Thing #11.5 - Whoohoo!!

1. What were your favorite discoveries or exercises on this learning journey?
I was excited about the free screencast programs but will have to find one that works right for me. Bookr has promise and I hear worked for others so I'll have to revisit. I was just happy to be back in the know even at a low level.
2. How has this program assisted or affected your lifelong learning goals?
Again, I like that someone else (or several someones) has combed through all that is out there and said these things are worth your time to learn. When there is SO much out there and more every day, it can become to daunting a task and difficult to know where to jump in. This guides the journey though the journey is what you choose.
3. Were there any take-a-ways or unexpected outcomes from this program that surprised you?
I was surprised at how often things didn't work for me. I also guess I should also be surprised at how it didn't phase me this time around!
4. What could we do differently to improve upon this program’s format or concept?
Oh, you've got a good thing going as far as the participants are concerned. I know it's a HUGE undertaking for the lifeguards. I do hope that the PR gets ramped up so more people become aware of it and take advantage of this step by step guide.

Thing #10 - Virtual World again

I signed my daughter up for JumpStart's Virtual world and then looked over her shoulder as she began. Not enough clear directions so she didn't get to actually dress/change her Jumpee (avatar) as she clicked on the wrong arrow which just took her into the world. It was a little frustrating trying to figure out what to do and sometimes we just didn't but then she landed in something that she was able to do and eventually found a way to change her Jumpee and dress it, make it blond, etc. She spent about 1.5 hours and I'm sure she'd enter again. They definitely would like you to become a member but aren't very public about what that entails and I have yet to click to find out. JumpStart supposedly uses skills to ready kids for preschool and my daughter is approaching 1st grade so it was not difficult once she understood how to move and do what was being asked. This was not a virtual world where she interacted with others.

Thing #11 - Digital Citizenship

The question posed was what would you tell students during orientation about digital citizenship. I think it really needs to start before the students arrive. The ISTE documents, NETS-S for students and the NETS-T for teachers are a good starting place for discussion with teachers and administration. We've had schoolwide semester goals for new behavior modification guidelines. Why not pick a few things to accomplish school wide from these? I would consider copying these for each teacher, maybe highlighting some things that they already do so it isn't so daunting. Need to think more but they are good places to start the conversation.

From Cool Cat Teacher's post I would say we need to concentrate on the modeling. Not just showing the website, database, etc, but talking through our search, our decision making process, much like primary teachers talk through, model, the reading of a book and the internal questions a reader poses and answers. I know that too often, due to time restraints, I dash to the site and don't always show them the journey, or the journeys, I took on the way to deciding to use that site.

Validating a source is a hard concept for elementary kids. They think everything they find is real, fact, there for altruistic reasons... I once suggested to a group of third graders that if they are not being honest, (some had already admitted to lying about their age to use My Space and others), others could be dishonest too. The cute 13 year old boy/girl they are chatting with could really be a 52 year old man. Seeing the realization and then horror that slowly crept over their faces was a powerful experience for me. I can only hope it was for them too.

The Digiteen Wiki was also interesting. I thought I could use the Rights and Responsibilities section with the students. Telling them that it was written by students would gain a little interest and then we could discuss statements from it.

A lot of what was discussed as digital citizenship really mirrors much of what happens in SBISD elementary schools during the first weeks. Classes discuss and work on community building, behavior expectations, respect, teamwork and consequences for not adhering to the community's guidelines.

I had a lot of other thoughts as I read through all of the writings. I especially like the notion of explaining that digital footprints don't wash away like footprints in the sand. There is a book, Feathers by Heather Forest that could go along with this idea that once you say or write something, it's out there and you can't take it back.

I think I was supposed to come up with 5 things to talk to the kids about during the beginning of the year. On Educational Origami, the tenets were respect yourself, protect yourself, respect others, protect others, don't steal, honor intellectual property - seems like a good place to start.

So much to think about, so little time...

Thing #10 - Virtual Worlds

#1 - Anything with this many directions is usually something I choose to do without!

#2 - I'm anti-social, in any world.

#3 - If I wanted to fly I'd be a gymnast or a pilot not a librarian.

OK, got that out of my system.

I think it will be like learning to enjoy reading fantasy. The first time I HAD to read one, Dragonsong by Anne McCaffrey, I put it down after 2 pages because I didn't want to learn new words, new rules, etc. It takes work. Since I didn't have a choice, I picked it up again later and plowed through it and eventually was able to enjoy it and many more since.

After even more reading of directions (I mentioned I was a librarian...), Cool Cat Whitman instructed that I not go in alone so I won't. In RL, I will teleporting to IAH and I will get SL with a friend. More later. (Photo by Rhaaga - used through Flickr CC)

Thing #9 - Slideshare

I first heard about slideshare at a conference a few years ago (or maybe it just feels like years as fast as new things come up!) I was excited to be able to revisit a presentation that went by too fast or too far away, or be able to see a presentaion that I hadn't gone to. authorSTREAM is exciting because the audio goes with it. In slideshare you can see the main points but aren't sure what was said! Anyone doing research or a presentation would be wise to at least search these sites for their topic. I'm not advocating theft but it's always good to get ideas, both pro and con.

Students, and I'm thinking elementary, may not currently find a lot for their use. I think using their slides in a photo story and creating a movie to upload may be better. Now I'll go read what the rest of you thought!

Thing #8 - Screencasts

Well, this will certainly save time as I used to have to do the whole thing in PP with action buttons to make it appear as if I was 'hot linked' (no interactive board of course). I can see being able to help out staff remotely with stuff that is quick. Definitely a way to check for understanding with the kids!

Had trouble getting my ScreenCastle screencast to show here. Embed didn't work at all, linking brought up a player but it said the video wasn't available. So I went to freescreencast which said simple with no downloads. Step one : download... Moved on to Screencast-o-matic. Had to throw the first one away since the 'done' button had disappeared (Apparently I didn't read the directions well enough?) Here is the 3rd try for the day. Clearly it would have to be larger to be of any use.

SO, using Screencastle was very fast and easy and I was excited about the potential but the final execution never happened for me and I ended up having to export the movie and then upload so my excitement has wavered. Obviously I would have to play more to find the right match for me.

Thing #7 - Video Resources

I am amazed at what creative folks can put together.

I was frustrated with searching blinkx since the same videos kept coming up over and over. I found a movie trailer on hulu for Disney's The Princess and the Frog. I think I could use it when we talk about story variants (The Horned Toad Prince by ...), or genre features (magic, animals talking), and there was an idiom included "cutting a rug." It would be useful if you wanted students to extend a story since this movie is what happened AFTER the frog gets kissed. Plenty of options to incorporate the trailer in a lesson. With it being Disney, you won't see it here!


I also saw a video on cockroaches from youtube that I found searching blinkx. Having just finished reading 2 different Bluebonnet Nominees starring cockroaches I was thinking I could show part of it, especially with the sound off, to get reactions and then present the insect as a leading lady! Did their impressions change?

Thing #6 - Good touch Bad touch No itouch

I don't have access to itouch and can't currently get to an apple store so I'm skipping this one! For now.

OK, I still haven't touched an itouch but I WANT TO! I've watched tutorials and read 11.5 Things posts about the apps and use with students. I understand there may be elementary issues but I totally see it serving as a point of need resource. Makes me wonder if they'll ever do research in the library again?! Errant question comes up in class, get a kid on the itouch! Forget the dinosaur desktop, don't leave the ActivBoard display to use the teacher laptop, don't wait til later, don't just wonder, use the itouch. My former school has very small classrooms so this would put technology in the hands of more kids per day. I know one teacher who would definitely go gaga over this. More will if the training precedes the use. I assume that only free apps would be downloaded - has the district requisition process caught up to online downloading? What if there's a great, curriculum based app that a school is willing to pay for? Can it be done?

Thing #5 - Microblogging

I can't keep up with all the new terms! I joined Facebook after I moved north and it has been a good way to keep up, albeit superficially, with friends and colleagues from Texas, stray friends from the rest of my life and even a few stray relatives. I have been contacted by my High School whose Alumnae office has a Facebook presence as well as a summer camp planning a reunion for families in the fall. It's not just for college students anymore. I still don't post a status often and it's usually about the weather. Guess I'm not a sharer. I would certainly set up a page for a high school. Facebookers are supposed to be 13 and in high school (I know they aren't as I was contacted by 5th graders this year) and I'm not sure it would be appropriate to encourage elementary students by having a library presence. Discuss?

Twitter has taken me even longer to embrace. I signed up and then realized, once again, I don't care. Lee LeFever said it helps connect those who want to know about the minutia in your life. I guess I don't have anyone that fits that bill. Maybe once my daughter leaves the house, I'll feel differently. Now, I can see using it in the library. New book updates, commenting on something I just read, a new tech thing, links, projects, invites, etc. I liked the Do's and Don't's list when it stressed Add Content. I think that is the part that turned me off. I don't care who is having coffee right now.

I will add some of the suggested Library/Education Twitters and see if I can change my mind.

I had never heard of backchanneling before and I need to see it in action before I can completely wrap my mind around it. It seems like it would be distracting to me but I'll reserve judgement until I can try it out. I can understand the posing of questions and a facilitator/teacher making sure things are clarified during a presentation but when Joyce Valenza talked about her students going off and researching terms and issues during a speaker, she lost me a bit. Maybe it's because I have trouble reading and listening at the same time! My issue.

Thing #4 - YouTube Teacher Tube Uploading

I'm not really interested in cluttering up these sites with video not worthy so I'm writing this post but leaving it sit for awhile while I think about what I can do. The question was concerning the advantages of uploading student work. I did some photo story book reviews with students 2 years ago when there was a free site to host them as podcasts. It has since gone 'for pay' so using these sites to upload the student projects would be a solution. I think students like to see other student projects, especially good ones. It can inspire, instill confidence, curiosity, and illuminate. Imagine a student who finally "gets it", whatever it is, and then goes about explaining it in his or her own way and uploading so others can benefit from his final understanding. It may help another student, but the power the uploader feels will far outweigh those benefits.

OK, many days later, I have gone through the upload process at Teacher Tube. I found it frustrating as a 1st timer because it wasn't til the third screen that I was actually asked where my video was located. I still have no idea what Create Album is for and I was too frustrated with the inefficiency of the forms to delve into it. Obviously, the angst will be gone for any subsequent uploading. I have no idea if it was successful since I have to wait 24 hours to be approved. I guess that's a good thing. Since tomorrow is actually July (regardless of the date I began this post) I need to move on.

Thing #3 - To Skype or not to Skype

I must admit I have not tried Skype. I've downloaded, set my privacy options (Thank you Edublogger), removed the 5 new conversations from folks I don't know but don't have any contacts yet. We recently used Yahoo Messenger so I could talk to my daughter from 2,000 miles away. This was chosen simply because my father had an account and had already set one up on my laptop. We had webcams which froze frequently but it was better than just the telephone. My parents got to experience it while I used them as a hotel and they have now bought their own webcam. As others have said, class to class discussions, questioning experts, homework help hours much like public libraries do telephone reference are certainly ways to use the conferencing. I have a teacher friend who likes to do crafts and has talked about various afterschool clubs. If the technology is available maybe students could club from home. Elementary may not need to use it for group projects in the same way that high school students might, but they would definitely get a better sense of the world seeing a class in another country. Texan kinders getting to see New England kinders getting all their snow gear on just to go to school! (My daughter took forever getting everything off on her first day at school in MA and had to be taught what to do with the gloves so they didn't get lost - her teacher looked at me and asked if she'd never worn them before?!) Autumn leaves and other seasonal, geographical things may mean more through Skype than the pages of a book or even a streaming video. LMS is having Sun Burn Clinics for f2f interaction but one could be held in a conference call setting as well. Imagine a joint project among 3-5 graders on different continents using glogster or some other app. Clearly it boggles our traditional minds but leaves the other side excited!

Thing #2 - Image Generators

I have tried Wordle before so I looked at Wordsift. I chose to use an article in Britannica Elementary on Dolphins. I had difficulty bringing the image here, guess I've been out of the game too long! I did manage to bring the wordle. Wordsift was interesting with its links and pictures. The pictures were oddly attributed though. One link took me to a real estate site. I bet there's a lesson there! The pictures were easy to grab, (easier than the wordsift image), but I'm sure they weren't "free for the taking."




I have played a little with VoiceThread which I love. I have never gotten to complete a project since I don't have a captured audience, guinea pigs, etc. and haven't been able to capture a teacher into it...yet. My ideas were Book Reviews, using a jacket image and have others record their thoughts, and a 5th grade project with the people they are supposed to know something about. Glogster was fun and my daughter and I created this in the 20 minutes before the bus came today. She had just finished her dolphin project for school so the pictures and facts were still on the computer and fresh in her mind. I see good things coming out of this since there is a class component. I did not get to explore this...yet! Question about different thinking...the opportunity for links, which we didn't use, certainly changes the product from a traditional poster. Content, busyness, flow of info - that all stays the same as stuff to think about but the links and movies and sounds add a new layer.

On to Voki since I just used Animoto to send Father's Day Greetings to my dad! I had created a meez once upon a time so it was time for a voki.




I have been away too long or they've changed the rules but I am having a hard time getting things to show up. I finally put the voki on the sidebar and then when I posted, lo and behold, my voki, in the post as well. So, now I've edited and removed the side bar Voki because one Voki may be too much.

I felt the choices were more limited with the voki but they'll probably grow. A quick way to send a message that would get someone's attention. Homework reminders, due dates, meetings (did I say that?), invites, Have a nice day, Book Fair, New Books, book reviews, etc.


Bookr - Neat idea. Frustrating execution. Did it twice, it seemed like it never saved it. So I decided to emplore the archives, and ta da there were our 2 books. Oy. wait, not so fast, there were the covers of our 2 books but no guts. Double Oy. I'll have to see if other beachcombers actually were successful with this one. I'm feeling stupid. Thing #2 took about 4 hours total and I was already familiar with half of it!

Thing #1 - Connectivism

Wow, we're back. Feels like forever ago that we journeyed through 23 things.
Applause for Lee LeFever granting permission to this student. I do wish I could have read some of the fine print better but a very nice production. Daunting to think we will be trying to lead (or follow) students to this kind of project. I definitely feel that I will be doing more following than leading as the years zip by. Students are growing up with social networking, web technologies, etc. the way we learned the words to the Brady Bunch and Partridge Family theme songs. (dated myself, didn't I) I mean that they can do it without thinking and it will stay with them as they add new knowledge through the years (It's the story of a ...) A librarian can absolutely fill the role of the teacher. Time may be the challenge. I also think that the librarian may fill the role of liason between the student and teacher who may not understand that the student is in fact doing the "assignment." The student in the project totally went through the Big 6 steps - what do I need, where do I find it, what am I going to do with it, evaluating constantly and creating a product. The feedback/comments from the social networking avenues also help with the synthesis and evaluation steps. Perhaps I should change my blog title to Learning Concierge!