IntroductionThe aim of this website is to make a case for Web 2.0 tools and the use of such tools for learning in general and Language learning specifically. It will also serve as a manual for creating a space online where you and your students may interact, explore and share.The platform we are using is Google. It is not the only platform available for this kind of activity but it has some advantages over others as it integrates the different google services and allows for the use of different tools in the same space without having to switch. Most notably, we can use Google docs, Calendar, Maps, Photos, Youtube, and many others. The integration with YouTube alone makes for a tremendous enhancement, as you will see in the pages I have prepared for this presentation. Think of this as your hand out. Feel free to explore and the different pages and take what you like and what you can use. Consider that most of our students are already proficient in the technology used here and that if they aren't yet, then they absolutely need to be. Creating a Google SiteIn order to create a Google site, you need a Google account.Sign in to your Google account and then Navigate to http://sites.google.com Google Sites is a relatively new service so it is not advertised much, but it is fully featured. Remember that as with all Web 2.0 applications, Google sites is always evolving. It is in a constant state of beta testing. Site creation is very intuitive if you've used a word processor. just create pages, edit them, review the site settings, review the page settings, it is important to learn by doing. And don't worry, you can erase pages and create new ones. You can even erase the hole site and start from scratch. Integrating FeaturesYour Google site will serve as a hub for bringing a host of other resources and concentrating them on one place. You'll be able to coordinate and the sharing and publication of documents, which you can explore here; Your Class Calendar, Forms, Maps, Files, etc.You'll be able to have forum type pages to discuss different topics or simply to share opinions. Share videos, files, presentations and much more. CollaborationThe key to the success of your site is inviting your students to participate as collaborators. They'll be able to submit information, comments, files, create pages; almost everything you are able to do. You might want to start them slow, asking them to participate in your forum page by submitting comments to posts or submitting posts of their own. Later you may ask them to create their own pages. and publish their documents on the site.You will be the leader of the group though. You have to lead by example. Use the site, post often, and encourage participation. The Down SideYou may feel reserve when you think of subscribing to a service like this, you're not the only one. The truth is that you are giving all your information to a company for "free". It begs the question: What's the catch?In the end, it's a question of trust. Don't publish sensitive information. There are alternatives to a service like Google, some are payed. Ultimately if you want full control of the information you can set up your own server with solutions that will allow you to create learning environments and manage them. Moodle is an open source platform for managing learning content. it needs to be installed on a web server and the learning curve is very steep, but it is one of the best options out there specially because it is open source. Blackboard is a comercial alternative to Moodle. |