The World of Widgets

I’ve been revising and reviewing our Web2.0 workshop in preparation for a few sessions I’m to deliver over the next couple of weeks and in particular how to embed elements that are generated by a range software tools and hosted elsewhere. (I thought about a blond virtual me but it’s really brunettes that have more fun!). Move your mouse around the head and face - spooky. It’s a really fascinating concept and there are some extraordinary tools available to liven up web pages that don’t require any knowledge - except how to cut and paste a little code which is supplied. You’ll hear them called widgets, flakes, snippets and gadgets.

I’ve added a number of widgets to the Blog for this week – scroll down the page a bit and you’ll see a load of links to useful websites in a “tag cloud”. The tag cloud is generated using a website called del.icio.us – this is a social bookmarking site that I use to save good websites I find. It lives online and can be accessed from any computer connected to the internet so when I’m at home, out and about or even in the middle of a workshop I can find resources easily. Each time I save a site, the tag cloud here will be updated instantly and I can embed this same collection anywhere – in fact it’s on the pages for teaching staff on our website too. This enables sharing and encourages networking which is one of the common characteristics of Web2.0 technologies – see social bookmarking in plain English from commoncraft.

You’ll also find a selection of books that I recommend for staff development displayed on a bookshelf. This widget comes from Shelfari and as well as creating a widget that you can embed as I’ve done here, the site provides opportunities to network with others and discuss what you’re reading – if you want. While no doubt a bit fanciful, I can see learners responding to a reading list displayed like this more appealing.

Here’s a widget I created using "polldaddy" that allows you set up an instant poll or survey that can be embedded into your website or blog.

You can also embed your own, or slide shows created and shared by other people, into pages. Here’s one about widgets from slideshare.com.

View Upload your own

Widgets like these allow you to use materials that people are prepared to share and perhaps goes someway to avoiding the dreaded “C” word (copyright!).

Widgets are managed remotely and involve no extra work to ensure that the information is current and as up to date as possible which has to be a good thing. They provide dynamic content and can introduce an element of fun for the learner - and what’s wrong with that?



What are Widgets - youtube video explanation
Web 2.0 and Social Software : An Introduction
Understanding the issues and benefits of social software