Things 22 and 23- Summary

How to keep up? That really is a question for anything we do in life. How to keep up with the house, our kids, our career, our hobbies... I loved learning about all these neat, useful tools we can use. I have passed on several, and have begun using others. I bookmarked, I created, I analyzed, and now I have to move onward to LIFE and see where it all takes me. In reality, I can't see that I will take time every day to check on the latest news in any area. But, I am much better equipped to learn and find the things I need. Overall, this course was a huge eye-opener for me. I had no idea that the whole world was sharing all these things, and leaving the rest of the world clueless. I can't begin to imagine what the future of the Internet will evolve into. Part of me is excited to see, and part of me wonders when it will all end, and where my rights to privacy travel. All I can do is try to help my students learn what is there and guide them in how to respond to what's new. "Our Mission? To explore new worlds..."

Thing 21 More Networks

I keep coming back to what I said many posts ago: When do people have time for all this!! I am lucky if I check my home emails once a week. I only check my school ones daily because my principal expects us to. That and the amount of mail I get that I need to do something with, it builds up fast. For us middle-aged types who are running kids here and there, I just can't see how all this networking can happen. It's almost like you have to live in one world or the other. Even just learning about the 23 Things has taken soo much more time than I thought it would. If I hadn't been injured and needed something to do, I never would have made it past 8. I can see where it would help to join a network for awhile when you are looking for something. but I think I'd quit soon after. It's just not my thing.

Thing 20 Social Networking

Social networking seems like it can be such a two-edged sword. On the one hand, it has gotten kids more into computers, uploads, creating, thinking for themselves, and developing who they are. They are also actively reading and writing. Things we adults have been trying to tell them to do for years. When I look over the shoulder of kids and see what things they are sharing, it is awesome to see how active their minds are. These are surely not the same kids we thought would never be able to create because all they did was watch TV and play video games! If safety could somehow become a non issue, it would be wonderful. It constantly amazes me how savvy kids can be about computers, and yet so ignorant about the need to be safe. As for the library's role on these sites, it first of all depends on access. I can't see a library like mine having a reason to be there as my school blocks them. I would have to do everything at home, as would the kids. But I think a public library could be very comfortable there and kids would accept it just like we accept all those ads we see. If they decide not to click on our link, then they won't. But some kids would love to put a link to their favorite books on their account. Is there a way they could link to a public or school library's Librarything account and show their faves that way? A link where kids can receive recommendations would be fun, also.

Thing 19 Podcasts

I have already looked at podcasts, and made one for a class I took. I couldn't figure out how to get it from my computer onto my blog. Doesn't it have to be online first like our pictures did? I didn't poke around much on any of the sites. Rather, I looked, but I didn't listen to very much. I guess I'm like most of us, I'd rather LOOK at something than just listen to it.

Thing 18 Videos

I had seen utube some before. I wish there were a way to block students and give teachers access. I thought I'd lost everything I'd put on my blog when I tried to paste my video to it. I was in the wrong spot and it wouldn't paste. When I looked at my blog, only my writing was there. I didn't want to upgrade to a new template and kept searching for a way to go back, since they said they would save my old one. I finally went ahead and found a "new" template that was really my old one. When I viewed it, it was back to normal. I really had dreaded the idea of going back and trying to add everything all over again!

Super Librarian!

Thing 17 ELM

I'm glad you included this. I hadn't taken the time to look at ELM, just new it had articles. I don't have a public library card so was limited in what I could see. It looks very useful. I did look at a few Jr. and middle school articles and felt they were a much harder reading level than what I anticipated for the age.

Thing 16 Research Tools

I did find these research sites useful, especially since I also teach English, but I have run into very similar ones elsewhere. Some of the handouts are good. I wasn't able to look/download anything on the MEMO link that I followed. I'll have to try that at school where my computer isn't so old. One thing that always amazes me is how stubborn students are about not changing how they search on computer. The Ask Jeeves style of typing in an entire sentence is so ingrained in them, that to try to teach anything about Boolean searches hits a solid wall.

Thing 15 Games

Interesting, but not my thing. I didn't take the time to actually join either pirates or Second Life. I was intrigued by the Teen Second Life idea that some libraries are doing. It said, among other things, that students could create a video in Second Life and load it onto their Facebook account. I could really see some kids getting into that. So are the books that are available on Info Island also available in life? (I assume that is the point.) Or are they all research centers like the medical one? I guess i won't know unless i sign up and look for myself.

Thing 14 Library Thing

I am really excited about this Thing. What a time saver this will be! I can find out what books are being read, select one, see how others have cataloged it, and and put it on my wish list all from one spot! I also liked putting it on my blog, super easy once I figured out that a widget goes under gadgets. Very cool! I bookmarked several sites from the links you had. It should really be fun to use in so many ways!

Thing 13 Productivity tools

I just finished my iGoogle homepage. Very easy to use and I even found a couple of English class widgets for Dictionary and Grammar. Lots of choices, especiially for theme! I put my Google reader on it, but would like links for my regular email and blog. Now I know how so many kids have their own homepage! I tried out Pageflakes. It didn't have near as many options. The To DO List can send you reminders, which is neat. But the choices it has for things weren't really what I can get into unless I want 10 cartoons on my page. Even there, tho it does have many cartoons to choose from, I'd never heard of most of them. I ended up deciding not to save my page. It sent me 2 email reminders I had set up. does that mean my page is still there? MyYahoo! was a disappointment. I expected it to be more like iGoogle. I never did find where it downloaded the widget I tried to add. It had very few themes of other options that I liked. Two things I did like were that two news sources were "local" being from the Fargo paper and WCCO, and that I was able to add my flickr account. it did not let me pick which pictures I had on it and I suppose I have to sign in each time, but it was still a nice touch. I also like the Britannica news. it had really interesting things on it that were videos. I did save this one. I could only get one of the calendar sites to download and be a calendar, and it cost money. Ta-da list is very simple and easy to use. I created two lists. Remember the Milk had several things you could do with your lists. It looked really neat, but I lack the energy or need to create a file there. With all the these, it is interesting to see how we are going our own way, inviting people along for the ride, and yet getting more and more organized as we do so. I am having problems imagining the office worker of the future. Will they stay at home and actually work for several companies, depending on where they are in the Internet at the moment?

Thing 12 News Sites

What a way to lose yourself and all track of time!! I thought Digg and Reddit were fairly similar. Kind of like flickr with words. A great way to find info or opinions on many, many topics. Newsvine would be a good site to use for more serious info like research. I think I had the most fun on Mixx. I found news, pictures, videos... but then again, Stumbleupon was quite fun and had a great variety also. They were all easy to use and lead their users from topic to topic to topic.... I finally bookmarked them all plus several things I found while browsing them.

Thing 11 Delicious

I have been using Delicious for about 2 months now. I signed up at a workshop. So this was review. I do love using it. I especially like that I can go to their name on my toolbar and just look for the tag I want, and can see all tags in case I forgot what I called it. Very usable and quick. Yet I still have access to my regular bookmark, which is quicker for those few items. Since I live 50 miles from my school, it is wonderful to be able to organize in both places at once!

Thing 10 Wikis

I was doing this too late to be allowed to edit the 23 Things wiki, but I loved reading everything people had done. Very usable tool and looks like a fun time for all! I can hardly wait to have a class try using it for something. Now I just have to think of the perfect problem for them to solve together....maybe world peace. Actually, they do make a commercial using iMovie. Maybe this would work for a planning tool for that.

Thing 9 comment

I see that when I published that post, I lost my smiley face and comment.

Thing 9 Collaboration

I just have to try this out! I am writing in Zoho and am going to post it as my next blog entry. I am curious about how it will transfer with added items in it. This really has a lot of different font colors available. But I didn't tell it to go back to black after inserting the picture, and cannot move the picture . When I changed font size, it moved the picture for me. It was very easy to upload and I can resize it after pasting. It looks like a very easy to use, neat tool!! This showed up as a draft in my blog, so looks like it worked fine. I tried Google docs. Not as many bells and whistles and couldn't figure out how to post to blog, although I could have started a website. Still, very usable.

Thing 8 Slideshows

I made a slideshow on Thumbstacks. Fought and fought until I realized that the background slide is for all of them. It's a touchy program and deletes things when you're not looking. I liked finding all the slideshow/PowerPoints that are available. Very neat. Zoho was really easy to use. I couldn't get it to access my Flickr account, but once I found my pictures file on my computer, I was glad to see that I didn't have to start from scratch after adding a picture. it takes you right back to the file you were in! I also noticed that you can rearrange slides by dragging them. Not the case in Thumstacks, although neither seems to let you add a slide. Zoho will let you create a copy next to any slide, which you could then clear and make into a new one. I also like that you can tag your presentation. it made it easy to find mine. I found the whole site very easy to use with many options!!

Thing 7 Communication Tools

Thing 7 was more of a review, and some welcome explanations, of things I already know something about. My main problem with any email and IM things is that it takes time. For me, it is still easier to find time to call someone while I drive, than while I have access to a computer. Maybe when I can text and do housework at the same time it will become more user friendly for me! As for libraries... I am not presently in a position where much of this helps. I did wonder, if you are going to text phones about new things, what about overdues? Can we presently send reminders of library day to an entire class as a whole, or do we have to type to each phone separately? I did not try IMing another participant, I've done a bit other times. I do really like classes that offer webinars. It is so great to be able to spend two hours doing one instead of having to drive 3 hours one way for a 2-hour session. I kept thinking of what I know about Moodle, and how similar the idea is. Take the class when you want and where you want. Similar to what I am doing learning the Things. I keep wondering where that idea will take us!

Thing Six Online Image Generators

I had quite a bit of fun with these sites. You could really spice up a few areas of life without having to spend much money. I haven't gotten around to advertising the library at all, but this would be a great way to do it. I made jersies for each of my students and emailed them to them. They were impressed, and should be more interested in what's coming next. They have been struggling with a writing assignment concerning blogs, RSS feed, Flickr, and the top 10 mashups. "What practical applications can you see for each of these in the future, or are they just games that will amuse for a bit and disappear?" I haven't looked at their answers yet, but felt it'd be a reminder for them to think out-of-the-box. I think some of these items would be wonderful teaching tools! Overall, I keep seeing how, not only are we creating more solutions to "How to save money?" with things like creating our own greeting cards, but also the amount of storage we need on our computers. I don't need to save my pictures, I can have Flickr keep them for me. I don't need to have an encyclopedia installed, or a legal program... I can get a feed, host, join, or visit a blog, or search independently on Net. I wonder what the next generation will be like, tho. Will they not hang onto memories as much because they not only see our family pictures, but everyone else's? What are the downsides of trusting more and more of our lives to the virtual world? I am looking forward to what you have next up your sleeve, and amazed how much I have learned about without being more than a fourth through!!

ImageChef.com Photo Frames

Hm... still no luck putting my drawing anywhere. I was able to email the link to myself but it goes to a blank drawing, not one I've done. I also tried to use my Flickr pictures as a slideshow on my blog without any luck. I'll have to come back to that later.

Thing 5 More Flickr Fun

I'm not done looking at and trying out everything, but I've been doing, and doing.... Some of it, tho neat, is not terribly helpful in being productive. Clockr and the Tag thing come to mind. I did print out my picture in retrievr, THEN I realized that I was missing the point. I was trying to find a way to make it show up on my blog or Flickr account. I still think that should be possible, maybe cut and paste, which is what I ended up doing with the spelling one. I want to see if there's a way to send my letters to my students. Gotta be a way! I did have them follow the link on Flickr that shows all the things you can have made. I can see where schools could have fun with this.

Thing 4 Flickr

My head is still spinning! (Can't tell what my eyes are doing...) I had no clue anything like this was out there. I can hardly wait to tell family members to sign up and start sharing. And to be able to see places you want to go without the ads. I could never see why people just "surf the net" for hours, but I can see where this and the blogs could get very addicting. I can see where this could really see a neat tool for schools and libraries, it only it were properly cataloged (sigh). I want to keep record of the ins and outs I ran into. My main problem is that our computer lab somehow decided that we used a newer version of iphoto than what we actually own, and won't let some of us into our files. The kids have screensavers, and it will upload those, but I don't. I had to do it at home or use our one new computer. I even upgraded to Leopard on one and it still won't let me in. But that's a whole 'nother battle!

Thing 3 RSS

I can find myself now, thank you whoever fixed my site. I've enjoyed writing on a few blogs, now peole can finally send me a note. Thing 3 was fascinating. I do keep wondering where the idea came from that some of the Things only take 15 minutes. To do, yes, to learn about, never! I love all the links that are included. This is only the 3rd Thing and you already have me signed-up for a blog, a feeder (or whatever you call it) and two other things to put buttons on. I don't know when I'll have the time!! This really is great for me in several ways, learning all this, that is. Not only am I getting a bit updated, but I have been trying vainly to keep a half-step ahead of a Technology class I am teaching. The former teacher left no real instructions other that a vague list of things to do like "Garage Band," but not what they did with it. I am going to use what I am learning here to lead my students. After all, this is the direction they have to learn also. So thank you to the organizers and teachers. You truly are a Godsend to me!

Thing 2 I still cannot access my blog through the library site. I sent an email, but didn't see a change yet. I tried to look at the Library2 video but it is blocked at my school. I tried it at home but it freezes about 15 seconds in. The articles were interesting, but I keep coming back to the issue of blockage and trust. I read about the need for trusting staff, but it's the students we claim not to trust. Even with Facebook blocked, we had an incident between students on it. I agree that there is a need for change. But we are also in need of realizing how many people still do not have computers, much less Internet. Is there a place for them in our plans for Library2?

I am participating in 23 Things on a Stick. As a newcomer to many of the current computer trends, I am hoping this will help me stay a jump ahead of my students. I found this assignment to be way too easy. (I didn't know what an avatar is and first thought I had to put an Egyptian god on.) Not that I'm not learning, I just had no idea that I could just go somewhere and state that I want to start a blog. (For FREE!) Now I wonder why everyone doesn't have one. I don't know much about blogs and am wondering, how do you find them? Lets say I want to know what others are saying about a subject, how do I know if there is a blog out there that covers it? I am looking forward to the rest of the class.

Bluebird's journey: A solitary bluebird rests on a snowy branch. It contemplates the path that leads to warmth. And tho he knows it will be worth it, The journey feels daunting, And he is slow to begin.