#21 (WEEK 9) Podcasts (No iPod Needed)

One of the only Podcast series I subscribe to right now is November Learning Podcast Series that can be downloaded for free from iTunes. Alan November is a public speaker who is dedicated towards supporting and challenging teachers and students to expand the boundaries of learning. I heard Alan speak at a technology conference last year and was inspired and educated throughout his presentation.

Alan has a series of Podcasts (free) to download on iTunes. I highly recommend them all, but will point out a 3:34 Podcast entitled - Rethinking Libraries of Today! In this Podcast Alan states. “The Library becomes more important than ever” when talking about education, technology, and information in a global society.

iTunes also hasa new feature called “iTunes U”. I was amazed with all of the podcasts, videos and Universities that were connected to this new feature. I was also pleasantly surprised at the price for downloads – “FREE”. Check it out – you don’t have to be a MAC user or even have an iPod to download these great resources. A computer with an Internet connection will get you in business.

KQED had some great Science videos, and also included the Arts, Science, Language Arts and How to create Digital Story Telling in a New Media Studies section.

http://www.apple.com/itunes/store/

You will need to download iTunes 7 on your computer if you don't already have it. ALSOCheck out the Podcasts section. There are all kinds of Educational podcasts for your professional development as well as use in your teaching.

#20 (WEEK 9) Discover YouTube and a few sites that allow users to upload and share videos

I have been a YouTube and TeacherTube user for awhile now – I guess I jumped ahead and just never got to b#20 to blog about it. There are some fantastic educational videos and podcasts that have I have shared and learned from over that past year or so. Some of my favorites include:

• Trailer for Sasha Cagen's New Book "To-Do List"
• Wetpaint Wikis in Plain English
• Give Education a Second Life
• The Human Network
• The Machine is Us/ing Us (Final Version)
• 180 Days
• A Vision of Students Today
  
  And for fun –

• Straight No Chaser - 12 Days

I have also discovered a way to convert and save the videos using ZAMZAR. This helps when I am unable to view a video through the Internet. I simply save the video on my desktop for future use.

#19 (WEEK 8) Check out LibraryThing

I created my account a long time ago and never really had time to go back and learn how to use this tool. I just spent some time adding a few books and I can’t wait to catalog my personal books. I have a couple hundred books on tape/CD that friends and family borrow all the time – this will be a great way to keep track of my collection. I have added the blog link to my sidebar on Library Evolutions as well.

http://www.librarything.com/catalog/maier_k

#18 (WEEK 8) Take a look at online productivity tools (word processing, spreadsheets, and more)

This blog was created using ZOHO Writer. I see that this is a great tool for online work and accessible at any time from anywhere. I work on about 5 different workstations and often find that my documents are saved on one computer and I am at another (sometimes on another campus or at home). My email inbox is very full as I often email myself documents and save them so I have access to them at all times. ZOHO Writer or Google DOCS seems like a better solution. I like that you have most all the features found in the MS WORD program. I also like the public Docs section if I am working on a report or something that needs editing from different people such as our WASC report, School Plan or other such documents. As I was just spell-checking I did notice that some of the right-click functions are left-click functions in the program. I am sure it will take some getting used to, but I do see a use for myself and my students.

#16 (WEEK 7) Learn about wikis and discover some innovative ways that libraries are using them #17 (Week 7) Add an entry to "Sandbox" Wiki

#16 (Week 7) Learn about wikis and discover some innovative ways that libraries are using them

#17 (Week 7) Add an entry to "Sandbox" Wiki

I love the concept and activities that can take place in a collaborative environment like a wiki. My favorite wiki idea was from the Princeton Public Library wiki entitled Booklovers. I am planning a one book one district program next year and can see how a wiki and/or blog would be a great resource for the event. Unfortunately for our student’s blogs, wiki’s and other Web2.0 tools have yet to pass through the fire walls of our county and district. I started a wiki awhile back (napkincommunications) and can see many other educational applications. I am just very frustrated that the only time this tool is accessible to me, my colleagues or students is from home – kind of defeats the purpose.

#15 (WEEK 6) Read some perspectives on Web 2.0. Future of Libraries

The future of library services is really the title of this blog Library EVOLUTION and Web 2.0 is part of the living thing we know as the library. If we are to keep up with the information age we have to teach our students the power of information literacy. Web2.0 is a means of communicating in our global society and sharing our thoughts and ideas with those around us.

According to Dr. H. K. Kaul, Director of Developing Library Network (DELNET) in New Delhi (http://drtc.isibang.ac.in/DRTC/consortia/files/symposium/index_files/papers/pdfppts/hkkaul.pdf)

• Online information doubles every 6 months
• Unstructured information doubles every 3 months
• Corporate information doubles every 18 months
• Medical information doubles every 19 years
• Scientific information doubles every 5 years
• Biological information doubles every 5 years and
• Useful genetic information doubles every 18-24 months
  
• The world’s knowledge doubles every 6 months
• Printed knowledge doubles every 8 years
• The sum total of human knowledge doubles every 2-3 years
• Technical knowledge doubles every 3 years
• Medical knowledge doubles every 7 years
  
• Mechanical capacity to process information doubles every year
• Capacity of chips to hold information doubles every 18 months
• The database of printed information doubles every 8 years