Using Web 2.0
An Adventurer’s Guide to Teaching and Communicating on the Internet

Purpose of this workshop: To highlight some of the emerging technologies available on the Web that are changing the way people, and society access information and communicate with each other.
Why should you care?
The Web is no longer a passive instrument. The Audience (our students, our colleagues, our families, ourselves) has become the Cast. By understanding how to use these new interactive technologies to communicate and inspire, is to make our teaching and social interplay more dynamic and memorable.

View the YouTube video:
The Machine Is Us/Ing Us. Created by Professor of Cultural Anthropology, Michael Wesch, Kansas State University.

Highlights of Web 2.0:
Blogs
Photos & Images: Flickr
News readers: RSS
Social Bookmarking: Del.icio.us
Social Networking: MySpace // FaceBook
Wikis
Video: YouTube

Blogs
Blog is an abbreviation of the original term ‘Web log', and refers to any Web site that displays usually short, frequently updated, topical entries in reverse chronological order. Although this has always been possible on the Web if one knew how to code Web pages from scratch, blogging applications dispensed with this by giving would-be Web authors an easily configured interface into which their text (or other content such as video, audio, graphics, news feeds) could simply be entered. Blog templates can be used as provided, or additional design elements can be added, moved, or deleted at will.

What do people do with blogs? The possibilities are endless: online diary, independent journalism, social commentary, restaurant, book and movie reviews, updates for family and friends, news and activities on a particular theme, project, or hobby. Integrate your photos from Flickr, videos from YouTube, updated news with RSS feeds, and link to other web sites with Del.icio.us.And it’s free!

Blogger
Take the Quick Guided Tour
You will:
1. Create an account.
2. Name your blog.
3. Choose a template.
4. Post, Edit & Design
5. View your Blog on the Internet

There are hundreds of new blogs being created every day.
A few of note from Blogspot:
The Daily Mammal
Decadent Tranquility
Do You Speak English? - A cool & unusual music blog

Blog Search Engines
Use Google Search to find blogs or try
Technorati
Ice Rocket

RSS
RSS stands for “Really Simple Syndication” and is a file format for delivering frequently updated and dynamic Web content directly to the user. If you visit websites and news information sources everyday, a RSS feed will gather all those information sources and web pages in one place, all at the same time, without the ads, and without having to consume a lot of time visiting each site individually.
RSS is also great for tables of contents or articles from online journals and magazines. Rather than checking a journal site regularly for the latest issue, you could have the TOC appear in your news reader as soon as it's published.
In addition, your RSS feed can be added to your blog so that your readers can visit your selected sites. A great tool for channeling information to students and colleagues.
Look for the RSS symbol when you're perusing web pages. The orange box may say alternately, XML or RSS, but either way, it signifies an RSS feed link.
See the Palinet site for a RSS tutorial:
Palinet
Watch a YouTube video tutorial on Google Reader
Read, How to choose an RSS reader from SearchEngineWatch.com
Or go directly to one of the following sites to sign up for a RSS reader:
Bloglines
Google Reader

Social Bookmarking or Tagging with Del.icio.us
Tagging is an open and informal method of categorizing that allows users to associate keywords with online content (webpages, pictures & posts). Tagging is completely unstructured and freeform, allowing users to create connections between data in any way they want.

How does it work? You keep your list of bookmarks on a social bookmarking site like Del.icio.us and organize them into categories with tags. Del.icio.us also works well when the site you want to save does not have an RSS feed. Many users find the real power is in the social networking aspect, which allows you to see how other users have tagged similar links and also discover other websites that may be of interest to you.
Go to the Del.icio.us website and click on "Learn More".
View the Creative Commons video,"How to Explain Del.icio.us to Your Parents" on the Del.icio.us blog, September 2007.

A word about Zotero
Zotero is a personal research assistant inside your browser that allows you to collect, manage and cite your research sources. Zotero is a production of the Center of New Media and History from George Mason University.
Unlike the previous technologies we discussed, Zotero resides only on your computer. However, starting in 2008, Zotero will have a shared server where you will be able to access your files remotely.
Experience the Zotero tutorial

Once you've created your Blog, you can add some or all of these new technologies. These dynamic features add interest and variety to an online teaching tool or journal. And most importantly, they make it fun.

Image Credits
Sheena Queen of the Jungle. Book by Robert Rodi. From Hill City Comics. 2007.