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Blogs, Wikis & Free Software

Introduction

There are 3 things that we ALL need to know about today’s Internet technologies:

FIRSTLY, powerful GLOBAL CONVERSATIONS on blogs and other social media have begun since 1999. Catch up quickly or you might be left behind!

SECONDLY, email volume on related projects could be down by 75% and meeting times whacked in half… if you use wikis effectively, according to a report by Internet research firm Gartner Group.

THIRDLY, NO licence costs, NO restrictive licences, and NO vendor lock-in are possible and feasible. In fact, you can set up a corporate website for as low as US$10 a year, or have easy access and installation of dozens of free scripts for as low as US$10 a month!

Course Objectives

Upon completion of the course, you should be able to:
* Set up your own website for as low as US$10 a year or US$10 a month.
* Create a blog on a popular blog host, add posts with text, links, graphics, audio, video and comments; and change the settings and templates of your blogs.
* Make use of social networks such as Facebook as a savvy member.
* Use RSS (rich site summary) effectively as a reader/subscriber.
* Create a wiki on a popular host, manage wikis pages, adding text, tables, links, graphics, audio, video and comments; and change the settings of your wikis.
* Use Google services to search, organize, communicate and collaborate on relevant information.
* Discuss meaningfully the “what”, “how” and “why” of using blogs, wikis, and other free software (such as Google apps and Moodle) to meet the information sharing and training needs of a commercial or educational organization.

Course Outline

Part I:
* Vocabulary related to social media and free/open software
* Benefits, Pitfalls & Tips
* Hands-on-Training
   - Communicating & Collaborating with Google apps
   - Setting up your own email accounts on a hosted domain
   - Installing free quality services and scripts (depends on option chosen)
   - Using File transfer software such as Filezilla
   - Quickstart for Facebook beginners
* Alternatives to Google Services

Part II:
* What is a blog?
* Benefits, Pitfalls & Tips
* Blogs in Business & Education
* Hands-on-Training
* Creating a Blog on a popular host
   - Editing Profiles
   - Managing Posts
   - Managing Settings and Team Blogs
   - Basic Editing of Templates
   - Adding Interactive Media
   - Using RSS effectively as a reader

Part III:
* What is a Wiki?
* Benefits, Pitfalls & Tips
* Wikis in Business & Education
* Hands-on-Training
   - Creating a Wiki on a popular host
   - Changing a Wiki’s Look-and-feel
   - Managing Pages
   - Adding Interactive Media
   - Discussing on your wiki
   - Searching a wiki

Trainer(s)

Ms Tan, Joo Khim, Josephine

Joo Khim is a learning designer/technologist who provides training and consultancy on the administration and use of free/libre open-source software (FLOSS) such as blogs, wikis, Moodle and Google services in business and education. She has been blogging and experimenting with FLOSS since 2003.

Joo Khim was previously Assistant Director (Instructional Design) at the Centre for Educational Development in Nanyang Technological University. Prior to that, she has worked as an instructional designer/technologist in Ngee Ann Polytechnic, a Web editor in Hewlett Packard Education Services, a Technical Communications manager in Creative Technology Ltd, a journalist in Singapore Press Holdings and a systems analyst in the National Computer Board. She has also served as President, Singapore chapter in the Society for Technical Communication in 2000-2003.

An Information Systems graduate from the National University of Singapore, Joo Khim had completed all the requisite courses for a Masters of Arts in Instructional Design & Technology program in the National Institute of Education with flying colors by the end of 2005.

Who Should Attend

Anyone who is familiar with Web surfing and wants to learn about the use of blogs, wikis, social media and free open-source software. Managers, executives or trainers who want to facilitate reflective and/or collaborative learning. Only basic computer and internet literacy needed. No technical programming involved.

Course Details

Date:

22 to 23 October 2009

Time:

9:00am to 5:00pm

Venue:

NTU@one-north campus, Executive Centre

Closing Date:

8 October 2009

Fee:

Standard: SGD$590 Alumni: SGD$472 Group (3 & Above): SGD$531

Registration fees inclusive of:

Course materials
Light refreshments
Lunch
Complimentary parking (1 entry/day) - applicable at NTU@one-north campus only.
Prevailing GST

Online Registration

>> CLICK HERE to Register Online

Methods of Payment

1. Credit Card (Visa and Mastercard only)

2. Cheque made payable to Nanyang Technological University

3. Invoice to Company (for Company Sponsored Participants)

4. E-invoice (for Government Organizations)

Cancellation & Refund Policy

Written notification to cce@ntu.edu.sg or fax: (+65) 6774 2911 at least 10 days before course commencement	No cancellation charges (Full refund)
Written notification within 4 – 9 days before course commencement	50% of course fees (50% refund)
Written notification within 3 days before course commencement	100% of course fees (No refund)