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.