DawgNotes

I continue to ignore IM. Somehow, I have been able to never IM anyone, never get an IM id, never download any IM client, etc.

I skipped IM; however, my students exclusively IM. They don't use email anymore, as though email is somehow outdated. Funny the rate at which these things move in and out...I'm hoping the blog will have some stick-to-it-ivity, but that's only because I have a whole lotta fun writing it.

I just climbed back on the IM bus in the fall (using the AIM client). Don't know where it's headed, but I had at least a few useful interchanges with students via IM, plus it's easier than ever to capture the interchange, tuck it aside for those hotly contested "but you said" after-effects. Not much collegial (friends, cohort, profs, etc.) IM going on yet, though...for me at least.

The funny thing about IM-ing is that it worked much better for me when I had an office job. Then I was logged in most of the day. Now, between sitting in class and all the reading, and then trying to have some concept of a life, it's not that pleasant to sit in front of the computer for any length of time. Which is a problem when it comes to paper writing!

But I agree with Derek about the interchanges with students. I always give my IM Screen name to students, and encourage them to look for me, and sometimes I even post "virtual office hours" where I promise to be available by IM. That has worked well.

As far as colleagues go, we need to share IM names to get buddy lists built. Mine is ChrisAGeyer. ping me or send me yours and we can get something going!