Week 9 Thing #23

This course has to be one of the best I have taken so far. I truly enjoyed all of the exercises and usually wished I had more time to "play".
1. What were my favorite discoveries/exercises on this learning journey?

My top 3 are online image generators, Rollyo, and Library Thing. It was difficult to choose!

2. How has this program assisted/affected your lifelong learning goals?

I have more confidence to use and try new tech tools as they are developed. I have the beginning knowledge to begin using the tools to better serve my teachers and students in their learning experience.

3. Were there any take-a-ways or unexpected outcomes from this program that surprised you?

When I first began seeing and hearing terms such as RSS, wiki, social bookmarking, etc. they seemed intimidating/overwhelming. The surprise is that I could learn and use these new tools and be successful with them. The WWW has so much to offer if we know where to look, who to ask, etc.

4. What could we do differently to improve upon this program's format or concept?

I can not think of anything to change. The format was user friendly and accommodating to personal schedules. The information presented was well organized, clear, and concise.

5. If we offered another discovery program like this in the future, would you choose to participate?

I would definitely participate in another discovery program of this format and similar content. In our busy everyday lives, online learning - your own time & own space- allows us access to knowledge and the opportunity to learn that we may not otherwise pursue.

6. How would you describe your learning experience in one word?

FANTASTICAL!

I am definitely going to pursue and incorporate my new skills and tools in the library classroom and web page. I also am making note of the great links and look forward to more online discoveries and sharing of new found resources. Possibly offer professional development to colleagues...the opportunities are endless!

Week 9 Thing #22

eBooks and Audio Books
Technology has given us access to the written word at any time, in a variety of formats, and from any place. As educators, we can provide books and information in a format best suited to an individuals learning needs. eBooks puts classic out-of-print books at our fingertips. Beside the literary value of these antiques, they also are a fascinating study in art.
Librivox had some interesting features. Once a title was chosen, the site provided the text and links to information about the author. An RSS Feed could be added to "read" a chapter a day. What a great way to capture the interest of your audience.... "Best Places to get Free Books" will be added to my webpage as a resource. The list is very comprehensive and the site can be converted to a variety of languages. The site that gets my vote as "Best of Show" is the World Public Library. The site has both a membership and Public access option. It is searchable by full text, title, author, and category....much like our catalogs today!
All of these new options raises that question "Where are our libraries headed? Will books be replaced by headphones and a computer screen? As for me... give me a good book, a soft chair, and a cup of tea!

Week 9 Thing #21

Podcasts
Check out this link to learn all about podcasting!

I was first introduced to podcasts about 3 years ago by a science teacher who began to use them in his seventh grade classroom. I thought the idea very interesting, but really had no interest at the time to learn more. After these discovery excercises, I realize the learning benefits of this new tool. It is so important to keep our lessons interesting and interactive. I particularly liked the Educational Podcast Directory. This website is geared toward 21st century learning and offers excellent and relevant additions for lesson plans. Podcasts are categorized by discipline which makes it easier to search for information. In our busy and time starved lives, the less time spent searching the better. The other podcasting sites mentioned are okay, but have podcasts on anything and everything.
I chose the "Encouraging Audiobooks" podcast and have added it under my "Feeds For Thought" column.

Week 9 Thing #20

I have played around on YouTube in the past. I had discovered this video to use at the high school level when discussing plagiarism. I thought that the students would connect with the actors and the situations they are involved in. These videos are perfect to use in the classroom/library. They add a fun and interesting visual aspect to any lesson. Variety sums it up. Like all information, we need to preview before we use to make sure it is appropriate for our audience. I especially enjoyed TeacherTube and Jumpcut. TeacherTube puts together information specifically related to teaching, for teachers, and by teachers. Less sifting through questionable materials.

Week 8 Thing #19

I found parts of this exercise a little frustrating. I was trying to add the search widget to allow searching of My library from my blog. I have yet to figure out how to make it work. The search bar is there, but at this point is searching LibraryThing. That's okay, but not what I intended. I will have to spend time later on trying to fix this. It has great potential! This tool has numerous uses to organize any library collection, particularly a larger home collection, church libraries, or any other small organization or business who would not be "automated" otherwise.
LibraryThing encourages and allows sharing of information that would other wise be unavailable.

Week 8 Thing #18

This assignment was, in my opinion, the best so far. I spent literally hours checking out ZOHO and all its features. I had played in GOOGLE Docs before, but I think ZOHO has so much more to offer and is easier to navigate. I created a mini slide show in ZOHO Show titled "Why ZOHO". I am still trying to embed it into my Blog, but there is something with the HTML code again. So, for now, I will just create a link.... "Why ZOHO"
These online APPS have so much to offer and it is FREE. There are some perks missing that are found with a paid software program, but with upgrading, these will soon be offered too.

Week 7 Thing #17

Add something to the Sandbox wiki. This was so easy. I went the simple route and added a link to "Ms. Dewey". I signed my contribution Wandaluv(MSLA School Library Learning 2.0). Check it out!