Finito

Re Web 2.0 tool Directory - Shelley and I discovered this site (I think through using Delicious?) while we were preparing for our school ICT Conference where we gave a summary of this online course and discussed "What isWeb 2.0". Great site - makes you realise just how much is out there still to be explored!

Generally, I really enjoyed doing this course - doing it with a friend and colleague was really helpful - I think we both got much more out of it by doing it this way. A couple of small criticisms - the audios listed at the beginning of some of the tutorials did not work and I think there probably should have been a bit more instructional detail on some areas although as I mentioned in a previous blog, we frequently used Youtube when we were in doubt.

Now I just need more time to go back and develop some sort of expertise on those Web 2.0 tools that I wish to continue to use.

#22 Audiobooks and #23 Downloadable Media

• Looked at World EBook Fair - appeared to have to pay to sign up for this one. One of the sites listed was Myebook which seemed to be one of the easier sites to use. Had many self published books and my friend Shelley the teacher immediately saw ways she could use this in the classroom. Come to that, I guess we could certainly be using this with our Reading Skills classes and Book Club.
• Project Guttenberg is a fantastic project and yes I would use Librivox although unfortunately I had trouble using that at school - I think it is just a matter of updating our Windows Media Player. The short stories in particular would be handy for one of our teachers who is often after "oldies but goodies" - some of which appeared to be here.
• Overdrive has been available at our local Public Library for some time now and I have downloaded a couple of audiobooks to my iPod to listen to while travelling.
• We are in the process of experimenting using ebooks with our struggling readers - using the Kindle with the Text to Speech function (even thought the speech leaves a lot to be desired!) has some benefits to these students.

Of course, as a librarian, and even though I love technology, there is no real substitute for the real thing - give me books to read any day!

#21 Youtube and Teachertube

Love Youtube and Teachertube. Throughout this course I have gone to Youtube whenever I didn't understand something and always eventually found something that helped. Reading for this tutorial I found that Google purchased Youtube in 2006 and that it is only one of (but THE most popular) of video sharing sites. Our school has Youtube blocked to students at this stage but staff are able to use it and do so quite frequently. Obviously some dodgy material out there but just so much great stuff that it makes for a wonderful teaching tool. Quite a good introductory Youtube clip on Edutopia on the use of Youtube in the classroom.

Earlier this year (I think) a great Youtube clip was circulating using a Black Eyed Pead song that changed the words to Gotta Keep Reading. Seems everyone is copying this and here is just one example!

#20 Podcasting

I have successfully added the OPAL Podcast to my Blog. I didn't really know much about Podcasting before this session - I thought I did, but hadn't given it much consideration and thought it was simply a voice recording. I know that a number of teachers use Podcasting within the classroom and my first impression was why use Podcasts when you could have You Tube but on further investigation I of course discovered that one of the main differences is the RSS ability of Podcasting. Thinking about this, I could use this for lots of things within the Library situation - Book reviews, coming events, Visiting author talks, guest readers of short stories, etc. I do like this idea and will give this a try once our new web site is up and running.

#19 Rollyo

Again, signed up with Rollyo a few weeks ago but have not had time to blog until now! I have tried using Rollyo at work where I created a Search Roll for the Audio and DVD Distributors/Publishers that I use so that I could search them all in one go to see who had specific DVDs and Audio Books. I love the concept but found that the display of the search results very messy - it seems to display the one result (they were actually probably similar results) many times and I just found it frustrating. Maybe using it for this type of task is not appropriate. I did find it interesting looking at other Search Rolls - especially the Web 2 ones.

#18 Wikis

Began creating a Wiki for my Library's Web page quite some time ago. Found it quite difficult to load images but think that maybe I was not formatting them properly before loading them. The Wiki still needs a lot of work but can be found at Nagle Edmund Rice Library. While I am quite happy to use other people's Wikis, especially ones such as that set up for the National Year of Reading 2012, I don't think I will be using the Wiki that I set up for our Library - would much prefer to have a more professional web site (which we are in the process of doing). I think that Wikis would be an excellent tool for students to use in a classroom situation.
By the way, on this task it says "Listen to audio" but there doesn't appear to be any audio to listen to?

#17 Delicious

Joined Delicious a couple of weeks ago but have not been able to find time to Blog!! Really like Delicious especially the ability to find other very useful websites on Web 2.0, etc. Someone told me today that Delicious was going out of business but I did a bit of research and it seems that Delicious has now been taken over by the founders of You Tube and will continue. So, I think I will continue to experiment with it for a time!

#13 MySpace and #14 Facebook

Have been a Facebook user (of sorts) for a while now. Registered with MySpace today. Not sure which I preferred - Facebook seems more straightforward but is that because I am used to it? MySpace looked fancier and the Music aspect was a nice addition. I can see why MySpace appeals to the younger generation more - the music and entertainment would certainly appeal, while the clean appearance and easier access to immediate comment might be what appeals to users of Facebook. Also registered with Twitter and can see that this could be a bit addictive!

Our school has also just launched a Nagle Community site with Ning and I have been playing with that - really like Ning and can see that this is possibly more appropriate to school situations.

We are having a staff ICT Conference next week and will be covering Web 2 in the classroom - this course has been very helpful with what I hope we will cover in that Conference.

#10 Online image generator

 



Myspace Falling Objects @ JellyMuffin.com

How cool is this! Can't work out how to put text in to this post properly - the text kept falling with the flowers so have used the "Quote" tool. This is Great fun! Endless possibilities for use and even more for the sheer fun of playing with! The only thing that I have a problem with is that every site that we visit wants you to sign up with them - a bit scary all this data gathering! Or am I being paranoid?

#15 RSS and # 16 Subscribing

I found this very confusing! I have learnt

• RSS means Really Simple Syndication
• RSS delivers regular updated information without having to search the whole web site
• this could be used in class for specific topic sites

and I have subscribed to an RSS feed which is linked to my blog as well as having saved some favourites in Google Reader - not sure how I did it but it is there!

#11 Library Thing

Have had a play with Library Thing and created a book club with my buddy Shelley - we hope to convert our sewing group to this book club! I have added the Library Thing link to my blog but need to do some more investigation as to how to list some of the books instead of the link - as seen in the Library examples on the How 2 of Web 2 page. I can definitely see some uses in our Library situation - the student Book Club could use it for discussions, suggestions of new books, etc and I could also use it to advertise new books recently added to the collection. Will certainly come back to this one once I have looked at all the other task in this online course.

#9 Virtual World

My first instinct is to think of Virtual Worlds in a negative sense - addictive! unrealistic! a substitute for real life! But investigating further made me realise that, like all things new and challenging, it takes some time to get used to the idea. More than 20 million people use Second Life so there must be something to it! I can certainly see the potential for using virtual worlds across all aspects of education - a way of teaching, a way of experimenting, a way of practicing - using a real life situation but without the real life complications and/or restrictions (such as financial, etc.) but the time involved for me to learn how to do this would be more than I care to spend. One of the readings that I looked at suggested that it takes up to 10 years for new technology to be truly embedded into education and I think this will be the case with Virtual Worlds. Although with the pace of technology these days, who knows!
And as one of the You Tube gentlemen suggests when he was talking about Second Life - as long as it doesn't substitute for "first" life.

#12 Flickr

GERALDTON WA 2008 008, a photo by DON PUGH PERTH WESTERN AUSTRALIA on Flickr.

Love this photo of our lighthouse

#8 iGoogle

Such great fun setting up iGoogle - just need more time to play with it and see what else it offers. Great being able to personalise the page and have info at my finertips instead of having to search different web pages. Does appear to be a bit messy but i think that is more my inadequacies in setting it up than Google needing to improve. Hopefully, over time, I will be able to improve the look! All of the Web 2 applications have been fun - just need to find more time to work with them and get to know the capabilities - both my capabilities and those of Web 2! I am hoping that when we have been through everything I will be inspired to go back and explore each area more.

Google looks an amazing place to work. All those perks makes you wonder how any work does get done! But then I guess the opportunity of working with like-minded people would be stimulation in itself. Wonder if this type of setup would be as successful in other work places or if it is the nature of the work at Google that gets people excited.

#7 Google Books

Working in a Library has meant that I have used Google Books previously. Still had a look at the Read about Google Books and did a couple of searches. Looked for a childhood favourite and found it but only as a preview - not the whole book. Fantastic resource really when you think about it - a huge world wide catalogue! Particularly love

1. the availability of whole texts for those out of copyright, in the Public Domain, Publisher permission, etc. and
2. the fact that you are given availability through booksellers of those you wish to purchase.

Yes I definitely would, and already do, use this in my work situation. And yes, sometimes from home.

#6 Google Maps

Have used Google Maps before but was not aware of the Edit and Add features. My work place was in the wrong location so was able to edit and ask for an email to be sent to me to advise when changes have been made. Also noted that our house, which was built 2 years ago, was not on the map - the address was listed but the image showed an empty block so obviously the satellite images are not up to date. Have used the get directions before and usually found them very useful.

#5 Google Docs

Google Docs is great for collaborative projects. Can share and have other people edit online. Saves are done automatically and can view revision history. There is a limit on the size of an upload file when uploading a Word, Excel or Powerpoint but if uploading music, pictures, etc, then the file size can be up to 1024MB. The only thing I couldn't work out - is there a file size for Word, Excel or Powerpoint when you have created from new? I am assuming no, otherwise this would be a huge limitation to using Google Docs. Work is saved in Cloud storage so that your work is available no matter where you are - great if you are moving from computer to computer. Google Docs Help is very well done.

#4 Web 2.0

Where Web 1.0 was primarily about information, Web 2.0 is user orientated and encompasses what can be done with that information. It seems difficult to determine an exact definition but it would seem that Web 2.0 incorporates interaction, imagination, participation and communication. And I found of course that one of the best places to get an understanding of Web 2.0 was to use a Web 2.0 tool - You Tube! Some of the "technical" terms that I need to understand more about are "mash up", "SAAS" and "Interpersonal computing" - which apparently make up Web 2.0. Connection and sharing are also words that are used when talking Web 2.0.

First Blog

All a bit daunting but so far so good. I feel like I am cheating a little as I am doing the course with my long time friend Shelley who is a bit more tech savvy than I am! Looking forward to see where this takes me!