Introductions

[Steve Hargadon]

Welcome! Please introduce yourself, let us know who you are and where you are from, and, if you are already using Ning in an educational setting, how you are using it.

[Larry Wilson]

My name is Larry Wilson and I teach in Hot Springs, Arkansas. I want to learn how to use Ning both in the classroom and as a way to collaborate with other teachers. I need all the ideas I can get.

[The V.I.E.W. Program]

Hello Ning Users,

We are a non-profit promoting technology for educators to better learning access, interest, and retention. Check out our community at www.viewprogram.ning.com.

We also enable on-line educational events and content. Check out our events page at www.viewprogram.org/events.html for current scheduled and future listings. Also, if you are interested in our live "The Life and Hopes of Anne Frank" event, please RSVP at the www.foranne.ning.com community page.

Thanks you and regards.

[Fitri]

Hello from Malaysia - I'm Fitri, teaching Educational Technology at a public university in Malaysia. Started using Ning this past semester, to supplement what we cannot do in the LMS that the university created for everyone to use. My students are HR majors, they loved using Ning, and they found the Ning platform made them more approachable to their classmates. I love the fact that it's so easy to use Ning, right from the word "create network", and the tools are so intuitive on here. Fantastic stuff! :)

Thanks Steve, for coming up with this Ning site! What a great idea! :)

[Chris Morris]

Hi..Chris Morris here; a passionate Educator, keen to acknowledge, harness and promote the correct use of web 2.0/social networking applications witin learning and teaching. Location: Sydney, Australia. G'Day!!

[Joanne Mack]

Hello,
I am Media Specialist and this is my first Ning experience. Still trying to absorb.

[Cassie Patt]

Hello,
My name is Cassie Patt. I am an Education Consultant and founder of the Education Consultant Network here on Ning. I am the mother of 4 boys and a former middle and high school social studies teacher. I look forward to networking with you and learning from you.

[Leslie Green]

Hi
I am a Canadian ESL and Elementary Teacher. I am currently taking my Online Teaching Cert. Trying out Ning. I was looking for an ESL group, but I think Education is the heading for all.
J.

[Janell Marmon]

I teach high school journalism and direct a Future Educators' Academy which includes a course in use of technology in teaching in Central Florida. All of my classes rely heavily on the ability to access and communicate information on an ongoing basis. As we move forward technologically, we can either sit on the couch, watching the tube, while thinking that our newest flatscreen is the be-all in technology and be satisfied with that, or we can get off the couch and truly interact with our students using the tools that instruct, model and help to achieve our goals as teachers in the 21st century. Additionally, I'm part of a technology committee for the Tampa Bay Area Writing Project which is developing a stronger connection with technology in wriitng and distance exchanges of information for its members. Ning offers great possiblities for both of those "lives" and goals.

[Amanda R. Debattista]

Hello, my name is Amanda Debattista, I am an eLearning teacher from Malta (Europe). I visit different schools up and down the country, and help teachers embed ICT in their daily lessons. I also have a blog which is aimed specifically at helping primary teachers to achieve this aim - http://teachersandcomputers.blogspot.com .- I have only recently discovered Ning, and I am interested in how I can use it with my teachers.

[Billy Futter]

Greetings. I am a recently retired academic from a small university in South Africa where I have been actively involved in using Moodle to create an effective learning environment. I have more stories on what not to do than what to do but I am still enjoying the learning experience. A colleague of mine suggest NING as a preferred site for building social networks - so here I am! My first impressions - very favourable.

cheers, Billy.

[Nicola Clements]

I've only just signed up to Ning so don't know much about it but I would like to use it with my kids at school. I just listened to your recording on starting a network from scratch which was really informative. I will start to experiment now.

[Corrine Breitsprecker]

Hi! My name is Corrine Breitsprecker. I am a math consultant at Heartland AEA (Area Education Agency) in Iowa. In addition to working with teachers (and sometimes, their students, too) and providing professional development, I am working on expanding my knowledge and experience with web 2.0. I believe Ning may be a great way for groups of teachers to connect and stay connected, so I want to experience this myself. There is much to be learned from others and joining a group such as this is a way to do that!