If you are only using your blogs and social media profiles, you are ignoring a big online space which can be yours if you make some effort. Comment on others blogs, write guest posts, share others' social media posts and comment on them.
Dr. Narayana Rao K.V.S.S. , Professor, NITIE, Mumbai, India, who was using blogs to create study materials and also using them disseminate student created learning materials appreciated the power and potential of Knol platform early and created number of course knols and encouraged the learners to post their assignments on knol.
What are the unique features of Knol?
1. Wiki technology.
Wiki technology makes collaboration possible and also makes it easy. Groups of authors can come together and write articles or prepare lists.
2. Author identification
Very essential for identification of course plans and course materials by individual faculty members. Also when students post their assignments, author identity is very essential. Author identity on a popular wiki platform is a unique feature of Knol. Google's ownership makes it a popular platform. Authors join it without hesitation once they appreciate its utility.
3. Scope for diverse articles on the same topic.
Different faculty members from different institutions have to post their materials and course plans. Hence the platform must have the willingness to support many different knols/articles/essays on the platform. Another distinct feature of the knol that makes it ideal for use by faculty members.
4. Comments
Facilitates interaction among learners, subject faculty, other faculty of the same institute, other faculty of different institutes, alumni, and practitioners. Provides evaluation of learning of any institute by a global community
5. Knol Collection Facility
Provides an ability to assemble Globally best study material support for any course.
Gold Medal Award Winning Initiative at NITIE, Mumbai, India
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The unique features of Knol were put to good use at NITIE, Mumbai, India by Prof Narayana Rao, Prof T. Prasad and Prof S.M. Dhume. They built communities of learning in their subjects. The learners liked the initiative and involved themselves enthusiastically in posting their assignments on knol and in participating in the online discussions. They gave a positive feedback on the exercise.
The initiative was presented for innovation award event of Association of Indian Management Schools Management Education Convention 2010. The initiative was appreciated by all present and it was awarded the Gold Medal. The professors are motivated by the recognition and are now in the process of promoting the idea among 2500 B-schools of India in the first instance through personal presentations in these institutes as well as through online media. Invitation was already given to these professors to visit engineering institutes and promote the concept there also.
Presentation on Use of Knol at NITIE on 23.10.2010
Use of Knol to Facilitate Faculty to write custom course material and Learners to develop useful content for peers as well as summaries of books, articles and papers
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