A New Beginning

The Library 2.0 (Learning 2.0) Project has provided the opportunity for some of the best training I have ever experienced. This multi-media and multi-faceted program, centering around blogging, produced tangible results for participants. I enjoyed that it was structured, yet allowed for self-direction and self-management.
At the outset of this journey, I completed a learning contract outlining my goals, as well as providing a list of required toolbox items and potential obstacles. My four main goals -- create a blog, learn more about podcasts, create a flickr account and learn more about YouTube -- have been achieved. Like most new learning tasks, the curriculum was enlightening, informative, interesting, dazzling, frustrating and above all, rewarding.
I have to admit that I found all of the "discoveries" worthwhile and beneficial. From the beginning step of identifying goals, to the strengthening of learning habits (all 7 1/2 of them), this journey allowed us to learn and use new written, auditory, visual and digital technologies. I enjoyed connecting and sharing with others, especially all of my library and literacy colleagues, while we together investigated new web sites, played and had fun.
I like "tagging" with others, generating web documents through on-line applications and tuning in to YouTube. (Rather than watching television in the future, we will be watching YouTube on our computers, I predict.) YouTube is jumping into the mainstream media milieu with giants like CNN by hosting events such as the Democratic leaderhip debate last month between Obama and Clinton. I am looking forward to listening to podcasts and eaudiobooks on my new USB MP 3 player.
I will carry this knowledge forward in both my work and non-work roles. I believe what we have learned together will definitely help with streamlining learning plans, demonstrations and promoting learner creativity through blogging. Administratively, we can work together on specific projects such as policies and procedures and program evaluation.
I have taken my new knowledge to help a hockey blog for the team I am coaching this season in Collingwood. If you would like, you may visit it at http://www.collingwoodblackhawks.blogspot.com/. It is a work in progress.

Finally, I believe that the format, content and timelines involved in this project were just right. Sufficient time was available once assignments were completed for us to pursue our interests individually.
The web is changing everything around us. We can either embrace it, or be left behind. There is a reason why some believe the internet (and the computer) is the most revolutionary discovery since the dawn of fire. I can't take credit for that declaration because I read it at some point.
Thank you to the staff, board and fellow staff members of the Owen Sound North Grey Union Public Library (and Learning Centres) for helping to make this a memorable time in my life.

Net Library and ebooks

I now know what I am going to do with my new MP3 player. Listen to audiobooks!! I can almost hear the cd-quality sound in my ears as I am writing this post. NetLibrary -- special thanks to the OSNGUPL -- is easy to use and peruse. I liked that the available eaudiobooks were clearly listed in subjects, from bios to young adult fiction, and everything in between. Browsing is easy and the books included pertinent information for the viewer. The list of available titles is only going to get longer and longer.

I chose to download Andrew W. Saul's "Doctor Yourself: Natural Healing that Works". I am looking forward to hearing about his philosophy on health and well-being. I liked that I could listen to a preview of the book before downloading.

It didn't take too long to download the book onto my computer, but I wouldn't want to download via dial-up. Now, where's that MP 3 player?

Fishing with Podcasting

I have always been interested in podcasts. Podcasts provide an avenue for people to produce and host "radio" shows to a world-wide audience. The vastness of the subject matter (carefully lined up in categories and available to search) is truly outstanding. Out of three search engines for podcasts, my favourite was "Yahoo Podcasts" because it was easier to use and clearly designed. However, my concern with the podcasts is that were just too many of them!!! It takes a lot of time, I found, to find precisely what you're looking for. A lot of time is spent surfing through titles, whose content could be suspect in terms of accuracy, etc.
I did a few searches that came up empty. However, a search for English as a Second Language resulted in finding this web site, http://www.eslpod.com/website/index.php. I added it to my bloglines and will keep checking in on new learning materials to be used with my ESL learners.
I also tried recording through OdeoStudio and found it easy to use and record, and if I look into it some more, I will upload a soundclip on my blog. At least I will try to do this.

I can't believe we're almost at the end of nine weeks of our new learning journey!

You Tube Rocks!

I have heard of You Tube for some time, but did not understand its vast scope of available videos from around the world. It is truly amazing! There are available videos on everything under the sun. I spent way too long on watching videos and moving around the site. I barely brushed the surface.

It enables everyday people to produce videos at the grassroots level. I believe it is revolutionizing what we watch and how we watch television. I liked everything about this site. If there is one minor complaint, though, it is that there are almost too many videos to go through.

I found a video of U2's "One", featuring Mary J. Blige. I hope you like it, I know I did. I chose this one because it is a new version of my favourite song. I was going to choose "Shift Happens" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljbI-363A2Q), but I am thinking Tim may have promoted it already.

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Google Docs & Spreadsheets

• Compose
• Share
• Publish

A V E R Y U S E F U L W E B T O O L

Lulu Dot Com

There aren't enough hours in the day to adequately cover all of the winners recommended by the judges. They are all well-deserving of the honours and cover a wide variety of creative tools and specialties.

That being said, the site which intrigued me the most at first glance was http://www.lulu.com/.

"Lulu gives you the power to publish and sell books, e-books, calendars and more," states the site's promotional material. "Lulu is free, fast and easy. Lulu is a marketplace for creators of content..."

It allows the user to upload his, or her writings, then to design, assemble and sell their books to the world.

Lulu's electronic publishing technology is amazing. It is easy to follow and understand. In our Literacy world, I believe that Lulu could provide unique opportunities for us to publish our learners' life stories and their creative writing.

I am going to investigate this site further to determine specific methods for learner creative writing.

Zoho versus Google

This is fascinating!

Once again, the new web is full of surprises.

I will be posting two documents, one from Zoho and one from Google docs.

I liked the templates available in Zoho, but found it frustrating when I attempted to paste copies of images or clip art into my document. Zoho has an easy method for publishing to your blog and gives the user an option to post the document as a draft.

Google docs was more user-friendly in terms of copying and pasting clip art and images.