Thing #23 Summarize Your Thoughts About This Program

I finished a little late, but I'm glad I stuck with it. This has been a very worthwhile professional development opportunity. Below are my responses to the follow-up questions.

1. By far, my favorite experience was Thing #21 - creating the podcast. I wasn't aware that I had the capability of creating a podcast from home. I plan to send online videos to my family far away as a way to keep in touch with each other.

2. This program has assisted me in numerous ways. Most important, I feel that I'm somewhat up to speed on these new technologies that seemed so impossible to learn. I want to take what I now have learned and pass it on to my family (husband, children, etc.) I hope I will still be able to access the Library 2 Play site later one.

3. Again, I'm very pleased with the amount of Web 2.0 skills that I learned and will be immediately able to incorporate into both my personal and professional life.

4. I'm unable to think of any suggestions to improve the program at this time. Perhaps it would have been neat to have completed the program with a group of people instead of alone. I know I kept bothering my husband to join me with several activities.

5. If you offer another program like this, please contact me. I would love to participate.

6. COOL!

THANKS LIBRARY 2 PLAY. I HAD FUN!

Thing #22 Nings

I chose to visit the Teacher Librarian Ning. I read some great suggestions to start the beginning of the school year. Other librarians were discussing how to introduce students to Web 2.0 technologies. I also think a Ning would be a great social and motivational tool for students. However, I think this is a good social networking site where librarians can collaborate and toss ideas around.

Thing #21 Podcasts and Audio Books

I had so much FUN creating this podcast! Amazingly, it wasn't that difficult. I'm so proud of myself.

Thing #20 YouTube, TeacherTube and Zamzar

WOW! Can you imagine the impact upon student achievement by utilizing such tools in the curriculum. Here's a video I found on TeacherTube that addresses one difficulty students encounter when writing: "Who are your students writing for? Who is the audience?" This is a great video to encourage the use of advance technologies into the curriculum.

Thing #19 Web 2.0 Awards

I saw many recognizable names that Library 2 Play has introduced me to this summer. After some consideration, I selected the Photos and Digital Images catergory. In first place was Flickr. Are you surprised? Flickr is a wonderful invention.

What makes this site special is the ability users have to share their photos with anyone, or everyone, in the world. The tagging feature is very practical for users, librarians as well, when searching for items for various projects. There are numerous uses librarians, teachers, students and others can enjoy from Flickr.

Thing #18 Online Productivity Tools

I know that I've said this before, but "I didn't know these tools existed." And their free! I have friends and coworkers who have not purchased wordprocessing, spreadsheet software due to the cost. I can't wait to pass this information on to them.

I chose to play around with Google Docs since I already have an account with Google (thanks to Library 2 Play). The features do not seem as extensive as Microsoft Word but you can't complain - remember it's free. I will have to explore more to uncover any disadvantages, but for the moment, Google Docs appears to be a great web tool, especially for those with tight budgets.

Thing #17 Rollyo

I've always wandered if there was a simple way to save some of my frequent searches other than bookmarking it. Now look what has come along, Rollyo! I think this is a fantastic timesaver.

Of course, I'm thinking that this will be a great electronic resource to aid students with their web searches. Finally, a way to avoid all those useless sites that take up too much of our valuable time. Below I have included a link to a searchrool I created titled "Reference Aids." I decided to create this searchroll to aid my children with their homework next year.

My "Reference Aids" searchroll: http://rollyo.com/michellemoore123/reference_aids/

Hope you like it!

Thing #16 Wikis

Here's my comment I posted in the SBISD wiki:

From Moore Discovery: Thing #16
I'm so glad I had the opportunity to participate with the Library 2 Play team. I hope I'm able to finish on time. I've had two sumeer graduate courses that have taken up a lot of my time. I never knew what a wiki was. I think this is a fascinating tool that would motivate students to conduct research and collaborate with their classmates. I'm eager to see how I can incorporate this technology into my library.

Thing #15 Web 2.0, Library 2.0 and the Future of Libraries

Technology – a major factor that defines libraries of today from those of the past - offers patrons instantaneous access and retrieval to vast amounts of information worldwide. Recent technological advances seek to make mobile library collections and virtual reference services available to all users. Despite these recent trends, however, some things have remained constant. For instance, librarianships main goal, to enrich society with the availability of information, is as ancient as the beginning of civilization. Furthermore, patrons still desire to physically visit libraries as in times past; but they now desire libraries to reflect as a place to hang out in – think of a "Starbucks-like" environment. With that in mind, the purpose of libraries has remained consistent – to meet the needs of its community. What has changed is how librarianship will meet the needs of its patrons in today’s society – whether through such vehicles as the internet, virtual worlds, gaming, print, etc.

I’m amazed at the numerous ways information can be retrieved today. I’m keen to see non-traditional avenues of learning and retrieving information through such means as virtual worlds, Library 2.0 and gaming become more prominent. Librarianship now encourages users to contribute editorially to sites as a means of enriching information and increasing interaction. Libraries have come a long way.

Thing #14 Technorati and How Tags Work

Technorati still seems a bit complicated, but worth the challenge. When I conducted a keyword search of "School Library Learning 2.0", the various results appeared different to me. The popular blog, searches and tags link allowed me to view the most popular blogs, music, searches, etc. accessed via the web. And HOORAY!; School Library Learning 2.o was listed in the top 10 searches.

I envision Technorati assisting me with tagging and organizing my web information proficiently. I may also go back an add its RSS feed to my reader. Tagging appears like it's going to become more important as a tool for organizing web data as the world wide web itself continues to gro rapidly.

I did register and claimed my blog; a link has been added to the bottom of my blog so others can add my blog their Technorati favorites - wouldn't that be wonderful! I also tried to add the Technorati bookmark to my toolbar.