I Shot A Moose Once

I shot a moose once in my pyjamas, how it got there, I have no idea. (Allan Konigsberg/Groucho Marx).

Here's the recent warnings:

• 7 Deadly Sins of Blogging
• Convergence 2.0
• Blogito, ergo sum

Plus all the talks in class about the College's discussions and concerns about Web2.0 and potential misuse and liability (ours and yours).

I hide little from you concerning these issues. I've pointed you towards the "soft skills" that employers look for. As classes, you have done things that few (if any) students in Scottish further education have done before. Part of this has been to develop the soft skills that employers look for. Part of it is under the remit of student-centred learning, where your desire to learn and better yourself is the focus of the education system, and staff are here to support and develop your learning.

I've spent the last few days building up quotes for a budget spend for multimedia kit for students. It is tedious. Locating shops that sell the gear, find the item, take a pdf print and note the price in a spreadsheet, and then repeat for two other stores. Then move on to the next item. I have 5 windows open, and move between them.

This is the sort of soft skill that people need to develop - just using IT to do their jobs. It isn't difficult, it isn't exciting, it is just online paperwork. It isn't separate from the multimedia or hardware or programming or whatever job you eventually get, it is a natural part of it. The same with your online presence - if you want a private social network, create one, don't link to it from your professional blog, keep it separate.

I went through the "7 deadly sins of blogging" with 2 classes last week. Today, I filled in an disciplinary form for a blogger. I know in my heart that it won't be the last, and that eternal vigilance is the price of developing your online citizenship. But would your employer take the same view? There have been dismissals out in the real world over employees' online antics. Just look at the full version of the Clearswift leaflet summarised in "7 Deadly Sins of Blogging".

Good night, and good luck.