Learning technologies have evolved rapidly in the last twenty years - from laser disks to CD-ROMs to web-based courses to the use of Blogs, Wiki’s, RSS Feeds and Widgets. If used properly these new technologies can be powerful tools for connecting learners to one another and accelerating innovation and knowledge acquisition within the organization. As learning professionals, an important competency is to understand how these newer technologies support learning. Here are some of the more well-known tools:
Blog
A blog—a journal of written entries including thoughts, links and pictures or videos—allow employees to comment on the author’s entries but not alter the original text or entry in any way. Blogs are analogous to a monologue—a person speaks and others listen. According to the book, Groundswell, one in four Americans read online blogs. Blogs within organizations can be used for clarification of terms, providing tips and techniques, and posting lists of valuable resources. They are also often used for listing internal experts, answering frequently asked questions and listing of do’s and don’ts within an organization.
Wiki
A wiki is a self-organizing knowledge web site. If a blog is a monologue, then a wiki is a discussion. Wiki software allows users to create, edit and link web pages easily. Wiki software is often used to create collaborative websites. The term “wiki” is from a Hawaiian word that means “fast” or “to hasten.” It is so named because of the speed in which wiki software allows someone to update the web site. The best known consumer focused wiki is Wikipedia, an online encyclopedia edited by people from all over the world. But don’t confuse a wiki with Wikipedia. The wiki software allows you to password protect your entries and limit access so it is not a wild free-for-all that many imagine.
Really Simple Syndication (RSS) and Widgets
RSS is a tool that goes out to blogs, wikis and other Web 2.0 information and automatically brings it to the learner. The learner views the feeds or content from other locations on the Internet or Intranet through the use of something called an RSS Aggregator. An aggregator simply collects a number of RSS feeds and presents them all in one place organized as desired by the person receiving the RSS feed. http://www.pageflakes.com/ is an RSS aggregator as is http://www.igoogle.com/ which is a customizable web-page that allows you to select whatever RSS feeds you desire. A widget is a mini-application that connects to the Intranet or Internet which typically has only one or two functions. Widgets typically work with RSS feeds but then can add interactivity or functionality. For example, a widget for the stock market might show a continual update of the market as well as allow the user to enter a specific stock symbol to view the performance for that day, week, month or year.
Combined, these technologies can be used to bring an organization’s learning function into the 21st century and increase employee performance and productivity.
Having trouble deciding whether a blog or a wiki is more appropriate for a particular implementation? Check out this linkhttp://karlkapp.blogspot.com/2009/01/blog-or-wiki.html
