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Module 10: Learning Communities, Constructing Knowledge Together

For all the changes that have taken place in education over the years, the focus still remains on the people. The recent changes in technology have provided a major catalyst for a whole new approach to the education system. However, it is still just a tool and it will only ever be as effective as the people who make up the learning community and the lifelong learning opportunities it provides.

What is a wiki? A wiki is a great example of Web 2.0 technology. It enables anyone to create content online using tools. The most famous wiki is Wikipedia - an online encyclopedia created by users from around the world. Some example of how wikis can be used in classrooms include:

  • create online text for your class
  • students publish researched information or presentations using a wiki
  • create digital portfolios for students
  • create collaboration opportunities between classes
  • expanding your teaching beyond the classroom walls
Teachers can also use wiki's for PD, connecting with other educators to discuss, share and learn from each other.

I had never heard of 'Ning' and it was really interesting to read up on it. For me, the question was, 'what can it do differently to other social networking platforms?' One interesting idea I read up on was setting up a Ning class assignment. Ning provides the necessary Web 2.0 technologies such as blogs or message board and chatrooms. I read how teachers introduced an assignment with the blog or message board and had students respond using the comment feature or posting to the message board. The feature that I thought could also be useful was the option for adding YouTube. 

The one that really appealed to me was 'Google Sites'. It is like a wiki, portfolio, blog all rolled into one! The benefit of course would be that all the other Google services eg. Google Docs, Picasa etc would all be embedded. Being free and seemingly easy to use, once your students were of the appropriate age, it would create a fabulous collaborative learning environment for students to improve their digital literacy skills. 

Some of the ways Google Sites could be used in the classroom to enhance learning include:
  • discussion boards, announcements, reading materials etc
  • use it as a wiki
  • create a folder for uploaded documents to share with students
  • create student digital portfolios
  • collaborative group projects




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