From ZOHO Writer

ZOHO Writer

Week 8: thing 18

I found ZOHO to be a very complete word processing tool. It is easy to use and offers many great features (more so then Microsoft Word). I have used DreamWeaver to create a web site, and I find many of the same features in ZOHO. I especially like all the templates that are available and plan on using some of them to create library tests, ID badges, etc. I will definitely come back to ZOHO for my word processing needs!

Sharing is good!

Week 7: thing 17

Thank you for the California 2.0 Curriculum Connections wiki. What a great way to get ideas and let others know how you plan on using tools. Great minds think alike - as I saw several of my very own ideas already posted! I did post idea #12 on the Image Generators and web award winners page...I think I may have been a little long winded and should have just posted how I was going to use Trading Card Maker. Shucks, I was so excited!

There are several ways I can see using wikis. For book reviews, ideas between the librarians and library techs., classroom and the library connecting (for book suggestions, resource information, an "Ask the Librarian" type of thing). I think that this is another of those please find some more hours in the day for me tools!

Wiki Wiki

Week 7: thing 16

From looking and reading through the wikis, it seems that elementary school libraries are far behind others. On the Library Bloggers Wiki, there are 61 listings and 7 of those are elementary with 2 sites, not linking.
I found Eatons Hill State School Blog on the teacherlibrarian wiki (under links to our blogs). What a great way for elementary students interaction!
I also found Kathy Schrock's on the same page - it is a great site for seeing what is new in the world of educational technology!
Wikis should have a specific purpose in mind. Since anyone can post, it needs to be understood that sources need to be checked, information verified - if a student is using information for a report.
I can see using a wiki in the elementary school library for posting book reviews. It would be a great way to have students telling others what they like or don't like. With book reviews, there is neither a right or wrong, it is a sharing of what one has read and thinks. As a library media technician, I would love to get students interested in adding to a book review wiki. As hard as I try, I just don't have time to read everything!
If a student does not have time to post during library time - a wiki would be a great tool for collaboration between the library and the classroom and the computer lab (which doesn't happen often). A wiki for the library is definitely something I will pursue.

Library 2.0

Week 6: thing 15

I read all the articles and for me "Wikipedia Library 2.0" explained what the concept of library 2.0 is while the other articles were personal thoughts. I realize the Wikipedia is also personal thoughts but the way it was written, seemed more factual. There were parts I liked and parts I didn't like in all of the articles.
I hope that books are never totally replaced by a computer. At my school, several students still do not have computers at home and especially not laptops (I don't even have a laptop!), you can't take a computer on vacation, a grown up sitting in front of a computer reading a good night story isn't a pretty picture. Should all those quaint practices disappear?
I do agree that as technology advances and the times change - libraries need to be part of the change. The old card catalog needs to be replaced with an online search engine (such as OPAC). Being online with a card catalog allows teachers, students and parents to see if a library has what is needed or desired. Resources should be available online (encyclopedias for example). A library should have a website (both public and school). A library website is able to cover a wide scope of information - hours, links, events, etc. Not every book or even enough of needed subject books (such as planets) can be purchased by most school libraries - so online resources are great. The need for technology in a modern day library is necessary.
When I read the Wikipedia 2.0 article, I felt pretty good about where I am in our elementary school library. We do have OPAC, I do have a library website, I do ask students, parents, teachers for ideas on how to improve or what they would like to see in our library, I do work with students on how to do research online. But, I also love books! I read to most classes, I booktalk, I genre talk, I encourage checking out books for not only school work but for pleasure.

Library 2.0 - What does it mean to me, what does it mean for school libraries?

Library 2.0 is learning what tools are out there. I know that I would not know of many of the tools I have learned about without School Library Learning 2.0. Library 2.0 is embracing new ideas/concepts and realizing you don't have to use them all. It's the idea of being open to new things and willing to try them out and finding ways to tie it all together to make learning come alive for students.
What does it mean for the school library? The answer to that lies in how much a district is willing to put into their school libraries. A brand new library with super technology is not going to matter or help students if it isn't staffed! This is not a rant paper, so I will just leave it at that.

Technorati - Yikes!

Week 6: thing 14

I admire all the work that the designers/programmers at Technorti did over the past three years. Taking something from "idea" to "product" is a wonderful accomplishment.
I would never use Technorati in an elementary school library as a way for students to do a search nor do I think our district would allow it. Why? When I did the discovery exercises and typed School Library Learning 2.0 and clicked posts - some of the sites that came up surprised even me. A few had such things as "hairy ass" and "sexual massage", others had exotic cars. Which ever site had the word - school, library, learning or 2.0 in came up. Under tags, I got the same thing. The only click that came up with blogs from School Library Learning was the blog click.
It seems like sometimes we spend too much time policing students when they are online. Technorti would, in my opinion, make it very difficult to keep students on task.
As for keeping track of the millions of bloggers out there - good for them. I don't think that I would search for blogs. If someone I knew had one, I'd look at it. With Library Learning I check out other blogs to see what others have learned. If I came across a blog by accident that interested me - I'd del.icio.us it. Even for my own blog - I don't expect it to be read by anyone other than those taking the library learning class (or other library techs. in my district for information reasons).
Looking at the popular blogs, searches and tags - I don't get it. What is popular for some, sure isn't for all. I didn't really find one thing that I cared to read all the way through.

mmmm, mmmm del.icio.us

Week 6: thing 13

I admit that I did not quite get Rollyo - but I do get and love del.icio.us! I even added it to my AOL toolbar. First off - when I viewed the 12 minute Del.icio.us tutorial, it was very blurry. I found Us.ef.ul to be very helpful. I do think that the instructions to create an account and use the site were easy to follow (not like Rollyo) and it is easy to figure out what del.icio.us can and will do. I know that I will continue to use this site and keep adding. The idea of the tags make finding something much easier than using the "favorites" on my homepage.

This tool would be wonderful to share sites from one district library website to another. It is so nice to not always have to do your own searching, or reinvent the wheel as the saying goes!

I spent hours looking at the SJLLibrary's del.icio.us page, I need to remember to add it to my del.icio.us page. I have read on other blogs that some have used this tool for several months and love it - I will become one of those people!

I am LibraryJewel on del.icio.us

CONGRATULATIONS!

I just want to congratulate all of you who have finished Learning 2.0. I would send you all a personal congrats. but.....

As I go along, I'm finding that I am spending a lot of time reading and exploring and enjoying what others have done and found. You are all mentors for me. Thanks and congratulations!