Thing 17

While surfing around Classroom 2.0, I ran across a group for Web 2.0 technologies for teachers from the university where I recieved my Bachelor's. While I was there, we had to learn how to use a thermofax (which I'd never heard of), a slide projector, an 8 mm (?) projector... there were very few computer programs. This was in 1993.. yes, the dark ages. The campus was networked; we had computer labs in every dorm and several (all?) buildings. And we, the new teachers, had to practice making overhead transparencies without using a copier. Hmmm... It is exciting to discover that the (new) professor is actually teaching the students something useful! My professor's argument for requiring such training? "There are schools out there that will have these things and you'll need to be able to use them." (oh, and we had to have several hours practice documented on each "technology"). Nevermind that the instructions were printed ON THE SIDE OF THE PROJECTOR!!! anad my aunt, who taugh 2nd grade in one of the poorest counties in West Virginia (one of the poorest states in the nation) said she hadn't use those things in years! Hmph. Sorry for the rant. It's always been a sore spot. But, it's so incredibly exciting to see how the program is embracing the new technology and training the teachers to use it!

Anyway....
I think Ning would be a very useful tool for my classes. It would be a great place to have discussions. I was thinking about that before I even got to the Twitter in the classroom video. We wouldn't be able to do it in class, but it would be a great resource to use.
I checked out a few discussions in Classroom 2.0 and saw several content-related ideas I liked. Very cool.
I'm now on Plurk- hopefully you've noticed. I tried to find everyone. My husband is my friend. how cute :) (it's getting late. I'm beginning to ramble)
I'm not sure how much Plurk will fit in for me, but we'll see.