Legal Research

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

For the past few months, I've been involved with a project that I'm pleased to finally be able to officially announce: the Web 2.0 Challenge, an online course to introduce law librarians to social software and how to use it in their libraries. The course is sponsored by the AALL Computing Services Special Interest Section of which I serve on the board.

The Web 2.0 Challenge will provide a free, comprehensive, and social online learning opportunity designed for law librarians by directing them in 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 July 21 and August 18, immediately following the AALL Annual Meeting. The five week course will cover these areas:

Week 1: Blogs & RSS
Week 2: Wikis
Week 3: Social Networking Software and Second Life
Week 4: Flickr & Social Bookmarking Software
Week 5: Selling Social Software @ 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 ninety participants. However, course content will be freely viewable to anyone who wishes to follow along. Enrolled participants who complete all weekly activities are eligible for weekly and grand prize drawings (prizes provided by CS-SIS). Certificates will also be awarded to all participants who complete the course.

We anticipate opening enrollment at the end of June. There is no charge for this course and enrollment will be offered first come, first served. A limited number of spots will also be reserved for on site registration at the AALL Annual Meeting CS-SIS program, H-1: Cool Tools: Energizing Law Librarianship with Web 2.0 on Tuesday, July 15th.

If you would like to be notified when enrollment opens, please send us your contact information. If you have any questions or comments, you may also enter them on the form above, or you may contact me directly at bjshucha@wisc.edu.

Full post as published by WisBlawg - From the UW Law Library on March 18, 2008 (boomark / email).