Ning Nong in Education more like it - Reflections on Modue 10

I finally made it to Wikis with great excitement as this was a concept I thought (and still do) I could use successfully and creatively as part of my teaching. Problem is, while the excitement is still present and my fear isn't as great I'm still not sure I am close to Wiki. Part of my problem in this and with other Web2 applications isn't how to use them slowly (they always seem to take longer than anticipated), rather it is the need to be able to work on them speedily and surprise, surprise have a vague idea what to do if something goes wrong (other than freeze that is). Hence, when I opened Ning in education, tried to sign up and subsequently failed before the website time elapsed, I absolutely felt like a Ning Nong. It is a sign or rather a sad sign when you struggle to sign up. So it was just as well Bookleads Wiki and in particular Bookwink was easy to access and enjoyable, though I found it somewhat daunting navigating around the adds. While I didn't have a big issue from a personal perspective, I think it could pose some difficulties as part of an ongoing program with students. I could also see usefulness in 50+ways to tell a story, but again would like to be able to get the students creating the stories as well as watching and as yet don't feel confident. I particularly thought My Life in Toronto was a great story, both as a story and as a way of getting the author out of everyone.

I look forward to spending some time over the Christmas Holidays of using many of the tools I have learnt of in Web2 and thinking of ways of setting up a Wiki to use as part of the Special Ed Program. If I can get my head around it more I can see its usefulness in co-0rdinating work for the students, having Teacher Aides to help them with it will be a great advantage. By the end of that time I hope Ning Education is no longer Ning Nong for me.

As for myself and my learning, it is one more area to find information. Web2 is truly useful in the concept of knowing where to find the information you need, rather than knowing all the information.