Sharing at TLA 2011: Librarians' Know-How!

Six terrific librarians from my district presented four sets of ideas to use in libraries during the first annual 1001 Great Ideas forum on TLA opening day 2011. We had 2 pairs of elementary librarians presenting ideas on bookclubbing using Skype and free resources and apps to use in creating student projects on Itouchs and Ipads. Two individuals, one in elementary and one in middle school, presented crazy ways to get kids hooked into books and how to make green screen movies, respectively.

It was so much fun and such a great way to start off annual conference. There were dozens and dozens of other ideas, projects, and adventures as well from school, public and academic libraries from across Texas! Can't wait to see what comes up next year!

I was so happy to be the "cheerleader" for the folks from my district. They represented a larger group of hard-working innovative people who are trying all kinds of interesting things in order for children to dream, to learn and to create. I took some photos and will share those a little later on this post when I get permission to use their names, but I also took some Flip videos just for fun.

This evening I played with the Flip Share software and in about five minutes (no kidding) created this little Quick Flip movie! I downloaded my not-so-good pieces of video and the software grabbed a few seconds of each and produced this 30 second video on its own! Similar to Animoto in a way!

More later about conference and all the good "stuff" that came from it. I'm beat...off to bed!

Social Media Has Gone to the Dogs!

I love watching the Westminster Dog Show every year...and found this article describing all the uses of social networking at this year's event just as interesting. All kinds of devices, including QRs, were in use to keep people updated and informed.

Have YOU experienced a QR (Quick Response) code yet? Is your phone smart enough to do so? Check out more info about them here. Here is a sample of one.

Hickory is enjoying his filet mignon reward for winning. Lucky dog!

Photo credit: AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)

027.8 District 8 Overview: A Worthy Gathering

Ok, I'm going to do my best to get back on track with my blog. I actually have missed writing and so many good thoughts and ideas are gone because I simply had no time.

So, let me begin my renewal with a short review of our TLA District 8 meeting that was held this past Saturday.

I was charmed by the author Gwendolyn Zepeda, a native Houstonian who has written both adult fiction and children's books. Her children's titles include Sunflowers/Girisoles and Growing Up with Tamales/Los Tamales de Ana, both bilingual books for children from 3-8. She shared wonderful little personal vignettes about her experiences in libraries as a child, a young mother, and as an author of children's books. It was was delightful! Being from the area, she might be someone you might consider for a visit.

The District 8 program offered a variety of things. Two colleagues presented sessions that turned out to be quite popular. As soon as I get their permission, I will link to their topics. I did a review of five things you can do to quickly become 2.0! Much of our time was discussing the difference between copyright and credit and how in an educational setting you have access to many things, but you still must credit them! That and the importance of hyperlinks..or making the info hot! such a simple thing, but o so important in adding depth to the online world.

Update: here is one of the sessions: Making It Work Together: Integrating Reading, LA, and 2.0 Tools

It was quite a memorable day for us. One colleague was asked to serve on a TLA committee and
the other was recognized for her length of service in libraries...36 years so far!! (and that doesn't count her many classroom years!) Yours truly...well, I have been to so many District 8 meetings no one (including me) can remember.

A good day, but I think for me personally, the highpoint was running into so many of my library school students...the ones who are working on their certification and degrees to become great school libraries. The eagerness and ethusiasm that registers on their faces and comes out in their comments really does me good. I am glad I have had a tiny little part in creating their readiness to take on one of greatest jobs, if also not one of the hardest jobs, in the world. They certainly helped me remember why I do it!

153 Thinking...on Many Levels

Take two minutes (and a few seconds) and watch this...



Now react...

741.6 Glogster: A Different Way to "Present"

004.09 Did You Know 4.0: Stats about Our Current World

Ok, it is time to be reminded that what we have been doing in the 2.o world is NOT being done in isloation...we are playing and learning and testing and learning and practicing and learning the very things that more and more of the world is doing every day as a part of its normal, everyday world.

Is it a perfect world? No. Is it a totally safe way to do the business of everyday life? No. But neither is the other world!

It will take you a little more than 3 minutes to catch up with the latest and be reminded that it is ok to move forward and think differently, communicate differently, react differently, and most importantly in our little education corner of the world, learn differently!

Enjoy the current update of the wildly popular Shift Happens.

P.S. I'm intrigued by the method used in creating the text strips and some of the graphics. Pretty cool and worth the time as well!

In case the embedded video is blocked in district, here is the link. You should be able to see it through teacher sign-on of your computer.

658.8 Double Meaning: A Lesson (and Laugh) in 2.0 Vocabulary

When I saw this on TV this week, it made me laugh out loud. I loved the company's take on the 2.0 term "social networking."

Coleman - Airtight® Inflatable System
Shared via AddThis

They have a companion video that I featured here.

And not to ignore the print part of the world, the Coleman Co. included one for magazines, etc.

Hummm...2 posts about ads back-to-back? Nothing but coincidence!

Visual & video available here.

027.8 Librarians at Play: TLA Presentation about 2.0 Tools

A 23 Things friend asked me to visit her TLA presentation during TLA conference last week. I am glad because it was a great discussion of using things pre-K /12 and I saw some ideas that were new to me...and fun and exciting!

There was a group of private school librarians who were presenting 2.0  things that they had used with their students during the past year. Some of them work in schools where every student has access to a laptop and nothing on the internet is blocked. Others operate with similar roadblocks that the rest of us must endure. But everyone encouraged the audience to do what they could!

As a group, they realize that security, working within the context of existing tools, advertising issues on some sites, filters, and time are all things that have to be considered with learning new things and teaching them to students.

Some statements that stood out to me were:

"Try everything! Try a few things, but try something!"

"It is ok to fail."

"Joyce Valenza for real people" --paying homage to the queen of library 2.0 matters, while recognizing that not all of us can do it at her level!

My friend presented the project that her 2nd grade students did with Flat Stanley and tied it to a Google maps activity. They mailed Flat Stanley to long distance family members and asked them to take him along on an adventure and send pictures back. Here is a link to an Animoto about the project. 

Her 4th grade students studied about magazines and then created a magazine cover using animals and other science topics as the themes for their magazines. Here is an Animoto about them.

Another presenter uses Library Thing to advertise the new books that have been added to the school's collection. If my notes are correct, she scans the bar code on the back of the book and that pulls up a cover which she adds to other titles to make a collage. The collage is placed in emails to students and teachers and she also prints out a copy for reference when students come in. They often refer to the books by cover rather than title! I am not familiar with this procedure myself, but I'm sure it something for which there is more info. She also writes about books in her blog Print Matters.

Another librarian talked about the benefits of Google docs, especially with middle school students who can't drive themselves to collaboration opportunities. She told the group that her students come form 28 zip codes!!...and to do group projects is often impossible because the students live so far apart. But Google docs eliminated some the problems. She did mention that Google docs dow not support PPT 2007, but they found that Zoho docs does so when they need to, they use that resource as well.

A few more topics covered in the presentation included:

Creating a ning for historical people of importance. Group them according the time period. The students write profiles, etc. based on the individuals they are studying.

The Horizon Projects...a wiki with lots of things from the educational 2.0 world.

Pandora.com...radio and music for the library

LinkBunch.com...bunch links under one link to make sharing easier. 

Their TLA conference handout Get Busy: Unique Challenges in Private Schools and Web 2.0 is not active yet, but if it does become available, I will hot link it here.

371.33 Blog Anniversary: Two Years and Counting...

This blog is two years old this holiday weekend. I am fast running out of time to meet the anny deadline, but I am getting it started and will write on it a bit all day as I shoe-horn it in between life in general and the list I set for myself over this long weekend!

I am proud that it exists and that it is two years and counting. In the past I was not comfortable with my writing and very little exits, but this does...mostly because I could write down thoughts to be "used" by others. In my mind that makes it possible to accomplish because it is (hopefully) for the benefit of others.

There is very little original thought here. I simply report what I find or that others share with me (and thousands of others.) One of the BEST things about the online world...the possibility of sharing!

This second year has been a busy one. My team and I came across the 23 Things phenomena that has been making the rounds so we created our own version and have conducted it twice...so far! The first go-round of Library2Play included about half of our campus librarians, a few district teachers, an administrator, and a few brave souls from around the state who heard about it thru the Internet grapevine. THEN we repeated it in the summer...where we were joined by 300 district librarians, teachers, and several administrators along with educators from a wider state circle and 3 other states! What a terrific experience these encounters were and continue to be...several participants have kept their blogs active and share their online adventures with all of us.

I got to attend NECC this year, basically because it was right down I-10 in San Antonio and I went to the EduBloggers' thing the Saturday before the official conference began. I got to be in the same room with SO many of the bloggers who I have admired from afar...it was a BLAST!! It was THE highpoint of this two-year experience. And the rest of the conference was an adventure itself!

And yes, I do consider myself a part (a tiny part, but a part nevertheless) of the revolution in learning!

And of course, there was that little event in December which gave me an opportunity to visit a bit in Second Life...all of it... from the "surprise" beginning to the virtual world visit was so surreal.

I have gotten to meet so many wonderful people thru the blog...first establishing a relationship online and then thru events like TLA Conference, NECC and staff development trainings, I have had opportunities for face-to-face encounters. Several have become long-distance friends now. The blog will also be the vehicle to keep up with one special friend who been transplanted east...WAY east. I will get to see her sing and dance and watch her grow! O, yeah and keep up with her mom, too! :-)

Animoto remains my favorite tool...not necessarily the most effective or efficient tool in my toolbox, but it is so fun...and gets better and better! I couldn't live without my Reader, my various wikis that I have created to park various bits of info and Google Docs. Most of it all relates back to my blogging experiences in some form or fashion.

Now we are trying to experience FAceBook from an educator's point of view and how we can help students use it properly and safely. I'm a bit behind the circle with this particular social networking tool because it's just a tad too much for me...tends to be too "up close and personal," but I have put it on my list...and yes, that includes going thru the long list of friends-in-waiting!

And games... we are trying to show how games of all kinds belong in the library and the educational plans of our kids today. I love the Wii...bowling is my favorite right now, but gosh, every time I turn around TV shows us something new! I spent a fun afternoon recently watching kids fool around with Guitar Hero...how fun it was! Card games, board games, online games...they all belong. Watch...I'll be writing about some as time goes by.

Both personal and professional things took time away from my blogging fun. I hope to get things back on track and keep up a little better and a little more regularly. Looking forward to what awaits. Hope you will continue to check in and keep the conversation going.

Here's to Three!

371.3 NECC08: Wonderful World of Wikis

Adam Frey, co-founder of Wikispaces and Vicki Davis, Cool Cat Teacher
Here is the link to the information from the presentation
Overflowing room…people were standing against the wall...laptoppers were sitting all over the floor!
They set up a back channel for everyone...it is place for participants to chat while they talk! Also , they took questions from the back channel crowd...more about back channeling in a future post when I get some info together!

Frey asked and hands were raised
50% of audience are teachers
About half never used a wiki and about half of that group don’t know what they are
They want to know what it is & how to start

1.Webpage with edit button
Standard..but can be changed
Removes barriers to publishing on the web

2.About history…every change is recorded
More open than closed usually (ours in my circle aren't really open...yet!)
There is a history tab to see all these changes

3. for groups essentially…collaboration for groups large and small
Ease of editing makes this possible discussion forums helps with communication

4. monitoring --see what is going on without going there
Can be emailed or rss subscription

5. easy!
If it is hard you won’t use…easy to start…no cost…doesn’t require email or signup
Doesn’t need fancy computers

Wikipedia…causes a bad feeling
Wikis don’t have to suffer same issues
Can be locked down or not, behind firewall or not

“Bring all things together”—glue in like a scrapbook…[I consider them a "parking lot" for information, resources]


Student accounts system easy from them…special stuff for teachers…

Vicki Davis

Project-based learning environment is where she works
Global projects examples
Flatclassroomproject
Horizonproject2008
Digiteen

History tab records who is doing what...
In classroom her wikis are not open…students are protected

Wiki-centered classroom
She has outline online…she embeds student files on her wiki
Assignments and templates

Create a page and create template…under manage space
Better to name pages without spaces

She tags assignments “turning” –work to be graded.
The optional note box she has them use for more info about the assignment turn in, etc.

The bottom feeders can be tracked and they HAVE to participate…

Netvibes –uses this for her personal learning network…it is on atomic learning

Connect to the world…changed their world view

QUESTIONS/Back Channel

Override…two ppl editing…can be done, but you may not want to!
If same word is changed last one saved overrides

Edit wikipedia---how to do it responsibly

**Technopersonal skills are as important as interpersonal skills—administrators often ignore!

Lots of student monitoring—

Permission settings---manage space---permissions; protected can be viewed ; private only invited can see

Lock assignment pages...Vicki does work with administration to deal with technopersonal skill issue

Adam answered:
Blog— is journal format…opinion, 1st person writing
Wiki –evolving content due to changing..for facts, assignments collaboration tool…

Mariaknee.com
kinder teacher who has numbers project (she also was awarded a prize by SIGMS for her project)

006.7 EdubloggerCon08: Mission Accomplished!!

In the excitement of who I was around and what I was learning, I completely forgot to tell you, I accomplished my one and only pre-set (i.e. before I got here) objective...

I got it!!!

didn't have to run...didn't have to tackle anyone...didn't have to wait in line...didn't even have to resort to bribery or out-bid the highest bidder!!

I AM a part of the Revolution...and I wear it proudly!

006.7 EduBloggerCon08: Reflections

Being at the unconference yesterday was quite a treat! About 200 or so educators who blog and use other 2.0 technology to make students successful! A roomful of people who "get it" and don't let roadblocks get in their way. Not that they ignore the roadblocks...large chunks of time were spent taking about how to get others to "get it" too, or at the very least, get outta the way!

The sitting around talking was the best part of the day...yes, most of the day I spent on the fringes (anyone who knows me well, knows that is my favorite spot) watching and listening. But even I ventured forth and struck up a few conversations...usually because of my power... my power connection, that is! The best $7.00 I have spent in quite awhile. Yes, community is created if you have an extension cord. Daisy-chaining increases the size of your circle!

Everyone deals with the same problems. Everyone is eager to share the successes. And everyone, for the most part, wants to hear what you have to say...their successes and problems are no more important than yours.

One of the things that was almost totally absent (at least in the conversations I was privy to) was the question of $. No one really blamed their problems or shortcomings on the lack of funds, or used it as an excuse for not doing something. these folks are masters at figuring out ways to do almost anything and not allowing anything or anyone to stop them.

Yes, people who get in the way, was a big discussion topic...one whole session on what to do with administrators who don't "get it" tells you what is considered an big issue! Parents were mentioned a little, but most said that parents were easy to convince...the kids usually got their parents on bother by simple "kid begging!" Trying to bring colleagues or teacher groups on board was also discussed, but again, the idea of starting small, grabbing hold of risk-takers and friends willing to jump off unknown cliffs, usually was the solution.

It's the people at the top of whatever level of heap you find yourself on that seems to be the one rock that is hard to push out of the way...no matter how successful you are in some cases. For me personally, I was so glad to be able to say, that is no longer a problem where I am. Critical, key leaders (not just administrators) do get it ...and let me tell you...it makes the road to success so much easier and better. Our students are lucky!

Yes, there is a difference between leaders and administrators...a single person can easily be both, but quite often, it is two different people and that causes problems. Leaders will let you do what you feel is a way to success, whether they themselves can or can't do...and usually they can. Administrators spend lots of time managing, and often, to give up any of that management control, makes them nervous, so they don't.

Overall, this dynamic group does not accept "no" and pushes forward. The results speak for their effort. It was a privilege to be among them for a day. I am in awe of many of them...a little bit of hero-worship is probably a good description. I have added some new names, if not faces, to my list and I look forward to what else they give me as I explore their online warehouses of information. I still can't believe the 2.0 world lets me play in their playground. Yippy!

Here are some of the leaders I hung out "around"

David Warlick Two Cents his review of the day

Steve Hargdon EduBloggerCon is his idea another place of his Classroom 2.0

Dangerously Irrelevant Scott McLeod

Cool Cat Teacher Vicki Davis

TechnoTuesday Cathy Nelson, SC school librarian

Not So Distant Future Carolyn Foote, Austin school librarian reveiw 1 review 2

Kevin Honeycutt KS ed tech specialist who was hugely genereous with one-on-one conversation...the key ring thing is his...more about that in another post later. his podcasts
Chis Lehmann Practial Theory SLA

Paul Gates, the 2nd grade teacher from San Antonio who talked to me about the great things he does with his young children...and who is looking for someone to blog with! filmclip of one of his adventures

I KNOW there many, many others...I just didn't know who was who and couldn't keep up with the lightening flashes of names and ids. I learned from you too and will look for you around the "neighborhood"

Pictures: part of group on the stairs for photo op; David Warlick; C. Fooote & C. Nelson

I have a few more pictures that need "fixin' "...will include them later if I can get them light enough.

Ok...gotta finish getting ready to go checkout what's going on this afternoon!

006.7 EdubloggerCon Unconference -- Saturday at NECC in San Antonio

and the fun begins...

[Warning: this a rough copy at this point...lots of typos, few links, missing names...I will clean it up and add some pictures later this evening!]

am in the room with David Warlick...still admiring from afar
Vicki Davis is here too...Judy Lindsey

had a great chat with a 2nd grade teacher from SA who has been blogging with his kids for a few years...last year his big thing was movies...his objective for this is find someone to blog with...another class

there are a whole bunch of 2nd Lifers...real ones! (as in they don't crash and they always remember how to sit)

the group is voting about the sessions they want...I don't care. I'm a lurker here so I will find a nitch to fit in. besides i can't blog and vote at the same.

Track A
social networking for pd 9:30 MY choice
social networking in classroom 10:45 MY Choice
1:00 if the leaders don't get it, it won't happen My choice
2:15 Web 2.0 and Teacher Education
3:30 designing global learning

track B
9:15 filtering policies
10:45 digital storytelling..change agent
1:00 diving deep into google earth, maps
2:15 web 2.0 smackdown My choice
3:30

track C
9:30 google classroom
10:45 shirky booktalk
strategic teacher tools
who me? researcher
hands on byol

**************************
SOCIAL NETWORKING FOR PD

Did this live and they were moving fast so it is full of snippets!

SOCIAL NETWORKING TOOLS
discussion of value of Facebook, etc...so easy, don' know what they are going to do with it..some profs worry about that
Net1...contained environment part of IsTE...has purpose...better than Facebook idea

tools in general...asynchronous and synchronous is a need
having as much as possible together in one place
self-organizing networks...let them organize the way that works best for them...choice!

creativity, build your own is a key ...once it becomes constrained, then many feel they need to move on!

any form of email, google, blog group gets people started and then as they become more comfortable they can move on to things that appeal to them more, fit them better.

assessment, continuity....not same in every class and how to measure learning

BUILDING COMMUNITY
There are podfaders....are there social network faders as well
What keeps you coming back?
the feedback! commentors for bloggers keep the blogger blogging!
Creating a sense of community is essential....a ning (one example) can provide this

immediate purpose...creates need for response which helps keeping it going
nervous in group at beginning is normal.
immediate feedback when someone joins whatever...we welcome students in our schools as quickly as possible, we need to do that in these communities also

digital repoire....greet them at the door (the Wal-mart model)
intellectual speed dating !!
When you say something and no one says something back...discouraging

The site Classroom2.0 has gone beyond critical mass...hopefully ppl use it as entry and then go off to form own group

web2.0 helps us do our job..hence the success of it
DW used "simize" (sorry--new to me ; will have to research) to find a topic...
unreliable tools often cause ppl to "quit" the idea...it was mentioned that Twitter is unreliable in many respects..interesting comment, want to follow up on that at some point

instant network..blog with people in your already created network!
the right people as opposed to lots of people
they need a connection of some kind!

Risk-taking schools...how do we get people to come out of their shells
we ARE digital bridges...how we play that part...bringing those that do together with those who don't
don't think of technology type things as separate courses...infuse

When did teachers stop being learners?
the emotional response was high from the group on this one! THE tests got a lot of the blame
principal--permission to fail, allow them to be risk-takers
just-in-time learning

GA college professor...trying to get professors to show these things to their students
risk-aversion seems to be prevalent in a lot of places because "scared" of so many other things

Carolyn Foote
tools different your bldg vs working on a world-wide network
repository necessary for the ones coming...work for those now, but necessary
let them decide what they need to know...more choice

Don't do it to ppl ...do it with ppl
r u an educational detached retina...are you looking for a community, support, etc. Start small
**********************
Be still my heart---Vicki Davis, THE Vicki Davis is sharing my extension cord...of course, she has already been pulled away so I will continue to admire from afar...besides I am dumbstruck...i have absolutely nothing of any consequence to say to these people...at this point!
*************************

SOCIAL NETWORKING in the Classroom - Session #2

online h.s. isolated community
hardly every see each other
next semester 725 students...first network for teachers!
started small..tutoring groups, raised funds for wildlife fund

open source use
project k-6
cross-connect for the kids..district-wide
doing assignments form other classes because they think they are cool!
authentic audience..it is open to parents, aunts, uncles, grandpa, etc.
teacher chooses what goes public, what stays private
"a walled garden"
specific case...boy who writes book about WWII..a resource kid...get comments from others

Vicki Davis
students have to learn how to be a professional student...this is how you need to behave in this safe space...mentioned the language issue...she does not consider this a "social" network...facebook is social...you don't behave the same way in the classroom ning...she had to kick some off until they learned to behave.

give students a place they are comfortable...ning--so familiar to them. gadgets--need rating system. summer assignments...talking all summer...cool summer assignments.

the president's rule about pictures...

Judy does a project together
digiteens
digital citizenship model ...be safe, secure, private
created lessons to use with younger kids

digital citizenship vs pedagogical model
provides vehicles to teach certain things

one teacher (didn't get his location but his accent is Australian) finally mentioned animoto! talked to a few who had not heard about it!
The kids will tell other others---bring it back to the rubric...kids will self-correct

The power of the back channel
the recorded learning...the kids can go back and see their thoughts, etc.
the side stories that come about

some teachers won't learn in front of kids...some teachers won't learn in front of other teachers.

mentoring kids to live in this world
the story about the art group k-12...and having to ask the older kids t change avatar.
moments of grace...complimenting other kids...

how to handle language issues...if you heard bad language in your hallway..do you close your school?

we learned them in our professional lives...they learned in their personal lives...so they have to be taught how to deal in the "professional" world..the school.

what is the acceptable risk tolerance level.

it is not a technology problem...it is a behavior problem, issues.
strong library of best practices will also counteract the issue of not allowed.



teachable moments...lots of learning takes place outside class because of the coolness of the tools.



educating the parents, teachers, parents about the safety of the

example of the car marker with team name and number

much safer than mall or at the convenience store.



there are no rule books...unlike education 1.0

what are classroom practices that work..specific examples, stories are creating the rules.



kinder teacher...she has responsibility to teach the kids, but feels as much responsibility in educating the parents as well!



it is so exciting sitting here talking and listening to people ...from Australia...their accent is totally fascinating..I forget to follow the thread of the conversation because I'm listening too hard!

The gang is breaking to take a picture..wee will see where it shows up

006.7 The Ying & Yang of Blogging

Been away for awhile for a variety of reasons. FINALLY felt I had some things to say...and the TIME to say them.

Write the first post...BANG...my blog has been declared a spam blog! Ugh? The results of such a dubious honor? You have to type in those ridiculous "drunk" nonsense arrangements of letters EVERY time you edit, save, or publish. Sure, I'm used to doing that when I comment. No problem. Want to do my part to keep spammers away.

HOWEVER, when it has to do with original posts, those crazy letters are on steroids...they are bigger, thicker, skinnier and more of them. It takes me about 4-5 attempts to get through EVERY time I edit, save, or publish. One time, I was having so much trouble "reading" the letters, I used the handicap sound out the letters option!

On top of that I had to contact the powers-that-be and declare (beg) that I am not a spammer, but instead a modest little librarian blogger from Texas. I had to wait four days to be absolved of my sins (although I have NO idea what I did to bring on this suspended state of free-flowing communication form.)

NOT fun!

But THEN...

One of the education world's premier bloggers (and one of the world's most generous commentors) COMMENTED on MY blog...he thanked me for some nice thing I said about some of his ideas...

But THEN...

He admitted that he too has human frailties in that virtual world known as Second Life. He can't land ("gracefully"...read-- crashes?) I can't sit. He can't land. I feel...so...much...better!

I think I might just have to do that happy feet thing again!

Gosh, I love blogging. You have the most interesting adventures...and never spend a dime (or a bucketful of dimes) for gasoline.

793.932 Another Second Life Adventure

Because of my membership in ISTE due to my planned attendance at NECC this summer, I got an email from one of my favorite bloggers, Blue Skunk Doug Johnson about a talk he was going to give this evening on ISTE Island in Second Life. (nope not open in district)

It was going to start in 15 minutes. Plenty of time I thought...and an opportunity to "hear" someone I had been reading for some time now! I also needed a reason to get back into Second Life and experience it again.

Ha! 45 minutes later I got in and only caught the last part of the talk.

When I opened Second Life, I was notified that I need to download an update or I would not be able to use the site. My possessed computer took FOREVER connecting to the download and then I had to wait for it to do its thing.

Ok, ok..only 10 minutes into the program. I clicked the transport address from the email and landed on the right island...with absolutely NO clue what to do next. I looked around and around and saw no one. Then I started hearing voices...barely. Dug up my headphones. Eureka, I was at least hearing the talk.

And as always, someone showed up and asked if he could help. Sorry, I did not get his name...but I think he is a "docent" for the island. He was great at explaining what I needed to do and was VERY PATIENT when I explained I moved slowly! BTW...he had a cool vehicle...forgot to "screen shot" it. Anyway, I walked carefully, managed to stay out from UNDER any buildings thistime, flew a little and crashed only once.
So I finally show up at the location...the screen is full of Blue Skunk's cartoons and they are talking away...and there is not one single person in the audience, but I see all kinds of names on the screen. There was 25 minutes left of the program so I just quietly listened and watched the typed comments on the screen.

Some points from the talk:
1. Human vs. machine
content filtering done by a machine cancels out the human's ability to discriminate what is appropriate for what situation...not a good practice, but "we" all do it!

2. Self-empowered or self-discovery type staff development...a good thing! Score one for my circle! We are doing that again this summer with our 23 Things...opportunity for educators to learn on their own with help/support, but the self-discovery of knowledge is a key component of the experience!

3. Blue Skunk reminded us of one of his favorite statements...# of kids in the library is in reverse proportion to the importance of the next visitor. Boy, that has been the truth for me in SO many cases!

4. Sometimes technology can be over used. If the only tool you have is a hammer, everything becomes a nail! His analogy...going online and finally finding the population of Bolivia from a 1995 CIA Fact Book vs. thumbing thru the current World Almanac that is probably sitting relatively close to the computer. not sure I know a lot of libraries that have a current World Almanac anymore, but I definitely understood his message. The right tool for the right job at the the right time!

Gosh, I wish I had heard the whole thing.
O, also ...You can download his book Machines are the Easy Part, People are the Hard Part: technology in the Schools for free here.

P.S. I loved his voice (my first time to hear him)...sounded just like what I had imagined from reading his posts!

And I KNOW inquiring minds are waiting...........................

patiently............................................

NO............................................

I did not sit down because I could not remember how!

For the uninformed...it's ok. You hadda be there to understand!
Just know that this Second Life thing is never gonna be a strong suit for me...I will keep trying, I know I will...it will just be continue to be pitiful. I just know it will.

025.1 TLA Conference: It's Time

It's here...Texas Library Conference for 2008...in Dallas. I have joined the first wave of over 7000 Texas Librarians for a week of learning and the best kind of social networking (ok...MY personal opinion.)

My adventure starts really early Tuesday morning...I will be blogging about the sights, sounds, and all the things I learn as much as I can. Not sure how often I will be able to do "live" blogging, but I will do my best to give you a taste of what's going on...at least in my little corner of the conference center!

Stay tuned!

005.2 Animoto...Even Better!

I did a little happy dance when I found out about the new features in Animoto...specifically for educators!

Check out the new stuff. Overview.

I have emailed for the necessary passcode, but have not had a chance to explore it totally...you will need to provide school info.

006.7 Blogs & Blogging: A Community Conversation

This is the post is where I will write am writing a reaction to a presentation I am making made at a church in my community that is having a technology workshop Saturday.

I want them to have access to the Common Craft video Blogs in Plain English so I am including it here so the participants can access it easily at the point they want it. I have chosen to use the Teacher Tube version so that it can be seen district as well.

I also wanted a place for the link to the PPT that I prepared to go along with the conversation.
I look forward to a fun and interesting morning...come back later to see what happened and what we learned!

UPDATE:
It WAS a fun morning...such nice, enthusiastic participants during my session. I think they enjoyed learning about the vocabulary associated with Web 2.0 (thumbs and pointers, digital natives and immigrants, social networking, etc.) and seeing some of the background about and behind blogs. We talked a little about how children or grandchildren, nieces and nephews in their lives are totally into all of this stuff and we should all use it as well to be "hip and cool" with the kids! Here are a few of the people who came to my session...aren't they a nice looking group!

It was interesting to me from the standpoint of the "equipment" I got to use... a computer with Vista...that was a new experience...just enough difference to make me a little nervous since it wasn't my computer! And then I used a wi-fi connector for the Internet. Another new experience for me. The Geek Squad from Best Buy was there offering tips, tricks, and information so after my session I had a long talk with one of the Geek guys (really nice & patient, I might add) about setting up wireless for my place and how to go about doing it.

And on top of that...it is absolutely the most gorgeous day outside so I'm outta here. Copper & I have a date with a bench and a book!

770.79 Photography Exhibition 2. 0 Version

I have neglected some of my fun spots I like to visit every once and awhile and so I did some catching up and came across a photography competition over at jokaydia.com. Ok, I hear you...no big deal...contests are all over the place...

This one was (it's already over--I told you I was behind!) run by Jo Kay of Wollongong, Australia, the creator of Jokaydia Island in Second Life. You could choose your shot....but it had to be made ON Jokaydia Island. Yup, you had to go into the virtual world and shoot a favorite scene.

Jokaydia Sunrise
Uploaded to flickr on March 25, 2008by teachandlearn

Of the photos with Creative Commons rights, this is one of the several that I like. There are some other photos, but their rights are reserved so I could not post them here.

The photos are on display at a new Gallery that is open on Jokaydia Island. Did I see them there? Well, no, for couple of reasons...I couldn't remember or at the moment find my sign on info...and since I really have not been in Second Life since about November, I wasn't sure I'd be able to maneuver around well enough to find the gallery this evening. (Remember, I walk under buildings and have to practice sitting)

So I did the next best thing and went to Flickr where participants were encouraged to post their photos and tag them with jokaydiaphotocomp08. so you can enjoy their creative results there. Which will be your only alternative anyway if you are looking at this in district.

Anyway, if you want to visit the virtual world, you can go to Second Life, join and then transport to Jokaydia Island and visit the gallery. I will, too...one of these days!

746.46 Passion Quilt: 21st Century Version

One of the book review bloggers I follow regularly, Miss Rumphius Effect, tagged me for a meme that is going around the educational blogosphere these days...a post to be added to the Passion Quilt originally started by Miguel Gulin

What's a meme? Loosely defined. Often described as a virtual chain letter...no postage needed! I don't often get tapped and more often don't participate, but I think this is a topic worthy of some attention. I think it can be a real learning experience.


So here is my submission:

A learning adventure simply begins with a step...a word...a book... a click.

Picture: Old Jetty Steps (New Zealand) Uploaded on 31 October 2007 by Light Knight
from flickr Creative Commons rights

I think it speaks for itself. Learning is simply a journey that begins with a first step in whatever format that works for the moment. It is the learner that must decide the when, the where, and the how.

My "students" these days are mostly the over-21 variety, WAY over 21, in fact. In most, I still see the passion that brought them to the education (classroom or library) table. Sometimes, it's a little buried under the minutia of the moment, but in our mutual experiences, it is often rekindled quite quickly by the simple act of coming together as a group of people who do share a common passion ...that of learning...that lasts a lifetime.

Here are a few other submissions from bloggers you will recognize from my blogroll:
Blue Skunk Blog
Hey Jude
Librarians Matter
Joyce Valenza's Neverending Search
Dangerously Irrelevant
Techno Tuesday - she actually "stitched" her own virtual quilt!
Not So Distant Future
I know there others and more being added often. You can google "passion quilt" and also can see many visual submissions iin flickr by using the tags passionquilt (yes written together) and passionquilt08

Here are the rules:

• Think about what you are passionate about teaching your students.
• Post a picture from a source like FlickrCC or Flickr Creative Commons or make/take your own that captures what YOU are most passionate about for kids to learn about…and give your picture a short title.
• Title your blog post “Meme: Passion Quilt” and link back to this blog post
• Include links to 5 folks in your professional learning network or whom you follow on Twitter/Pownce.

My mentor blogger G has already been tagged, but my other selections include:
ARK from ARK's Classroom...a pretty passionate (it seems to me) teacher turned recent library school student.
LG found on Librarian Tour Guide...one of the most passionate people I have run into in a long time...and I knew it immediately! Her passion rekindled some of the spark that was missing in my own fire ring.
Coach B who can tell me how she wants to respond...a new teacher whose passion just oozes out of every pore...I can't wait to see her visual representation...some of her creative talents "scare" me!
LibraryChica from Porter Library Blog and Gladiator from Forum who I have gotten to know virtually and represent individuals I would like to know better...and hopefully can introduce this activity to others in their own circles, bringing whole other points of view to the experience.
And of course Grendel from GOI-BOK, whose quiet passionate love of all things library and learning often goes unnoticed by the unaware, but who has stood shoulder-to-shoulder with me thru this whole crazy roller coaster we have been on for how many decades?

Yes, I KNOW that is 6 tags...can we just call it a blogger's 5...there are a WHOLE bunch more I could tag, but I have to leave someone for my victims, oops, participants to tag! I suspect everyone I want to see will be called upon shortly!

I'd like to see my circle's quilt come together as one piece....I think I can make that happen. Let's see.

Passionquilt, passionquilt08