Thing 30: Web 2.0 in the Classroom: Where does it fit in?

Thing 29: The Dumbest Generation

If you've had a nagging feeling that Web 2.0--or the Internet in general--may be oversold, that maybe it's not contributing to the miracle of improved education and access to information, that maybe all the glitz and interactivity amount to a lot of distractedness toward no larger consequence, then you're not alone. Take a look at the dumbest generation. Does it have merit?

In the interest of fairness, see The Dumbest Generation? for a rebuttal.

For another view: Generation Y: The Dumbest Generation.

And another: The Dumbest Generation?

Thing 28: More on Virtual Reality

I recently watched a video conference offered by Minitex entitled "Library Trends, Fads, or Folly." While it didn't actually discuss anything that one could define as folly, it did get extensively into Second Life and how libraries could play a role in their patrons' use of virtual reality.

What about kids? Is there virtual reality for kids? It turns out there is. One such example is called Whyville. While it's a bit primitive in appearance, it could be an introduction to a virtual world that kids will probably be using as commonly as we use the Internet today. The kids of today will--if not forgo brick and mortar education--undoubtedly supplement it with classes in virtual reality. Will it happen in twenty years? Ten? Five? Well, universities today are already offering courses via virtual reality. Have you signed up for one yet?

Thing 27: Another Look at Information Literacy

Thing 26: Shared Resources with a Catch

Quia is a site that offers several free samples of lesson activities from a wide variety of curricula. After that it charges. Is it worth the cost? Explore it to come to your own conclusions.

Thing 25: Web 2.0-Like Resources

I've been accumulating resources in my quest to enrich the available activities for others. Whether they all constitute Web 2.0 applications may be up for debate. Still I've included them for general reference. My list includes examples of simulations, interactive sites, video sites, games, and virtual reality. A few items overlap from my previous entries.

My list also includes several essays about the issues surrounding using these relatively new kinds of applications and about how to best use them for educational purposes.

It's messy. It's disorganized. But it's also full of useful stuff. Check out my list.

Thing 24: Smarty Pig

Not to be confused with Smartypig.org, Smarty Pig is another Web 2.0 social networking site that has a financial purpose: You can set up a savings account and invite others to contribute to it. They can then check up on your progress to determine how well you're achieving your financial goals. A question: Wasn't the Me-Generation back in the '70s?

Another question: Can you say tech-narcissism?

Setting up an account is not as easy as what is required by other sites. Check this link to find the detailed personal information this site requires. Related to the question of setting up such an account is an increasing number of stories about the inherent risks of social networking sites, including identity theft. Check out this site for a discussion of social networking sites and identity theft.

Others: Can Social Networking Cause Identity Theft?
Defenses Lacking at Social Network Sites

Thing 23: Some Thoughts before Moving On

At this point, it appears as though discovering Web 2.0--and whatever follows it--is going to be a life-long process. Just as high school graduation is a commencement--a beginning--my experience is my introduction to the rapidly growing and increasingly important online world of collaboration, sharing, and creating, a world characterized by a bottom-up flow of information, a decentralized dissemination of information, and information as interaction. It's complex and messy and chaotic and fundamentally different from the traditional Dewey approach to clear, orderly taxonomies for finding, storing, and even determining what qualifies as information. We're not in Kansas any more.

Thing 22: What Did I Learn Today?

How do I plan to keep up to date on the ever-changing world of Web 2.0? And what would I recommend?

I've attempted to archive my personal favorites on my own blog for reference.

Web 2.0 is the subject of much discussion on YouTube, in T.H.E. Journal, EdTech, and other sources, and I plan to attempt to keep up with trends as they apply to libraries and schools. (See my links.)

I hope this isn't too obvious, I plan to use and to teach many of the online applications, especially those relevant to classroom collaboration and the sharing of ideas, presentations, and information.

Both MEMO and TIES conferences will undoubtedly have workshops on the latest trends in Web 2.0. I hope to get in on those as well.

I would simply recommend all of these options, depending upon available resources. I would also recommend using the Web 2.0 tools for keeping up with Web 2.0, such as the readers, the personalized homepages, the blogs, the alerts and tags, and the social networking tools. And I would strongly recommend that there be a next time--perhaps a Web 3.0--in the not-too-distant future.

I would also recommend taking a break from Web 2.0 to go outside and dig in the garden, to go for a jog or a bike ride, and to rest your eyes from the omnipresent blue glare of the computer screen. Take a break and reflect. Take a break to digest. Do your laundry. Catch up on your children's literature. Then get back to it. Technology waits for no one. . . .

Reference:

1. Webinars


2. Web Junction


3. Life Hacker


4. 43 Folders


5. LibraryBytes

Thing 21: Other Social Networks

Reference:

• Gather


• Minnesota Life


• Web Junction


• Ning


• 23 Things on a Stick Ning

When I read the article entitled "Building a Social Networking Environment at the Library," (after failing to access MySpace for Books) I began to wonder whether a little moderation might be in order. True, libraries are seen as stodgy institutions slow to change. But maybe there's value in taking it slow. Will, for example, the emphasis on technology to build "community" distract the library from its traditional mission? Given limited resources, will any other priorities receive short shrift? Will such activities leave out a segment of patrons who are not crazy about going online, creating profiles, and making friends, but who just want to read books? There's a certain "keeping up with the Jones" in thrusting libraries into the MySpace world--a world dominated by self to the point of narcissism, by the trivialization of community and communication, and by--via unnaturally created friendships--the distortion of reality and its associated risks. That libraries want to seem hip and relevant is understandable, yes. But has anyone stood back and reflected on this trend? Any critics? Playing Devil's Advocate, if nothing else, demands at least a temporary shift in thinking and perspective.

Gather is a huge departure from the MySpace mentality and could be an interesting place to visit from time to time. It's serious and informative. I'm not so sure about Ning; it could easily become another MySpace--given enough time and exposure to a larger audience.

Classroom 2.0 could be a good resource for keeping up with Web 2.0 applications.

The Teacher Librarian Ning might be worth visiting for getting ideas and support from fellow colleagues.

43 Things strikes me as an exercise in self-involvement. I would be embarrassed to expect others to share in my goals or to even care about them. This sort of activity is too self-indulgent from my perspective.

Nings and other social networks that provide information and thoughtful commentary appeal to me. Most of the resources I have listed above have tremendous potential as alternative means for gaining new insights and perspectives. On top of all the other ways to access and share information, the burden of information overload is a distinct possibility, however. Perhaps setting aside an hour a week to review these sites would be sufficient.

Thing 20: Libraries & Social Networks

Reference:

• Common Craft


• 12 Ways to Use Facebook Professionally


• 7 Things You Should Know about Facebook

Tutorial

Before I started this "Thing," I was not a big fan of creating online friendships through MySpace or Facebook. Given their bad publicity and potential as "time stealers," I can understand parents' anxiety over having their kids use this kind of application. After the experience, my attitude remains in limbo: MyDistrict blocks MySpace and Facebook. I will return after trying this "Thing" free from the bonds of filter-ship. I have returned. After creating an account with Facebook, I found the entire process to be easy and straightforward, and I could envision relying on the networks for connecting with people with common interests, especially those who could also serve as resources. I also noticed that some people use it as a means for distributing surveys or studies, which raises interesting possibilities for research. But given the choice, I doubt that I will be returning to this application. Blame it on being born too early.

As for MySpace, it's a bit rougher around the edges and has something of a "dangerous" feel. Some postings are obscene and disturbing. Now I understand the desire to block it. I did visit the Denver Library on MySpace and would be curious to know whether its attempts to appeal to teens are successful. My guess is that visiting a library would be one of the last things teens would want to do on MySpace. While the Hennepin County Library example looks less professional, it also creates a friendly impression--perhaps worth revisiting. I also noticed that Meg Cabot had a page of her own, which is an interesting, personalized way to get to know an author, although the blatant self-promotion was either obnoxious or informative--depending upon your perspective. (Is it free advertising?) From this and other examples, though, it strikes me that there's a connection between the number of friends one has and the nature of the photographs posted. I'm still not a big fan, but at least now I can speak to these online applications without complete ignorance.

Thing 19: Podcasts

Before exploring this "Thing," in the interest of full-disclosure, I have played with podcasts to some extent, including downloading Audacity and creating a couple brief examples to promote books. Although podcasts are easy to make (with lots of free support materials on the Web) my impression of them is that they are a transitional online tool. Given the heavy saturation of graphics on the Web--and even in these "Things"--I think today's students will become bored with the audio-only character of most podcasts, preferring to rely on video or animation instead. Podcasts can still serve a powerful role in learning, however. Information or lectures can be downloaded and listened to while a person is out for a walk or doing something else that doesn't require concentration; podcasts can also be a resource for the visually impaired and others, such as students who are unable to attend a presentation or discussion.

Reference:

• Gcast


• School Media Podcast


• Minnesota Podcast Directory


• Podcast


• Podcastalley


• Educational Podcast Network
  

* * *

Visit my podcast.

See my list of podcast resources.

To explore podcasts, I visited the Education Podcast Network and was impressed by the sheer volume of podcasts, categorized by grade level and subject. I began by going to the elementary grades, then to the subject specific podcasts involving computer/tech skills. The Digital Media Dude Daily Tip podcast was my first selection: It required downloading an 18.5 MB file, which took a bit of time. Then when I tried to open it with the Windows Media player, I found out the M4V file was not playable. Response: Aaaaaaaauuuuuugggggghhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!! What are these M4V files? What happened to MP3? How are people playing them? I tried my Yahoo! media player, with the same result. Now, I can hear everyone shouting, "Use iTunes, dummy!" Well, I don't have it on this computer, at least not for another 40 minutes until it's done downloading. One thing about these "Things": They require downloads, sometimes a lot of downloads. Time-consuming downloads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (indicating a long wait) . . . . . . . . . . . . . (I go do laundry) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Now with iTunes on my desktop, I continued perusing through podcast titles, only to find that many of them simply don't have podcasts, or they're unavailable. Finally, I found one from Poem Present: Finally, it worked--and without iTunes. It played through the player on Mozilla Foxfire. So the waiting was for not. At least now I have iTunes, Windows Media Player, and Yahoo! Music Jukebox.

Bottom line: Podcasts offer a means for accessing insights, ideas, perspectives that can serve to enrich a person's life. Librarians have a responsibility to share information about the opportunities of this format with their patrons.

Beneath the bottom line: Podcasts offer students a chance to collaborate, organize, and present their ideas in this nontraditional format. Here's a quote from the directory: "RADIO ON THE EDGE - Edgewood's Podcasting Station: Students at Edgewood are learning how to create podcasts in order to share information about exciting things students are learning at Edgewood. Stay tuned for new episodes each month." An experience such as this could help improve student motivation and attitude toward learning. Of the many claims made by technologists, this one I tend to believe.

Thing 18: YouTube & Other Online Video

Reference:

• Building Academic Library 2.0 (YouTube)
  
• Google Video
  
• Video Services
  
• JumpCut
  
• TeacherTube

That YouTube is blocked by school districts may reveal their lack of knowledge of this extremely powerful resource: Harvard lectures. Yale lectures. Presentations by great and important people. Tremendous resources for education.

Library Dominoes could be a lesson in how NOT to treat books in your friendly neighborhood library.

Funny library commercial could inspire reading--or diving over furniture.

I could see using the Funny Blond Library Joke until it included the Bible verses--off limits in school.

Here is a sample of a Charlie Rose show video, which talks about post-secondary education in America and the future of technology. I selected this example to illustrate that there's a lot of valuable, educational material on YouTube, and it can be extremely relevant to the needs of today's students. Such videos can be useful for supplementing classroom instruction, and they can be used in library instruction to illustrate that video can be a source for research.

Thing 17: ELM Productivity Tools

ELM Productivity Tools: http://elm4you.org/

For the researchers out there, or just the incessantly curious, the search alert tool could be a real time saver. Just for fun, I set up an alert in my Google Reader to let me know about "free applications." Just as the other tools bring information to the user, this one works nicely to bring research to the researcher. Maybe I'll discover some new tools along the way.

EBSCOhost also offers an alert. It does allow the user to store searches in a folder, and it does actively connect the user/reader/researcher/patron with incoming research.

Challenge: Finding articles in the multimedia format was a serious challenge. Trying a dozen different search terms, I came up empty every time. Apparently, one must be lucky to find other formats.

How are these tools useful? First, if the librarian/media specialist is aware of them, his role as a resource/consultant becomes more vital to patrons/teachers/colleagues/students. It's sort of like knowing inside-baseball and will be received excitedly by at least some folks. Second, using these tools helps streamline the research process, also making it more in-depth, thorough, and, ultimately, more gratifying and credible. I know that when I do research I feel an underlying anxiety about leaving significant sources out of my discussions and analysis; and if others feel the same way, then I can play a role in alleviating some of that anxiety. Of course, the anxiety of writing a 25-page paper will probably never completely disappear. Nor should it.

Creating a personalized EBSCOhost folder and Web page: "We're sorry, but the My EBSCOhost personalized folder feature is temporarily unavailable, in order that we may perform a system upgrade. We apologize for any inconvenience." I'll try again later. Although not able to access it, I watched the video demonstration of the page maker and thought that it would make a good storage place for information and research.

ProQuest Newsstand Complete? I did not find that feature. What am I doing wrong?

Reference:

• Minitext Webinars
• Minitext Reference Service
  

Thing 16: Assignment Calculator & the Research Project Calculator

The U of M Assignment Calculator--with the e-mail reminders, the work process broken down into stages, and the resources provided throughout those stages--is an impressive tool that, unfortunately, is limited to U of M students. Enough said.

The Research Project Calculator is another application that I've already explored to some extent. I was so impressed with it that I did the following:

I printed out a copy of a description of the research calculator, handed it to a teacher, and explained how it might work in her research writing class--and that was about the end of it. This tool, as with many others discussed so far, won't translate into classroom application if it is simply offered to teachers: Workshops might help, but the problem there is getting teachers to sign up. E-mail offerings of tools are virtually ineffectual. So what's the answer? How do we library media specialists motivate teachers to at least try some of these tools? I think one answer is leadership and timing: Just as companies train their employees on the job, it's probably most realistic to schedule such training into teachers' days--and I don't mean "Tech Tuesdays" or something along those lines that require before- or after-school participation: I mean staff development days, paid time, uninterrupted time--which probably also means getting administrators on board. Will this happen? In some places I know it is happening. But all too often, it is not, and therefore the "tracks of technology on the educational landscape are still barely visible." Unfortunate. Still, I am impressed by the Research Project Calculator and how it mimics the U of M product; I especially like how it too breaks down the stages of the research process and distinguishes among the formats for the final product: It's not just a calculator. It's a learning tool, a guide, a veritable source of comfort.

Can these tools (or at least the RPC) be used for classroom application and for library projects? Absolutely. It's just a matter of creating an opportunity to demonstrate them to teachers and to point out how well they would work to blunt student excuses that they "forgot." These tools may be even more appropriate for college-level, even graduate-level, courses in which the deadlines are longer and the stakes are higher. As for library projects, I think they could be used to schedule events that require multiple stages over a period of weeks, especially when one stage must be completed before moving on to the next: Planning an event that requires scheduling committee meetings, completing tasks, contacting the media, sending follow-up information, etc., etc., could be a good use of the calculator. That the same features can be found on a good e-mail program--or even on the Google calendar (though this may be just another step toward Google's attempt at world domination)--suggests a certain redundancy that may reduce motivation for using it.

Reference:

• University of Minnesota Assignment Calculator
• Research Project Calculator

Thing 15: Online Games & Libraries

Findings and thoughts about Second Life and its potential for a librarian to play a role: After watching the YouTube video tour of Info Island/Second Life Libraries, I found the virtual world of Second Life to be exactly the kind of environment that teenagers are probably already exploring extensively and that, with some thought, could be a resource for learning. In fact, teens may well be the "educational" consultants who could assist teachers in understanding, exploring, and applying tools such as Second Life. Although I had no success finding it, I think the idea of an online virtual university or even high school has intriguing possibilities. If there is a concern, it would be a lack of control over interactions (with strangers), images, and content--which I've already experienced--inappropriate for teens within (or even outside) the school environment. Another concern might be the potential for users to become obsessed by or addicted to the virtual world environment.

The potential role of a librarian may be more in terms of a resource than anything else, explaining to patrons, parents, students, and others the use and implications of this sort of online game or virtual world. Of course, I will be checking on other blogs to explore more concrete applications suggested by other participants.

In light of the previous comments, I went ahead and signed up for Second Life after initially exploring some of its features. (The actual experience did not resemble the video at all. Maybe that was the premium version. Other videos discussing virtual universities were frustrating in that I could not find them in my practice sessions.) First off, it requires a download. Second, it tempts a person to buy the premium package. Third, it's a very bizarre experience at first. Running into other avatars and trying to communicate with them are somewhat unnerving experiences. I can see its lure but also its potential for abuse. I can also see its potential to be a "time stealer." (The flying feature was sort of fun, though.)

For Reference:

• ALA Techsource Gaming
• PEW Online Activities and Pursuits (Report)
• Puzzle Pirates
• Puzzle Pirate Wiki
• Second Life
• Video Tour of Second Life Library
• Eight Myths about Video Games Debunked (PBS)
• Ohio University Second Life Campus
• Gaming, School Libraries, and the Curriculum
  

Simulations, online video lessons, and interactive tutorials all seem related to gaming to some extent; they may play an important role for school media specialists, who could tap into these techno-trends in teaching various subjects and then share new findings with faculty. Some examples: Quest Atlantis, SodaPlay, Games, Learning, and Society Conference, Whyville, Habbo, Science Daily: Videos, SchoolTube: Science & Technology, and BrainPop.

Addendum: Another free multi-player online game that focuses on avoiding an ecological disaster is called PowerUp the Game.

Thing 14: The Library Thing

The Library Thing has been around now for a few years. I set up an account with it about two years ago. I think it offers a number of advantages: It has kept me accountable for my reading; it provides nifty ways of categorizing my types of reading; the book covers provide a nice visual display; and like many of the other applications, it has a welcome social/sharing component, allowing interaction with other readers, i.e., reading their reviews, joining their groups, creating a group that they can join, and so forth. The options are varied and extensive. That it has a link to Amazon.com is tolerable, considering that it has to survive some way. My LibraryThing (already outdated, unfortunately).

In terms of promoting this product to teachers, I think its value for classrooms lies in its ability to create a fairly personalized resource for finding and responding to books; I would open the process up for student input (perhaps with supervision or control over the login) to reinforce its ability to appeal to students.

For Reference:

• Middle School LibraryThing


• How Libraries are Using LibraryThing


• GoodReads

Thing 13: Online Productivity Tools

Homepages: Despite my misgivings about Google's attempt to take over the world (see The Googlization of Everything), I did create an iGoogle homepage, adding several gadgets and tabs. I especially like how it integrates Google mail right on the homepage itself, saving a trip to the e-mail site. In theory, customizing a homepage with iGoogle brings content that I want to one place--similar to the other content aggregators--and thus should save time. In practice, it may be yet another "time stealer," mainly because--unless a person is extremely self-disciplined--it is more than a little easy to amass a fortune of presumably relevant information in one place. Even after I created my iGoogle homepage, I don't seem overwhelmingly motivated to use it on a daily basis. My bad. . .

So to punish myself, I made another homepage with Pageflakes. The happy yellow button insisted that I "Try it now!" How could I resist. Pageflakes uses Google as a search engine, reaffirming my view of Google (see above). Impressions: At first glance, Pageflakes looks and acts a lot like iGoogle. It's a bit more chaotic at first, whereas iGoogle seems to be more easily organized and logical to use. But I also like how Pageflakes offers design flexibility--it can bring out the creative side in a person. I like it.

For Reference:

• iGoogle
• Pageflakes
• My Yahoo!
• Calendar Tools--selection from an article
• Ta da list
• Remember the Milk
• Backpack--multiple features
• 30 Boxes online calendar
• Scrybe--organizer, calendar
• Stikkit personal organizer
• PDF converter
• Zamzar file converter
• Top 10 Productivity Web sites--article
• Top 25 Web 2.0 Applications for Students and Teachers--article
• Basecamp Project Management
• Countdown

Single-Sentence Reviews:

1. Calendar tools: The value of the Google Calendar lies in its ability to share its information with others and to notify the user prior to an event—two thumbs up and three steps forward in Google’s progress to take over the world . . . one scheduled event after another.
2. Scrybe is not accepting new registrations--one big thumb down.
3. Kiko has some good stuff but falls short of the Google Calendar.
4. Ta-da List is okay if you need a computer to make lists and if you want to share your lists with others, who can then actually change your lists, which could be the source of irritation for you, them, or both, and put a serious strain on friendships, considering that you're asking people to view your lists, as if they don't have anything better to do, which may or may not be the case but hardly the point--one thumb bent slightly ambiguously.
5. Despite its impressive potential, Zamzar suffers from two serious drawbacks: converting video files would require a subscription due to file size limitations; waiting for the converted files via e-mail also lacks the immediacy that the user may require (not to mention possible problems associated with attaching large files to e-mails).

Thing 12: Do you Digg?

Voting for news content? In a way, the concept is probably not all that new, just not quite as obvious, i.e., TV ratings, Web site hits, newspaper and magazine circulations that reflect to some degree people's level of interest in the "product" they have to sell.

Reference:

1. Digg


2. Reddit


3. Newsvine


4. Mixx

What I enjoyed about visiting these sites is that not only did they have stories neglected by mainstream media but they also enlightened me about the vast array of media floating out there in the ether. Seeing what appeals to other readers could be the stuff of a social psychology dissertation. (In fact, behavior on these social and sharing sites could be the subject of many studies.)

***
How would I use these resources? Probably not in the library, at least not initially. My sense is that high school students could easily be distracted by the voluminous content and the more bizarre headlines, and get off course, off task. Additionally, students, who are not always critical viewers, may need the information literacy instruction, tools, and reminders about evaluating their online sources. Moreover, given their limited time in the library, I'd also focus on the basic information literacy skills--build the foundation--before moving toward the advanced/enrichment/questionable sources. Yet I wonder whether some people may argue that these sorts of sources should be considered part of the foundation. At this point, I don't know--but remain skeptical.

***

In any event, I would tend to use these sources myself as a means for finding information in nontraditional ways, although they certainly have the potential to be personal "distractors" or "time stealers." It's probably a question of self-discipline vs. computer addiction.

Thing 11: Tagging and Del.icio.us

Until not so long ago, I was virtually oblivious to tags and how they could be used as organizers and retrieval tools. I've started using them in this blog, but not consistently. It's a new habit that I will have to force myself to develop--although experiencing the benefits of tags will serve as a further source of motivation.

For Reference:

• Del.icio.us
• Tutorial

At this point, I'm not certain that I have an overwhelming use for this service. I'll investigate it further and reflect for a day or two. At this point, I believe that sharing my links/bookmarks and exploring those of others could, as mentioned very early on in this process, be a time stealer. The best use for me is to store bookmarks in a single place so that they are not limited by the location of a particular computer: This is a function I can appreciate.

As I register for, practice using, and store materials on these various sites, occasionally an uncomfortable feeling wafts over me: Do I really want to store important materials online? (Will someone hack into my Wiki--or will a glitch open the door--and vandalize it or place obscene content in my name?) Will there come a day when access shifts to a pay-per-use system? In another article, a writer points out that blogs and wikis expose students to too much openness outside the school walls--where uncontrolled exposure offers risks. I mentioned in an earlier post that I was becoming uncomfortable with Google's domination of many of these services, but now my discomfort has extended beyond that. Am I worrying too much? Do we simply stop using services if the risks and costs outweigh the benefits? Is it that easy when connections/relationships are based on those services? Something to think about.

For Reference:

• 7 Things You Should Know about Social Bookmarking
• PageKeeper for Teachers

Just for fun, I tried PageKeeper and found it very easy to set up and add categories and entries. It has potential to be a good organizer for teachers, but its social sharing capacity was far more interesting. To know that our collections and those of others are available is intriguing--and possibly a rich source of information.

Thing 10: Wikis

Along the same lines as "Thing 9," I'm interested in Wikis as a tool more for generating than for retrieving information--and as a potent potential training topic to enhance teachers' flexibility in designing and "growing" their assignments over time, especially for leaving them open-ended for several weeks or even months at a time and allowing students to expand and publish their findings, react to each other, and continue in a collaborative manner. Since group work could foster "social loafing," I think it's valuable for Wikis to track who contributes to and edits individual posts.

* * *

For Reference:

• Wikipedia
• Using Wikis to Create Online Communities
• Common Craft Video
• Book Lovers Wiki
• Library Success
• Wikis: A Beginner's Look
• PBWiki
• Zoho Wiki

It will take some time for traditionally minded teachers to accept Wikis, especially since such tools may have been the source of questionable information in many student papers. Still, they offer information from sources that could not otherwise find themselves in officially published resources, and such access can be a good thing. Wikis have a democratic feel, and they can be credible source--or at least a starting point for gaining perspectives on a topic. Students just need to be aware of potential weaknesses and drawbacks inherent in Wikis, but to ban them from using Wikis, to some extent, violates the principles of free inquiry and intellectual freedom. Banning sends the message that something in its very nature is objectionable or inappropriate, and banning Wikis does send the message that such a format is not to be used. That mindset needs to be challenged, its assumptions questioned.

To play devil's advocate, however, I went to the book lovers' Wiki and began to wonder about whether (1) a publisher, under an individual's name, could exploit the Wiki to promote books and (2) an author could do the same thing and (3) a rival could write a bad review to dampen enthusiasm for book sales. Just something to think about for "Thing 10." I also played in the Meta: Sandbox and found editing a Wiki to be a relatively painless venture.

I also took on the challenge of creating a Wiki through PBWiki. After stumbling around with it for a little while, I found that it had a consistent internal logic and seemed very easy to use. Now, the question is whether teachers will see its value. The other question is which Wiki to choose. I would prefer PBWiki over Zoho. PB has templates, greater document flexibility, and effective tracking. Zoho, from what I gathered, lacked these features. What's worse, I set the Zoho Wiki to private posts and edits, and yet it remained open to the public. I don't know about other users, but I was at first impressed by Zoho and am now disappointed that it appears to be a somewhat glitchy product. Zoho's "forum" is testament to a tsunami of complaints.

Pop-up Library

DSC00181
Originally uploaded by dlhawk60

Flickr-created photograph of a section of my media center illustrates how notes can be used to enhance information.

Unfortunately, the pop-up features don't travel with the photo, requiring a viewer to use the Flickr site.

Thing 9: Online Collaboration Tools

This is a "thing" I've been anxiously awaiting. As a consultant to teachers who commonly require group work/presentations done on PowerPoint, I've often noticed the problems of saving work on flash drives, getting students together, setting up computer time in the media center--and related issues. Gaining access to collaborative online tools should be a tremendous benefit to both teachers and students.

For Reference:

• ZoHo Word Processor
  
• Google Docs

Which of the two tools would I recommend? Although they both appear clean and uncluttered, based on the homepage interface of each one, I'd have to give the edge to Zoho. Maybe it's just that I spent a lot of time with Zoho, but I'm impressed by it and would encourage students and teachers to use it as a collaborative tool. Some notes: Each user must register; the document must be saved in the read/write format; and each participant can IM the other while working on the document. Such immediacy creates a genuine sense of collaboration and the give and take of group decision making. As far as I can tell, Google Docs does not have the IM feature; on the other hand, it did seem to work better when I tried publishing documents to blogs.

Thing 8: Share Your Creations

For Reference:

• Thumbstacks
• Zoho Show
• Slideshare
• Picturetrail

Creating slide shows--without the hassle of generating html--has tremendous potential for offering a dynamic element to Web sites and for exciting students by showing their work. Additionally, creating a slide show of staff or of events/activities could go a long way in promoting goodwill within the community and beyond. PictureTrail in particular could not be easier to use; I'm impressed that it's a free tool. The Mosaic Maker was also very easy to use--and could be used for a Web page or booklet or poster.

From Picturetrail: Library Slide Show

Also for reference:

• Lazybase
• Award winning Fiction Database
• eFolio
• 50 Web 2.0 Tools for storytelling, etc.

Thing 7: Web 2.0 Communication Tools

From my own experiences and from what has been required for this course, I now have Hotmail, Gmail, Yahoo! Mail, my own e-mail from my Web provider, and my school e-mail. Of the free online e-mail providers, Gmail appears superior--in the amount of space it provides and in the number of services it provides. But the other point is that all these e-mail accounts could lead to a password nightmare--not to mention the logins and passwords for the various online applications. This stuff needs to be stored somewhere--online, maybe; on hard copy, definitely, then laminated and stored in what Al Gore calls a "safe box."

1. Hints for improving productivity are worth archiving--check here. Having used IM, I am not a big fan; it creates a sense of obligation to remain near one's computer in case a message pops up--which can be distracting. Leaving the computer and not replying to an IM sort of defeats the purpose. I think IM is useful depending upon a person's role--and whether that person is more or less tied down, such as at a help desk--and the need for urgent responses.

2a. Video Response: IM looked to be a very successful exchange between the librarian and the patron, although the advice given didn't seem "actionable," but more like a series of platitudes; at the same time, learning IM "speak" seems to be a prerequisite for this sort of exchange. In the back of my mind, I keep wondering: Wouldn't a telephone work better? Wouldn't someone who is anxiety-ridden prefer the soothing tones of a human voice? I would. As for the different IM services, it's probably just a matter of personal choice and comfort--perhaps which one a person initially experiences--that drives preferences.

2b. Instant Messaging and Libraries--response to "Instant messaging may be controversial, but remember, we also debated telephone reference": The argument that a lot of people use IM is not persuasive to me; a lot more people use the telephone. So I don't think that "chasing technology" just to jump on the bandwagon is a sound argument; IM must offer something that's better, faster, cheaper than the alternative--any technology should be replaced when the new technology has advantages that are not only superior to the old technology weighed against possible disadvantages, including costs that may need to be redirected from other needs. Just as people can talk a lot faster than they can IM--and just as there's subtlety in speech and tone that is absent in IM--the more primitive technologies may still be superior to IM as a communication tool for libraries and reference services. But I am open to it, not having that much experience. Its success probably depends in part on attitudes, ease of access, the work culture, patron attitude, and the librarian's job design. IM could be worked into a librarian's schedule--say, for two hours a day--rather than as an omnipresent burden that must be addressed throughout the day: I would feel oppressed by that sort of IM practice.

2c. Setting up an IM account is easy; getting other teachers to get involved is the hard part. Most do so between classes and when they have a bit of down time during class. I do feel guilty, however, sitting in the media center and trying to get them to respond. As has been said, IM can be a time stealer and, I might add, a "teacher annoyer" at times--not that there were any bad sports (although some might wonder whether I have too much free time on my hands, an accusation that media specialists need to avoid at all costs, lest they fail to receive teacher support during times of budgetary strains).

3a. Video Presentation: Text messaging a librarian, just as with IM, may have an unintended consequence: Patrons may just get lazy. Instead of struggling with research and related questions, they may simply choose to hand off the challenges to the librarian, thus losing some valuable experiences in learning and in struggling. To what extent this potential unintended consequence abuses the librarian certainly deserves some research--if it hasn't already been done. (Hmmm, I wonder whether I could IM or text message a librarian and ask how a person would go about finding out the answer to that question?) Without any context to suggest otherwise, it appeared as though the students weren't expending too much effort; they appeared to be more like passive consumers--and I think that's something education and library services should guard against: the whole concept that information and learning are consumer items to be purchased, packaged, text messaged, or IM'ed.

3b-c. "SMS offers libraries new talk tool": This article seems to apply more to academic and public libraries--especially those with greater resources and larger patron bases--than to my own high school situation. It was interesting and points to the ongoing need for librarians and media specialists to anticipate, learn, and practice new technologies--sort of like Web 2.0. Messaging is a good exercise--a little awkward perhaps without a clear purpose for doing so.

Reference: Minitex Webinars

4a. WebJunction intro to Web Conferences: This was a good resource for defining Web conferencing, providing related key terms, suggesting benefits and problems, and listing both tips and a great deal of useful onine tools. It does suggest a level of technology and a level of comfort with technology that must be relatively high to be successful.

4b. Sitting in on a conference: OPAL Web conferences are a tremendous opportunity for learning, and I hope to have many occasions to experience them. The interactive quality is what particularly suits today's learners. Again, both technology and the desire to use technology must be high for Web conferences to work.

Blog prompts: My media center uses e-mail primarily to communicate to staff and administrators about new materials, technology possibilities, workshops, problems, and promotions. Rarely do I use e-mail to answer questions about books or research, unfortunately. IM--no I don't use IM very much, primarily because no one else on the job seems to use it; it probably would be helpful to have an IM relationship with tech support, but the preference there if for e-mail. Old habits die hard.

Thing 6: Online Image Generator

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I was beginning to see the potential for integrating a number of these applications for broader or more creative uses. This was clearly the case with Flickr and Big Huge Lab--connecting their services is a genuine plus.

As I've also said earlier--and at the risk of repeating in later posts--these online tools are (1) really fun, (2) potentially powerful in a number of circumstances, (3) time-robbing, and (4) worth sharing with classroom teachers and others who can, through a bit of work and reflection, enrich their own teaching and their students' educational experiences.

For reference:

Flickr

Big Huge Labs

Image Chef

Toon Doo

The Generator Blog

Thing 5: More Fun with Flickr

Hence my poll in the left margin: There is a month's worth of downloads here--Flock, ShoZu, 1001, Flickr Graph, Mappr, Flockr Color Picker. A person could design an online class just based upon these resources. (Don't anyone think about charging tuition!)

I tried Flickr Graph and waited for it to load images--and waited and waited. I probably won't be returning to this application. It's not quite ready for prime time. I tried one of the samples and honestly wasn't too impressed. Mappr had potential but again didn't seem to work all that well--not well enough that I'd recommend it to someone else. (For future reference, here is Webmonkey's list of the 10 best mashups.)

Clockr looks like something made by someone with too, too much time on his hands.

Spell with Flickr was fun: I could see that application as something useful for elementary teachers or art teachers or anyone else who'd like to take a creative approach to letters and words. (My name below)



Here's another:




Here's another sample from my own Web site.

Big Huge Labs is a nice complement to Flickr; I can see its application in any classroom, especially where graphics are a premium. It's good that these resources can be pooled in a common place--and Puzzlemaker. Having access to these tools is something of an incentive to move away from the ordinary and toward more creative ways of presenting information--and without all the work. I appreciate that it looks difficult and time-consuming to do--for the uninformed.

Thing 4: Photo Sharing and Editing--Flickr

Just as with RSS Feeds, I have tried earlier permutations of products along the lines of Flickr; I don't recall the names, but they were commercial sites with the primary purpose of selling prints and enlargements from images uploaded by customers. In general, I'm not a big fan of photo sharing sites, partly because I just don't seem to have the need for them. In the past, if I've wanted to show presentations online, I would put them on my Web sites. The question is whether Flickr will have enough features to inspire a change in my own use or a desire to share this tool with others.

Strange photo in upper righthand corner is a view of my media center's skylight.

And the verdicts are in . . .

1. the tag tool is useful in categorizing and accessing photos, just as the tag has shown its value in blogs, wikis, etc.;



2. although I'm not a great source of photographs, I do like to be able to access photos by others who want to share them;



3. that it's interactive adds a certain degree of flexibility and depth that could make sharing photos more exciting;



4. that it's another Yahoo! product makes me wonder whether Google and Yahoo! are dominating the free online tools industry--and whether in the long run that's a good thing;



5. when a product claims to be the best, it sort of reminds me of the claim "hand painted" on antique china; if it claims to be hand painted, it usually isn't--and the best usually don't have to say so; CNN loves to say that it has the best political team on TV, so often in fact that it becomes something of a joke--as if "the lady doth protest too much (or in the case Wolf Blitzer)";



6. 100 MB isn't a lot of space; so it may be tempting to start purchasing additional space;



7. inviting others to join, and just all the other features are certainly easy to use; and I'm impressed by how much a person can do with this tool. It's worth returning to and exploring further.

What's also becoming apparent is that some of these tools can easily be integrated. For example, I placed Flickr as an RSS on my Google Reader, which can also house my blog. It's sort of like one-stop shopping. URL: Flickr

Thing 3: RSS and Newsfeeds

In the interest of full disclosure, I admit to using RSS feeds numerous times in the past. I currently have a Web site with RSS feeds from newspapers, library and technology journals, and various other Web sites. (See this sample page from my Web site that uses multiple newspaper feeds.) They are a wonderful tool. So my bias toward them even before proceeding onto Thing 3 is overwhelmingly positive. I’ll be curious to see whether my attitude changes, is reinforced, or altered in other ways. Having said that, what follows is a summary and reaction to my experiences in completing Thing 3.

Since my district’s filter blocked Bloglines, I limited my experience to the Google Reader, at least for now, since I did request that the filter unblock the site (although to date I’ve had no luck getting any cooperation so opening that door may seem unlikely, not that there’s anything wrong with that—from their perspective, anyway).

Editorials aside, here is what I found with the Google Reader: To find Google Reader, go here.

Finding content is not the challenge. Limiting it is. If a person gets carried away, the benefits of the RSS could be deluded. It was also easy to create new folders and to put the CMLE bloggers into them. It was also easy to unsubscribe by going to the "manage" feature; I found out by subscribing to the wrong blog. Again, the whole idea behind the RSS feed is to save time by having information delivered to a user’s own site. That this process seems to be dominated by Google leaves me a little unsettled; if its domination crushes the competition, I suspect all of these free services will be free no more.

How can teachers or media specialists libraries use RSS or take advantage of this new technology?

I offer a workshop entitled "Online Resources for Teachers," and as part of the "marketing" for this workshop, I make the case that busy teachers should not whenever possible need to seek information related to classroom content, resources, and related professional development materials. The RSS tool addresses these issues very well--along with newsletters and other subscription services. Media specialists may use them for their own purposes and demonstrate for others how to have information "delivered to them."

Thing 2, and then some . . .

Blyberg’s comments—written in a 2.0 sort of way—reveal to some extent the fluid nature of the definition of a 2.0 library or librarian. If I could offer a small qualification, it would be this: Chasing technology, the latest tools, trends, gimmicks, and all the rest can be an all-consuming endeavor. And what of books? Should there be a library 2.0 for books? And what of balance? Do we dump technology on people and say, “It’s all there. Go for it.” I don’t have answers but concerns. Can we be so clever as to create a situation in which technology, itself chronically obsolete, becomes our source of obsolescence? I hope we don’t become so clever that we cleverly create our own unemployment, although it's also worth noting, as Dr. Wendy Schultz points out in "To a temporary place in time," that Web 2.0 is just the beginning (or we're at the bottom of the S-curve, and change is just poised to skyrocket). On the other hand, Rick Anderson's article "Away from the 'icebergs'" points out the hazards of maintaining libraries as they have traditionally been, simply because of tradition--and perhaps out of fear of not managing change.


How has the Internet and the vast resource it can be affected your use of time at work and/or at home?

This question brings to mind the notion that more is often less, that “vast” resources may actually be a vast waste of time, and the search for them and through them can be frustrating, inefficient, and fruitless. Students, who really need to improve their information literacy skills, are often reluctant to research flexibly or broadly; they often see Google or Wikipedia as their “one stop” shopping for information. Very little time or thought goes into their research, driven, I’m afraid, by a let’s-just-get-something-and-slap-it-on-a-PowerPoint-slide mentality. I’m not certain whether this is a problem driven by technology or by consumerism and entitlement. All I believe—not necessarily know—is this: Never has there been more information more easily accessible, and never before has there been so little interest in seeking, finding, and benefiting from it. Just one guy’s view. . .

Thing 2: What is Web 2.0--Response to Abram's Video

Response to video by Stephen Abram: His opening comments speak to the necessity of Web 2.0 instruction, namely that as librarians face, as he claims, “enormous change,” or what I’d label as accelerated change, they must not just be aware of the technologies but use them as well in order to really understand their potential and implications for helping patrons/students access information in increasingly complex and revolutionary ways.

That a commitment to learning about these technology tools requires a substantial investment of time reflects upon librarians’ priorities. Do they want to maintain a narrow and rigidly defined set of skills? Or do they want to continue to grow and respond to an ever-changing world of information? In short, do they want to maintain professional competencies and stretch toward excellence? To me, it’s sort of the contrast between the old stereotypes and the new image of librarians—between those who sit back passively and wait for people and things to happen to them and those who seek out and attempt to be proactive leaders.

One of Abram’s last points also resonated with me. He said to look for unintended consequences. I am anxious to do just that, especially offering workshops to teachers—and seeing in their eyes the possibilities to transform their own teaching and the learning activities of their students. For me, this is the transformative power of Web 2.0.

Thing 2: What is Web 2.0? A Prelude

Just a few opening comments before proceeding: Web 2.0 applications provide opportunities for media specialists to (1) know about, (2) use, and (3) teach to others to improve their own technology integration skills in the classroom. As someone commented, teaching must integrate technology or risk losing the engagement and interest of students, who are increasingly hard-wired to demand learning in an interactive, collaborative, authentic, and relevant way. Media specialists are in a unique position as school leaders and instructional consultants not only to learn about Web 2.0 tools but also to help propel others into an increasingly accelerated world of change and transition.

Other Blogging Tools: Follow-up to Thing 1

I have not tried a lot of other blogging tools. The one available through wordpress seems okay. It's simple, and it allows the user to categorize entries, which enhances organization. It also links to other blogs based upon subject matter categories, labels, or--in the new parlance--"tags." Other blogs can be clumsy or trashed with advertising--wikis can be the same way, so overloaded with advertising and pop-ups that it's hard to read the content.

Thing 1: Creating a Blog, Adding an Avatar, Registering Blog

To date, this is an incomplete entry. So far, I've created this blog and explored some of its characteristics. I really like that it can be developed by multiple users and limited by viewers--although it's okay with me who sees my entries.

I've also registered my Blog, and it now appears on the CMLE list.

I'll be returning to discuss the process of creating an Avatar; I've heard of them, but this will be the first time I've ever tried making one of my own. Later . . .

This experience could be fun.

It is now later . . . Avatar results: I put together a fairly nondescript Avatar, but it will suffice for now. One of the other bloggers pointed out that there's a lot of moving back and forth in order to accomplish installing an Avatar on a blog. I agree--and make life easier by having multiple pages open and accessible; for example, I had my blog in edit mode, the directions from 23 Things, and the Yahoo site all running at the same time. Such an approach reduces both confusion and frustration. Finally, I've added a site meter. It was an interesting experience and worthwhile. Now I'll know whether anyone actually reads my ramblings. Site Meter can be found here. I've already added a site meter to one of my other Web sites. Meters--or counters--that I've tried in the past were neither as easy nor as successful as the one I've made from this site. I'm happy that 23 Things is directing us toward the better products.