Thing 2

When I first started looking around at all of the blogs out there, it seemed a bit overwhelming. It reminded me of trying to write a research paper and looking through article after article, looking for credible sources. Some of the sites may look really pretty, but do not necessarily contain realistic thoughts. I definitely think that a good blog should be aesthetically pleasing, because really, that is the first thing that catches most people's eye. But I think even more important is ease of navigation. Some of the blogs had too much information which made it frustrating for me to figure out where to start. I liked the ones that had several links to other relevant, related pages. I think that the blog should be well-written; as in, the person took a little extra time to back his/her thoughts up with legitimate reasoning, instead of just spouting off opinions. I suppose it is all a matter of the reason for which the blog is being used. If you are going to try to sound like an expert in your blog, I would expect that you have some information to make yourself more believable. But, if you are a mom talking about what fun activities you did with your children that day, I can see where rambling would be more appropriate.

I think a blog could help enhance the existing school website by giving parents and teachers even more lines of communication. Some parents have schedules that do not permit them to volunteer or attend school events, like conferences. With a blog, parents who travel for work or are just unable to get in to the school can still stay connected. I think it is really great to be able to share links to student projects or activities that are going on at school. It could also help make relationships at school stronger. For example, as a counselor, a lot of the teachers are not always aware of what it is exactly that I do. If I could post pictures of the activities we run, have students make comments on activities led by counselors, etc., I think teachers might feel more comfortable knowing how to utilize our services. I think it would allow people to experience an appreciation for others' work going on in the school -- it's very difficult for me to escape from my office to see what the art students are working on, or even attend a choir concert. This way, I could still feel a part of the activities and be able to talk to the kids about their work.

I do think blogs are an easier way for people to self-publish. If there is an aspiring author out there who maybe just needs to get a good following of people first to get noticed by a publishing company, a blog would be a great way to do that. The fans could make comments and hopefully a company would see the interest in the work of that author.

My initial thoughts of Web 2.0 have remained much the same as when I first started the class, but now I am beginning to learn just how expansive it really is. I am still amazed by how many tools are out there for people to use. I think it will continue to play a big role in the 21st century. It blows my mind that people can share ideas and connect on issues from all over the world! What a great way to bring people together and share new information with such a wide audience.