Thing #23: The end, or the beginning?

When I set out on this journey I thought I had a good understanding of web resources, of Web 2.0. But, I think I was just scapping the tip of the Web 2.0 iceberg.... and to some extent this experience has only made me realise how much I do not know. I am left wondering how I will keep up with all of the Web 2.0 developments that happen in the world... Wags, would you like to set up a 'latest things in Web 2.0' blog? I would subscribe, but then again there is probably already one out there... Thing 24 perhaps.

I have a hard time singling out any one 'Thing', but loved discovering Prezi, YouSendIt, and leaning to upload Video was cool too.

I think that this journey has set me on a course where I can try to integrate Web 2.0 to the classroom when I do teach. I was recently asked what the downfalls of using Web 2.0 in teaching might be, and would love anyone to propose some?

I think the concept is great, could this form a component of all new staff inductions? What a great idea!

Bring on the next set of 'Things'!

Thing #22: Create your own audio or video message

Thing #21: Podcasts

Podcasts are a great, not to mention free, source of information. I get sick of the music on my iPod, so download Podcasts frequently - in fact I subscribed to the US NPR All things considered Podcast, which for almost a year kept me entertained on the train ride to work... I was most upset when the canned it!! God knows why.

There are so many great Podcasts that can be used for teaching, including Best Ads on TV, which is a great source of new Advertising content...

Thing #20: Discover YouTube

I heart You Tube would sum up my view of the site. It's right up there with Google (probably because they own it)!

Funny story about why I selected this video. I was doing an interview recently with a well respected New Zealand art historian, author and television producer on a topic I have been researching. He gave this great narrative about New Zealand's nation identity and as I hung of his every word, the words "Who the Fuck are we" leapt from his mouth. He then went on to describe this video, and these words in particular, as a metaphor for the craving for national identity that he sees New Zealand as having. He was a great interviewee, and his video recommendation was very funny... and one I may use in the creation of my video for ACR...

I think YouTube is a major resource for teaching, having access to the latest TV commercials around the world is just great for teaching in class - so long as the lecture room has IT working (!!!)

Thing #19: Discovering Web 2.0 Tools

I clicked on the CNET Top 100 site and was not at all to see the site YouSendIt profiled. This is a great site, and one that I have had the need to use on several occasions of late. The site allows users to send large files (free if you send 1 file at a time) to others. The great thing about this site is that it gets around the file size restrictions that we have placed on us at Monash, and I am often having to send large PPT slides to people. It'a an application that all in the university setting could use... I explored some of the sites further and found Cuil, which was to be a competitor to Google... apparently some of the search results are not great, but I seemd to have some success. It will take something special to overthrow Google...

Thing #18: Online Productivity Tools

I have had some limited experience with Google Docs, but think that it is a good idea for a tool to be used when working with different people. However, in my experience it is good to have old versions of a document saved as v1, v2, and so on. So, I agree with Wags that there is a time and a place. I'm yet to more fully integrate it to my life, but see the benefits.

Thing #17: Wikipedia

I have never looked at the discussion page and found it interesting to see how people are actually collaborating. I just assumed you made an edit and that was it, but there seems to be some discussion and deliberation around some of the changes, although I am sure there are a lot of users that aren;t involved in the discussion. I'm not game enough to change the wiki's but will check others posts to see if they have...

Thing #16: Learn about Wikis

I fond the short film interesting. I guess the years of email that have been in my life are hard to shake... I think I could have got the camping list together just as easy with email. But then sites like Wikipedia are pretty cool at finding information and learning about things... depending on what it is you are learning about and who has created the wiki of course... I find pages about places are pretty good and always start at a wikipedia page if I am travelling somehwere.