The Final Thing!

23 Things Cambridge has been an extremely interesting, informative and useful course to follow and one in which I have thoroughly enjoyed taking part in over the past twelve weeks in conjunction with my teacher study visit at Pembroke College. It has been particularly interesting to see the various blogs develop and the variety of thought and input from fellow participants. Web 2.0 and social media technology has grasped the imagination of many and has quickly become embedded in the structure of library and educational establishments alike. However, we need to be aware that these new skills are themselves potentially subject to becoming quickly outdated and in some instances rapidly so.

As time progresses talents gained will inevitably be subject to transformation especially as they meld with future advancement and development. It is not the mastering of this technology alone as a one off event that will sustain those who will be professionally involved with its future engagement but rather the grasping of the concept of how to live with the nature of change which is inevitably part of any technological evolution. As such, it is participating and engaging in courses such as 23 Things Cambridge that will support this undertaking.

I would like to take this opportunity to offer my appreciation to all those who arranged, developed and made the course possible. Many thanks.

Wikis

The versatility and accessibility of wikis has greatly contributed to their growth and popularity as a means of speedy access to information. From an educational perspective I have always found them to be a convenient source for quick reference purposes especially as details on a variety of subject material can be located within an easily accessible format.

However, the main concern with any such mechanism is the accuracy and reliability of the information held within its pages. It is feasible that particulars displayed within a professionally looking wiki might be seen to be absolutely accurate and correct although this might not always necessarily be the case. Hence, the input and editing by professionals, such as within the library service, greatly adds to the credibility of information located for this Internet resource.

Thanks to Ross Mayfield for the image.

Podcasting and YouTube

It seems as if we have had access to YouTube forever and yet it only came into existence in 2005. Such software has allowed us all to publish video sharing on the Internet be it humorous, serious, corporate, personal, educational or otherwise. It is yet a further example of the technology that has become part of our daily lives. It raises the question as to how far further we will go. Those of you that are interested in such developments may have seen the episode "Stream of Consciousness" from the Outer Limits. Just another piece of sensational science fiction or a potential scenario of where we might be going tomorrow? Certainly food for thought.

Google Docs

I like Google Docs. From an educational perspective it really is very useful for working with colleagues or students online. It certainly is more productive to use than sending a plethora of email attachments back and forward while amendments are gradually made towards the finished document.

Marketing with Social Media

Social media has opened up a wide array of opportunities for the possibility to interact with others with whom we may never have met without the intervention of this technology. I find that liaising with colleagues in India, America and Europe has been a common place activity for many years.

With regards to its marketing potential the evidence is all around us as commercial businesses, professional administrations, educational organisations etc all now use applications such as Youtube, Blogger and having a designated Web presence to promote and inform their existing or potentially future customer base. My own personal interests are in the implementation of Virtual Learning Environments and systems such as webfolios. However, this probably reflects my position of having a professional involvement in both Learning Resource Centres and within educational applications. I believe that the advancement of learning technologies has brought these two factions into a closer alliance for the benefit of students and other users alike.

Thanks to Laurel Papworth and Gary Hayes for the image.

Zotero

I have been using the Mozilla Firefox browser for many years as an alternative to Internet Explorer. As such, I have known about Zotero for some time but have never really looked into its function as a reference management tool. The next time I do some writing this could be an alternative and worth investigating further.

Linked in to LinkedIn

This professional networking site is a good way to connect with others who are working, researching or developing in the same areas of interest as yourself. Apart from individual membership it also has a useful group function. Great way to find colleagues and to catch up on the involvement of others within the world of academia.