From blogs to semantic networking

I'm discovering that blogs can be an asset in the classroom especially at the post-secondary level. I'm also impressed with their relative ease of creation and maintenance. I read somewhere that as a result of the creation of some many millions of new blogs in the last several years that the average blog has one reader. Just a factoid to keep every blogger "who wants to make it big"mired in reality! :-)

I think I'm more intrigued with educational potential of semantic networking than with blogs. I've become slightly familiar with the work of the National Urban Alliance and a significant teaching tool that they really emphasize: concept maps. The Inspiration software is fun to work with; I wonder if there is a free-ware equivalent somewhere.

I'm impressed with the constructivist direction and design of this class. Seems to me that if I enjoy the flexibility and power of creating my own knowledge, my students will as well. Yet another moment in my U experience that makes me take pause and reflect on what my classroom will look like and sound like when I return to the classroom as well as how my role as teacher will be reconfigured. Now to put words in to action!!