Learning opportunities are made available through new tools, but more importantly, new ideas. This Module will look at some tools and ideas that can provide additional learning possibilities.
Building Your Personal Learning Network
Back in Module 3 you were introduced to a Personal Learning Network (PLN). At that time you created your own PLN by subscribing to your classmates and some professional blogs. The world of RSS has provided a system for subscribing to things around the world as they occur. New ideas are posted on blogs; new articles are run in newspapers; new journal articles appear addressing specific topics; the latest comics can appear in your PLN instead of requiring you to run all over the world (wide web) looking for what you desire.
Here are a few videos that explain how you can subscribe to some of these resources:
Now that you know how to subscribe to various resources for your PLN, it is time to expand your PLN. This is your opportunity to expand your horizons. Dr. Z would love to see what you are doing, but the iGoogle PLN is quite private and there is no way to share it with others.What you need is some way to create a video tour of your PLN to share with others. You will have just the tool to create such a video (called a screencast) in a tool called Jing. Jing is a tool that will record activity on your screen (up to 5 minutes) and then allow you to save it on a server to share with others.
***Read your PLN Assignment to see how you can put these two opportunities together.***
Collaborative Tools
Collaboration is important in today's world. This isn't limited to a group of learners sitting at a table and working together. In today's global world we MUST have tools that will allow us to work together regardless of location or time.
Google Docs - One of the most popular collaborative tools is Google Docs. Google Docs is an online tool that will enable you to work with others in a fashion that is less frantic and confusing than emailing copies of projects back and forth between authors. Here is a short video that does a wonderful job of explaining how Google Docs works.
Here are some instructions for how you can use Google Docs to collaborate with a classmate or friend in being creative: Getting Started with Google Docs
Wikispaces:
Another collaborative tool that is used widely throughout the world is the wiki. The largest reference resource in the world is a wiki, Wikispaces. They are easy to create and even easier to use while working with others.
You have already entered information in our course wiki. This wiki has been set so that anyone can make changes if they want. It can also be controlled so that only members who sign-in can make changes to it.
You some videos for using wikis in education:
