Web 2.0: The Big Picture

Web 2.0 Tools introduction and usage was the primary emphasis of the 23 Things KS class I have been taking during the spring semester. The basic premise for Web 2.0 is collaboration and sharing between people facilitated by a tool to aid in the commenting and sharing process and these tools are usually free. Each weekly session was a basic concept, i.e; slide sharing; and a variety of tools that can be used to accomplish this concept. Blog posts have commented on which tool I choose to use and what I learned from that tool. Sometimes my assignment suggested a tool to use, others let us choose our own. Blogging and social bookmarking are two concepts that have a wide variety of tools that can be used for the same purposes.

23 Things Kansas is not a traditional class. I did not find this class in a college catalog but through a listserve of Kansas School Librarians. This class was not taught by a single college professor but by a collaborative effort of many Kansas Librarians. This class was taught from a Blog with a FaceBook page, Twitter Tweets and announcements via email. Sessions featured text explanations and assignments with video demonstrations, screencasts and links to other tutorial information. Collaboration and sharing, the concepts of Web 2.0 used to teach Web 2.0 tools.

Feeling a sense of accomplishment after completing this class, I decided to do a basic search for Web 2.0 tools and found that we just scratched the surface on these tools. Before frustration took over my newfound knowledge, I realized that the Mentors assigned to teach each session had already weeded through this mass of tools and picked the best to present to the new learners. I think I’ll just concentrate on learning these tools for my use and to use with the students and staff.

I encourage you to try out some of these tools.

Week 16: 23 Things I learned

1. I have too many user names & passwords
2. Blogging is easier each time. Still have problems linking things.
3. FaceBook is social but can be for business and activities, too.
4. FaceBook is controversial! Librarians have privacy issues.
5. RSS Feeds are really Simple. Easy way to update blog reading.
6. Learned how to use my digital camera for short videos.
7. Can upload to YouTube. No wonder there is anything you want.
8. Embedding, inserting, linking problems are not always my fault.
9. WordPress can have issues. Read the help FAQ carefully.
10. Plan 2 hours for technology when you expect it done in one!
11. Read a book? Can’t I’m online doing 23 Things (for fun).
12. Webinars are great-great stuff archived at WebJunction.
13. Setting up webinars for staff is a snap!
14. Delicious will be an opportunity for staff sharing.
15. Screenshots are a great way to train proctors for checkout.
16. Twitter? What’s my login. See #1
17. I’m too wordy to Tweet anyway.
18. Animoto is a great attention getter for library lessons.
19. Wikis are not evil but useful sharing tool.
20. I can correct info on Wikipedia that really bugs me.
21. IM for professional questions beats email any day.
22. I get 3 extra credit points for a fun live Webinar!! yeah!
23. Librarians are the greatest resource and tech support of all.

Thanks 23 Things Kansas Leaders. I learned so much more than just 23 Things.

Week 15: Wikis cont.

Since Wikipedia has been a source of irritation for me in terms of authoritative content, I also did another activity from 23 Things KS! I edited a page. It was easy. You need to set up a Wikipedia account, read through page editing, and then you are set to go. If you are editing an encyclopedia page, a comment is placed at the bottom of the article with the date of the last update. I replaced an incorrect term in an article on handspinning. Minor edit but made the article correct.

The basic article was a good overview of the craft of handspinning. I corrected the term with confidence from years of reading and spinning, however, there are still authority issues with any Wikipedia article used as a research source . An edit can be performed by anyone who sets up a free login account. The account even suggests using an alias username for privacy issues but a protected password and warns that individuals have been harassed over articles through email. Again, remember anyone can write/edit an article in Wikipedia.

Week 15: Wikis

This week was how to use a Wiki. A Wiki is not just Wikipedia. I have learned the value and uses of a Wiki go well beyond the questionable authoritative site. It provides another cooperative group activity much like cloud computing. For me, it was easier than the cloud lesson. More on Wikis another time. Maybe I’ll come back to this and add a link to my wiki page in the 23 Things KS wiki.

One more post to go to wrap up my 23 Things KS experience.

Week 14: Library Thing, Etc.

This week’s activity was to set up a Shelfari account and add books to the account. I have set up a personal account for my hobby interests and included adult fiction books I would like to read this summer. Set up was easy and I explored the site carefully. Since the books were my hobby books, there are knitting, spinning and weaving books on my shelf, so I joined the Knitting Group. I looked at books that had discussions listed and I viewed the discussion in the group. Exploring the options to export this shelf to another knitting community website, is on my summer list of things to try.

I do see a number of possibilities for the Lebo School Library on Shelfari. Many schools established groups for series books that are especially popular at their school. Most of these groups were closed which allowed for a more controlled discussion atmosphere. Next fall could be a good time to try a Shelfari group but what series should we choose?

Personally I was a little frustrated that I could not divide the books on my shelf into groups other than, read, reading or want to read. It would have been nice to organize my hobby books in a different manner than my fiction books.

Week 13: Slide Sharing

Caldecott Winners.

The Caldecott Award is presented annually for illustrated picture books. This animated video features the 2010 Award some of the past winners that are in the Lebo School Library. Enjoy.

This video was fun to make using Animoto. Animoto was introduced at Tri Conference (the last) and I played but did not incorporate anything into my lesson plans. With this lesson, I reviewed the basics and the introduced Animoto to one of our students as a cooperative project. The video was easily produced, however, once again I had trouble posting to the blog. After a week of periodically trying on the school and home computers, an Animoto help question gave me two possible procedures to embed/link the video. Sharing to the WordPress blog worked! Too bad I did not scroll farther down in the help section to find this option sooner.

Week 12: Screencasting

Screencasting is a digital recording of a computer screen, you have probably seen one in a help section of a computer application or in an online help. It shows the screen, the mouse movements and it can also have audio to take you through the steps to get the final outcome desired on the computer.

My screencast is to help the students and blog followers use the Coffey County Library System Catalog. Lebo Schools has a great relationship with this system. If the school books are checked out we check the Lebo Branch, see if they have one in and go get it. I can also request a book from any branch libraries in the system and it is usualy available in a few days. Without this sharing, the school waiting list for popular books would be very long.

So watch the screencast and learn how to find the Coffey County online catalog, do a title search and request an item.

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Week Ten: Video on the Web

This assignment was to embed a video into your blog post or to make a short video, upload to YouTube (or something similar) and to embed that into your blog. Well, hope you enjoyed the Earth Day post, I enjoyed finding those videos on the Web and selecting the one that was just right. Parents, please be aware that you are the censorship for your children on YouTube. There are many inappropriate videos even for Earth Day.

We made a short video at school with the help for a library proctor and another student at the camera, about the steps needed to get a book ready for library checkout.

Earth Day

Libraries support Earth Day every day by circulating one book to one user after another, after another.  Careful handling and use promotes years of use from a book.  Our library also has generous donations from individuals who want to see the life of their book extended and available to more readers.

Support Earth Day every day.

Week Nine: Instant Messaging

Instant Messaging (IM)!  Do I like it, yes.  It is a convenient way to send short messages that do not tie up your phone, cell or other activities that can not be interrupted.  Chat through IM or texting has moved the social conversation into multifaceted instant communication that has become very addictive.  I have used IM successfully to contact people when planning events that would have taken much longer using phone conversations. 

I established a Meebo account and began chatting with librarians from NEKLS.  Meebo was having difficulties that day so we switched to Google Talk and had a very successful conversation over 23ThingsKS.  It was fun, effective and helpful.  I have also had very good experiences with IM and technical support for products at school through the providers websites.  (I get extra credit for doing this!!!)

My concerns with IM are the same as any online activity.  As we become familiar and use becomes commonplace, we forget the social aspects and written conversation can never replace the eye contact and body language of a face to face discussion which directs the interpretation of the words conveyed.  SOMETIMES EMPHASIS IS MISPLACED when etiquette is not completely understood by all.

Has this changed the way I work, only in a minor way  in our school setting.  At this time, we do not have an IM system for staff to utilize and probably do not want it available in a student to student setting.  As our staff grows with technology, I would like to see IM used for more immediate questions than email can provide.  I would also like to have an ask the librarian situation for student reference and book questions.