blog applications in the classroom and beyond 231 st acs national meeting atlanta / 26 march 2006
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Blog Applications in the Classroom and Beyond 231 st ACS National Meeting Atlanta / 26 March 2006. Randy Reichardt Research Services Librarian (Engineering) Science & Technology Library / University of Alberta, Edmonton [email protected] Research Services Librarian - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Blog Applications in the Classroom and Beyond
231st ACS National Meeting Atlanta / 26 March 2006
Randy ReichardtResearch Services Librarian (Engineering)
Science & Technology Library / University of Alberta, Edmonton
[email protected] Services Librarian
National Institute for Nanotechnology, [email protected]
http://stlq.info/acs231.ppt ORhttp://stlq.info/acs231.pdf
Outline of Presentation the basics – social software, blogging blogging: demographics, why do it? blog application in chemical engineering
design class group projects RSS feeds and “Blog This” – examples
from Compendex and Knovel dbs a scitech library blog, a scitech
librarianship blog..
Definitions Social Software: “ . . . refers to various,
loosely connected types of applications that allow individuals to communicate with one another, and to track discussions across the Web as they happen” (Tepper 2003)
Blogs: “... are simply Web pages with reverse chronologically arranged individual posts.” (Pikas 2005)
Blogging Numbers – Data from the Pew
Internet & American Life Project
145 million people (72%) of American adults use the Internet
Of the 145 million adult Internet users: 13.05 million (9%) have created a blog
(09/2005 survey) 39.15 million (27%) read blogs (09/2005
survey) 5% use newsreaders (RSS) to get news and
other info from blogs and content-rich sites (11/2004 survey)
62% do not know what a blog is (11/2004 survey)
Blogging Demographics – Data from the Pew Internet & American Life
Project
From the November 2004 survey data: 57% are male 48% under 30 years of age 70% have broadband at home 82% online for six or more years 42% live in households with >$50,000 earnings 39% have college or graduate degrees
Data extracted from: http://207.21.232.103/PPF/r/144/report_display.asp http://207.21.232.103/trends/Internet_Activities_12.05.05.
htm
Why Blog? – Many Reasons
share your ideas, opinions, news, photos, links, data
manage your information consolidate files, documents, links, in one place
In the science/engineering classroom: manage teams and/or group projects
collaboration, communication of tasks, opportunity for feedback
In the library: disseminate news, information, library services
internally: manage teams, projects
Using Blogs for Project Mgmt:The University of Alberta
Chemical Engineering Design Class Experience
question: how might groups of four students working on a full-term design project manage the flow of information between team members?
team members communicate by: multiple e-mails, some with attachments phone calls and/or text messaging (solo or
group) paper trails coordinating and attending group meetings individual and group IM yelling at each other across the computer lab
Chem Eng 464: Teamwork is Critical!
Blogging in a Team Environment (1)
Communication between team members becomes linear, chronological
All entries are archived for future reference Team members have access to their blog from
any connected machine; reduces or eliminates need for multiple e-mails, phone calls, etc
Ability to upload critical documents and links to one location accessible by all; this includes revisions!
Allows for “copy and paste” to project reports
Blogging in a Team Environment (2)
a team member posts – other team members can comment, lead to new posts, further discussion, new ideas, progress!
teams may choose to add additional contributors: chem eng librarian, chem eng professor, industry
contact (off campus engineer), others non-team members can contribute to the blog, monitor
progress of the project blogs help to “level the playing field” among team
members extroverts, introverts, lurkers, all are encouraged to
contribute
In-House Dilemma – U of AlbertaDoes Not Support Blogging as a Teaching Tool!
Case study:U Alberta Chem Eng 464 Design
Class Group Project Design project title: “Remote Site Water
Treatment” Problem: surface waters in excavation sites at
Alberta oilfields are contaminated; costs to dispose are high
contaminants include heavy metals salts, residual hydrocarbons, and H2S
Objective: “design a skid-mounted unit that will reduce the contaminated water at~5m³/day by evaporation using only remote-accessible renewable resources.”
To manage the project: incorporate a blog into the workflow
Anatomy of a blog used to manage this project:
Chem Eng Librarian
Design Group Members
Instructor &Off-campus
contact
Design ProjectDetails
Subject-RelatedLinks
UploadedDocuments
Title ofDesign Project
Posts
Feedback
Documentsfrom
Instructor
Links toPrevious
Posts
Archives
This entry reviewsteam members’assignments
and responsibilities
Example of use of the blog to share information
other than in textformat. Team
members sketchpotential design for
project, uploadand share immediatelywith team members.
No need tosave file and send to teammembers as
e-mailattachment.
Feedback rec’d, leads tofurther discussion, etc.
Students Will Be Innovative!
This group chose to embeda chat function within
their blog – eliminatingfurther e-mails, phone
calls, etc
Blogging and Dbs Few database platforms offer embedded
blogging or RSS functionality Summer 2005: Engineering Village 2
introduces RSS feeds and “Blog This” options
Engineering Village 2 includes: Compendex (engineering), Inspec (computer, electrical, physics), NTIS (US Gov)
Fall 2005, Knovel adds RSS feeds for new titles
Examples from the Compendex (aka Engineering Index) and Knovel dbs:
Enter search terms:“chemical looping combustion”
Results page: 59 records retrieved
Choose first record
Option to “Blog This”is available for each record
EV2 generatesthe HTML required
to add the titleinfo to your blog
Open blog mgmtsoftware,
cut and paste codeinto new entry
Blog posting appears asa link from the articletitle to the full citationin the database on theEV2 platform – in thisexample: Compendex
Citation, abstract, andEV Controlled Terms appear
when the link is clickedin an IP-authenticated
environment.
RSS Feeds RSS = Real Simple Syndication/Rich Site
Summaries In Engineering Village 2 databases, RSS feeds
can be created on the fly, as you create and modify your search
Each time your search is modified or changed, the RSS feed changes with it
Search: (nanostructured materials ORnanocomposites) AND (polymer blends)
Search results listed.RSS feed generatedfor search question
How “search question”appears in db
RSS feed to cutand paste into
RSS reader such asBloglines
Examples of RSS feeds for EV2 searches, running in Bloglines
Nano and polymerblends searchfrom previous
slideFeed titles can be editedto shorter descriptions
How the entries appear when viewed in Bloglines.Note that only the title of each article is listed!
From Bloglines, clicked citations appear in “Detailed” format:
Abstract or Detailed Recordwill open only in an
IP-authenticated environment.
Knovel Library – offers RSS feeds for new title updates
Choose subjectarea of interest
RSS feed will alertnewsreader when
new chem/chem engtitles are added
Knovel RSS feeds
in Bloglines
Blogs Beyond the Classroom
examples of other blog use include:
in the library in the library profession
Info Desk Team Blog
Tips sheets: Infopreviously saved in
paper files, on shared drives, etc.
Typical post:Info desk staff
advised ofupcoming majorassignment in
undergrad chemistry class.
My work-relatedblog, STLQ:http://stlq.infoThe SciTech
Library Question
Began in April 2003 – I postedresponses to a
query aboutscitech/eng
librariesoffering off-site
info service.
STLQ featuresentries from four other librarians,who contribute
occasionalopinion and news-related
items of interest.
Why do it?- helps keep me current
- make new contacts- opportunities to collaborate
- initiate discussion- express opinions
- share information and news-discover new resources- develop writing skills - develop editing skills
-it can be FUN!
Special Thanks Members of the Chem Eng 464 Remote Site
Water Treatment design group, Edmonton AB
Bryan Keane and Knovel Corporation, Norwich NY
Amanda Etches-Johnson, Mills Memorial Library, McMaster University, Hamilton ON
Gali Halevi, Elsevier Engineering Information, New York NY
Christina Pikas, Applied Physics Laboratory, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore MD
and to Erja for inviting me!
Thank you!Randy Reichardt
Science & Technology LibraryUniversity of Alberta
Edmonton AB T6G 2J8780.492.7911
