I thoroughly enjoyed taking the North Texas 23 Things course and would highly recommend it to everyone. I think that it definitely took me out of my comfort zone and led to me explore many aspects of web technologies that I would never have discovered on my own. My favorite Thing is Facebook, both for socializing and networking. Until this course, I had been asked by my children and friends to sign up, but just had never bothered to learn about it. I set up my own Facebook page, and now login every day to check in. The principal at my school often posts information there before emails go out. I have had fun with friends, relatives, and colleagues on Facebook. My least favorite Thing was probably Twitter. I guess I just don't see the point, and no one I know really uses it. I much prefer Facebook. I'm glad I now know what it's about, though. The most challenging Thing was the Blog Readers. I had difficulty setting up the folders and finding information that was relevant to me.
By taking this course, I learned that there is a lot I still need to learn! The information that is available to us is incredible and must be managed. It is our responsibility as librarians to stay on top of new technologies to help our patrons learn how to best navigate all the information. I will use Wikis and Delicious to share information, as well as Facebook. I will also use YouTube for book trailers, especially once TeacherTube is up and running. I would like to use Flickr Mashups and Image Generators in presentations and find ways for students to use them. I know that many sites are blocked at school through the filters, so I will have to experiment and see which ones I can utilize with my students. I am amazed at the possibilities that are available to use today, and am so glad that I had the opportunity to explore this summer!
Monday, July 27, 2009
Thing 22: Developing Your Own 23 Things for Your Library
Although the entire staff at my elementary school did not participate in the 23 Things, several of the librarians in my district got together and decided to take the course this summer. Our plan is to get together this fall and use the ideas that we've learned to create a staff development workshop that we will present at one of our in-service days. I would definitely recommend this course to both teachers and other librarians in the district - in fact, I think anyone at all would benefit from this type of course. One of the librarians in my district made a good point, and that is that at the elementary level, perhaps we should concentrate on training the staff on Web 2.0 technologies rather than focusing on the students. Many of our students do not have access to computers at home, and using some of the technologies to enhance learning and research would be a wonderful use of this course.
I think that we could teach staff how to use tools such as RSS feeds, Ning, and Flickr to search for information and ideas that they can use in their teaching. We have already started a Wiki to share library information, and hopefully we can fully utilize it in the fall. Right now, we just introduced the idea. Facebook is wonderful for networking and sharing ideas. As far as presentations to students, I would like to use book trailers from YouTube and experiment with Flickr Mashups and Image Generators. I think that we can pool our ideas and create a training workshop to share all the exciting new ideas we have learned.
I think that we could teach staff how to use tools such as RSS feeds, Ning, and Flickr to search for information and ideas that they can use in their teaching. We have already started a Wiki to share library information, and hopefully we can fully utilize it in the fall. Right now, we just introduced the idea. Facebook is wonderful for networking and sharing ideas. As far as presentations to students, I would like to use book trailers from YouTube and experiment with Flickr Mashups and Image Generators. I think that we can pool our ideas and create a training workshop to share all the exciting new ideas we have learned.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Thing 21: Podcasts
My husband and son are constantly dowloading new podcasts, but I haven't experimented with them yet. My favorite podcast was Booktalks Quick and Simple by Nancy Keane. I listened to podcasts on Gary Paulsen's Lawn Boy and Neil Gaiman's The Graveyard Book. The audio quality was excellent, and there was music included as well. I found that this podcast was useful and definitely interesting enough to subscribe to. It covered booktalks on a variety of books and new titles are constantly being added. I also listened to an elementary podcast by first graders from the MCDS Huckleberry Room reading stories that they had written. This was cute, and the audio quality was actually good. I didn't find this podcast interesting enough to subscribe to. I found that several of the podcasts were no longer available. Another podcast I listened to was the City of Los Angeles Teen Podcast. It was put on by teens and included book and movie reviews. The audio quality on this one wasn't as good and some of the teens talked too softly. I wouldn't subscribe to this one either. These would be great if someone you knew was participating in the podcast.
I am an elementary librarian and, although I don't think that podcasts would be extremely useful to my patrons, there are some applications. I noticed that under the school section of podcasts, only middle and high school libraries were listed. I can see it being used for booktalks or stories, especially for students who are hearing impaired. Students could also produce their own podcasts of book reviews or stories. Many of my students do not have access to a computer, so I don't think they currently have much experience with podcasts. It would be a learning experience for me as well as them.
I am an elementary librarian and, although I don't think that podcasts would be extremely useful to my patrons, there are some applications. I noticed that under the school section of podcasts, only middle and high school libraries were listed. I can see it being used for booktalks or stories, especially for students who are hearing impaired. Students could also produce their own podcasts of book reviews or stories. Many of my students do not have access to a computer, so I don't think they currently have much experience with podcasts. It would be a learning experience for me as well as them.
Thing 20: YouTube
I have used YouTube many times before, and just recently read in a library blog about putting book trailers on it to be shared by librarians. I did a search using the various library terms and found that there is a wide variety of videos, both in subject matter and in quality. The videos were for the most part were being used for marketing purposes to advertise an event or library or for instructional purposes.
I noticed that many of the same videos appeared using different search terms. I found a K-12 Database video for Region 20 that was very useful for explaining the services available on the databases. The tag line was "Imagine a Library As Big As Texas," which I thought was very effective. The video ended by instructing viewers to ask their school librarians how to use the databases and it provided an Internet address. There was a Texas Reading Club video by the City of Round Rock that was very well done. It was promoting the summer reading program and used puppets and children as actors. There was also a School Library Media Centers Rock video with a collage of pictures and good music. I also watched a review of the Kindle.
Searching under Events led me to a story hour reading by students and a video of celebrities such as Bette Midler and Barbara Walters talking about the importance of libraries in their lives. I searched under Book Trailers and found a wide variety of quality. There was a trailer for The Recess Queen that was very poor, and one on Found by Magaret Peterson Haddix that was well done. I think videos could be used by librarians for library instructional videos, and definitely for book talks. It would be wonderful to share these and have them available. Libraries should be marketed just like any other service, and YouTube is now an advertising venue.
I noticed that many of the same videos appeared using different search terms. I found a K-12 Database video for Region 20 that was very useful for explaining the services available on the databases. The tag line was "Imagine a Library As Big As Texas," which I thought was very effective. The video ended by instructing viewers to ask their school librarians how to use the databases and it provided an Internet address. There was a Texas Reading Club video by the City of Round Rock that was very well done. It was promoting the summer reading program and used puppets and children as actors. There was also a School Library Media Centers Rock video with a collage of pictures and good music. I also watched a review of the Kindle.
Searching under Events led me to a story hour reading by students and a video of celebrities such as Bette Midler and Barbara Walters talking about the importance of libraries in their lives. I searched under Book Trailers and found a wide variety of quality. There was a trailer for The Recess Queen that was very poor, and one on Found by Magaret Peterson Haddix that was well done. I think videos could be used by librarians for library instructional videos, and definitely for book talks. It would be wonderful to share these and have them available. Libraries should be marketed just like any other service, and YouTube is now an advertising venue.
Monday, July 13, 2009
Thing 19: Google Docs
I have never used Google Docs before, nor have I ever even heard of it. I just automatically resort to using the software on my computer to create presentations and spreadsheets. I logged in and created a document to share. It is very similar to Word in all of the fonts and settings. I tried to share it with another email address I have, but I received a message that to prevent email scammers, I could only share the link. I was able to email myself the link in order to log on and edit the document. I'm not sure if that was just because I am on a different computer than I usually use. I do like being able to save documents easily in different formats, and I also like the ease of having so many templates and examples readily available. This is different than my usual software, as is the ability to readily share. I am still nervous about saving applications in only one place, so would also save the documents to my hard drive as well as online.
Reading the Google Docs blog was interesting and gives me some great ideas to play with. Today's entry was on using the documents to organize a trip involving people all around the world. I can see this also being used to organize a reunion or other event. Many of the blog entries were geared for developers, but I did get some good tips for creating a presentation. I usually just use PowerPoint, but I can see collaborating among librarians in the district to save time. We wouldn't have to create our own presentations and email them back and forth. There were also some suggestions for using the budgeting applications. I will suggest this at our next librarian's meeting and since we are all taking the 23 Things course, we should all have practice. I hope it works!
Reading the Google Docs blog was interesting and gives me some great ideas to play with. Today's entry was on using the documents to organize a trip involving people all around the world. I can see this also being used to organize a reunion or other event. Many of the blog entries were geared for developers, but I did get some good tips for creating a presentation. I usually just use PowerPoint, but I can see collaborating among librarians in the district to save time. We wouldn't have to create our own presentations and email them back and forth. There were also some suggestions for using the budgeting applications. I will suggest this at our next librarian's meeting and since we are all taking the 23 Things course, we should all have practice. I hope it works!
Thing 18: Wikis
I have used Wikipedia many times before, and have been warned by college professors not to use it as a reference source in a paper unless it is linked to a cited source. We give the same warning to students - that is is safest to use it as a springboard. I looked up the San Antonio River Walk because we are visiting my in-laws and were thinking about going down there. It was interesting that there is a warning on the first page before the article that the entire article does not contain any cited sources and therefore might not be totally reliable. It encourages the reader to add any reliable, cited sources possible. I do not know enough about the history of the river to decide whether or not the information presented is correct. On the discussion tab, the only comment was that the river walk is commonly misrepresented as one word "riverwalk" rather than the correct usage as two words "river walk." On the history tab, there are additions by high school groups and Neil Sperry about the history and foliage. There is quite a lengthy history but, again, I don't know enough to judge whether or not it is correct. It was interesting, though, because I usually don't explore those areas.
I posted on the Wiki using "Julie" for my page. It was very easy to post information, but without having to sign in, it seems that anyone could change your information. It was fun to look at the other pages. We just started a wiki for the librarians in my district this spring. It is an easy place that we can all post information, rather than emailing back and forth. I do like this aspect, and it is very similar to the groups and conferences in our district email. We can use it for minutes of meetings and shared documents. I think wikis can be another great time saver.
I posted on the Wiki using "Julie" for my page. It was very easy to post information, but without having to sign in, it seems that anyone could change your information. It was fun to look at the other pages. We just started a wiki for the librarians in my district this spring. It is an easy place that we can all post information, rather than emailing back and forth. I do like this aspect, and it is very similar to the groups and conferences in our district email. We can use it for minutes of meetings and shared documents. I think wikis can be another great time saver.
Monday, June 29, 2009
Thing 17: LibWorm
I spent quite a bit of time exploring LibWorm, and it is interesting but probably not my my top Thing - at least not yet. I did a search on my school library and did not find anything about my own particular library, but rather a lot of information about libraries with similar names. I am currently trying to find information about elementary scope and sequence plans for different school libraries, but could not find exactly the information I wanted, even trying a variety of different search terms. I could find the same information using another search tool.
I found that it was more helpful for me to go into the different categories or subjects. For example, I could browse School Libraries or Children to find information on new topics. If I was looking for a hot Censorship topic, I would definitely look there. Also, I like the Book Reviews and could use it for job openings if I was looking right now. I would not rate the quality of the results that LibWorm gave me as very high, but perhaps I was also not searching for the right topic. As with most things, I think that LibWorm serves its purpose and should be used as an additional tool in finding information.
I found that it was more helpful for me to go into the different categories or subjects. For example, I could browse School Libraries or Children to find information on new topics. If I was looking for a hot Censorship topic, I would definitely look there. Also, I like the Book Reviews and could use it for job openings if I was looking right now. I would not rate the quality of the results that LibWorm gave me as very high, but perhaps I was also not searching for the right topic. As with most things, I think that LibWorm serves its purpose and should be used as an additional tool in finding information.
Thing 16: LibraryThing
I have seen LibraryThing discussed in several posts on LM_NET, and I was interested in exploring it to find out more. I added a few books in my personal library and found that it was very easy to do. I can see why it would be a good tool to use for book lovers to see what other people have similar interests and libraries. I explored the site and took the tour for an overview. The ThingLang tool that determines the language of a book would be useful for me because I have so many books in my library that are Spanish, and sometimes when I go to look up a book I get the English version or vice versa. The ISBN Check validates the ISBN, which is what Titlewave or similar programs do in libraries. The MARCThing is also similar in that it searches data sources to simplify the MARC data. Even we as librarians are not all experts at cataloguing and use only particular fields in a MARC record.
The "I See Dead People's Books" project is interesting and would to fun to work on, especially if you have a particular author you are interested in. I wasn't surprised that the Librarian's Who Love LibraryThing is the largest group. I found myself caught up in reading the posts. It is very similar to LM_NET as far as the questions that are asked, but it is definitely another source. I scanned the Thingology Blog. Again, there is so much information on this site, that it is hard to take in during one session. I will definitely return. I don't think I will add all the books in my home library at this point, but I can see smaller libraries even using this site as their catalog. I have heard of church and private school libraries using LibraryThing. Another amazing site!
The "I See Dead People's Books" project is interesting and would to fun to work on, especially if you have a particular author you are interested in. I wasn't surprised that the Librarian's Who Love LibraryThing is the largest group. I found myself caught up in reading the posts. It is very similar to LM_NET as far as the questions that are asked, but it is definitely another source. I scanned the Thingology Blog. Again, there is so much information on this site, that it is hard to take in during one session. I will definitely return. I don't think I will add all the books in my home library at this point, but I can see smaller libraries even using this site as their catalog. I have heard of church and private school libraries using LibraryThing. Another amazing site!
Monday, June 22, 2009
Thing 15: Digg
I found Digg very interesting to explore, but it reminded me very much of my Yahoo! Home Page. There I can find the top stories in many different categories. I noticed similar stories both on Digg and in today's Yahoo News links. I can't comment or vote on my Yahoo stories, though, so their popularity is determined by the powers that be rather than the general public.
I did hone in on a story about Arizona having the coolest June ever because I lived there for five years. We moved there one nice June day, and the news said that there would be a cold front coming in and tomorrow's temperature would only be 113 degrees. So, Digg does let you pick stories of interest for one reason or another.
I searched "librarians" and found many different news links. I loved the article on whether or not libraries were becoming obsolete. I just had a discussion with a friend that works for a newspaper on the subject. She is worried that newspapers are becoming dinosaurs, and we were discussing how libraries and newspapers were facing similar dire predictions. This article went on to explain that libraries should not become obsolete as long as they adapted to change. I think that is exactly what we as librarians are doing by taking the 23 Things class.
I did hone in on a story about Arizona having the coolest June ever because I lived there for five years. We moved there one nice June day, and the news said that there would be a cold front coming in and tomorrow's temperature would only be 113 degrees. So, Digg does let you pick stories of interest for one reason or another.
I searched "librarians" and found many different news links. I loved the article on whether or not libraries were becoming obsolete. I just had a discussion with a friend that works for a newspaper on the subject. She is worried that newspapers are becoming dinosaurs, and we were discussing how libraries and newspapers were facing similar dire predictions. This article went on to explain that libraries should not become obsolete as long as they adapted to change. I think that is exactly what we as librarians are doing by taking the 23 Things class.
Thing 14: Delicious
I love Delicious! One of the reasons is that right now I am in the process of moving everything to a new computer. My old computer was infected with a virus that attacked the antivirus software, and we received the dreaded black screen. After purchasing a new computer, it proceeded to completely die that week, and we were told that we must have received a bad powerboard and they have to order and deliver a new HP board. So, I have had to transfer all of my bookmarks twice, which has become quite a hassle. I didn't add the buttons or import all my bookmarks, but will do so as soon as I get a real working computer. Wish me luck. So, finding out about Delicious is perfect timing.
I will definitely start using Delicious for bookmarking sites, and I love the idea that I can share these sites. It makes it much easier, especially with teachers and other librarians. I have a list of sites, but if we could all share them then we wouldn't have to type them in every time. I added three sites to Delicious that I like to use with my students and recommended for the summer. My link is http://delicious.com/LovetoRead67 . I hope you enjoy them!
I will definitely start using Delicious for bookmarking sites, and I love the idea that I can share these sites. It makes it much easier, especially with teachers and other librarians. I have a list of sites, but if we could all share them then we wouldn't have to type them in every time. I added three sites to Delicious that I like to use with my students and recommended for the summer. My link is http://delicious.com/LovetoRead67 . I hope you enjoy them!
Thing 13: Tagging
I've used tagging before in an informal way to link to a web site I've created or a picture I've posted. I think that, like most things, it can be beneficial if used correctly. I have definitely seen tags used incorrectly, as when I do a search and end up on a site that has absolutely nothing to do with the topic I was searching, but includes a popular tag just to attract people. I understand that their is not a "tagging police" functionality to the Internet, so this practice will continue. Sigh.....
As far as the library is concerned, as was mentioned in the description, free form tagging can seem like chaos to a librarian who has been trained to use subject headings and search the Library of Congress for the correct headings. I think that there is a place for tagging in the library, but that it should complement rather than replace subject headings. There is a place for each. Adding appropriate user tags to book descriptions might help students find books on subjects that might not be obvious, but I think there needs to be some guidelines. If students add tags to internal books within an OPAC system, then the tags should be approved, much like approving student written book reviews before posting them. Then, let the tagging begin.
As far as the library is concerned, as was mentioned in the description, free form tagging can seem like chaos to a librarian who has been trained to use subject headings and search the Library of Congress for the correct headings. I think that there is a place for tagging in the library, but that it should complement rather than replace subject headings. There is a place for each. Adding appropriate user tags to book descriptions might help students find books on subjects that might not be obvious, but I think there needs to be some guidelines. If students add tags to internal books within an OPAC system, then the tags should be approved, much like approving student written book reviews before posting them. Then, let the tagging begin.
Monday, June 15, 2009
Thing 12: Twitter
I think that you would have to live under a rock to have not heard about Twitter. It is mentioned everywhere, from the news anchors telling you that you can follow them on Twitter to late night television. There are mentions in magazines of Twitter accounts to follow and celebrities are always touting their Twitter accounts. I created a Twitter account and played around with it, but I don't think I will use it as much as Facebook. There are so many hashtags, that it seems that anyone can create one. I experimented with a few, and enjoyed #quote, which is used for people to post quotes.
Last night on the news, there was an interview of a sports celebrity and they were asking his opinion of Facebook versus Twitter. His response was that he definitely was a Facebook guy all the way, and I tend to agree. His comment was that he really didn't have the time to keep up with people on Twitter, and didn't really need to know that someone was now brushing their teeth, etc. I think I might use Twitter to follow certain organizations rather than specific people. I don't see me using it on a daily basis; however, I'm glad that I signed up and now understand more about it.
Last night on the news, there was an interview of a sports celebrity and they were asking his opinion of Facebook versus Twitter. His response was that he definitely was a Facebook guy all the way, and I tend to agree. His comment was that he really didn't have the time to keep up with people on Twitter, and didn't really need to know that someone was now brushing their teeth, etc. I think I might use Twitter to follow certain organizations rather than specific people. I don't see me using it on a daily basis; however, I'm glad that I signed up and now understand more about it.
Thing 11: Instant Messenging
I am already on Yahoo and IM some of my friends, so I decided to just sign in using my Yahoo! Messenger account. My user name is just my email, julratliff@att.net. I will admit that I am not a big fan of Instant Messenging, because sometimes someone will want to start sending messages back and forth right when I am in the middle of sending a long email to someone else. I don't want to ignore my friend who wants to instant message, but I have to finish what I'm currently working on. I know my kids and their friends IM back and forth, and my teenager got an I-Phone for his 16th birthday, and IM's from everywhere using that.
I work in an elementary school library, and we communicate quickly using district email. It is always up on our computers, so if a teacher needs a book or has a question, they can just email me and I get the request immediately. It is very similar to instant messaging, so it would just be an addition to that. I have used instant messaging to ask some of the other librarians in the district questions at night on their home computers. However, many times I need to ask a question and the person is offline so I end up calling anyway. As for the dictionary, I know a few of the basics, but it takes me longer to look something up than to just type it out. I think it is fun, though. JMO. B4N.
I work in an elementary school library, and we communicate quickly using district email. It is always up on our computers, so if a teacher needs a book or has a question, they can just email me and I get the request immediately. It is very similar to instant messaging, so it would just be an addition to that. I have used instant messaging to ask some of the other librarians in the district questions at night on their home computers. However, many times I need to ask a question and the person is offline so I end up calling anyway. As for the dictionary, I know a few of the basics, but it takes me longer to look something up than to just type it out. I think it is fun, though. JMO. B4N.
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Thing 10: Ning
I can honestly say that I had never even heard of Ning before this. I watched the video, and then went back to the site. I do love being able to view the networks and the posts without having to join a specific one. It is much easier to make a decision about a network if you can spend some time in it and decide if it is of interest. It seems that it is more of a social networking site that is geared toward more professional groups than Facebook. The number of participants in some of the sites was very small - with 20 or so members.
I decided to join Ning so that I could really see what it is all about. There were quite a few questions. I then went back to the networks and decided to join Library 2.0, since it pertained directly to what we were learning in this class. I read some of the posts, and it seemed that this network would be useful and allow me to bounce some ideas off fellow librarians interested in new technology.
This is one of the networks that has to approve your membership before you can join, so I had to enter the location and type of librarian position that I held. Then I had to wait for a response. It took a full day, but then I received an approval email and was able to go back to the site and introduce myself. There were fifteen other new members, so I imagine others thought this would be a good network to join as well. All in all, I don't think I will invest a lot of time on my Ning profile at this point, but I'm glad I know how it works and will check back with my Library 2.0 members.
I decided to join Ning so that I could really see what it is all about. There were quite a few questions. I then went back to the networks and decided to join Library 2.0, since it pertained directly to what we were learning in this class. I read some of the posts, and it seemed that this network would be useful and allow me to bounce some ideas off fellow librarians interested in new technology.
This is one of the networks that has to approve your membership before you can join, so I had to enter the location and type of librarian position that I held. Then I had to wait for a response. It took a full day, but then I received an approval email and was able to go back to the site and introduce myself. There were fifteen other new members, so I imagine others thought this would be a good network to join as well. All in all, I don't think I will invest a lot of time on my Ning profile at this point, but I'm glad I know how it works and will check back with my Library 2.0 members.
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Thing 9: More Facebook
I joined Facebook and set up my Profile yesterday, and logged back in to finish today. Lo and behold - I have a Friend! One of my best friends from junior high and high school that lives in Boston put in a Friend request. So, I now officially have one Friend. This is actually much like high school, in that you want to be liked. I feel very funny with only one Friend. I added my son and husband (they have to be my friends - it's the family rule). My university has 40,000 students attending in any one year, so I decided not to start there. I did add my aunt and cousin, which then enabled me to find a few other relatives.
My high school friend suggested I try our old high school, so that was fun. My high school was ginormous as well, and my graduating class had close to a 1000 people. There are over 300 of them on Facebook. I picked a couple that I would love to reconnect with, and then I'll tackle the remaining couple hundred later. I don't even recognize many of the names. I'll have to drag out the old yearbook.
I joined the Berkner Happy Hour, which is my high school group. It has over 300 members. It is a way to find out about local get togethers and reunions. I also joined the Texas A&M Former Students Association, which is thousands strong. My husband and I are both Aggies, and my son is named after the football field (Kyle Field). He is a junior in high school, so I imagine we'll have another Aggie in the family soon. The last group I joined was a School Librarians group that looked interesting. Rather than focus on all the technical aspects of librarianship, it is more of a marketplace for exchanging fun ideas and discussing books. I do like the Group option in Facebook, and plan to spend time in each of these groups. There were many groups that I definitely shied away from. Yikes! It will be interesting to see what groups others suggest so that I can perhaps add some more that look intriguing.
My high school friend suggested I try our old high school, so that was fun. My high school was ginormous as well, and my graduating class had close to a 1000 people. There are over 300 of them on Facebook. I picked a couple that I would love to reconnect with, and then I'll tackle the remaining couple hundred later. I don't even recognize many of the names. I'll have to drag out the old yearbook.
I joined the Berkner Happy Hour, which is my high school group. It has over 300 members. It is a way to find out about local get togethers and reunions. I also joined the Texas A&M Former Students Association, which is thousands strong. My husband and I are both Aggies, and my son is named after the football field (Kyle Field). He is a junior in high school, so I imagine we'll have another Aggie in the family soon. The last group I joined was a School Librarians group that looked interesting. Rather than focus on all the technical aspects of librarianship, it is more of a marketplace for exchanging fun ideas and discussing books. I do like the Group option in Facebook, and plan to spend time in each of these groups. There were many groups that I definitely shied away from. Yikes! It will be interesting to see what groups others suggest so that I can perhaps add some more that look intriguing.
Monday, June 1, 2009
Thing 8 : Facebook
I had kind of hoped to avoid Facebook for a while because I have heard from friends how much time it can take up. Time is one thing I am short of right now. My sixteen year-old son has a Facebook account, as does my aunt, who emailed me a couple of weeks ago wondering if I was getting one. She mentioned using it to talk my cousin, and I can definitely see the value of checking up on my teenager. I'm not sure he would want to be my friend, but I don't think I would give him a choice. Especially if he wants to borrow the car.
Facebook was easy to set up; however, I was having problems entering my Profile information. My computer in the library at school blocked the site, as well as most everything connected with 23 Things. My home computer froze up several times and kicked me out of Facebook, so I will actually have to go back in and finish tomorrow. I took the tutorials, but there are so many layers to Facebook, that it would take a while to really do it right and have a wonderful page. It is like updating my Home Page at school. I have to go in and make sure the links are fresh and the information is updated frequently for it to be of much use.
I am uncomfortable with the privacy issue. I am more of a private person, and sharing my information is a little unsettling. I know there are privacy controls that only let friends see your info, but I'm still on the fence about it all. I can see the social networking and marketing value in spades. I haven't seen my high school friends since our 20th reunion, and getting contacts in different areas of the country would be useful. I guess, like most things, Facebook will take some time getting used to. I'll certainly give it the old college try.
Facebook was easy to set up; however, I was having problems entering my Profile information. My computer in the library at school blocked the site, as well as most everything connected with 23 Things. My home computer froze up several times and kicked me out of Facebook, so I will actually have to go back in and finish tomorrow. I took the tutorials, but there are so many layers to Facebook, that it would take a while to really do it right and have a wonderful page. It is like updating my Home Page at school. I have to go in and make sure the links are fresh and the information is updated frequently for it to be of much use.
I am uncomfortable with the privacy issue. I am more of a private person, and sharing my information is a little unsettling. I know there are privacy controls that only let friends see your info, but I'm still on the fence about it all. I can see the social networking and marketing value in spades. I haven't seen my high school friends since our 20th reunion, and getting contacts in different areas of the country would be useful. I guess, like most things, Facebook will take some time getting used to. I'll certainly give it the old college try.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Thing 7: RSS Feeds
I think that RSS feeds are amazing technology, but they can also become very addictive - again with the information overload idea. I love the idea of one-stop shopping so to speak, and trying to choose which sites to put on your reader is sort of like picking your 10 favorite friends on your cellular phone plan. I tried all of the sites listed in 23 Things because they are not the sites I usually frequent and that alone makes them interesting.
I read all of the Unshelved comic strips and then got entrapped in an article on the future of Social Security. I better start saving, apparently. I did find several different summer reading book lists to cull through and pick my favorites. I need to put together a summer reading list, and having different ideas was fun. I do like having everything in one place, but I was right on my personal penchant for making sure I skimmed all the information and checked them all as unread. I'll have to work on that, or I will be up all night.
I read all of the Unshelved comic strips and then got entrapped in an article on the future of Social Security. I better start saving, apparently. I did find several different summer reading book lists to cull through and pick my favorites. I need to put together a summer reading list, and having different ideas was fun. I do like having everything in one place, but I was right on my personal penchant for making sure I skimmed all the information and checked them all as unread. I'll have to work on that, or I will be up all night.
Thing 6: Blog Readers
Blog readers remind of the way that my Yahoo page is set up through Uverse. I was able to customize it by choosing which headlines and subscriptions I would like on my Home Page. I can then just click on those links to read snippets of information rather that sort through all types of news that I am not as interested in reading. (Sorry, sports fans, but I have absolutely no sports links on my Home Page....)
I'm not convinced yet that this will be one of my favorite "Things" because I already feel bombarded by information and this may just be information overload at its finest. It wasn't the easiest application for me to set up, and it took a while for the Folder link to work. If I want information, right now I prefer to go straight to the source, and I may not check a particular site for weeks. I would have a lot of unread items for each of my subscriptions, which again would probably cause me and my overly organized self to feel obligated to check out all of the unread items. We'll see about this one as time goes by. I can see subscribing to my favorite library and books news sites to check out the latest and greatest, so I'll give it the old college try.
I'm not convinced yet that this will be one of my favorite "Things" because I already feel bombarded by information and this may just be information overload at its finest. It wasn't the easiest application for me to set up, and it took a while for the Folder link to work. If I want information, right now I prefer to go straight to the source, and I may not check a particular site for weeks. I would have a lot of unread items for each of my subscriptions, which again would probably cause me and my overly organized self to feel obligated to check out all of the unread items. We'll see about this one as time goes by. I can see subscribing to my favorite library and books news sites to check out the latest and greatest, so I'll give it the old college try.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Thing 5: Image Generators
I thought the image generators were really fun, and I spent entirely too much time playing with them. A friend of mine used my name on a marquee, and I wondered how he did it. Now I know! I didn't realize it was this easy.
I can think of countless ways to use the image generators in the library. The comic strip generator could easily be used by students who love the graphic novel genre. I had already been toying with the idea of trying to create posters with students' pictures in them for next year. I wanted to come up with a format to highlight different places students were "Caught Reading." The motivational posters would allow you to photograph students and then create your own words to highlight them.
I spent the most time playing on Image Chef with different words and shapes. I noticed that different shapes worked better with different fonts, so I had to experiment until I found the right one. My favorite one I created is:
I can think of countless ways to use the image generators in the library. The comic strip generator could easily be used by students who love the graphic novel genre. I had already been toying with the idea of trying to create posters with students' pictures in them for next year. I wanted to come up with a format to highlight different places students were "Caught Reading." The motivational posters would allow you to photograph students and then create your own words to highlight them.
I spent the most time playing on Image Chef with different words and shapes. I noticed that different shapes worked better with different fonts, so I had to experiment until I found the right one. My favorite one I created is:
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Thing 4: Flickr Mashups
I really had fun with the mashups. I first tried the Spell with Flickr and tried several different words. I found a combination that spelled "Library" that I thought would look great on a web page or even banner. I had difficulty saving the HTML code, though. I also loved playing with images in different colors, and could think of many ways to use this in a lesson, especially one in which we were studying color poems.
I think my absolute favorite mashup is the one I used below with the captions. I found it very easy to use and fun to play with. I tried it with several different photos, and had fun experimenting with the many thought bubble and stamp options. This picture is just one of my daughter at Christmas. I could easily see creating a fun photo album.
In the library, this would be a really great lesson to use with the students. Graphic novels have mushroomed in popularity, and I can't keep Bone, Babymouse, and Captain Underpants on the shelves. Both girls and boys love the comic strip format, and I often catch them creating their own comics in their spirals. We could use the digital cameras to take pictures, upload them, and let the students create their own comic strip bubbles to go along with them. Now I know that is one lesson that the students would absolutely love!
I think my absolute favorite mashup is the one I used below with the captions. I found it very easy to use and fun to play with. I tried it with several different photos, and had fun experimenting with the many thought bubble and stamp options. This picture is just one of my daughter at Christmas. I could easily see creating a fun photo album.
In the library, this would be a really great lesson to use with the students. Graphic novels have mushroomed in popularity, and I can't keep Bone, Babymouse, and Captain Underpants on the shelves. Both girls and boys love the comic strip format, and I often catch them creating their own comics in their spirals. We could use the digital cameras to take pictures, upload them, and let the students create their own comic strip bubbles to go along with them. Now I know that is one lesson that the students would absolutely love!
Monday, May 18, 2009
Thing 3: Flickr (or Where did the "e" go?)
I have heard of Flickr before, but really didn't know exactly what it was. I use the Kodak EasyShare site for all of my pictures, which is pretty basic. I took the tour to get some idea of what Flickr is all about. Wow - there is a lot of venues for people to create and share their imaginations with the world. If I was a professional photographer, I would be in heaven. My digital camera battery is charging after last night, so I decided to just explore Flickr.
I did a few searches, but since I just got home from work and am already trying to come up with new ideas to freshen up my elementary library next year, my favorite search was for "elementary libraries." Here is the link to my favorite photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jessalyn/2678600236/ . The accompanying photostream is full of wonderful teaching ideas, but this picture of the library is exactly what I needed to get some great ideas for next year. The library is colorful and inviting, but my favorite part is the notes feature. You can move the mouse over the bulletin board displays and see the author's comments. She has a bulletin board for poetry month about growing a garden of poetry, but the notes elaborate on how she took favorite poems and put them around the display. The display "Books can take you places" is further explained by mentioning that each car lists a student's name and favorite book. I could never have gleaned that information from the photo alone. The "Leap into Reading" display is also a fun idea. As you can tell, I love the notes features and in one photo already have three excellent ideas for displays. I would say that I hit the jackpot with this exploration of Flickr!
I did a few searches, but since I just got home from work and am already trying to come up with new ideas to freshen up my elementary library next year, my favorite search was for "elementary libraries." Here is the link to my favorite photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jessalyn/2678600236/ . The accompanying photostream is full of wonderful teaching ideas, but this picture of the library is exactly what I needed to get some great ideas for next year. The library is colorful and inviting, but my favorite part is the notes feature. You can move the mouse over the bulletin board displays and see the author's comments. She has a bulletin board for poetry month about growing a garden of poetry, but the notes elaborate on how she took favorite poems and put them around the display. The display "Books can take you places" is further explained by mentioning that each car lists a student's name and favorite book. I could never have gleaned that information from the photo alone. The "Leap into Reading" display is also a fun idea. As you can tell, I love the notes features and in one photo already have three excellent ideas for displays. I would say that I hit the jackpot with this exploration of Flickr!
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Thing 2: Library 2.0 and the Future
Well, to tell the absolute truth, I didn't know that there was a Library 1.0 or a Web 1.0, so now that we are on Library 2.0 and Web 2.0 - I better catch up. I agree with John Blyberg's position that Library 2.0 is basically making libraries more relevant. It is imperative that as a librarian working with elementary students, that I lay the foundation for the use of technology in the library. Students today have been raised with technology and are drawn to it. Most of my students prefer to use the computer to search for books in an interactive format, and then go to the shelves to find their choice. I also agree with Stephen Abram's belief that everyone can find the time to learn if it is important enough. We find the time to watch our favorite television reality shows, so surely we can find time to stay up with technology. As teachers, we use language immersion with our students, so why not use technology immersion as adults? I heartily agree that we learn best by experience, so what better way to learn Web 2.0 than by actually trying it all out.
Thing 1: Starting the 23 Things
Well, I'm embarking on the Learn 23 Things journey. I definitely need to learn more about Web 2.0 and how it all fits together. Plus, then I just might be able to understand what my 16 year-old son is actually talking about. I would love to use more web resources in the library with my students, and I think this is just the place to get started. I have read blogs before, but never thought I'd actually start one. So, onward.........
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