Out of the Swamp

As the project is now complete, written up and sent off (yay!!) I can now reflect on what being a part of the Learning Circles project has done for me and the rest of the tutors. I can now easily create and work my way around a wiki and a blog although there are still some mysteries in this blog that I have not explored yet because I have been concentrating on the wiki. Many of the tutors have been able to contribute to the wiki and some also to the blog and that is encouraging. Interesting to see that no-one has continued contributing since the project was completed but I will keep on encouraging them to at least add some links to interesting sites.

Then there is the question of getting them to use new technology with their students. I suppose the only way to do that is to be the one to try it first and then let them see that it can be done. A new group of diploma students is starting next year so I aim to set up a wiki for them and they can use a blog as a journal. I am looking forward to this my first real foray into using this technology with students and I can see that it could be very exciting.

Work for the remainder of the year is slowing down and I am getting on top of the marking (hallelujah!) as the count-down to Christmas begins. Yet again I have missed the overseas mail for the relatives so it will be expensive airmail again. I am actually wondering if I can set up wiki for the family – that would be a hoot!

After this weekend in Melbourne of the G20 conference and the Make Poverty History campaign, I wonder when our politicians are really going to “get it”. Still – we must have hope and at least some people in the world actually care about how people in other countries are surviving. I absolutely disagree with the violence perpetrated by protesters thought – can’t people think of ways other than violence to make a point.