Much of what I heard here I thought was pretty good. I’d already learned about many of the tools (all but one Firefox extension, to be exact), but it was very useful to learn about how faculty are using these tools and to get an update on some of the tools I had already looked at awhile ago. Del.i.cious has improved a lot, for instance – now I know.

I was a little disappointed in the faculty in the audience, though. They will insist on popping up with the same objections that they’ve had to every other new thing to come along. “Won’t these tools further distance us from our students?” asks one. Oh, please. That argument was done away with years ago – these tools bring us closer to more of our students. “How will these tools really help me preserve my authority?” asks another. Again, this question has been addressed over and over again. Whatever the answer you choose, the answer certainly isn’t preventing others from sharing in the information pool.

Bryan Alexander says that no one can really explain why it is that wikipedia works so well. I don’t think it is so myterious, actually – more of us are good than bad. We good folks simply outnumber the jerks, and the disputes are generally honest and worth working through.