To Summarize

This has been a wonderful exploration of technology.  I really enjoyed trying all this software out, but it comes so fast towards the end.  I suppose this is necessary with a class schedule.  I just feel that I did not get enough time to explore how each of these work.  A little more time would be necessary to understand how to use them in a library setting.

I find it fun to explore technology, even the technology I cannot use.  The library I currently work in has a (one) student internet computer.  Since I am staff, I cannot use it.  I do not have the right login.  The students can use it, if they can remember their password, but any social media (Facebook, Blogs, Twitter) are strictly blocked.  This is somewhat sad because it limits what I can use in the library.  Even linking to some of these technology software programs can bring up the block screen. 

Also, there are no presentation areas in my library or classroom that can use computers.  This means that much of the technology I have learned about cannot be used.  I can only work with those items I have access to.  I just hope I can convince the school to let a library wiki site remain!

I am grateful for all this fun.  At UELMA, I discovered how heavily the library media specialist used technology.  It was amazing to realize how many of the technologies I had learned about were talked about.  I was glad that I had played with them.  I am sad now to be ending all this fun!

One last thing! Prezi!

At the beginning of a college class, I met Prezi.  I had never seen it before and I kept wondering how it worked.  So before I stop playing with all these technologies, I wanted to try it.  I liked it a lot better than I thought I would.  I was not certain how much I would enjoy a program that made me feel sick when it went from one position to another.  I really think it works well and I like how it can side ways thinking.  It is really a fun program.

So here is my Prezi on, what else, Big 6!

Viewing a Video on Prezi

Way Cool!

I like Google Docs! I knew people made surveys and somehow connected people to their websites but I had no idea how easy it was to do. Now, I know what I could do to make my library easier to run. (If of course they are not blocked!) It would be so much easier to use a Google Doc to create lists of books the teachers and students want in the library, if they can send them. I am just so excited to try it!

Word Art

Well, wordle makes good art. I just wish I could rearrange the good art. My head just uses the words differently and I think they look better that way.  Tagxedo does so much better, but is a little trickier to navigate. Why can't you rearrange the words in Wordle! Oh, well.

Wordle is good for fast art.  It is a lot of fun. It is easy to use and if you are not too picky about it, it is a good way to make posters. I can see having students use it for projects. I think they would really enjoy the art they create.  It is awkward to save though.

Tagxedo is better for those of us who have pictures in our head! (It is easier to save, too.)

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Too Much Noise!

Podcasts are not for me!  Do to a hearing problem, it takes longer for me to listen to something than for me to read it, because I must listen several times to make sense of what is being said.  It comes out as just noise.  I know it is probably odd to feel this way about this, but I can't comfortably listen to music either.

I also found it difficult to find podcasts I wanted to listen to.  If I focused on libraries, I either got book reviews - which seem to be what librarians use podcasts for - or long scholarly dissertations.  But enough of my kvetching.  After many hours I found a podcast dealing with libraries which was neither book talks or scholarly dissertations.  It was put out by AASL, as a promotion for their magazine Knowledge Quest, and discussed co-teaching.

AASL - Knowledge Quest - March 2012

It gave a short blurb on what co-teaching is and its benefits.  Some of the benefits it listed were:
1.  Students get to observe collaboration in progress.
2.  Students get more attention and assistance.
3.  Students get better guided inquiry for their needs.
4.  Students get quality feedback and process checks.
5.  Teachers get imbedded professional development.
6.  Teachers get increased help with discipline, assessment and curriculum goals.
7.  Librarians get a chance to use their curriculum!

Even with all these benefits though my favorite part of the podcast was a quote!

       "Teaching is too difficult to do alone, collaborate with your school librarian.”

Now, the only thing I need to decide on is which genealogy podcast I should listen to first! 
Family History
Genealogy on Demand 
Genealogy Gems