Introductory post Web 2.0 Week 1

Hi classmates (and the world),
This is the first entry for my Web 2.0 Electronic Journal.

This is not my first blog. I have created blogs for classwork and personal use. I currently maintain two personal blogs: one on the Gators football team, "Ode to the Gators;" and one ("Michael Arnold Art") as a companion to my Simply Art Online website that showcases my artist of the week. The first blog is for fun and the second blog helps monetize my website by driving traffic there and providing an additional link.

One of the questions posed as a prompt this week is "Do you consider yourself a leader or follower in this realm, or something else altogether? Why?"

This answer can be yes and no. It depends on the context I use when considering the question. If I compare myself to all bloggers who have come before me and the magnitude of some bloggers audiences then I am definitely a follower because in that large of a community I am following the lead of others. However, when I compare my blog activities to coworkers, friends and family then I would be a leader because in those communities I stand out as the exception and not the rule.

Finally, for today's initial post I will answer this prompt: "Discuss what you hope to get out of this class."

First, I will give the expected answer and that is that I hope to further my knowledge of Web 2.0 technology and how it relates to the world of instructional design and how it can be used in the classroom.

On the other hand, I would have taken this class regardless of my major because as a newspaper publishing employee I realize that social media has had a great influence on the future of my occupation. I would like to understand it more, both the social phenomenom it has become and the tools that comprise its network, so that I can somehow manage to advise those in my organization on how they might find a way to coexist without becoming completely irrelelvantto the masses.