Emerging IT: Class Reflection

This class proved to be an excellent introduction to the current technologies that make Educational Technology such an exciting and growing field. Several things struck me as I look back on the week:

• Many of the technologies we covered this week did not exist two years ago when the 2006 Cohort started. That's how fast Web 2.0 is growing. As an example, one of the technologies with the greatest potential for my own use is Ning. This social networking tool is less than a year old. I came away from this week convinced that social networking will be a major player in the digital environment for the next few years. Given that realization, Ning is the first tool I've come across that allows small groups of people to develop a social network without a lot of technical expertise. It really is simple!
• Dr. Z offered some great advice at the conclusion of the week: don't even attempt to stay current on every technology that emerges out of the gate. After talking with many of my peers throughout the week, if there was one word that kept popping up was "overwhelmed." As Dr. Z humorously put it, we are drinking from a fire hose. Even though we can't keep up with every technology, we can continue to grow and expand our horizon and discover new ways of being productive.
• One of the secondary benefits of this week is the opportunity to develop friendships with a great group of people. I am truly impressed by the quality of men and women in this Cohort and look forward to what I hope will become a long-term network of resources.