Final Thoughts

I really enjoyed learning about Web 2.0, especially the award list. I think that it is difficult to find new things when you struggle to get what you have finished. This was an excellent opportunity to step outside of what was familiar and learn about new tools.

To be honest, I was surprised at how many new twists there were, even for things I knew about or use. It was very effective to have some more challenging activities as an option.

I would love to participate in a discovery program like the one offered by NLC. Thank you so much for hosting this!

Podcasts

I have use iTunes to find podcasts for a long time. I love going in and getting news, entertainment, Spanish lessons, and information. Right before a trip, I always make sure I try to find new things, outside of my personal box, to try. I have found some wonderful sources that I never would have explored if I had not gone out of my way.

I had not seen some of the directories that were listed by the NLC. While some have a way to go before meeting the organizational and visual ease of iTunes, they have some wonderful content.

You Tube

I just love You Tube. Unfortunately, our filter will not allow us to access it at school. However, You Tube has a wonderful site called Teacher Tube that screens content. On Teacher Tube, you find videos, class projects, teaching units, and other awesome projects that are, for the most part, teacher friendly.

Even better, now there are applications that allow you to download a You Tube video for playback later.

A concern—You Tube make it difficult, if not impossible, to check for copyright. I have seen many things that I am sure did not have the rights released by the owner. Yet, there it was. It was nice to see that many artists now have their own channels, where they post videos, music, and other media clips.

Web 2.0 Awards

http://www.imcooked.com -- What fun! Cooks record their cooking, post the video, and share. The best thing is that you can see how complicated a recipe actually is before you make. Unlike the cooking shows who make things look far more easier than reality.

http://www.myheritage.com -- Awesome! Talk about an easy way to start your family tree!

http://answers.yahoo.com -- Got great advice about how to repair some things at home without paying for an expensive plumber.

Applications

I did use Google Docs to make this post. While this might not have all of the bells and whistles of something like Microsoft Office, it does an excellent job of providing needed tools for users. What I like is the possibilities that are opened up by the potential for collaboration. The collaborative possibilities are a true benefit. In our changing world, the skills and tools for collaboration are what is needed.

Wiki

I went to the ALA Annual Wiki. I guess, with all of the times I have used Wiki’s, I have to say that I had not considered how effective it could be for something like an event. From experience, when you are in charge of a website, frequently everyone has to send the webmaster the information and then hope they have time to add things in a timely manner. Priorities get set. Using a Wiki, anyone can go and quickly provide or update information.

And, once again, several of the examples were blocked by our filters. . . .

Library 2.0

Icebergs – We serve different populations and trying to meet the diverse needs under out tight budget constraints is not an easy task. If we don’t, we fail. But, at what point to we move forward? At what point to we leave others behind? I see students who, at a young age, are techno sophisticates. They know the language. They know the terminology. They know the applications in real life. On the other side, are the children and families that don’t have that experience and, for some, don’t see the need to discover the new ‘wave’ of technology. It is those families and children that fall behind. So, when faced with hard choices, who should we serve? Those that “have”, even in our absence, or those that “have not”?

Slideshare

This was great! I had not had an opportunity to use this before, but what a wonderful tool. One of the difficulties with traveling and making presentations is that sometimes, what you bring does not work. It would be great to have that backup available. Plus, the added bonus of not having to “reinvent the wheel!”

Delicious

I decided to check on the tags for a few of my favorite websites. One of the websites was Wookiepedia (A Star Wars Wiki). It was funny to see how many people thought like I did. But what I liked the most was looking at other websites that people tagged. I found that I preferred the websites from the users that had the same tags that I would have assigned. I actually found a few really neat websites as a result.