Using Web 2.0 Tools to Create a Professional Learning Environment 

Presentation for the ECIS IT conference at International School Dusseldorf, March 2007

This is an adaptation of the persentation given at the K12 Online Conference in October 2006 called The 21st Century Educators Toolbox: Devloping a PLE

Using Web 2.0 Tools to Create a Professional Learning Environment  Slideshow  What is a PLE? A PLE is where you can What tools help make a PLE? Why use a Wiki? What are Web 2.0 Tools? Let's look inside the Web 2.0 toolbox.......

Slideshow

 What is a PLE?

Often called a Personal Learning Environment it is a place or places on the Internet where learning and interaction with others takes place using available online tools. It is a collection of resources and tools specifically chosen by the individual to be used for recording or documenting the journey of learning professionally and also personally if desired.

A PLE is where you can

• Store pertinent information
• Show professional development
• Share personal experiences
• Share resources: socialbookmarking, online images and multimedia files
• Blog and interact
• Collaborate with educators around the world
• Publish content

What tools help make a PLE?

The PLE model advocated here uses a Wiki as a central and organising force.

Why use a Wiki?

• A wiki allows for easy and immediate web-page authoring (yes, I love Dreamweaver but............)
• A wiki allows for inclusion of multimedia and RSS feeds
• A wiki allows for collaboration with others through discussion and page creation if required

What are Web 2.0 Tools?

Photo credit: My Tech Tools 005 by jsgeometry

(see interactive version on flickr.com)

Tools are important. Ed Tech hardware tools are essential in the classroom.

Building online environments also requires easy-to-use and user-friendly tools.

Wikipedia provides an excellent starting point to come towards a definition of Web 2.0 with:

"Web 2.0, a phrase coined by O'Reilly Media in 2004,^[1] refers to a perceived second generation of web-based services—such as social networking sites, wikis, communication tools, and folksonomies—that emphasize online collaboration and sharing among users."

Let's look inside the Web 2.0 toolbox.......