Week 9, Thing 23

Although I was quite the slacker with this class, I really enjoyed it and learned a lot. I was familiar with most topics, well; I had at least an idea about what they were. This class provided me with the opportunity to explore and really learn many of the latest Web 2.0 tools. The class, wiki, and book are all valuable resources that I will return to often. I would suggest to the next group who takes the course for credit to create a personal timeline for when assignments are due. I know there has to be others out there like me that need that. I thought I was a great online learner since I my master’s was all online, but ever course had strict due dates that I faithful adhered to. Apparently, I am not a good online learner without due dates. Thanks for holding this informative class.

Week 9, Thing 22

I love audio books. I use to listen to them often on my commute in Pennsylvania. Now that I have an iPod I can download audio books to it if I choose. I actually have a good collection of audio books on CDs at Kincaid. The collection was developed by the librarian that was there two before me. They really are not used enough and I need to promote them.

I, personally, would have trouble reading an ebook. Like holding a book in my hand and reading it in many places. It is not so easy to do on a computer (I know there are readers). The one benefit of getting an eBook from the Gutenberg Project is that it is free and it would probably be a book that most of my patrons may not have an interest to read. I did see the Grimm Brothers Fairy Tales that I am downloading. I think it would be interesting to compare the original with more recent versions.

Week 9, Thing 21

When I searched Podcast Alley for “library,” the results were more for college libraries and public among others not really related to libraries. I added the TechSavvyGirlz podcast to my RSS feed and included it in my podcasts in iTunes. I like that it is young girls using technology and it can show other young students that they could do it too.

I had already subscribed to Just Vocabulary podcast through iTunes that I thought would be beneficial to me. I like that the pronunciation, definition, and use is covered. It ends with a review of a previous word. I also have They Might be Giants Friday Night Podcast for Families. It is fun and young students would enjoy the music.

Week 9, Thing 20

TeacherTube seemed very slow to even return search results when I was exploring and my connection was at an excellent level. There are too many ads but that is to be expected from a free site. There really did not seem to be many videos on subjects I was searching (research skills, Dewey, etc). One good thing about TeacherTube is that Anchorage School District does not block. It also uses tags which may be helpful for locating videos that may be useful.

I liked the Sock Monkeys Do the Dewey System video:

There was another video about the Dewey Decimal System that was a great idea for a lesson. Sixth grade students were assigned a Dewey class to write a song or poem about with a partner.

I think the copyright tips on TeahcerTube are a good thing to have on a school library web site. They would just need to be modified to fit the library's needs.

Week 8, Thing 19.1

I could not get through to the Alaska Digital Pipeline’s toll free number to get a password on my cell phone, probably because it is a Pennsylvania number. I will try again when I have access to another phone.

I explored what I could on the site and found that the Alaska Digital Pipeline is similar to POWER Library (Pennsylvania Online World of Electronic Resources). Almost all schools have access to POWER Library and anyone with a library card can use it from home. If you are interested in exploring it and comparing it to Alaska Digital Pipeline, visit this URL http://www.powerlibrary.net/Remote/Remote.asp?ID=NCLDLockhaven and use this #PL310903261 for access.

When I taught in Pennsylvania I did a quick promotion of POWER Library at a faculty meeting. I just spoke about it, showed how to access it, and provided a handout with an annotated list of resources available on it. I did not have the equipment available to teach a lesson on it to a class of students, I told the students about it and that it was better to use that Google and explained why. I would then show students how to access it as they were doing research. At Kincaid, I do have the resources (white board, computer, projector) to be able to demonstrate Alaska Digital Pipeline to faculty and students. The tutorials look like an excellent resource to use with the lesson. I believe this is a good resource to promote and I will get a password as soon as possible so I can find out more and be able to promote it.

Week 8, Thing 19

I decided to add five books from my granddaughter’s library. The titles are listed below with the number of other members who have that version of the book in their libraries:



Guess How Much I love You -1162

Wild About Books – 201

My Friend Rabbit – 208

No, David! – 523

Where the Wild Things Are – 3287



I like that LibraryThing includes recommendations related to the books I added. It also includes book reviews by members, book descriptions from Amazon.com, and various covers of the title. All my books had conversations about them from members. I think this is a good site to get recommendations for related books for books that students enjoy.



My library - http://www.librarything.com/catalog/lydia27

Week 8, Thing 18

I liked Zoho Writer as soon as I registered. The detailed instructions provided in the welcome made it very user friendly. At this point, I do not see any word-processing feature that is not included that I would need. I can see the benefits of using this this open-source, online tool for personal use and student use. Students can work on a project together as collaborators and not have to worry about having access to the file.

I plan on exploring other Zoho tools such as:

• Zoho Show
• Zoho Notebook
• Zoho Wiki
  

You can even insert an image like other word processing programs:

Photo of a wild iris along bike path in Girdwood, AK.

One problem I did find is that the text setting changes to the default setting if I do not continuously type. I like the word count, character count feature that occurs whenever the document is saved.



I posted this directly from Zoho Writer but needed to edit it because the emotions button did not appear. The word cool did instead.

Week 7, Thing 17

I plan on returning to the Raven About Web 2.0 Curriculum Wiki often after I finish the class. It has so many great suggestions and resources to use. I am sure there will be even more added. I noticed that some posts are similar, yet there are some differences such as using wikis for book reviews. Personally, I plan on using wikis to help me get more ideas for lessons in the library and to keep my technology skills honed.

Week 7, Thing 16

I like the PBwiki: Power Educators Wiki. It has a TeacherTube video explaining about the wiki and a link to example wikis that are categorized by K-12, University, Adult Ed, and ESL. I looked under the K-12 category and saw where two third grade classes created a wiki where they can share news and photos. The students have their own page where they can upload their work. I think this is a great idea.

The BookLoversWiki from Princeton Public Library is an interesting wiki for those of us who love to read. It contains book reviews of many books organized by categories such as mystery and romance. It doesn’t look like it has been updated for quite some time. A similar wiki could be created for a library where students, staff, parents, etc. contribute to the wiki by reviewing books they have read.

Week 6, Thing 15

I read two articles about Library 2.0 – Rick Anderson’s “Away from the Icebergs: Rowing Your Library Boat into the Web 2.0 Environment” and Michael Stephens’s “Into the New World of Librarianship: Sharpen these Skills for Librarian 2.0.” Both cover what we need to do to become a Library 2.0. Anderson takes the approach of what needs to be changed for this to happen. We need to stay away from the “just in case” collection, reliance on user education (we do not need to teach research skills but to help eliminate barriers that keep patrons from what they need), and the “come to us model.” I agree with Anderson that we need to stay away from the “just in case” collection and the “come to us model. With the internet and Web 2.0 tools, we do not need to spend valuable funds on obtaining items for our collections that may never be used and we need to allow user access to our libraries from anywhere they may be. I still think we need to help students develop research skills as well as help eliminate barriers that keep users from what they need.



Stephens approach is to provide a list of qualities that a librarian needs for a 2.0 library. He states that the Librarian 2.0 is a “strategy guide” that will help users “find information, gather knowledge, and create content.” Some of the traits he includes are being able to make good decisions quickly, knowing what technology is needed and not just getting technology because it is there, and welcomes Web 2.0 tools. I agree with what Stephens covers in his article. We need to be enhancing and developing these skills for our 2.0 Libraries.



Hmm…what does Library 2.0 mean to me? It means that it is user centered (in some ways aren’t school libraries already user-centered???), information flows both ways from the library to the user and to the user to the library, feedback and participation comes from the user, and Web 2.0 tools are being taught and used. Many school libraries, when supported by the district and principal, are in a situation that they can move forward into becoming a Library 2.0. Feedback and participation can easily be obtained through students, staff, and parents from surveys, blogs, and meetings. In addition, Web 2.0 tools can be taught and recommended through school libraries. We are in the right place to move forward.

Week 6, Thing 14

I did a keyword search for “School Library Learning 2.0” and got the following results: tags – no results, blog directory - two results, and Blog posts – two results (the same two). I changed the authority to any – four results. I tried to do some other searches but the site was having technical difficulties.

I looked at the popular blogs by fans and by authority and found Engadget on both lists. This blog has a photo and information on the latest gadgets. Some of the entries were interesting like Lego’s WeDo robotic systems for the classroom and others were not like The Shining Gets Remade with WowWee Bots (at least for education).

I joined Technorati and claimed my blog through quick claim. I added a Fav this Blog button to my blog below my avatar. I know it isn’t exactly what the optional activity said to do.

Tagging should be able to make finding information on various sites easier and it can add in thinking of additional terms when doing research. One problem I see is that a tag can be any word and may not be relevant to the blog, picture, bookmark, etc. We just need to teach our students about the advantages and disadvantaged to tagging.

Week 6, Thing 13

I created a del.icio.us account several weeks ago and like that I can access my bookmarks anywhere that I am online. I can easily see this tool for research assistance. The topic being researched can be searched for on del.icio.us. Once you have some results, you can look at the other tags connected to the results that are useful and to give you ideas on other tags to search for with that topic. Reading comments left by others for the various sites may help determine if the site would really be useful for your needs.



I could see libraries using social bookmarking sites to teach students about how to think of other terms (tags) to search for when researching. User comments could also be reviewed and talked about such just because the comment is there, doesn’t mean it is accurate. Libraries could also have their own accounts for sites that they want students to use and ones that are relevant to libraries.

Week 5, Thing 12

Creating a VoiceThread account was very easy to do and watching the demo was good for understanding the power of it. I liked the old picture with the mother and five children and the comments they made about why they thought the children had those expressions on their faces.



I searched for Darth Tater but had no results so I started picking school subjects to search for and found many results. Library had five pages including a VoiceThread from last summer’s Alaska School Library Summer Leadership Academy. There are many lesson ideas that I can get from the threads such as reading books with idioms and having students draw an example of an idiom.

Web 2.0: New Tools, New Schools, Chapter 8

For the chapter of my choice in Web 2.0: New Tools, New Schools, I decided to read Chapter 8: Systemic Issues. The reason is my school, Kincaid Elementary, has three classes of intensive needs student, students with other learning disabilities, and some ESL students. I wanted to see what the text covered concerning these students.


I was aware of the assistive technology that is available and may be required for students with special needs. I did like it provided some resources that may be used such as Voycabulary (http://www.voycabulary.com), which allows students to get instant definition for words they do not know. It also addresses touch screens, handhelds for those with visual problems, and a switch pod for students with quadriplegia. While reading this section I was thinking about the one special needs teacher who requested special keyboards for the three classes that are less breakable and have larger, colorful keys than standard keyboards. She did this at the end of the year when we were having a wrap-up technology team meeting. I hope her request is met early in the new school year.


I thought the ideas for English Language Learners and English as a Second Language students were great. Blogging helps students with reading and writing and they are able to get feedback from peers, not just teachers. A “learning community” could be created where that community has a blog of its own. Members could post questions and concerns to be answered, discuss common interests, and connect with others throughout the world (p. 162). Podcast could be used to assist with pronunciation and vocabulary. They could be used to learn to speak any foreign language. In addition, it was mentioned that podcasts could help any students by listening to lectures as a review for a test.


So many ideas, so much to learn from Web 2.0: New Tools, New Schools, I am happy I purchased my own copy to have as a resource.

Web 2.0: New Tools, New Schools, Chapter 9

Chapter 9: New Schools in Web 2.0: New Tools, New Schools covers what could be the future way students learn in schools (the technology is out there now). I like the idea of “harnessing the collective intelligence” (p. 178). This is where data from students would be evaluated to see how each student learns best and what would work to improve his/her learning. Sites would be recommended from these results and students would be more of a virtual learner than someone sitting in the classroom. I am thinking that students would still come to school for much of their learning including time spent as virtual learners.


Also covered in this chapter that I agree with is what Jeff Utecht wrote in “Creators in the Classroom” (p. 184) and what David Warlick wrote in “Learning from Games” (pp. 185-86). Utecht addresses how social sites are important to student learning and how they can create and share with the world instead of just in the classroom. He ends by stating, “If we continue to fight them, I’m afraid it is a battle we will lose.” Warlick discusses the importance of video games and how it is important to look at more than graphics and sound; look at the experience instead. The five components of a game that teach students and/or enhance learning are “responsiveness, convert-able and convers-able rewards, personal investment, identity building, and dependability.”

Week 5, Thing 11

I decided to look at the Biblio.com: booksearch and marketplace site that placed second in the books category of the Web 2.0 Awards. It sells new and used books, connecting many bookstores from around the world to people interested in finding certain books.

I searched for a book that I knew was out of print, Jack Frost by David Melling. First I just search for Melling, David but it came up with over 300 results. I used the advance search and added the title. It narrowed it down to 15 results. These results were from the United Kingdom and the United States. The results for the UK included the price in pounds and US dollars. I was also able to see how much shipping would be and how long it would take to arrive.

Other useful features allow browsing of books, based on genres, authors, and subjects; connecting to bookstores that are part of the Biblio.com network -there are some in Alaska; a section of rare books with images, including signed books; and a textbook section for new and used books.

This would be an excellent source for a library to use for those out-of-print books that still have value. I was thinking about books that have been lost or highly loved (worn out) and should be replaced, but they are no longer available from a publisher. This site would be the first place I would look to replace the book.

After I played with the site, I read the “Our Story” section. I like that the owners are not just about making a profit. They have built several libraries in Bolivia from monies earned from books sold and sought additional items to be donated to the libraries. They have donated books to improvised children and to inmates. They are also investing in renewable energies on small farms across the country. The site even has a blog: http://for.theloveofbooks.com.

I looked at the Ning site and saw many of the different Nings that were created. It seems if there is something you are interested in, you can find a Ning related to it. I joined the TeacherLibrarian Ning.

TravelIQ could be very addicting. I will be playing it again once I get caught up (finished) with the class.

Week 5, Thing 10

Playing with the image generators are fun. I could have spent much more time on them.


The first image is from a reflection generator. I think it would be better with another photo.

www.reflectionmaker.com

This image is one in which I uploaded an photo and added a speech bubble.

http://www.fototrix.com/comics/

I love this one from Big Huge Labs -The Waholizer. It is of my daughter, Jena.

http://bighugelabs.com/flickr/warholizer.php

Finally, I made a motivational poster. I cannot take credit for the cool photo - my daughter, Amber, took it of Jena and her dog.

http://bighugelabs.com/flickr/warholizer.php

I even shared the link to Big Huge Labs with my dad. He has many, many digital images and a crazy sense of humor.

Web 2.0: New Tools, New Schools, Chapter 7

Chapter 7: Online Safety and Security in Web 2.0: New Tools, New Schools covers more than just safety and security. It also discusses some legal and ethic issues that must be taught to students. Students need to understand about copyright and how to behave ethical in an online environment.


Understanding copyright laws is perplexing but must be understood by educators so we can pass along the information to our students. We also need to be able to provide information to parents so they can assist their children in understanding copyright. Hall Davidson, who I saw present at NECC in Philadelphia, has a several good resources and suggestions that can be used in any school. His copyright chart is something I plan to post in my library.


Understanding copyright issues can help students learn ethical behavior for the online environment. There is more to ethical behavior than copyright and the information on pages 147-148 in the text can help guide in teaching students. They four major items outlined are “seek truth and express it, minimize harm, be accountable, and respect information and its infrastructure.”


Of course with the information age protecting our students is always an issue. We must teach internet safety to our students and seek parental involvement so students are also protected at home. The survey on pages 141-143 that was created by Deer Park Elementary School in Fairfax, Virginia is an excellent resource to use to start a discussion on being safe online.

Web 2.0: New Tools, New Schools, Chapter 1

As I was reading through chapter 1: New World, New Web, New Skills in Web 2.0: New Tools, New Schools, I kept thinking about No Child Left Behind (NCLB) and how it is hindering our students to gain the 21st Century skills that are referred to in the text. The four categories of skills that North Central Regional Educational Laboratory (NCREL) are Digital-Age Literacy, Inventive Thinking, Effective Communication, and High Productivity (pp 18-19). With NCLB’s mandatory assessments and the penalties that follow if adequate yearly progress is not met, one reason students are not receiving the opportunities to gain these skills is due to lack of time in a school day.


Reading this chapter helped me see toward what much of the world is moving today. I thought it was very interesting to read about how different counties are changing their school systems to help prepare students for the 21st Century and the skills they will need for the global economy. China is changing its history textbooks to focus on “economics, technology, social customs, and globalization” instead of “wars, dynasties and revolutions.” Many of India’s states are using Linux in schools and computer classes in high schools will be based on Linux software. South Korea is using open-source software in schools to help its students prepare for the 21st Century. Japan is changing its education system, not so much in a technology way, but to help students “to reflect on the meaning and mission of their lives” (pp 11-12). It seems that the United States may want to examine the way other countries are preparing their students for the future so our students do not truly get left behind.


As a librarian/teacher I know I need to improve my 21st Century skills and concentrate on keeping my technology skills up so I can help my students be prepared for our changing world.

Week 4, Thing 9

I decided to check the Edublog Awards (http://edublogawards.com/) and found some valuable blogs on the list. Some of these blogs, such as, A Library by Any Other Name (http://alibraryisalibrary.blogspot.com/) had other library/tech blogs listed and book review blogs. From these lists, I added some to my feeder. I can see myself finding blogs that I like and connecting to other, if listed, on that blog that may have similar interest to me.

I used Syndic8 to try to find a blog related to Alaska history or facts but could not find any. I did get many results when I just searched for Alaska but will need some time to go through them to see if I can find what I want. I love reading facts about places and would like to see if there is a blog like that for Alaska.

Through Technorati I searched for elementary libraries and found various blogs that were related, others not. One that wasn’t was a video of a college prank in the library. From the results I found a blog called One Book, Two Book (http://www.onebooktwobook.com/) . Its most recent entry is the top five board books about oceans.

I was disappointed with Blogdigger. I tried to use it but it kept timing out after only about 15 seconds or so. Perhaps it was my internet connection but I was having no problem with other sites.

Week 4, Thing 8

I used RSS a few years ago when it was first becoming popular, but for some reason I let it go by the wayside. I have been living in Alaska for over a year now and have no television. I was just saying to someone the other day that what I really miss is the news. I do listen to the radio sometimes and I occasionally looked at a news site online. With RSS I can choose the news sites I like and quickly look at the headlines to see if I want to read more.

I chose to use Google Reader and selected some of its recommended news feeds and fun feeds. I was pleased to see the Colbert Report videos, Daily Show videos, and The Onion included (I used to read The Onion weekly) in the fun feeds. I was on the NPR site (www.npr.org) earlier today and returned to add a couple of feeds from that site. Finally I went CNN.com and added the headlines as feed. I should be able to keep up with the news now.

RSS could be used in libraries to keep track of the latest releases and reviews, technology, and issues. It could also be used to help students keep up-to-date on topics they are researching. Podcasts, a form of RSS, can enrich library lessons. For instance, They Might Be Giants has a free weekly Podcasts from their CD/DVD here comes the ABCs. After reading an ABC book one of these Podcasts could be played for the students. I know there are many ways RSS can be used in schools and libraries and will think of others as a use RSS and read what others have blogged about.

Week 3, Thing 7

When I think about technology I think about what the world is like today because of it. We are able to connect with so much of the world and understand more about what is happening. Technology has made it possible for families and friends to communicate from a distance. When I was still living in Pennsylvania, I was able to see and hear my new granddaughter over the internet because my daughter had iSight. If it wasn’t for that I would have had to wait to see and hear her until I could visit and finally move to Alaska.

As I sit on my couch writing this, I think of the technology I am using at this moment:

· Notebook computer with software

· Wireless internet

· iPod –connected to computer speakers

· Cell phone (near me)

· Digital clock that automatically sets itself when connected to electricity

It’s amazing. I love technology and cannot wait to see what will be available next.

Week 3, Thing 6

I enjoyed exploring the various mashups available especially through FD Toys. I could see how some of these mashups could be used for library projects. Some examples include: a movie poster could be made for a book a student has read; trading cards can be created for characters; and magazine covers produced for genres.


I did a search for mashups and found ProgrammableWeb:

http://www.programmableweb.com/

At this site there the following can be found: Mashup directory, API directory, New Mashups, and Mashup of the Day. These are just some items that are on the site and it is one that I plan on returning to learn more.

Week 3, Thing 5

I never explored Flickr prior to this exercise. I heard of it before and I used Buzznet a couple of years ago (it looks as though it has changed significantly) and MySpace now to share photos (set to private). I like the idea of sharing photos with my family and friends through Flickr. It is easy to join; you do not need to set up profile like MySpace; and it is better than sending photos as email attachments. I could see using Flickr in school to have students share photos for a project and to help teach the importance of setting things as private so the whole world does not have access to your photos (and other information).


The photo posted is of my granddaughter, Marka, reading. She is two and absolutely loves books. The day I took this photo she gathered those books and sat and was reading them to herself. She would stop often and tell me about one of the animals in My Friend Rabbit. I did not post a photo of my library because I do not have any at home.


I tried to post the photo by using the URL from Flicka but it did not work, so I uploaded the photo from my computer.