Free Tools Collaboration, Knowledge Organisation and Communication

Current Toolbox and Pedagogies

Ian Quartermaine

Head of Learning Technologies

John Paul College

CMSCMS - Content or Course Management System

• Provides the mechanisms and work flows for non-programmers to build web based work spaces

• Examples (school servers):

• Sharepoint (MS)• Moodle (Open source)• Blackboard • StudyWiz• Masterfile• Desire to Learn• EduKate

• Options in the cloud :

• WIKIs Eg. Wikispaces My Wikispaces

• Hosted versions of main CMSs

CMS Content or Course Management System

Content Editor web part

Pictures & Rich text

Embedded script from numerous Web 2.0 services

Delicious http://delicious.com/

Hosted bookmark organisation tool

• Bookmarks not attached to local browser installation (In the cloud)• Allows import of local bookmarks from IE or Firefox• Allows output of bookmarks as a backup• Provides hosted organisation by Tags• CTRL D and tag every time you find a site• Can also use delicious tags with other tools Eg. iGoogle

Delicious Hosted bookmark organisation tool

Link Rolls

• Best way to keep course bookmarks up to date and organised• Organisation based on meta tags supplied by the user at time of

tagging• Embed script generated by Delicious based on any combination of

tags (Settings >>> Link Rolls)• Script always reflects current state of your bookmark collection

Also Ultimate Guide to Delicious

Get scriptDemo updated bookmarks( Internal link)

iGooglePersonal (Portal) Organisation tool

Alternatives : PageFlakes, Protopage, Google Reader, FriendFeed

iGoogle

Google Gadgets

“Add stuff”

Delicious gadget

Google Gadgets for CMShttp://www.google.com/ig/directory?synd=open

• Delicious• Outlook gadget • Wikipedia & Dictionary gadgets• Quote gadgets – “Shakespearean Insult”• Art gadgets• Time, conversion and weather gadgets• Network analysis gadgets

Simply pick your gadget, obtain script and embed....

Examples

Google Gadgetshttp://www.google.com/ig/directory?synd=open

RSS Feed gadgets• Search for “rss” at http://www.google.com/ig/directory?synd=open

• Pick your gadget, add the XML feed address Eg. NY Times - http://www.nytimes.com/services/xml/rss/nyt/Technology.xml

and copy the generated script• Script added to Content Editor web part

GoogleDocs http://docs.google.com/

3 X office type applications and automated forms in the cloud.

• Allows ready collaboration by students & teacher with the only requirement being to have a Google Account.

GoogleDocs - Presentation http://docs.google.com/

• final presentations can be published to public or kept private• script generated to embed presentation• MS Powerpoints can be imported

GoogleDocs - Presentation http://docs.google.com/

Used by teachers to collaborate on pedagogy. Recent examples involve the setting up of a blank presentation and then each teacher adds a slide with their input.

Example: Twenty-One Interesting Ways to use Twitter in the Classroom

Example: Forty Two Interesting Ways to use Interactive Whiteboards in the Classroom

Example: 30 Interesting Ways* to use Wordle in the Classroom - Google Docs

http://www.wordle.net/

Example: 29 Inspiring YouTube videos

GoogleDocs - Forms http://docs.google.com/

• Easy way to survey and gather feedback• Links to both the survey form and the results table are easily linked

GoogleDocs - Forms http://docs.google.com/

• Easily embedded in CMs or WIKI - Example

Simple Wikispaces Example

Google Maps http://maps.google.com.au/

• Any activity or topic that involves a geographic distribution can be

enhanced by a collaborative Map

• Embed script for CMS

Google Maps http://maps.google.com.au/

Rich text - Insert Pictures (Paste URL)

Embed (Paste Embed script Eg. YouTube)

Hyperlinks(Paste URL)

Google Maps http://maps.google.com.au/

Note - Google Account required.

Google Maps http://maps.google.com.au/

Pedagogy - Examples

• IB- ITGS –Case Study – International Offices exercise

• Junior English - Rabbit Proof Fence Activity

• IB- English – Canonical Literature - Walkabout

Comic Production http://pixton.com/uk/

Pedagogy Example Students were asked to design cartoons that express some of the dilemmas of Artificial Intelligence research

More examples...

Option 1

Option 2 – Comic Life

Comic Productionhttp://comic-life.en.softonic.com/

Option 2 – Comic Life

EtherPad http://etherpad.com/

• Don’t even need an account – just “Create Public Pad” and send the URL

• User opens URL and then simply starts editing and is identified by a different coloured text

• Pedagogy Example Social Ethical Issue Discussion on People & Machines

EtherPad http://etherpad.com/

• Import and export options• Chat window

Wallwisher http://www.wallwisher.com/

“Walls” are collaborative spaces where different “sticky” notes can be posted. In the following exercise students placed notes representing different applications of IT for scientific purposes

Wallwisher http://www.wallwisher.com/

Embed finished product

Build a new wall

CmapTools Installed Program

Concept/Mind maps

http://cmap.ihmc.us/download/

Cmap Toolshttp://cmap.ihmc.us/download/

Concept/Mind maps

• Basics – Video Help

Cmap Tools Concept/Mind maps

• Images & Sound – Help video

Bubbl.us http://www.bubbl.us

Collaborative Mind maps Alternative Web Tool - MindMiester

• Students produced a map to outline Case study issues and solutions• Example includes hyperlinks to GoogleDoc presentation for solutions• Embedded in in group WIKI

Embed code

Bubbl.us http://www.bubbl.us

• Invite “friends” • Give access

CoverItLiveLive blogging

http://www.coveritlive.com/

• Create a session • Obtain chat window script and embed in page• Launch the session• Each instance of the page is a unique chat

window for the that user• You must moderate comments as they come in• After live session finishes the script remains in

place in replay mode for future reference Used as peer feedback mechanism and discussion space

Quick Tips Free Applications

Client - Based

• Photo presentation & organisation – Picassa 3• Photo & Image editing (Poor man’s Photoshop) – Gimp• Sound recording/editing/ and export - Audacity • Screen Sequence Capture (inc. Audio input) – Jing or

Camstudio• Digital Story Telling – Photostory

Web-based

• Web conferencing – DimDim & Vyew

Used as peer feedback mechanism and discussion space

Resource Sites of Interest

http://www.slideshare.net/

http://www.ted.com/

http://twapperkeeper.com/