Reflection -- looking back

First of all I want to say how much I enjoyed being with the other Media Clerks. They're so much fun and down to earth. I haven't gotten to know them like they all know each other because of my attendance at our meetings. I always looked forward to class and being with them.
When I first started this class I thought “what have I gotten myself into”? This was a really in-depth class and a good look into how far you can go on the worldwide web. There is so much its overwhelming…..well for me anyway. I didn’t exactly know what to expect but did go to class with an open mind. After all I’m more what you call “old school” when it comes to libraries. I love it when I see a kid with an opened book or when a student needs help finding something in the non-fiction section I’m all over that.
Actually this class took me beyond my wildest dreams. We were exploring things I never knew existed. I think the most exciting thing for me is using my digital camera and posting pictures on my blog along with downloading Avatars which are fun.
Myra was amazing. Her knowledge for teaching this class I’m sure has gone beyond the Districts expectations. She was very patient with everyone. She went around us every class making sure we were doing good and asked if we had any questions. I certainly don’t think this class needed any improving but with my technology experience how would I even know? What I do know is that we covered A LOT and she did a heck of a job! I learned so much that I was excited to do our assignments. What made it even more exciting is a teacher mentioned she had to do a blog for a Masters class she was taking. That was very cool knowing I was learning something that they teach in college.
I’m hoping to pass on this valuable info to students. I’m working hard to be able to answer their questions on Word or Xcel but to be able to sit down and show them what I’ve learned would be fun. I don’t know that I’m ready to teach a class but a one on one would be ok. The girls talked in our class about learning how to put video onto a power point sounds interesting and that’s something to look forward to in the future. Learning that I can actually learn technology is great. Overcoming my fear of trying to learn something new has finally arrived and I will continue to explore and blog in the future. Thanks again Myra. You Rock!!

Class and loss

I received some bad news today about my dog. It was a freak accident that took him a way from us. We've been blessed to have him for 13 years. He was my best friend. There wasn't anywhere or anything I did on the farm that he wasn't by my side. Just recently I've had to leave him in the house while I fed the horses because he would give them "what for" and I was afraid he would get kicked which wouldn't have been the first time. That was hard because he loved to go down there for his walks. But long story short I'm using my blog as a healing tool and a while back I did post a picture of him. He will be missed...

Thing #21 Copyright and Freedom of Information

Very interesting! This goes so into depth that it's almost hard to understand. I'm sure there's so many different kinds of Copyright. You can download music from Limewire illegally but why is it out there to downloaded? You can copy and paste something from the internet but why does it allow you to and then say it's copyright infringement. Why is it out there then?? Simple guidelines would be okay. I had a Teacher Librarian who shall remain nameless that always told the teachers he was going to rat on them for breaking copywrite laws and he could get a $10,000 reward. He is long gone now but I wouldn't have put it past him.
Thing #21 is very useful and I will certainly explore it more extensively.

Thing #20 Social Networking

Social networking is okay. I think there's a time and place for it. I'm finding more and more students abuse their priviledges on the computer by getting into chat rooms, myspace, facebook. I see a time when the district lifts the block on these (there's back doors into them) because students are getting on to them anyway. Maybe social networking is a good thing in school I don't know but when someone finds a good reason as to why a student can chat instead of doing their work would you please let me know and I will be more then happy to lighten up on them. :)

Thing #18 -- YouTube, TeacherTube, and User-Generated Video

TeacherTube is fun. In fact, my son did a video of our Spanish teacher rapping. She did it all in Spanish and I really wanted to download it onto my blog but just didn't get the time. I did get her permission to use it as long as it wasn't going to be on the internet. Shucks!!

Thing #17 Explore Web 2.0 Award-Winning Apps

The website is incredible. There's just so much to explore here. I decided to go into "Fun Stuff" because life is just so serious. Cocktail Builder sounded interesting not that I'm really into alcohol but to know all the different kinds of liquor and where they all come from is fascinating.

Thing #16 -- Learning a language

Learning another language would be interesting. We're heading to Mexico for spring break and it would be nice to get there and know what they're saying. BUT a wise taxi driver once told us you need to live it to speak it. We have a Spanish teacher here that spends her summers in Mexico brushing up on their culture.

Thing #17 -- Explore Web 2.0 Award-Winning Apps

I am simply amazed at how in-depth you can go into this. There's some really cool sites. What I'm finally realizing is that everything Myra has taught us is all tying together. I'm just getting that.

Thing #15 -- Audio Books

I can honestly say I have never listened to one before. I always have good intentions when we go on road trips but I never have gotten into listening to them. I always recommend them to my farmer friends who spend countless hours in their tractors. They mention how tired they get of hearing the same songs over and over! I've even suggested foreign language tapes. They could actually be learning another language while they're working. As for pulling a book up on the computer and reading it I think I would rather have the copy. I don't do well sitting at the computer reading for very long periods of time but now a good book I could sit there all day.
Erie has a brand new library and I'm hearing very good things about their books on tape section. I'm thinking this summer might be a good time to visit the library, check out a good audio tape and pick up a paint brush.

Thing #14 -- Podcasting

I have tried in vain to get a Voki on here but I just end up with either a bunch of mumbo jumbo or nothing. The directions say anyone can do it.....except for me. I'm still trying to work on getting some links on here as well. Trying to master some of this technology has proven me to be very techno illiterate. One thing I was quite impressed with is a teacher here is going through the masters program and had to do a blog. Image that!! It does make me feel better knowing it might be a little more challenging then I thought.

Thing #13 -- Google Apps

Okay now this is great! iGoogle is a lot of fun to play with. In fact I'm playing around with the calendar but again I'm thinking the change from the old fashioned signup book could be a bit difficult with the teachers. They're so use to emailing me for just about everything. So many of them don't get on their computers much for lack of time so it would force them to learn something different. I'm willing to try it though and see how well it does.

Thing #12 -- Open Source applications

I had a hard time getting into this "thing". I didn't quite understand some of it but I did get the fact that Microsoft office if not the thing to use and is almost obsolete?? I just learned how and have been playing with publisher which I really like. But with most things "change" is hard and eventually we'll adapt to it.

Thing #11 -- Wikis

The wiki we're doing for the clerks is kind of fun. Makes you have to sit and think about all the things you do on your topic. I need to write down all the things I do in one day. Of course, like everyone else somedays are busier then others. Our labs are what keep the teachers sane.

Thing 10 -- Working with photos

As I was walking around the library I starting realizing the kind of world we're living in right now. Students were sitting at the computers working on powerpoints, surfing the web, doing current events etc. Most of them were listening to their iPods which amaze me because some of them can hold thousands of songs or movies. last summer I did get a little more technology advanced and moved up from my CD player to a shuffle which is similiar to the iPod but doesn't hold near as many songs. That's ok because I'm completely happy with what I have for the time being and it does hold most my favorite George tunes. I'm sure in time I will advance. I also became addicted to my new digital camera that I got for Christmas. My kids are hoping I'm better at using this then the old fashion camera that I have about 100 + rolls of undeveloped film. It's a slow process but when I look at what we all have done so far in our class (thanks to Myra) it amazes me that I've came this far with so much more to go. :)

Thing #9 Technology

When we first started this I had no idea what was in store for us and what we would be doing. This thing called technology is great. I do want to know can you ever comprehend everything that the world wide web has to offer? I found a great little poem that I hope I don't offend anyone by but I thought it would be neat to incorporate it into "technology". Well, scrape that because I can't figure out how to do it. I thought I would try to make it scroll like on our Library media clerks website. I'll figure it out yet.

Thing 8 -- Library thing

I really like this tool. I input my favorite books and wala they they were. The only problem is trying to figure out how to do a Library Thing chiclet. I ended up with an error and deleted it. I'd really like to figure out how to do this.....oh Myra!!

Practice funny

This is just a little practice funny!

Thing 7 -- Tagging & Social Bookmarking

Ok! I'm really lost. Part of my problem is I haven't been playing with it since class last Wednesday. I was lost in class too. I did get into Del.icio.us and played with that but I couldn't figure out how to do network badges. I'm hoping we take some time on Wednesday and do some reviewing. So on to the next thing!

Thing #6 -- Image Generators

This one was really frustrating for me. I did like using ImageChef though. I think it was the easiest. I do better being shown how to do something rather then trying to figure it out myself. It takes way too long to do that. Not having class last week gave us more time to play around.

I'm trying....

I've been doing a lot of playing around with this. I'm getting better but I do have some questions. I have a hard time sitting at the computer for very long but the more things work for me the longer I can sit and play around.

Thing #5

I was able to put a picture on my blog but I don't like the size or where its at. Oh Myra......help. I'm excited though. Maybe I am catching on!!
I've been playing around with this and decided this can be a "thing". I did download some pics that I really don't want on the internet so I played around with that and deleted them. I'll get better. It just takes time and more time.

Thing #4 Technorati

There's so much to search on this and I guess that's why they call it the world wide web. I searched my topic and found that most of the sites were about the same. I was searching libraries and find a blog that has some really bad language in it. Not that I haven't heard it before but decided there's no getting away from it. Most of my searches pulled up pretty much the same thing. How do we know what we're ready is for real?

Thing #3

I did better at our class on Wednesday. I had a mind set that I was going to keep up and understand. Wow! I really played a head game with myself because it worked! It's hard for me to sit still at the computer for very long so it takes me a while to get things done. I did update my profile though and clicked on my town and ta-da there are other bloggers from here and few of then I know. So that was pretty neat.
I did get the job done of subscribing to everyones feeds on my bloglines. Now on to the task of trying to find subjects!!

Thing #2

Worked and played with the blog posting more comments and looking at the other blogs. I'm siding with Kim on this blogging stuff. Posting the way I think and feel on the world wide web isn't really comforting. Not so sure about all this yet.

Thing #1

Very interesting. Worked on my first blog and I have to say it's overwhelming. Kind of fun though.

I really enjoyed the class yesterday but feel a little overwhelmed. I'll work on the homework and hopefully be prepared for next week. :)

three day weekend

Yeah! Monday is a day off. Martin Luther King day. No school.

stock show fun

Went to the stock show on Sunday with family and friends and had a great time.