LIBR 246-12: Web 2.0 and Social Networking Tools (Fall 2008)

September 1 - September 7, 2008

• Learning Objectives
• Lecture
• Readings
• Examples
• Things to Do
  

 

Learning Objectives

By the end of the week, you should:

1. Have a general understanding of the technical principles behind the way blogs work

2. Have a firm grasp of blogging terminology.

3. Understand how blogs create community and why people blog.

4. Identify some strategies for developing a successful blog.

 

Lecture

No lecture this week since we'll be having an Elluminate session.

 

Readings

Farkas, Chapter 2
Coates, T. (2003). "Discussion and Citation in the Blogopshere." plasticbag.org.
Efimova, L. et al. (2005). "Finding 'the life between buildings': An approach for defining a weblog community." AOIR Internet Research 6.0: Internet Generations, Chicago, 2005.
Walker, J. (2005). "Weblogs: Learning in Public." On the Horizon, 13.
Schnell, E. (2007). "Is Blogging Scholarly Communication?" The Medium is the Message.
Stephens, M. (2007). "Modeling the Role of Blogging in Librarianship: Librarian, why do you blog?" Tame the Web.
Martin, M. (2007). "Getting Started with Blogging." Bamboo Project Blog. (visit some of the links that you think might be useful)
Clasper, E. (2007). "My Story About Telling Stories." Library Revolution.
Library Garden. (2007). "Top Ten Tips for a Successful Team Blog."

 

Examples

Take a look at some of these successul blogs and think about what makes them so successful.

1. librarian.net

2. The Librarian in Black

3. ACRLog

4. Tame the Web

5. Read/Write Web

6. Seth Godin's Blog

7. Gizmodo

8. MicroPersuasion

 

Things to Do

1. Complete Exercise 1 (due September 6)

2. Write at least one blog posts on one (or more) of the following topics (due September 6):

1. How do you think blogging will contribute to your learning in this class?

2. How do you think community forms in the "blogosphere?"

3. Describe your impressions of the successful blogs you looked at above.

4. Write your own reflections on what you learned this week.

3. Write a blog post that includes a brief description of an article, technology, blog post, or other interesting resource outside of the classwork you've found that's related to that week's topic. Be sure to include a link to the resource (due September 6).

4. Comment on at least two other people's blog posts (due September 8).

5. Mandatory Elluminate session Thursday, September 4, 2008 6:30-8:00 pm PT.