Blog Beginning

This is my blog for one of my courses at ASU-web 2.0. I have moved over from the blog on Moodle. I have never had a blog so this is an interesting experience. So far I have been trying to keep up with blogging on the Moodle site but haven't done so as frequently as I should. So hopefully I can go topic by topic and talk about my experiences in the course. I am hoping that some of the applications I learn about in the course can be applied to my job.

Here are a few thoughts on the course:

I was a little frustrated at the beginning of the course because there was not structure to it. I am the type of student who used to like going to lectures in college so structure is my friend. However, I think that this course has made me step out of my comfort zone. Case in point, I have a blog, which is something I never thought I would have. I didn't want one at all, but I think it may be useful in this Masters program to log ideas about different courses and ideas that come out of these experiences. Actually while I was searching out an anonymous blog, I found a website called The Experience Project. People just anonymously blog about their life experiences. It is pretty interesting. There are groups for every kind of person. I just saw one group on there called I love Tea and one called I find Serial Killers fascinating. Interesting site. I think some people use blogging as a way just to get out their thoughts or to keep in touch with family and friends.

I would say I'm pretty young and grew up in the computer age. However, I still have a problem with putting too much of my information "out there". I have a few accounts on different sites but it makes me nervous that so much of my information is just out there for people to see. Technology can be a great thing most of the time but there are always people who have to ruin the experience for others. I think it is great that I can keep in touch with friends or share pictures with family or shop online. On the flip side I think it is so easy for people to steal your identity or harm you from your information posted on the internet. I feel so old-fashioned saying that but I wonder if anyone else feels that way.

Anyway, back to the class. I have enjoyed some of the activities so far, such as Google Image Labeler, Second Life, the Wordle, Web 2.0 graphics. There is so much to do online. Second Life has really impressed me because I was sure at first that I would hate it and it would make me uncomfortable. On the contrary, I really enjoyed the experience. I wish that more of my courses were offered in Second Life. It would be really interesting to take a course in Second Life I think. It is just so different. I actually was at my mom's house this weekend and I was trying to explain Second Life to her. She kept looking at me like I was completely crazy! I compared it to an AOL chat room back in the day except that now you have a visual world and you have a character. She had never heard of Second Life before so she was totally amazed that it existed. Next time I visit I will have to show her the actual site.

I think that is it for now. I am going to do some more assignments this evening and post some more thoughts later!