By Changing Present we Change the Future

My four months sabbatical is winding down. It was a very intense, full of events and traveling adventures time. My sabbatical project was used to explore the full dimensions of the Web 2.0 phenomenon and its application to teaching and teacher education. Considerable time was spent on exploring Web 2.0 tools, including blogs and wikis, social networking professional groups and social bookmarking and RSS. Numerous tools were acquired and learned. Time was spent in on-line education as a WiZiQ visiting professor and as part of an international group of Web 2.0 scholars and educators who met during Web 2.0 webinairs and social networking communication and collaboration. This group then constructed a free on-line space for training educators, educational specialists on the issues of life-long learning, teaching in digital age, 21st Century literacies, Web 2.0 tools, etc. Given for hundreds of participants from across the globe. Smartboard trainer certification was also achieved. Seven presentations were developed and given at international conferences concerned with teacher education and/or Web 2.0 applications. And an outline for a book project and other continuing projects were completed. A successful Fulbright Scholar-in-Residence application was written to bring a visiting foreign scholar to my college to address issues of multicultural education and innovative teaching. Participating in virtual webinars and international conferences, collaborating in the design and implementation of the workshops for global audiences strengthened my beliefs about the power of education and its role in changing the word. It is a pleasure to communicate with like-minded people throughout the world and witness the change in perceptions of learning and teaching in digital age.
Here is my report about the sabbatical created with Smilebox: Ludmilla's Sabbatical in Pictures at: http://tinyurl.com/ykpavkq