Thing 8

I started to make a Pageflakes page, simply because I liked the name better than NetVibes, but I was disapointed to see the big ad permanently placed on the top right of the page. You can't move it; you can't delete it. Then, I checked out Netvibes. I really liked the ability to create a customized page. However, currently I use Firefox and I love the Bookmark toolbar where I can put lots of my most frequently used bookmarks. I started to reorganize this to be on my start page, so I can go there and get to all the other sites I regularly visit. It's a lot of work, but worth it in the end. I needed to organize everything anyways.

One feature that I really liked was the ability to make different tabs, so I can keep professional links in one place, or hobbies in another. It makes it easier to keep the information organized in an easy to read manner. Plus, it's so easy to move things around, from tab to tab, or around on the page you are working on. I love it!

I think this could be very useful for students. Especially with the capability of creating different tabs. The students could be asked to set up a school tab, where they can check on their teacher's blog or a news site for current events. It would help the student quickly access all kinds of information without wasting time and having to type in URLs all the time.

Pageflakes and Netvibes are different from Google Reader because they allow you to keep tabs on more things, not just blogs and RSS feeds, but your email, facebook, weather, and other sites.

Thing 7

I read a lot of blogs. Mostly, I just peruse them when I have the chance. I had heard of readers before, but was hesitant to get it all figured out because I knew how addicting it would be. Now, I've done it. I've set up my favorite blogs in my Google Reader, and a few news feeds, too. I suppose it does save a lot of time, but it also makes it *too* easy to read way too many blogs. But at least it's quick when I read them now.

Thing 6

Wow! I had never even heard of Ning before and I love it! It's wonderful to find networks of people with the same interests. It's reminds me a lot of MeetUp.com except instead of finding people locally, it's world wide. If you were blogging about a very specific topic and wanted others that were also interested in that topic to be able to find your blog, blog it in a Ning. For example, if I wanted to blog about my new violin, and have other people also interested in violin give me pointers, I might blog within the Violin Society Ning.

Creating a Ning for students to use would be great. The students would be able to converse about their lessons, projects, thoughts on something that happened in class, or even help each other out with homework through the network. Of course, it could be overwhelming for the teacher, feeling that he/she must keep up with everything that was posted on the Ning, but I think there is definitely some potential there.

I know I am going to join a few Nings and pass a few on for others to join, too!

Thing 5

I wanted to start this blog post by saying that I love the social networking in plain English video. I sent a link to it on to my mom, because she might actually be able to understand social networking after that video.

I think LinkedIn sounds like a great resource for a lot of things. Finding a job or a speaker, would be a lot easier through LinkedIn. I do think the education field is under-represented on it, and that may actually prove to make it not as valuable of a resource as it could be. Since the more people in a field and in your network increases your odds of finding what you are looking for on LinkedIn, an educator is probably at more of a disadvantage than an engineering firm or an advertising executive. That said, I think there is a lot of potential on LinkedIn.

The only other social networking site I regularly use is Facebook. Facebook is much more of a personal site, finding old college roommates and high school friends. While this is fun, it rarely helps you meet any need professionally. Whereas, LinkedIn is a professional site. Helping people network their skills and livelihoods to make connections and meed professional needs.

Thing 4

I am generally not a blog commenter. I mean I occasionally leave a word here and there, but generally speaking, I don't often hit the comment button. As silly as it is, I never really thought about how nice it is to get a kind comment on something you wrote online, whether it's a blog post or a facebook posting, or anything else. And the two posts about how to comment to blogs really got me thinking: I guess I need to comment more on the blogs I read. I commented on a few of the blogs in our 23 Things community. It really does help complete the community circle.

Thing 3

I've read a lot of blogs. I regularly have a few that a read and subscribe to as well. I read them for inspiration, for amusement, for updates on friend's lives, for recipes, for fun and for learning.

I perused the blogs on the list and absolutely loved number 16, Patricks Update. It definitely is a great use of comments on blogs. So often, you read a blog and all the comments are so negative. People can't seem to keep their mouths shut online either. But this is wonderful. I am amazed at how quickly so many people came to see this 5th graders blog and were thoughtful enough to leave him the encouragement it sounds like he needed.

I also really enjoyed Twenty-Five Days to Make a Difference (Laura Stockman). I especially liked the post I linked to that she got the 'Proof Positivity Starfish Award'. It's amazing to think of all the people inspired to do more to help others, just from reading a blog. I know I was!

And the duck blog was just cute! And a great way to get kids thinking creatively about the world around them and commenting.

Thanks for the Technorati link. I love finding new ways to organize the Web. I guess that's part of Web 2.0! :)

Thing 2

I guess what interests me about Web 2.0 is how interconnected the world has become. It's crazy to think how much has changed because of Web 2.0 and the social interactions people have because of it. When you met someone 20 years ago you didn't exchange emails, 10 years ago you didn't 'friend' them on facebook, 5 years ago you couldn't find them again and know who all their friends are, what their hobbies are, and what their thoughts were on the person serving the coffee they picked up from the corner shop on the way to work that morning. Now, for good or bad, it's all possible.