Week 1 Discussion Prompts

What have been your prior experiences with Web 2.0 technologies?

I have used several social media tools prior to joining this class.  There are some that I use internally for work, some that I use outside of work to connect to the learning community, some that I use personally, and some that I have used for previous classes in the Instructional Systems program at FSU.

The ones that I currently use as work on a regular basis are:

• Yammer
• Microsoft SharePoint
• Microsoft Live Meeting
• Microsoft Communicator
• IdeaNet

Some of the ones that I currently use personally, mainly to connect and share with others in the learning community are:

• Twitter
• Blogger (I have my own personal blog called Many Ways to Learn)
• LinkedIn
• Delicious
• Tweet Deck
• Tweet Chat

I also use Facebook, but mainly to connect with family and friends on personal issues, such as sharing pictures of my sons high school graduation, or connecting quickly with my daughter who is at college.

I have also used some tools as part of classes at FSU such as:

• Wikispaces
• Diigo
• C-map

Do you consider yourself a leader or follower in this realm, or something else altogether? Why?

When it comes to Web 2.0 technology usage, I consider myself to be both a leader and a follower.   Inside of my company, I tend to be somewhat ahead on the curve of Web 2.0 usage and I often find myself introducing ways to use the tools to others.  When I interact with others in the learning community outside my company, I seek out people who are further ahead on the curve than I am, so I can learn from them and bring some of the ideas and usage back into the company.

What you hope to get out of this class?

I hope to get exposure to some Web 2.0 tools that I'm not familiar with, get some new ideas on how I can use them in my work, and make some connections with people who I can learn from, and who I can hopefully contribute to their learning as well.