1. What were your favorite discoveries or exercises on this learning journey?
I loved the creativity of Flickr mashups, online image generators, and YouTube. I also loved the organizational usefulness of resources like RSS feeds, LibraryThing, and Del.icio.us. Audiobooks & podcasts are also wonderful. I was happy to discover that there are databases for both of those.
Were there any take-aways or unexpected outcomes from this program that surprised you?
I didn't think I would be interested in RSS feeds or podcasts, but I find that I will most definitely be using them in the future.
If we offered another discovery program like this in the future, would you again chose to participate?
I really enjoyed this, so yes, most definitely I would participate again.
There were several things that I had heard of before, but did not know exactly what they were. I feel like I am much better informed not. But more than that, I feel like I would enjoy participating & using these new Web 2.0 technologies. Thank you!
Monday, November 26, 2007
Thing #2
"7 1/2 Habits"
1. Begin with the end in mind
2. Accept responsibility for your own learning
3. View problems as challenges
4. Have confidence in yourself
5. Create your own learning toolbox
6. Use technology to your advantage
7. Teach & mentor others
7 1/2. Play
I thought this was an interesting tutorial. Most of the things discussed seem like common sense or second nature, but having them spelled out lets you actually examine your own behavior and learning style. I believe the hardest habits of the ones above for me would be: 3. Viewing problems as challenges (I tend to be pessimistic and give up easily), 4. Confidence (again, due to pessimism), and 7. Teaching others. I feel that the ability to instruct and communicate my ideas clearly are things that I particularly struggle with. I learn much better on my own. The easiest habits for me would be: 1. Have a goal in mind, 2. Be responsible for your own learning, 7. Use technology, and finally "Play." I find that "playing" or exploring/experimenting with something is best way to not only learn, but to reinforce past lessons.
1. Begin with the end in mind
2. Accept responsibility for your own learning
3. View problems as challenges
4. Have confidence in yourself
5. Create your own learning toolbox
6. Use technology to your advantage
7. Teach & mentor others
7 1/2. Play
I thought this was an interesting tutorial. Most of the things discussed seem like common sense or second nature, but having them spelled out lets you actually examine your own behavior and learning style. I believe the hardest habits of the ones above for me would be: 3. Viewing problems as challenges (I tend to be pessimistic and give up easily), 4. Confidence (again, due to pessimism), and 7. Teaching others. I feel that the ability to instruct and communicate my ideas clearly are things that I particularly struggle with. I learn much better on my own. The easiest habits for me would be: 1. Have a goal in mind, 2. Be responsible for your own learning, 7. Use technology, and finally "Play." I find that "playing" or exploring/experimenting with something is best way to not only learn, but to reinforce past lessons.
Thing #22 - Audiobooks
I have to say I love Project Gutenberg. What a great directory of free e-books! It has a search function for author or title, bu what I loved the most is the list of Top 100 downloaded books. I would be interested in trying Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen or Beowulf.
I especially love audiobooks for listening to on long trips.
I especially love audiobooks for listening to on long trips.
Thing #21 - Podcasts
Out of all the podcast directories listed, I found I preferred Podcastalley.
There is such a wide variety of available podcasts. It's pretty incredible. I decided I wanted to look for some movie critic podcasts. I found 2 movie review podcasts ("Filmspotting" & "Movies You Should See"), which I have added to my Bloglines account. I liked that you were able to browse for podcasts by genre. I found that most helpful.
There is such a wide variety of available podcasts. It's pretty incredible. I decided I wanted to look for some movie critic podcasts. I found 2 movie review podcasts ("Filmspotting" & "Movies You Should See"), which I have added to my Bloglines account. I liked that you were able to browse for podcasts by genre. I found that most helpful.
Thing #20 - YouTube
YouTube is a site that I frequent often. Here is a recent favorite video of mine. It uses typography (as a direct reaction to music) as an artform, and it is absolutely stunning.
I can see YouTube being useful for libraries for events, programs, or lectures. The previous assignment video The Machine Is Us/ing Us is a good example of how streaming video could be useful for a library system.
The main drawback to YouTube is that there is a lot of, well, bad videos that you have to sift through to find the gems. Another rapidly expanding streaming video site that I use is IMeem.
I can see YouTube being useful for libraries for events, programs, or lectures. The previous assignment video The Machine Is Us/ing Us is a good example of how streaming video could be useful for a library system.
The main drawback to YouTube is that there is a lot of, well, bad videos that you have to sift through to find the gems. Another rapidly expanding streaming video site that I use is IMeem.
Thing #19
[ Discover any site from the Web 2.0 awards list ]
There are certainly a lot of useful, productive tools and resources on the awards list. I think, though, I'm going to write about the ones that I had the most fun with.
Cocktail Builder is a guide to mixed drinks, but it's more than just a list of recipes. In the search box, you can type in some bottles you might have in your house, and up pops a list of all the drinks you can makes with those. There is also a wiki-type function that allows users to add their own drink recipes to the database, as well as user reviews.
I also loved the idea of One Sentence, which showcases stories (added by users) that are only one sentence long. From the "About" page:
This is about telling the most interesting or poignant story possible in the least amount of words.
Both of these use the basic Web 2.0 idea of user-generated content. Plus, they're a lot of fun!
There are certainly a lot of useful, productive tools and resources on the awards list. I think, though, I'm going to write about the ones that I had the most fun with.
Cocktail Builder is a guide to mixed drinks, but it's more than just a list of recipes. In the search box, you can type in some bottles you might have in your house, and up pops a list of all the drinks you can makes with those. There is also a wiki-type function that allows users to add their own drink recipes to the database, as well as user reviews.
I also loved the idea of One Sentence, which showcases stories (added by users) that are only one sentence long. From the "About" page:
This is about telling the most interesting or poignant story possible in the least amount of words.
Both of these use the basic Web 2.0 idea of user-generated content. Plus, they're a lot of fun!
Thing #18
I created a document in Zoho Writer and was then able to use Zoho to publish it directly into my blog. The bottom half of this post was published like that. I am now editing the post to add this introduction. I really like the idea of web-based word processing applications.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
I am going to copy & paste a passage from the assignment:
One large benefit to web-based applications it that they eliminate the need to worry about different software versions or file types as you email documents or move from PC to PC. Another bonus is that they easily accommodate collaboration by allowing multiple users to edit the same file (with versioning) and provide users the ability to save and convert documents as multiple file types (including HTML and pdf). And, you can even use many of these tools, such as Zoho Writer and Google Docs* (formerly known as Writely) to author and publish posts to your blog. It’s this type of integration with other web 2.0 tools that also makes web-based apps so appealing.For this discovery exercise, participants are asked to take a look at a web-based word processing tool called Zoho Writer, create a simple document and then document your discoveries in your blog. If you're up to the challenge, you might even export your document as an HTML file or publish it through Zoho to your blog. With Zoho and web-based applications, the possibilities are endless.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
This is a test document for Thing #18
I am going to copy & paste a passage from the assignment:
One large benefit to web-based applications it that they eliminate the need to worry about different software versions or file types as you email documents or move from PC to PC. Another bonus is that they easily accommodate collaboration by allowing multiple users to edit the same file (with versioning) and provide users the ability to save and convert documents as multiple file types (including HTML and pdf). And, you can even use many of these tools, such as Zoho Writer and Google Docs* (formerly known as Writely) to author and publish posts to your blog. It’s this type of integration with other web 2.0 tools that also makes web-based apps so appealing.For this discovery exercise, participants are asked to take a look at a web-based word processing tool called Zoho Writer, create a simple document and then document your discoveries in your blog. If you're up to the challenge, you might even export your document as an HTML file or publish it through Zoho to your blog. With Zoho and web-based applications, the possibilities are endless.
Thing #17 - Sandbox Wiki
What great fun! I loved exploring the site and seeing everyone's additions. I could definitely spend a lot of time there. As per the assignment, I've added my blog to the list of favorites.
Thing #16 - Wikis
Previously, the only "wiki" I had ever heard of is Wikipedia. I had never considered that libraries or other sites could incorporate the use of a wiki for their own purposes. This is great idea! I particularly loved the idea of BookLoversWiki, using the wikipedia technology for reviewing books. What a great idea. I also thought that using a wiki for a particular event, such as ALA 2006 New Orleans Wiki is an interesting application for them.
I'm glad to see that the history of edits is recorded and that it is possible to revert to a previous version. I think that helps curb the problem of possible unreliability of information.
I'm glad to see that the history of edits is recorded and that it is possible to revert to a previous version. I think that helps curb the problem of possible unreliability of information.
Sunday, November 25, 2007
Thing #15
From Away from the "icebergs":
There was a time, not very long ago, when libraries exercised something close to monopoly power in the information marketplace. During the print era, if you wanted access to pricey indexes or a collection of scholarly journals, you had no choice but to make a trip to the library.[...] In the post-print era, libraries no longer have the monopoly power that they had in the days before the Internet. We have to be a bit more humble in the current environment, and find new ways to bring our services to patrons rather than insisting that they come to us—whether physically or virtually.
I thought this was a very good summary of the situation libraries find themselves in today. The idea that libraries have to actually seek out their patrons now is a completely different way of thinking. Web 2.0 technology is the way to do this.
From Into a new world of librarianship:
the future of libraries will be guided by how users access, consume and create content. Content is a conversation as well and librarians should participate. Users will create their own mash ups, remixes and original expressions and should be able to do so at the library or via the library’s resources.
The idea that a body of information evolves, each new piece building off another, is a concept that I love. People consume & utilize information in different ways, often involving a great deal of creativity in the process. Libraries would be wise to be a part of this creativity.
I think this also ties into the YouTube video The Machine is Us/ing Us. I thought the phrase "teaching the machine" was especially poignant.
There was a time, not very long ago, when libraries exercised something close to monopoly power in the information marketplace. During the print era, if you wanted access to pricey indexes or a collection of scholarly journals, you had no choice but to make a trip to the library.[...] In the post-print era, libraries no longer have the monopoly power that they had in the days before the Internet. We have to be a bit more humble in the current environment, and find new ways to bring our services to patrons rather than insisting that they come to us—whether physically or virtually.
I thought this was a very good summary of the situation libraries find themselves in today. The idea that libraries have to actually seek out their patrons now is a completely different way of thinking. Web 2.0 technology is the way to do this.
From Into a new world of librarianship:
the future of libraries will be guided by how users access, consume and create content. Content is a conversation as well and librarians should participate. Users will create their own mash ups, remixes and original expressions and should be able to do so at the library or via the library’s resources.
The idea that a body of information evolves, each new piece building off another, is a concept that I love. People consume & utilize information in different ways, often involving a great deal of creativity in the process. Libraries would be wise to be a part of this creativity.
I think this also ties into the YouTube video The Machine is Us/ing Us. I thought the phrase "teaching the machine" was especially poignant.
Thing #14
Technorati is an interesting tool for searching. There are so many blogs out there, and this is a nice way to search by certain keywords or topics through tags. Individual blog posts or entire blogs can be tagged, and searching by one or the other will get different kinds of results. I ended up spending a lot of time exploring Technorati and can definitely see how it would be useful. Without this site, I think the sheer number of blogs out there could be quite overwhelming.
Thing #13
Explore Del.icio.us
Del.icio.us is a great site. It's useful both for keeping track of your own favorite sites, and for finding recommendations of sites through other people's bookmarks. It's great to see more information that people have written about a bookmark once you click on it. It's also interesting to see how many other people have "saved" the same site. I've really enjoyed exploring it, and will definitely use it in the future!
Del.icio.us is a great site. It's useful both for keeping track of your own favorite sites, and for finding recommendations of sites through other people's bookmarks. It's great to see more information that people have written about a bookmark once you click on it. It's also interesting to see how many other people have "saved" the same site. I've really enjoyed exploring it, and will definitely use it in the future!
Thing #12 - Rollyo
Rollyo is an interesting search tool/resource. I can see how it would be useful for people who rely on the same few trustworthy sites all the time. It avoids having to scroll through the many sites which are either unhelpful or unreliable.
My searchroll for "television":
http://rollyo.com/solvi-hcl/television/
My searchroll for "television":
http://rollyo.com/solvi-hcl/television/
Thing #11 - LibraryThing
LibraryThing is wonderful! I love that you're able to see how many members have cataloged the same book, as well as the number of reviews for each book. This is a great place for people to share their love of books. I also love that you can find book recommendations of similar books. I'll definitely be using this site often.
My catalog so far on LibraryThing:
http://www.librarything.com/catalog/solvi-hcl
My catalog so far on LibraryThing:
http://www.librarything.com/catalog/solvi-hcl
Thing #10
Image Generators & Avatars are very fun. The avatar below was made on Meez. I also liked the Yahoo Avatars site.
Thing # 9
MERLIN is a very useful site. I enjoyed exploring it. The rss feed icon was easy to find. It's helpful that most feed icons look the same.
Which method of finding feeds did you find easiest to use?
I think Topix is my favorite tool for finding feeds & blogs. I like that it allows you to search by keywords.
Which method of finding feeds did you find easiest to use?
I think Topix is my favorite tool for finding feeds & blogs. I like that it allows you to search by keywords.
Thing # 7
Create a blog post about anything technology related that interests you this week.
I recently got my very first digital camera. I held onto using older 35mm manual cameras and resisted going digital for a long time, despite everyone around me already having switched. I've been experimenting with it, and so far I am loving the digital camera. Here are some pictures I took recently of some beautiful autumn leaves.
I recently got my very first digital camera. I held onto using older 35mm manual cameras and resisted going digital for a long time, despite everyone around me already having switched. I've been experimenting with it, and so far I am loving the digital camera. Here are some pictures I took recently of some beautiful autumn leaves.
Friday, November 23, 2007
Thing #8 - RSS
I've always heard about RSS, but never used it myself. This is great! It is so helpful to have all of the various sites rolled into one centralized source. I think this could be very useful for work and for personal enjoyment. I could definitely see how libraries could utilize RSS feeds for announcements, information, news, and programs.
My public Blogline URL:
http://www.bloglines.com/public/solvi
My public Blogline URL:
http://www.bloglines.com/public/solvi
Thing #6 - Flickr Mash-ups
Flickr Mash-ups & Third Party Sites
I love the Flickr Color Pickr! What a neat idea!
Out of all the "toys" listed here, I had a lot of fun with the Warholizer.
Here is a picture I made of a book, Warhol-style.
I love the Flickr Color Pickr! What a neat idea!
Out of all the "toys" listed here, I had a lot of fun with the Warholizer.
Here is a picture I made of a book, Warhol-style.
Thing #5 - Flickr
a. Take a good look around Flickr and discover an interesting image that you want to blog about.
I've heard about Flickr for a while now, but have never actually used it. What a great site!
A few interesting images:
Up to the sky (by biaph)
I love the bright blue color--very striking. Now I want to sky dive!
Solitary man reading (by broadcasterTR)
This is a gorgeous black & white image. The lighting is wonderful.
IMG_1963 (by mister bokeh)
I love the composition and that her face is obscured.
Where the colors don't go (by Leah H.)
Beautiful! Lovely colors and really interesting overlays.
I'll definitely be using Flickr in the future. :)
I've heard about Flickr for a while now, but have never actually used it. What a great site!
A few interesting images:
Up to the sky (by biaph)
I love the bright blue color--very striking. Now I want to sky dive!
Solitary man reading (by broadcasterTR)
This is a gorgeous black & white image. The lighting is wonderful.
IMG_1963 (by mister bokeh)
I love the composition and that her face is obscured.
Where the colors don't go (by Leah H.)
Beautiful! Lovely colors and really interesting overlays.
I'll definitely be using Flickr in the future. :)
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