My attempt at an Amimoto video. Needs work.
Top 10 Things about New York
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
RSA Animate - Changing Education Paradigms
Here is an interesting video that I received. Not sure I agree with everything it says, but it sure gives you things to think about.
RSA Animate - Changing Education Paradigms
RSA Animate - Changing Education Paradigms
Friday, May 13, 2011
Thing 7 continued
So, here is my report on Zamzar: It did convert my MSWorks spreadsheet (.wks) file into an Excel format (.xls), BUT it is not really useable. The words and numbers are there, but they are not appropriately separated. Oh well, it was worth a try. I still might try the conversion of the MSWorks word processor (.wps) files to Word (.doc) format. I'll see if it is worth the effort, or if I should just rename the files and clean up what I get when they open.
Thing #7
So I am trying out delicious. I already had an account at IKeepBookmarks.com. I am importing the bookmarks. We'll see which I like better. If nothing else, now the bulk of my bookmarks are backed up. Every time IKeepBookmarks was unavailable, I worried that the site had gone under. How do these things make enough $$ to stay afloat?
Remember the Milk looks good, but you need the pro account to get it to work on your Android phone. That seemed like the real plus to me. Otherwise I just send myself e-mails of to-dos.
I know I am a throwback, but I still mainly use Internet Explorer, so while Readability sounds great... I tried looking through the IE Gallery Addons list, but it is just too long and I am just too impatient.
I know that I want to use Zamzar because I think I can use it to convert my old MSWorks files to Word +/or Excel. I had gradually been converting them as I needed them, but that takes a long time. (BTW, the school just got a new version of PrintShop and I learned that it can't read any of my files from the old version. GRRRRR!) I just can't convert files fast enough and I don't understand why the companies would make their own product files inaccessible. What possible advantage could it be for them to make me spend hours recreating my work! I understand they want me to buy the new version, but shouldn't that be enough?!
I'll edit this after delicious successfully uploads my bookmarks AND after I use Zamzar.
Okay, preliminary opinion of delicious versus IKeepBookmarks: the "Word Art" of most popular tags is pretty, but I think that I like the visual of the folders in IKeepBookmarks. I guess it is just how my brain works. I'm sure I can get used to delicious, but it will take time.
Remember the Milk looks good, but you need the pro account to get it to work on your Android phone. That seemed like the real plus to me. Otherwise I just send myself e-mails of to-dos.
I know I am a throwback, but I still mainly use Internet Explorer, so while Readability sounds great... I tried looking through the IE Gallery Addons list, but it is just too long and I am just too impatient.
I know that I want to use Zamzar because I think I can use it to convert my old MSWorks files to Word +/or Excel. I had gradually been converting them as I needed them, but that takes a long time. (BTW, the school just got a new version of PrintShop and I learned that it can't read any of my files from the old version. GRRRRR!) I just can't convert files fast enough and I don't understand why the companies would make their own product files inaccessible. What possible advantage could it be for them to make me spend hours recreating my work! I understand they want me to buy the new version, but shouldn't that be enough?!
I'll edit this after delicious successfully uploads my bookmarks AND after I use Zamzar.
Okay, preliminary opinion of delicious versus IKeepBookmarks: the "Word Art" of most popular tags is pretty, but I think that I like the visual of the folders in IKeepBookmarks. I guess it is just how my brain works. I'm sure I can get used to delicious, but it will take time.
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Thing 6: Online Meetings
So, I just attended the archived webinar: Superbooks: How Graphic Novels Can Save Your Library Part 1 (intro) and Part 2 (presentation) . It was one of several that I had saved in my e-mails to do sometime. I have been interested, but time is always an issue. Frankly, it is too bad that school librarians can't do webinars instead of some of the meetings that we have to attend, both locally and regionally.
It was easy to connect. The topic was one I was very interested in. The graphic novels and comics, in general, go out very well in my library. Babymouse is tremendously popular. Now, even the boys are reading it! I have to find some more series that aren't Star Wars or Superheroes for that age range. I think some of the girls just read the old titles over because they love them so much. The kids get angry and tell me I must have moved them because there aren't any on the shelves. Babymouse is as popular as Diary of a Wimpy Kid!
It was a long time to sit in a chair near the computer. I found myself moving about some and not watching the screen, but simply listening. I'm glad I was watching an archived one because I could pause when the need arose.
If I were in charge of a library system or a group of libraries (like Albany Public or Schenectady), I could see using webinars to get together without physically having everyone come together. There is a lot of time lost to travel when we force people to come to one place. If the meetings happened before (public libraries) or after (school libraries) hours, they wouldn't necessarily even affect our patrons. I personally have been to a lot of meetings where my physical body was not really required. I could skip the soda and cookie to not have to leave my library without a librarian. Also, there are times when people cannot attend the meetings, because they are sick, their kid/parent is sick, their car broke down, etc. By Archiving the meetings we could keep everyone in the loop. Frankly, although we may have liaisons who are supposed to report back, it is not the best system.
So, all in all, I think webinars are a hit. I am not sure how I will fit all of the ones that sound good into my daily work/home life, but, as a school librarian, I will try to catch up over the summer!
Yeah, I am caught up on Learn with CDLC!
It was easy to connect. The topic was one I was very interested in. The graphic novels and comics, in general, go out very well in my library. Babymouse is tremendously popular. Now, even the boys are reading it! I have to find some more series that aren't Star Wars or Superheroes for that age range. I think some of the girls just read the old titles over because they love them so much. The kids get angry and tell me I must have moved them because there aren't any on the shelves. Babymouse is as popular as Diary of a Wimpy Kid!
It was a long time to sit in a chair near the computer. I found myself moving about some and not watching the screen, but simply listening. I'm glad I was watching an archived one because I could pause when the need arose.
If I were in charge of a library system or a group of libraries (like Albany Public or Schenectady), I could see using webinars to get together without physically having everyone come together. There is a lot of time lost to travel when we force people to come to one place. If the meetings happened before (public libraries) or after (school libraries) hours, they wouldn't necessarily even affect our patrons. I personally have been to a lot of meetings where my physical body was not really required. I could skip the soda and cookie to not have to leave my library without a librarian. Also, there are times when people cannot attend the meetings, because they are sick, their kid/parent is sick, their car broke down, etc. By Archiving the meetings we could keep everyone in the loop. Frankly, although we may have liaisons who are supposed to report back, it is not the best system.
So, all in all, I think webinars are a hit. I am not sure how I will fit all of the ones that sound good into my daily work/home life, but, as a school librarian, I will try to catch up over the summer!
Yeah, I am caught up on Learn with CDLC!
Thing 5: Reflection & Catch Up Week
Okay, so here I am trying to reflect and catch up weeks after I should have. So far so good with GoodReads. I am still planning to try Library Thing.
Facebook is a whole other animal. There are so many stories of teachers having trouble with it. NYSUT even had an article about what not to do. Frankly, what I got out of it is that they don't recommend teachers having Facebook accounts. I do know that a few teachers have accounts, but I know plenty that don't. One teacher I know does, but it is still problematic. She has parents friending her, so she has to be very careful what she posts. Then, there is the issue that people have been caught Facebooking on school time.
Frankly, even though this CDLC training clearly relates to my job, I don't do it on school time. That is why I am so far behind. I have so much to do at home, that computers just don't usually fit in. I can go a week at home without checking my e-mail. (Of course, at work I usually check school e-mail 3+ times a day!)
I think I will check out Facebook just so I am educated in what it is, but I doubt I will keep it. My sister had an account and she had literally hundreds of friend requests. One day, before she deleted the account, we decided to check all of the requests. There were a lot from people neither one of us knew. There were some from people she had worked with 20 years ago that never talked to her at the time. I guess they just want a higher friend count on their Facebook page.
Anyway, I must continue on our activities while I have the time.
Facebook is a whole other animal. There are so many stories of teachers having trouble with it. NYSUT even had an article about what not to do. Frankly, what I got out of it is that they don't recommend teachers having Facebook accounts. I do know that a few teachers have accounts, but I know plenty that don't. One teacher I know does, but it is still problematic. She has parents friending her, so she has to be very careful what she posts. Then, there is the issue that people have been caught Facebooking on school time.
Frankly, even though this CDLC training clearly relates to my job, I don't do it on school time. That is why I am so far behind. I have so much to do at home, that computers just don't usually fit in. I can go a week at home without checking my e-mail. (Of course, at work I usually check school e-mail 3+ times a day!)
I think I will check out Facebook just so I am educated in what it is, but I doubt I will keep it. My sister had an account and she had literally hundreds of friend requests. One day, before she deleted the account, we decided to check all of the requests. There were a lot from people neither one of us knew. There were some from people she had worked with 20 years ago that never talked to her at the time. I guess they just want a higher friend count on their Facebook page.
Anyway, I must continue on our activities while I have the time.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Thing #4: Online Communities
Okay, so I am finally trying to catch back up with the rest of you. First there was vacation, then, a new dog, and then a new car. Finally settling down...
I joined GoodReads as I already knew a friend on it. I am planning to try LibraryThing, too, as I have found it useful before. Still trying to get my head wrapped around Facebook, which I know most of the world believes they can't live without. I just don't have much of a computer life outside of work. So much of work, when I'm not with the students, is computer-based. I just want to slow down and disconnect at home. Frankly, I don't do much media at all at home, unless you count books.
I joined GoodReads as I already knew a friend on it. I am planning to try LibraryThing, too, as I have found it useful before. Still trying to get my head wrapped around Facebook, which I know most of the world believes they can't live without. I just don't have much of a computer life outside of work. So much of work, when I'm not with the students, is computer-based. I just want to slow down and disconnect at home. Frankly, I don't do much media at all at home, unless you count books.
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