Blog Applications in the Classroom and Beyond

231st ACS National Meeting Atlanta / 26 March 2006

Randy ReichardtResearch Services Librarian (Engineering)

Science & Technology Library / University of Alberta, Edmonton

randy.reichardt@ualberta.ca

Research Services LibrarianNational Institute for Nanotechnology, Edmonton

randy.reichardt@nrc.gc.ca

http://stlq.info/acs231.ppt ORhttp://stlq.info/acs231.pdf

Outline of Presentation

the basics – social software, blogging blogging: demographics, why do it? blog application in chemical engineering

design class group projects RSS feeds and “Blog This” – examples

from Compendex and Knovel dbs a scitech library blog, a scitech

librarianship blog..

Definitions Social Software: “ . . . refers to various,

loosely connected types of applications that allow individuals to communicate with one another, and to track discussions across the Web as they happen” (Tepper 2003)

Blogs: “... are simply Web pages with reverse chronologically arranged individual posts.” (Pikas 2005)

Blogging Numbers – Data from the Pew

Internet & American Life Project

145 million people (72%) of American adults use the Internet

Of the 145 million adult Internet users: 13.05 million (9%) have created a blog

(09/2005 survey) 39.15 million (27%) read blogs (09/2005

survey) 5% use newsreaders (RSS) to get news and

other info from blogs and content-rich sites (11/2004 survey)

62% do not know what a blog is (11/2004 survey)

Blogging Demographics – Data from the Pew Internet & American Life

Project

From the November 2004 survey data: 57% are male 48% under 30 years of age 70% have broadband at home 82% online for six or more years 42% live in households with >$50,000 earnings 39% have college or graduate degrees

Data extracted from: http://207.21.232.103/PPF/r/144/report_display.asp http://207.21.232.103/trends/Internet_Activities_12.05.05.

htm

Why Blog? – Many Reasons

share your ideas, opinions, news, photos, links, data

manage your information consolidate files, documents, links, in one place

In the science/engineering classroom: manage teams and/or group projects

collaboration, communication of tasks, opportunity for feedback

In the library: disseminate news, information, library services

internally: manage teams, projects

Using Blogs for Project Mgmt:The University of Alberta

Chemical Engineering Design Class Experience

question: how might groups of four students working on a full-term design project manage the flow of information between team members?

team members communicate by: multiple e-mails, some with attachments phone calls and/or text messaging (solo or

group) paper trails coordinating and attending group meetings individual and group IM yelling at each other across the computer lab

Chem Eng 464: Teamwork is Critical!

Blogging in a Team Environment (1)

Communication between team members becomes linear, chronological

All entries are archived for future reference Team members have access to their blog from

any connected machine; reduces or eliminates need for multiple e-mails, phone calls, etc

Ability to upload critical documents and links to one location accessible by all; this includes revisions!

Allows for “copy and paste” to project reports

Blogging in a Team Environment (2)

a team member posts – other team members can comment, lead to new posts, further discussion, new ideas, progress!

teams may choose to add additional contributors: chem eng librarian, chem eng professor, industry

contact (off campus engineer), others non-team members can contribute to the blog, monitor

progress of the project blogs help to “level the playing field” among team

members extroverts, introverts, lurkers, all are encouraged to

contribute

In-House Dilemma – U of AlbertaDoes Not Support Blogging as a Teaching Tool!

Case study:U Alberta Chem Eng 464 Design

Class Group Project

Design project title: “Remote Site Water Treatment”

Problem: surface waters in excavation sites at Alberta oilfields are contaminated; costs to dispose are high

contaminants include heavy metals salts, residual hydrocarbons, and H2S

Objective: “design a skid-mounted unit that will reduce the contaminated water at~5m³/day by evaporation using only remote-accessible renewable resources.”

To manage the project: incorporate a blog into the workflow

Anatomy of a blog used to manage this project:

Chem Eng Librarian

Design Group Members

Instructor &Off-campus

contact

Design ProjectDetails

Subject-RelatedLinks

UploadedDocuments

Title ofDesign Project

Posts

Feedback

Documentsfrom

Instructor

Links toPrevious

Posts

Archives

This entry reviewsteam members’assignments

and responsibilities

Example of use of the blog to share information

other than in textformat. Team

members sketchpotential design for

project, uploadand share immediatelywith team members.

No need tosave file and send to teammembers as

e-mailattachment.

Feedback rec’d, leads tofurther discussion, etc.

Students Will Be Innovative!

This group chose to embeda chat function within

their blog – eliminatingfurther e-mails, phone

calls, etc

Blogging and Dbs Few database platforms offer embedded

blogging or RSS functionality Summer 2005: Engineering Village 2

introduces RSS feeds and “Blog This” options

Engineering Village 2 includes: Compendex (engineering), Inspec (computer, electrical, physics), NTIS (US Gov)

Fall 2005, Knovel adds RSS feeds for new titles

Examples from the Compendex (aka Engineering Index) and Knovel dbs:

Enter search terms:“chemical looping combustion”

Results page: 59 records retrieved

Choose first record

Option to “Blog This”is available for each record

EV2 generatesthe HTML required

to add the titleinfo to your blog

Open blog mgmtsoftware,

cut and paste codeinto new entry

Blog posting appears asa link from the articletitle to the full citationin the database on theEV2 platform – in thisexample: Compendex

Citation, abstract, andEV Controlled Terms appear

when the link is clickedin an IP-authenticated

environment.

RSS Feeds RSS = Real Simple Syndication/Rich Site

Summaries In Engineering Village 2 databases, RSS feeds

can be created on the fly, as you create and modify your search

Each time your search is modified or changed, the RSS feed changes with it

Search: (nanostructured materials ORnanocomposites) AND (polymer blends)

Search results listed.RSS feed generatedfor search question

How “search question”appears in db

RSS feed to cutand paste into

RSS reader such asBloglines

Examples of RSS feeds for EV2 searches, running in Bloglines

Nano and polymerblends searchfrom previous

slide

Feed titles can be editedto shorter descriptions

How the entries appear when viewed in Bloglines.Note that only the title of each article is listed!

From Bloglines, clicked citations appear in “Detailed” format:

Abstract or Detailed Recordwill open only in an

IP-authenticated environment.

Knovel Library – offers RSS feeds for new title updates

Choose subjectarea of interest

RSS feed will alertnewsreader when

new chem/chem engtitles are added

Knovel RSS feeds

in Bloglines

Blogs Beyond the Classroom

examples of other blog use include:

in the library in the library profession

Info Desk Team Blog

Tips sheets: Infopreviously saved in

paper files, on shared drives, etc.

Typical post:Info desk staff

advised ofupcoming majorassignment in

undergrad chemistry class.

My work-relatedblog, STLQ:http://stlq.infoThe SciTech

Library Question

Began in April 2003 – I postedresponses to a

query aboutscitech/eng

librariesoffering off-site

info service.

STLQ featuresentries from four other librarians,who contribute

occasionalopinion and news-related

items of interest.

Why do it?- helps keep me current

- make new contacts- opportunities to collaborate

- initiate discussion- express opinions

- share information and news-discover new resources- develop writing skills - develop editing skills

-it can be FUN!

Special Thanks Members of the Chem Eng 464 Remote Site

Water Treatment design group, Edmonton AB

Bryan Keane and Knovel Corporation, Norwich NY

Amanda Etches-Johnson, Mills Memorial Library, McMaster University, Hamilton ON

Gali Halevi, Elsevier Engineering Information, New York NY

Christina Pikas, Applied Physics Laboratory, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore MD

and to Erja for inviting me!

Thank you!

Randy ReichardtScience & Technology Library

University of AlbertaEdmonton AB T6G 2J8

780.492.7911randy.reichardt@ualberta.ca