I am finished, well, except for putting together my tracking log! UPDATE: Just realized that some of the names on my blog permalinks do not match the actual "things." When they said permalink, they meant permalink, so if I made a mistake on the "thing number"and corrected it later, it was too bad for me! Permalinks are very unforgiving! But I did them all regardless.
My thoughts are as follows:
What I enjoyed included the blogging (it was fun to design the color scheme, too), RSS feeds, online imaging generators and participating in our group wiki. I also enjoyed LibraryThing a lot (and need to get back to it to catalog my own personal library.) I found the Rollyo difficult at first and then the light bulb went on and I was able to figure it out. I am not sure how I will use it, but it reminds me of those pathfinders that we did in MSLS grad school so long ago (and pathfinders are still being talked about on LM_Net so maybe they are not so "dated" after all but just have reinvented themselves into a tech version...).
I am glad to know more about Flickr, but I am not really into photography so it was not my favorite exercise. But I may find that site more useful in the future.
Although I am not sure how much I will be "into" tagging, I am glad that I know what tagging is all about. When I see tags on YouTube (which I already knew about but enjoyed exploring further), I have a better understanding of how tags are used. But Sears and LC subject headings still work for me...why reinvent the wheel!
I really liked knowing that the online productivity tools are out there and absolutely loved looking at the award winning web 2.0 sites. I have found one of those sites very useful already in my personal life.
I am glad that I now know more about podcasts and want to get back to listening to those travel podcasts one of these days. (But somehow I think that spare time is going to be at a premium after August 26th!) The same goes for downloadable audiobooks, although I probably can check them out and burn a copy for listening while I commute to school.
Yes, I am glad that I participated in the "23 things" exercise, although I don't need the MSDE credit (although I will take it anyway...). I am also glad that the completion date was extended or I would have not finished! But I guess that the bottom line is that the many exercises expanded my knowledge base and made me think! And I had a lot of fun along the way!
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Week 9: Thing 22 (Learn about Downloadable Audiobooks)
I love audiobooks, so can't wait to explore this. Now how I will get these into my car, I don't know! Maybe they can be burned to a CD? More later.
Well, I'm back after taking the tour and trying out the Mac version of Overdrive. I will have to explore the possible titles available at the public library as I go along. What would work best for me would be to burn a CD and listen while driving. I can't concentrate on audiobooks while cooking or even while walking around my neighborhood. Actually, I tend to speed read and audiobooks make me appreciate the details, but I need to be trapped in my car to tune into them. I often listen to a book on audio that I have previously read. Then it is easier to get out of the car when I reach my destination! I will have to say that I have always listened to David Baldacci books on audio and now have problems concentrating on his different "voices" when I pick up one of his books. P.D. James's books are also better (IMHO) on audio because they tend to be so descriptive. But whether I borrow an audiobook from the public library or download one from this site, an audiobook is certainly a way to read at times when I just need an escape from day to day life. And it is nice to know about some more choices of platform and devices to use when optioning to "read" via audiobook.
Well, I'm back after taking the tour and trying out the Mac version of Overdrive. I will have to explore the possible titles available at the public library as I go along. What would work best for me would be to burn a CD and listen while driving. I can't concentrate on audiobooks while cooking or even while walking around my neighborhood. Actually, I tend to speed read and audiobooks make me appreciate the details, but I need to be trapped in my car to tune into them. I often listen to a book on audio that I have previously read. Then it is easier to get out of the car when I reach my destination! I will have to say that I have always listened to David Baldacci books on audio and now have problems concentrating on his different "voices" when I pick up one of his books. P.D. James's books are also better (IMHO) on audio because they tend to be so descriptive. But whether I borrow an audiobook from the public library or download one from this site, an audiobook is certainly a way to read at times when I just need an escape from day to day life. And it is nice to know about some more choices of platform and devices to use when optioning to "read" via audiobook.
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Week 9: Thing 21 (Useful Search Tools for Locating Podcasts)
Next up...podcasts! I found it easy to access podcasts (since I have iTunes). I then found that adding a Rick Steves' travel podcast to my Bloglines was pretty simple by clicking on ipodder.org which took me to podcastalley.com where I picked up the url for the feed to insert these podcasts into my Blogline list of feeds.
Either these "23 Things" are getting easier or I am getting better at using the features. It is probably a combination of both (as well as the fact that my mind is not cluttered with schoolwork in July!) As much as I am devoted to my work, I could easily put off going back to school until October 1st. I suspect that September is going to be hot, hot, hot since the summer has been somewhat cool. (And chocolate has been known to melt in student lockers on the top floor of my school!)
I am listening to Rick Steves talk about Paris (and those bookstalls along the Seine) as I type. Can't get any better than that!
Week 9: Thing 20 (Discover YouTube and a few sites)
Now that I realized (duh) that I could link the urls just like I do on our Claris 3.0 webpage software, I have gone back to link the urls in Things 12 and 8. This is the Wedding Entrance Dance that I saw on YouTube, courtesy of Jacquie, who posted it on LM_Net. Maybe a bit unconventional, but joyful! I liked it so much that I have watched it twice so far.
I also enjoyed watching America's Child video by singer and pianist Phil Vassar, which reminded me of a video made long ago by former colleague, B.A., (and that one was great, too) and some great clips from The West Wing. Here is one of my favorite West Wing clips.
Although I have always watched YouTube "for fun", I know that there are some training materials on it and perhaps that might be a good library application of this Web 2.0 tool.
Although I have always watched YouTube "for fun", I know that there are some training materials on it and perhaps that might be a good library application of this Web 2.0 tool.
Week 8: Thing 19 (Discover any site from Web 2.0 Awards List)
The most interesting thing about viewing the Web 2.0 Awards list is how many of the sites I now know because I have explored them in this class. I found the house that my brother is renting via zillow.com, read up on Twitter (although I really don't have time to wonder about what people are doing...), went to LinkedIn to see how my network has grown, etc. from the shortlist. Then I went back to the main awards page just to see what all of these sites do (just read the more detailed descriptions...). It would take more time than I have (my goal being to finish this class by July 31) to go to every site. But I will remember that they are out there or hopefully be more knowledgeable when I "hear" them mentioned on LM_Net (guess that is a bit hit as to which one of the 14 participants that I am!) But since we will be identifying ourselves soon (not on the blog, but maybe via an e-mail from J.S.), I guess it is not a big deal.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Week 8: Thing 18 (Online Productivity (word processing, spreadsheet) Tools)
This is a link to my Google Doc. It was easy to do and easy to post. Originally I wanted readers to copy the link and paste it in a new browser to read it or (but now that I have learned to do this...and so easy!) just click on my new link!.
Week 7: Thing 17 (Learning 2.0 Sandbox Wiki)
Finally a "thing" that was both quick and easy (except I had to dig back into my e-mail to find the alternative exercise...). I enjoyed working with the wiki that J.S. set up for our group and added a comment (well, first, I tried to add my comment to the directions...sorry!) and then added a page. I think that I could get into this! Yet another log in and password so it's good we have our list to record them! I enjoyed this "thing" and may explore it further. Finally, I am on to Week 8!
Monday, July 13, 2009
Week 7: Thing 16 (Learn about Wikis)
I found the wiki information very informative. I certainly knew about wikipedia but some of the other uses of wikis were new to me. Perhaps the SIT team could use wikis, maybe not in writing the plan itself but in writing minutes or summative type documents.
We are working on editing some of our church bylaws and everyone involved sent their suggestions via e-mail. How much easier it might have been to edit the sections as a group via the wiki format instead of posting and reposting and reposting.
I especially liked the idea that book reviews could be added to online catalogs, such like books can now be review for Amazon.com. I think that idea has some merit.
Finally, I don't know how locked down we are in using wikis on the school level. (I would have to get out the state department report to remember how J.K. advised us to answer the questions...) But certainly there would be applications (if allowed) in the upper grade levels. Science Lab Reports, for example, when being completed by a team of four students, might be done very effectively as a wiki!
We are working on editing some of our church bylaws and everyone involved sent their suggestions via e-mail. How much easier it might have been to edit the sections as a group via the wiki format instead of posting and reposting and reposting.
I especially liked the idea that book reviews could be added to online catalogs, such like books can now be review for Amazon.com. I think that idea has some merit.
Finally, I don't know how locked down we are in using wikis on the school level. (I would have to get out the state department report to remember how J.K. advised us to answer the questions...) But certainly there would be applications (if allowed) in the upper grade levels. Science Lab Reports, for example, when being completed by a team of four students, might be done very effectively as a wiki!
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Week 6: Thing 15 (Web 2.0, Library 2.0 and the Future of Libraries)
"Whether we called it reading, or scholarship, or research, or study, what brought us to librarianship was the power inherent in bringing together people and ideas...But whatever it was, it took us to thinking about librarianship, about a career where we could continue to chase some of those ideas and introduce them to other people.
On the surface, what we do every day now has little to do with that original, deep impulse to connect people with ideas. We do budgets and solve personnel problems. We hope that the next level of automation will somehow go a little more smoothly than the last one did.
Let us remember what brought us here. If librarianship is the connecting of people to ideas, it doesn't matter where the ideas exist."
---GraceAnne A. DeCandido
Library 2.0 is all about changing the way that we approach library services to meet our patrons' needs so that we can still connect them to ideas, in very different ways than when we were students.
And as the authors of the Library 2.0 articles point out, it is almost a tightrope that we need to walk to keep our libraries (and library services) relevant for our patrons, i.e., students and teachers.
The buzzwords of the 21st century include access to technology (aka, the Digital Divide), privacy, security. We can print pictures of books straight from Amazon.com so that kids could search for their overdue items. Digital cameras make it easy for us to take many pictures and to erase our mistakes. And if the local newspaper makes a mistake on a student's name, one call and the web edition can be changed so that the information is recorded correctly for posterity.
The ability to connect to library colleagues through Instant Messaging and e-mail has taken away much of the isolation previously felt when one was the "only librarian" in one's school. Technology in the library has also helped our patrons to appreciate librarians and to view our libraries as more than warehouses of dusty books.
We are not the only ones in the building with tech skills anymore, although we probably learned them early-on. But regardless of where we are in our personal use of technology, we still need to have enough library related tech skills to guide our patrons through the techno-maze.
Libraries (and librarians) need to step forward to connect people with the vast amount of information that is now available through the world wide web, shared catalogs, digital formatting, and user interface, but still must evaluate each step to make sure that it is an improvement in services (vs. just using technology for technology's sake) as they continue to encourage their patrons to become lifelong learners.
On the surface, what we do every day now has little to do with that original, deep impulse to connect people with ideas. We do budgets and solve personnel problems. We hope that the next level of automation will somehow go a little more smoothly than the last one did.
Let us remember what brought us here. If librarianship is the connecting of people to ideas, it doesn't matter where the ideas exist."
---GraceAnne A. DeCandido
Library 2.0 is all about changing the way that we approach library services to meet our patrons' needs so that we can still connect them to ideas, in very different ways than when we were students.
And as the authors of the Library 2.0 articles point out, it is almost a tightrope that we need to walk to keep our libraries (and library services) relevant for our patrons, i.e., students and teachers.
The buzzwords of the 21st century include access to technology (aka, the Digital Divide), privacy, security. We can print pictures of books straight from Amazon.com so that kids could search for their overdue items. Digital cameras make it easy for us to take many pictures and to erase our mistakes. And if the local newspaper makes a mistake on a student's name, one call and the web edition can be changed so that the information is recorded correctly for posterity.
The ability to connect to library colleagues through Instant Messaging and e-mail has taken away much of the isolation previously felt when one was the "only librarian" in one's school. Technology in the library has also helped our patrons to appreciate librarians and to view our libraries as more than warehouses of dusty books.
We are not the only ones in the building with tech skills anymore, although we probably learned them early-on. But regardless of where we are in our personal use of technology, we still need to have enough library related tech skills to guide our patrons through the techno-maze.
Libraries (and librarians) need to step forward to connect people with the vast amount of information that is now available through the world wide web, shared catalogs, digital formatting, and user interface, but still must evaluate each step to make sure that it is an improvement in services (vs. just using technology for technology's sake) as they continue to encourage their patrons to become lifelong learners.
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