Reflections on my learning journey

Favorites? Probably Flickr, U-Tube, Del.icio.us. I think I could find a use for one or two of the web-based applications--especially the Excel program. The RSS Feeds and Technorati left me scratching my head. I'm familiar with Wikis so already had an appreciation for them.

How has this exercise affected my lifelong learning goals? Well it definitely has given me more confidence in knowing a little bit about all the terms, names & whatnots of things I was clueless about. I probably would have remained so if it wasn't for this learning experience. A little twist of the arm can go a long way.

On the other hand, it has also left me with some level of anxiety about how little I know & how much is available & how much will continue to surface, leaving me feeling behind no matter what.

No take-aways for me. Or unexpected outcomes. Well, having gotten started on this blog makes me feel slightly accomplished.

I don't have any suggestions for improving on this program. I can see that all those who participated in assisting the staff did a fantastic job of things. I can only imagine how much time it took.

My biggest negative reaction about the program is that it took a great deal of time out of my regular workday. In fact, here I am on a Sunday afternoon sitting at my library computer typing away to complete my tasks. Hooray, I think I'm done!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

THANK YOU ALL FOR MAKING US DO THIS. IT WAS A WORTHWHILE ENDEAVOR.

#22 Social Networking

I viewed the U-tube video on this topic and also listened to Newsweek's Facebook Challenge (as well as having read the Newsweek cover page article on social networking, since I get Newsweek.) I read the first couple paragraphs of Why I Love It. And also, Why I hate It.

I am not a member of Facebook or MySpace or even Friendster ( a new one on me). One makes time for things they like and making time for something as time-consuming as social networking would be a monumental endeavor. But besides the fact that it is very time-consuming, it's also a culture I'm not interested in. I'd rather be involved in the real world rather than the virtual. Face-to-face interaction is more my style. In fact, I'm not even that fond of the telephone. So for me it's purely a personal preference. Another hesitation I have is that it appears unsafe and to go a bitter farther on that thought, it seems it could be very dangerous. So much of you could get out there to the world.

On the other hand, I see its value in being able to make contacts so much easier-- for things like finding jobs, new friends, partners, etc. I can also see its value as a learning tool. But none of my interests would motivate me to pursue Facebook as a tool.

#21 Podcasts

This is one of my favorites...most useful to me. Thanks everyone.

I've chosen PodcastAlley to do my browsing. Searching "book review" brought up 200 podcast titles. These numbers amaze me, finding it somewhat daunting that there is so much out there that I have been missing.

Next I chose the following book review titles, BOOK REVIEW NOISE, RACHEL'S REVIEWS, THE LITERATE LOSER, and BOOK SNARK. Something for everyone.

I think I'll check out the How to podcast tutorial link as well but some other time.

I'm copying the below info so I don't forget. This looks like something I could really enjoy. Living in the woods creates certain problems--like--being limited to dial-up and therefore having limited access to much of everything fun & wonderful. Now I can learn how to download (or subscribe to) stuff that I can put on my thumb drive & then take home to listen to on my PC or on my new MP3 player! No more hard rock music while on the treadmill at WellWorks.

Subscribe
Don't panic! — It's almost always free.

When you subscribe to a podcast you'll get the newest episodes delivered right to you as soon as they're available. To subscribe, though, you'll need to get some great music software like the Yahoo! Music Engine or Apple iTunes. New episodes will show up there whenever they're available.

Download
If you just want a copy of a particular episode, you don't have to subscribe. You can just click the "Download" button to save to your hard disk. Then, manage it and play it like you would any other audio file. (But trust us, you'll like subscribing.)

On the Go
If you want to listen to a podcast on your MP3 player, it's easy. Just download the episode to your computer, or subscribe to the series, and use your music software (Yahoo! Music Engine or Apple iTunes) to transfer it to your MP3 player.

# 20 Me & U-Tubing

(Hmm. Never try to download Skype & download a videocam & then say 'yes' to restart your computer, while you just completed a entire entry into your blog w/o saving first...$##@#!*&xx#@&^% !!!)

So maybe I said the first time around that I checked out Hawaii videos--specifically, Kailua, to see if there was anything about this lovely little Hawaiian area I've visited a few times. Sure enough, there were plenty. So enjoy my choice. Click on the link if you want to go to U-Tube to view or just start up this embedded version.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WKNmJKFu7pU

What do I like or dislike about UTube? How can one not like it. There's something for everyone.

Applicable to library websites? Sure, it seems like just the thing to make a library instruction easier or to give a website a little more pizazz.

# 19 Discovering Web 2.0 Tools

I've chosen Books from the short list of awards and the site called LuLu which came in first place. http://www.lulu.com/ Why settle for less!

In LuLu there are books, calendars, artwork, music & audio, and videos. Looks like this is the site to publish your thing & then offer it free or sell.

I especially liked the artwork section where I searched "Chicago," my hometown, & found a great selection of photos. I copied a few & pasted them into a MS Publisher document... Is this legal?? I think there's more I need to know.

# 18 Web-based Applications

My discoveries...I looked at many of the web-based productivity publications. Mostly Goolge's. I created a calendar for the month of Aug. just to see how things work. I also went into G's documents & spreadsheets. Since I have so many Excel spreadsheets, I imported one of them into a G spreadsheet. Easy enough. Then I set it up so that I could share it with--who else?--Lorraine. So girlfriend, if you're reading this you can also check out my doc on ENG 151s at...

Link to my new Google Spreadsheet

Enjoy the read!

# 17 Playing Around w/Wikis

As I mentioned earlier, I have been entering into the Reference Dept. Refwiki for some time now. I found it even easier than the same entries I used to make in our Refblog.

So, as per one of the discovery exercises, I created a login acct. so I could "play in the sandbox" and looked around and fooled around and added my blog to the Favorite Blogs site.

My general take on the whole wiki system is that, & perhaps this is because I am more experienced w/wikis than some of the other L2.0s, although it has some disadvantages, i.e. entries can be easily tampered with, I think its collaborative qualities & its quick updates are positive & useful.

# 16 Wikis

I love it that the word "Wiki" comes from the Hawaiian phrase "wiki wiki", as my heart belongs to anything Hawaiian.

As per this assignment, I viewed Wiki, Wiki, Wiki; also Wiki's: A Beginner's Look. I also viewed two of your suggested readings: Book Lovers Wiki--(I already photocopied the many books it has reviewed) and the Library Success: A Best Practices Wiki--looks a lot like our Refwiki.

Anyway, I feel good about this week's topic since I have both experience in reading a wiki--our very own Refwiki, as well as having experience in inputting info into the wiki. After recording the minutes from our bi-weekly reference meetings, I type them in Word and then copy & paste them into the Refwiki, making the required changes so it's easy to read & easy to find. Utilizing asterisks, which become bullets, is an example of my experience.

In our Refwiki, under Category: Library Information is a subcategory under R called Reference Minutes.
The purpose, like all wikis, is for the members of the group--the Ref staff-- to have a good way of accessing info quickly, from the pooling of our expertises. I like it that we've taken our collaboration to another useful level.

We first began sharing useful info w/a blog--the RefBlog. We have since discovered the merits of a wiki & have moved all old stuff from the blog to the wiki, replacing the blog w/the wiki & eliminating the blog all together.

More on this in my next blog entry #17

# 15 Library & Web 2.0

The perspective I found most interesting was the first reading-- Away from the “icebergs” -- which suggest 3 threats to the future of libraries. Below includes the titles of these 3 & a snippet of what I considered a good thought from each.

The “just in case” collection...As a Web 2.0 reality continues to emerge and develop, our patrons will expect access to everything – digital collections of journals, books, blogs, podcasts, etc.

Reliance on user education...We need to focus our efforts not on teaching research skills but on eliminating the barriers that exist between patrons and the information they need

The “come to us” model of library service...integrating our services into their daily patterns of work, study and play.

My overall impression so far? On one level I am not as appreciative of the many examples of web2.0 we've explored as I would be if I had more time to devote to them. On the other hand, I have found value in learning as much as I have from this project as I am not so totally in the dark when I hear terms like flickr, RSS feeds, Web 2.0, etc. I'm going to plug along and hope that some of this sticks w/me & not worry too much about what I'm missing in the process of squeezing it all in.

# 14 Technorati

So I read about Technorati's new features. I did a few searches in the EXACT phrase box. Funny that when I put in Taylor's College, a place where my son will do his next semester, I got blogs about college and blogs about taylor and blogs about taylor's and a few about taylor's college. Go figure about the exact phrase part of this?!

But don't give up too soon. I then went to the most Popular page as suggested and noticed on the list of top searches, Harry Potter, and Paris Hilton, and Frank Rich to name a few. Not knowing who Frank Rich is and wanting to, I clicked on that. I found many blogs with the word rich. And my blogs with the word Frank. I still don't know who Frank Rich is. Perhaps I will google him.

Then I clicked on the 100 top blogs list. Here are some exciting things I found...

How to Change the World

Think Progress

Hot Air

Needless to say, my experience in this exercise was not totally impressive. I do know that there exists such a site, however, will no longer wonder how people find blogs.

#13 Del.icio.us' Social Networking Aspects

"...peering into another users' filing cabinet..." I suppose I might find that useful in some other life--maybe when I retire. Like when I retire I'll plant a big garden. When I retire I'll look at others' filing cabinets!

If I was a researcher (and when I retire I might become one) I could see benefits of this tool. But I have registered & installed my buttons anyway and now have made it possible to see my bookmarks on my computer at home as well as here at work. Presently, this is the attraction for me.

Bookmarks vs. Del.icio.us ~~
On tagging: I already name my bookmarks w/a one word descriptor of my choice. And then I often rename the link to a one word descriptor so I can find it easier. Since I am not interested in "building a collaborative repository of related information" I have found this approach satisfactory. But who knows! Serious Eats looks interesting to me as I expore along...

# 12 Rollyo

Just took a quick look because this sounds interesting to me. Quick Quotes could prove very handy. Also liked Free Photos (even though I know now that I can go the route of Flickr for free photos too) because it seems easier than Flickr. I also explored other rolls & saw things like Ask Mr. Fixit, music stuff, book info...

I think I will explore this more later. Can't say too much about it except that it seems worthwhile to me, much more so than some of the other L 2.0 things.

I will use this!

http://rollyo.com/kizuki-sama/quick_quotes_search/

# 11 LibraryThing

FABULOUS! I absolutely love something finally. I created an account & began entering right away. http://www.librarything.com/catalog/sitko I have a large stack of little slips of paper, all shapes & sizes, with titles of books & authors names & who recommended them to me...Now I can get this organized & have my own little system/bookstore.

I don't think I am interested in the social aspect of this site. At least not yet. The Groups & Talk I'll pass on for now. I made this a private acct. in my profile but may venture out there later.

The UnSuggested--books it thinks I would NOT want, seems like I might enjoy.

I also love--which I just discovered--that I can click on the bookjacket in my list & and choose that it take me to the book site in Amazon--where I always go for reviews. Now I can do two steps at once!!!!!!!!

So take a look w/my link here. I just got started so only have about 6 entries. I really like the Cover View aspect of this as well...just like browsing books in a bookstore.

THANKS FOR SOMETHING I CAN REALLY USE...& ENJOY.

#10 Image Generators

I created this "warholizer" from the site called FD Toys.

AND...







http://www.letterjames.com/start.php?mod=image-personalization

I created this image at LETTER JAMES

AND...
I went to http://www.dylanmessaging.com/create
and created two images--Bob Dylan messages to --that I emailed to my friends.

# 9 Finding Feeds

So far I've checked out Syndic8 and got a bit confused. Think I'll ask for help on that one. The process I used for finding some feeds was right on the Bloglines site. I just tapped into a few of the offerings they gave from their staff's favorites. If it's good enough for them...good enough for me.

# 8 Making Life Really Simple...Perhaps

I went through the discovery resources & finally can say I now know what RSS is all about. I can see how for those who view a lot of stuff on the internet, this is a great way to expedite the process. For me, at this time in my life anyway, I'll stick w/the great outdoors. It's kinda like, for now I'm buying my produce at the Farmers' Market. When I retire, I'll grow my own. And when that time comes, I'll RSS my book reviews and movie reviews and some other things that interest me enough to go online.

#7 Blog About Technology

Well I'm truly not a techie person. Did I even spell that right? And this goes beyond computer kind of stuff. I still don't own a digital camera, although that seems to be creeping up on me. No cell phone. No dishwasher. We have an outhouse on our place and we still use it often. And I just figured out how to program our cordless phone to do all that it was meant to do. One thing that did make a big difference in my life, however, was finally, after some 30 yrs of going to laundromats, getting a washer & dryer.

But ask me an Excel question. Or ask me for a quick graphic-- a sign or poster, admission tickets, business cards. Calendars I can do in a jiffy too.

Anyway, it's amazing the info that's out there. Just trying to find the time to get that info is the biggy.

#6 More flickr fun

I've chosen to make a librarian trading card. Seemed the easiest thing to do. So here it is.

# 5 Created a Flickr account!

As I mentioned, my sister is in Japan & emails me all kinds of wonderful pictures. I decided to start organizing them for her in this new flickr thing. As soon as I'm done I will let her know she can access it too and see what I've done for her. Maybe it will get her interested enough to create her own account and start flickring too. See http://www.flickr.com/photos/sitko/

Lifelong Learners & their 7.5 Habits

I used to work in the Lifelearning Dept. here on campus. We offered classes in everything. From bee-keeping (taught by Lars) to juggling, selling real estate, cooking fantastic desserts. It was a great job seeing the satisfaction coming from our customers--returning customers, all-ages customers, struggling customers, and sharing customers. Learners.

My least used habit is probably the one about utilizing technology to my advantage. More on that later. In fact, see #7 Blog About Technology

About Chris

She's my sister--who's currently living in Japan. She's getting her master's degree in teaching English as a 2nd language--a retirement project after 35 yrs in business. She is a busy lady so has gone back to school to be busier. She already went back to school years ago to get her MBA. Now at 56 she is a student again. And living in Japan she is a student w/a roommate again.

She sends me emails. "First impressions," Second impressions," Kyoto," "I'm in Tokyo." They all come w/great photos and little stories. I like the ones best that show the basics. Like the next door laundromat. Or the public toilets that are really public. Anyway, here are just a few of those pics.

Oh! She's a good example of a life-long learner...and I think she has fun.