Prompt 1:
Compare / Contrast your experience with using Wikis, Blogs, Google Docs, and the ELC discussion forum thus far. What advantages/ disadvantages have you found? For your own learning and style, what tools (and features) appeal to you and why
Provide supporting evidence from class discussions, readings and resources)
ANSWER:
In this class I have used all of the listed Web 2.0 tools: Wikis, Blogs, Google Docs, and the ELC discussion. These tools provide different ways information is managed and distributed within collaboration group. All of them serve one goal: making it easier to collaborate and share information.
What advantages/ disadvantages have you found?
Advantages: all tools are web-based, free or provided for a very low monthly fee, support group communication; two of the tools (Wikis and Google Docs) support Document editing without additional steps
Disadvantages: ELC is not available to the general public; Blogs don’t support document editing; not easy copy and paste a hyperlink to the Google Docs
Personally, I liked two of the listed tools the most:
- Wikis (available to everyone, easy to use, supports document editing);
- ELC (available to education community)
From my class and work experience with Web 2.0 tools I could say that the most important for the successful team collaboration is to agree on using just one tool for all of the activities. It’s very easy to mismanage your communications using more than one tool.
Here are the key things to look for when you're kicking the tires on a Web 2.0 service ((How to Use Web 2.0 Inside Your Company by Susan Kuchinskas at http://www.bnet.com/2403-13241_23-66093.html):
1. It ties in with an application your employees already use and love. This lets you sneak the application into your users' hands while providing a familiar interface.
2. It comes preconfigured with basic templates or structures to guide new users.
3. The vendor provides a human being who can help with tech support (via phone and e-mail):
There's nothing worse than being stuck in the middle of a project and being told to search through pages of forum questions to find solutions to a technical problem.
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1 comment:
Marina,
Good comparison of the tools available. To add to your thoughts about a Wiki, one additional feature that I like is the discussion board. We don’t use it in this class because we have our own discussion forum on the ELC, however, for those that are not part of the JHU community, the Wiki serves the same purpose. Did you happen to notice the difference though on how a Wiki discussion differs from an ELC discussion?
I find your post about using just one tool for team projects interesting. I see what you mean about it being easier to manage using one tool, however, for purposes of this course, part of the goal was to introduce students to a variety of tools to and gain experience using them. Without the experience, it’s hard to figure out what works best for individuals. It’s been really interesting to read these latest reflections; everyone has very different views and perspectives about what works for them and what doesn’t, and what appeals to their personal learning style.
I especially like the last part of your post from the BNET article. I can’t tell you how many times when I need to find an answer to a technical problem, I get caught up on meaningless discussion forums that don’t answer my question. That typically for me, however, has not be related to the use of a web 2.0 tool. I can see how it relates to the use of Web 2.0 tools though.
Thanks for sharing your perspectives.
Donna
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