Review of EtherPad

Etherpad is an online writing program which is a real time collaborative editor. Etherpad can be used for taking minutes for online or offline meetings, workshops or any even about which you wish to keep records, text-based planning of projects,  a tool for education and reflection,  collating resources, research and other forms of data.

How to use it? 

Step1. Online access (You can get on the internet or smartphone at the same time)

Step2. Open Etherpad

Step3. Make a room (ex. Jasmine)

Step4. Write a name or nickname 

Step5. Choose favorite color 

Please click the link below to see the common features:

 http://etherpad.wikimedia.org/p/call1

There are strong pros and cons of Etherpad.

Pros: Because Etherpad is software that can be installed on many different servers in many different places, there are a lot of features. 

- Easy to set up/ No login required

- Free of charge

- Anyone can create a new collaborative document, known as a "pad".

- Clear collaboration; It is possible to see changes being made by other people in real time. Each participant is identified    by a color and a name.

- Offers a Chat; By default there is the ability to 'chat' with other people who are using the pad (Interacting with others on one document in real time).

- Generating ideas and lists, sharing pieces of information when working in a group or collaborative environment.

- Improving important typing and written skills as well as critical thinking, task management, story writing.

- Exporting work: the text contained in the pad document can be downloaded in plain text, HTML, Open Document, Microsoft Word, or PDF format.

Cons:

- Have to memorize the address

- Can't upload and add images or videos to the document, only memopad/typing

- Only light formatting available (bold, italics, and underlining)

- Collaborations are deleted 15 days to 2 months after creation so you have to export and save the collaboration when done

While using and writing things down on Etherpad, I was surprised how fast I could interact with people at one space in really real-time similar to Kakao Talk, and I could tell that it is a highly customizable open source online editor because I could correct over one's writing while my corrections could be retouched again by others. I always believed that interaction is a key motivator for language learning, and this Etherpad is the right one to write on and interact with people at the same time as well.