Announcing the Web 2.0 Challenge 2009 – A Free, Online Course to Introduce Law Librarians to Web 2.0 Technologies

Last year CS-SIS sponsored the first Web 2.0 Challenge, an online course to introduce law librarians to social software and how to use it in their libraries. The course was so popular CS-SIS is sponsoring it again in 2009.

The Web 2.0 Challenge will provide a free, comprehensive, and social online learning opportunity designed for law librarians that incorporates hands-on use of these technologies. The course is intended for law librarians who have little experience with these technologies but are interested in learning more.

The online course will take place between August 3 and September 6. The five week course will cover these areas:

  • Week 1: Blogs & RSS
  • Week 2: Flickr & Social Bookmarking Software
  • Week 3: Social Networking Software and Twitter
  • Week 4: Wikis and LibGuides
  • Week 5: Web 2.0 @ Your Library

Participants will be required to complete a series of weekly activities, including viewing an instructional screencast; completing hands-on exercises based on the lesson; weekly blogging about their experience; and participating in a weekly small group chat session. The course will culminate with each participant developing a proposal for implementing a specific social software tool in their library.

Full enrollment will be limited to approximately one hundred participants. However, course content will be freely viewable to anyone who wishes to follow along. Enrolled participants who complete all activities are eligible for final prize drawings (prizes provided by CS-SIS). Certificates will also be awarded to all participants who complete the course.

We anticipate opening enrollment June 22nd. There is no charge for this course and enrollment will be offered on a first come first served basis.

For more information, contact Meg Kribble at mkribbleATlaw.harvard.edu or Sally Irvin at irvinATwfu.edu.

4 Comments on “Announcing the Web 2.0 Challenge 2009 – A Free, Online Course to Introduce Law Librarians to Web 2.0 Technologies

  1. There is no registration required to follow along–all of the materials for each week’s lessons will appear on the Monday of that week. The only thing that will not be visible to guests are the small group chats. The course material will stay up indefinitely, so if you cannot get to it now, it will continue to be available.

  2. There are no special system requirements. Mac and PC (even Linux!) will be fine, and all of the tools we cover should work on any standard and relatively recent web browser.

  3. Are there system requirements for this challenge? What if we are using a Mac? What if my employer uses PC — and is slow to upgrade?