Setting up a Collaborative Ning Website

Module 7

As a teacher, you may want to set up a simple way for a group of teachers in your grade, or even your class to keep in contact with each other for various reasons. A collaborative ‘Ning’ website is very easy to make and maintain. In a Ning website you invite the people you want to join your website and you can add photos and documents to your Ning. This is a very easy and effective way to keep in touch with a group with whom you are collaborating. Ning is sometimes referred to as a ‘social network’.

Plan It Plan It

Think about the following questions, and, working with a partner or group, discuss your ideas. Writing your ideas on a sheet of paper might be helpful.

For what reason might you decide to use an online collaborative website?
What information or idea would you like to gather or share via this online collaborative website?
In what classroom context will you use this online collaborative website?

Note: There are no Help Guide resources to support this activity.

We will use the Ning website for this purpose of this exercise.

Do It

Start the web browser software, and go to http://www.ning.com
Sign up and join.
You will need to use your email account for this as Ning sends notifications of new messages to you via your email address. (If you don’t have a free email address click here.)
Click on ‘Create a Ning network’. All you have to do is create a name for your network and an intenet address for your network. Choose words relating to the use of your network.
Once you have created it you will be asked to choose a theme and layout. Make sure you include ‘blog post’, forum’, ‘chat’ to the layout options.
The ‘blog’ post is where you can add information.
The ‘forum’ is where you can have your discussions.
You can also add documents that you want to share to the forum.
If you know at least one person you would like to invite send them an invitation from your new Ning website.
Get to know your Ning website and write a blog post about the website and how you want to use it.

Review It

Review the new Ning website that you have created. Consider the following questions:

Will the use of this website enhance collaboration for the purpose you have created it?
How will you introduce the use of the website to those you have decided to invite.
How will you know whether the people you have invited will join?
Here is an example: http://witsgettingstartedgroup.ning.com/

Share It

Be prepared to discuss your answers to the following questions during
sharing time:

How will your Ning site help you or another teacher to become better teachers?
For what other reasons might you use online collaborative sites with learners?
Which of the Internet skills that you learned today might you use again? For what types of tasks might you use those skills?

Module 7 Exploring the Internet

	Module 7 Setting up a Collaborative Ning Website As a teacher, you may want to set up a simple way for a group of teachers in your grade, or even your class to keep in contact with each other for various reasons. A collaborative ‘Ning’ website is very easy to make and maintain. In a Ning website you invite the people you want to join your website and you can add photos and documents to your Ning. This is a very easy and effective way to keep in touch with a group with whom you are collaborating. Ning is sometimes referred to as a ‘social network’. Plan It Think about the following questions, and, working with a partner or group, discuss your ideas. Writing your ideas on a sheet of paper might be helpful. For what reason might you decide to use an online collaborative website? What information or idea would you like to gather or share via this online collaborative website? In what classroom context will you use this online collaborative website? Note: There are no Help Guide resources to support this activity. We will use the Ning website for this purpose of this exercise. Do It Start the web browser software, and go to http://www.ning.com Sign up and join. You will need to use your email account for this as Ning sends notifications of new messages to you via your email address. (If you don’t have a free email address click here.) Click on ‘Create a Ning network’. All you have to do is create a name for your network and an intenet address for your network. Choose words relating to the use of your network. Once you have created it you will be asked to choose a theme and layout. Make sure you include ‘blog post’, forum’, ‘chat’ to the layout options. The ‘blog’ post is where you can add information. The ‘forum’ is where you can have your discussions. You can also add documents that you want to share to the forum. If you know at least one person you would like to invite send them an invitation from your new Ning website. Get to know your Ning website and write a blog post about the website and how you want to use it. Review It Review the new Ning website that you have created. Consider the following questions: Will the use of this website enhance collaboration for the purpose you have created it? How will you introduce the use of the website to those you have decided to invite. How will you know whether the people you have invited will join? Here is an example: http://witsgettingstartedgroup.ning.com/ Share It Be prepared to discuss your answers to the following questions during sharing time: How will your Ning site help you or another teacher to become better teachers? For what other reasons might you use online collaborative sites with learners? Which of the Internet skills that you learned today might you use again? For what types of tasks might you use those skills?