Texas Library Conference

If you would like to see what I am learning at the TLA conference in Dallas this week, hop on over to A Library By Any Other Name starting Tuesday, April 15th (hope you have your taxes done!) Not sure how often I will be able to do "live" blogging, but I will try to blog about many of the things I see and the speakers I hear.

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 #15 2.0 The Future is Us

Been doing the "library thing" for a long time and can't tell you how exciting it is to be immersed in this whole 2.0 version of "life in the library." Yes, with it comes the need to change...and I have handled it better than I ever thought because it has been so exciting.
And F-U-N!

One of the hardest things for me to accept was that in the 2.0 world I can NOT know all there is to know. I do have a responsibility to be familiar with as many things as I can so I can assist people within my circle of influence who want to use or experience something 2.0. AND I have to be ahead of the curve as well...I have to be the experimenter, the tester, the pioneer as much as I can.

There is so much choice in the 2.0 world. I have to be flexible and guide those who seek my assistance in the direction that best fits their needs. I can't make them do it the "old" way just because I'm more familiar (or comfortable) with that way. The user should determine the format, not be locked into a more traditional method.

But users have a responsibility as well. No one will know everything so everyone will have to learn parts on their own. That is one reason this 23 Things is so important to me. I have had to discover how some things work on my own with only the directions, FAQs, and samples. Even the teachers I support have to become users to a certain extent and must take on some responsibility to familiarize themselves with the 2.0 tools their students may want to use, simply because I can no longer "know it all." Teachers and librarians are going to have to be partners in this endeavour even more than in the past. None of us will be able to handle it alone.

The statements brought out in the video must be a wake up call that students are going to use the technology...with or without us! We need to rethink policies that keep them away from the very tools they find most useful and we need to provide the information as freely as possible to as many points of access as we can on a 24/7 timeline. And we need to understand they don't do these things in isolation...group dynamics is all a part of the learning process...no learning in isolation any longer.

And just a short statement about books because they are a part of this 2.0 picture as well. In my opinion, books will not disappear. The types of books we purchase for our libraries will change. We don't need the big, heavy, expensive research volumes...that info is available on line in much more appealing format...multiple users, printouts or emailed copies of only what is needed. Audio books, whether in a mp3 or "Kindle" format, are still "books." And yes, the beautifully illustrated picture books, the graphic novels, and the throw-away pocket book novels for a visit to the beach will still be around.

I think I said it before...choice. In many formats for many reasons. That's my view of 2.0. For now. Watch out, it will change!

Whew, Have finally caught up!

Froggy Wart

Thing #16: It's Been a Wiki of a Month

Ok, am updating my original thoughts about my wiki experience so that I can move onto other Things!

I did get two wikis created for two assignments I was given. The first one was an excruciating painful experience as are most of my maiden voyages into something new technology-wise. The second one was a much more positive experience...mainly because I controlled all of the variables this go-round.

I have to remember to work with the software and not try to make the software work with my pre-conceived notions. Once I remembered that, the second attempt went much faster and smoother.

I am fully committed to using wikis for other things now. I like the PBWiki format so probably will stay with it when I can. Again, that is something I have had to learn about 2.0 web tools...there are many that will do virtually the same thing. Find one or two, learn to use them and don't worry too much about all the other similar ones...personal choice should play into it.

I have reviewed many of the wikis included in the assignment over the last year. At first I was not too impressed because I saw many incomplete, messy-looking, or "dead" wikis...when I finally realized that many wikis are simply workspaces for team collaboration and that final "products" are probably elsewhere, it made sense.

The major purpose of wikis is the collaboration piece and I have participated in a few...most to just add an idea or thought and one to add multiple resources as I come across them.

I do plan to use the wiki format soon, but not for a collaboration in the normal sense. Because our district's source for webpages is changing and the current choice is not very easy to work with, I have decided to make a framework withing the district's software and add the bulk of my materials, resources, and notes to a wiki. It will be much easier for me to update and change to meet my needs...and I have the option of making it collaborative later!

So, ok, you can call me a wiki fan now...albeit on my own terms (as often happens with me.)

Moving on,
The Frog

P.S. Here are the wikis I worked on during the last month. The groups have the option of adding to and/or changing but so far I have not had any inquiries.
ScoreWrite Research Topics
A Raisin in the Sun Project

Wanna See or Hear More about 2.0?

Check out this free magazine about blogging and podcasting...I have been reading it for interest's sake for about a year. It will give you some perspective of these two tools outside the realm of education. Pretty amazing to get a glimpse at just how much is out there!

You can register for a free online podcast version or online version with the coolest reader technology--love watching the pages turn (yes I am easily entertained!)

I know what you are thinking...Yup, another email/password but you can use one you already have! :-)

Blogger & Podcaster For Aspiring New Media Titans...perfect title for all us 23 Things media titans, don't you think?

Enjoy! ...or not, the choice is yours.

Thing #16 It's Been A Wiki of a Week!

...actually about 10 days worth of personally induced "pain and suffering" thru the development of my first "real" wiki all on my own! I got a crazy idea to use one for a major project I was working on, and completely forgot how - long - it - takes - me - to - do - anything - the - first - time.

Yes, I know I'm jumping ahead of some Things in order to share the "hard" time I gave myself over the last several days, but o, well...maybe it's in my nature to "jump to conclusions!"

Now, do NOT think that I am bashing wikis because of my difficulties. The idea behind wikis is great...collaboration tool, communication tool, sharing tool. 95% of my problem was me...not wanting to adapt to the restrictions of the program. Remember these things are FREE and are not gonna necessarily meet all my self-imposed standards of what it should do or look like... or for that matter, what you want from it! :-)

The other 5% mostly has to do with formatting...and o, yes, the poor way you can not use tables very effectively! I just finally had to get-over-it and move on. I did learn that it is much easier to start from scratch and not try to import a bunch of things that are inconsistently formatted from different sources.

Now that might not be a problem for others, but I have never been one for using "help"...I don't want my program to think for me...don't want it to assume I want bullets, indentations, or text /image boxes...I like plain blank screens, thank you very much!

Anyway, after I get group approval of what I created, I will revisit #16 and share my "creation!"

O, in case you are interested...I used PBWiki based on the reading I did (lots of support for it is included on Thing #16) and the recommendation of someone who successfully used it for something she needed. I am going to quiz her about just how easy she found it to use.

And I must always remember...all of these experiences mean I am a life-long learner!!

Now, maybe I can spend some "fun" going thru some other Things...and more importantly, reading thru all the great posts of all the Players...Have you SEEN the LENGTH of the list!!

Talk to you later,
Froggy

A "Tree" of the Pad!

The Lily Pad Playground looks like this if you go here.

And here is all the background and some other examples!

and it is also another activity for Flickr... websitesasgraphs is the search term.

Thing #2 Being a Life-long Learner

I don't think I really understood the term "life-long learner" until my recent past. I always loved school...hated to miss...afraid of what I might miss! I just thought that was the way things were for me.

After moving from the classroom to the library about 30 years ago, I quickly realized that to do what needed to be done in the library, I would have to learn and learn and learn...it was an exciting time that I was privileged to experience...I always dreamed of being a pioneer...and in my own way, I am...my frontier has been the digital and virtual world...and it has been exciting.

And my mom cemented my realization of life-long learning when during one of my visits home I was showing her all the stuff I had been doing with Microsoft Powerpoint and she exclaimed, "do you ever stop...you are always learning! I think it was the light-bulb moment for me.

As for the 7.5 Habits of Successful Life-long Learners, #7 Teach /mentor others is absolutely the easiest for me. Showing someone else how to do something and helping them to learn something new is a basic instinct for me...I do not remember ever not wanting to do it...playing school with neighbors and friends was merely the beginning. Runners talk about the endorphins from a good race...I have the same sensation when someone walks away knowing something I helped them achieve...because it usually means I learned it too! I live to learn, I learn to "live."

That being said, the hardest habit for me is #4 Having enough confidence in myself to be an effective, successful learner. I have worked hard to overcome my shortcomings as I see them. I'm not perfect yet, but I have made lots of progress based on practice, practice, practice (I think I hear a groan coming my own children's corner!) and some very fortunate circumstances of chance over the years that have put me in the right place at the right time to have excellent role models and mentors who support(ed) all my efforts. A long time ago, I pledged to pay these opportunities forward when and where I could. I hope I have.

Until later,

Froggy Wart