web2 :: Blog

All free and open source applications by way of Andrzej:

–Animoto (web application that combines images, videos and music to create digital narratives)

http://animoto.com

–PicPick (digital imaging software with screen capture and image editor features)

http://www.softpedia.com/progDownload/PicPick-Download-69160.html

–Adeona (tracking software for laptops)

http://adeona.cs.washington.edu

I was just informed by Fiona King of College@Home about a newly published article, “100 Helpful Web Tools for Every Kind of Learner, ” on their College@Home blog today. Christina Laun, the author of the article, did a great job of identifying 100 helpful learning tools and grouping them into three groups of learners with different learning styles. Many of the recommended learning tools are popular Web 2.0 tools. In fact, I have written many of these tools in my blog. I think this is an interesting attempt for identifying helpful Web tools that teachers and students can use to cater to their individual learning style. Christina’s 100 helpful Web tools are grouped into the following categories:

1. Tools for Visual Learners

a. Mind Mapping

b. Charting and Diagrams

c. Videos and Photos

2. Tools for Auditory Learners

a. Podcasts

b. Presentation Tools

c. Audio Tools

d. Text Readers

e. Audio Books

3. Tools for Kinesthetic Learners

a. Note Taking Tools

b. Bookmarking

c. Interaction

d. Collaboration

For the completing listing of the 100 helpful Web tools, please visit the original site at: http://www.collegeathome.com/blog/2008/06/10/100-helpful-web-tools-for-every-kind-of-learner/.

Two weeks ago, the Office of Communications in the U.K. published an 80-page report, Social Networking: A quantitative and qualitative research report into attitudes, behaviours and use. The report draws on numerous qualitative and quantitative research studies conducted in UK in 2007. Here are some interesting findings from the report:

• Social networking sites are most popular with teenagers and young adults.


• Despite the fact that the minimum age for most major social networking sites is usually 13 (14 on MySpace), 27% of 8-11 year olds who are aware of social networking sites say that they have a profile on a site.


• The average adult social networker has profiles on 1.6 sites, and most users check their profile at least every other day.


• 25% of registered social networking users had posted sensitive personal data about themselves on their profiles (phone numbers, home addresses, etc.).


• The majority of adults who had used a social networking site had a profile on Facebook (62%) and this was the most mentioned main social networking site (49%). Nearly half of all respondents reported having a profile on MySpace and one-third had one on Bebo.


• Two-thirds of parents claim to set rules about their child’s use of social networking sites, although only 53% of children said that their parents set such rules.


• Social networkers fall into five distinct groups based on their behaviors and attitudes: 1) Alpha Socialisers, 2) Attention Seekers, 3) Followers, 4) Faithfuls, and 5) Functionals.


• Non-users of social networking sites fall into three distinct groups: 1) Concerned about safety, 2) Technically inexperienced, and 3) Intellectual rejecters.


• Social network users create well-developed profiles as the basis of their online presence. They share personal information with a wide range of “friends.”


• Only a few users highlighted negative aspects of social networking.


• Concerns about privacy and safety are not “top of mind” for most users.


• 41% of children aged 8-17 and 44% of adults leave their privacy settings as default ‘open’ which means that their profiles are visible to anyone.


• 34% of 16-24 year olds are willing to give out sensitive personal information such as their phone number or email address.


• 17% of adults used their profile to communicate with people they do not know. This increases among younger adults. 35% of adults spoke to people who were ‘friends of friends’.


• Facebook is the most popular site with adults followed by MySpace and then Bebo. For children aged between 8 and 17, Bebo was the most used social networking site.


• A minority of younger women reported creating fake profiles for fun.


• Some teenagers and adults in their early twenties reported feeling ‘addicted’ to social networking sites and were aware that their use was squeezing their study time.


• A minority of people reported being aware of bullying through social networking sites and some younger users admitted using social networking sites to ‘get back’ at people they had fallen out with.

Robin Blake introduces Ofcom’s research on Social Networking

The term “School 2.0″ started appearing in several articles, blogs, and wikis since last year. So, what is School 2.0? According to School2-0.org, School 2.0 is about the ‘next generation of school’ that can be supported by an integrated technology infrastructure. It is a concept that helps transform schools in order to meet the multiple challenges of the 21st century — accountability, student engagement and achievement, and economic competitiveness. However, how do we create schools that can realize that vision of School 2.0? What is the link between pedagogy and technology? How do we build schools with a pedagogical framework that allows all stakeholders (students, parents, teachers, and administrators) to harness the power of information technologies to change the way we think about schools and create a transformative experience for all involved?

School2-0.org offers an interesting brainstorming tool for schools and communities to help envision the future of education. The tool is a School 2.0 Map showing various possible scenarios or visions of the future with example student, teacher, and parent conversations, classroom activities and technologies, and more. School2-0.org states, “While School 2.0 depicts a variety of educational and management scenarios that utilize technology, the examples, information and ideas included are designed to serve as prompts for discussion and should not be construed as a recommendation of any particular technology or scenario.”

A full size of this School 2.0 Map (30″x17″) can be downloaded at http://www.school2-0.org/downloads/school20.pdf. In addition, you can order your free School 2.0 Map by sending your request to: feedback@school2-0.org.

In addition to the School2-0.org site, School 2.0 (a social network created Steve Hargadon) provides helpful info, resources, and forums on school 2.0. Also, a wiki associated with this site is available at http://school20.wikispaces.com/.