Week 14, Module 5

These modules gave me information about people with disabilities that I will continue to utilize, especially in how to properly help them.  Thus I feel the etiquette and awareness portion was the most beneficial and valuable.  

Though it was helpful, I would not recommend this tutorial.  I felt the "23 Things" tutorial was much more informative.  Much of the information about disabilities and assistive technology, I had acquired through an undergraduate course, one required of anyone entering the education field.  The information may have been repeated for students as well.  Additionally, there were many broken links throughout the modules that need updating.

It was asked if we plan to read any books on the LibraryThing booklist.  While I would love to, my graduate studies are taking priority, not offering much time to explore new titles, at least until I graduate.  Their compiled booklist is impressive and well thought out.

While reading Chapter 7 in the Shelly Cashman Series, I was amazed how much time is dedicated to choosing the perfect piece of software for a classroom.  I don't know how teachers have the time!  In my opinion, the best way to evaluate software or any piece of technology is by using it yourself and trying it out.  A report or suggestion can't give you the actual experience.  The chapter also addresses website evaluation.  This skilled activity requires practice in order to choose appropriate sources.  This should be practiced in grade school and continue throughout college and graduate school.  We all need reminders!

Week 13, Module 4

The discovery exercises again reminded me of something I was taught during my undergraduate studies in speech pathology, "People first."  The concept was to identify a disability as "someone with a learning disability" or a "person with cerebral palsy."  People are not defined by their disability, thus why should they be identified as so?

The video link to YouTube provided an interesting perspective.  It reminded me of the unnecessary things people do when they think they are helping someone with a disability.

I did quite well in regard to the online quiz as part of the discovery exercises.  I feel this is only due to my experience in education and within the speech pathology world.  It was interesting that they considered the term "handicapped" as inappropriate, when many establishments call accessible parking "handicapped parking."

I recently had an experience in my public library with a women with a visual impairment whom I will call "Sara."  Sara came with her mother who was aiding Sara with her 2 young twins.  She inquired about activities in the area for children.  When I found an appropriate print source, I spoke directly to Sara rather than her mother, however when it was time to give her the publication, her mother kindly took it so she could read it over as her daughter Sara could not.  I enjoy experiences such as this, as it gives me practice in how to communicate with people with disabilities.

5 Assistive Technology Websites

1. EnableMart: This is a fantastic website for a wide range of assistive technology products.
2. Tech Matrix: Another excellent website for searching assistive technology products
   
3. 4 Teachers: A web tool for teachers who are striving to teach with technology in the classroom, including assistive technology.
   
4. Internet 4 Classrooms: Another excellent source for teachers wanting to integrate technology within the classroom.  Provides seminars, even practice modules.
   
5. Assistive Technology Training Online Project: Offers tutorials, information for elementary students needing AT, tips on the decision making process for AT, and web resources for AT (list-serves, websites, projects, etc.) Great source for a teacher in an elementary classroom setting.
   

Week 12, Module 3

California State University AT Services
One normally associates assistive technology with education, but it serves its place within public places, including public libraries.  California State University offers an impressive amount of assistive technology.  Funding for libraries is becoming a daunting topic.  It is difficult to many libraries to muster up the funds just to stay open, I would imagine it would be difficult to add assistive technology due to it's usual high cost.   This drawback does not make assistive technology any less important, only more difficult to acquire.  


If I were to integreate AT within my small public library, I would focus on audible books as well as screen enlarging software and/or hardware.  Vision quality typically decreses as we age, thus with an aging population as our highest population we serve, this AT would be adventagous to purchase.  Thankfully there are laws set in place for all public buildings to be handicap accessible, address the needs of those in wheelchairs.


Built in Accessibility Features
The accessability features and demonstrations created by Microsoft is impressive.  However, I have recently become a "Mac girl."  I thought I would try my luck at finding these similar features on Apple's website.  Apple accessibility features are equally as impressive.  Click here for options for visual impairments, hearing impairments, physical and motor, and for literacy and learning for those using a Mac OS X.


InfoEyes
InfoEyes proves to be a valuable resources for people with visual impairments.  The website offered large text for low vision and a librarian for live chat during buisness hours.  However I felt the greatest resource they offered was the link to participating libraries, including the Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped through the Free Library of Philadelphia that serving people in Pennsylvania,  Delaware and West Virginia.


Kurzweil 3000
Unfortunatly my efforts to try the read out loud software was unsuccessful.  The program is only available to Windows users, I have 2 Macs.  I suppose this is the downside to having a Mac.  Though I believe the software company should make their software available to both Mac and Windows users.  Owning a Mac is not uncommon.


Inspiration Integration
The second discover activity asks us to create a lesson using the software program, Inspiration.   I have chosen to create an extension of my WebQuest focusing on genealogy.   This lesson could also be utilized as a library lesson to practice using dictionaries both in text form and on the Internet.

• Students will learn the origin and meaning of their first name utilizing either a print name dictionary or online version.
• Students will continue to practice finding meanings of family members names
• Finally, students will create a web of family names and meanings using the Inspiration software (see screen shot example below)

Software for Students with Cerebral Palsy and Low Vision

Identified Disability: Cerebral Palsy (CP) For the fictional student this assignment requires, he has low vision, poor intelligibility (understanding his speech), and limited dexterity.  People with cerebral palsy may have any combination of the following:

• seizures
• mental disabilities
• auditory problems
• visual problems
• communication problems
• dexterity problems

Software

The software products chosen for comparison, address the poor vision often associated with cerebral palsy.  For the purposes of this assignment, the fictional student has low vision, needing a combination of large print text and audio for his studies.  

The first product chosen is the ZoomText 9.1 Magnifier/Reader.  This software offers screen magnification of computer programs, menu options, websites, files, anything the screen displays.  It’s ability to also “read” the screen to the user makes it unique.  Many software products can produce audio of books, however not many can produce audio from an Internet webpage, a highly attractive attribute of the software since the Internet has become a valuable resource for students.

The second software product is the Dolphin EasyConverter.  The software is able to convert a variety of input formats into DAISY digital talking books, MP3 audio, CD audio, large print, Braille, or text format.  It’s versatility makes it attractive, as it can serve as a resource for many teachers needing to provide assistive technology, aiding those from low vision to blindness.

Please see the comparative chart of the two software products.

Comparative Chart: 

	Software Product: ZoomText 9.1  Magnifier/Reader	Software Product: Dolphin EasyConverter
Company	Ai Squared www.aisquared.com	Dolphin www.yourdolphin.com
Pricing	Through www.tfeinc.com, online cost is approximately $560.	Through www.enablemart.com, online cost is between $840 and $4,250.00
Features	Magnifies and reads all text and applications on a computer screen Automatic Reading Automatically speaks menus, messages, dialogs, email, webpages, etc. Choice of 3 verbosity levels to choose how much information is spoken Typing echo, each typed word or key is spoken Mouse echo, text is spoken when pointed to text	Creates auditory or large print materials for people visual disabilities. The following formats can be imported for conversion: Microsoft Word Documents PDFs HTML Text documents Loose Leaf Paper Rich Text Format Kurzweil Project Files Image Files NIMAS DAISY XML Generates output in the following formats: DAISY Digital Talking Books MP3 Audio CD Audio Large Print Braille Text format
Advantages	Offers visually accessibility to the Internet Offers screen enlargement  Many students can take advantage of this resource Relatively low cost	Offers many options for both input and output Can be used for multiple disabilities (blindness, low vision, nonreaders) Compatible with multiple Braille Application Software
Disadvantages	Not Macintosh compatible Minimal output options (enlarged text and audio) Solely for people with low vision, not blindness	Cannot be used on Macintosh operating systems High cost, this is dependent upon the number of users and installations of the program, thus the wide range in pricing listed above Can only be used for documents or files (not Internet webpages)
Software Justification for Cerebral Palsy Population	The Internet has become an important tool in classrooms.  People with low vision need to access this tool as well. With only a point of the mouse, a student can hear what is on the screen, whether email, simple text, or a webpage.  A software tool that combines auditory and large print text is essential for a student with cerebral palsy and low vision.  This software is not only adventageous for students.  It is also appropriate for all ages of those with cerebral palsy and low vision.	People with cerebral palsy often have low vision or blindness associated with their condition.  This software is quite versatile, addressing both low vision (large print) and blindness (audio format and braille).  Thus a single purchase can serve an entire school building, addressing the needs of all students, needing visual support, especially those with cerebral palsy.  The excellent output options make this software attractive for those with low vision and cerebral palsy.

Week 11, Module 2

While searching the Enablemart website, I was reminded of my undergraduate studies in speech pathology. There was an emphasis on communication devices, both low and high tech. One of the major differences between humans and animals, is the ability to verbally communicate. For as long as humans have walked the earth, individuals who were unable to communicate had very few, if any, tools to communicate. It is amazing that technology has given these individuals a way to have their voice heard. When viewing the second video in module 2, I thought how wonderful that woman must feel to finally be able to express herself.

I came across the hearing section of the Enablemart website and realized hearing and visual impairments are probably the most common disabilities found in a workplace and school. The level of impairment will of course vary greatly. I would expect technology devices aimed at these 2 impairments would be quite advantageous. Keeping in mind of course that other disabilities will need to be addressed depending on the needs of the workplace or school.

Module 2, discovery exercise 2 asks us to provide 3 simple accommodations in an environment to assist a co-worker.

• For someone bound to a wheelchair, creating an open environment free of clutter is essential. Moving furniture and eliminating unnecessary floor clutter will accomplish this.
• For a low vision impairment, making sure workplace signs are in large font sizes is a simple environmental change
• having appropriate furniture for persons with wheelchairs is also an essential for the workplace environment (i.e. low filing cabinets, appropriate height desks, etc.)

Assistive technology is without a doubt, helpful to those who need it. However each assistive technology device whether low tech, high tech, software, hardware, needs to be properly evaluated. What may work well for one student, will not be the right choice for another even if they share they same disability.

It is also important for the caregivers and teachers to understand and receive training on the assistive technology. It will only serve as a help if the student, teachers, and caregivers understand the device.

Week 10, AT & Module #1

Through the media and famous individuals who cope with disabilities, those with disabilities can have an example of success.  They too can have great success.

The National Federation of the Blind offered many tips for teaching with a visually impaired student.  However I believe the activities are also highly beneficial for students without a visual impairment.  Content is not learned by using a single teaching method.  One must teach content by accommodating those that are kinesthetic, visually, or auditory learners.  Keeping these learning styles in mind, is how I would approach a class with a visually impaired student.  Another key for visually impaired students mentioned by the NFB are braille books with tactile graphics.  One example is a tactilely organized book of the universe including constellations and planets.  These activities and resources can also be a help to other students. 

If I were introducing to students what it is like to be blind, we would tap into their other 4 senses during a sensory activity.  The activity would involve a fun activity followed by an actual lesson so they may grasp the feeling.

The National Center for Learning Disabilities offered so many resources and suggestions for working with LD students.  One particular section stood out.  They suggest a few key points that can easily be overlooked:

• Help them to create and maintain a positive image of themselves
• Maintain high academic standards
• Do not lower academic standards to help their self esteem
• When possible, refer to the student's IEP plan for specific accommodations

Other suggestions included:

• teach explicitly while instructing on the writing process
• provide feedback on the positives and negatives of their writings
• Coordinate for students with disabilities to tutor younger students, with close monitoring
• Peer mediated reading

This website offers wonderful resources for teachers, something I wish I would have known of during my experience in the school system.

Week 9, Thing 23

I can't believe our 23 Things are complete!  Growing up with technology and the Internet, I thought I knew what I needed to regarding websites and tools.  How wrong I was!  This served as an eye opener to the amazing tools available on the Internet, tools that can specifically be applied to libraries.

Resources and exercises I enjoyed most, and continue to use, are:

• Delcious.com (After learning of this website, I use this tool at work on a daily basis)
• Web 2.0 Award Winners Website
• Podcasts

There will always be new tools surfacing, thus I will rely on the Web 2.0 Award Winners and a website I discovered through a search on Delicious.com called www.Mashable.com.  If the CSLA offers a continuation or updated version of this class, I would love to enroll.  

To improve upon the course, I would like to see more "how to's."  Such as, how to make your own podcast.  

If I were to describe this journey in one sentence (as requested)..."23 Things afforded me the opportunity to become more efficient and creative while offering my library patrons technology resources a step above a typical and dull library website."

Week 9, Thing 22

World eBook Fair site certainly has a lot to offer with over 500,000 eBooks in pdf format.  I question the portability of the eBooks.  Can they be uploaded to portable devices?  If patrons prefer digitized books, this is definitely for them, especially at only $8.95 per year.  Though this seems like a great deal, I would rather help my local library and download their audiobooks, giving them increased circulation numbers.

Our library has recently offered downloadable audiobooks through a vendor called Recorded Books (check out this link).   I expect many libraries have or are investigating adding downloadable audiobooks to their libraries collection.  It is important to choose a vendor that can supply you with circulation statistics as they too are important for monthly circulation reports.

Week 9, Thing 21

Podcasts are new to me.  As librarians, we love organization yet the websites I visited didn't seem to organize the Podcasts efficiently.  On www.podcast.com they organize them by genre.  Wonderful!  But you're on your own from there.  Podcasts are simply listed in alphabetically.  Not even a summary or caption to accompany the link.

My thoughts on www.podcast.com are completely different.  I love the way they organize the Podcasts along with images to help guide users.  Check out this neat podcast series called B & N Meet The Writers Audio Interviews.  How neat this is!!  I definitely plan on incorporating a a few of these podcasts on my library's Facebook page and blog.  Someone created their own podcast on children's storytelling (a job and hobby I adore).  Perhaps I will consider this option!

Here is one of my favorite podcasts I found: Fall Children's Book Review with the NYT.  Check out the RSS feed links on the right for more New York Times book reviews.

Week 9, Thing 20

YouTube is yet another fantastic web 2.0 tool.  I have used the website in the past for recreational use, however there are many educational uses as well.

I explored the video suggestions given by the Classroom Learning blog.  I loved Introducing the Book, a parody of technology and new users.  YouTube is a relatively simple website to navigate, as long as you know how to properly perform a search, otherwise you will be inundated with nonsense.  I especially love the ability to customize how embedded videos are displayed in blogs.  Very neat!

I chose to share a video entitled The Economy and Libraries (see video below).  It is a CBS broadcast of how library circulation has increased dramatically with the demise of our economy, and also highlights how libraries are struggling and even closing, even when usage is at an all time high.  I'm pleased that libraries are receiving the recognition they deserve, especially when facing the threat of closing.  (Click here for a list of articles in the Reading Eagle due to 3 branches set to be closed by December).



There are certainly many videos on YouTube that could be beneficial to share with patrons, teachers, and even students (check out this child friendly video about getting a library card Arthur Library Card)

Zoho Writer Test

Testing one, two, three...

Let's try inserting a picture...

Not difficult, make sure you click on "fit width." You can't adjust the picture by simply clicking on it to resize.  (PS: My doxies waiting for the trick-or-treaters to arrive).

Let's try a table insert...

Pretty easy!!

Now let's try exporting to my Blog (oh boy)

Week 8, Thing 19

LibraryThing is a great concept.  I especially like the idea of librarians using the site to recommend books to students and patrons.  It was mentioned in the Classroom Learning 2.0, that LibraryThing has become a tool in cataloging collections for small libraries.  Perhaps I am old fashion, I believe cataloging should be done by a librarian with a specific cataloging program.  There are too many exceptions and special cases of items that make cataloging an intense ongoing task.  To put this in the hands of a website is frightening.   What if the Internet connection is down? However,  it does offer a great platform for anyone to contribute to book discussions.  Sometimes it is nice to hear outside opinions regarding book choices.  LibraryThing also gives the option of customizing how your books and their details are displayed.  I love customizing!  I chose a simple format, book cover, author, title, and ISBN #.  Overall it is a fantastic website for librarians and patrons alike.

I have used LibraryThing in past projects.  It is easy to navigate and offers different ways for your library to be viewed.  Click here for 5 books appropriate for my WebQuest focusing on Genealogy.  A few of the books I chose seemed to be popular, some titles more so than others.  I'm sure publication date plays a factor in popularity.

Week 8, Thing 18

I have been using Google Documents for quite a few years.  It has allowed me to collaborate and share with fellow students.  However, Zoho Writer seems to offer more to users than Google Docs.  Google offers a simple approach with not many tools to for advanced editing.  Zoho seems to have every tool a word processing program would offer.  Both sites are easy to navigate and offer "sharing" of documents, however in my opinion, Google's all inclusive website may appeal to users.

Although other websites may offer similar features and applications as Google, needing one user name to access your book lists, your online documents, your website (as seen in the Google Sites tutorial this week), your email, etc. is, in my opinion, more appealing.  I believe this all inclusiveness has aided in Google's success.

Back to the website of the hour, Zoho Writer.  Zoho Writer was impressive.  It offered an appealing simplistic screen with visual appeal.  It gave me the option of signing in using my Google name and password, quite a nice feature.  All these names and passwords are making me crazy!  I've resorted to writing them down, which may not be safe, but I can't possibly remember them all.  The Zoho created document describes the beneficial details of Zoho, highlighted one in particular that Google does not offer, exporting documents as pdf.  Great to know!

While exploring the site, I also learned a user can edit a document offline.  Once you do gain online access, the documents sync with the offline editing previously made.  Another fabulous feature!  With this feature in mind, students could easily create documents they can edit at home, at school, in a public library, etc.  This could be especially advantageous for undeserved families not able to provide their child with a USB or disk.  Students also can't use the excuse "I forgot my disc at home."

Though Zoho clearly beats out Google Docs, I will probably remain true to Google.  The online documents I create do not require the advanced options Zoho provides.

WebQuest Post

Through many fantastic web resources, I created a WebQuest intended for 6th grade students.  Climbing Your Family Tree The focus is on genealogy.  Although my lesson focuses primarily on social studies and history, genealogy can be tied other areas in education:

• Science: genetics and DNA
• Composition: requiring students to compose a theme or essay based on their family history
• Mathematics: comparison of past minimum wages, census records and salaries compared to those of today

In my opinion, the family history students gain through a project such as this, is more valuable than any test or grade.

Week 7, Thing 16

I have very little experience using wikis.  My only experience was for a group project in one of our first MLS grad classes.  I felt completely useless not understanding how wiki's work.  Now I know :)

Initially I wasn't sure how libraries could use wiki's for the general publics use due to the "edit" function.  I would not want my patron's editing my wiki.  However after exploring the suggested wiki's I found there is a login page for editing.  Problem solved!  Some wiki's templates were more visually appealing than others.  There are many factors to choosing the right wiki website, but the visual appeal would be important to me.

When I was hired at my current job as a children's librarian, the previous librarian created a beautiful web page for their summer reading program, a central page for patrons to get any information related to summer reading.  I struggled with the decision of how to create this web page especially not knowing HTML code.  Through weebly.com I was able to create this page, however, now I know wiki's are another possibility.

Week 6, Thing 15

The copyright law is widely known about, but seldom understood.  The YouTube video of A Fair(y) Use Tale did a fantastic job of briefly explaining the ins and outs of copyright.  I decided to delve further and learn about Creative Commons, an offshoot of copyright that I had no idea existed.  Full Copyright laws can be restrictive not leaving room for creativity to flow.  Creative Commons allows individuals to share their work and allow others to use, adapt, or reuse by others.  Creative Commons makes this possible.  I was surprised to learn anyone can apply for a CC or, Creative Commons simply by going online and completing a questionnaire. This form of copyright allows the creativity to continue, IF the creator deems their work appropriate for Creative Commons.  Creative Commons Website


The first discovery exercise asked us to find an attribution displaying this program has been modified from it's original version.  I found the 23 Things is actually an article by Stephen Abrams article Stephen Abram's article, 43 Things I (or You) might want to do this year including the website 43 Things.  Thus the version of 23 Things we are currently using is an extention of 43 Things thanks to the Creative Commons copyright.


On another topic, I thought it best to highlight what Nancy Courtney, author of Library 2.0 and Beyond, believes will be the next version of an online library catalog which she dubs "Ingredients for Catalog 2.0."  Many tools we have explored in this class thus far could be incorporated in this futuristic catalog.  After reading chapter 2 of Courney's text and thinking about library catalogs did I realize how far behind OPAC's truely are.  It is time our OPACs catch up with the rest of technology, offering more to our tech savvy patrons.

Week 6, Thing 14

Prior to this graduate course, I used Google's blog search tool.  Although Google's Blog Search is effective, I believe Technorati is more advanced.   Through the discovery exercises, I discovered the Blog Directory.  It offered a wide range of categories and subcategories.  It was great to see so many web 2.0 blogs reach the top 100 popular blog list!  While exploring the top 100 blogs, I discovered the user can choose either to search for popular blogs either by authority or by the number of fans. Pretty neat!

It was asked of us to compare the advantages and disadvantages of tagging.  While I love organization and order, what I consider an appropriate tag, may not be the tag another would think of.  I expect tagging also sets limitations when searching for results, whether on Flickr, Del.icio.us, or blogs.

Overall I believe tagging is helpful, especially if there is an overwhelming amount of information.  For the purpose of this blog, the information is easily accessed through the blog archive, thus I do not feel it is necessary to tag/label each posting.

Week 6, Thing 13

No wonder they call it "Delicious," it's amazing!  I have heard the name of the website, never fully understanding what it was.  And now, I am addicted.  Last week I began exploring the website in order to try and work ahead for class, except I have become addicted to delicious.com and can't pull myself away!

Much to my surprise, I was able to import all of my Internet Explorer bookmarks at work.  As a children's librarian, I am constantly saving websites and blogs for craft ideas, book lists, resources for ordering materials, and programming ideas.  I spent hours organizing and tagging these websites on delicious.com.

The searching feature is wonderful.  Google has been my go-to for quite some time, however, Delicious.com offers something different.  Searching other people's bookmarks allowed me to see websites that others felt were important enough to save.  Through searching, I must have imported over 20 new websites on my account.

My goal is to posting more comments on my classmates blogs, thus I created a tag through delicious.com so I can easily access them.

Thanks to delicious.com, I can now access important websites for work through my home computer.  In the future I'm hoping to work from home for ordering materials and planning storytimes and programs when I have children.  Delicious.com makes this concept feasible.

All types of libraries can benefit from utilizing delicious.com. Through tagging important websites, time will be saved in the research process if the first few steps have already been taken.

Week 5, Thing 12

Rollyo has amazing possibilities for schools and libraries, IF the website can speed up.  The concept of creating your own search tool is genius.  The process took much longer simply due to the loading speed.  Based on the comments I read from other classmates, they too shared the frustration of Rollyo's extreme pokiness.

I decided to continue using the topic of genealogy to complete the Rollyo task, and for the upcoming lesson plan assignment.  Copying and pasting websites into Rollyo to create my Rollyo wasn't difficult.  However, I was unsure how high the authority should be for each website.  Multiple graduate classes have emphasized the importance of website accuracy, authority, objectivity, currency, and coverage.

Please click on the link for my Rollyo search tool for genealogy resources.  Genealogy Resources (Rollyo)

Week 5, Thing 11

I was thrilled to discover all the fantastic websites reviewed by SEOmoz.org.  The variety of websites they review is impressive, ranging from the top sites for widgets to philanthropy.

One of my hobbies (which has unfortunately taken a back seat) is genealogy.  Thus I was thrilled at the opportunity to explore the 1st place winner for genealogy websites, My Heritage.  Below are a few of their impressive offerings:

• Facial recognition
• Free download to Family Tree Builder 4.0
• Genealogy Blog (I subscribed to it right away using the RSS feed!)

The website is a combination of a blog and social network.  The initial set up is free, offering the user 250 MB of web space, or approximately 250 in the family tree.  For $6.25 per month, users can upgrade to Premium status and receive 500 MB.  Or for the serious genealogist, $9.95 per month can upgrade the user to unlimited MB and people in their family tree.

Libraries have been a crucial resource for the field of genealogy (see MyHeritage.com's blog on September 24, Genealogy Blog).  Thus there is most certainly a use for these web resources in the library community, especially in public libraries.

As for the Travel IQ suggested by 23 Things, lets just say geography is NOT my forte.

Week 5, Thing 10

I loved this experience!  I choose these 2 photos to alter, but I could have continued for hours!  This was a fun exercise!  I used Big Huge Labs to create my cartoons.  The Generator Blog has some really creative tools I wanted to try, but they have absolutely nothing to do with this week's assignment!  Neat website though :)

I couldn't stop!  Here are a few more from Yearbook Yourself  Can you find Corinne?

Week 4, Thing 9

This week's activity exposed me to resources I didn't know were available, the ability to search for RSS feeds.  I experimented with the suggested websites.  Overall I didn't enjoy the process.  I would much rather add RSS feeds as I find them, rather than search for them.  The websites were not visually pleasing and I found them to be disorganized.  The only exception was Technorati Search http://technorati.com/ .  It was impressive to me that the level of authority could be chosen as a search option.  I have never come across a website with that searching capability.  Once teachers and libraries are familiar with how to search for RSS feeds, they can serve as valuable tools.  

Week 4, Thing 8

RSS feeds have certainly altered the way Internet users share information.  Although misunderstood, the concept isn't difficult to understand.  The video provided by Common Craft was an excellent tutorial of RSS feeds.

During our Database Searching class, I was having difficulty importing resources into RefWorks.  Curiously it was only one database that made it difficult.  Thanks to the RSS feed option, I was able to import the resources quickly and effectively.  Thus I find RSS feeds to be a huge time saver.

I follow Blogs through Blogger to get ideas for crafts, books, and programming ideas.  Blogger will display posts of those I follow, however the posts are small and difficult to read.  I explored Google Reader to find it will also display the Blogs I follow.  It was wonderful!  The posts were large and easy to read.  I will absolutely be using Google Reader.  Is there anything better than Google?  Here is a link to my public page of shared items:  http://www.google.com/reader/shared/CorinneHollis?hl=en

Sometimes it is difficult to locate the RSS feed on a webpage.  The typically used bright orange icon usually makes it easy to spot, however if a website is not visually pleasing or nicely organized, it can be difficult to find.


Librarians in both public and school libraries can find RSS feeds helpful.  Creating a list to export to teachers of various Internet tools to utilize in the classroom.  Or share a list of author websites educators would be interested in.  For older students, an entire unit can be created for RSS feeds and how students can utilize RSS feeds.  For public librarians, creating and sharing websites on specific topics for parents and educators is just one example.

Week 3, Thing 7

Initially I had no idea what to blog about concerning technology.  The sky is the limit!  Then I thought of my love-hate relationship with my Mac computer.

A few months ago my husband and I decided it was time for a desktop (stationary) computer.  He suggested we go with a Mac, whereas I, the "Windows loving girl" didn't want anything to do with a Mac. I was afraid of adapting, of changing from what I was so accustomed to using.  I'm positive that many people in society feel this way when needing to adapt to technology.  While working public library a few years ago, we changed library software.  Our staff was very reluctant and it took almost an entire year to fully adjust.

In the end, my husband won (it doesn't happen too often ;)  and we bought the Mac.  Other than the immediate problems and shlepping it back and forth to the Mac store, I do like my Mac (just not the customer service Mac provides).  My work computer functions with a Windows operating system (a PC).  I highly doubt my library will switch over to Macs, at least not in the near future.

I suppose learning the Mac wasn't all that bad...just don't tell my husband ;)

Week 3, Thing 6

This is an entire world of technology I had no idea existed.  There are so many neat things you can do!  I explored http://bighugelabs.com/ to explore mashups.  By integrating this website, Flickr, and my Facebook account, I was able to create a beautiful collage of my wedding day!  Our Wedding Day  


The concept of creating this collage seems so simple, but I never thought to explore how to create one.  I would like to continue creating collages for previous vacations as well.  It's a great way to summarize your trip.  Such a neat toy!

Week 3, Thing 5

As I try and keep my mind off the swaying ferry on my way back to the mainland, I thought it best to work on school work.  My husband and I are returning from our trip from the beautiful island of Nantucket.  Thing 5 asked us to find a picture to blog about, thus my interest in finding a photo related to Nantucket. 

Nantucket is home to 2 cranberry bogs which are harvested in late October.  I had expected to find the bogs already flooded with thousands of cranberries bobbing on top.  I imagined this image thanks to TV.  The picture I have chosen to share is a close up of the cranberries prior to harvesting.  Click on the link for a true representation of a Nantucket Cranberry Bog.

I was surprised at the number of options and settings Flickr offers to its users.  It even displays the make and model of the camera used.   In the past, I preferred to use Google's Picasa, however now that I have explored Flickr, I may have a new favorite picture sharing program!

Week 2, Thing 3

Ahhhhhh-vatar!  It took me some time to finally figure out how to add my Avatar to my blog.  She finally arrived!  I loved creating this mini me.  It reminded me of the addictive computer game, The Sims (which I have given up during grad school).

 23 Things directions weren't terribly helpful.  It took me some time to realize I needed to add the element first and then past the link.

Setting up the blog wasn't difficult, as I already created this blog for a previous class.  However, I changed the name, needed something new!