Blogs, Podcasting, and Wikis: Social Software for Teachers

Dr. Kelly A. WoestmanNational Council for the Social Studies Annual Meeting

Washington, DCDecember 2006

Blogs

weblogs/online journals

Blogging

• Ease of publication• Everyone can publish a webpage

Blogging Software/Services

• Blogger – http://www.blogger.com• Typepad – http://www.typepad.com• Gaggle - http://www.gaggle.net

• Blogs and email

• Also check with school and/or district technology expert

• Google (the verb) “teacher blogs” • Can be more specific also

• Implications of Google buying Blogger

Blogging Considerations

• Access restrictions• Public or members (class) only• Comment regulation• “spell out” email

• Ie woestman at pittstate dot edu

Blogging & State Standards

• Analyze/Evaluate Readings• Active Participation

• Reflective Practice

Podcasting

broadcast audio/video files

Podcasts & Podcasting

• Beyond the iPod• way beyond!

• Portable audio files• Portable video files

Podcasting Software

• Audacity• http://audacity.soundforge.net/

• Can also use GarageBand on Mac• Can now record directly to iPods

• Only came with the latest generation

Podcasting Software (cont’d)

• You do NOT need to buy special software pacakages

• Most blogging programs will allow you to “broadcast” podcasts through RSS feeds

RSS Feeds

• What the heck is RSS?• Arguments over what RSS stands for• Comparison to email

Greenbush Podcast Directory

• http://podcast.greenbush.us

Podcasting Conisderations

• Value-Added Learning

• Student Active Learning/Ownership

Podcasting & State Standards

• Writing Skills (Scripts)• Critical Thinking Skills

• Students become Teachers• Peer Coaches

Wikis

aka wikipedia

Wikipedia

• http://en.wikipedia.org

Wikis

• Critical Source Evaluation Essential• Have students ‘validate’ the authenticity of

a wikipedia entry by comparing it to other reliable sources

• But also provides us sources of information we don’t already have

Wikis

• Most useful as a collaborative project• Have students create a wiki on a particular

topic, issue, time period, etc.• It will help them see the networks between

various types of information

• Think of wikis as TEXTUAL graphic organizers

Social Networking

National School Boards Association Report

• November 6, 2006• For the first time, the survey examined

the phenomenon of social networking. • MORE HERE

• http://speakingofhistory.blogspot.com/

Conclusion

• http://teachinghistory.typepad.com/technology