Below are some easy to print handouts and checklists, which you can use to help improve your study.

Activity: Start this chapter by taking the 'test your web knowledge' quiz

Figure 7E Mindmap – Using a computer and researching online

These journal articles have been chosen to give you a deeper understanding of the topics covered in this chapter and to help you read more widely. Click on the link below to access the journal article.

What Is the Impact of Online Resource Materials on Student Self-Learning Strategies?, David John Dowell and Felicity A. Small, Journal of Marketing Education 2011 33: 140 originally published online 31 May 2011

What Is the Impact of Online Resource Materials on Student Self-Learning Strategies?, David John Dowell and Felicity A. Small, Journal of Marketing Education, August 2011; vol. 33, 2: pp. 140–148, first published on May 31, 2011

An Evaluation of Students’ Perceptions and Engagement with e-learning Components in a Campus based University, Afam Ituma, Active Learning in Higher Education, March 2011; vol. 12, 1: pp. 57–68

Unrestricted Student Blogging: Implications for Active Learning in a Virtual Text-based Environment, Craig Deed and Anthony Edwards, Active Learning in Higher Education, March 2011; vol. 12, 1: pp. 11–21

Distinguishing the Learning Approaches Adopted by Undergraduates in their Use of Online Resources, Jasper Knight, Active Learning in Higher Education, March 2010; vol. 11, 1: pp. 67–76

Anytime Learning Literacies Environment (ALLE)

http://hermes.uwl.ac.uk/learnerjourney/

This project has three different learner journeys to help students starting with their studies:

a) The academic journey b) The library learning journey c) Digital tools for learning Explore it and use it.

The Internet Detective helps you effectively evaluate your resources http://www.vtstutorials.ac.uk/detective/

Mini Cases

LearnHigher (www.learnhigher.ac.uk) is an excellent resource that has hints, tips and online materials for students on all aspects of studying, from time management to mobile learning to group work to being creative.

WriteNow (www.writenow.ac.uk) is all about student writing, and has a free book on writing designed by students, for students, available to download.

Reusable Learning Objects (www.rlo-cetl.ac.uk) has a website containing a whole range of small multi-media resources on a huge range of topics, from languages to maths to nursing to science and study skills.

Presentations with a Difference

GLO Maker

The RLO-CETL project developed free software to enable the free creation and/or repurposing of multi-media resources www.glomaker.org

There is a blog with tutorials and examples here http://glomaker.wetpaint.com/

Xtra-normal http://www.xtranormal.com/ is another great tool, but instead of presenting your work in a traditional form, you use avatars to create a movie that get your point across in a very effective way.

Prezi, allows you to build your presentation into a website http://prezi.com, (http://hermes.uwl.ac.uk/learnerjourney/journey2_prezi.html)

Suggestions for Getting Started

Download: This four page overview of web 2.0 technologies http://www.rossdawsonblog.com/Web2_Framework.pdf

Cristina Costa (based at the University of Salford as the Research Technologies Development Officer) has a series of great presentations about all things web-based on her slideshare account, this is a good starting point http://www.slideshare.net/cristinacost/social-media-for-newbies-8800689 Cristina also has examples of her different projects at her website here www.knowmansland.com/

Also Explore Alternative Spaces in Virtual Worlds

Some universities are starting to use 3D worlds for some aspects of teaching and learning. One of the best known is Second Life http://secondlife.com/

Blogs

Want to create your own blog?

http://www.blogger.com

http://www.wordpress.co.uk

Interesting blogs that we follow:

University librarian blog http://www.daveyp.com/blog/archives/1370

Student Learning and Teaching Network http://studentlandtnetwork.ning.com/

The Student cycle blog – useful tips http://www.thestudentcycle.co.uk/

Postings from an e-learner http://www.e-learningconfessions.blogspot.com/

PhD student blog on producing a Literature Review http://onlinelitreview.blogspot.com/2008/07/blog-entry-for-tuesday-22nd-july.html

Psychology blog: Understand your mind http://www.spring.org.uk/

Uses of technology for learning http://cyber-kap.blogspot.com

IM – Instant Messaging

With IM, you can interact with friends or colleagues who are online when you are

http://communication.howstuffworks.com/instant-messaging.htm

Twitter is a social networking site where people tweet briefly about their research, up-to-the-minute articles and stories http://www.twitter.com/

Wikis: A wiki is a collaborative website which can be directly edited by anyone with access to it. There is a good example of wiki use at http://evolvingessay.pbwiki.com/

Wikipedia for research is a useful tool. However, like all sources, not everything in Wikipedia is accurate, comprehensive, or unbiased http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Researching_with_Wikipedia

Watch: The machine is using us http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gmP4nk0EOE

Video tutorials give you an idea about the kinds of things that are possible. See http://wiki.secondlife.com/wiki/Video_Tutorials to get started.

For understanding social media, Lee Lefever and his 'Commoncraft' YouTube clips are great for simple, illustrated tutorials on all the different tools social media tools http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6a_KF7TYKVc