Greetings all -this is definitely a new medium (tool) for me to use.  I am a semi-regular “reader” of blogs particularly those dealing with the MENA region, human rights, labor and worker rights, etc… Yet, as an actual contributor to a blog – this I must say is a first (well, after the posts that I have been writing on the GEDI general e-bulletin and a blog for another course).  My hesitation has been worrying about all the things we talked about in class: spelling mistakes, feeling vulnerable to “critical” comments by peers and others reading the blog, etc… But thanks to you all – I am getting the needed therapy to get over my worries and “attack” the blogging world gently, of course.  I found the guest speaker last week, Dr. Gardner Campbell, to be awesome! engaging and very informative.  I am going to think about how I can incorporate blogging into future courses that I teach.  I am very interested in encouraging students to think, comment and analyze issues that we are learning together in the class that I teach now: Politics of the MENA region.  So using a blog could encourage that learning process – thinking, commenting and analysis. Being back in graduate school after 28 years is definitely a huge learning curve for me — I have been in and out of colleges/university campuses for various reasons – mostly speaking engagements so I have not been totally out of touch but as a student now, there are so many technologies, software, advancements in organizing materials, information, references, etc… that just did not exist when I was getting my master’s degree including of course, blogging.  So here I go — Technology Peasant 101 — embarking on a new learning adventure on the road of a learning revolution! in the spirit of Sir Ken Robinson.

With best wishes and happy blogging to all.