Useful Adult Literacy Education Wikis, Blogs and
Podcasts
David J. Rosen
Newsome Associates
August, 2007
Also see http://wiki.literacytent.org/index.php/Newtechnologies
for these and other technologies such as
Internet telephony, mobile phone learning, cheap computers, Moodle and Open Office software.
Wikis
Wikis
can be used to collaborate in a shared learning experience. A wiki is a Web
application that allows users to add content, but also allows anyone to edit
the content. The term Wiki also refers
to the collaborative software used to create such a Web site (see Wiki
software). The name is based on the Hawaiian term wiki wiki, meaning "quickly quickly."
Wiki
Examples
Adult
Literacy Education (ALE) Wiki
http://wiki.literacytent.org/index.php/Main_Page
The
Writing Together Wiki
http://seedwiki.com/wiki/writing_together
Grassroots
Literacy Coalition Wiki
http://www.glcnyc.org/wiki/wiki.php/Wiki/HomePage
Holocaust
Wiki Project
http://www.ahistoryteacher.com/~ahistory/apwhreview/index.php?title=Holocaust_Wiki_Project
Wikipedia, the groundbreaking collaborative encyclopedia is one of
the most
well-known
examples of wiki technology.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page
Create
your own Wiki
*PBwiki
Seedwiki.com
To
put Wiki creating software on a server using free Mediawiki software (requires some tech expertise) http://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/MediaWiki
Blogs
Web
logs (blogs) can be used to post oneÕs experiences, ideas and resources. They
can also be used to demonstrate learning, rouse others to action, and they can
be a main source for new ideas and information.
A
blog is a journal that is frequently updated and intended for general public
consumption. Blogs usually feature the personality and style as well as the
knowledge and experience of the author. A blog is a publication of personal
thoughts to a web site in
reverse
chronological order, often with archives for the oldest entries; the content
and quality varies greatly depending on the purpose and skills of the author.
Many bloggers view the writing as an online diary with an audience. Blogs began
in the mid 1990s with the advent of free web publishing tools.
Blog
Examples
ESL/ESOL/EFL
Blogs
A
compilation of blogs by, for and about ESOL/EFL
http://esl.osu.edu/staff/bloch/weblog/esl.htm
A
blog about pod casting for ESOL/EFL
A
blog for ESOL students, developed in Sydney, Australia
http://ourenglishclass2.blogspot.com/
A
blog by California ESOL teacher Barry Bakin
http://www.pacoimaesl.blogspot.com/
Online
Learning Blogs
OLDaily
(Online Learning Daily), the main theme of this blog, is on-line
Learning.
http://www.downes.ca/news/OLDaily.htm
Technology
and Adult Education Blogs
Adult
Literacy Education (David J. RosenÕs Blog)
http://davidjrosen.wordpress.com/
Adult
Education and Technology (Marian ThacherÕs Blog)
http://marianthacher.blogspot.com/
International
Reading Association
http://blog.reading.org/archives/cat_literacy_and_technology.html
Other
Technology Blogs
BethÕs
Blog
A
blog about pod casting for ESOL/EFL
Disabilities
Blogs
Technology
and Literacy in Deaf Education
http://literacytechnologyindeafed.blogspot
Other
Blogs
New
Ways of Thinking about Literacy and Learning
http://literacyandlearning.blogspot.com/
A
blog about the Wikipedia
Create
your own Blog
*
Wordpress http://wordpress.com/
Edublogs offers space for educators and
includes great help (http://edublogs.org).
Mind Easy (http://www.mindeasy.com) offers an extremely simple sign up and set up.
GoogleÕs E Blogger involves a easy sign-up and a fairly
intuitive interface (http://www.blogger.com).
Bloglines (http://www.bloglines.com) allows information feed (RSS
or Really Simple Syndication) from other websites or blogs.
Podcasts
Podcasting
is making audio files (most commonly in MP3 format available online in a way
that allows software to automatically download (through RSS feeds) the files
for listening at the user's convenience online or offline. Podcasts can be used
to connect directly to existing student audio learning activities, or you can
create your own podcast learning activities.
Podcast
Examples
Podcasts
to Learn English
Intro
to English Learning Podcasts
http://esl.about.com/od/englishlistening/a/intro_podcasts.htm
Englishcaster
English
Feed
Free pod cast subscription software http://www.podcastingnews.com/topics/Podcast_Software.html
Technology
Podcasts
This
Week in technology (TWIT)
http://www.podcastalley.com/podcast_details.php?pod_id=3715
Buzz
Out Loud
http://reviews.cnet.com/4520-11455_7-6457370-1.html
Create
Your Own Podcasts
Podomatic
http://www.podomatic.com
Creating a Podcast Step-by-Step
1. Decide
on a theme for your podcast and write it below (grammar lessons,
news
summaries for new language learners, my opinions on world events, a
personal
journal, etcÉ)
Theme:
________________________________
2. Go
to start page; http://www.podomatic.com/
3. Click
on "register" to start an account
4. Create
an account by completing the registration information
For
future reference write down your user name and password below
User
Name ________________________________________
Password
_________________________________________
5. Listen
and read the "Podcasting and Videocasting overview" then click
"join
now"
6. Write
down the URL of your podcast so you can direct others to it later:
http://_________________.podOmatic.com
7. Personalize
your podcast by completing items in the podcast options menu
(this
feature may bring up an error message. If that happens scroll to the
top
of the page and click "skip")
8. Click
on podcasting "tips and tricks" and review some ways of engage
listeners
with your podcast then return the "create a podcast page"
9. Fill
in the menu items under "create a podcast"
10. Record and
preview your first podcast, by using the headphone and mic
available
to you and the record and preview features on podomatic.
11. After recording
click "publish"
12. Invite at least
one other person in this workshop to listen to your
podcast(provide
them with the URL) and to contribute a comment or audio
response.
13. If time allows,
use the podcast "wizard" menu item to customize your
podcast
page
Questions
to consider when developing an action plan:
1.
Which of the podcasts that we used today do you think would be most relevant,
useful and interesting to your students and why?
2.
How would creating a podcast benefit your students in meeting their learning
goals?
3.
What would be some of the challenges in using these podcasts with your
students?
4.
What would be the challenges in having students create podcasts of their own?
5.
What strategies could you use to meet the challenges?