Just playing around with google gadgets

Now that I'm done with the 23 Things, I'm going to go back and play a bit.

Go ahead and doodle a bit and then save it. Don't worry, I draw stick figures.

#23 (Week 9) I am a slow watermole, but the trip is always worth it!

"Find an example or attribution that shows this program has been modified from it's original."

Learning 2.0 is a discovery learning program created by Helene Blowers. Content and style for School Library Learning 2.0 and Classroom Learning 2.0 have been borrowed and duplicated with permission, under a Creative Commons License.

#22 (Week 9) ebooks and audiobooks

I'm still a purist when it comes to books. I love the feel of the printed page; but I do enjoy being able to listen to a good book on my mp3 player or read a book on my phone when I don't have my favorite paperback with me. I've never read a book-length work online, but I have been to Project Gutenberg before and I have used it for research. I discovered LibriVox through the 23 Things and was excited about listening and even recording some of my favorite books. And even though I haven't taken the time to do that yet, I still hope to. I think it would be a great project for students-- one way to know for certain that they read the book!

A site I found interesting was Gutenberg's top 100 ebooks downloaded.

A google gadget for finding free ebooks

"Justfreebooks is a search engine that allows the user to search the pages of more than 450 sites of free ebooks, including gutenberg.org, wikibooks.org and archive.org. With Justfreebooks, one can find public domain texts, open ebooks, free audio books, ad-supported ebooks and more."

#21 (Week 9) podcasts

I already subscribe to a few librarian podcasts with iTunes so that part was easy:
Book Lust with Nancy Pearl
California Library Association Podcasts
iTunes:Meet the Author
Library Geeks
The Washington Post Book World Podcast

I did have a problem though when I tried to click the Yahoo: What is a podcast tutorial. It only takes you to the Yahoo audio search page.

I also read the Wikipedia entry on podcast which led me to the Podcasting Legal Guide.

Just this semester, two of our teachers assigned podcasts to students who used library computers to mix the audio. We have GarageBand on five Macs, but given my librarian sensibilities, I think the free and dual-platformed Audacity is a better choice for libraries.

#20 (Week 9) YouTube

I've already done quite a bit of YouTube posting, first here, then the beginning of YouTube here, so I wanted something special for this final YouTube posting.



Views: 69,500,227 The most viewed video on YouTube as of this posting.

#19 (Week 8) Library Thing

I simply love Library Thing. I first heard of it from the librarian from whom I inherited my current position. I bought a lifetime membership in October 2006 and have since cataloged most of my library. I included the author cloud with all of the authors represented in my library (this took a little modification of the html because the site would only generate 30 authors). I'm looking into upgrading our OPAC, so I emailed Library Thing. The rep was very friendly and gave me some good leads. So this discovery exercise was just visiting an old friend.

#18 (Week 8) A review of online word processors typed in Zoho writer and published to this blog.

Online Word Processors

• AjaxWrite: It doesn't seem to have all of the features that Zoho has, but I like the clean and simple interface
  
• Adobe Buzzword: This app is very slick.  I like the interface better than Zoho, but it crashed while I was using it so it doesn't seem to have matured yet. Also doesn't have all the features that Zoho Writer has.
  
• Docly:crowded GUI, has all the features of Zoho Writer but I got an error message when I tried inserting a photo.  Docly's signature feature seems to be that it "automatically assigns copyrights (both All Rights Reserved and Creative Commons) licenses to all published Docly Documents"
• FlyWord:I couldn't get this one to load! It asked if I wanted to download Flyword to my computer.  I didn't bother.  I also ran across grammar errors on the site: "On Windows, FlyWord don't need Java anymore."- never a good sign.
• Google Docs:I love these apps! Google seems to get it all right.  The interface is clean and simple but it has all of the features that Zoho Writer has.  Given that gmail works so well, I'll probably use Google docs as my default online writing app.
  
• iNetWord: Basically the same as Zoho Writer.  I was annoyed that I was required to give a phone number to register.
  
• LaTexLab - web based LaTeX editor: Still under construction.  I got this alert: " This tool is in the development stage. The following options are not available:File sharing across users"
• Nevrocode Docs: Like FlyWord, Nevrocode is a desktop and web app, so you have to download the program before you use it.  This is a model that works, but I prefer the apps that are completely online.
  
• PDSText- free online Unicode text editor for Indian languages:Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, Hindi, and English. It has basic features.
• Rallypoint: There are a few companies with the name Rallypoint.  As near as I can tell the online word app is www.rallypointhq.com, but the server was down when I tried to go there.
  
• ThinkFree Office ThinkFree is similar to Zoho writer and Google Docs.
• ZCubes describes itself as web 3.0 so that you can"express without limits."  The demos look great, but I couldn't use the text editor without downloading a plugin for firefox.  Looks like there are a lot of great ideas here but too overwhelming to the new user.  I think it is one to watch.
• Zoho Writer: Zoho is the app recommended by School Library Learning 2.0 and the one I've compared to all of these others.  I think it is a solid choice for collaborative documents, but I think that Google Docs is better for its clean look and seemless use with gmail and google calendars.

This was a very short survey of online word processors.  I did not look at the other apps that came with most of these like spreadsheets and presentation apps.  

#17 (Week 7) I added the Pac Man google gadget in the sandbox;)

I also had to add a recommended reading page on the California 2.0 Curriculum Connections wiki. Before, "recommended reading" went to one web site, CNN's business web 2.0 page, so there was no way to add to the recommended reading list. I also added Walter Crawford. I know I have been pushing him, but I really feel like he is a solid-headed voice in a lot of hype.

I didn't have any new curriculum ideas to add, but I did a little clean up of font sizes for consistency.

And I found the PBwikiTips to be helpful.

#16 (WEEK 7) "the simplest online database that could possibly work"

I started this Discovery Exercise on two fronts: first looking at the Wikipedia entry on wikis and second looking at each of the library wikis. It seems to me no understanding of the wiki would be complete without a look at its creator, Ward Cunningham. It was also interesting to take a look at the very first wiki. I learned of Wikipedia years before I learned about wikis, so it was strange to learn that an interface that I was used to using in Wikipedia could be used in other ways. Incidentally for you wordsmiths, here is "wiki"'s etymology.

The library wikis were interesting, but few of them seemed to have a robust community. When there aren't many people using a wiki everyday and it is open to public posts I think you can get a lot of spamming, see my earlier post.

On the plus side, I've suggested that the Position Statements Committee in the BAISL association do its work on a wiki. I think wiki's are particularly strong for committee writing. If you are thinking about starting a wiki yourself this is a good comparison of wiki hosting sites out there.

Finally in the random but interesting category I found this site on kamishibai through a library wiki.

Digital Immigrants Digital Natives Bridging the teacher-student tech divide Conference

Well I'm in Monterey, California at the Digital Immigrants Digital Natives Conference. I learned about Audacity and more about Wordpress. I'm looking to host my blog on my own server. I wasn't that impressed with Mark Prensky, but Will Richardson was interesting. Prensky's keynote seemed to be fear based. Your students are bored and will continue to be bored until you use web 2.0 tools was the gist. I was reminded of Walt Crawford's warning to librarians.

Librarians Rock

#15 (WEEK 6) What I think about Library 2.0

Still thinking. . . .

After thinking, I agree with Walt Crawford:

"My own suggestions for librarians and other library
people reading this and thinking about Library 2.0:
Relax. Take a deep breath.
If you’re an ALA Midwinter person, enjoy San
Antonio. As you’re touring exhibits and participating
in discussion and interest groups, pay attention to
new service possibilities that rely on “Web 2.0”
tools—and think about how such tools might be used
to create your own new services.
When you get back and have a few minutes free,
take a look at Ann Arbor District Library, St. Joseph
County Public Library, Metropolitan Library System
(Illinois), Kansas City Public Library, and some of the
many other innovative public and academic libraries.
See if what they’re doing makes sense in your envi-
ronment—or if they bring other possibilities to mind.
You’ll hear about these and other ideas at your
state conference and during ALA Annual; I can pretty
well bet on that.
Some of the tools and concepts can be used with
little or no monetary investment and expertise.
Some of them won’t work out for you; some will.
If you’re not already doing so, read some of the
blogs and articles by librarians who are doing these
things—some mentioned here, some not.
Don’t worry about doing it all—you can’t.
Do keep an open mind to ideas and tools that
started outside the library field—if you haven’t al-
ready been doing so.
Consider the benefits of change, but don’t assume
that all change is inherently good.
Do all this, and you’ll probably build better li-
braries and enjoy your work more in the process.
Finally, don’t worry too much about “Library
2.0”: it’s just a name.
The name does matter
I’m biased. I care about semantics, and would think
that every librarian should have a respect for lan-
guage. I believe names do matter. I’m a touch over
thirty. I’ve been involved in change throughout my
five-decade career, and I resent being told that no
change has occurred. I’m not a revolutionary and I
believe that “evolution” has worked remarkably well.
For me, “Library 2.0” is a rallying cry that carries
too much baggage. I don’t believe the term adds value
to the concepts and tools—and I believe it’s possible
that “Library 2.0” gets in the way of Library 2.0. You
may disagree."

Great combination of school and gaming!

Here is a video project that a student did for a Canterbury Tales unit using World of Warcraft.



I found it on geevee.com, a site dedicated to gaming videos.

#14 Week 6

Discovery Exercise:

1. Take a look at Technorati and try doing a keyword search for “School Library Learning 2.0” in Blog posts, in tags and in the Blog Directory. Are the results different?
Yes the results were different.
Blog posts: School Library Learning 2.0

tags:(congratulations Mimi!)


from blog directory:
http://www.degreetutor.com/library/librarians-online/michael-hart

2. Explore popular blog, searches and tags. Is anything interesting or surprising in your results?

I found the blog directory search to be the most useful.

3. Create a blog post about your discoveries on this site.

Yep doin' it now. I decided to just post the questions straight into the blog. If anyone is reading tell me what you think of this format.

4. Now that we’ve worked with tags in Flickr, Del.icio.us, and Technorati, what are your thoughts about tagging? What are its advantages? What are its disadvantages?

I think tagging is a great idea. It is the very beginning of cataloging the content of the internet, but it is only the most rudimentary step of cataloging. The more we are able to make meaningful connections between pieces of data the more we will be creating knowledge online.

OPTIONAL: If you're up for a challenge, learn how to tag your posts with Technorati tags so they can become part of Technorati tag searches. Create a post about something. It can be anything you want and add the HTML code to the bottom to tag it as “SJLibrary2.0.” You may also want to consider claiming your blog and creating a watchlist.

NOTE: When adding HTML code, you'll want to make sure you're in Blogger's Edit HTML window. There's a lot to explore.

Discovery Resources:

1. Technorati Tour – videocast of new features & new look
2. Technorati Discover & Popular features

done and done.

#13 Week 6 Delicious sites

I was already familiar with del.icio.us, but I found Netvibes doing this assignment and now it is my new start-up page. I added a guest book, the network badge for delicious, and a better template. My blog never looked better! In terms of delicious as a search tool, I think I'll tell students to search google book search first, then delicious, then a regular google search in the order of reliable sources. You may not get as many hits using delicious but you certainly get quality.

#12 Week 5 Rollyo

I can see this as a good way to narrow searches for research projects. I created a search engine of the websites of libraries from competing schools.

Here's a sample search box:

Select Search Engine...ReferenceSearch The Web

Powered by Rollyo

I don't like the sponsored links in the search results.

#11 Week 5

Since I have already looked at Technorati and Bloglines I explored Findory. Rather than clicking on one of the stories I went directly for the search bar and typed in "librarianship" (what can I say, I'm impatient). After just a little digging I came across The Library Instruction Wiki which should be very useful. In fact next week I'll be introducing a small summer school class to the library so I may be able to find some useful handouts and lessons.



Above is a picture of an entry for the ALA conference in the Library Instruction Wiki. As near as I can figure it had been spammed by someone who wanted to sell ringtones. So I made my first ever edit to a Wiki; I deleted the spam. But since this was my first edit and I was not 100% sure that it was spam I also started a discussion about the page noting what I deleted and asking for an explanation if it was not spam. If you have seen this kind of thing before please let me know. Here is a picture of the page after the edit:



Just as a side note, in order to make this entry and place the photos where I wanted them I had to cut and paste the html for the photo in the correct place since the only web options are to post the photos at the top. This is easy but if there are users who are intimidated by html then it is a limitation.

I've created a project blog.

I'm starting to see more possibilities for blogging now. I just started a project blog to record the process of cleaning up and organizing the library I have just "inherited." I also used Slide.com for a slide show of the "before" pictures of the library (Very cool! Thanks learning 2.0 team!). We have an independent study program that is now evaluated from an essay, but a project blog would be much more ideal for this. I also think reading journals are now obsolete. Students blogging and the teacher reading with an rss feed would be so much simpler.

The beginning of YouTube

#10 Week 4

I know some students who would enjoy doing the real thing.



These are fun to play with, but I need some convincing that they have educational uses.

#9 Week 4

I couldn't blog my feelings any better. OHH! Bonus! Check out all the videos you can watch after this one is over. BTW I found this on Technorati. I am starting to feel information fatigue from information overload . . . and I'm an internet person. Here's another blogger feeling it much worse than I am that I found on BlogPulse.

#8 Week 4

So I'm using Google Reader. I already have way too many websites. I think I'm going to have unsubscribe from del.ico.us; I can't keep up with the updates. RSS feeds are supposed to save time, but for me it has just made it more tempting for me to spend time reading websites.

#7 Week 3 Technology Post

I know that the goal for this post is just to riff on new apps or electronics that will help librarians, and in that vain I'm looking at buying an iRecord and a TIVO as a means of bringing educational tv into the classroom, but I'm really interested in taking a more generalized view of the library and technology.

This is an interesting paper by Robin Murray: Library Systems: Synthesise, Specialise, Mobilise

I agree with a lot of what he says, but I don't think that our role as librarians is just to know our local client's needs: "Applying local knowledge of the user population to the service - understanding holistic user profiles and requirements allows the service to be tailored to specific user groups and individuals. The library has greater access to specific profiling information than is available to generic network service providers." I think we also contribute to the network, internet, world knowledge, whatever you want to call it, the information that we have locally that no one else has. The easiest example, and it is just the tip of the iceburg, is writing a detailed Wikipedia entry for your elementary school, high school, or college.

#6 Week 3 Playing with Flickr Fun

Ok, I'm starting to like Flickr a lot more. I'll admit that before doing this exercise, I really only thought of it as a place to store photos and a way to let out of state family see those photos. But after checking fd's flickr toys and 1001 uploading app, I've seen some of the possibilities. One of the features of 1001 is that it will stream pictures that people are posting at the moment they are posting. This may not be interesting to everyone, but I find it fastinating, like having my finger on the pulse of the zeitgeist.

Curriculum Connection:
Idea 1: Collaborate with English teachers to create movie posters of the books they are reading. Students have to first identify passages that give physical discriptions of main characters. Then they pick an important scene and reconstruct that scene as a digital photo. (I can see them having a lot of fun working together in costumes, wigs, etc. for this) then create the movie poster of the book. The best posters could even be put up in the library!

The chipmunk is my daughter. Yep, she's a star.

Maker Faire Flickr Portrait #5 (week 3)

Maker Faire Flickr Portrait, originally uploaded by andrewjthomas.

So this is my brother and I at Maker Faire. I'm the one holding the pink flamingo; yes I'm that much of a dork. I went because I wanted to pick up the Ybox, but I haven't put it together yet. If you haven't been, the Maker Faire is like a Lalapalooza for DIY'rs. Searching flickr for Maker Faire will give you an idea of the zany inventiveness of the place. So this is my response to #5 on the 23 Things, but I'm also using it as a way to brush up on my html. It's been about 12 years but I can still make a link at least.

Really Enjoying the Luminary Lectures at the Library of Congress

There are some fantastic speakers at the Library of Congress Luminary Lectures. Reading a blog I came across this gem on copyright and fair use:

Farytale Use

No. 3 Week 1

While not my first blog, I still hope to learn a thing or three. My first impressions of School Library Learning 2.0 is that it is intended for a wide audience with varying skills. I know and have used many of the sites that have been mentioned, but I have not used Odeo, PBWiki, or Bloglines, so I'm looking forward to playing with those sites.

Navigating the School Library Learning 2.0 blog is not quite intuitive. I haven't had any trouble finding my way, but there are times when I'm not sure whether I should keep following a link to continue to the next point or continue reading to the bottom of the page. I know, I know it's all about the exploration!

The Life Long Learners slide show reminded me, slightly, of an author I'm listening to right now, John Gatto

Check him out. Do it. Do it.

Worst Habit: Begin with the end in mind. This is probably hardest for me because once I start learning new things I just want to follow my curiosity rather than learning towards a specific goal. It's easy for me to get lost in all the new information. I have a great time, but I don't always get to point B. I'm hoping the 23 things will give me the structure-ur-ur-ur I need.

Best Habit: Have confidence in yourself as a competent, effective learner. Yeah this is simple. It clicked for me in college reading the Theatetus. At some point I realized I could learn anything. It might take some time but there is nothing I or anyone else can't learn.

Alright on to 4. So long and thanks for all the fish.

PS- I thought EFF's Bloggers Legal Guide would be a good link to start with.