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

You know, what I've been most surprised by in this class is the potential of Web 2.0 technologies. It's not that I didn't use them before, even think highly of them before, but I didn't realize what could really be accomplished over the Web. I guess it's an issue of both delving deeper, and also seeing first hand some prime examples.

I remember when we started our week looking at social networking sites, and thinking pretty low of them (though I've used them all), and by the end of the week I was ranting to (uninterested) friends about the possibilities of using sites like Facebook as instructional tools. To saying that I'm surprised by my change of position is a vast understatement.

I've also been surprised, but more like inspired and impressed, with the amount of work that goes into creating community on-line, and how so many people, like Nancy White, draw real parallels between creating community on-line and creating it on the Web.

We've all seen, and greatly benefited from, the amount of handwork went into this on-line learning community. I'll bet everyone here can agree with me when I say that this class has been the best on-line class that I've taken. The experience that I've had in this class is surprising, but it is also inspiring.

I, like I bet a lot of people I'll do, have always thought that the Internet was easy. That things just happened there. Want an online community: Build it and they will come. But sure, they might, but it might be really awful, and unless you bribe them with something — like a grade perhaps — they are not going to stick around.

So really, at the end of the course, I'm left excited about the use of Web 2.0 in the library and in the classroom, and when the classroom is Web 2.0.

Ryan