Social Software Thoughts

While I do not consider myself an expert on web 2.0 technologies, I feel this class has given me a good foundation (and the confidence) to continue my quest for knowledge in these areas.  Each week's topic and assignments throughout the course were at first daunting, but in the end, were manageable.

Some really big pluses from this class include:

• Steve and Anselm's screencasts.  There were times, I watched the same one a few times, but in the end, I "got it."  I really admire the fact that Anslem kept Steve's screencasts and were confident in using them.  My feeling is why "fix something if it still works."  Less confident instructors may have rerecorded them just so they would feel the course was "theirs."  I know this might seem like a minor point, but I've taken enough online courses to see instructors do crazy things that didn't make sense.  Anselm's approach made perfect sense and worked extremely well - gave credit to Steve for designing the course, created an overlay when necessary, but used the original screencasts, which took much time to create and worked perfectly well.  Bravo!
• This was a perfect class to take online, and I might even venture that it was more effective presented in this way.  Connecting with classmates all over the US and Canada (which I thought was really cool and less common in my other online classes) was great.  I loved that Dan was on a different time zone, and he'd sometimes give me a suggestion when everyone else was in bed!  The online nature of this class forced us to utilize the instant messaging and tweets.
• We had a really nice, small class with just 11 students.  As in a face-to-face setting, the smaller number really enabled and forced  me to like a feel part of our learning community and not someone sitting in the back of the room.
• I really appreciated Anselm's responses to tweets.  While it is unreasonable to expect an instructor to be online all the time, it's important that instructors "check in" on a regular basis since it is sometimes hard for onliners to move forward when stuck with technical difficulties.  While I've been fortunate to have online instructors like Anselm, Steve Garwood and Ross Todd, who are quick to respond, I have had an equal number of instructors who have been less responsive.  This comment is meant as a compliment and with the hope that others who might instruct this course in the future realize the importance of timely and regular "check-ins."

Things that might warrant a little thought:

• There were so many ways for us to connect with each other (facebook, twitter, blog, wiki page, etc.), that it was a little difficult to know where to look for others.  I tended to use twitter to connect with others (in the same way I've had to use ecollege in the past), but I'm not sure we were all going to the same place so perhaps in another class, the main "meeting spot" could be more clearly defined.
• There was a lot of great information presented, but in a very quick time frame.   I know I will want to go back and revisit some of the screencasts via google reader and the rusocial wiki when I have a little more time.  Is it possible to allow us access for at least a certain period of time?  I know I don't know everything I could about some of the topics and I'd like to go back, rewatch and review.  It's the only way I will be able to implement some of these web 2.0 tools into my library.  

Thanks, Anslem for your guidance and for a great introduction to social software!