I actually did it! After some major setbacks (like accidentally deleting my entire blog, starting a new blog, and recovering my original blog - which can be found at http://bookthief-trainingwheels9.blogspot.com/), and nearly giving up, I finished. From this I learned to slow down, not to do important work late at night when I am tired, to never blog in bed, and to think before I click! The ethic of persistence was also reinforced for me through this experience.
I enjoyed the experience immensely. Though I may not use all of the tools in my work or my personal life, and though I may not agree ethically with some of them - especially in the school setting, I feel it is important to learn about them and how they work. Our students and children are using many of them - and we need to know! I felt that the program was well-organized and researched. It was easy to follow - using "common man's language." I so appreciated the efforts of those who put this program together for us! The only suggestion that I have has to do with tracking the blogs of others involved in the program. Because so many people were registered, and because so many of the blogs had no activity, it was time-consuming and frustrating to see other's comments and experiences with each of the tools/23 things. Could the blogs be arranged by how far along the blogger is in the program? Or could the accounts that are inactive somehow be weeded out or put somewhere else? I feel that I could have learned a lot more from my colleagues had this process not been so time-consuming - you know, the whole collective intelligence thing. I wanted to more easily consult their blogs!
I warmed up to the whole blogging concept. I found the assignment calculators, the wiki discussion, Flickr, YouTube, and the podcast tools especially useful.
I would definitely participate in a "next step" program. If anything, I will look at this site: http://explorediscoverplay.blogspot.com to continue my learning.
If knowledge is power, I am a more empowered person and Media Specialist as a result of this experience. Thank-you!
Saturday, April 12, 2008
Thing #22 - What Did I Learn Today?
In the ALA TechSource piece, we are again reminded of the definition of Web 2.0:
"It is a model for library service that encourages constant and purposeful change, inviting user participation in the creation of both the physical and the virtual services they want, supported by consistently evaluating services."
In addition, at the beginning of this "Thing" it states that learning about Web 2.0 tools has been "changing, challenging, and exciting." This has truly been all of those things for me. I like having a goal when I am learning - to be forced, in a way, to learn. Though choosing to participate in this program has been completely voluntary on my part, I felt pushed by the format and the goal to progress and to finish. Change is hard for me, and that combined with my busy workload makes things that seem unnecessary things that I avoid. I think this is probably a common sentiment among many in the profession of education. We are constantly asked to do more, to keep up, to change...And that is not easy. I am so glad that I took on this challenge. Many who started with me fell by the wayside, so I think just finishing is a major accomplishment (especially after I accidentally deleted my entire blog). All that I learned is icing on my professional cake. I have learned so much. The most important thing that I learned is that there is so much out there in the Web 2.0 world that is exciting and useful - and that anyone can learn to use these things. The more experience one has with these tools, the less daunting they seem.
I was happy to find this site in the comments at the bottom of this "Thing":
http://explorediscoverplay.blogspot.com/
I wanted to continue my learning, and along comes Library 2.1! I also want to go back and work more with the tools we looked at in the "23 Things on a Stick" program. I am hoping that the site will be kept up so that we can refer to it over the summer. I would like to try some new things in our Media Center next year with some of these tools. For instance, I would like to add the assignment calculators to some of my presentations and use the "Introducing the Book" YouTube video that I found in some of my book talks.
There is so much out there to experience, read, and learn. I got hooked into an article I found at the LISNews site. It was called "Reading...A Topic of Controversy?" I read about their RIF story, read the original article, then read all of the reader comments, and that lead me to an awesome article by Therdora J. Kalikow, entitled, "Reading is Fundamental: It's Also Subversive." Kalikow, the President of the University of Maine, concludes, "Mothers are always right. Reading is dangerous. But not reading is even more dangerous." I am currently leading a massive reading initiative, and this will come in handy.
I also found this awesome video for National Library Week at The Shifted Librarian Site! Hilarious!
Thanks to all of you who set up this program! You rock!
"It is a model for library service that encourages constant and purposeful change, inviting user participation in the creation of both the physical and the virtual services they want, supported by consistently evaluating services."
In addition, at the beginning of this "Thing" it states that learning about Web 2.0 tools has been "changing, challenging, and exciting." This has truly been all of those things for me. I like having a goal when I am learning - to be forced, in a way, to learn. Though choosing to participate in this program has been completely voluntary on my part, I felt pushed by the format and the goal to progress and to finish. Change is hard for me, and that combined with my busy workload makes things that seem unnecessary things that I avoid. I think this is probably a common sentiment among many in the profession of education. We are constantly asked to do more, to keep up, to change...And that is not easy. I am so glad that I took on this challenge. Many who started with me fell by the wayside, so I think just finishing is a major accomplishment (especially after I accidentally deleted my entire blog). All that I learned is icing on my professional cake. I have learned so much. The most important thing that I learned is that there is so much out there in the Web 2.0 world that is exciting and useful - and that anyone can learn to use these things. The more experience one has with these tools, the less daunting they seem.
I was happy to find this site in the comments at the bottom of this "Thing":
http://explorediscoverplay.blogspot.com/
I wanted to continue my learning, and along comes Library 2.1! I also want to go back and work more with the tools we looked at in the "23 Things on a Stick" program. I am hoping that the site will be kept up so that we can refer to it over the summer. I would like to try some new things in our Media Center next year with some of these tools. For instance, I would like to add the assignment calculators to some of my presentations and use the "Introducing the Book" YouTube video that I found in some of my book talks.
There is so much out there to experience, read, and learn. I got hooked into an article I found at the LISNews site. It was called "Reading...A Topic of Controversy?" I read about their RIF story, read the original article, then read all of the reader comments, and that lead me to an awesome article by Therdora J. Kalikow, entitled, "Reading is Fundamental: It's Also Subversive." Kalikow, the President of the University of Maine, concludes, "Mothers are always right. Reading is dangerous. But not reading is even more dangerous." I am currently leading a massive reading initiative, and this will come in handy.
I also found this awesome video for National Library Week at The Shifted Librarian Site! Hilarious!
Thanks to all of you who set up this program! You rock!
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Thing #21 - Beyond MySpace; other Socail Networks
Visit 23 Things on a Stick
This was interesting to me. I like the idea of social networking more when there is a purpose - a network based on an interest like books or crafts appeals to me more than a space whose purpose is strictly "social." I signed up for my Ning account, added a member badge to my page (or thought I did - kept getting an "error message" that the code wasn't complete - did anyone else have that problem?), and commented in Aurora's page (and got an e-mail notification that I had a comment on my Ning account - and, sure enough, I did).
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Thing #20 - Libraries and Social Networks
I looked at the social networks as both a parent and as a librarian. Though I knew most of what I read in the TMCNet article and the Pew Internet and American Life study, a few things I found interesting. For instance, I thought that the number of teens using multiple means of communication would be higher. I had also never thought about the fact that my generation uses e-mailing much more that my son's generation to communicate. My son only e-mails me because he knows that it is the easiest way to get in touch with me. I do text message, but rarely - I use my cell phone for practical purposes and safety mostly. I rarely check my messages. I have an instant messaging account but never use it because I would have no one to IM with, as none of my friends or family members use it. I realized also that my son is definitely a Multi-Channel Teen. He IM's, texts, uses his cell phone almost exclusively, etc.
I decided to look at MySpace to begin. It disturbed me that the first thing I saw was the "Suckle on My Teet" video which included obscenities and sexual material. I don't consider myself a prude, but the thought of my own 14 year old coming across that really bugged me. Also, the privacy issue always gets me. As I have said before, I have no desire to make my thoughts, etc. public. I do, however, think that knowledge is power, and it is important for adults to be aware of social networking and its pros and cons.
I decided to look at MySpace to begin. It disturbed me that the first thing I saw was the "Suckle on My Teet" video which included obscenities and sexual material. I don't consider myself a prude, but the thought of my own 14 year old coming across that really bugged me. Also, the privacy issue always gets me. As I have said before, I have no desire to make my thoughts, etc. public. I do, however, think that knowledge is power, and it is important for adults to be aware of social networking and its pros and cons.
Thing #19 - Podcasts
I first listened to a "pondcast" of a Minnesota Wild game with my son. We played it on iTunes. I looked at the four resources suggested but didn't find anything that really "rang my chimes," as my dad is so fond of saying. I then did a google search for book review podcasts and found the "Just One More Book" website that featured a podcast of a book that I had recently purchased for our Media Center - Greatness, Gratitude and Generosity: Piano Starts Here by Robert Andrew Parker. However, one could actually play it from the site. It wasn't required that one download the podcast - it was called a "podcast." Was it?
Then I subscribed to WPSU Bookmark and listened to several young adult book reviews, including Deadline by Chris Crutcher.I recently read Before I Die, which sounds as if it has a similar plot to Deadline. They would be great to pair together. I love Chris Crutcher and will definitely put this book in my future read pile. I also listened to a review of The Coldest Winter Ever by Sister Souljah. The young woman who reviewed the book was clearly impacted by the book. The Coldest Winter Ever was one of few "Urban Fiction" titles we had in our collection until recently. I noticed that our African American students kept coming to this book over and over. I also noticed that there was a group of kids whose needs we weren't meeting. I bought a few "Urban Fiction" books and started using the term in my book talks. Soon the students were using the term and asking where the books were that were about them. So I totally expanded this part of our collection and have found a whole new group of readers coming back to our library over and over! Some "Urban Fiction" books are seen by some as very "edgy." However, some of our students come from very "edgy" lives. All students deserve to see themselves reflected in the literature they read. There needs to be something for all of our readers. Jim Trelease tells us that all it takes is one "homerun book" to make a reader of a non-reader. For many of our students, the Urban Fiction collection is where they found that "homerun book." Eventually, they will spread their wings and gravitate to other things.
The WPSU podcast site was an awesome find. I will use it with my students!
Then I subscribed to WPSU Bookmark and listened to several young adult book reviews, including Deadline by Chris Crutcher.I recently read Before I Die, which sounds as if it has a similar plot to Deadline. They would be great to pair together. I love Chris Crutcher and will definitely put this book in my future read pile. I also listened to a review of The Coldest Winter Ever by Sister Souljah. The young woman who reviewed the book was clearly impacted by the book. The Coldest Winter Ever was one of few "Urban Fiction" titles we had in our collection until recently. I noticed that our African American students kept coming to this book over and over. I also noticed that there was a group of kids whose needs we weren't meeting. I bought a few "Urban Fiction" books and started using the term in my book talks. Soon the students were using the term and asking where the books were that were about them. So I totally expanded this part of our collection and have found a whole new group of readers coming back to our library over and over! Some "Urban Fiction" books are seen by some as very "edgy." However, some of our students come from very "edgy" lives. All students deserve to see themselves reflected in the literature they read. There needs to be something for all of our readers. Jim Trelease tells us that all it takes is one "homerun book" to make a reader of a non-reader. For many of our students, the Urban Fiction collection is where they found that "homerun book." Eventually, they will spread their wings and gravitate to other things.
The WPSU podcast site was an awesome find. I will use it with my students!
Thing #18 - YouTube & Other Online Video
This is in honor of Karlyn, a fellow staffer who runs our Break Dancing Club. I looked at several break dancing videos, but I thought that this was appropriate for high schoolers. I also found a great video called "Introducing the Book" on Google Video, which would be hilarious to use in my first book talks with students - this is how you read a book - kind of how many of my parents' generation feel about using a computer. Funny! We do block "YouTube" (I thought it was interesting that many of the video sites linked back to YouTube, which is "king") at our school so I had to do this part of the project at home. It was much easier than I expected!
P.S. On Google Video, did anyone else watch the "Student and Teacher Fight in Classroom"? Yikes! I would have given the cell phone back and left the classroom and gone for help.
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Thing #17 - ELM Productivity Tools
I am very familiar with ELM, the Electric Library for Minnesota. I use the ELM provided databases daily in my work. I like the idea that ELM makes so many resources available to all Minnesotans - I realize that it requires access to a computer and the Internet, which many may not have at home. However, the public library provides free Internet access to all Minnesotans.
After performing a search on youth smoking, I created a search alert - had it e-mailed to me, rather than an RSS feed.
I also created a web page via Academic Search Premier on Best Books (pictures of the Top Ten books in our Media Center with links to the author's official website) - I didn't finish it, but this is something I could easily do at a later time. I had never looked at this option before - I didn't even know it was an option. What a great tool for teachers and Media Specialists to use to collaborate on resources for student projects.
Loved the option to e-mail search results to another person that I tested in ProQuest - this is a super easy way to get information to teachers when I do research for them. I sent an article entitled, "An Unmanageable Circle of Friends; Social-Networking Web Sites Inundate Us With Connections, and That Can Be Alienating." I loved the irony in the title!
Anway, lots of good things here. It is good to be forced to really look around these databases - to do more that simple and advanced searching. Teachers don't have time to do this - so it is good when we have more things in our bag of "tricks" to suggest to them to make their lives easier and to help them help kids to be more effective researchers!
After performing a search on youth smoking, I created a search alert - had it e-mailed to me, rather than an RSS feed.
I also created a web page via Academic Search Premier on Best Books (pictures of the Top Ten books in our Media Center with links to the author's official website) - I didn't finish it, but this is something I could easily do at a later time. I had never looked at this option before - I didn't even know it was an option. What a great tool for teachers and Media Specialists to use to collaborate on resources for student projects.
Loved the option to e-mail search results to another person that I tested in ProQuest - this is a super easy way to get information to teachers when I do research for them. I sent an article entitled, "An Unmanageable Circle of Friends; Social-Networking Web Sites Inundate Us With Connections, and That Can Be Alienating." I loved the irony in the title!
Anway, lots of good things here. It is good to be forced to really look around these databases - to do more that simple and advanced searching. Teachers don't have time to do this - so it is good when we have more things in our bag of "tricks" to suggest to them to make their lives easier and to help them help kids to be more effective researchers!
Thing #16 - Student 2.0 Tools
Well, I am starting again. I was able to find my blogs, through Thing#15, cached. So I will redo #16-18, and continue from there. I am determined to finish this.
Of all of the tools that we have worked with in this project, these project calculators are, if not the most practical and relevant, certainly among the most practical and relevant. I immediately mailed the link to the University of Minnesota Calculator to my son, who is a student at Gustavus. I then mailed both links to the ILA Department Leaders to share with ILA teachers.
I then opened an account with the Research Project Calculator, created an assignment and had the reminders sent to my e-mail. I wanted to see how it worked, as well as have the information that was provided at each step to share with students. Today I received Step 4: Communicate. It includes: written essay, draft text and create visuals, revise text and insert visuals, edit, and print final paper. The materials provided to students are clear and simple. I like the tools that are provided for teachers and the fact that the Research Project Calculator encourages collaboration with the Media Specialist.
Of all of the tools that we have worked with in this project, these project calculators are, if not the most practical and relevant, certainly among the most practical and relevant. I immediately mailed the link to the University of Minnesota Calculator to my son, who is a student at Gustavus. I then mailed both links to the ILA Department Leaders to share with ILA teachers.
I then opened an account with the Research Project Calculator, created an assignment and had the reminders sent to my e-mail. I wanted to see how it worked, as well as have the information that was provided at each step to share with students. Today I received Step 4: Communicate. It includes: written essay, draft text and create visuals, revise text and insert visuals, edit, and print final paper. The materials provided to students are clear and simple. I like the tools that are provided for teachers and the fact that the Research Project Calculator encourages collaboration with the Media Specialist.
Monday, April 7, 2008
Lost Posts
This is the list from the posts on my blog cached at Google. Note that "#8 - del.icio.us beginnings" appear to be lost. I will attach photos of things that I have saved to show that I did do the first 18 "things."
Blog Archive
* ▼ 2008 (18)
o ▼ March (9)
+ Thing #15 - Online Games and Libraires
+ Thing #14 - Library Thing
+ Thing #13 - Online Productivity Tools
+ Thing #12 - Do You Digg?
+ Thing #11 - Tagging and Del.icio.us
+ Thing #10 - Wikis
+ Thing #9 - Online Collaboration Tools
+ Thing #8 - Share Your Creations
+ American Libraries Article
o ► February (5)
+ VOYA Articles
+ Thing #7 - Web 2.0 Communication Tools
+ Thing #6 - Online Image Generator
+ Thing #5 - More Flickr
+ Thing #4 - Flickr
o ► January (4)
+ Thing #3 - RSS
+ Things #1 and #2
+ librarything.com
+ del.icio.us beginnings
Thing #15 - Online Games and Libraires
Original Post: Monday, March 31, 2008
On the PBS site in the article, "Reality Bytes: Eight Myths About Video Games Debunked," it is stated that, it's also important to note that female game characters are often portrayed as powerful and independent. In his book Killing Monsters, Gerard Jones argues that young girls often build upon these representations of strong women warriors as a means of building up their self confidence in confronting challenges in their everyday lives." Our staff book club is currently reading a book called Sugar and Spice and No Longer Nice: How We Can Stop Girls' Violence by Deborah Prothrow Stith and Howard R. Spivak. The entire premise of this book is that the rise in violence by girls is directly linked to images of females referred to in the above quote. I guess what goes around comes around! The article, however, appears to be well-researched and cited.
Massive Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games - in the YALSA podcast Storm says he plays Second Life Library for twelve hours a day! Does it concern anyone else that teens are existing for twelve hours a day in entirely made up worlds? Why do we need to add school time in the library on school computers playing games? It sounds as if they get more than plenty of this when they are not in school. They talk about these worlds as if they are reality. John, Storm, and Kelly claim that there is no danger in the Second Life world, that they are "super savvy" and wouldn't give out information that would lead a predator to them. Perhaps there is not danger from predators, but there are other types of concerns. Teens can't manipulate reality in the way that they manipulate the Second Life world. Kelly does say that teens learn skills in Second Life that they can carry into the real world such as leadership and event planning. I don't doubt that these kids are highly intelligent, but I have concerns. I did appreciate the Ohio University video that discussed some of the positives of Second Life - the use of the imagination, exploration, dreaming, and discovering. I appreciate that these skills are exercised and developed in this virtual world. But I fear that the lines between what is real and what is imagined get blurred.
Posted by bookthief at 3:36 PM 0 comments
On the PBS site in the article, "Reality Bytes: Eight Myths About Video Games Debunked," it is stated that, it's also important to note that female game characters are often portrayed as powerful and independent. In his book Killing Monsters, Gerard Jones argues that young girls often build upon these representations of strong women warriors as a means of building up their self confidence in confronting challenges in their everyday lives." Our staff book club is currently reading a book called Sugar and Spice and No Longer Nice: How We Can Stop Girls' Violence by Deborah Prothrow Stith and Howard R. Spivak. The entire premise of this book is that the rise in violence by girls is directly linked to images of females referred to in the above quote. I guess what goes around comes around! The article, however, appears to be well-researched and cited.
Massive Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games - in the YALSA podcast Storm says he plays Second Life Library for twelve hours a day! Does it concern anyone else that teens are existing for twelve hours a day in entirely made up worlds? Why do we need to add school time in the library on school computers playing games? It sounds as if they get more than plenty of this when they are not in school. They talk about these worlds as if they are reality. John, Storm, and Kelly claim that there is no danger in the Second Life world, that they are "super savvy" and wouldn't give out information that would lead a predator to them. Perhaps there is not danger from predators, but there are other types of concerns. Teens can't manipulate reality in the way that they manipulate the Second Life world. Kelly does say that teens learn skills in Second Life that they can carry into the real world such as leadership and event planning. I don't doubt that these kids are highly intelligent, but I have concerns. I did appreciate the Ohio University video that discussed some of the positives of Second Life - the use of the imagination, exploration, dreaming, and discovering. I appreciate that these skills are exercised and developed in this virtual world. But I fear that the lines between what is real and what is imagined get blurred.
Posted by bookthief at 3:36 PM 0 comments
Thing #14 - Library Thing
Original Post: Monday, March 31, 2008
I have already blogged about this tool. See my January 22, 2008, comments.
Posted by bookthief at 3:32 PM 0 comments
I have already blogged about this tool. See my January 22, 2008, comments.
Posted by bookthief at 3:32 PM 0 comments
Thing #13 - Online Productivity Tools
Original Post: Friday, March 28, 2008
This was a fun one! I found many of these tools very useful! For example, our students come to us continually with files that our machines won't convert. Zamzar would be useful tool in such situations. I also love the countdown widget. However, as with "you," all I got was the blue box (you got a white one) when I tried to add it to me blog.
I liked the whole start page thing. I chose google, since this is what I have my browser set to start on. I will continue to personalize it as I have time. I like the weather widgets, the calendar widgets, and the "to do" list widgets. Eventually, I would like my laptop to be kind of a "one stop shop" for all of this stuff.
Posted by bookthief at 8:41 AM 1 comments
This was a fun one! I found many of these tools very useful! For example, our students come to us continually with files that our machines won't convert. Zamzar would be useful tool in such situations. I also love the countdown widget. However, as with "you," all I got was the blue box (you got a white one) when I tried to add it to me blog.
I liked the whole start page thing. I chose google, since this is what I have my browser set to start on. I will continue to personalize it as I have time. I like the weather widgets, the calendar widgets, and the "to do" list widgets. Eventually, I would like my laptop to be kind of a "one stop shop" for all of this stuff.
Posted by bookthief at 8:41 AM 1 comments
Thing #12 - Do You Digg?
Original Post: Wednesday, March 26, 2008
So...I think it is important to know about tools like this - but all I need is more information coming my way - not. And when I look at what the public "votes" for as most interesting or most important, I am truly worried..."Dude Drives Wrecked Car," "Beautiful (Disturbing) Pics of 'Pollution from Soviet Era," "Swinging from the Chandelier - Literally," "Sex and Flirting in Japan - It's a World of Difference," "What's Wrong with Liberal? Hillary Is Saying People Will Be Turned Off by Obama's Liberalism, JESUS F...... CHRIST YOU'RE RUNNING AS A DEMOCRAT!" Are you kidding me? These people need to get a life. Who has time to sit all day and look at this stuff? Really?
I didn't want to, but for experience sake, I signed up for Digg and sent an article about Jodi Picoult's latest book, Change of Heart ("To Reject or Embrace a Dark Heart as Savior," New York Times, 3/24/08) to some of my librarian friends - I am sure they really appreciated it - maybe not.
Posted by bookthief at 12:09 PM 0 comments
Labels: Digg
So...I think it is important to know about tools like this - but all I need is more information coming my way - not. And when I look at what the public "votes" for as most interesting or most important, I am truly worried..."Dude Drives Wrecked Car," "Beautiful (Disturbing) Pics of 'Pollution from Soviet Era," "Swinging from the Chandelier - Literally," "Sex and Flirting in Japan - It's a World of Difference," "What's Wrong with Liberal? Hillary Is Saying People Will Be Turned Off by Obama's Liberalism, JESUS F...... CHRIST YOU'RE RUNNING AS A DEMOCRAT!" Are you kidding me? These people need to get a life. Who has time to sit all day and look at this stuff? Really?
I didn't want to, but for experience sake, I signed up for Digg and sent an article about Jodi Picoult's latest book, Change of Heart ("To Reject or Embrace a Dark Heart as Savior," New York Times, 3/24/08) to some of my librarian friends - I am sure they really appreciated it - maybe not.
Posted by bookthief at 12:09 PM 0 comments
Labels: Digg
Thing #11 - Tagging and Del.icio.us
Original Post: Tuesday, March 25, 2008
I already posted about this "thing." See my very first blog entry.
Posted by bookthief at 4:24 PM 0 comments
I already posted about this "thing." See my very first blog entry.
Posted by bookthief at 4:24 PM 0 comments
Thing #10 - Wikis
Original Post: Tuesday, March 25, 2008
O.K. so I am totally enamored with those Common Craft videos. I think they are awesome! They are so verbally and visually clear - in common (wo)man's terms! They are great tools for students, teachers, and the community at large! I am thinking of my parents who struggle so with the computer - simply getting them to send e-mails is really a challenge. These videos would be wonderful ways to explain different concepts to them! I also enjoyed the Web Junction article, "Using Wikis to Create Online Communites." Again, I thought the article effectively discussed the pros and cons of using wikis in common (wo)man's terms.
I edited the "23 Things on a Stick" wiki. It was fun, but as I have said earlier, I do not enjoy putting things out for the entire world to see and comment on.
As I always tell my students, wikis have their place. Sharing knowledge can be a good concept. However, many wikis are not edited by anyone who checks the accuracy of the information, nor are those who contribute to a wiki held accountable for their input. When doing educational research, then, students should be cautious about using something like wikipedia. If they do educational research by starting with a search engine like Google, rather than a database, I am concerned right away about their research practices. I tell them that wikis are fun to look at; they might even be a good place to start when doing research. However, the information they find in a wiki should be verified in other sources. That is not to say that information they find in a database might not be inaccurate as well. At least with a database they know where the information came from and can investigate the source.
I enjoyed looking at the Minnesota 150 exhibit wiki. My husband and I went to this exhibit at the History Museum and loved it. I purchased two copies of the book for our media center - the kids love them. As as I was walking through the exhibit, I wondered how in the world they chose some on the 150 things that symbolize Minnesota. For instance, as you enter/leave the exhibit, one of the things you are assaulted with is huge picture of Jesse Ventura - not one of the things that makes me proud to be a Minnesotan. So it was fun to see that one could comment on some of the choices that were and were not made for this exhibit!
Posted by bookthief at 2:10 PM 0 comments
Labels: wikis
O.K. so I am totally enamored with those Common Craft videos. I think they are awesome! They are so verbally and visually clear - in common (wo)man's terms! They are great tools for students, teachers, and the community at large! I am thinking of my parents who struggle so with the computer - simply getting them to send e-mails is really a challenge. These videos would be wonderful ways to explain different concepts to them! I also enjoyed the Web Junction article, "Using Wikis to Create Online Communites." Again, I thought the article effectively discussed the pros and cons of using wikis in common (wo)man's terms.
I edited the "23 Things on a Stick" wiki. It was fun, but as I have said earlier, I do not enjoy putting things out for the entire world to see and comment on.
As I always tell my students, wikis have their place. Sharing knowledge can be a good concept. However, many wikis are not edited by anyone who checks the accuracy of the information, nor are those who contribute to a wiki held accountable for their input. When doing educational research, then, students should be cautious about using something like wikipedia. If they do educational research by starting with a search engine like Google, rather than a database, I am concerned right away about their research practices. I tell them that wikis are fun to look at; they might even be a good place to start when doing research. However, the information they find in a wiki should be verified in other sources. That is not to say that information they find in a database might not be inaccurate as well. At least with a database they know where the information came from and can investigate the source.
I enjoyed looking at the Minnesota 150 exhibit wiki. My husband and I went to this exhibit at the History Museum and loved it. I purchased two copies of the book for our media center - the kids love them. As as I was walking through the exhibit, I wondered how in the world they chose some on the 150 things that symbolize Minnesota. For instance, as you enter/leave the exhibit, one of the things you are assaulted with is huge picture of Jesse Ventura - not one of the things that makes me proud to be a Minnesotan. So it was fun to see that one could comment on some of the choices that were and were not made for this exhibit!
Posted by bookthief at 2:10 PM 0 comments
Labels: wikis
Thing #9 - Online Collaboration Tools
Original Post: Tuesday, March 25, 2008
I definitely thought that Google Docs was easier to manipulate than Zoho. The concept of working collaboratively on the same document at the same time was really interesting. For instance, if an ILA teacher were in a computer lab, he/she could have all students bring up a sample document and work on writing, spelling, organizational, grammar, vocabulary concepts as a group. Each student could then participate and watch the document take shape. I will e-mail the ILA department and make them aware of these tools.
P.S. It was fun working on the Declaration of Independence - taking such an important document and having input was empowering! Social Studies teachers could have students look at the Declaration of Independence and make their own changes - if they were writing this document now, what changes would they make and why?
Posted by bookthief at 1:38 PM 0 comments
Labels: colloborative documents, Google Docs, Zoho
I definitely thought that Google Docs was easier to manipulate than Zoho. The concept of working collaboratively on the same document at the same time was really interesting. For instance, if an ILA teacher were in a computer lab, he/she could have all students bring up a sample document and work on writing, spelling, organizational, grammar, vocabulary concepts as a group. Each student could then participate and watch the document take shape. I will e-mail the ILA department and make them aware of these tools.
P.S. It was fun working on the Declaration of Independence - taking such an important document and having input was empowering! Social Studies teachers could have students look at the Declaration of Independence and make their own changes - if they were writing this document now, what changes would they make and why?
Posted by bookthief at 1:38 PM 0 comments
Labels: colloborative documents, Google Docs, Zoho
Hard Lessons
So...I have learned the greatest lesson yet. Last Thursday, it was late and I was tired, I sat in bed with my laptop, after having finished "Thing #18" and was trying to delete a previous blog post. I couldn't figure out how to do it, so I went to the "HELP" section and noted that others had had the same problem that I was having. They said that the delete button could easily be found in the "dashhboard." I found a "delete" button. I opened the post that I wanted to delete and hit "delete." I was even asked if I was sure I wanted to delete this BLOG. Yep, I wanted to delete this blog POST, so without giving it a second thought, I clicked on "yes." Need I say more? I deleted the entire blog. I immediately e-mailed "blogger." I called my son at college in tears. He e-mailed "blogger." I e-mailed the IT guy at my school. I tried everything I knew. I was sick. I did not sleep one wink that night. The next day our IT guy tried everything he knew and said that he "didn't have a good feeling about this." He e-mailed "blogger." I called the "Geek Squad." They said they couldn't help. The only hope was if "blogger" backed up its server. I pretty much gave up then. I honestly started to go through the grieving process. Not that it mattered to anyone but me. I was just having so much learning about all of the Web 2.0 tools and was determined to see the project through.
Monday morning...still no response from "blogger." Then Deanna, the Goddess, e-mailed me and said that she had found my blog cached on Google through #15. The IT guy and I had tried to see if we could find it cached somewhere and had had no luck. Deanna agreed to work with me on this. HOPE was born. I set up a new blog and decided to complete this project.
Lessons learned:
SLOW DOWN!
Never blog in bed.
Don't give up!
Praise Deanna - big time!
Monday morning...still no response from "blogger." Then Deanna, the Goddess, e-mailed me and said that she had found my blog cached on Google through #15. The IT guy and I had tried to see if we could find it cached somewhere and had had no luck. Deanna agreed to work with me on this. HOPE was born. I set up a new blog and decided to complete this project.
Lessons learned:
SLOW DOWN!
Never blog in bed.
Don't give up!
Praise Deanna - big time!
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