Assessing Web 2.0 Tools

Posted on December 3, 2014 by Stephanie Boychuk

For the first major project of OLTD 507, I created an excel based tool for assessing web 2.0 tools. If you want to take a look at my template and a selection of tools I assessed, just click this link:

Blank Template and Survey of Cloud Tools

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

I’ve taken a page from my previous OLTD courses, and have given this tool a creative commons license. I’m sure someone could take this idea and make it so much better, and I want them to share alike when they do!

My tool focuses first on the three universal design for learning (UDL) principles, giving some guiding questions for teachers to use to rate the tool. Then, my tool has a series of questions to assess the ease of use of the tool. Finally, there are a series of guiding questions around privacy concerns for a tool, and a prompt to consider alternatives. My tool will allow teachers to answer the guiding questions using numbers (with being 0 strongly disagree to 3 being strongly agree), and will automatically give the tool a percentage rating in each segment of the assessment, as well as an overall rating.

My goal is not for the percentages ratings to lead teachers away from a tool, but to make it easier to see where more investigation may be needed, or where trying to use the tool may require careful lesson design.

Based on my survey of a few different cloud tools, I have chosen my top 3 tools for teachers and for students. I’ve created a summary of those tools using another cloud tool called MindMeister, a mind mapping tool. Click the image below to check out the mindmap online:You should be able to zoom in and out of areas you are interested in, or run through the pieces as “slides” as I have set up “presentation view” as well.

Of course, nothing is created in a vacuum, so I have added a list of references to a separate sheet in the excel tool (linked above), and to the bottom of this post.

References

bbovard. (2011, April 7). Web 2.0 selection criteria: Save time choosing an appropriate tool. Retrieved from: http://olc.onlinelearningconsortium.org/Web_2.0_Selection_Criteria_Save_Time_Choosing_an_Appropriate_Tool

CAST. (2011). UDL guidelines – version 2.0: Principle I. Provide multiple means of representation. Retrieved from: http://www.udlcenter.org/aboutudl/udlguidelines/principle1

CAST. (2011). UDL guidelines – version 2.0: Principle II. Provide multiple means of action and expression. Retrieved from: http://www.udlcenter.org/aboutudl/udlguidelines/principle2

CAST. (2011). UDL guidelines – version 2.0: Principle III. Provide multiple means of engagement. Retrieved from: http://www.udlcenter.org/aboutudl/udlguidelines/principle3

Hengstler, J. (2014). Social media technology use: Planning & tool risk assessment worksheet. [Microsoft Word Document]. Retrieved from: https://d2l.viu.ca/content/enforced/56545-EDUC_OLTD506_W70_F2014/tool_risk_assessment_worksheet.docx?_&d2lSessionVal=dlegyWag5rPZkj2KPKTBwTKle&ou=56545

Hodges, C. (2011, November 2). Evaluating Web 2.0 Tools for Education.[Slideshare Presentation]. Retrieved from: http://www.slideshare.net/hodgesc/evaluating-web-20-tools-for-education

lctaylor. (n.d.). iRubric: Evaluation of web 2.0 tools rubric. Retrieved from: https://www.rcampus.com/rubricshowc.cfm?sp=yes&code=N5XA4A&

Summary of Learning for OLTD 505 – Week 6 Blog Post

Posted on June 9, 2014 by Stephanie Boychuk

For my summary of learning, I have remixed a series of video clips from our course readings. Throughout my video clips, I integrated selected quotations from my cohort members, which I feel anchor my main points. I also chose to use a visual metaphor – driving a car – to frame my presentation. The video clips I used for my driving framework are from a 1943 Disney cartoon, “Donald’s Tire Trouble”. I chose to use copyright material to illustrate my points about copyright and remixing. I also chose to use Creative Common’s licensed music in the background of my presentation, to show that I am committed to the ideals of creative commons.

I also set myself a challenge when creating my summary of learning – I did not allow myself to use paid software. Much of the material I have produced for this course has been with the aid of paid software I have access to through my workplace. I felt that it was important to use free software because it is more accessible for future uses, and it provides another resource the rest of the cohort can use as well. If I use materials and software accessible to everyone, it also increases my ability to share and contribute to the cohort.

Please use the link below to view my summary of learning:
https://viutube.viu.ca/public/media/OLTD+505+Summary+of+Learning+Stephanie+Boychuk/0_t3m3mp87

Why I’m Not Good At Sharing (And How I’m Trying To Get Better) – Week 4 Blog Post

Posted on May 22, 2014 by Stephanie Boychuk

I have a privileged perspective of the world. I was able to complete a Bachelor of Science at a research-based university – the University of Alberta. The worlds of academics and research have been a big part of my life for over 7 years. My experiences in these worlds, however, have left me gun-shy of sharing and being open for a number of reasons.

1) My data isn’t my own – I stand on the shoulders of giants

Standing upon the shoulders of giants by Mushon Zer-Aviv via Flickr (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/

Most of the data I produced as a research technician did not belong to me. It belonged to the research group, an in all technicality belonged the agencies funding the research. I needed to be extremely careful to keep any research data under lock and key (including digital locks) at all times. There was a highly competitive air to data production – especially because multiple groups were “racing” to publish on certain topics.

Now that I am working at VIU, I still struggle with “ownership” issues. The course materials I am producing are not my own – they belong to my department. At least once in the OLTD program I have walked a fine line between what is mine and what belongs to the department. It is a fuzzy, gray line but I worry about what happens if it is crossed too far.

I’m also a copyright criminal at heart – remixing and reusing materials seemingly without regard (although usually with a proper citation). I generally don’t feel any ownership over my material – so I don’t feel like I can share it.

How I’m getting better:

I’m learning to search using creative commons and open repositories first, instead of as an afterthought, and pay attention to remixing rights. If I create something totally new (however rare that is) I will try and include a CC license, so someone else can reuse it or make it better. When I remix materials, I will try and ask myself if I’ve personalized something or improved it. If I’ve just personalized it, I don’t really feel that is enough change to share it again as my own. If I feel I’ve made an improvement, I will try and share with the correct attributions.

I’m also working on my “sharing” workflow, inspired by this resource: http://www.gliffy.com/publish/4239236/?buffer_share=287e1. The tools I like to use are Twitter, G+, and Diigo. I also have a tendency to save things into a folder on my desktop (which isn’t very helpful). I try and share work-related resources on Diigo, and more general things on Twitter. G+ is just for my coursework right now, but that may change in the future.

2) I’m too young to have anything significant to say

I’ve been the youngest person in a role multiple times in my life. I was the youngest technician in my research position by 4 years, and one of the only members of the group without at least one other advanced degree (meaning I had a sever deficit in practical lab work). There was a glut of experience in our lab group, and understandably, no one had the time or inclination to listen to what I had to say.

Now, I am the youngest person in my department at VIU by nearly 6 years. Most other members of my department have years of teaching experience, or an advanced degree, or both. I think that I know what I am doing, and that I do it well, but I still find it intimidating to share anything I do with the group. It is difficult to imagine anything I do on equal footing to what other members of the group produce.

When interacting with the rest of my OLTD cohort, I see people with years of experience, people who are doing amazing things in their classrooms or at their schools, and people with a depth of thought that is truly astounding to me. I have struggled throughout this program with what my niche is and if (and how) I can contribute to the learning of the rest of the cohort.

How I’m getting better:

By Share Maroc via WikiMeida Commons
(CC BY-SA 3.0)

I’m trying to take the lessons from this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xcmI5SSQLmE to heart. I have a pretty unique background (if I do say so myself) and I tend to be very analytic when approaching educational issues. I have a strong interest in research-based practice, even if I don’t have the experience to back it up. Sometimes, that can lead me down unrealistic paths, but other times it means I have a stronger foundation to build from then others expect.

In my current role, being open about my projects and sharing resources I create is necessary for the office to run efficiently. It is one of the biggest ways everyone supports each other – I put resources up on our wiki or add them to our shared drive weekly. I’m still working on translating that process to my personal life, but I am getting better.