Week 4 Thing 8 Google Reader

This evening I opened a Google Reader Account and browsed around looking for some YA blogs and news feeds that I could add to it. After spending the initial time investment of finding blogs and news feeds that one is intereted in, I like how this is a time-saving feature. When there's a update on those sites to which I subscribe, I will find it on my Google Reader page. I can see how this will be a very useful application in the library and around campus. Students can set up accounts so they get news feeds for current events or if they are trying to locate specific information for projects. I like that I can subscribe to other YA book blogs and know when a new posting comes out. Adding these feeds to teacher web pages or to our library page is another possibility.

Week 3 Thing 7 Flickr

I do enjoy technology! Digital cameras are very easy to use. I own a simple one but after playing around in Flickr and looking at the amazing photographs, I'd like to get a better camera. I'd love to take a class in digital photography. One of the things I like to do when I have spare time is to scrapbook. I'd love to try digital scrapbooking. I had great fun playing around with some of the programs available in Flickr. I would enjoy learning how to manipulate my digital photographs with special effects. I am also a great fan of the Ipod. I've taken a short course in Podcasting and I can see all kinds of uses for that technology. I found a few teachers that actually record their lectures with a digital recorder and then post it on their web pages. I would have loved to have had access to this type of technology when I was a student. I was a slow notetaker and missed many points of lectures. Students who are not strong auditory learners would benefit from this type of technology, as would English Learners, student with particular learning disabilities, atheletes who miss class due to their competition schedules, etc. What a powerful learning tool!

Week 3 Thing 6 Flickr

I played around in Flickr some more today. I made a magazine cover and my own Read poster. I checked out the library trading cards. I definitely plan to make one in the future. I saw lots of applications that would be great to use with students. Here's a sample of my poster.

Week 3 Thing 5 Flickr

This is a picture of my daughter's fun summer reading. I took the photograph and uploaded it to Flickr. This week I explored Flickr and was truly amazed at this resource and all the creative people that have a place to share their photographs. I signed up for an account. It was easy! I practiced uploading and tagging pictures. Flickr has inspired me to get back to my photography. It was something I used to do a long time ago but I haven't made the time for it lately. I really want to get back to it. My daughter is planning to take a digital photography class in the fall. Perhaps it will be an activity we can do together.

Again I had a problem uploading the picture from Flickr to my blog. I kept getting two pictures. I deleted one and then tried to post the blog but received a message about a split tag. So I ended up uploading the picture from my computer. This same thing happened when I was uploading my Avatar in html. I'm not quite sure what is happening.

Week 2 Thing 3 & Thing 4 Blog & Avatar

I have been trying to post an Avatar. I had some challenges but I finally figured out how to do it after about a half hour. I had great fun creating Avatars. I created about 4 to fit different moods and occasions. My teenage daughters gave me lots of suggestions. The one I selected to post today represents finishing my third year in the library. This summer I am hoping to relax, rejuvenate, complete my CLAD courses, learn great things from Library 2.0, travel and READ!!!

I figured out how to register my blog with Library2.O. That went much more quickly than the posting of my Avatar. Even though this can be a bit frustrating at times, because of my learning curve, I am enjoying what I am learning.

I do have some questions that you more experienced people may be able to answer. I ended up pasting my Avatar right on to the page. Is there a better way? I tried using the "add image" icon. My Avatar would paste in duplicate. I tried deleting one and then published the entry but I would receive an error message. Any tips?

Week 1 Thing 1 & Thing 2 Life-Long Learning

Thing #1
Now I begin the adventure of CSLA Library 2.0. I've set up my Happy Trails blog in the middle of textbook returns no less. I feel like I've been herding cattle for days on end, so it feels right to take on a more creative challenge in the midst of organized chaos.

I am excited about learning all the technology listed in 23 Things. I am apprehensive about completing everything by the due date as I am also working on CLAD classes this summer.

I've already enjoyed reading many of the other blogs. I felt inspired, so much so that I have avoided doing my CLAD work to read blogs.

Thing #2
After watching the Lifelong Learners slideshow, I pondered what would be my greatest obstacle. I believe time will be my biggest challenge but I have developed a plan to succeed. I will spend time on CLAD and time on Library 2.0 each week. If I have a set schedule, I should procrastinate less.

The positive outcomes from this will be learning the new technology and then being able to share it with my colleagues as well as thinking of creative ways to use it with the students and classes that visit my library.