Web 20.0 log

Web 2.0 log – Webspiration and Wiki
It must be almost scary for me to handle Websperation in two ways.

First, I am never good at technology. In fact, I had so hard time to figure out my blog’s URL. I set up my blog during the break in ambition to share how I live in New York with my family members. In fact, I was inspired by Picasa and made a blog through Picasa simply to add some memos on my favorite pictures. So I loged in my blog only through Picasa. I learned how to post and how to view. Besides those activity, everything was daunting – how to get to there again and how to invite others to view the pages and the likes. In addition, I even did and still do not know what I did not know. However, I need to do it.

Webspiration – it looked way more complex than blogspot.

Second, I have never work in such way – using diagrams. I am a professional writer. I just write and write. Of course, I draw such things when I work for corporation. Yet, the purpose of it was to help my listener understand, not for me. When I was inquired to draw diagrams for brainstorming in a research class, it did not feel quite right to me. Webspiration is new for me in terms of technology and learning style. Some visual learners could benefit out of it for sure. Me? Well…

However, this semester I am preparing for a cert exam and see the potential usage of this application. My problem was how can I organize and revisit what I have learned for two and a half years? While chatting with my colleague who is also taking Cert this month, she suggested me to draw diagrams. Although we divide subjects into 5-6 for convenience, they are actually not totally separate. To study more effectively and promote our understanding of my field as a whole, I thought it might be beneficial. At that time I was still thinking that two or more people stick to a large paper on the wall and draw circles and arrows with markers. My skeptism headed up here. “OK, we can work together. But how can I bring it home to rehearse? Should we copy it into smaller paper to make a copy (possibly take a picture?) and each of us brings the copy home?” So we gave up study together. But ding! If had known webpiration earlier, I could have thought differently. Webspiration seems to be a perfect application for me and my colleague. This is also actually live. So we can work together at the same time. In the past, people can work with verbally and literally but not in this way in distance. Without exchanging files through email or posting it, work could be done.

While participating in the exploration for this class, I found it easier to deal with than I had thought. It was no more than Powerpoint at the beginning. It might need more skills to deal with it more.

I used to live and write in countryside. For idea meetings with editors, I had to make a trip to the city but I think this application could save time and money to travel. Well but, it might end up keeping me in the isolated countryside forever.

As for the Wiki, it is so interesting to work on a document all together and the participants are informed by email. It is look much easier to me than Webspiration simply because it suits my learning style better. I think it will be super useful when I work with my editors. Once I pass my original writing, I just have an opportunity to work on it once or twice. If all the stakeholders have an access continuously, we might produce better products. I also want to use this one with my husband. I often help him in editing his article in English. We do not have to exchange files and sometimes have to wait until the other one become available. I can start editing from the beginning when my husband working the later part. However, I am wondering if we can trace who made what change and when. I will play with it and learn it more.

This semester will be very interesting journey to the world of technology!