Week 9 No 23 The beginning

The beginning of my journey into Learning 2.0 certainly not the end. I always loved the challenge of learning. This course was a big challenge, each exercise presented its difficulties and certainly did not take half an hour a week to complete. I enjoyed Flickr, YouTube, Mashups, Rollyo and blogging. I enjoyed taking my knowledge of the internet to a new level. Now not only can I search the internet but I have taken my very fist tentative steps to joining the world online community. Its a bit scary as I haven't quiet grasped the concept of staying anonymous. I need to be more mindful of my personal space in this online world. My next challenge is to

1. Read an Online book.
2. See if I can contact some lost High School Friends on Facebook.
3. Continue blogging.
4. Set up a blog for my daughter's kindergarten.

and sign myself up for the next installment, there will be another installment I hope.

A big thankyou to Paul for help over the last 12 weeks.

Week 9 No 21 Podcasts

I can't get the podcasts to work that I have searched and found. The searching techniques on all three podcast search tools were quite easy to use. All three had categories that made browsing easy. I can see that this has great application for training, and sharing training all round the world. I would be great if ERL used this to communicate to borrowers, with messages about new books, how to use the library more effectively, especially online resources.

Week 9 No 22 Downloadables audio book

I had a look and listen to http://worldbookfair.com/Mp3eBooks.htm

The concept of ebooks is an interesting one, where libraries can purchase ebooks than make them available to patrons. Much like ERl already does. It was suggested in this exercise that these audio files could be loaned by library users saved onto their mp3 players and when the loan period is over the file is automatically deleted from their mp3, no more overdue fees, or lost cassettes/cds or scratched or damaged originals. I listened to Edgar Allan Poe's A dream within a dream, and Samuel Taylor's The Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner.

I don't mind talking books at all, so I quite enjoyed listening to these downloadable audio books.

Week 8 No 19 Web 2.0 Awards

I had a look at Maps and Mapping award winners and went into http://maps.google.com/ Had Some fun playing withe the satellite search as I have seen this on the television of late. I searched Malta, Croydon, The Great wall of China, and The Sydney Opera House. It is just amazing how easy it is to get this impressive imagery and maps up.

Week 9 No 20 YouTube

Wow, I'm using YouTube, how exciting. I looked up Ford Falcon GTHO, and found some fantastic videos that I will share with my husband. We had these cars for our Wedding day in 2003. They were worth the expense. I was drag raced to my wedding and to my photo shoot. I am not really interested in cars, my husband is, they didn't really match my cathedral Vail, my long white dress, and my lovely red roses, but they made my husband happy.

I have followed the instructions to copy one video to my blog, lets see if it works...




And guess what it does. YouTube is fun! I cant see that businesses would find a lot of staff wasting work time by playing on this. Some ERl applications could be to video Author talks and post these to YouTube, with the authors permission of course. Maybe for some Training ERL could YouTube a presentation, this would be great for us part timers with kids. Maybe you could even relaunch the ERL logo on YouTube.

Week 8 No 18 Onine productivity

I posted this poem from Zoho writer, wihtout cutting and pasting. I'm smoking tonight...

A poem

I went to a Catholic primary school in Victoria.

This is a poem that I was taught, 32 years ago.

Sex is evil

Evil is sin

Sin is forgiven

So sex is in

No the Nuns did not teach me this.

I always thought that this would be a useful bit of knowledge.

From the last exercise I learnt that I learn slowly, and what should take 5 minutes took me 22 minutes, to complete, which held up another online user in the wiki exercise. A clear reason why it would have been better to select an anonymous blog name, rather than dumb dumb using her actual name. Time for some more tiny teddies... Online productivity tools allow users to share documents over the net. Without needing to worry about different software versions. And as I discovered it is very easy to publish posts to your blog. Zoho writer was very easy to use, if you are used to using Microsoft Office than Zoho writer is simple to use. I signed up, to blog my document I went in the frequently asked questions area and followed the instructions.

Week 7 No 17 Learning 2.0 Sandbox Wiki

Today I played in the PBwiki Learning2.0 wiki sandbox. I added my favourite place 'Malta'. It was very easy to add am image and a comment. I just went into edit page, insert image, I wrote my blog comment and saved.I found 'marking my adventure' a little more difficult as i was competing with another participant to edit and saved. i kept getting some message that sent me to the pantry for some Tinny Teddy bikkies, however my aim is to finish this online learning by Sunday so with perseverance I managed to succeed in placing my mark. Forward and onwards to the next learning exercise....

Week 7 No 16 Wikis

A couple of days ago I learnt about Wikis. A wiki is a website tool that allows the user to add, remove and edit details and information. The best known wiki is Wikipedia, which is an online community encyclopedia, where anyone expert or not can edit, add or delete the content. I remember a recent controversy when the Australian federal government was found to have edited the Tampa entry in Wikipedia, there was an accusation of a desire to change history. Apparently you are able to track who is making edits or deletions. The best thing is that you don't need to know HTML to contribute to Wikis. A major disadvantage to Wikis like Wikipedia is that because anyone can contibute you don't need to be a proven authority to publish what you believe to be facts. So Wikipedia can be filled with opinions, rather than just facts.

Another use for Wikis is for online subject guides like SJCPL. The Book lovers Wikis was intersting to look at. This required a subscription to be a part of this reviewing community. They organised a summer reading club where participants could win prizes. Maybe Eastern Regional Libraries could organise something like this...I also looked at Library success a best practice Wikki at http://www.libsuccess.org . Being part of this wikki encourage you to share ideas about what your library is doing with technology. very interesting wikki that I will definitely look into further.

Week 6 No 15 Web 2.0 Library 2.0 and future of libraries

According to the web article Web 2.0 where will the next generation of web take libraries, Library 2.0 is said to be a 'new concept for delivering and developing library service'. The article also mentioned that Web 2.0, moves from simply searching web sites to using what this article terms a shared network space for work, research, education, entertainment and play.

The net article Away from icebergs described three icebergs for libraries, including collecting large amounts of print resources, not creating easy gateways to online resources, and not bringing libraries to individual patron. I have been working in libraries for 20 years in that time many have predicted icebergs of various sizes and destruction capabilities. Each time, librarians as a world collective have managed to rise to the challenge and adapt to and drive change. I am sure that we will be able to embrace, drive, and push the boundaries of the understand of Library 2.0 and Web 2.0, so that yet again that iceberg can sink another sleeping profession not our loved and cared for libraries.

In the web article Into a new world of librarianship, traits of a library 2.0 were described. Including a library 2.0 will look at and deliver technology that the user needs and wants. This is nothing new, fantastic mangers like Lee Ellis and Carmel Higgins long retired have done this for years, when introducing new resources like cd roms, videos, cds, word processing, Internet, scanners, book talks, author talks and the like to their community library. This article also talked about making fast decisions. I found this concept interesting, I think we as a profession have embraced new service to our library patrons, I remember reading that Camberwell Library was the first to introduce a photocopier for patron use, and for a person who remembers using carbon to make copies this was an important development.

The future will see libraries move from Library 1.0, to Library 2.0 and into the future of Library 3.0. Courses like this one set up the Victorian Public library Network and The State library of Victoria will help librarians like me stay on the cutting edge of what libraries are now, and in the future. I am confident that with vigilance, good training and inspirational leaders librarianship will continue to exist in some form that involves librarians being the link between the public and great things to read and experience and information. Even today I am astounded at how many savey net users who still cant do an advanced search.

Cant Sleep thought I will blog

My little one on her 3rd birthday, She is off the kinda orientation tomorrow, and is asking what will be the names of her new friends. I love seeing the excitment in her eyes when she is discovering something new, and soon others will be guiding her education. My little lad and princess, growing so quickly, but even in the 2.0 age they still enjoy the simple things in life, like making mud pies, playing in a playground, and playing very quietly with a box of tissues so mum wont catch them and spoil their fun. What will the world be like for them when they are my age?

Week 6 No 14 Technorati

Technorati is a search tool for blogs. Currently over 50 million blogs exist. Yesterday I looked at www.technorati.com Technorati allows you to search blogs by either searching keywords in the blog posts, by searching tags within the entire blog posts, or by searching for registered and tagged blogs. I used technorati to search 'learning 2.0' in the advanced search mode. Blog post search resulted in 26,828 hits, this search, searched word or phrases as a keyword search in the entire post of a blog in English. By searching 'Learning 2.0' in tags, I received 1,926 posts, this is a category search, like a subject search in tags only of blogs. By searching 'learning 2.0' in blog directory I received 813 hits. This search, searched blogs about the topic.

I looked at popular search, and had a quick look at the 100 top blogs and the top video.

Week 6 No 13 Del.icio.us

Yesterday I looked at http://del.icio.us using PLCMCL2's account. I had a look at the tagged items, but as del.icio.us was so alluring I soon moved on to other searches of interest. I searched del.icio.us for 'children's health'. I was given a list of sites that are most visited on the web. I had a look at www.kidshealth.org , and found it very useful. del.icio.us also gave me a list of related tags which were also searchable by clicking on them. I than searched del.icio.us for 'weight loss' I looked at http://fitday.com which was saved by 1477 people. Comments included that this website was free, private, an online diet and weight loss journal.

Searching for topics was very easy. This is a great way to find sites that lots of others have visited. It was useful to look at the comments to see what the wider web community thought of the quality of the site. I found the list of related topics useful. It is interesting that any tag can be used not just pre-determined 'subject headings'. However the net is open to all not just librarians so why not...

Week 5 No 12 Rollyo

Rollyo http://www.rollyo.com/ allows you to group websites so when you search, you search all grouped websites at the same time, for example quick quotes has used Rollyo to link 13 quote relate websites into one search. Very useful.

To register I went into http://www.rollyo.com/ and clicked on register, picked a user name and password.

I created a searchroll on Queensland Accommodation and travel as my husband and I are organising a holiday for 2008 and are looking at lots of websites to plan, now we can search with one site. To do this I went into 'create new searchroll', I typed in Queensland, typed in some favourite websites, labelled with a category and tags, clicked on create searchroll, and done. Very easy.

Can see that I will use this to group children related sites, health sites.

Week 5 No 11 Librarything

Today I used www.librarything.com , I joined, I catalogued, and I have not quite mastered adding a link to my blog that looks as nice as others have done. obviously I am miising a step. Will try again....Have tried again still can't understand what 'paste to your HTML means' um had enough, will seek help when brain is working.


http://www.librarything.com/catalog/ajne

Week 5 No 10 Online Image generator

I had a play with www.bighugelabs.com/flickr/magazine.php to create this magazine cover of my daughter

Week 4 No 9 Finding Feeds

This week I looked at http://www.topix.net/ , www.google.com.au/blogsearch and http://www.technorati.com/

I found it interesting to see how easy it was to search each of these feed finding search tools. In each I searched the term eczema, and found lots of discussion groups that I could join. I was amazed at how easy it was to join for free and to makeup a persona so that you could join a discussion group without anyone being able to know who you are. In Topix I liked the easily found Australian news content and discussion lists. Most of all I liked the Google blog search and the ability to easily to subscribe to blog alerts, when other bloggers have mentioned a topic that is of interest to you.

Week 4 No 8 RSS feeds

When I read the title of this learning area 'RSS feeds', I had no idea what RSS stood for, what it was, how to use it, and did not know that it existed. While I am doing this online learning at a snail pace I am really enjoying it. In between organising a 'pink fairy princess' third birthday party for my 3 year old daughter and 20 of her playgroup and toddler tune friends I manged to give myself an evening off from making pink fairy stuff to learn. AND WHAT A GREAT ADVENTURE. All this is so very very useful. Simply keeping up with frequently visited Internet web pages without having to retype web address, all in one convenient list, displayed to your preferences, to the exact spot you always go to, ie instead of the entire The Age, you can access the sports section for the day. This is how

I subscribed to www.bloglines.com. After listening to all the pod casts,and completing all the discovery tools I found www.bloglines.com very simple to use. Sometimes I think I am missing something because of the new stuffs ease of use...

Subscription to common feeds
I found it really easy to get started as once registered, bloglines prompted subscription to common feeds such as 'word of the day', 'quote of the day', CNN, BBC websites, so I began by accepting subscriptions to their suggested feeds.

Subscription to co-workers feeds
I used www.bloglines.com again to achieve this, I subscribed to chrisnugentblog.blogspot.com and 2 others by, accessing his blogspot, finding out his RSS URL address, in bloglines I logged into my account, I typed this URL, arrowed down to subscribe to URL, then when it appeared I clicked on subscribe.

Try adding more
I followed the same procedure to add ALIA's Incite, interestingly when I typed in www.alia.org.au I was given the option to be more specific so I just subscribed to Incite. For fun I also subscribed to unshelved www.unshelved.com.

Week 3 No 7 Technology of interest, boobs

Technology of interest

On Thursday night I was speaking to a young one about the L2 course I was doing. I told her that when my children are her age I will be keeping an eye on their net use and be using filters to prevent them from accessing things I don't want them to see. She giggled loudly as she left the library she quoted http://www.unblock.com.au/. As my technology of interest I looked at this site, not impressed... you can unblock Internet filters, web content filters, bypass Internet filters. I think I will have to do a lot of work to keep track of what my children will do. The important thing will be to continue to learn with my children and not let the emerging technology get beyond me, and to supervise and maybe trust a little. I must also keep things in perspective, I have a son, so surely an interest in boobs wouldn't really be that bad. I will spare you links and photographs of what I will consider to be permissible.

Week 3 No 6 Mashups and 3rd party tools

I had a great deal of fun playing with Captioner and Warholizer on bighugelabs.com/flickr. Here is what I created with Captioner. This is my lad, Jonathon James.

Week 3 no 5 Flickr

Flickr - Love it
Before undertaking this L2 course I didn't know that FLICKR existed! I set up a Flickr account, and am having a great deal of fun having a play. I don't think I have mastered it yet, but I know it exists and can basically upload a photograph to Flickr, and I can save a photograph to my pictures and use them within the persons copyright. Here are the steps that I followed

Setting up a Flickr account
Step 1 Set up a Flickr account. VERY EASY Just to be original I have used ajnelouise as my login again.
Step 2 Save a photograph from my digital camera onto my pictures.
Step 3 Use the upload feature to load the pictures saved onto Flickr.
Step 4 Add a description and a tag.
Step 5 Secect a buddy icon.

Using Flickr to blog a photograph
I choose this photograph as my husband is off the Bathurst with his brothers for a boys week, today. He loves Ford cars.

Step 1 Log into Flickr using login and password.
Step 2 search for a photograph.
Step 3 Can quite understand how to link Flickr to your blog will ask Paul Burden to explain futher. However like many computer applications there is many ways to achieve the same outcome, so rightclicked on the image, saved it onto my pictures than clicked on the add image icon, followed the prompts and the result is a Flickr picture that has been blooged

Week 2 Creating a blog

Oh my....why wont this work, Why can't I get into week 2 Bloging? Am I the only one on the planet that can't do this...Head for the hills, escape, quit...or think about 7 1/2 habits of lifelong learning, point 2 accept responsibility ask for help.

HELP, HELP, HELP PAUL

Creating a BLOG
Step 1. Set up an email account with Google. Achieved
Step 2. Click on Create Blog. Achieved
Step 3. Write down account and password. Achieved
Step 4. Name your blog and blog address. Achieved
Step 5. Register your blog. Achieved

Hope this is all that is needed

Week 1 : 7 1/2 habits of lifelong learning

How will I manage to learn utilising video podcasts? How will I find the time when two children need my constant attention? I have learnt so much about being a mum, seemingly by using the 7 1/2 habits of lifelong learning, I have set goals, accepted responsibility, asked for help, I have been challenged, I have used technology to seek information and have helped others to parent. While L2 seems like a new language, I feel that if I could just get past words like blog, I may just understand this new world.



My goals are to

- give myself time to learn.

- Ask for help when I don't understand.

- try to understand the new language.



Resources for help

- I will seek help from Paul Burden when needed.