Module 1

What is Web2.0? When I started this course I stated that web2.0 was a course that would teach me about the latest tools available for me to use like blogs and wikis. I compared it to using an email with the addition of film and more than one person being able to look at it. If I recall Web 1.0 the one thing that stands out is that it was a great place to look up information and find new resources, but there was no opportunity to give feedback or interact with the information, similar to opening a World Book encyclopedia. Having had the opportunity of using Wikipedia it made it realise how important it is that information be updated and referenced. Having multiple editors of a resources like Wikipedia helps to break down the bias as contributors question the validity of resources and wording. This is the fundamental opportunity that Web 2.0 gives to anyone who is participating.

Learning that there are fine line differences between purposes of blogs, wikis, youtube, facebook, SKYPE and twitter has made me appreciate why so many students stay up all hours interacting.

Module 2

I learnt that a BLOG is similar to a JOURNAL and is my own personal WEBSITE that I am able to write in whenever I choose! It may be described as a place where I have my own personal news, opinion, explanation, prediction...

For a blog to be of value it needs to be accessable by others (audience) for the purpose of feedback and interaction. Key words become an important part of this process because it enables others with similar interests to engage in the conversations. 

At this moment, my blog has followers because I did not block anyone from seeing it. 

In a classroom situation I would allow all students to have access to my blog so that ideas, opinions and so on are there for everyone...'talking stick'.

 The blog would need to be of value/interest to the students. Currently the year 8 students have been watching parts of the film, "The Blind Side". To deepen understanding of themes and techniques used throughout the film blogging will encourage discussion and clarification of ideas.

However, for the purpose of this task, I have decided to create a wiki... 

24/08/2010

Feeling OK with the world eve though...

Technology! Love & Hate relationship?

The speed by which technology has taken place in the last decade has not just been astounding but absolutely inspirational. To think that we can actually be in any place around the world, including the depths of a forest, as long as we have our mobile phone with the availablity of roaming we would not feel lost.

On a simple level, I remember myself travelling 15 years back, 3 children in the car on a dirt road with the warning fuel warning light glaring at me. I was petrified, because I did not know who would have known that I took the shortcut and gotten lost (with 3 kids in the car.) Never did I ever take that risk again. Just the other day, I decided to go adventuring and saw things that I never would have discovered had I staid on the highway. Knowing I had my mobile, NRMA roadservice and GPS gave me the freedom I never believed I could have. The safenets were there which allowed me to adventure.

I must say that the iPhone has finally caught up with my "personal mental technology". By this I mean that at long last I can check all my emails, while I'm moving from on spot to another, which has made life so much easier and streamlined. Many a times previously I would go home to open the email just to become aware that I should have been somewhere two hours earlier. The amount of time and energy saved is incredible. This is the part that I love about technology.

Writing this has made me realised how little of technology I don't like, but the only frustrating part is the speed by which new technologies are taking over and overlapping and not having the knowledge as to what all these extra buttons do. The manuals are a huge heavy brick with most words written in jargon language making it difficult to even start reading the instructions. So it's great that clever companies provide expert personel to guide you through the instructions on how to use the new technology online or on the phone. I love the phone it's so much quicker.