Web 2.0 and faculty development

[Gayla Keesee]

I am currently doing research on how we can effectively use Web 2.0 tools in faculty development programming. I am thinking that Web 2.0 tools have five distinct functions: communication, collaboration, documentation, generation, interaction/exchange.

I would be interested BOTH in examples of how any of you (or your institution) might be using blogs, wikis, slideshare, etc to develop online communities of practice and any empirical research or articles on the use of Web 2.0 tools and faculty development in general.

[Sue Frantz]

I had this very question submitted to my 'Technology for Educators' blog recently. Here is the blog post I wrote in response.

My best
Sue

[Gayla Keesee]

Starting a Blog is really an easy process. I would suggest using Blogger as an easy, user-friendly site. It's a Google product. Here's a YouTube tutorial on how to get started. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ryb4VPSmKuo

I have not had much response regarding my request for examples of how to use Web 2.0 for faculty development. And I haven't found many articles. Frontline Faculty Development Technology Tools (slideshare presentation); USING WEB 2.0 FOR FACULTY DEVELOPMENT http://www.iamse.org/conf/conf12/abstracts/Instructional%20Methods/...; Using Web 2.0 Tools to Deepen Student Engagement & Faculty Collaboration--grant proposal http://media.umassp.edu/massedu/itc/TelloLewisShea.pdf; Web 2.0 for the 21st Century Learner (EDUCAUSE)

[Alev Elci]

I also need a sample survey: faculty needs for developing themselves using Web 2.0. I hope I have written the sentence clearly ;) If you find one please let me know. Gayla please correct my wordings if wrong. Since I want to write your request and my request to another group. They may help both of us.

[Gayla Keesee]

What I have found is that many faculty don't even know what you mean when you say Web 2.0. So, one of the things I am doing is providing informational brown bag lunches and such to start things off. I've also incorporated Web 2.0 technologies into the Technology in the Classroom professional development course already offered before I came. I plan to create flyers that promote the benefits of using Web 2.0 technologies to get faculty interested in the mini seminars. Once people know what Web 2.0 means, I hope they will attend the hands-on workshops to help them USE the technologies.

Alev: As far as a survey regarding Web 2.0, I think your survey needs to address faculty needs overall. Web 2.0 are just more technological tools. Find out what faculty see as their overall pedagogical needs and then look at which technologies can help them address those needs. Do you currently have a professional development survey that you use?