Thing #17: Rollyo

I like the fact that you can create your own personal search engine. This allow quick access to my favorite websites. I don't have to think and type; now, I just click. This is a great way to target websites for students' research projects. I attempted to view Bruce's video, but I kept getting the "buffering" messages. It was so distracting to have it pop up every 10 seconds, so I will attempt to watch it later. Once I view it, then I will begin setting up websites for student access.

Personal sites that I selected: msn.com, healthfinder.gov, hgtv.com, allrecipes.com, consumer law.org and encyclopedia.com

Thing #16 - Wikis

Now I see where Wikipedia gets its name--duh. I really didn't understand the concept of wikis until now. It is a great collaborative tool. I liked how I was given several resources to explore and I always enjoy the CommonCraft videos. When I saw the camping trip scenerio, it gave me a better way to coordinate our upcoming family reunion. As for the classroom, I liked the suggestion about writing essays from entries and creating top 10 lists. Wat a great way to get kids to "play" ---work. It's like giving a kid his veggies, but not letting him know they're healthy.

Thing 15: Web 2.0, Library 2.0, and the Future of Libraries

The various blogs from librarians was very interesting. The students' video, although simple, was very powerful and thought-provoking. My children fall within this century of students while I am with the last century. The library was a quiet place with very little activity or interaction. You checked out a book, received a card stamped with the due date, and you either sat quietly and read it, or you took it home to read. If I needed to do research, I looked in an encyclopedia and paraphrased what I read on a piece of notebook paper. Computers were only used to locate books.

Web 2.0 and Library 2.0 reminds me of a word like The Jetsons---very high tech and fast-paced. Information is readily available at your fingertips, and you have so many sources to explore. The library will be "guided on how users access, consume and create content." Our librarian has embraced this concept and is moving towards this goal. I didn't understand why she was giving away so many books to make space for additional computers. Now, I see why she continues to update her technology skills while encouraging teachers to do the same. My wonderful librarian is why this dinosaur is taking the Library2Play training. I don't want to become extinct!

Thing #14: Technorati and How Tags Work

I watched the two videos regarding Technorati and learned about its capacity to search blogs according to various criteria. When I conducted a blogoshere search for School Library Learning, I received 2476 results. Using the tag method narrowed my choices to 176. I clicked on the popular tags link and I received the top 100 tags. When I clicked on the tag, "blogging", I received 150,267 posts! Depending on whether I want a narrow or broad search, I could change my method. Since I really don't have time to read through numerous blogs, I prefer to narrow the search (negative-sometimes I may not get a great blog because it was tagged a different way).

Thing #13: Tagging and Discoving Delicious

Utilizing tagging, I was able to bookmark information that I could readily access. As a research website, I could gain valuable information by reviewing tags of other bloggers and discuss topics that they created/discussed. As a teacher, this would be a wonderful way to explore lessons to implement in the classroom. It also allows me to organize my personal information by cueing me in to the particular areas that I need to access.

Thing #12: Creating Community Through Commenting

There was a lot of good information in this "thing." I am not a "talker." I was forced to get a cell phone which I usually leave at home or forget to check when I do have it. At home, I rarely talk on the phone. Therefore, getting a blog site and utilizing it has been a big step for me. Two points that I think are important are: Write a meaningful comment and Remember the power of words. I am starting to become more concious about reading comments to blogs to see what people are saying. This allows me to get more insight into the chosen subject and I have the opportunitiy to agree or disagree with the point. During my blog search, I found two blogs of personal interest: Quazen and Absolute Presence. I chose these because one deals with college costs and the other deals with the attitudes of students.

Thing #11: LibraryThing

This was an interesting link. I added some books to my library and checked other groups to see what they had in their library. I did see some users with similar interests. This is a great place to list and discuss books. I could network with colleagues to see how they implemented book studies in their classroom. Also, I like how this site connects to bookstores, libraries, and allow me to listen in/participate in discussions.