Journal #5 Collaboration in a Web 2.0 Environment

Bull, Glen (2006, April). Collaboration in a Web 2.0 Environment.
Learning and Leading with Technology, Retrieved March11, 2009, from
http://www.iste.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=April_No_7_&Template=/MembersOnly.cfm&ContentFileID=2642


In a Web 2.0 environment the information comes to you as portions of websites are hosted on other sites. This is known as web syndication or RSS which means “Really Simple Syndication.” Look for those orange icons on websites. This new development is encouraging more collaboration in the classroom and affecting the business, social, and entertainment worlds. Sites with RSS feeds function as live bookmarks that are automatically updated as new material appears.” Web-based readers are especially useful, a person can follow a web feed from any internet connection.

Soon almost every application will probably have RSS capability designed into it.
Bloglines a web-based reader that had been around for a while. If a teacher uses it to follow a group of blogs, the web feeder collects them all together in one spot, which makes his or her job much easier.

Syndication also makes it easier to follow topics in the news. For example, I was glad to see the New York Times and the Washington Post have RSS feeds for popular topics they cover. FeedDigest is a service that can put Web feeds on a class Web page. The page is automatically updated with the latest news on favorite topics as it’s visited. This is what is meant by the Web coming to you. As a news junkie I will be exploring these services.

Questions:

People concerned about technology worry that students are checking their skills at the classroom door. How is RSS helping to overcome that?

According to the Pew Foundation three in five teenagers have blogs or other online content. Blogs are becoming more popular with teenagers as a way to stay in touch and create friendship networks. By integrating blogs into class work students can use these skills they already have and they won’t have to dumb-down for class. RSS feeds can help track multiple student postings, help students collaborate, share images, and follow related news topics. It also helps the teachers follow the multiple blogs of their students.

What are some other good Web 2.0 tools out there to help with syndication and collaboration?
Writely, a web based word processor, allows students to jointly edit a document. Afterwards they click a Writely “blog” button and immediately post it for others to review. Flicker has RSS feeds that make class projects easier. Student establish common descriptor tags for photos so new images can be viewed in the news reader once they are posted by members of the group.