Adieu! (And May Our Paths Someday Cross)
1. How has your view of social software changed since starting the course?
My views have totally changed. Not because I disliked social software, but because I did not know all of the tools available, how to make use of them, and how beneficial they can be to me personally and at work.
2. What technology did you find most interesting for your personal use? What technology did you think would be most useful professionally?
RSS is without doubt the tool I now making the most use of personally. It has really helped me centralize and minimize the time I spend keeping up with various blogs and news sites. On the professional side, I’m in love with screencasting! Which almost seems unlikely in light of the fact that the first experience really worked me over. Once I got a better handle on it and realized how to prepare, I was sold. I am planning to develop screencasts to use as staff training tools with our new library software. I also see podcasting as something I will make use of and envision using it for virtual story times.
3. What surprised you during the course?
How much I didn’t know! This class stretched me sooooo much. I thought of myself as fairly tech savvy and thought this course would be a piece of cake. Well, it wasn’t a piece of cake. I spent quite a few late nights trying to figure out some of the tools but it was SO worth it. When I completed an assignment, I turned into this big kid, eager to show my finished product to whoever would look! I’ve grown so much, and best of all I did it learning tools and material that are highly applicable and can be utilized immediately.
4. What suggestions do you have for improving the learning activities (exercises, assignments, blog posts, readings, examples, etc.)?
Something somewhere along the way should be tied back to the del.icio.us tags. I kept forgetting about them and outside of doing the required tagging, never made use of them. Also, spending more time on the screencasts would have been nice – that was a mountain for me, and I believe for others as well. Having the time to really develop and understand the process would have helped. Everything else was right on the money - loved it.
5. How did your experience using Drupal differ from your experience in Blackboard classes (or classes using other traditional course management systems)?
Drupal wins hands down. I found it much easier to navigate than Blackboard (and perhaps it is all in the set-up, which is great Meredith!). I loved that there were several ways to move around the site; top toolbar, side bars, links. My favorite thing had to be that I didn’t have to log in to see the basics, like checking the details of an assignment or a due date.
6. Looking back, how would you sum up your experience?
Two words: Fabulous & Necessary.
Thank you, Meredith! You are an awesome instructor.
