Comments on: The Dilemma http://MagicEdTech.edublogs.org/2007/12/10/the-dilemma/ a new approach to learning Thu, 20 Dec 2007 01:28:53 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.2 hourly 1 By: Steve Dembo http://MagicEdTech.edublogs.org/2007/12/10/the-dilemma/comment-page-1/#comment-6 Steve Dembo Mon, 17 Dec 2007 20:32:47 +0000 http://MagicEdTech.edublogs.org/2007/12/10/the-dilemma/#comment-6 Gerald, I think sometimes those of us who do frequent Web 2.0 presentations almost make it sound too easy. You're right, there are cliques, there are groups, there are snubs and challenges. But that's not to say that there isn't room for a few more people in the pool. The great thing is, there's always more room. I think everybody goes through a "I'm talking but nobody is listening" period at least once, twice or five times when they begin jumping into the blogosphere and such. It does take some persistence, and in some sense, there's sort of an art to getting noticed. A few tips from my own experience: 1) Leave comments. Lots of comments. If you like a blog post, leave a comment with a link back to your own blog. Most authors DO read every comment that comes in, and I can't speak for anyone else, but I follow almost every link back to the authors' site. 2) Hyperlink everything up. Someone mentioned this post to me, otherwise I wouldn't have seen it. However, if you had linked my name to Teach42.com, it would have showed up in my Technorati 'ego feed' (blogs that are currently linking to me) and I would have known about it that way. Great way to let people know you're mentioning them in a post and encouraging them to visit you. 3) In Twitter, reply to people directly. Just like #2, if you wrote me a note, I probably wouldn't see it. My Twitter feed scrolls REALLY fast so I don't see the vast majority of posts people put up. However, I always check my replies tab. Anybody who posts something and includes @teach42 shows up there and WILL be seen be me, guranteed. And most of the time I respond directly. Can't speak for anyone else, but that seems to be a pretty common trend. Just a few thoughts. But glad to have you along on the journey. There's quite a few twists and turns, but it's a fantastic voyage so far! Steve Gerald, I think sometimes those of us who do frequent Web 2.0 presentations almost make it sound too easy. You’re right, there are cliques, there are groups, there are snubs and challenges. But that’s not to say that there isn’t room for a few more people in the pool. The great thing is, there’s always more room.

I think everybody goes through a “I’m talking but nobody is listening” period at least once, twice or five times when they begin jumping into the blogosphere and such. It does take some persistence, and in some sense, there’s sort of an art to getting noticed. A few tips from my own experience:
1) Leave comments. Lots of comments. If you like a blog post, leave a comment with a link back to your own blog. Most authors DO read every comment that comes in, and I can’t speak for anyone else, but I follow almost every link back to the authors’ site.
2) Hyperlink everything up. Someone mentioned this post to me, otherwise I wouldn’t have seen it. However, if you had linked my name to Teach42.com, it would have showed up in my Technorati ‘ego feed’ (blogs that are currently linking to me) and I would have known about it that way. Great way to let people know you’re mentioning them in a post and encouraging them to visit you.
3) In Twitter, reply to people directly. Just like #2, if you wrote me a note, I probably wouldn’t see it. My Twitter feed scrolls REALLY fast so I don’t see the vast majority of posts people put up. However, I always check my replies tab. Anybody who posts something and includes @teach42 shows up there and WILL be seen be me, guranteed. And most of the time I respond directly. Can’t speak for anyone else, but that seems to be a pretty common trend.

Just a few thoughts. But glad to have you along on the journey. There’s quite a few twists and turns, but it’s a fantastic voyage so far!

Steve

]]> By: gmwand http://MagicEdTech.edublogs.org/2007/12/10/the-dilemma/comment-page-1/#comment-5 gmwand Tue, 11 Dec 2007 04:16:48 +0000 http://MagicEdTech.edublogs.org/2007/12/10/the-dilemma/#comment-5 Justin & Corrie, Thanks for the response and so quickly. I guess we are on the right track. It's good to know that others are struggling with some of the same issues that I am. I'd be happy to exchange ideas and share what I'm doing. That's sort of what this blog is for me, a documentation of my experimentation in building a network. I love it that it's finally starting to grow and connections are being made! Justin & Corrie, Thanks for the response and so quickly. I guess we are on the right track. It’s good to know that others are struggling with some of the same issues that I am. I’d be happy to exchange ideas and share what I’m doing. That’s sort of what this blog is for me, a documentation of my experimentation in building a network. I love it that it’s finally starting to grow and connections are being made!

]]> By: Corrie Bergeron http://MagicEdTech.edublogs.org/2007/12/10/the-dilemma/comment-page-1/#comment-4 Corrie Bergeron Mon, 10 Dec 2007 22:18:04 +0000 http://MagicEdTech.edublogs.org/2007/12/10/the-dilemma/#comment-4 I understand. I finally joined Twitter a month or two ago after reading about it in blogs and SecondLife (if you think RSS and Tweets can eat up a day...) But I have drunk the Kool-Aid, taken the red pill, gone down the rabbit hole and through the looking glass. This has changed the way I think. it has changed the way I work. It has changed the way I think about the way I work. I currently follow 68 people (yourself included). I'm followed by 45, quite a number of whom I do not know. Having posted ~400 tweets, most of them in reply to @somebody, I think I reached critical mass. I'm now getting followed by folks I didn't follow in the first place. Mom's advice - to have friends, be a friend - applies online. Get in there. Mix it up. Post comments and replies on blogs. Tweet and respond to tweets. The network doesn't build itself. After it becomes a certain size it starts to grow on its own, but you have to bootstrap it. I understand. I finally joined Twitter a month or two ago after reading about it in blogs and SecondLife (if you think RSS and Tweets can eat up a day…) But I have drunk the Kool-Aid, taken the red pill, gone down the rabbit hole and through the looking glass.

This has changed the way I think. it has changed the way I work. It has changed the way I think about the way I work.

I currently follow 68 people (yourself included). I’m followed by 45, quite a number of whom I do not know. Having posted ~400 tweets, most of them in reply to @somebody, I think I reached critical mass. I’m now getting followed by folks I didn’t follow in the first place.

Mom’s advice – to have friends, be a friend – applies online. Get in there. Mix it up. Post comments and replies on blogs. Tweet and respond to tweets. The network doesn’t build itself. After it becomes a certain size it starts to grow on its own, but you have to bootstrap it.

]]> By: J.Scott http://MagicEdTech.edublogs.org/2007/12/10/the-dilemma/comment-page-1/#comment-3 J.Scott Mon, 10 Dec 2007 19:56:54 +0000 http://MagicEdTech.edublogs.org/2007/12/10/the-dilemma/#comment-3 Gerald - I feel like you're about six months behind me... I went to one of Will's presentations this past July and have radically altered my teaching (and continue to do so on the fly). I'm happy to share what I've done and how, so you can see how I use various tools (is this how a network starts?). BTW, I'm the other person Will replied to on his last blog post! Cheers, Justin Scott jscott@sturgischarterschool.com www.jscottib.blogspot.com Gerald –
I feel like you’re about six months behind me… I went to one of Will’s presentations this past July and have radically altered my teaching (and continue to do so on the fly). I’m happy to share what I’ve done and how, so you can see how I use various tools (is this how a network starts?). BTW, I’m the other person Will replied to on his last blog post!

Cheers,

Justin Scott
jscott@sturgischarterschool.com
http://www.jscottib.blogspot.com

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