Thing #21 Student 2.0 Tools

How might the RPC and the Teacher Guide help you help students plan and manage research projects?

I don't work with students (except my own children), but I think it would take a little training to get the most out of this tool. Once they used it a couple of times I think they would continue using it.

The more mature student is likely to see the benefits of this tool. The organized, responsible student would gravitate towards it more quickly than the habitual procrastinator. For many students the problem isn't that they forget about projects, it's that they don't want to do them and avoid them. For these students the thought of adding another step to a project would not be appreciated.

This kind of tool would be best suited towards a student who is discombobulated, a hard working student who just isn't organized. The teacher would probably need to set aside some class time to help the student enter the correct dates, etc. and should probably look over the settings and everything before the project starts. The well organized responsible student would probably be the student most likely to adopt the tool because they enjoy being organized.

Can you think of any uses for library projects—could you use it to help manage a timeline for a project of your own?

I have a project that I need to plan. I added it to the calculator and found I have 99 days until the final date. It's not a paper so all of the information about sources and citing doesn't apply. I'm not sure if this is the best tool for the job, but I do like the thought of setting up automatic reminder emails. I could do that through my Google Calendar though;)

Thing #20: Books

About 10 years ago I was told by a boss that I could start getting rid of all of the books since they would all be online soon anyway. I didn't. But I've been reading some of your blogs and a few of you seem surprised that some people are calling for the end to print media. It is true. Right now just about every newspaper in the country is working on a plan to go fully online in the not so distant future. The main reason is paper is expensive.

What are you observing in your library about books and reading?

I'm not in a library setting, but I know that my family and friends are still reading books. I have a pile of books that I will get to! On a recent trip to visit friends and family I brought 2 thick books with me. I was given 2 good size books as gifts while I was away. My luggage was pretty heavy and now that they charge extra I was nervous. I stuck 2 of them in my carry on. For the first time Kindle was looking really good to me. I think it would have been lighter and more manageable.

I am planning to go to the Alachua County Friends of the Library book sale and buy a large number of books. Even though my husband says we have no room for more bookcases.

Do you think these Book 2.0 tools hamper or enhance one's reading experience?
I think 2.0 book tools should only enhance reading. If one of them hampers you stop using that tool and find another.

For instance I would not read a book on my phone unless I was stranded on a desert island.

I do not read book reviews at all. I do not want anything added or subtracted from the content of the book as the author intended it to be read. If it is a translation or it is from a different period and there are words or actions that require a note that's fine, but otherwise please let the author speak to me. I will decide for myself what I like and what I don't. I find that critics are oftentimes biased.

I read a book and then I am finished with it. I don't belong to book groups or discussions. I find that while many readers enjoy ruminating over every last detail - I don't. I mainly read for ideas, inspiration or a chuckle. But I'm also the kind of person who watches a movie once - I know people who watch the same movies over and over again and quote from them - they usually go right over my head.


Which of the sites/tools did you visit?
I visited all of the sites.

What are the appealing features?
I think there were many. Finding books to recommend based on someone's taste is a requirement for a librarian. Once someone finds out I'm a librarian they immediately ask me for a recommendation. If the person is a relative stranger this would help me.

Many people book swap. I tend to pass mine along to friends and family and pass my kids' books to their younger cousins.

Any features seem unnecessary or just there "because"?
With all of these Things there are portions I will probably never use, but I've been surprised that others really like those same features. To each his own!

Do you know of other tools around books and reading we should know about?
No, I've included all I know and then some. But I'd be happy to learn more from the rest of you.

Thing #19 Other Social Networks

Are you a member of any online communities?

I was not a member, but joined Gather, Ning and WebJunction. There I found a post that the Illinois State Police issued an Amber Alert for two brothers from the central Illinois city of LeRoy in McLean County, but there were no pictures posted of them so I don't know what good it's going to do.

Nothing posted on Gather - Recent Posts, Highest Read, Most Discussed or Highest Rated had anything to do with me. I looked at a few of them (a boat ride at the Columbus Zoo, a discussion of a woman getting her husband a birthday present) and was sorry I wasted that time.

I created a Ning page. It is UGLY! But I decided to keep going because I was spending too much time on it and wasn't sure I'd ever use it. I've got to keep my eye on the clock with these tings I've realized.

I joined WebJunction (at this point why not, right?) and was disappointed to find that Web Based Tools only had 5 discussions. Hopefully this group will add to it.

Are any of these social networks appealing to you?

Not really. I will play around with WebJunction some more because I hear people talk about it (mostly Patty) and it sounds like something I should know more about.

What did you find that was interesting and that you might use later?

Brad and I watched the 23 Things Summit they had on March 3rd and that was interesting. I would really suggest checking out the Archive and related resources for the 23 Things Summit, presented on March 3, 2009 that is posted on WebJunction. It was worthwhile and over 300 people tuned in to check it out. The vast majority of them were thinking about starting a 23 Things program!

Thing #18 Facebook and MySpace

I am a user of Facebook. My sisters-in-law were the ones who talked me into it. I am far from my family so I check it everyday. I see photos of my nephews and nieces and get to read top of head thoughts from family and friends. They post to videos and we chat on occasion.

If I had just read about Facebook I would not have that much interest. It's the USING it that is fascinating. If I want to know after all these years who is still friends with who from my grade school or high school classes I can see - and not let them know I'm being nosey. I no longer believe there are 7 degrees of separation. I think it's more like 2 or 3 thanks to Facebook.

If I want to reconnect with an old friend. I find them on Facebook and become a part of their day to day life, instead of just reading their Christmas newsletter.

Facebook has a feature that tells you how many friends you have in common with others and will even create a list of people you may want to add to your friends list based on how many people you know in common.

I was back home for Christmas. We were in Church and I looked up and saw this guy coming back from Communion. I knew I knew him from somewhere. His face looked SO familiar! Then I realized he had been recommended to me on Facebook because he was a friend of a few of my friends! Not exactly what you're supposed to be thinking about in Church, but that's what happened.

I can see who is picky about their friends. Maybe they only have 20 or 30 as opposed to people who have 400 or so. To me those are acquaintances. I have high standards for the friend threshold. I believe I only have 40 or so on my page. Some from grammar school, a few from my high school days, a couple from college and then my family.

It's hard to tell people that you don't want to be friends with them when they send you a notice. You can chose to ignore it which is easier. If you don't you can end up with really strange people who you are not close with telling you sordid details of their lives. However it can sting if someone rejects your request or ignores your notice.

Which groups did you join and why?

I belong to the O'Neill Clan group and the Max Creek group. Max Creek is a band we would go to see when I was in college some moons ago. I think it's great that they still play and that others can see them today.

Facebook is huge and getting bigger everyday. People like to stay connected. But it's easier if they only have to go one place to do it rather than call a bunch of people on the phone or email different people.

It is a public venue, but there are ways to have conversations between 2 people on it also if that's what you need (if there's info you don't want to put out there for everyone.)

I looking at a Facebook group from my hometown in NY. Someone gave a description of a guy and where he used to work and asked if anyone knew what ever became of him. I knew the guy had died in 9/11. I sent the NYT online obit to the guy who had been wondering and this is what he sent back:

"Wow, his name had just popped into my head when that girl started naming people...I haven't really set foot in the place since I was around 18. I always remembered him because he had such a strong presence but seemed like a nice, fun loving guy. Can I post this article in that discussion topic? Thank you very much.

It never ceases to amaze me as to how strong this little network is within this group I started. What are the chances that you looked at that topic board the night I first thought about Michael in almost 20 years."

Chris

It IS a small world after all!

Thing # 17 Podcasts

1. Which podcast(s) did you listen to?

I had trouble thinking of a subject I would want to listen to, so I looked for "most popular" podcasts to see what others thought was worth their time. I guess I have different taste than the majority of people.

So, I listened to one on laughing yoga, but it got annoying after a while. It was too long (1 hour) and I think there are some topics where video is important and I think that is one of them. Although some blind people in a video I watched said hearing laughter was great for them and they enjoyed going to the movies to hear a comedy, for me it just wasn't the same. Maybe I am a more visual person than I realized.

I listened to one from the local newspaper and it was short and to the point, a roundup of events going on for the weekend. It was great until I realized they were talking about last weekend and I missed all the events. I guess they haven't posted this week's yet.

I listened to "Coffee Break Spanish," but it was being broadcast from Scotland and the people speaking had beautiful Scottish accents. It was also basic, but I was listening to lesson #9 and growing up in NY you learn that much Spanish before kindergarten.

I'm trying to read the Bible again this year (although I've fallen behind in my readings). I thought I might listen to some reflections on the Psalms. I searched Psalms at http://www.odeo.com/ (which was listed as a podcast directory on gcast.com) and I ended up with Jerry Goebel's Psalms Reflections. I listened to a reflection of Psalm 1:3 which was very good. The player didn't show how long the podcast was though. I like to know up front what I'm getting into. It turns out it was only 5 minutes. It was about slowing down and enjoying life. Here it is



2. Which of the directories did you find easiest to use?

Podcast.com I liked that it had a most popular section and a recommended section. I listened to the WSJ podcast. It had jazzy music and today's headlines and top stories. Bad economic news, more bad economic news...It was 35 minutes long. I think they could post the same podcast tomorrow and no one would notice. I don't think I would listen to news podcasts too much because I would fear missing breaking news.

I also thought it was interesting that one of the most popular podcasts on Podcast.com is lessons in Latin language. I'm not sure how that could be true having taken Latin for 3 years. Agricolae, agricolarum...

Podcastalley.com had a lot of adult content on it's home page. I wasn't thrilled. I kept getting nervous when my kids came in the room.

Yahoo Podcasts the podcasts that were listed as popular were all music and not my cup of tea.

Educational Podcast Directory I liked that they had a list of classes from different schools that were doing podcasts. The kids must get a charge out of that. I couldn't think of any podcasts that I would want to listen to. I think dancing and math especially require video.

iTunes U. I have this on my computer already. I checked out some free podcasts. Most seemed to be from NPR. I'll go back and listen to a couple of Prairie Home Companions if they are there.

3. Has this Thing inspired you to do any podcasting yourself or to subscribe to a podcast to listen to it regularly?

For me the best podcasts would compliment something I was familiar with. If I enjoyed a show and it said, "For more information on this topic listen to the podcast at..." that would be valuable. Or if I were taking a class and the professor pointed us in the direction of a podcast, that would be helpful.

I guess my main problem with listening to random podcasts is the age old question of authority. Who created the podcast? What gives them the authority to speak on the topic? What credentials does this person have? Is this going to be a waste of time?

I think many podcasts spend too much time setting the stage and should just jump right in. The quality of podcasts vary. The WSJ for instance was very polished and professional. There wasn't any self conscious giggling or inane banter. The broadcasters understood their medium.

Thing #16 YouTube

What did you like or dislike about the sites you explored?
When I first started watching these videos years ago they were funny, but had no real value to them. As time has passed though some of them became more political and socially relevant. Many are still funny, but humor is a good way to get a point across.

I chose a couple of videos that made me think.







Why did you choose the video that you did?
I saw the piece on laughing yoga on Oprah and thought it was interesting.

The second video a came from a friend of mine who told me that they did this at her Church and said it was so powerful it gave her "chill bumps." She said some other Churches had done it and posted it on the web so I seached under cardboard testimony and came up with a few. This was my favorite.

Can you see any ways to use video--YouTube or other sites--on your library Web site?
I am a pretty serious minded person, but I think humor is a good thing. It relieves stress. (Who didn't like watching the dancing guy on the Great Wall?) I also know there are a range of videos out there that are not just the joke of the day kind of thing.

A YA librarian just told me she is planning a summer program for teens to make their own videos to post. I think that program will have a lot of interest. I think kids today are tired of being advertised to, they would rather create their own messages than be force fed them by Madison Ave. Video sites will play a big part in their generation.

I found a cool site at archive.org which is a 501c3 that was founded to build an Internet library, with the purpose of offering permanent access for researchers, historians, and scholars to historical collections that exist in digital format. Founded in 1996 and located in the Presidio of San Francisco, the Archive has been receiving data donations from Alexa Internet and others. In late 1999, the organization started to grow to include more well-rounded collections. Now the Internet Archive includes texts, audio, moving images, and software as well as archived web pages in our collections.

Most of the collection is scholarly, but I found the cartoon vault! I found this Casper the Ghost cartoon from 1948 entitled Caspar The Friendly Ghost in There's Good Boos Tonight. The site also had Mighty Mouse, Betty Boop, Felix the Cat. The collection also includes classics such as Bugs Bunny, Woody Woodpecker, Popeye, Porky Pig, The Three Stooges, and others.

Thing #15 Rollyo

Can you see a potential use for Rollyo in your library?

Not really. So far this is my least favorite thing. I searched "japanese gardens" and came up with one roll which had a couple of sites about gardens in general.

I searched homework as instructed and then narrowed it to multiplication and came up with a few sites that had tips for kids that were strugging and tricks you can use if you don't have a good memory - but nothing fascinating.

I am a researcher and I like to start with the whole world as my source and narrow it down on my own. I treat each search individually and am sometimes surprised where I am led. I'd hate to narrow my focus from the start.

However if I were teaching someone whose skills weren't too polished maybe I would narrow the focus for them by setting up a roll.

Thing #14 Online Productivity Tools

Which start page did you choose?

I use iGoogle. I love my museum art tour, Monet, and Bible quote of the day. I like to see the weather where my family lives so I can laugh. I look at my rss feeds on that page. I have also added a ToDo list, but so far it's just annoying. I don't think it will last long. I complete the tasks and then forget to delete them and they stay there.

I just started playing with Google Calendars. I will now get a reminder of my brothers' birthdays for the next 30 years.

Why did that one appeal to you?

Sad, but true I'm already on Google everything else so I thought I use iGoogle. It goes along with my gmail. I can read my mail when the page opens and see any new mail that comes in.

Will you make it your permanent home page?
It has been. So far no problems, so I'll keep it.

Did you find a tool that has some uses for you at the library or at home?

I like the countdown widget. I usually send out emails to my sister telling her how many days till Christmas or until we go on vacation, mostly just to be a nudge. Her 3 kids are younger than mine and she can't think that far out. (I also send out her Christmas card the day after Thanksgiving every year.)

A better use for that tool would be to build excitement for a program or a new building opening.

Which tool(s) would you recommend to others?

There was nothing I couldn't live without, but I think when you're used to doing things the old fashioned way it takes time to embrace new habits. That being said I think it's good to know these things exist.

I looked at lifehacker and somehow ended up watching a couple of videos on cooking in the depression with a woman named Clara who is in her 90's. I'd recommend her series of videos if you have time. She talks about how they had no icebox and used to keep their food buried in the snow outside.

I also ended up doing part of a yoga practice through lifehacker. It appears anything can happen to you as you go to that site! I finally stopped when I got myself into a position where I couldn't see the computer screen and wasn't able to follow just by the verbal instructions.

How can the online calendars be useful to you?

I'm just starting to use one so I'm not sure if it will be useful or not. I am a Franklin Covey fan and have used his calendars for years. We'll see if I can transition.

What about the to-do lists—helpful, too much work…?

I think the to do lists are too much work. I'm sure my husband would love that the Remember the Milk site says with this tool I can, "Remind your significant other to do their household chores." I think it would be fun to try the Remember the Milk and send my husband reminders. I don't know if he would think it was fun though.

I can simply create a list on a piece of paper. Although I guess if I were collaborating with someone else it might make sense so they could see what has been done and what still needs doing.None of the sites mentioned the number one reason to make your list online, as far as I'm concerned, which is you won't misplace your list.

I may be planning an event soon and I'm seriously considering using backpack to organize it.

Did you try out Backpack?

I am considering using backpack to coordinate a family vacation for 18 members of my family. We all arrive at different times, by different means and this way we would all be able to access each other's plans. We each take a night to cook dinner for the clan and this way we could see the menus. I also try to babysit for my nieces and nephews and this way everyone could see my schedule.

I think it's interesting enough to try. If it doesn't work all I've done is opened another account and performed an experiment. If it works it would help me integrate my plans with those around me. Hopefully making us all more efficent and that makes me happy:)

What did you think?
It seems like it would work if everyone would commit to using it. It might take a little arm twisting, we are used to sending emails. But I think it may be more efficient.

Did you try any of the other tools in the list?

I watched the tours of Zoho Project, Basecamp and Backpack. I think I would use Backpack because it's free. I don't like signing up for trials and then getting harassed about signing on for membership.

They all seem to do more or less the same thing. I'm sure if you used them all there would be subtle differences.

I find it interesting that kids today are working in teams and with partners more than we used to and think they will be the ones who take this kind of concept to the next level.

Any good ones we should all try?
We should give Clara's poor man's meal a try. Hot dogs and potatos O'Brien.