Thing 2: What is Web 2.0? A Prelude

Just a few opening comments before proceeding: Web 2.0 applications provide opportunities for media specialists to (1) know about, (2) use, and (3) teach to others to improve their own technology integration skills in the classroom. As someone commented, teaching must integrate technology or risk losing the engagement and interest of students, who are increasingly hard-wired to demand learning in an interactive, collaborative, authentic, and relevant way. Media specialists are in a unique position as school leaders and instructional consultants not only to learn about Web 2.0 tools but also to help propel others into an increasingly accelerated world of change and transition.

Other Blogging Tools: Follow-up to Thing 1

I have not tried a lot of other blogging tools. The one available through wordpress seems okay. It's simple, and it allows the user to categorize entries, which enhances organization. It also links to other blogs based upon subject matter categories, labels, or--in the new parlance--"tags." Other blogs can be clumsy or trashed with advertising--wikis can be the same way, so overloaded with advertising and pop-ups that it's hard to read the content.

Thing 1: Creating a Blog, Adding an Avatar, Registering Blog

To date, this is an incomplete entry. So far, I've created this blog and explored some of its characteristics. I really like that it can be developed by multiple users and limited by viewers--although it's okay with me who sees my entries.

I've also registered my Blog, and it now appears on the CMLE list.

I'll be returning to discuss the process of creating an Avatar; I've heard of them, but this will be the first time I've ever tried making one of my own. Later . . .

This experience could be fun.

It is now later . . . Avatar results: I put together a fairly nondescript Avatar, but it will suffice for now. One of the other bloggers pointed out that there's a lot of moving back and forth in order to accomplish installing an Avatar on a blog. I agree--and make life easier by having multiple pages open and accessible; for example, I had my blog in edit mode, the directions from 23 Things, and the Yahoo site all running at the same time. Such an approach reduces both confusion and frustration. Finally, I've added a site meter. It was an interesting experience and worthwhile. Now I'll know whether anyone actually reads my ramblings. Site Meter can be found here. I've already added a site meter to one of my other Web sites. Meters--or counters--that I've tried in the past were neither as easy nor as successful as the one I've made from this site. I'm happy that 23 Things is directing us toward the better products.