Finito!

Well, here I am, blogging for the last time. I think this has been an excellent outline of the tools that are available out there, and has been a very worthwhile experience. I am sure I will utilise a number of them again, and hope that the links will remain open for us so that I can refer to them often.

Thanks very much for the experience, and, for the (possibly) last time, happy blogging!

#22 Audiobooks and #23 Downloadable media

Got to love these! My biggest decision at the moment though is which e-reader will suit my needs (and also my school's) the best. I think their greatest advantages are their convenience (and their corresponding ability to hold many more resources than I could ever carry) and their size. I have to admit though that I still can't curl up under my doona with a good e-reader on a cold night! I guess time will tell.

Happy blogging!

#21 Youtube and teacher tube

I picked this Youtube clip as it showed Melbourne in 1910 - perfect for those of us interested in history! Just love Youtube!

Happy blogging!

#20 Podcasts.

Aren't podcasts wonderful? They've certainly provided us with a great teaching tool, both in terms of content and versatility. Thanks very much for providing these links. I'll be spending lots of time here looking for items relevant to my classes!

Happy blogging

#19 Rollyo

I have to admit I approached this site with some trepidation/concern as, after reading some other posts, I wasn't sure whether I would be able to access it. What a pleasant surprise when I could. I searched Australian history, and, even with a spelling error (I wish my fingers wouldn't run over each other!) I managed to find quite a few useful, interesting sites. I think this is definitely one site spend I'll time exploring, as I'm sure it will help me find many sites that are useful for my teaching.

Happy blogging!

#17 Delicious and #18 Wikis

Now here are two tools I can sink my teeth into! Delicious seems like a very useful site/device. I like that individuals can save their websites and the collaborative element involved also. It is always great to share knowledge, and so this is an extension of that sharing.

The same can also be said for wikis. The conversational/sharing/collegial aspect of them is one of their main attractions to me. However, the downside, as pointed out in the reading, is that they are accessible to anyone, and can be added to by anyone. This therefore needs to be taken into account when they are being used.

Two more useful sites. Thanks!

Happy blogging.

#15 RSS and #16 subscribing

Again, here are tools that I think are useful, both as a classroom teacher and as a librarian. I am aware of library sites with RSS feeds and have subscribed, but I will have to spend some time looking for relevant History and English sites, as these are my teaching methods. Hopefully there will be some to which my  my students can subscribe. I have also subscribed to the ABC and The Age's feeds, but wonder, given their nature, whether a bookmark will be just as effective. Time will tell on this one.

Happy blogging!

My Space and Facebook

While I can see the attraction of both of these social networking websites, I have to confess to feeling something of a luddite, as I don't have a profile in either, nor do I feel the urge to do so. I have reservations about them both, largely relating to privacy issues, and the need some people have to make their pages and number of 'friends' bigger and better than everyone else's. I'd rather see people face to face, or failing that, email or (shock horror!) write them a letter! Ah well, each to their own.

Happy blogging!

Flickr

Another useful site. I tried to find a photo that I could include in my blog, but unfortunately I was unsuccessful, as most were subject to copyright. I'll keep trying - keep watching this space!

I think this will be useful place to store photos. It will be a project for the holidays, I think.

Happy blogging!

Library Thing

Well, here was something I love! A means of keeping track of books!! This is definitely something that makes a librarian happy!! I can see uses for this in classes - I'm sure students will enjoy making their own widgets of their favourite books and sharing them. In addition, this could be extended to reviews of these books which could then be shared. Fabulous!

On a personal, practical level, I'm sure I'll be using this to see reviews of books I'd like to read (or have students read). I'll also use it to keep track of the people to whom I've leant my books. Great!

Happy blogging

Fiona

Back again! #10

Well, I've had a bit of fun looking at these websites. I'm sure it would be possible to spend hours playing with them!

"Big huge labs" has many interesting items - I could spend a great deal of time here! I was a bit less enamored by "Comic strip generator", I think because of the  overwhelming number of choices in the Browse section, and the dependence on The Simpsons in the basic cartoon search. Image chef looks like a fabulous tool if you are keen to manipulate your own images and Image generator has lots of useful bits and pieces. Jelly muffin image generator/Webfetti also looked great, but when I attempted to download things, I ran into the Mac problem again - it wasn't compatible with Macs. Also, as I don't have a Facebook page, it didn't let me do things. Ah well! Cool text was great - so many choices, so little time!

Finally, I had a great time using Font image generator. I made a special message for you all, but unfortunately, I couldn't wrk out how to copy it across to my blog - something to work at when I see my workmates next!

Enjoy blogging!

Fiona


  

Posting again #8, #9

Well, I've just looked at igoogle, and I like it! It seems like an easy way to access a number of different things quickly and easily. I think I'll be making use of this one!

I've looked at Second Life and have to admit to finding it a bit strange. This is something I won't be using. I also clicked on getafirstlife and found it interesting that so many things could be accessed via the internet. The same can be said about WoW.

I've read the Sydney Morning Herald article on Exit Reality, but as I was using a Mac, was unable to view Exit Reality itself as it isn't available on Macs. This was somewhat disappointing as, after reading the article, I couldn't see why it would be advantageous to view a website in 3D (as opposed to 2D). Seeing it in action for myself would have it possible to ascertain its usefulness.

After looking at these websites, I've found myself wondering how many people make use of them, and how often. It made me realise how easy it is to spend hours a day interacting in virtual worlds, and not in the real one. Call me old fashioned, but I'd rather spend time in the real world with real people!

A further post

Well, as suggested in lesson 5 I've looked on Zoho Writer and Google Docs but couldn't work out how to save what I was writing there onto my blog - clicking on Save to Blog in Zoho Writer just made the page go grey, and in Google Docs I'm not sure what happened. Any suggestions?

I've also checked Google books. How fabulous! I'm sure this will be very useful for me.

Fiona

Back again!

Hello all! Well, after a slight delay (caused by my momentary inability to work out how to add a new blog!) I'm back. I've read the suggested articles suggested under lesson 4, and have to say I liked what I read. A few points in particular spring to mind. Firstly, I like the idea that "library services are constantly updated and re-evaluated to best serve library users". I also like the idea that feedback from and participation by the library users are encouraged. As a librarian, I think it is important that library staff respond to the needs of their users, rather than just providing what we think they need.

Next, some points in Business 2.0 also appealed to me, particularly the idea that space has vanished. Libraries and the services they offer should no longer be defined and confined by the walls holding the traditional library collection. This links to the new definition of Libraries 2.0, which I find exciting, especially when it suggests "it is about what the technology is allowing us to do." Wow! I'm looking forward to finding out!

I'll catch up soon

Fiona

P.S. I thought I'd be a bit more adventurous with my background. Hope you like it!

My first blog

Well, here I am, blogging on my own blog for the first time. I'm not sure where this will lead me, but I'm glad to have begun the journey. I'm undertaking this as part of a professional development programme at the outer Melbourne Christian school in which I work, and am looking forward to learning a new set of skills. I hope there will be some people who will take the journey with me!