Week 8, Thing 18

Online productivity tools like Zoho Writer or Google Docs seem to work like Office Tools as far as what type of files you can create--slide shows, documents, spread sheets. Beyond that, there are so many other options that appear to be available--chatting, collaboration, group commenting. Alas, there is no online help on Zoho. Maybe my daughter can help me figure out some of the ins and outs of online productivity tools.

Week 6 Thing 13, 14, and 15

Del.icio.us--what a wonderful site. It allows me to access all of my bookmarks from whatever computer I'm at. It lets me tag and organize all of the sites so they're more than a never ending list of sites (Whogoes back and looks at all of those sites? Sometimes I look at things I've bookmarked and say "What was I thinking?") They're organized and accessible. Of course, I've spent most of the evening surfing for things to save and tag. Web 2.0, Library 2.0, books I want to read, movies to see, should I buy a Kindle. . . It's so easy to surf away from the task at hand.

Technorati--the concept of tagging is wonderful. This site, though, not so much.

There seems to be a wealth of sites with information about how to integrate Web 2.0 into services for patrons. Just looking at the Library 2.0 tag in Del.icio.us provides an avalanche of information about how to learn and use the different Live Web tools. To ignore all of the wonderful instruments that our students see as commonplace keeps us from making school and education relevant, and could make the future of libraries "fraught with peril."

Week 4 Thing 8

RSS feeds are wonderful--a terrific way to keep up with the information/feeds I'm most interested in reading. I've subscribed to so many, I may spend even more time surfing, but at least it will be for information I ordained to be important at some point.

Now, if I could just figure out how to get the RSS widget on my blog, everything will be good.

Week 3, Thing #5

3 Groupies
Originally uploaded by sgreen7793

This is my first experiment with Flickr. It seems easy enough as long as you follow the directions. This picture isn't really technology related, but I really enjoyed meeting Chris Crutcher in September.

Week 3, Thing #7

I am overwhelmed by blogs. There is so much good stuff out there to read. I looked at A Library by Any Other Name (http://alibraryisalibrary.blogspot.com) after hearing a presentation at the TLA District 8 Meeting. The blogroll alone had me reading for at least an hour before I looked up and remembered what I was supposed to be doing.

Next I want to spend some time looking at classroom blogs teachers have put together for instructional use with their students. I know that Will Richardson has many examples of best practices in his book. I just need to set aside a few hours to immerse myself in that.

I watched the Web 2.0 Workshop through Atomic Learning. It is pretty straightforward and gives a good introduction to the Web 2.0 tools. I didn't realize that the presenter, Vicki Davis, is also the person who does the Cool Cat Teacher blog.

Week 2, Thing #2

Looking at the 71/2 Habits of Lifelong learners was a good reminder of all the things I learned, and should remember, from Covey's Seven Habits. They're all good. I just need to remember to practice them.
In the 71/2 habits, the easiest one for me is Habit 4. I am naturally curious and have always enjoyed learning new things, especially when they are things I've decided I want to learn, and not necessarily been "assigned" to learn. I'm usually enthusiastic and excited when I learn something new, or take on a new project. The problem, or hardest habit for me, is keeping the end in mind. I tend to generalize or have goals that are too vague or broad to achieve in the time that I give myself. I always seem to overestimate what I can accomplish in a given amount of time. Knowing this, though, should be half the battle. If I truly begin with the end in mind, I can plan intermediate steps that I can realistically complete.

Week 1, Thing #1

This is my first blog. WOW! It wasn't even that difficult.
I'm excited to begin to learn about the things that my students talk about in their everyday conversation--especially blogging.