Welcome to Twitter, Flickr, and Wiki's - Oh My!

WELCOME!

Have you ever thought, ”Gosh, I wish I had time to learn more about Twitter, Flickr, Wikis or (enter your Web 2.0 tool here)?” Well, this is your chance to take the time to focus on your personal and professional development around Web 2.0 tools. It’s fun to explore these tools and figure out ways you can use them.

Who can participate?

This program is open to everyone who has registered for the Twitter, Flickr, and Wiki's - Oh My! class being offered by ISD 728 Community Education. This is a self-paced, self-directed course that will be available starting Tuesday, October 6, 2009 through Tuesday, December 1, 2009 (no class on Tuesday, November 3rd). Class will meet Tuesday evenings from 6:30-8:00 pm at the Elk River High School Media Center Computer Lab. The class time will be informal and start with an overview, discussion, question/answers and then be open lab time to explore the week's topic. After each class, participants will be able to access this blog for the current topic and those from previous weeks, so that more in-depth exploration can be done from home.

How It Works

You are in charge of your learning in this class. I have identified the topics for this class, but you decide when you try them, the amount of time you spend, and the depth of your exploration. Each of the topics can take as little as an hour or as much time as you have to give. You document your participation by setting up and maintaining a blog (Week 1).

Each week, a new tool or topic will be explained. I have found many places for you to explore, experiment with, and think about creative ways to use in your life. Hopefully, this class will allow you to take time to explore and enjoy these tools. I look forward to hearing about your explorations through your blog. All students will set-up a blog during Week 1 and will be sharing their blog with the class and instructor. This way, we will be able to offer advice, encouragement and answer questions even when the class is not in session.

Tutorial Format

Each week begins with a brief explanation of a new Web 2.0 topic or tool, followed by a list of activities related to the tool. These exercises give you the background you need to understand the tools you're learning about. Don't skip them!

When you have completed the items in the list, you comment or post to your blog. (You will learn how to set up a blog in Week 1.) Your blog is the tool to communicate your reactions, new-found skills, ideas, questions, and favorite Web sites to the other class participants and a great way to record your progress. Class participants are encouraged to share with each other their discoveries, techniques and "how to" both in person during class and through their blogs.

Acknowledgment

This blog has been set-up as part of the Twitter, Flickr, and Wiki's - Oh My! class offered through ISD 728 Community Education. This class encourages all of us to experiment and learn about the new and emerging technologies that are changing how information is used and created on the Internet today.

I have modified the Learning 2.0 program designed by Helene Blowers, Technology Director, Public Library of Charlotte & Mecklenburg County. This class is a discovery learning program and has been borrowed, modified and duplicated with permission, under a Creative Commons License. I also used ideas from the CMLE 23 Things on a Stick and other Learning 2.0 programs. Hopefully, this class will offer ideas to "jump start" your learning. I hope you will share your ideas on how these Web 2.0 tools can be used in your life. I have used many Web 2.0 tools to design this class, including Blogger, Flickr, YouTube, & PBWiki. Now you can learn them, too!

Now, let's get started!