Thing #5 Flikr

buffalo tree, originally uploaded by Ms Linda!.

Thing #5 Flikr

This is a view from my deck on a very foggy morning. This stand of trees looked so much like a buffalo, I just had to grab the photo. Go CU!

Thing #4 Technorati

It has taken me some time to decide that this is a useful tool. I began with a couple of key word searches and was amazed at the number of blogs that contained the information I sought. 'Immigration' brought up 149,688 in "all blogs"; 32,060 in "Tag", "blog directory" shows 2,198, "blogs about" 149, 692. Ozone Depletion is not as hot a topic, only 1,242 blogs. I see that each category filters the blogs down to a more manageable size for searching.

Listed with each entry is a green number titled authority, good Heavens, what significance does that have to a blog. After digging into the FAQ if found this answer; If there is an authority number of 1 this indicates that one person has used this blog as an "authority". The higher the authority # the more people are linking and using this blog in quotes on their blog. This number is helpful in trying to get to the best information quickly.

I find the front page and "what's percolating in blogs now" to be a great opportunity to get students thinking about subjects of importance happening in the world at the moment. This could be especially useful for forensics. The percolator updates three times hourly! It has features for all interests from technology to sports to photos. It is arranged rather like the inserts in my favorite newspaper.

I spent a long time here and enjoyed the exploration.
So many new terms to learn, my AARP brain is in a spin, ah Web 2.0, it is exciting and overwhelming at the same time!

Thing #3 RSS

RSS “Really Simple Syndication”
I like really simple. Being a newbie in this world of computer use, real use, I approached Thing #3 with some skepticism. Sure Myra reads hundreds of blogs and news papers and web sites, but I am not there, so how will this make things faster for little old’ me? This evening I blog to you as a convert of the RSS feed. It really does make things in the blogosphere much more manageable and yes, really simple. I set up a blog line account, added all my classmate's blog sites, my favorites (Novel Dame, The Pioneer Woman, Students 2.0, media clerks 2.0). This evening I logged on the blog lines and found a new post from Ree, two classmates Kim and Patricia, and Student 2.0. Wow, light bulb over head…that took so much less time than clicking a favorite and waiting to load, nothing new, click out, click in etc. etc. etc.
Considering uses for LMC and classrooms, I’ll get back to you with those. I am off to technorati.LS

Reflection on Thing 1 and Thing 2

Well here I am on the eve of my second class, reflecting on how much I have learned in the past week. First, I learned that this web 2.o thing is just what I have been waiting to learn. I have also found out how to manipulate a photo; browse for it; download it and get my avatar to appear in my posts and comments. My avatar is me jumping in with both feet, giving the thumbs and toes up. I can do this, I am capable and I shall not sink. This was taken on the morning of the fractured end of summer. I have become comfortable with blogger and created this blog and a personal blog. I have even gone so far as to post to my personal blog. I have learned that blogs lead you to people you must be friends with on some plane. Lastly, I have learned that my colleagues see me as an overachiever. This is a shocking piece of my week's journey. Is this a part of blogging, that we learn things not only about the world, but about ourselves? So if I must be thought of as something, I would prefer to be considered the eager beaver; hard working; and goal oriented. Moving on to the next lesson, I set my sites on Thing #3. The RSS feed. Now this is exciting!

Thing # 1 and Thing #2

I am so excited about this class! I know how many hours Myra has worked on this PST and I want to say how much I appreciate her knowledge. All hail Queen Myra 2.0! The homework for our first class is Thing #1 and Thing #2, how many thought of Cat in the Hat ~~~ the helpful Thing One and Thing Two? Sorry, I digress.

Thing #1: Web 2.0 I am intrigued by all the terminology: Wikis; RSS feeds; Mashups; Flickr; del.icio.us and bloggs. I am so looking forward to learning ways to use these and all the other new technology with students in the library. In the article from the OCLS Newsletter Tom Storey talks about how this is the evolution of the World Wide Web. Today the web does indeed have the capability to make cultural changes and is an integral part of daily life. At the rate technology is changing, it is a daunting task to keep abreast of all the new ways to communicate.

Thing #2: Blogging. This is a rather frightening idea for me, putting my thoughts in print on the World Wide Web. I hope that my writing does not make any English teacher cringe and reach for the red pen. I also hope that what I say is meaningful and offends no one. And so, in I go with both feet. Web 2.0 here I come.

I have successfully created a blog and told the world about myself. I chose the name because our principal always refers to our school as “The Aerie”. So I am not really thinking of nesting, but sharing thoughts about school opportunities.

Image Citation:

Dr. Seuss "The Cat In The Hat" Thing One and Thing Two 24 May 1954. 17 January 2008

www.drseussart.com/book/thing1n2_lg.gif