Threading The Needle

Here are a few photos for my digital photo collage on VoiceThread. (Just click okay and then play the clips in this order--they are meant to go together.) I couldn't figure out how to actually put them together in a collage like the one that Paige made. I also commented on part of Paige's collage.

Earth Day Book Byte

Here is my booktalk/book plug for the books featured in our Earth Day display. Not the best booktalk ever created, but does it atleast grab your attention and make you curious?

Lights, Camera, Action!

Now you, too can make your own videos with Animoto! Below, (frame "Take II") is my Inquire "Info-mercial" made with animoto. I also made a longer version of my video using Windows Movie Maker which I shared with my Saturday Ed. Tech. Class.

Take II...

Wiki Wiki Wiki

Nope, not a bad rap from the early 90s, but a Web 2.0 tool for sharing, collaborating, and publishing content to the web. At this point I don't have any real application for a wiki so I didn't create my own. But, I have used PB Wiki extensively in other courses. I also added content about Will Richardson to Mary's Web 2.0 Guru wiki.

While wikis may be good for quickly sharing information and editing that content to a certain extent, I have yet to find one that formats "nicely." If adding in a lot of text or imagery, be prepared for the published wiki product to not look quite as intended to a certain extent. In the past, I've used them as a long distance communication tool when working on group projects. This was helpful for conveying quick "sound bites" of information and sharing links, but beyond that, the tone and intent were lost to a certain extent, especially when formatting became problematic.

So, wiki users beware...attempting to convey information without vocal intonations and body language can be tricky enough, but if the formatting of your written work is also skewed, you may have a hard time getting your point across as intended.

Where's Waldo?

Okay, so not quite a web 2.o tool....but it's still a nifty video and you can track him using google earth. Matt Harding is proof that you don't have to be Flat Stanley (or a good dancer) to have a good time internationally! Rock on...



To see more of Matt's rock solid dance moves, and some pretty darn good outtakes, check out his website www.wherethehellismatt.com

Me and My Big Blabbermouth!

I finally got blabberize to work!

Welcome Wagon

Welcome to my blog! Here is the avitar I made on Voki.com

Digital ADD

I am newly self-diagnosed with Digital Attention Deficit Disorder. One would think with my linear thought pattern (gift of my digital immigrant status) I would be immune from this disease. But, maybe the digital native in me switches into high gear when surf the net and lead the abstract thought patterns wherever they may take me. And, maybe "curiosity killed the cat," but today it was saving grace for me. What does this do? Where does this go? Who are these people? What is this group? I want to know it all (or at least the parts that interest me for the moment). So, let me lead you down my path of randomness....I log into my facebook account to accept a new "friend" and see that another friend has added a new video "new day revolution." Hmmm what could this be? I have to know! I watch the video and find a wickedly rock solid team that has just written a new book and is touting their website, http://coolpeoplecare.org. I'm lovin' the premise of the whole gig and decide I need to check out their book, but in the meantime head to their website: energy saving tips, tips to give back in your local community, benefits of buying locally grown organic produce etc...Great; I want more of it! So, add the RSS feed to my igoogle page and in doing so, am welcomed with more articles from the site to delve deeper. One such article leads me to another rock solid website http://www.barefoot-books.com/ --all kinds of global diversity and ecological awareness in the form of children's books, music, puppets and more! And an hour later than when I first began, I'm feeling some serious brain drain...must be a side effect of the ADD.

Blabber-Blunder

Well I tried to make my Will Richardson introduction using blabberize. But, 45 min to an hour later I still couldn't get the mouth to move correctly (despite watching the how-to video 3 times). So, Will doesn't actually speak to you but, you get the picture... Would anyone be willing to demonstrate this blabberize technique to me?

Guess Who

Monkey Business

Another step toward digital super stardom! I created a survey using a free account through SurveyMonkey. Although the free account limits survey options to some extent, it was still useful for creating a concise survey with a variety of response opportunities (multiple choice, rating scales, free text comments, etc...). I decided to survey my fellow staff members to gain their thoughts about the accessibility and usefulness of our school library program and resources. Aside from the obvious, collecting empirical data on our library program to better guide the direction of our program improvement, the process of generating the survey held additional benefits for me. In creating the survey questions themselves, I was forced to think more deeply about our library program, the resources available, and my own perceptions of our program and staff library usage patterns. Simply taking the time to reflect on these aspects was useful in its own right.

This Web 2.0 tool holds a few advantages itself! It is a one-stop shopping experience for your simple survey needs. Users can generate and save surveys instantly with just a few clicks, and develop links to email the survey to possible respondents, or create a pop-up feature on a web page prompting users to take the survey. SurveyMonkey not only collects the responses from participants, but also tabulates them into useful statistics---Yet another constructive tool for collaboration (through free text comments) and communication in the digital age.

I'm looking forward to seeing the actual responses offered by my fellow staff members, if they choose to take part at all (which is a response in and of itself)! But first, a quick question about data collection addressed to the help desk, and then a pilot of the survey to send to my library colleagues to test out the design and language! Wish me luck...

You've Been Skyped

Today I ventured into the realm of yet another web 2.0 tool--Skype! With just a few clicks I downloaded this free software, allowing me to connect with other Skype users to chat and video conference all for free. Of course, like most software applications, there are upgrade options at cost. For example, I could pay to make phone calls to non-Skype users, or even create a CrazyTalk video avitar to communicate through--How cool! And...as I always have The World is Flat philosophy tucked away in the deep recesses of my mind...Skype is accessible globally (via Internet connection of course) and makes searching for global contacts and placing free international calls as simple as clicking a button. Yes I did say FREE INTERNATIONAL CALLS...the pen/video/voice-pal opportunities are endless! Now to get a web-cam...

P.S. The word on the street is that Logitech makes a web-cam that also provides opportunities for communicating as an avitar. How would you like to video conference with a shark?

Not All Search Engines Are Created Equal

Meaningful Learning with Technology also reminded me that not all search engines work the same way! As an information specialist, this was not a new concept to me, but I too am guilty of relying almost solely on google for my digital information queries. Oh, yeah, I forgot there was more out there than just google! And, while google's web crawlers return thousands of hits at a time, how many of them are really irrelevant? Maybe my goal for the coming week should be to experiment with some of the directory formatted search engines to see if their results are more accessible to me. At any rate, the directory style may make sifting through hits easier.

Research Is The Process, Not The Product

I was relieved to read in Meaningful Learning with Technology that research is only a step toward a bigger end. I often see students "creating" a nonfiction piece by recopying the facts they have gleaned verbatim from another source. While I work hard to educate them about plagiarism, giving credit where it is due, and putting things in their own words, I realize this is only part of the battle. These projects where students research for the sake of researching, not only are devoid of student inquiry (teacher generated prefab questions) but also cognitive transfer. While the students may remember a few of their facts in the end, have they really internalized what this information means? Can they analyze and synthesize it or use it to create something new?

Whether these research projects and processes take place with print or digital mediums is irrelevant, the challenge to create a meaningful learning experience remains.

Flight into Facebook

My digital transformation has begun! First, my very own blog---why does this make me feel extra special…is there anyone out there hanging on my every word? I doubt it. But, just in case, it is there. And now, I have joined the masses on facebook! I’m already chatting with friends and one of them sent me a digital cupcake---I didn’t know I was missing out on such a party! “Oh, there you are everyone! Why did it take me so long to find you?”

Digital Refugee?

What is a digital refugee, you ask? I’m not a digital native. I’m not a digital immigrant. I have one foot in each camp, but don’t totally belong in either category. Thus, I am trying to upgrade my Web 1.0 skills in an attempt to find a homeland in our Web 2.0 world…thus achieving digital superstardom! Can I do it? I’m well on my way….come along for the journey!

A New Horrizon…

I'm embarking on a new adventure with digital technology and Web 2.0 concepts--my own blog! An exciting and tenuous venture has begun. (I'll spare you the agonizing details of trying to decide on a name for my new digital pet. It may have been easier if I had a clear purpose in mind ---should this be or a personal or professional nature? Who is my intended audience? Is this purposeful or just for fun?) Hmmm...am now wondering if I can rename my blog altogether.