Method 7

Hello again

For Method 7 we are to discover tagging & social bookmarking in Delicious.

I have been using Delicious for a few months and what they say in the articles is right. You can not bookmark enough!

When I teach workshops I have quite a few bookmarks to show. I recently taught a Lincoln workshop and had 32 websites. Right before the presentation I found that the IT people had been in to update the teaching computer and erased all of the bookmarks. Needless to say that was the start of my Delicious encounter. Now when that happens it's no problem. I just call up my account and keep teaching.

This is a great for libraries and librarians to teach and share websites. After reading the articles I'm thinking of creating a library account with tags for copyright, formats, and other websites students will need for their work. If it is accessed often, we could add fun sites. The capabilities are endless.

More later.

Method 6

Exploring sites such as YouTube, TeacherTube, and Google video was great fun.

I'm sure we are by now all bursting with great ideas how to implement this technology into our teaching. When our library started using Quizdom (a clicker method) with our Freshmen Into to the Library we noticed the students paid attention and had more participation.

The video I embedded is from YouTube and it's about a naughty ShiTzu. A friend told me about this site when I got a new ShiTzu puppy. No Charlie isn't that bad, but the video and music makes me laugh.

More later.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pC3n-LC3Em4

Method 5

I explored the Flickr and Picasa sites and found many great photos to add to my PowerPoint presentations. The idea of posting my pictures for family & friends is great.

On a professional level, there are great capabilities for photo sharing for students. For example, students in the field can snap photos of geological sites for later identification or different species of animals to include in their presentations and to send to professors.

For extra credit.
I looked at Picassa and it seemed that they do the same things. I like that Flickr let's you go in and have a tour without signing up for the service.

More later.

Method 4

I just learned about RSS feeds and subscribed to three as requested. I didn't find anything under "library", so I looked under investments and found some I would like to follow in the future.

I think I will use RSS feeds to keep up with information that "sounds good", but do not have time to follow on a regular basis.

Below are the three I have subscribed.

http://www.google.com/reader/view/feed/http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cramers-mad-money.com%2Ffeed%2F
Cramers Mad Money

http://www.google.com/reader/view/feed/http%3A%2F%2Fwww.scottrade.com%2Frss%2FWebcasts.xml
Podcasts for Investment Readers

http://www.google.com/reader/view/feed/http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.howstuffworks.com%2Ffeed%2F
CD Laddering for better profit

Method 3

I think cloud computing is a great concept, but I am still concerned about privacy issues. It's troubling to see students put everything about themselves out there without a thought about identity thieves, etc.

For myself, I have my vitae on Google Docs, have used the Zoho writer, and am trying the presentation in Zoho. My information is not out for sharing, but may be later.

Methods 1 and 2

In reading the articles I feel it's a great time to be a librarian. There's lots of great software available and the more we know the more we can teach the students.

I agree with "The Machine is Us/ing Us" in that computers make information more fluid and flexible, but I am also a major fan of handwriting. I keep remembering at the Univ. of Tennessee Archives. We had the notebooks of Alex Haley. It was wonderful to see the progression of thought through his edits. Pencil, red, then green. In the later books written on the computer there were few or no edits. I felt saddened for the loss of this creative thought process.

That said.

At my library. We try to keep up with new technology and software and promote it through workshops and classes. There is a wide span between students knowledge and needs. I don't know how other librarians handle this gap. We offer information to the students and those interested follow up and others seem to wait until it's needed.

Let me know what you think.

TAMUK Happenings

The Javelinas have just won another game (RAH!!) and are speeding along towards Homecoming. Anyone who is an Alum or fan, the dates are October 17-24, 2009.

Plan to attend Homecoming since there will be lots to do.

If you have time, stop by the Conner Museum on campus, there is a great display from the South Texas Archives. Mexican movie posters (lots of wrestling) from the 1950's and 1960's. Very colorful and plenty of great information about the actors and wrestlers.

Hispanic Heritage is wrapping up about this time, but there are still things going on at the Conner Museum, the South Texas Archives, and the Art Gallery.

Please see http://www.tamuk.edu for more information.

More later.