Picture Trail is a lot of fun. I can see this as a great tool for the reading club at our school. This would be great to use for upcoming books and author features as well. I used the flick for a few pictures just to try it out.
It was so easy! I went back and did another one - a cube.
For this one I used pictures from the Hubbs Children's Literature Conference in St. Paul. The conference is held each year at St. Thomas University and features different authors and speakers. It is a wonderful event. The fee is inexpensive, the lunch is good, the Red Balloon independent book seller is there, and the authors are amazing! This year Jane Yolen and Lisa Westberg Peters were featured. Jane brought her son, Adam Stemple, along and they were the first speakers. It was a great day and a super opportunity to add to my 23 Things on a Stick. I got to met the authors, buy some books, and have them autographed. You should check it out!
I am going to use this tool a lot! I can't wait to have the opportunity to try some of the challenges - but I want to get through all the 23 things first, then I will go back and try the challenges.
I could spend days on this thing - oh, that's right - I have. It's time to move on now to thing 9 - this one has been refreshing (after thing 7: which I can't really do much with in a public school setting - all great ideas and tools though).
It's all about books and all bookworms are welcome! I hope you enjoy your visit.
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Friday, February 22, 2008
Thing 7: Web 2.0 Communication Tools
I have been working my way through the numbered list for thing 7, taking notes so I could blog later - when my co-worker suggested that I blog as I go, save, and then post last. Seems so simple now that she said it out loud - - old habits die hard - I am trying to pull myself into the tech world. so, here we go:
1. email: I only check my email once a day at work - I actually have a note on my computer to remind myself to do it that once - I get so busy with students, staff, and books. I can't imagine worrying about how fast my new emails came in. I have however set up e-forms for the students in the reading club and those forms are emailed to me. I think it is an amazing tool. The students are able to access the forms from where ever they are and I get to read typed entries instead of hastily hand-written pages.
2. instant messaging: This is a tool that I don't feel would be of use in a high school media center setting. I am sure it would be helpful in an office setting, but here at school - not so much. I can see every computer in the lab from my desk and the students do not contact me outside of school hours. The other drawback is that IM is not allowed at our school.
2a. I watched the video, but wow....that is a language I do not understand. I don't spend enough time on my computer to have a conversation in IM. I also don't know anyone who has the time during the work day to IM me.
2b. The article brings up some good ideas, but in a school media center I don't feel that this is necessary or terribly useful.
2c. I am one of two people in my building working on 23 Things on a Stick and we sit next to each other - doesn't seem to make sense to IM (especially when I don't know the language - so I would have to ask her what words were) and it is not allowed at our school.
3. Text messaging: Cell phones are not allowed to be on during the school day here. I have used text messaging in the past and don't like it. I prefer to actually talk to a person when I am on the phone. I see a lot of younger people texting, but I don't find myself having the desire to follow suit. This is also a tool that, although great in certain settings, is not going to work here.
4a. Web conferencing: This looks like a great tool. I don't think that this will be something that we can use in our school, perhaps one of the classroom teachers. I can see how this could be very useful in a public library. The Webinar I watched was: "EBSCOhost Search and Journal Alerts"
1. email: I only check my email once a day at work - I actually have a note on my computer to remind myself to do it that once - I get so busy with students, staff, and books. I can't imagine worrying about how fast my new emails came in. I have however set up e-forms for the students in the reading club and those forms are emailed to me. I think it is an amazing tool. The students are able to access the forms from where ever they are and I get to read typed entries instead of hastily hand-written pages.
2. instant messaging: This is a tool that I don't feel would be of use in a high school media center setting. I am sure it would be helpful in an office setting, but here at school - not so much. I can see every computer in the lab from my desk and the students do not contact me outside of school hours. The other drawback is that IM is not allowed at our school.
2a. I watched the video, but wow....that is a language I do not understand. I don't spend enough time on my computer to have a conversation in IM. I also don't know anyone who has the time during the work day to IM me.
2b. The article brings up some good ideas, but in a school media center I don't feel that this is necessary or terribly useful.
2c. I am one of two people in my building working on 23 Things on a Stick and we sit next to each other - doesn't seem to make sense to IM (especially when I don't know the language - so I would have to ask her what words were) and it is not allowed at our school.
3. Text messaging: Cell phones are not allowed to be on during the school day here. I have used text messaging in the past and don't like it. I prefer to actually talk to a person when I am on the phone. I see a lot of younger people texting, but I don't find myself having the desire to follow suit. This is also a tool that, although great in certain settings, is not going to work here.
4a. Web conferencing: This looks like a great tool. I don't think that this will be something that we can use in our school, perhaps one of the classroom teachers. I can see how this could be very useful in a public library. The Webinar I watched was: "EBSCOhost Search and Journal Alerts"
Thing 6: Big Huge Labs Trading Card
I like the trading card idea - I would like it if you could also put information on the back of the card, like traditional trading cards. These would be great for individual classes - or for our reading club.
The posters, calendars, and magazine covers are super - planning to make them with student photos and post them up in the Media Center!
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Thing 6
Just scratching the surface of the limitless possiblities with image chef - wow!!!
I can't wait to find uses for all these ideas.
Thing 5: One More Spell (because I think it's cool)
I just wanted to say one more time how much I like this feature! We have a reading club at school - called (obviously) Page Masters - and I am planning to use Spell for posters and newsletters for the club. -- I am now done with Thing 5 ---- on to Thing 6.
Thing 5: Big Huge Labs
This is my photo jigsaw puzzle! I really like the Big Huge Labs site! So many great things to do - I must get more photos so I can try them - after I finish the 23 Things on a stick.Thing 5: Mash ups
I really enjoyed the spell mash up - plan to use that one again. The rest of the top 10 mash ups - not so impressed. retrievr - I don't really get it. Tagnautica - blocked by the filter so I will try again at home. Captioner! - so very frustrated with this one - absolutely no directions, I need directions of some sort. I was successful in getting the caption onto a picture - although it would have been nice to be able to work with the balloon a bit (change sizes or direction), but I was unable to save it and then see the caption on the saved photo. I tried many times to put my captioned photo into a blog - but after 3 different photos and many, many attempts - sorry you all don't get to see the captioned photo. I looked at Flappr and think it might be worth looking into more if I had more photos on this computer to work with. I glanced at the other Mash ups, but didn't feel that any others would be useful to me.
Thing 5: Fun with Flickr - spell
This is a great tool - I could use this for scrapbooking, posters, newsletters, etc. I can't wait to try it in other places and see how it works out. I had to add it to my post a couple of times and preview it before I remembered to paste it into the edit html. Sometimes reading all the directions works better. I think this could be very useful to students - I plan to talk to the yearbook committee today.
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Thing 4: Flickr
A couple things about Flickr - and perhaps it is only because I haven't taken enough time to really check out the site as much as I want to -
I saw that they suggest you resize your photos before you upload them, but I didn't see the place where you could do that. I am also wondering if there is a way to choose the size of the displayed photo. I will keep looking as I work through Things 5 & 6. Maybe the answers are already out there in those things - but I tend to do things in order and haven't looked ahead.
I saw that they suggest you resize your photos before you upload them, but I didn't see the place where you could do that. I am also wondering if there is a way to choose the size of the displayed photo. I will keep looking as I work through Things 5 & 6. Maybe the answers are already out there in those things - but I tend to do things in order and haven't looked ahead.
Thing 4: Flickr
MVC-001S
Originally uploaded by sharpbeverly
I like the idea of Flickr. I am fairly new to digital photography. I truly love to make my own photos - but time is usually in short supply and my kids get bigger faster than I get my pictures done. SO....digital has saved me and this appears to be a great tool. I think that it will take a lot more looking into before I can appreciate it. I am hoping to find the time to check this out and finish all 23 Things too!
I'm feeling clever!!!
I just had to comment because I am feeling so clever! I just had what I thought was a revolutionary idea; I added a link from my blog to my RSS aggregator and one from my aggregator to my blog! I was thinking that was the greatest idea - but now, after sharing my, "Wow, am I ever clever!" idea with my co-worker I have realized that I am not really all that clever. I do still believe that I will use the links.
Monday, February 18, 2008
Thing 3: Set up an RSS Account & Add
This one was fun! Thank goodness I have a seasoned blogger sharing my work space!!! I love the "Sub with Bloglines" fast button, traditionally called a favorite. I put this as a link on my link spot - I am soooo up to date on the techno babble - and then adding blogs was a breeze. I now have a bloglines spot (account)! I am excited to have this new (to me) technology to check out, not only what the 23 Things folks are up to, but also news, authors, book reviews, and so much more! I have read all the Maximum Ride books by James Patterson and have never checked out the Fang blog - so now that I have added it to my aggregator, I plan to. I am also planning to suggest the blog to students who have also read the books. I searched google blogs for adds that were similar, but must look again later.
Thing 2: articles with more views on Web 2.0 & libraries
The Internet as a resource is amazing! So much information readily accessed by everyone with a computer. The possiblities are endless for its use. I do find students unwillingness to use any other resources for their work troubling. I realize that the dictionary on-line is fast, but the ability to use a dictionary is still a skill they should possess. As with any great tool, there is a responsibility to learn how to use it properly or most effectively. This is where we, as library workers and teachers, come in. It could be a revolution - we all have to stay up to speed.
Why am I participating in 23 Things on a stick and what do I hope to learn? I am participating in this program because I don't know a lot enough about what is out there and available to us all on the Internet to be an effective tool for students or myself. I am hoping to learn more and be able to use that knowledge in the library to the benefit of the students and staff, as well as myself.
Why am I participating in 23 Things on a stick and what do I hope to learn? I am participating in this program because I don't know a lot enough about what is out there and available to us all on the Internet to be an effective tool for students or myself. I am hoping to learn more and be able to use that knowledge in the library to the benefit of the students and staff, as well as myself.
Thing 2: The Ongoing Web Revolution
This article was exciting to me! I love the idea of the web being "...a tool for bringing together the small contributions of millions of people and making them matter." Well, not the millions of people, but as a tool to bring the library, the students, and the staff at this school together! I agree that the Internet has become the computer and that "Trust drive change." The most exciting part for me is what is already going on in libraries out there. The "Bookspaces" and the Meebo Me's and such. I can't wait to get some of that going on here in our library!
Thing 2: Stephen Abram video
I have watched the video. What to say?! Wow, 15 minute commitment. I must be slower than most because 15 minutes have come and gone a few times since I started this thing.
I liked the idea of choice - empowering yourself to make choices. That is something that I find so valuable to both adults and students, for every choice determines the choices in the future. I too believe that we are experience based learners and that we need to set priorities, but I also know how difficult it can be to always center around those priorities - especially as a student. "Unintended consequences" is far too hit or miss (in a positive manner) for my comfort, although I think that time for reflection is paramount.
I liked the idea of choice - empowering yourself to make choices. That is something that I find so valuable to both adults and students, for every choice determines the choices in the future. I too believe that we are experience based learners and that we need to set priorities, but I also know how difficult it can be to always center around those priorities - especially as a student. "Unintended consequences" is far too hit or miss (in a positive manner) for my comfort, although I think that time for reflection is paramount.
Friday, February 15, 2008
Thing 2: John Blyberg blogspot comment
Just wanted to add my comment from John Blyberg's blogspot to my blog.
This is what I had to say:
I had no idea that there was a Library 2.0 until I was introduced to 23 Things on a Stick by the Media Specialist that I work with. I feel that the library is a vital and important part of not only our history, but of our children’s education. I also feel that for this to remain true, we have to be willing to change and stay with the times. I believe that with a little effort we can be a place that people continue to value even as time goes by.
This is what I had to say:
I had no idea that there was a Library 2.0 until I was introduced to 23 Things on a Stick by the Media Specialist that I work with. I feel that the library is a vital and important part of not only our history, but of our children’s education. I also feel that for this to remain true, we have to be willing to change and stay with the times. I believe that with a little effort we can be a place that people continue to value even as time goes by.
Thing 1: Avatar
Thing 1: posting 2: 2/15/08
I enjoyed creating the Avatar. So many choices!!! I am not sure that the final result is anything like me, I am sure that I personally have no dragon. I had a hard time getting the Avatar to export to my blog, I didn't realize that my computer was blocking the pop-ups, I thought I was just not doing something right. I got it now!
This was a lot of fun. I am sure that the students would love this.
I enjoyed creating the Avatar. So many choices!!! I am not sure that the final result is anything like me, I am sure that I personally have no dragon. I had a hard time getting the Avatar to export to my blog, I didn't realize that my computer was blocking the pop-ups, I thought I was just not doing something right. I got it now!
This was a lot of fun. I am sure that the students would love this.
Thing 1
Thing 1: blog 1: 2/14/08
This is all new to me - I have never even been on a blog before. Having a blog is something I did not consider. This sounds like it will be fun! Now - on to the Avatar!
This is all new to me - I have never even been on a blog before. Having a blog is something I did not consider. This sounds like it will be fun! Now - on to the Avatar!
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