Web 2.0 Class

Well we're about done with the official portion of our latest class. The challenge now will be to continue to update and improve not just our blogs and wikis, but our practices as well. I'm determined for now (let's see what the holidays do to me) to keep up on both and to use the tools to improve my performance as a Tech Leader. Here's wishing you luck in the same.

New Tool Coming - Looks way cool

There's a new Web 2.0 in Beta - going to send an e-mail to see if I can get a Beta copy because it looks very cool. Realy spice up presentations.
Tool is called ZuiPrezi - Check it out here.

Examples For Presentation

This is a sample Jing file that I would post to the Help page of my wiki.


Click here to see a full screen version


Here is a VoiceThread Sample as well

Some interesting reading

So by way of Darren Kuropatwa's Blog I found a link to Andrew Church's blog that had this take on Bloom's Taxonomy - for the digital age - Check it out here.

Blogging - What it Should Be?

What is a Blog and maybe more important what should it be?
(See What is a Blog from our MESPA Class Wiki)
I also liked the simplicity of the idea posed by Will Richardson in his blog titled Blogs Growing Up.
To be truly effective the blogger must read, and then maybe read some more. Think/Reflect/React. Then Write - probably think some more. Then Publish.
As less of an educator and more of a student of life, I do wonder if this pattern will cause our younger students to be reflective to a fault? Will students be able to think on their feet? WIll they be able to make judgements without verifying through multiple sources? I obviously don't know the answer to these questions, but it will be interesting to see.

Dealing with Web 2.0 as a Tech Director

In looking at some of the readings for my current IT Master's course I came across the blog of Wesley Fryer. One post that interested me was called Lawsuit Fear and Lack of Vision Explain a Lot. It talks a bit about the blocking of many Web 2.0 tools and social networking sites. From the title you can tell that "fear" and ignorance are cited as the main reasons for this phenomenon. I would agree that there is a fear factor - dealing with angry parents, upset principals, frustrated teachers... all that and more. We are also constantly fighting the battle of what constitutes electronic communication and is therefore "discoverable" under lawsuits. And while it may be easy to take pot-shots at Districts, I would hope that the Tech Community can create positive reasons for the use of these tools in the classroom and beyond.

My Wordle

Here's my Wordle

Check out my Wiki at pbwiki.

Welcome

Welcome to the BBRDS Tech Blog
A place to share thoughts, ideas, dreams and aspirations for technology at BBRSD