This film maker has touched my heart!
Thursday, June 14, 2007
Sunday, June 10, 2007
Soma this scares me! Wk 6 #14,15
Onward, ever onward into a "Brave New World" where books are obsolete and all our friends are virtual.
Using Technoroti to look at the blogposts that are out there, makes me so sad. All these millions of young people looking for the meaning of life, posting their khaki lives of heartache. They seem so hopeless, it makes me ask; Has Social Networking become the Soma of the 21st century? Is the internet way of life good for mental health? Is there some sort of virtual psychiatrist out there looking for virtual patients? They could make a virtual fortune!
In looking over the Web 2.0 perspectives provided I was disconcerted. Rick Anderson's view that a hard print collection is an "Iceberg", makes me glad my principal doesn't get that newsletter. I am trying to get money to rebuild the existing collection into something useful. Junior High students need to connect with print materials, not just sit around with warm thighs from their laptop.
I like to think of the computer/internet/social network as a tool, not the end product, just one more avenue to personal knowledge. Michaels Stephens' view of the "Librarian is Human" presupposes that we never were. Yet I support his ideas on technolust, since so many of our dollars go toward technology for technologies sake. Ultimately, I liked Wendy Schultz's Library 4.0 philosophy the best, mocha, a book and a pleasant place to sit and muse.
When I was traveling through my own adolescent trials, I found comfort in sitting in the library, reading, listening to music, & hiding in the stacks. I found lifelong friends in the books I read. Lloyd Alexander, L. Frank Baum, and Joan Aiken offered escapist lit where I could lose myself, forget my mother, boyfriend or the latest clique slight I had suffered. (I think I must have been trying to read in alphabetical order.) I thank those nameless librarian women who worked with me, and aspire to be them. I sincerely hope that in the search for the perfect piece of information, or the perfect techy way to connect with patrons, we never forget that these students we work with are living, breathing, flesh and blood people who may be hurting and can be helped by just listening, by a touch on the shoulder, by leading them to the perfect book.
Using Technoroti to look at the blogposts that are out there, makes me so sad. All these millions of young people looking for the meaning of life, posting their khaki lives of heartache. They seem so hopeless, it makes me ask; Has Social Networking become the Soma of the 21st century? Is the internet way of life good for mental health? Is there some sort of virtual psychiatrist out there looking for virtual patients? They could make a virtual fortune!
In looking over the Web 2.0 perspectives provided I was disconcerted. Rick Anderson's view that a hard print collection is an "Iceberg", makes me glad my principal doesn't get that newsletter. I am trying to get money to rebuild the existing collection into something useful. Junior High students need to connect with print materials, not just sit around with warm thighs from their laptop.
I like to think of the computer/internet/social network as a tool, not the end product, just one more avenue to personal knowledge. Michaels Stephens' view of the "Librarian is Human" presupposes that we never were. Yet I support his ideas on technolust, since so many of our dollars go toward technology for technologies sake. Ultimately, I liked Wendy Schultz's Library 4.0 philosophy the best, mocha, a book and a pleasant place to sit and muse.
When I was traveling through my own adolescent trials, I found comfort in sitting in the library, reading, listening to music, & hiding in the stacks. I found lifelong friends in the books I read. Lloyd Alexander, L. Frank Baum, and Joan Aiken offered escapist lit where I could lose myself, forget my mother, boyfriend or the latest clique slight I had suffered. (I think I must have been trying to read in alphabetical order.) I thank those nameless librarian women who worked with me, and aspire to be them. I sincerely hope that in the search for the perfect piece of information, or the perfect techy way to connect with patrons, we never forget that these students we work with are living, breathing, flesh and blood people who may be hurting and can be helped by just listening, by a touch on the shoulder, by leading them to the perfect book.
Tuesday, June 5, 2007
Tag you're it! Week 6 #13
I love del.icio.us! I have been using del.icio.us since January and I really like the process. I learned from the podcast about making a shared reading list. I had tried to figure that one out on my own, without success, and here it was...just use a shared tag. DUH, why didn't I think of that. That's why we take classes.
So after listening to the podcast, I went out to see what other people had been tagging and found a name that was familiar, Richiespicks, which I look forward to on the Calib listserv. I always save his reviews, so I went to see what he tagged and found a really interesting site with information literacy games that I know I will be using. This is like sliding down a dry, grassy, hill on cardboard, SLICK.
So after listening to the podcast, I went out to see what other people had been tagging and found a name that was familiar, Richiespicks, which I look forward to on the Calib listserv. I always save his reviews, so I went to see what he tagged and found a really interesting site with information literacy games that I know I will be using. This is like sliding down a dry, grassy, hill on cardboard, SLICK.
Sunday, June 3, 2007
Week 5 # 12 Rollyo
Now this is an interesting concept. Create your own search tool. I could see that this could be used instead of creating a webpage devoted to a subject, which is what I do now on my website. Rollyo limits you to 25 sites. I have over 70 links to Middle Ages information alone on my resources page. Then again how many of them are actually repeats of the same site ie. About.com? I am sure there is some duplication.
I tried making a search roll for Muslim information. 7th grade Social Studies and I worry about the students finding questionable information when they do a general Google search. Once I had entered in 3 urls I created it, but when I tried to do a search it sent me out to Amazon...so it is harder than it looks. That was a bit frustrating, because I don't know what I did wrong. Then when I tried to go back I got a Page expired message, so there wasn't a chance for a do over. Practice makes perfect.
I can envision the process, and I think students would find it helpful, they might be more inclined to use a search engine than preset links, I think they would find it familiar..or maybe students could set up their own Rollyo search rolls for their projects.
On a personal note, I wish that they hadn't used drug/tobacco references when they created this site. I get that it is "humor" and find it mildly amusing, but still "Roll your own" has connotations I would just as soon not promote. Then again, perhaps the current generation doesn't know what it means.
I tried making a search roll for Muslim information. 7th grade Social Studies and I worry about the students finding questionable information when they do a general Google search. Once I had entered in 3 urls I created it, but when I tried to do a search it sent me out to Amazon...so it is harder than it looks. That was a bit frustrating, because I don't know what I did wrong. Then when I tried to go back I got a Page expired message, so there wasn't a chance for a do over. Practice makes perfect.
I can envision the process, and I think students would find it helpful, they might be more inclined to use a search engine than preset links, I think they would find it familiar..or maybe students could set up their own Rollyo search rolls for their projects.
On a personal note, I wish that they hadn't used drug/tobacco references when they created this site. I get that it is "humor" and find it mildly amusing, but still "Roll your own" has connotations I would just as soon not promote. Then again, perhaps the current generation doesn't know what it means.
Saturday, June 2, 2007
Week 5 # 11 Ning
So I joined a social network on NING. Oddly enough, I joined ReefSpace where I hope to meet new aquarium friends to share frags with. I am setting up a new 100 gal Reef Aquarium this summer and coral frags are EXPENSIVE to buy, but trading is a great way to get new and interesting coral pieces.
So thanks School Library Learning 2.0 team for helping me put together my two favorite pastimes, libraries and fish!
It was good to find the Web 2.0 award winners. I am always trying to find people who want to donate to my charity of choice Reading is Fundamental and so I explored the philanthropy section. But the award winners mostly had to do with being "Green". The "Donors Choose" looked promising, but not really what I am looking for. I will need to continue to look at these excellent pages as I can see this will take some additional time.
So thanks School Library Learning 2.0 team for helping me put together my two favorite pastimes, libraries and fish!
It was good to find the Web 2.0 award winners. I am always trying to find people who want to donate to my charity of choice Reading is Fundamental and so I explored the philanthropy section. But the award winners mostly had to do with being "Green". The "Donors Choose" looked promising, but not really what I am looking for. I will need to continue to look at these excellent pages as I can see this will take some additional time.
Week 5 # 10 Image Generators
My goodness, time passes so quickly. Just seems like yesterday I was posting, but life intervened and I haven't had a chance 'til now to play, learn and share.
I think the image generators are way interesting! I had fun playing with Aniboom. I am horrible at putting the shapes together and getting anything tangible out, but my better half, the scientist, was really excited and proceeded to create an animated neutron crashing into an element....bang!
I also created a magazine cover that was pretty funny. I could see using that at school. I will think about creating a fun lesson around that this summer.
I like the scratch ticket idea, but had some trouble figuring out how to post it. I finally had success. Now I know I have to think about the order in which I do things..I had wanted the scratcher to be a part of this post, but it created its own post.
I think the image generators are way interesting! I had fun playing with Aniboom. I am horrible at putting the shapes together and getting anything tangible out, but my better half, the scientist, was really excited and proceeded to create an animated neutron crashing into an element....bang!
I also created a magazine cover that was pretty funny. I could see using that at school. I will think about creating a fun lesson around that this summer.
I like the scratch ticket idea, but had some trouble figuring out how to post it. I finally had success. Now I know I have to think about the order in which I do things..I had wanted the scratcher to be a part of this post, but it created its own post.
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