Will (of metaot fame) and I have had several conversations on gtalk recently (thank goodness for a 11 hour time difference between the UK and New Zealand) about our visions for web 2.0 and the profession of occupational therapy. Through the last seven weeks of this Web 2.0 project I have come to see that there are a few occupational therapists either beginning to venture into, or are actively using Web 2.0 tools. As I’ve noted in an earlier posting, there are a few occupational therapists, and probably more students, and up until this project probably more males than females (an interesting gender balance given that we are predominantly female!). Anyway like any small communities, each of us knows of probably 1 – 2 people who share a common interest. It’ss like there are all these little satellites circling around 2 – 3 in one orbit, 2 or so in another, some totally circling on their own! I’m hoping that perhaps I can help to bring all these satellites into a similar orbit – even for a little while so that we can learn from each other! The first step is seems to me is to pull together a list on bloglines of all the OT blogs I can find.. then go around everyone’s site leaving the link to my bloglines site. The next step is to try and perhaps bring everyone together in real time – perhaps a skype conference…. and then who knows after that? I did suggest we could have a conference in Second Life – but perhaps that’s a bit of a leap just yet! So watch this space.. If you cross over to my bloglines and can’t see your blog listed yet under the heading: Occupational Therapy Blogs then please let me know – leave me a message here and I’ll make sure I include you! And if there are any other allied health professionals out there (eg physios, speech language therapists/pathologists) then leave a note here!
Karen
May 25, 2007 @ 01:39:56
i tried to get on Second Life. I was greeted by a naked man jumping up and down. I never did figure out how to do anything and just gave up. Although I did figure out how to go to a rave, too bad everyone there was naked too. And dancing. Hmm.
I don’t see my blog listed on your bloglines, although I’m a little confused as to which space you are refering to. otstudents.blogspot.com 🙂
I like your idea of a network!!
Merrolee
May 25, 2007 @ 02:01:53
Hi Karen
Hmm.. yes well in second life there are places just like in our own towns that you don’t really want to go visit unless you are that way inclined! I’m only just starting to learn about Second Life but I do know there are lots of good places to visit as well, and this weekend I’m attending an online conference in Second Life! I guess its knowing where to go – and how do we do that in real life when we are going to a new place. We ask someone who has been there… so I can feel a new posting coming on.. once I’ve figured out good places I think for OT’s. Will might also know of some?
Re your blog – I do think I haven’t put yours on yet..its a slow process – so please anyone who would like to help me out????? Just drop me an email or leave a posting below with the list and I’ll add them in!
Karen – your will be on bloglines in a tick (thats a minute to all residing in the northern hemisphere… If you go to my bloglines account http://www.bloglines.com/public/merrolee
then look down the left hand side and you will see some folders – click on the one called ‘occupational therapy blogs’ and yay.. you should find your blog along with others. thanks for the link also to the OT in Ecuador who I’ve just worked out is a Kiwi/New Zealander!
James
May 26, 2007 @ 08:50:28
Hi – thanks for listing my blog – Housing OT.
Just a quick note to let you know the feed address has been changed to:
http://www.housingot.co.uk/userimages/rss.xml
Look forward to being involved with the project.
James
merrolee
May 26, 2007 @ 23:03:57
Hi James
Thanks for passing on your feed address – I will certainly add to my bloglines… I’m aiming to try and add a couple each day knowing that I will soon find most! Do you have occupational therapy blogs that you regularly read that you could pass on?
Thanks
James
May 27, 2007 @ 23:10:43
Hi – I’m just updating my site – adding more blogs over the next few days. Seems to have been a bit of an explosion of them recently. I’ve created a blogroll link, which can be seen once on my main blog page – feel free to dip in there!
Address for direct access to blogroll is http://www.housingot.co.uk/page16.htm
James
Merrolee
May 28, 2007 @ 05:42:14
Hi James
Yay.. thanks for this… The group tonight have checked out your site.. but without having your link above. It took us a while to realise that you had to click on BLOGROLL to get to the OT links? I’m wondering to help others if you should perhaps add the words OT Blogs or something to that heading so its really easy to find?
The therapists were also chuffed to find their sites in your blogroll – thanks for linking us in and helping to increase the presence of OT’s on the web!
James
May 29, 2007 @ 23:15:52
Hi – thanks for feedback. I’ll make the change, as suggested.
On the chuffed note, just found this info leaflet about blogging from the Scottish Institute for Social Work Education – OK tenuous Dunedin and OT links, but more :
Click to access 04_blogging.pdf
Was really pleased to see that my blog was mentioned in the list at the end. Just goes to show that from small acorns ‘n’ all that…….
If anyone has been missed (and I’m sure they have), feel free to drop me a line.
James
Merrolee
Jun 01, 2007 @ 11:00:46
thanks James – and the pamphlet looks great – interesting to see where who had developed it.. so are our associations leading with any literature for their members – ah.. not!
Lots of brownie points for you recognising the link between Dunedin and Scotland – Pakeha (scots) arrived here on four ships – so a strong scottish heritage here in Dunedin and in the early days much intermarrying so not unusual to hear Maori here when they do their mihi talk about scots grandparents, or great grandparents or great great grandparents!
Great to see your blog was mentioned.. makes me think I should contact them and suggest they look at other well developed blogs!
will wade
Jun 04, 2007 @ 18:05:32
Good find James!
I’m posting this here before my site (since Merrolee got to it before me) – I have got an upcoming group for the OT Blogosphere in the UK where I hope to try and organise a face-to-face meetup at somepoint in the not-so-distant future. If your in the UK add yourself to the list and I’ll arrange a date/place !:
http://upcoming.yahoo.com/group/3203/
Karen
Jun 04, 2007 @ 18:23:32
I am going through Merro-withdrawal. If you don’t post a new blog post soon I may die. Please, for all that is good in this world, post something new so I can bask in the glory of Merrolee OT vibes. 🙂
Merrolee
Jun 04, 2007 @ 20:30:35
Oh Karen…I will! Its been a hectic fortnight as I’ve been completing writing an article for our journal… lots of thoughts came out of that – so will post a snippet tonight!!!! I hadn’t quite realised the flow on from my blog!! 😦
Merrolee
Jun 05, 2007 @ 09:05:15
And in response to Will – thanks for starting the discussion here… yay go OT Blogosphere…ummm beam me up Scottie!!! Hoping we can find a way to make the meeting virtual…so those of us not in the UK might be able to join you all!!! I tried to join your list but it didn’t seem to work.. I’ll try again now..