#13 MySpace and #14 Facebook

Have been a Facebook user (of sorts) for a while now. Registered with MySpace today. Not sure which I preferred - Facebook seems more straightforward but is that because I am used to it? MySpace looked fancier and the Music aspect was a nice addition. I can see why MySpace appeals to the younger generation more - the music and entertainment would certainly appeal, while the clean appearance and easier access to immediate comment might be what appeals to users of Facebook. Also registered with Twitter and can see that this could be a bit addictive!

Our school has also just launched a Nagle Community site with Ning and I have been playing with that - really like Ning and can see that this is possibly more appropriate to school situations.

We are having a staff ICT Conference next week and will be covering Web 2 in the classroom - this course has been very helpful with what I hope we will cover in that Conference.

#10 Online image generator

 



Myspace Falling Objects @ JellyMuffin.com

How cool is this! Can't work out how to put text in to this post properly - the text kept falling with the flowers so have used the "Quote" tool. This is Great fun! Endless possibilities for use and even more for the sheer fun of playing with! The only thing that I have a problem with is that every site that we visit wants you to sign up with them - a bit scary all this data gathering! Or am I being paranoid?

#15 RSS and # 16 Subscribing

I found this very confusing! I have learnt

• RSS means Really Simple Syndication
• RSS delivers regular updated information without having to search the whole web site
• this could be used in class for specific topic sites

and I have subscribed to an RSS feed which is linked to my blog as well as having saved some favourites in Google Reader - not sure how I did it but it is there!

#11 Library Thing

Have had a play with Library Thing and created a book club with my buddy Shelley - we hope to convert our sewing group to this book club! I have added the Library Thing link to my blog but need to do some more investigation as to how to list some of the books instead of the link - as seen in the Library examples on the How 2 of Web 2 page. I can definitely see some uses in our Library situation - the student Book Club could use it for discussions, suggestions of new books, etc and I could also use it to advertise new books recently added to the collection. Will certainly come back to this one once I have looked at all the other task in this online course.

#9 Virtual World

My first instinct is to think of Virtual Worlds in a negative sense - addictive! unrealistic! a substitute for real life! But investigating further made me realise that, like all things new and challenging, it takes some time to get used to the idea. More than 20 million people use Second Life so there must be something to it! I can certainly see the potential for using virtual worlds across all aspects of education - a way of teaching, a way of experimenting, a way of practicing - using a real life situation but without the real life complications and/or restrictions (such as financial, etc.) but the time involved for me to learn how to do this would be more than I care to spend. One of the readings that I looked at suggested that it takes up to 10 years for new technology to be truly embedded into education and I think this will be the case with Virtual Worlds. Although with the pace of technology these days, who knows!
And as one of the You Tube gentlemen suggests when he was talking about Second Life - as long as it doesn't substitute for "first" life.

#12 Flickr

GERALDTON WA 2008 008, a photo by DON PUGH PERTH WESTERN AUSTRALIA on Flickr.

Love this photo of our lighthouse