An observation

I have to admit that I am enjoying playing with the social tools we are looking at as part of SMiELT. It is interesting to me that I, at least, need some time to become really familiar with a site before I can see the value in it. Because I have blogged for three years now, it is easy for me to see the potential there. Now that I have used a wiki with my students and participated in a wiki as a professional, I can see great potential there. I have used Flickr as a source of Creative Commons-licensed photos to use with students, so exploring the site more to think about how I could have my students use it wasn’t difficult either. But Twitter? The 43 Trio? It will take more time, I think, before I am comfortable with them. Once I am, though, I will probably begin to see ways I can use them with my students.

This is the reason I don’t want to miss participating in EVO sessions each year. They move me out of my comfort zone, expose me to things that I would probably never investigate on my own. Sometimes I can almost immediately embrace the new tools, as was the case with blogging, and other times it takes a few years. (This is my second year of not getting the 43 Trio. But I am starting to see a glimmer of hope there.) Either way, though, I am learning, stretching, and growing. And that is, as the commercials say, Priceless!