Tuesday, July 17, 2007

New Apps and Me

I find it interesting that I have two very different reactions to new applications I find out about. One, which is envigorating, exciting, and enjoyable, is ...I understand the application, can learn how to use it fairly easily, and can see applications to my classroom. Blogging is a good example. Using classblogmeister.com, I learned how to use the basics of the site within a couple of hours and had it up and running. The children were introduced to blogging, took to it quickly, and it grew to great proportions in very little time.

But, sometimes, certain apps create a different reaction...I don't understand it, everyone seems to be using it but me, I don't see how this can help me. When that happens, I find myself frustrated that I don't have a...what...a mentor?...to call and say, "Help me." I am frustrated that I am the mentor in school...the one people call on. While I love having that position, and love helping others, where is my help?

Second Life gave me that reaction. The easy part about SL though is the many people in world who are willing to help. So thanks to KJ Hax, Ceili Bailey, and others, I am getting to know SL a bit and actually enjoying myself there.

My latest obstacle seems to be Twitter. Everybody uses it. Everybody finds each other. Me? I don't know how to find people. I don't know how to follow conversations. I don't know how to make this a useable application. So, anyone out there? Help me!

2 comments:

John Pederson said...

Howdy Lisa! Twitter is a strange thing that none of us really understand. My best advice? Play. Click on somebody, see who they are following, and start following people that they are following.

Keep up the blogging and keep experimenting.

Lisa Parisi said...

Thanks for the encouragement, John. I don't give up so easily. Afterall, Second Life is getting more fun and I had almost written that off.