elearn2lead

More free tools for collaboration...

Want to connect with colleagues or friends who share an interest? Here are some tools:

Find a community, start a community on LearnHub: http://learnhub.com/communities

Find a social network, create a social network on Ning: http://www.ning.com/

Start a community, teach a class on edu2.0: http://www.edu20.org/

Add community features to your website with kick Apps: http://www.kickapps.com/

Blog and Wiki Software

Want to start a wiki, form or a blog? This matrix allows you to compare features for a variety of services: http://www.weblogmatrix.org/ (For blogs, I vote for TypePad!)

Wondering about what happens when you reveal aspects of your self online? See the Future of Reputation...then think before you post!  http://docs.law.gwu.edu/facweb/dsolove/Future-of-Reputation/text.htm

Blogs, Wikis & Web 2.0

Want to start a wiki, form or a blog? This matrix allows you to compare features for a variety of services: http://www.weblogmatrix.org/ (For blogs, I vote for TypePad!)

Looking for Web2.0 activities for e-learning? This site matches products to learning activities: http://droopy.ecs.soton.ac.uk/webel/

Wondering about what happens when you reveal aspects of your self online? See the Future of Reputation...then think before you post! http://docs.law.gwu.edu/facweb/dsolove/Future-of-Reputation/text.htm

Resources on ICT Literacy

Looking for Resources on ICT Literacy?

First, join the ICT Literacy Community—its an amazing repository of information relevant to your project. You have to register to access the resources, but it is free: http://www.ictliteracy.info/ .

Second, there is a recent assessment at: http://www.ets.org/Media/Products/ICT_Literacy/pdf/2006_Preliminary_Findings.pdf. I particularly like the way they describe literacy skill areas.

Third, the National Academies has some valuable materials. See Technological Literacy Dimensions at http://www.nae.edu/nae/techlithome.nsf/weblinks/KGRG-569LNP?OpenDocument and the report Technically Speaking: Why All Americans Need to Know More About Technology as a free e-book at http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=10250#toc.

Fourth, my favorite treasure trove for K-12 is: Partnership For 21st Century Skills http://www.21stcenturyskills.org/index.php. There are lots of great free resources including curricular and assessment materials.

Asynchronous Tools for Communication, Learning and Collaboration

Asynchronous is the term used to describe ways of interacting any time. This means the instructor and learners do not need to be online at the same time.

Advantages:

• No scheduling
• Flexible
• Discussion organized by topic
• Messages can be any length
• Attachments possible
• Responses are visible to all

Disadvantages:

• Lacks spontaneity
• “Low touch”

Use in online learning and collaboration: a few examples

• Post readings and discussion questions; ask participants to post responses and comments to each other;
• Post alternative points of view an ask participants to make a case for or against and support their claims with research or examples; or
• Conduct team or small group writing projects using blogs, wikis or other group access sites.

Free or Inexpensive Tools:

Forums 
Nicenet (online classrooms) http://www.nicenet.org/
World Crossing http://www.worldcrossing.com/

Social Bookmarking (Share lists of favorites with your participants)
Read “A General Review: http://www.dlib.org/dlib/april05/hammond/04hammond.html
FURL http://www.furl.net/
Delicious http://del.icio.us/

Concept Maps and Shared Concept maps
Cmap http://cmap.ihmc.us/ /
ClaiMaker (http://claimaker.open.ac.uk/ /) is specifically
designed to construct and map arguments and debates.

Blogs:
Blogger (from Google): http://www.blogger.com/
Xanga: http://www.xanga.com/
DigitalDivide network: http://www.digitaldividenetwork.org/ (If your topic is relevant you can blog free. Read: "How to Create Your Own Blog," by Andy Carvin: http://www.digitaldivide.net/articles/view.php?ArticleID=69)
TypePad: http://www.sixapart.com/typepad/ (You are here!)

Collaborative web sites and other services:
Bloki http://www.bloki.com/
Web Collaborator http://www.webcollaborator.com/

Wikis:
Wikispaces: http://www.wikispaces.org/ @ wiki: http://atwiki.com/
Seedwiki: http://www.seedwiki.com/ (free and paid options)

Synchronous Tools for Communication, Learning and Collaboration

Synchronous is the term used to describe ways of communicating at the same time. This means the instructor and students are online together.

Advantages:

• Immediate response
• Instructor, guests or experts can make presentations or answer questions.

Disadvantages:

• All must be online at the same time.
• May require broadband, mics or other hardware.

Use in online learning and collaboration: a few examples

• Invite a guest speaker for a presentation ;
• Have a Q and A session to clarify ideas or assignments;
• Form teams and discuss expectations for projects; share reports from teams at conclusion of project.

Since free synchronous conferencing or webcast tools are typically harder to find and scheduling can be an issue, these live events can work well to launch or follow up on asynchronous discussions. For example, you could have a real-time session to get acquainted, introduce key concepts and answer questions. Use asynchronous tools for ongoing discussions or large or small group work. Or start with asynchronous team projects and use the synchronous meeting for reporting.

Chat tools are freely available and can be easily used to organize or plan team assignments, or for small group discussions.

Free tools:
Chat:
World Crossing http://www.worldcrossing.com/
ICQ http://web.icq.com/
Yahoo IM: http://messenger.yahoo.com/

Web conferencing:
A MUST READ! Robin Good's Official Guide to Web Conferencing and Live Presentation Tools http://www.masternewmedia.org/reports/webconferencing/guide/