It's official. I'm definitely impressing my kids. Not only have I caught up with them in the technology department, but now I'm teaching THEM some new tricks! One of the newest technologies for our house is the concept of a Wordle. I love the sound of that. Wordle. Cute. It's kind of a word cloud that moves in an artful way I'm told. To me it just looks kind of like an ADHD movie. Too fast to comphrehend.
I suspect that this is just one more piece of technology that I will be grasping to utilize in the school library to grab kids attention.
Wordle. I love how it sounds. Check out this YouTube video about a teacher who made a word cloud in her classroom. Cool...Wordle in the Classroom
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Friday, June 17, 2011
What Makes Us React to a Tweet or FB Posting?
“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” ~Maya AngelouThese simple techniques make even more sense if you go back through old Tweets or FB posts and see which ones received the most re-Tweets or comments. I went back through some FB postings to see which had received the most attention. I found that the most commented upon postings were those that included photos or information regarding someone's kid graduating, getting a first tooth, etc. as well as sporting events and memory joggers. Funny though, "going to the store" or "taking a shower" don't seem to resonate and receive responses because NO ONE CARES!!!
I'm going to the kitchen to make a snack and then will finish laundry, brush my teeth...
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Thursday, June 16, 2011
Save The Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus...Crap Detection 101
In his YouTube video, "Crap Detection 101" Howard Rheingold gives a great description of how we, as consumers of internet information, must learn to navigate the deep and treacherous waters we surf. Not necessarily an easy task. (I suggest wearing your swim floatees...)
He encourages that we must first evaluate the veracity of the author. Who is he or she; what do other people say about him or her; and who are those people? What are the author's sources, if any? Who links to the author? Check the website's credibility by finding out who is actually behind it by accessing an internet site like easywhois.com and then use a search engine to even delve deeper. Does this group or individual have an agenda? Does the language used indicate a bias? "Think like a detective...an active explorer." Not a passive recipient of information.
In the fall I will be teaching research to a group of savvy 11th graders. One of the websites that I will ask them to evaluate is regarding a proposal to save the poor, endangered tree octopus shown below.
He encourages that we must first evaluate the veracity of the author. Who is he or she; what do other people say about him or her; and who are those people? What are the author's sources, if any? Who links to the author? Check the website's credibility by finding out who is actually behind it by accessing an internet site like easywhois.com and then use a search engine to even delve deeper. Does this group or individual have an agenda? Does the language used indicate a bias? "Think like a detective...an active explorer." Not a passive recipient of information.
In the fall I will be teaching research to a group of savvy 11th graders. One of the websites that I will ask them to evaluate is regarding a proposal to save the poor, endangered tree octopus shown below.
I wonder how quickly they will detect that the information provided on the webpage is nonsense. I think I may start showing this with faux concern to adults and see what their reaction might be...Click on the link and judge for yourself!
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Shelfari
http://www.shelfari.com/
Has anyone else used Shelfari? It is a book community where you can post what you have read, what you want to read, etc.
Check on the link to see if it is for you!
Has anyone else used Shelfari? It is a book community where you can post what you have read, what you want to read, etc.
Check on the link to see if it is for you!
I don't really feel anything I do is Tweet worthy but when my friend said that she saw lobsters for $2.99 at Shaw's I said, "Now THAT is something to Tweet!" She agreed. Ok so maybe I'll get the swing of this soon.
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Lee Rainie
Lee Rainie discussed research findings about how Americans use social networking in the San Francisco Public Library on May 6, 2011. Among other things he discussed how libraries facilitate the use of social media service for their patrons. I found him to be a proponent of libraries and librarians; innately understanding how librarians endeavor to provide the public with learning opportunities and information and how that in itself is social networking.
Social networking. A term I’d not really thought too much about until lately as Facebook, Twitter, blogs and the like became such a prominent component in society and how people communicate with each other. I love Raine’s term “social posse” as he refers to people who “grab a cause or interest and pursue it.” With these social networking tools we are given that opportunity like no other time. The ability to gather a population to support or denounce a cause in days, for example the Egyptian coup, is mind boggling. So how can we use this powerful tool for the sake of libraries? Rainie sees librarians as both content creators and aggregators, having the ability to not only create informative content but also having the ability to share it with others in a resourceful manner.
He sees altruism in offering computers to everyone from teens to seniors and librarians being at the center of providing the social networking these groups need in the mode they need it. Refreshing to hear of someone who recognizes the value of the librarian. I think I'll keep an ear out for more of this guy!!!
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