Web Quest

Where would the world be today if we hadn't paused for a moment and thought of ways to do things better?
I'm sure all pioneers of new innovations throughout history have faced a similar hurdle to our web quest problem - 'I could show them how much better things could be if everyone just give it a chance'. The hard bit is how to communicate the benefits louder the criticisms and to convert the sceptics into supporters.
Imagine if the pioneers of of aviation 'The Wright Brothers' had given up their 'crazy idea' of flight because flying was actually a bit harder than driving and decided to just pootle back home in their 'motor car' for a nice hot cup of 'normali-tea.'
Life would have gone on just fine as it was. However there is something about the mysterious unkown that is well... mysterious. In this case and in thousands more the human thirst to discover proved too much so the human spirit fought on to overcome obstacles and drove the famous brothers to new heights (pun intended).
This 'thirst for discovery has never been totally quenched and I hope it never will. It is what gives us the drive to think of new ways of doing things and at least in our own eyes improve our situation.

To create change in a society like ours I believe there has to be two things, firstly a need to change the current way of doing things, and secondly means to make this an effective change without unreasonable inconvenience to those who are willing to change.

It may be said that the time and effort spent learning something new is not worth the benefit a the tool can provide. However, one way we can bridge the cap between the "Digital divide" is to become that much more efficient at doing things, that conventional methods become unconventional. To me this is sounds entirely possible when we consider the amount of time and effort we can save when we use the available tools correctly.
It does happen the other way round however. You gives something new a go and get further behind because they had to stop and fix the problems that occured while trying the 'great new technology'. This is a reality but it can be lessened through education and training. Providing people with free, simple, enjoyable, manageable training on new technology would help to lower the rate of problems and increase the number of satisfied users spreading the word on their new found abilities.

The applications we have been introduced to during this it unit along with the ever evolving list of applications available to Web 2.0 users (anyone willing) is surely enough to improve the way we do things - at both the personal and professional level.

I have outlined rather direct measures to help clamp the fissure known as the digital divide as sometimes a friendly nudge goes a long way but there are other ways i can see the digital divide diminishing .

A common misconception about current and forthcoming technologies is that of cost. I think a lot of people are under the belief that if a computer of application is going to really help them it's going to cost an arm and a leg to buy and maintain.
Now while keeping up with current technologies is in no way a cheap hobby the beauty of many of the new innovative ideas out there will operate on an everyday computer/web connection and can still operate sufficiently without the latest super fast technology. The best part of these applications as far as these critics are concerned is that they all able to be used for free.

As I have mentioned in many of my posts I feel the government and Education Department have a lot of responsibility to provide the basic tools (basic computer and Internet) to those who cannot afford them. A viable way to do this would be to refurbish and distribute businesses older machines they have upgraded from. These machines may not fit the bill for latest technologies but for many fantastic educational benefits these machines would be an affordable and practical way to go. This kind of 'government help' may not only appeal to those who can afford them but don't really know how cheap and effective a simple set up can be. This will help reduce the digital divide aswell and make a morre effective teaching environment is our schools.

I hope that once the 'tech phobia' has been substituted for an sufficient dose of 'tech envy' the evolution of a greater percentage of our society will embrace technology in many more ways than present, and with more users becomes more demand, with more demand comes education, with more education greater innovation appears, and with greater innovation comes.... well we shall just have to wait and see.

Simon Wright
A person that likes Web 2.0

Second Life doesn't mean second best

1. Title Second Life
2. Description of technology. - Second Life is a virtual world that allows users to interact with each other in nearly every aspect of day to day life. Users create an 'avatar' to represent them in the virtual world and go about life in a community pretty much like we do here on our humble little planet. (except for the flying part)
3. Some issues. - The virtual world has grown with such speed and enthusiasm there are many people who have set up full time businesses to cater for the users every need (atcually I think want is a better word). This has created a sort of floating economy where people are parting with large sums of real money to buy Linden Dollars (the games currecy) to 'spruce up' their avatar and online environment.
It is reported that as much as $35 million USD changes hands through second life each month. Since this is all going on in 'cyberspace' and from 'all four corners of the globe' I'm sure taxmen from all over the world are wondering when and how they can get their slice of the virtual pie.
4. Educational applications - As far as primary school education goes don't think second life will play a huge role, at least for now however the possibility for training at a professional level is just mind boggling. This would be especially beneficial to specialist training in organisations such as medicine , search and rescue etc. I'm sure the demand for simulated disasters / situations which the trainee is immersed in the environment would be huge and be beneficial to the participants.

5. Other thoughts. The costs of initial and ongoing training is a huge slice out of any buisnesses budget having a virtual platform to all meet at and undergo online trining in a live environment will reduce the costs of such as venue hire/ accomodation and the big one tea coffee and tim tams!!!
As I've learnt in my stuudies there is no substitute for hands on or concrete learning and there still will be the need for real hands on training in certain fields but a large part of training could be completed in the virtual world meaning when it comes to the real world the trainees will have a real head start.

Glogster

Glogster

1. Title - Glogster

2. Description of technology. - Glogster is a fun, colourful and easy to operate program which is the web 2.0 equivalent for an old 'poster project'. The clear difference to this is that the online poster (or Glog) is an interactive medium which can contain any kind of multimedia you can think of.

3. Some issues. - This is more a controll issue on the part of the user but I found it was too easy to add different images, videos, music etc that the page I created beacme over crowded very quickly and lost some of the effectiveness. There were just so many neat objects to choose from I found it hard to stop, but that can be dealt with in the drafting / design stage of creating the poster next time.

4. Educational applications - Glogster has its own educational version for schools to use, 'Glogster EDU' this is designed just for students so security and privacy issues have been dealt with well. The teacher can distibute the shells of the glogs to the class for them to create any number of different pieces of work. I like how the teacher becomes the moderator of all the glogs created to give a great tool for engaging the class and assessment too.

5. Other thoughts. - I think Glogster should be used right through and beyond primary age. It is simple enough to create an effective poster by younger students, but also once the students get more advanced with its capabilities it could become the 'go to' tool for integrating all subject areas into effective and proffesional looking creations.