not teaching a particular I can't save the related links in the sidebar except by leaving that element on the page. In the wiki, I can just hide (or not link to) a page I don't need during a semester, but the content is still there. With the wiki, I can also embed a widget from Box.net for the folder with the files for the class rather than just linking to the page.

Also posted at 4R x T.

Blogging and Ning

In response to questions from Kirsten Morton, who is a classmate of mine at CU-Denver, Tony Karrer, eLearning Technology, wrote about blogging as part of a classroom experience. I commented on his blog to point him to Brent's blog so he could see that there were more students in the class than the four linked in Kirsten's blog.

From his blog, Sue Waters, Mobile Technology in TAFE, found mine and read my most recent post about Ning. From reading Sue's blog, I discovered that she has a Ning social network for people interested in eTools and Tips for Educators. According to the site,

This group has been set up for the Video in e-learning session for e-Tools and Tips September series of How To Session for 2007 E-learning Networks Community Forum.

Initially we'll be discussing video good practices however we plan to keep this site going and expand it to include other cool tools for e-learning for education and training.

On her blog, Sue also refers to a 31 Day Blog Project that she participated in. (A scaled-down version of this could work for a class where students are required to blog.) One participant in the project started a Ning social network for members of the group.

My del.icio.us Tags

I just discovered how to show the tags for my del.icio.us bookmarks on this blog. Now, if I could just figure out how to center the lines, so it looks more like my label cloud for the blog.

More on Ning

As I mentioned before, I'm using a Ning social network for my hybrid technical writing class at Red Rocks. Each week the students have to do an online assignment, most of which will be in site, where they can post in forums or on their own blogs.

Their first assignment was to join the site, post an introduction, and respond two at least two other people's instroductions.

In class yesterday, we talked about tools for technical writing, primarily rhetoric and technology. Here is their second assignment, to be done this week:

On the web, find a free or trial version of a software program or web-based service that may be used for creating documents, communicating, and/or collaborating (as discussed in Chapter 3 of the textbook). Test the program or service. On your "My Page" create a blog entry in which you tell where you found it (be sure to include a working link to the website), explain what it does, and discuss its strengths and weaknesses. Use the name of the program or service as the title of your blog post.

I've also joined another Ning social network. This one is called College 2.0, and it's for people in higher ed who are interested in online education and Web 2.0.

Also posted at 4R x T.

Slideshow: Blogging as Professional Learning

Thanks to Nancy White at Full Circle Online Interaction Blog for mentioning Graham Wegner's presentation titled "Blogging as Professional Learning." (I tried a couple of times to embed the slideshow in a post, but I couldn't get it to work.) He explains why and how blogging is important for teachers' professional development.

He even referred to two edubloggers I regularly read: Will Richardson and David Warlick.