Week 9: Thing 23

Wow! Hard to believe this journey is over. It was a rocky one at times - I got really bogged down with Rollyo (I just could not think of anything)- but overall had fun exploring. There is so much out there to explore and incorporate into my life, my professional development, and my library. This was an excellent way to explore the tools and I am going to return to them again and again. I like the idea of tagging - it is a way for students to think and work on the creation of search terms. I also am exploring incoporating blogs, wikis, and podcasts into my library. They are powerful communication tools.

A disappointment was not being to add to the PA curriculum connection wiki - I was ready to add and couldn't find the key. This is something that I am going back to to try again. Really valuable and I think more PA librarians should take the time to explore and incoporate the ideas - what's the worst that can happen? It flops and you modify and try again.

Week 9: Things 20. 21, 22

You tube is so much fun. It is easy to just get lost exploring. There are lots of library videos that are funny or interesting. I searched my town and found a video of a neighbor skateboarding - I wondered what he was doing skateboarding for all those hours:) You tube is a wonderful resource for spreading ideas, thoughts, theories, and viewpoints. Useful for conversation or lesson starters.

Podcasts are something I am interested in creating. I think it would be a great way for students to share ideas and information - eliminates the speaking in front of people factor. I already subscribe to several for pleasure (jazz music) and am going to look at more professional development ones. A way of incorporating learning with exercise (listen to the ipod while walking).

Ebooks and audiobooks are something most people are unaware of. Project Guttenburg provides an alternative for many classics. The audiobooks are of great interest - they address the needs of a variety of learners and allow content to be delivered in a variety of locations and situations.

Lots of no options to consider. Podcasts are the piece from this section I am going to take with me and try first.

Week 8 Thing 19 and 20

Google docs is wonderful!! I just used it in a class and we were able to complete a document with 1 person in Pennsylvania and 1 person in Wisconsin. A fabulous collaborative tool. Students could use Googledocs to create something and go home and continue working on it and then have the teacher log in and assess it all with no paper exchanging hands. A great way to make sure you have the assignment or presentation wherever you go - as long as you have a computer it is available.

LibraryThing is so much fun. I have a feeling I will be putting on my own collection this summer just for fun! This could be really useful for personal or classroom libraries. I can see groups froming to discuss favorites and recommend others. It is a social networking tool that adults can get behind.

Week 7 Thing 16, 16A and 17

Wikis are an amazing concept. I am fascinated by the possiblities of their use - book reviews, study groups, pathfinders, science observations from the Outdoor classroom. This is one I am definitely going to explore. What puzzles me is how we are going to be able to use them successfully when they are blocked in so many places. For now I guess they will be for professional development.

The CA sandbox was a source of great ideas. I am ready to add to the PA sandbox but can't find my invite - I will work on that tomorrow. Tonight I am going to continue to explore and think about ways to use wikis.

Week 6 Thing 14 and 15

Technoratie was interesting. Useful for adults and professional development but I am not sure about it being useful in the classroom setting.

The articles about Library 2.0 got me thinking what will the school library of the future look like? I would hate to completely lose the physical space because it is part of the joy and allure of the library. But there is something to be said for not having to leave the house - today my daughter searched the regional public libraries to find and reserve a biography for a project. What is the balance? Something to consider on the nights I can't sleep.

Week 6 Thing#13

I am intrigued by del.icio.us. It is another way to provide information to a variety of people which is something librarians love to do. Tagging and sharing links will help users locate information in a more efficient manner - what is not to love about that. Students could share their finds with classmates and other students from all over. Teachers could share the good stuff not just in their schools but across districts and the country.

Of course the downside is that it is available to everyone and when I just checked the recent activity there were several that would be inappropriate in a school. Is there an educational version of social bookmarking?

Week 5 Thing#12

Rollyo really got me bogged down. It is a great idea for searching but I got so stuck come up with what I wanted to search and what sites I want to include. I am going to hold on to it and when I am inspired Iam going to go back and try it again.

Week 5 Thing#11

Spent time exploring the items on the award list. Tried not to look at things that looked interesting but were in the list of things we were exploring later (LibraryThing). Looked at Craigs List that has little to do with school but Iwanted to explore. I'd read about it in Shoe Addict Anonymous and other places. It was interesting but didn't find anything I could use.

I joined the PSLA ning. It would be great to have a lot of people join and really start using it. Of course it all takes time ....

There are so many things coming about on the web I wonder how people have time to find and use them all. This is why Ilike courses like this that force me to explore.

Week 5 Thing#10

My name in Chinese.

The image generators were fun to play with.

This site would be fun to incorporate with classes studying Chinese New Year or China. Students would see and learn to say their name in Chinese.

I had to Warholize a picture. It is of my library bookshelves. Art classes could use this as they study Andy Warhol and his art (Kind of obvious).

The image generators were addictive. I just wanted to play with them all. I think if I had a project or topic in mind it would be easier to come up with a use. Playing, I did just that, I played and thought "this is fun" but beyond the obvious uses it was just fun. Now I am going to have to stretch my brain and visit this site again when I am looking for something specific.

Week 4: Thing # 8 and 9

Spent lots of time exploring the blogs and have a nice list that I am enjoying reading. There is so much to learn - I find myself following links to all of the amazing things going on and coming up with lots of ideas. I also have some from my favorite magazines that I have added for pure pleasure - they make me smile and think about things other than professional learning.

Technorati was the easiest for me to use - I was able to use it the most effectively. I settled on the google reader and it is working. I also have added some of the blogs to the reader on my home computer homepage which is nice - I don't have to log into anything else and I can check my favorite blogs.

The nice thing about the reader is you can scan and pick and choose what to read to maximize the use of your time.

Thing # 7 : Technology

Ways to incorporate technology into my library seems to be on my mind a lot lately. It seems that each time I introduce the smallest little technology thing my students go nuts and are suddenly engaged and excited about coming to the library. A new favorite of my students is PhotoStory. Several classes just finished some research and we put the results into Photostory (you 'drop' in a picture and audio can be recorded to match along with music, it is quick and easy to use and the results are fun). In their 'free time' they are recording the audio portion and I have lines of students waiting to record. It makes them feel like stars. Their faces are pricelss when I play the final project for them. They are so excited that they forget that they are working with a partner they don't necessarily like and did research.

I am starting to have the students create book reviews in the same way. They are actually excited to share and talk about books because technology is involved.

Technology is not the be all, end all. But it increasingly provides a way to spark excitement and interest that leads to students being excited about learning and for that I am grateful.

Thing #6 : Flickr toys

Flickr toys are so much fun!!! Made trading cards and a movie poster and my teenager was impressed. The best part was it was easy (ok, impressing the teenager was good too).

Now I need to figure out a way to use it in the curriculum. The trading card is easy, I already have the kids make trading cards so maybe we'll try them this way next time. These are tools that students will be excited to use.

Thing #5 Flickr

Spent some time on Flikr. Some of the images are stunning and some well..... Searching was an interesting experience, did not always get pictures of what I was expecting. Photos had multiple tags and some of them made me really stop and think.

Posted this photo of my library, Waiting to Read. Am a little frustrated and confused because although I posted and tagged it, it is not showing up when I search.

Tagging could be a good way to teach keyword searching to students ...... have them take photos and 'tag' them and then have others choose keywords and try to find them.

Thing #3: Blog and Avitar

I am still amazed I have a blog set up!! It is one of those things I talked about and never did. It was so easy!! Of course now the problem is going to be finding thoughtful things to say.

As I was setting it up I was thinking of all the ways it could be used. Discussions about Books, Professional Development discussions about the book study books we are reading, etc. The possibilities are exciting and endless.

Setting up the avitar was cool. My teenage daughters want one too. The sweater is very similar to one I wore this week - same pattern just different colors.

Thing # 2: 7 1/2 Habits

I watched "7 1/2 habits of Highly Successful Lifelong Learners" with interest. I was happy that I could recognize and actually practice to some degree most of the habits. The one I identify most closely with is "taking responsibility for your own learning." It seems I am always signing up for a workshop or class (sometimes it drives my family nuts that I am always taking another course). I also read constantly on any number of topics - my house and car are overflowing with newspapers, books, and magazines. Each year I challenge myself to try something new - whether its needlwork, learning to knit (that didn't go to well - I am left handed and all thumbs :), or trying a new recipe. I always want to learn more.

The habit I struggle with is Habit 1 "begin with the end in mind". When I jump in to my 'learning' I often have no idea where it is going to go. I'll start because it seems fun or interest me but beyond that I have no idea what I am going to do with the skill. Then I get frustrated because I don't have a plan and the new skill gets set aside and often forgotten about.

So I guess a new goal for me is to take a breath, think and make a plan before I leap into my next learning adventure.