LIBR 246-04/13 Web 2.0 (Fall 2010)

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How has your view of social software changed since starting the course?

When I started the course I held a somewhat limited view of what defined social software.  I knew that blogging software, social networking software, YouTube, Twitter, and RSS fell within the category of social software.  However, although I had previously heard of and/or used other social software technologies such as LibGuides, wikis, social bookmarking, screencasting, vodcasting, Google Docs, Skype, LibraryThing, Yahoo! Answers, and online communities, I was unaware that these technologies also fell within the realm of social software. 

Beyond discovering that the definition of social software encompassed many more platforms and technologies than I was originally aware, my view of social software also changed in regards to how social software can be used in library and information center settings.  Before taking this course I had never paid attention to or considered how social software technologies could be applied to libraries or, furthermore, how some libraries are already implementing these social software technologies into their online presence.  This course not only introduced me to and taught me more about social software technologies, but, most importantly, allowed me to examine the potential for applying these social software technologies in library and information center settings by exploring social software examples currently implemented in libraries as well as exploring the actual technologies themselves.

What technology did you find most interesting for your personal use? What technology did you think would be most useful professionally?

The technology I found most interesting for my personal use was Twitter.  Although I haven't truly immersed myself in Twitter yet, I plan to tweet much more in the future!  I see the value in using Twitter (in addition to other technologies) to create a professional presence for myself on the Web.  It's also appealing that I can post a tweet on Twitter and, through the use of hash tags, make the tweet simultaneously appear on my Facebook and LinkedIn accounts!  Additionally, I see the advantages in being able to automatically push blog posts to my Twitter account. 

The technology I found most interesting for my professional use was screencasting.  After making the screencast for Exercise 6 I felt proud of myself for having mastered the technology and surprised at how relatively easy it was to create.  Although my screencast was far from polished and professional, the hands-on experience of creating it made me realize what a useful and marketable skill I had just gained for future work in library settings.

What surprised you during the course?

During the course I found myself surprised at how much I developed a fondness for blogging!  Prior to this course I had mainly been a consumer of blogs:  I read blogs posts in my Google Reader and occasionally commented on said blog posts.  However, this course introduced me to the content-producing side of blogging and, although I was a bit nervous at first about publishing blog posts online that all the world could read, I soon discovered how addictive blogging can become!     Now that I've gotten my feet wet in this course, I plan to start my own blog after this semester ends.  I have much to explore over Winter Break! 

What suggestions do you have for improving the learning activities (exercises, assignments, blog posts, readings, examples, etc.)?

I think podcasts, mobile, and QR codes deserve more attention in this course: 

• While researching my Social Software Impact Paper I was really impressed to learn that libraries are incorporating podcasting, and even podcast series, into their outreach programs.  Perhaps the topic of podcasts could be included in Week 12 along with screencasts and vodcasts. 
• I really enjoyed listening to the three Elluminate lectures presented on the topic of mobile, but I am not really an auditory learner.  I wished that, in addition to the Elluminate lectures, I could have learned about mobile via readings and examples incorporated into a week's lesson. 
• The very first time I ever heard the words "QR code" was during Jason Griffey's Elluminate lecture in this course.  However, since Griffey's lecture in October mentioning QR codes, three of my Facebook friends have posted pictures on Facebook of their QR codes!!  I think QR codes are an important new technology to learn about in this course and one that I now personally need to investigate. 

Regarding the coverage of wikis in this course, I found it confusing that wikis were covered in two weeks' lessons.  I think, from a learning perspective, it would have been more helpful to have all wiki materials presented in one week's lesson. 

How did your experience using Drupal differ from your experience in Angel classrooms (or classes using other traditional course management systems)?

The difference between my experience using Drupal and my experience using Angel can be captured in one word:  Community!  It's so hard getting to know classmates in a 100% online program when classmates can only communicate via stiff, formal discussion boards, and it can definitely feel isolated out there on Angel at times. However, this course, conducted in Drupal, has allowed a real, informal, interactive community to develop through the commenting on as well as the reading and writing of blog posts.  I am so wonderfully surprised at the special sense of community that formed within our course, the likes of which I have never before experienced in a course in the SLIS program.

Looking back, how would you sum up your experience?

This course was fantastic and is, by far, my most favorite course taken so far in the SLIS program!  I especially love that this course emphasized hands-on, skills-oriented learning, rather than learning via dense theory.  From taking this course I've learned extremely useful information as well as gained experience using social software technologies, and I feel that everything I've learned can be directly applied to real-world, practical library and information center settings.  I so enjoyed your teaching style, Meredith, as well as meeting and getting to know all of the wonderful students in this course.  I'm sad to say goodbye but am both comforted and heartened by the fact that I've already formed virtual relationships with many classmates on Twitter as well as social networking sites (Facebook & LinkedIn) that will carry over far beyond our course's ending.