LESSON PLAN FOR SOCIAL BOOKMARKING 

I will first need to determine what my students know about social bookmarking.  I suspect that many will have some idea about them, but may have not considered them as a means to enhance their own learning and teaching.  To that end, I will facilitate a short discussion asking some of the following questions:

Having gathered some idea of what they know, I can now show them what they are, how they are used, and what they can do for them.  (I will hopefully have access to the Internet and LCD.)  Before I show them my bookmark page, I want them to get into groups of at least 3 and no more than 4 to brainstorm a list of keywords (which I believe become their “tags”), and topics that might show them sites for our courses.   After each group has a list for say, Educational Psychology, and we have combined words and such, I will have them create a list of keywords and topics for both Educational Research, and Philosophy of Education.  I will connect to the Internet and show my students my del.icio.us page that already has many bookmarks of places that I like and can link to right away.   I will share sites that I have saved that are just for our courses too.   

It will be important that I share how to create their own del.icio.us page.  With that in mind, I will sign up for our own page so that they see how it is done from the get-go.  Since I have 8 hour sessions with my groups most of the time, and since many students bring their laptops to class (with wireless capabilities!), I can have students help each other create their own bookmarking pages.   I will to go to a site that has information about one of our courses, type the tag I use for it, click “save” and it is captured!  Cool!  
I can then go about showing them how to subscribe to the specific tag that I will give them.  It will probably be the name of the town that the cohort is in.  (Chicago, Racine, or Milwaukee)   Their assignment will be to begin looking for sites that relate to the topic they have chosen to research.  Doing this one course at a time will give them opportunities to share things from and with other students.  I can see a great network of ideas and options coming from all over the Web 2.0! 

In addition, I will have the opportunity to find sites related to our course topic and share those with everyone. Personally, as I learn more about the possibilities of bookmarking for myself, I can see my own professional development growing as I continue to learn.  I would like to use the idea for others that I teach with too.  And that is my story and I’m sticking to it!   See you. 
Sue  

4-B-2 Brien Learning via RSS

I really hope to use RSS so that I can keep current with the latest and greatest research and ideas for each of the foundations courses I teach.  I like that I will magically find content sent to me.   I can read what I think is relevant, use ideas, activities, and suggestions from others that teach what I teach, and share everything with my students.   I can direct my students to blogs and RSS feeds that are thought provoking and intriguing.   I can’t help but think that the RSS I find would only help my teaching; I know it will help my students learn.   It’s an opportunity that I simply cannot pass up! 

Sue