Emerging%20Technologies

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Emerging Technologies

• Web Logs (Blogs), Wikis and Open Source Software
• August 30/04
• Presented by Alec Couros

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• "This device appealed at once to the eye and to
  the ear, thus naturally forming the habit of
  attention, which is so difficult to form by the
  study of books .... Whenever a pupil does not
  fully understand, it will have the opportunity
  ... of enlarging and making intelligible."
• "These instruments are not uncommon, but are
  but little resorted to by the teacher.
• "The teacher knows almost as little how to use it
  as his pupils.
• Quotes from the 1840s and 1850s regarding the
  use of the chalkboard, from UPAEP.

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• "...the existing system is utterly inefficient.
  The teacher...may pour it in the ear, or extract
  it from the printed page,...but unless he teaches
  through the eye...no satisfactory instruction can
  be conveyed."
• Sir David Brewer (1856) regarding the magic
  lantern and stereoscope.

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• "It is going to make school so attractive that
  a big army with swords and guns couldn't keep
  boys and girls out of it."
• Thomas Edison (1911) regarding motion
  pictures/film.
• Edison continued Mix moving pictures with
  education and you'll have something that makes
  kids want to go to school. You'll have to lick
  'em to keep 'em away." (1911)

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Featured Examples

• Web Logs (Blogs, CMS)
• Wikis
• Open Source Software

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Web Communication/Creation

• HTML editing tools like Dreamweaver, FrontPage,
  GoLive, etc. have been popular, and may continue
  to be important. However, there is a an easier
  solution to managing web creation through
  various new(er) tools.
• Content Management Systems (CMSs), specifically
  blogs, may be very useful in the classroom.

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Content Management Systems

• What is a CMS?
• A system used to manage the content of a Web
  site. Can allow a content manager or author, who
  may not know Hypertext Markup Language (HTML), to
  manage the creation, modification, and removal of
  content from a Web site without needing the
  expertise of a Webmaster. (NoMensa)
• See one in action.

Source NoNomensa.com
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Web Logs (Blogs)

• Web Logs use a specialized CMS software, and have
  various uses mostly web type journals/logs.
• Popular services include
• Blogger (demo), LiveJournal, TypePad, Pitas, etc.
  (100s more).
• Blogs have many uses, and are becoming popular in
  many facets of education.
• See a blog about blogging in education
• Weblogg-ed - http//www.weblogg-ed.com/

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Examples of Student Blogs

• Mr. Wests Class
• Students as Columnists
• NBCHS

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For teachers, blogs are attractive because they
require little effort to maintain, unlike more
elaborate classroom Web Sites, which were once
heralded as a boon for teaching.
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Open Source / Free Software

• The Open Source / Free Software movement is
  complex but what you need to know, there are a
  lot of free tools (software and content) that is
  available for your use, for free.
• The most common examples include Linux, Apache
  (web server) and Open Office.
• Open Source software offers a strong alternative
  to proprietary software (e.g., Windows).

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The Wonder of Wikis

• Wiki is a piece of server software that allows
  users to freely create and edit Web page content
  using any Web browser.
• Wikis allow everyday users to create and edit any
  page in a Web site. The concept is unique as it
  encourages democratic use of the Web and promotes
  content composition by nontechnical users.

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Wiki Examples

• Wikipedia
• Wikibooks
• Wikitravel
• Examples of Classroom Wikis
• Examples of Student Wikis

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Whats available for free?

• All sorts of software is available
• Entire operating systems (Linux)
• Web Servers (Apache)
• Content Management Systems (Nuke)
• Graphics Programs (The GIMP)
• Typing Tutors (Tux Type)
• School Administration (Open Admin)
• Office Suites (Open Office) demo
• So many more

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And theres content

• The Open Movement has inspired free learning
  objects, and even course content.
• MITs Open CourseWare Initiative
• CreativeCommons.org
• MERLOT
• CAREO
• Project Gutenberg
• Many more here
• http//www.uwm.edu/Dept/CIE/AOP/LO_collections.htm
  l

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Places to Start (for OS / FS)

• School Forge
• http//www.schoolforge.net/
• Open Source Education Foundation
• http//www.osef.org/
• Open Source Schools
• http//opensourceschools.org/
• K-12 Linux Project (terminal server)
• http//www.k12ltsp.org/

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Keeping Up On New Technologies

• Network of Innovative Schools
• SlashDot (news for nerds, stuff that matters)
• Weblogg-ed
• SchoolForge
• Canopener
• NewScientist.com
• My own Blog and resource site
• http//www.educationaltechnology.ca/couros
• You can download todays presentation from here
  as well.

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• Thank you for listening.
• Contact
• alec.couros_at_uregina.ca
• www.educationaltechnology.ca/couros