The purpose of this site is to introduce you to several web2.0 social software tools.

This is not a casual initiative, your kids are using them already.

They are engaging with each other socially, and in many cases have created their own personal web2.0 tools accounts.

The other reason you should care about this is that you will spend extensive time away from your families.

These tools make it easier to maintain a more social contact than is possible with just e-mail or telephone.

Finally, many of you will work collaboratively with multiple organizations or personnel at geographically separated areas and these tools are designed with that in mind.

We'll see how this makes it possible to collaborate without being face to face.


Learning Objectives:

Understand what web2.0 tools are and how they can be used to improve your personal social requirements and to establish an effective collaborative work environment.

Be able to create a functional set of web2.0 tools based on your personal and professional needs that improves social connectivity.

Be able to create a functional set of web2.0 tools based on your professional needs that improves your capability to work collaboratively.


There are two major points we need to understand about web2.0 tools.

First they enable you to directly add content to the web, you no longer have to rely on an IT Specialist.

Second, these tools have a significant capability for you to work collaboratively with others, hence the characterization as social software.

Initially we will explore Wikis, Blogs and RSS Aggregators, but understand that there are many more that we eventually will learn more about.

Even after you graduate I'll continue to add web2.0 tool pages so you can continue to build your toolkit.


So....where to start? Begin by reviewing the page links on the left side of the page.

There are individual pages for Wikis, Blogs, RSS, Online Photo Sharing, and Social Bookmarking.

Each of these pages will assist you in understanding what the tool is, how it can be used, and how to create one for your own use.

Note also that in the Online Photo Sharing page there is a link for Flikr; we'll use that to photo-document your class activities.

This includes offsites such as the Chancellorsville Staff Ride and the spy museum.

All of you will have access, and access will be limited to you and your faculty members only.

Note the glossary, it contains many of the current definitions of each of our web2.0 social software tools (courtesy of Wikipedia).

Finally a schedule page. Consider this a tool 29A can use to share major class events. This will be used at both my and your option.