Will Richardson (2010), in his book Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts, and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms, suggests that teachers who would like to start blogging should become familiar with the process before they start using that aspect of the Read/Write web with them. I guess this is why we are starting our own blog. I feel that I know how they work, but I myself have not had much experience writing one on my own without the guidance of a prompt for a class. Richardson (2010) also suggests that teachers new to the Read/Write web reflect on their learning and web usage. I use the web to access and gain knowledge. As a child I used to teach myself how to do things I was interested in by reading books and watching experts on TV. I taught myself how to ice skate and swim by reading library books and watching the winter and summer Olympics. Today I do the same thing, but instead of visiting the library I search the web, and instead of waiting for TV shows to air I look for video clips on YouTube. Two summers ago I started to teach myself how to skimboard and as a new homeowner I use the web all the time to learn how to become more “handy” and how to become a gardener.
As a graduate student I use the Read/Write web all the time in classes and I would like to use it in the same way with my students and colleagues. I agree with Richardson in the fact that I need to become more comfortable with the process of using wiki’s and blogs before I can adequately teach my students and colleagues. So in a way this class exercise serves an important purpose. I look forward to sharing my learning experiences and ideas with you. I am sure it will serve as a valuable learning experience for us all.
