PageflakesPageflakes®® for Educatorsfor Educators

An informal chat session led byAn informal chat session led by

Gladys BayaGladys Bayahttp://www.pageflakes.com/gladysbayahttp://www.pageflakes.com/gladysbaya

For For

Multiliteracies for Social Networking and CollaborativeMultiliteracies for Social Networking and Collaborative Learning Environments Learning Environments

An An EVO-2009EVO-2009 workshop workshop

Jan 22, 2009Jan 22, 2009Hosted at: Hosted at: http://tinyurl.com/y3ehhttp://tinyurl.com/y3eh

Overview of the sessionOverview of the session

What is What is PageflakesPageflakes®®?? How can it help me, an educator:How can it help me, an educator:

Browse the Web more effectively? (startpages)Browse the Web more effectively? (startpages) Help others follow me on the Web more Help others follow me on the Web more

effectively? (lifestreaming)effectively? (lifestreaming) Help my classes browse the Web more Help my classes browse the Web more

effectively?effectively? Other similar tools (Other similar tools (NetvibesNetvibes, , ProtopageProtopage, ,

etc.)etc.)

How much do you know How much do you know about…?about…?

RSS, feeds and syndication RSS, feeds and syndication

RSS (Rich Site Summary, or Really Simple RSS (Rich Site Summary, or Really Simple Syndication) is Syndication) is a format for delivering regularly a format for delivering regularly changing web contentchanging web content. Many news-related sites, . Many news-related sites, weblogs and other online publishers syndicate their weblogs and other online publishers syndicate their content as an content as an RSS FeedRSS Feed to whoever wants it. to whoever wants it.

Why RSS? Why RSS? It allows you to It allows you to easily stay informedeasily stay informed by retrieving by retrieving the latest content from the sites you are interested the latest content from the sites you are interested in. You in. You save timesave time by not needing to visit each site by not needing to visit each site individually. You individually. You ensure your privacyensure your privacy, by not , by not needing to join each site's email newsletter.needing to join each site's email newsletter.

Source: Source: http://www.whatisrss.com/

Recommended: Recommended: RSS in Plain English (3-minute video)

Social Social bookmarkingbookmarking

You can You can savesave your favourite websites and your favourite websites and sendsend them to your friends, but you can also look at them to your friends, but you can also look at what other people have found interesting enough what other people have found interesting enough to to tagtag. Most social bookmarking sites allow you . Most social bookmarking sites allow you to to browsebrowse through the items based on most through the items based on most popular, recently added, or belonging to a certain popular, recently added, or belonging to a certain category like EFL, technology,, blogging, category like EFL, technology,, blogging, freeware, etc.freeware, etc.

You can even You can even searchsearch through what people have through what people have bookmarked by typing in what you are looking for bookmarked by typing in what you are looking for in the search tool. In fact, social bookmarking in the search tool. In fact, social bookmarking sites are being used assites are being used as intelligent search engines.intelligent search engines.

Source: Source: http://webtrends.about.com/od/socialbookmarking101/p/aboutsocialtags.htm

Recommended: Recommended: Social Bookmarking in Plain English (3-minute video)(3-minute video)

HTML codeHTML code

HTML is a computer language devised to allow website creation, and it has code-words and syntax like any other language.

HTML (HyperText Markup Language) stands for: HyperText -the method by which you move around

on the web — by clicking on special text called hyperlinks.

Markup - what HTML tags (e.g. <i> or </i>) do to the text inside them. They mark it as a certain type of text (e.g. <i>hello</i> will read as “hello” -italicised text).

Source: http://www.yourhtmlsource.com/starthere/whatishtml.html#WHATISHTML

Recommended: Webmonkey:HTML Cheatsheet

WidgetsWidgets

A web widget is a mini-web application you can put in your web page, blog or social profile that can quickly and easily provide your visitors with, user specific information , extra functionality, and even a bit of fun and games.

A widget is available in a ready-to-use formats and are visually attractive and customizable by the user. It takes the form of pictures, graphs, statistics, summary, or just numbers.

It’s a snippet of HTML code which is available from the the website which hosts the widget. you can "copy" that code and "embed" in your web page.

Source: http://www.widgets-gadgets.com/2007/08/what-is-web-widget.html

Recommended: Social Bookmarking in Plain English (3-minute video)

So… what is So… what is PageflakesPageflakes®®??

With Pageflakes® and similar online tools, you'll be able to create your own free personal home webpage, bringing everything that you are interested in to one place. This makes it easy to see when your favourite blogs and sites have been updated, what your friends are saying on Twitter, or even what the weather is like!

Source: http://www.widgets-gadgets.com/2007/08/what-is-web-widget.html

Recommended: What is Pageflakes? (6-minute video)

Once you register, you get your Once you register, you get your page…page…

Click on the Flake icon at the top. Then click on “Browse Flakes” and “Add RSS feed” to add your favourite flakes (widgets).

All Flakes can be edited - simply click the "edit" link in each Flake's header. You can also delete a Flake (X) or collapse/expand it (the arrow icon in each Flake's footer area).

You can create several pages, and choose the most suitable layout (1 to 4 columns, different width options)

Also, you’ll be able to customize your theme.

Once you’re ready…Once you’re ready…

Share and publish your page (with those you choose, or with the world!). To do this, please click on "Make Pagecast".

You can have as many pages (tabs) as you want,

and each of them can have a different setting for privacy.

Browse the Pagecast Gallery for pagecasts you may want to follow. Add them to your tabs with just one click!

Especially for Especially for educators…educators…

You may want to start at: You may want to start at: http://teacher.pageflakes.com/http://teacher.pageflakes.com/

Pageflakes®- TEACHER Pageflakes®- TEACHER EDITIONEDITION

http://teacher.pageflakes.com/http://teacher.pageflakes.com/ Includes:Includes:

Automatic selection of suggested "Seed Flakes" Automatic selection of suggested "Seed Flakes" for teachers (and possibly students). Valuable for teachers (and possibly students). Valuable library (incl. several blogs by teachers)! library (incl. several blogs by teachers)!

An online grade trackerAn online grade tracker A task list and A task list and A built in writing tutorA built in writing tutor

Users can actually blog and create a Users can actually blog and create a discussion forum directly in their feed discussion forum directly in their feed reader---making an all-in-one digital home reader---making an all-in-one digital home for our students.for our students.

Source: http://teacherleaders.typepad.com/the_tempered_radical/2008/02/pageflakes-for.html

Vance Stevens’ StartpageVance Stevens’ Startpagehttp://www.pageflakes.com/vancestevens/13491441 http://www.pageflakes.com/vancestevens/13491441

Lifestreaming with Lifestreaming with Pageflakes®Pageflakes®

http://www.pageflakes.com/gladysbayahttp://www.pageflakes.com/gladysbaya

My Pagecast for my teen classesMy Pagecast for my teen classeshttp://www.pageflakes.com/gladysbaya/145http://www.pageflakes.com/gladysbaya/145

4928449284

An example by Carla ArenaAn example by Carla Arenahttp://www.pageflakes.com/elearningcthttp://www.pageflakes.com/elearningct

jj

More worth-visiting More worth-visiting examplesexamples

Ambassador to ChinaAmbassador to China - a webquest on - a webquest on China and its culture, created for a 3rd China and its culture, created for a 3rd grade class in the USA by John Calvert:grade class in the USA by John Calvert:

http://www.pageflakes.com/http://www.pageflakes.com/ambassadortochina/22509356/ ambassadortochina/22509356/

The Road is CallingThe Road is Calling – a webquest on US – a webquest on US geography, created for a 2nd grade class geography, created for a 2nd grade class in the USA by Christine Calvertin the USA by Christine Calvert

http://www.pageflakes.com/http://www.pageflakes.com/theroadiscalling theroadiscalling

Comparing optionsComparing options(Source: (Source: http://alpha.benchmarkr.com/benchmarkrs/10/charthttp://alpha.benchmarkr.com/benchmarkrs/10/chart))

Created on Feb 23, 2007

Looking for Looking for tutorials?tutorials?

How to change your theme (under 2-min video):How to change your theme (under 2-min video): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DAyfNLngfBshttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DAyfNLngfBs How to share your page (46-second video):How to share your page (46-second video): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=14Nz_UlFHH4http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=14Nz_UlFHH4 How to add a Pagecast (1-minute video):How to add a Pagecast (1-minute video): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DAyfNLngfBshttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DAyfNLngfBs

Other recommended linksOther recommended links

http://www.technogogy.org.uk/rss_pres/rss_pres.htmlhttp://www.technogogy.org.uk/rss_pres/rss_pres.html - - Video introduction to RSS and personal start pages – 6:06)Video introduction to RSS and personal start pages – 6:06)

http://learningwithcomputers07.pbwiki.com/http://learningwithcomputers07.pbwiki.com/Personal+Start+Pages – “Learning-with-Computers” Personal+Start+Pages – “Learning-with-Computers” discusses Pageflakes and other similar tools, led by Mary discusses Pageflakes and other similar tools, led by Mary Hillis and Nina LyulkunHillis and Nina Lyulkun

http://nikpeachey.blogspot.com/2008/07/creating-personal-http://nikpeachey.blogspot.com/2008/07/creating-personal-homepage.htmlhomepage.html - Nik Peachey blogs on how and why teachers should - Nik Peachey blogs on how and why teachers should create a personal startpagecreate a personal startpage

Gladys Baya’s Pageflakes playlist on YouTube: Gladys Baya’s Pageflakes playlist on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/my_playlists?http://www.youtube.com/my_playlists?pi=0&ps=20&sf=&sa=0&sq=&dm=0&p=47D98E88AB788pi=0&ps=20&sf=&sa=0&sq=&dm=0&p=47D98E88AB788594#594#

Pageflakes bookmarks on Diigo: Pageflakes bookmarks on Diigo: http://www.diigo.com/search?what=pageflakes http://www.diigo.com/search?what=pageflakes