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Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Creating eBooks from Wikipedia Articles



Amit Labnol has written a great post explaining how to create eBooks from Wikipedia pages.

The PDF format has been around for awhile but the new addition of the EPUB format is great news for mobile device users.

You can download your eBook in several formats including:
  • PDF
  • OpenDocument
  • OpenZim
  • EPUB
A very handy way to collect relevent articles in one location and access them offline!


Sunday, November 25, 2012

Podcasting on the go



Podcasting on the go
by Simon Ensor
Web 2.0 im Fremdsprachenunterricht

I like the way Simon describes the smartphone, in his introduction, as a 'digital swiss-arny knife' that can be used for creative learning. Somehow that seems quite appropriate.

In the article, Simon focuses on Audioboo and Ipadio, two free applications, which can be used for developing 21st century skills such as content creation and collaboration. Easy tools to use for unplanned, impromptu recordings.

Audioboo
pros: adding geo-location or photo, create RSS feed, publish directly to social networks, embed in websites, record via phone and website
cons: all 'audioboos' are public, no private channels, can only be used on some phones, limit of 5min recording

Ipadio
pros: works on any phone, 60minute recordings, adding geo-location or photo, create RSS feed, publish directly to social networks, listen to 'plogs' live, option of moderated channels allowing an element of privacy, automatically generates transcripts, which can be edited
cons: record via phone only not website

Simon explaines that he used these tools for:
  • recording 'model' answers for students and sharing this teacher RSS feed with students via google reader so they could download the content to their own phones. 
  • creating audio guides of locations or organisations
  • getting students to record interviews and stories in class which were then shared through the student RSS feed
  • creating a class audioblog where different students submit recordings each week
  • recording interviews etc when on outings and trips abroad
  • using a class ipadio account for students to post audio messages and 'correct' transcripts
  • students to create and broadcast to their own radio channel or listen in to others.
  • create learning diaries for eportfolios

In my own system, our students are allowed and invited to produce evidence of learning in different ways, in theory. However, in practice, it remains very much a case of written work only. For example in their work experience module the students have to produce a daily diary. This could just as easily be produced as a series of recordings as a written report. Invariably, the written report is provided! It seems that neither the students nor the educators are really looking to change the status quo.

But, as Simon demonstrates in his article, these tools clearly open up the possibility for students to easily record all sorts of learning material. Perhaps it is time to lessen our dependance on written work only!! It is now time for educators and students to be more willing to embrace the new possibilities.

For Simon, the benefits that accrued from using these tools included increased motivaton (as students were producing for a real audience), increased engagement through posting of comments, the ability to share students work and progress with parents, provision of permanent recordings for students that had missed class.

Although Simon doesn't mention any in the article, I would be interested in knowing about any drawbacks or teathing problems that he had in using the phones and Web2.0 tools with his students. Such things as
negative comments being posted, students not able or willing to make recordings, students posting inappropriate material or recording others without permission, parental permission not given, students not having an appropriate phone.

I believe using smartphones is certainly the way to go but what of now? The digital divide, even in this area, is alive and well. Simon indicates that only 30% of his students have smartphones, still a relatively small percentage of the class. By the time the other 70% catch up no doubt the 'early' adoptors will have moved on to newer and even more capable devices!

Simon's Webinar will take place on 6th December 2012. You can sign up now!!

You can now listen to the recorded webinar.


You can buy a copy of the book online directly from the publisher (Verlag Werner Hülsbusch)
or
if you have any queries email Verlag Werner Hülsbusch at vertrieb@vwh-verlag.de
*****************************
The release of 'Web 2.0 im Fremdsprachenunterricht' is accompanied by a series of free webinars where the authors will present and discuss their articles.

Information about these online meetings, which will be held in the presenter's mother tongue, can be found at Fremdsprachenunterricht 2.0

You can register for any of the webinars at Fortbildung Online. Recordings of the webinars will also be published on the LPM's website.
*****************************


Monday, November 19, 2012

Web 2.0 Good Practice Guide



The Web 2.0 Good Practice Guide for the Foreign Language Classroom (Web 2.0 im Fremdsprachenunterricht) comes to you thanks to the inspirational efforts of Jürgen Wagner and Verena Heckmann.

Jürgen is the secretary for e-learning and media education at the State Department of Education and the Media (LPM) in Saarbrücken. He is also a French and English language teacher, author and organizer of online lectures. Verena, is a teacher of Spanish and French at high school and a consultant for IT in education at the Ministry of Education and Culture in the Saarland. She is also an author and edublogger.

Jürgen's rationalle for the guide still rings true for many educators:
From our teacher training sessions we have noticed, again and again, that a large number of the teaching community are not yet familiar with the web 2.0 concept.

This guide, containing 35 articles, is the culmination of a great collaborative venture involving elearning specialists from around Europe. The content is mainly in German but the guide also contains articles written in French, English and Spanish.

Web 2.0 im Fremdsprachenunterricht provides a wealth of ideas and practical suggestions on how to use Web 2.0 tools in the classroom. Even though it is primarily aimed at foreign language teaching much of the advice given would be equally useful in any subject area.

Practical ideas regarding mobile learning, collaboration, podcasting, blogging, microblogging, mashups, wikis, cloud computing, using videos and digital storytelling are all included.

Tools such as Moodle, Glogster, Voicethread, Printerest, Popplet, Quora, Googlefight and Google Maps receive specific attendtion.

My reviews of
  • 'Podcasting on the go....' by Simon Ensor,
  • 'Using Web 2.0 as a Source for Material' by Andrew Pickles,
  • 'Digital Storytelling' by Renke Samusch, Dominik Baumecker, Moritz Zockler 
will follow shortly.......

This guide provides a great read for those unfamiliar with Web 2.0. Educators can dip into various areas of interest, at their own pace, and discover just how others are making great use of Web 2.0 tools. A book that everyone can go back to again and again!!

I would agree with Jürgen's sentiments:
Our book closes a gap for sure! Teachers no longer have an excuse for not using the potential of web 2.0 in their classrooms.

You can buy a copy of the book online directly from the publisher (Verlag Werner Hülsbusch)
or
if you have any queries email Verlag Werner Hülsbusch at vertrieb@vwh-verlag.de
*****************************
The release of 'Web 2.0 im Fremdsprachenunterricht' is accompanied by a series of free webinars where the authors will present and discuss their articles.

Information about these online meetings, which will be held in the presenter's mother tongue, can be found at Fremdsprachenunterricht 2.0

You can register for any of the webinars at Fortbildung Online. Recordings of the webinars will also be published on the LPM's website.
*****************************


Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Mobile Learning Blog Compilation



An interesting compilation from Edudemic on the topic of mobile learning.

Probably still early days for many schools/colleges but nice to see that:

These days, though, many tech-savvy teachers actively try to incorporate them into engaging lessons rather than snatching them away.

At the very least mobile devices are a great tool for commumication. Free text messaging using google apps via google calendar works seemlessly!