Chapter 23: In which the Pirates wax reflective

This is it, the home stretch! Today we think back on everything we've learned, tomorrow we have punch and pie (or at least I hope we do. Mmmm pie). So while we're supposed to reflect on few general ideas, let me first speak of the most general question of them all: What did I think about the Learning 2.0 Project?

On the whole, I liked it. While I had some fairly negative posts (see MySpace and YouTube), looking at the project overall, I think it was a great experience. It was a great way to take those that didn't know much about Web 2.0 (and, to be honest, that doesn't really include me) and show them around, while making it relevant and entertaining. And thats the most important part, that the project took some abstract concepts like Favorites sharing, and made it into something a library staff member can relate to and understand. For the most part, I think it was handled and presented very well, too. There were a few rough spots, but much of that had to do with the lack of usability for a specific site, not through fault of the project.

I've been a computer user for long enough, it was hard for me to be 'surprised' by anything we did for Learning 2.0, or for me to be completely won over by any of the sites we were introduced to. However, blogging in general has become much more interesting to me. Through this blog, and reading several other blogs regularly, I have come to appreciate a good blog. Granted, there are plenty of bad blogs out there, and personal journals like LiveJournal have always seemed pretty pointless to me. But a blog that doesn't dwell on deep inner feelings and instead focuses on interesting events and experiences, or is based around a particular theme such as a tech blog, can be enjoyable to read and participate in. Even before this project began, I began feeling like becoming a blogger, even just for fun, could be an interesting way to participate in a community I've enjoyed for so long. Learning 2.0 has only helped to promote that interest, and made me consider continuing on with this blog once Learning 2.0 is finished. I haven't decided on a theme yet, or if there will be one beyond 'what new and interesting thing did I do this week?', but we'll see.

As to whether or not I'd like to see this sort of training offered for future technologies, I'm not entirely certain there will be enough out there in the not-too-distant future to offer something like this. However, were there to be more technology and concepts developed in the coming years to offer such a project, I would certainly like to be involved with it again. As an advocate, Learning 2.0 was a great experience and I would be happy to reprise that roll sometime in the future.