PDD @ SCLLN: Blogs and Wikis

Southern California Library Literacy Network

Professional Development Day

San Diego CA

June 13, 2008

This posting is about the 'Wacky for Wikis' session which was also presented @ the READ/San Diego Tutor Conference, June 14. There were also sessions about: Volunteer Management, Persistence and Adult Learner Book Clubs.

Wacky for Wikis is an overview of blogs and wikis: brief look at the where and how they began, reasons to have a one or both, how to, and a brief demo on how easy it is to post, to link, to upload photos, etc.

Viewed 2 videos about Blogs:

~ Why Blog by Business Week

~ Blogs in Plain English by Commoncraft

Blogging as Revolutionary as Gutenberg Press by Chris CreeMarch 7, 2008
When Johannes Gutenberg developed his movable type printing press in the early 1400’s it revolutionized the publishing industry in many of the same ways that the recent development of blogging is.
. . . . .
Here are just a few of the ways that the movable type printing press was revolutionary.

Faster
Cheaper
Wider Distribution
Mass Communication

The internet is transforming how information is being transmitted. However publishing that information to the web still required Today’s blogging is an order of magnitude leap in publishing technology on the same level as Gutenberg’s press was over the scribes of his day. READ MORE

Also looked at some examples:
~ see SCLLN Tutor Conference-Feb 22 post.

Watched Commoncraft's video on wikis and Wetpaint's 'How Do Wikis Work.'

Where and how to compare wiki platforms @ Wikimatrix: Select the Wikis you want to compare, then press the button.

Some other blogs and wikis mentioned during the sessions:
~ Burbank Public Library blog
~ literacyspace blog
~ DLC Adult Literacy Community
~ Families for Literacy at SF Bay Area Libraries
~ Exemplary Literacy Materials Online (ELMO)
~ Adult Literacy Education (ALE) Wiki
~ Burbank Public Library Wiki / Littlewiki

graphic from: Curso Sobre Wikis