Thing 25: Blogger Toolkit

I'm not to excited right now. I had finished this post with the addition of 6 blogger tools, and then the whole post disappeared, even after I'd gone in and out several times. I guess I'll post again, but I've already speant about 3.5 hours on this "thing." There are so many of them. As I mentioned in my deleted post, I'm most interested in fuctionality that could also be pasted into teacher web pages built with Publisher. All our teachers are required to have one, so these tools could be slick. I had uploaded a picture from Flicker CC. I'll try again. Here is the attribution. Image: 'untitled'
www.flickr.com/photos/68114626@N00/103450022

I also set up a Site Meter Account to check on site visits. I set up a gVisit account, but it didn't work correctly. I pasted in the code, but it didn't do anything.

In inserted a PollDaddy poll which did work. I'll post it again below.



I also put in a search box to the left. I really like that one.

Finally, I put in a Google map below. That's easy too. I think pasting the code works well. I wish it was easier to see what you'd get before posting, however.

Thing 24: Refresh Your Blog

It was good to get back into the blog again. I haven't really used it much since finishing 23 things, except as a way to get back to some of the resources I worked with.

I did give my blog a new look and added some links at the bottom. Some of the new gadgets might be useful if I get into using this more consistently. I switched out my avatar for a traveling photographer. We're heading south for spring break, and I'm ready!

As for blogging, I'm still considering setting up a media center blog to post on my main media center page. I just haven't had the time to get it done. We've been heavy into technology training for our teachers, and that has taken most of my time.

I did work with one of my English teachers this winter to start a blogging activity in his Explorations in Literature class. He had all the students set up blogs in blogspot. They put the settings to private and shared access with him as the teacher. It seems like a nice safe way to set it up in the classroom. We also took the advice of the teachers in Edina and sent a parent permission slip home. So far, it has been a nice way for him to get his students writing and reacting to literature.

So with Thing 24, I start my journey discovering more things on a stick.

Thing 23. Final Thoughts

I am certainly more aware of what's out there. I have had a general understanding in the past, but having to actually "do" the things in this program helped to make it more real. I also really liked the informational links provided and the short video segments. Those helped to give integration ideas which are so important.

As for a tool, the file type converter will be awesome! I've already used it. I was never a big blog guy before, but I think I will start that now. It can be a way to connect with my students and staff if I promote it well. Also, the RSS reader will be great to keep up on trends and topics.

Much of my connecting has happened in-district as several of use have undertaken this journey.

There's something about completing all the things that provides an overall understanding that you can't get from just one or two. It was also good to see how many of these tools intersect and interconnect. That is where much of the power comes from.

Yes, I would do this again, but I think I need a little time to better digest what I've now done. As I said, it did take a pretty big time commitment.

The 23 Things On A Stick program has been a great way to stimulate learning and growth among library staff in regards to web 2.0, and it has provided many tools to help us be more productive and to better connect with others. We need to keep up with the ever changing web, and the 23 things has allowed us to do that.

Thanks again for this opportunity!

Thing 22. What Did I Learn Today?

I resolve to keep up with web 2.0 tools. In fact, we're planning some summer tech training, and one of the courses will be web 2.0 tools. That way I can share what I've learned with my colleagues. Also, by teaching it, I will better remember and keep these tools at the front of my consciousness.

I have a lot of irons in the fire right now with new technology--tech training, new video server, website work, project lead the way, a Moodle online classroom for my independent study students and TV staff, staff websites, etc. but I will find time for web 2.0. I'd like to try a couple new tools each year and really integrate them. I'd like to make my main website page (library research page) the place where I can link these tools. That way students/users would regularly see them. After all, if no one uses them, it's a waste of my time. Again, I think if I do one or two at a time and really concentrate on those, I can better commit to keeping up with them.

Also, I do intend to keep up with my RSS reader. I'd never used that before, but I've already learned several things that way that I'm glad I didn't miss!

Thing 21. Beyond MySpace: Other Social Networks

I like Ning. In fact, I like it much better than Facebook or MySpace. It's probably because the network more closely meets my needs. I also find it more user friendly. It is easy to navigate and easy to add elements or use the widgets.

I have used the webjunction site before and have an account there. I like the training pieces and have used some with my paraprofessional for training purposes. The interface is not real dazzling, but I'm OK with that as long as the content is good.

I liked the Teacher Librarian Ning. I might actually start using that one. It's sort of like a list serve, but more personal. There's also something nice about seeing a face with the words. It's much more personal.

Thing 20. Libraries and Social Networks

I prefer Facebook over MySpace. I like the increased privacy of it, and it seems a little more mature, even though Facebook is supposed to be open to younger people. My Space seems to have sillier and more raunchy material visibly posted. As I was searching library groups to join, however, I ran into a group about having sex in the library, so I guess neither are perfect.

I joined the Library 2.0 group. That would be interesting. I could possibly get some ideas.

I was able to find my brother and sister-in-law to add as friends. Because of the different networks, it takes a little while to find people you know. Also the email search didn't help too much because I didn't have one of the more commone free emails. I have a school email and a home one from a local network. Therefore, it couldn't search my contacts.

It was cool that Hennipin County Library has over 1200 friends on it's MySpace Page. That's an interesting idea. If you can get kids to join, that would be a good way to communicate. Because it's blocked at school, it wouldn't help there, but it might help at home. I like that it offered way to put the Hennipin Library book search tool into their own MySpace pages. I wonder how they did that. Cool.

Thing 19. Podcasts

Here is a great podcast on grammar. It's a dull topic, but this podcast is great. As a former English teacher, I appreciate it when someone can make grammar interesting, and this does it. I subscribed to it in iTunes, but I'm not sure I like it when iTunes automatically downloads things. It bogs my Internet down at home.

I was interested in listening to the Saint Cloud State podcast too. They were actually just starting it when I saw a conference session with them at MEMO this fall. The key with these is promoting it enough so people actually listen to them. Otherwise, it's a little discouraging to put in all the work and not have anyone listen to them. I subscribed to this one too.

I've looked at some subscriptions in iTunes too. That's pretty easy to use. There is something for everyone there.

I dug around a little and found the spot to submit my own podcast, but it wanted a RSS feed. I now know more about those, but I don't know how to make one. How do I make a RSS feed, so I could syndicate my own podcasts? We've had students make podcasts at our school using Audacity, but we've only posted them on our local website. That works well for us, but how would we go about making them available for subscription? I'll need to investigate more to figure that out. I believe we can host them locally and still put them on iTunes. Maybe we'd need to enter a new url for each podcast. I also believe there is a way to password protect it. I'd like that too. People could subscribe but only get the podcast with our local password and login. That would make parents more comfortable. I believe Buffalo is doing something like that.

The other thing we post weekly on our website at school is our 10 minutes weekly newscast done by students. It would be neat to put that up on iTunes as well.