23 Things

Over the last several months, I've been participating in a professional development project. The project was developed to introduce participants to the many web 2.0 tools available today. Project instructions were outlined on the following webpage: 23 Things Project Instructions

As a summation of the project, the following questions were asked. Below are my ramblings:

1.What were your favorite discoveries or exercises on this learning journey?
The number and variety of tools available is amazing. There is literally something for almost every purpose and need. I loved learning about all the items presented.

2.How has this program assisted or affected your lifelong learning goals?
My knowledge of web tools has been expanded. The world of online resources changes rapidly so keeping current on new developments is important.

3.Were there any take-a-ways or unexpected outcomes from this program that surprised you?
I worked hard to develop my school's library webpage so that I can keep my users informed.
Check out my library page: Frazier Library Webpage

4.What could we do differently to improve upon this program’s format or concept?
Repeat using new items to explore.

5.If we offered another discovery program like this in the future, would you choose to participate?
Yes, I love learning about new things.

6.How would you describe your learning experience in ONE WORD or in ONE SENTENCE, so we could use your words to promote 23 Things learning activities? Enlightening.

"Knowledge Out of Chaos"

The University of St. Thomas 2012 Research Syposium was titled "Knowledge Out of Chaos." During the three day event, I was honored to present my graduate thesis investigating the impact of reading format on student comprehension. Click on the QR code below to learn more about the various events at the University of St. Thomas. 

Conference Ramblings

Attending the Texas Library Association Conference. "Revolutioning the Library" is providing attendees with so many great ideas for Web 2.0 tools. Glad I attended this session.

Research Tools

Writing a research paper is so much more manageable with the online tools available today. My two favorites are Dropbox  and RefWorks. Dropbox allows me to store my pdf research articles in the cloud for easy access from any location. The files can be organized into folders to conform to the various chapters in your paper. RefWorks provides citation creation as well as the indispensable "write and cite" feature. Having recently finished two papers (both over 35 pages in length), I have come to depend on these products.
Go to http://www.dropbox.com/ and  http://www.refworks.com/ to learn more.

Photo Puzzle Maker

Big Huge Labs resources has a photo puzzle creator. Below is a puzzle that I created.

National Geographic Kids

Social Bookmarking

Social bookmarking allows users to organize all their favorite sites via one online location. Many types of bookmarking sites are available. For a list of the top sites, visit ebiz knowledge database @   http://www.ebizmba.com/articles/social-bookmarking-websites. This site also provides links to the top social networking sites, blogs and search engines. Wish there was a "more time" site to provide the extra minutes to investigate all these great resources.

Facebook use and schools

Many schools have created Facebook sites.  Most sites will contain static information that allows visitors to find general information about school activities and events. Use of social networking sites has often been problematic for students, staff and parents. Recently, the news media reported a student death associated with posts written by a peer. An August 2011 article on WebPro News provides information about Facebook use in education. (http://www.webpronews.com/should-teachers-and-students-be-friends-on-facebook-2011-08)

Online Resource Organization

Looking for a way to organize your resources accessable via the internet? Want to share the resources with others? LiveBinders could be just what you need. A great example of a live binder is the Texas Library Association 2011-12 Bluebonnet folder. The entire collection of books and resources is organized in a tabular format for easy access. If you want to learn more, visit the LiveBinder webpage by clicking here: http://www.livebinders.com/welcome/home.

Internet Safety

Networking with peers has become a popular pastime for people of all ages. Networks allow people to connect to others with similar interests. A professional collaborative network is a great way to share ideas. Parents need to be aware that most networks are geared toward an older audience. Some networks require that users be a certain age to participate. For example, Nings network safety policy prohibits the use of their network by students younger than thirteen. Internet safety should always be taken into consideration.

Technology in Education

Ever wonder about all the ways that technology is used in education? Want to learn more? Visit the Tech and Learning web page at http://www.techlearning.com/index to subscribe to their enews publication or an RSS feed. You'll be amazed at all the technology applications available for use in education.

Keeping up with reading using Web 2.0

Need a way to keep up with the books you've read, currently reading or want to read. Sign up at http://www.shelfari.com/ . The site lets you create your own bookshelf with all the items mentioned earlier and you're directly linked to your Amazon account for book purchases. You can even post reviews. I've had an account for a couple of years so I encourage you to try it out. While your at it, you can also try out http://www.goodreads.com/ .

Image Generation

Image generation in the form of QR codes has become increasingly popular. Most QR codes will direct readers to a web page that provides additional information about the advertised topic. Just for fun, I generated a QR code with my contact information.

Web applications

Web applications can be utilized together (mashups) to create and deliver information. Everyday, I use my iGoogle page to view the various news feeds and other gadgets that I have chosen to include on my customized page. Today, I created a librarian trading card using Big Huge Labs web resources. For the photo, I accessed my Facebook profile picture. For sharing, I uploaded the image to my new Flickr account. And voila....my new trading card can be viewed by clicking on the following link: http://flic.kr/p/bxABZP

Google Products

Google provides so many tools to make your life easier. Google docs provides a great way to store documents that can be accessed from any location simply by logging onto your account. Google groups allows users to develop collaborative discussion forum accessed via the Internet. Google calendar lets individuals create and share calendar events with the public or designated friends. Google books provides book summaries and limited page views from numerous books. To learn about these Google products and more, check out the following link: http://www.google.com/intl/en/about/products/index.html.

Wikis and the library

A wiki provides an online web space were content can be updated, edited or deleted in a collaborative environment. As with other web tools, many wiki software options are available for prospective users. For more information about wikis, the School Library Journal article "Which Wiki is Right for You?" by Shonda Brisco provides lots of useful information ( http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/article/CA6438167.html ).