Learning 2.0 - Module 2 - Zoho Writer

Have read a number of suggested readings on this, and signed up. Can see benefits, particularly for group project work, where a number of staff may need to collaboratively work up a document to completion. In particular, I felt the essential component was track changes that would allow any participant to clearly see what, if any, changes had been made to the document since they last read or drafted. Zoho does allow this. Having said that, I'm not sure how often I'd use - I"ve not tended to work on group documents a lot in the past - perhas a touch of control freak when it comes to writing. A colleague also kindly pointed out other benefits, such as students at SLV being able to use it to write documents ie. equivalent of word doc, and then access back at home via web.

Second post - Learning 2.0 - Wikis

Have checked out suggested wikis. Can see benefits of group access to regularly updated info, along with capacity for group members to update, revise etc. SLV desk wiki is incredibly handy - a place to go for up-to-date information - while others, such as 'Book Lovers", while interesting to members, consist mainly of personal and unauthorized opinion. I find one disadvantage with a group / project wiki is that you have to remember to make time to regularly go in and check. This is not such a problem when a Division such as AID is engaged in short, sharp project work (eg. Service Model), but I have been on national wikis, where posts are relatively infrequent, and it's often out of sight, out of mind. Recently, the national Rare Books group agreed to a group email list, as that way we receive updates in a form we are most likely to be using on a daily basis. The widest use of wiki - the compilation of info such as wikipedia - I think has genuine benefits, due to its ability to tap into such a vast array of experts, both professional and non. Wikipedia has been a surprise success, regularly improved, updated, and increasingly authoritative as a resource - if one knows how to read the signs of a good, versus poor, entry.