I am looking at my computer desktop cluttered with Web 2.0 tools waiting for me to fully master, evaluate, and teach. Doggy (Robin the Newf) is snoring by my feet.
Comment: Some things in my life never change – my desktops today are more plentiful and more cluttered and the perennial foot-warmer, a Doggie, though different in name (Leo the Great) and breed, nurtures me.
My First Year Seminar students are sending me their first formal blogs as I type this. So far I am pleased by their efforts.
I’m pondering whether I should request release time of two courses next year to more fully develop my mastery of these Web 2.0 tools and to promulgate their use to other faculty and interested students. Every day I discover a new application which has high potential for learners. There are so many NEAT and potentially useful widgets, gadgets and apps.
So much to learn. Should I write a book? It’s a tempting idea since time is such a precious commodity. I think that I now have the knowledge base, the momentum, and the student talent. Carpe diem?
Comment and advice to junior faculty: Follow up on your ideas. I have a history of NOT following up or following through because I have a habit of giving that needed time to others or being distracted by other ideas.
I believe that the potential readers of this blog actually know that if there is a hypertext link, they might be rewarded by clicking it! Here for example is a way for students to search for Psychology topics on the Social Psychology Network. They might even find evidence of me there!
Comment: One of the “mistakes” I made in my history of blogging was becoming overly enamored with hyper text links. Though I made each of them lead to a fascinating topic, I am reasonably sure that few readers took advantage of those additional learning opportunities. The Social Psychology Network link above is, however, invaluable to anyone interested in the discipline of social psychology. I thank and admire Scott Plous for developing and maintaining it.
