A book Review

By.Iman Othman

Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts, and Other Web Tools
Iman Othman
Professor Huei-Chu Chen

EDIT 490

Richardson's book gives a novice enough information to get started using web tools. For instance, in the first chapter of the book, he explains the reader with Weblogs .He defines blogs as, "a form of easily created, easily updateable Website that allows an author (or authors) to publish instantly to the Internet" (Richardson, 2006). After establishing what a blog is, he coaches the reader how to create a blog. In doing so, he gives technical information for creating a public blog (anyone can read) or a private blog (which only authorized users have access). He offers a range of uses for blogs including "class portals, online filing cabinets for student work, e-portfolios, collaborative space, knowledge management and school websites" (p. 21). He provides a list of sites where the reader can review how blogs are being used in education as both research tools and teaching instruments. Richardson repeats his effective format throughout the text.
After explaining to the reader how to build a blog, wiki, etc., he gives suggestions how to use them in the classroom. Unfortunately, many of his lesson plans are geared toward elementary through high school students. Community college lecturers will find the examples less obviously helpful than the technical aspects of the book; however, the examples certainly provide general ideas that can be adapted to something more appropriate for a community college classroom.
The book provides an informative summary of the resources available and how to use them. The book is most useful for readers with limited exposure to blogs, wikis, or web feed formats.
Conclusion: this is a great guide for those who have yet to start with social software. It is an easy read and provides many examples that make you eager to get started. The advanced social software user will of course see much familiar stuff, but this target group also has much to gain, especially from the last chapter which clearly details the meaning of social software for education. The broad focus on information skills is also positively outstanding.
Case Study
There are tow cases study which attracted my attention in this book;
A- A six grader teacher(Rob Lucas) from north Carolina, who created the teacher’s Lounge blog(www.teacherslounge.typead.com) .Basically it’s a site where any teacher can come and leave a lesson plan for other teachers to share. His site develops an extensive library of creative, finely tuned, engaging, exciting lessons. I think this is a site that gives a meaningful blog for many teachers and educators, provides new ideas and can lead to an improvement in different felids in education.
B- Radio WilloWeb from the willodale elementary school in Omaha, Nebraska (www.mpsomaha.org/willow/radio/index.html).The willow casts online radio shows for kids by kids ,each show has its own host theme and unique segments, which can include things as “bad joke, good joke”, “holiday spotlight” and much more. Such a podcast encourage our student to be creative and discover their talents and benefits, give teachers a significant role in students accomplishment. I think it’s a great idea that we can do with podcasts.






Bibliography
Richardson, W. (2006). Blogs,Wikis,Poadcasts,and Other web Tools for Classrooms. California: Corwin Press.