Moving to the Beach for Summer 2009

Will be participating in a new online 2.0 learning adventure known as 11.5 New Things (aka Library2Play 2) this summer. Took a giant leap over to a new blog At the Water's Edge to document my new adventures.

Pack a beach bag and join me there!

Adding a PhotoStory to Your Blog

I created these screen shots to help some Library2Play 23 Things bloggers upload PhotoStory samples for Thing 21 about podcasts. I need to remember the steps myself and so now I can...and can also be reminded to be patient because it does take awhile for the file to upload!

SBISD folks are reminded that PhotoStory3 is already loaded on your new laptops.

this is a test load of a PhotoStory

Thing #23 Summing Up! Is That All There Is?

When I started this task, it looked daunting. I wasn't sure I would reach the end. I feared I would get hung up on Things I couldn't do or understand. The finish line looked far away and uphill all the way!

x

And I was not a huge fan of online learning...don't have much experience in learning thru online resources. I knew I would miss the face-o-face interactions with my fellow students.

x

But I knew that was one of the major objects for me...learning by doing...by reading the directions...the FAQs...the help pages...reviewing the samples. One reason is because that is the way things come now...there are no more manuals...and more importantly, there is SO much stuff out there now that NO one can be the "expert", i.e. the teacher, of everything I need to know how to do.

What were your favorite discoveries or exercises on this learning journey?

All the fun sign generators! Google Reader, Google alerts, Google docs.

How has this program assisted or affected your lifelong learning goals?

letting me know I can do these things...that I can figure this stuff out on my own. Makes me want to find other fun things!

Were there any take-a-ways or unexpected outcomes from this program that surprised you?

How much I enjoyed it all...even the podcast!

It was very interesting to see the different reactions from all the different players and how we viewed the value of different things! nothing was consistent...thought that was very interesting...different strokes for different folks.

What could we do differently to improve upon this program’s format or concept?

Nothing really...but I will join the consensus that is building for splitting a new group of Things into 2 smaller groups. I wish there was a way to get more Players to comment to each other...that is a critical component to social networking! Hopefully, folks will be more comfortable with the concept and do it more often in the future as they read and use blogs, etc. that they have discovered.

If we offered another discovery program like this in the future, would you choose to participate?

AB-SEW-LUTE-LEE! Where do I sign up!

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?
One word: Fun!

One sentence: Life-long learning & social networking experiences all wrapped up in fun!

(yes, grammar teachers...not a sentence-- but sums up my thoughts any way)

I am looking forward to following the adventures of other Players now without the pressure of thinking I need to be working on my own assignments! I hope many of the Players who have seemed to embrace blogging will keep their blogs active and continue to share their thoughts and ideas on things that would benefit us all.

I think it is pretty appropriate that I finished this up on March 17th cuz I can tell you..I am jumping for joy and dancing a jig! I would have had fireworks going off in this blog...but they are banned in the city. I'll save my civil disobedience for more important things!

Hope I see you around the virtual learning pool!

Take care,

Froggy Wart

Thing #21 Podcasting...Can I Cast Someone Else?

I have been dreading this Thing since this whole L2P came together last semester! No, not the program, not even the material to include...it is a voice thing...my voice! I was thinking I would rope one of my kids into helping their ol' mom. Didn't happen...gee, they have lives of their own.

Podcasts (or picture-filled vidcasts) are all over the internet... I follow a book review site Just One More Book that is nothing but podcast reviews and interviews. Cool Cat Teacher includes an audio copy of her posts, but she must use a format that my computer doesn't recognize because I can't play them. There are hundreds of educational podcasts at the I-tunes store. The EPN (Education Podcast Network) brings together many sources of podcasts and arranges them buy curriculum or purpose. Many publishers include them as promotional materials for new books. Even the traditional communication tool NPR now has a podcast directory of many of its broadcasts.

Ok, a little bit of background about my podcast below. I used Photostory since I could not find a free host for an audio-only sample. The visuals you will recognize. I planned the order, wrote my scripting so I would not loose my place, unplugged my phone (no interruptions!), plugged in my headphones, took a big, deep breathe, and plunged in...and heard n-o-t-h-i-n-g. Messed around with the sound settings on my computer although all seemed right and tried it again...nothing, nada, zip, zero. Unplugged the headphones, turned up my personal volume a bit... and thank goodness, SOUND! All was good during the preview until I came to the picture where the sound ended about 30 seconds before the picture did...had about 3 of those to adjust. Whew!

Not the greatest sample I have ever produced. If I had had about 2-3 more hours and a bigger bottle of asprin (for my headache) and cotton balls for my ears so I would not have to hear it over & over & over (hey, forget the asprin, give me Pepto Bismol), I might have cleaned it up a little better.

It did scare me when it took almost as long to upload as Open Office took to download...Walked away for a bit and kept one eye on it in case the computer "blew up" from the attempt. All is well.

I will listen to podcasts. I will use podcasts as teaching tools. I will use PhotoStory to make teaching/learning tools..................................I ... will ... make ... more ... podcasts, but will line up voice sources!

Bye-bye for now!
FW