Artzy Librarian

Saturday, November 7, 2009

WEEK #9

Thing #20-Discovering YouTube and sites like it.

I loved the videos that Classroom Learning 2.0 sent us o view!  The first one, Introducing the Book was funny.  The March of the Librarians was great.  It was quite appropriate that the music sounded like a PBS nature special.  Conan the Librarian was a bit irreverent but short and fun. I really loved the video from TeacherTube Videos called Azalea goes to the Library. What a great look at how important a library and a good teacher/parent can be in a child's early reading skills.  This is a long video but I enjoyed it! There are so many sites to visit, deciding which is appropriate, useful, and exceptional can take some time.

Thing # 21-Podcasts

Reading chapter 4 in our text by Nancy Courtney, Library 2.0 and Beyond: Innovative Technologies and Tomorrow's Users, was helpful for this "Thing".  She says that besides the definition of a podcast, the user definition is also important.  For a listener, it is an "automatic, anonymous, free delivery system of audio on demand." (p. 36) There are three steps to take for presenting a podcast on the web. 1.  An audio file is uploaded to the web 2. RSS 2.0 feed is associated with the feed and also uploaded to the web. 3. The feed is read by a podcatcher application, which then downloads the audio file. I was also amazed by all of the applications for Podcasts for the library. Noting the issues and decisions that are involved when creating a Podcast are important, too.  Getting permission (From authors, speakers, artists, etc. ) and considering copyrights stands out as a big concern, but doable. I liked that there are music sites where the music is freely available for Podcasts.  http://music.podshow.com; ccMixter.org;  When I explored here are some things I found:
Nancy Kean's Book Talks where I tried out her Podcasts I learned that they are only done with audio. I know that is within the Podcast definition but I've gotten spoiled, I wanted pictures.  She has a really great site that includes a lot of book talks as well as student booktalks and blogs.  I liked that she had a table-like homepage that allowed you to access books and Podcasts in several ways, subject, author, titles, and awards.  It was a very assessible website.
I visited Manchester Public Library's teen podcast "Prime Speaks" and subscribed to it with my itunes account as well as the RSS feed.  It also is audio only but done by teens.  Very interesting!
I went to OPAL (Online Programming for All Libraries) and signed on, even listened to the beginning of a Podcast lesson.  I think this is similar to our Wimba sessions on Blackboard, correct?
The Denver Library has lots of Podcasts.  I visited the one about storytime and listened to a story about The Talkative King, about a turtle.  Nice!

Just to confirm that I had the definition correct, since all of the Podcasts I went to were audio with no video, I went to Wikipedia and found this definition, which confirms the one in my text and on Classroom Learning 2.0. "Researchers at the Center for Journalism and Communication Research at the University of Texas at Austin in the USA are proposing a four-part definition of a podcast: A podcast is a digital audio or video file that is episodic; Downloadable program file,  mainly with a host and/or theme; and convenient, usually via an automated feed with computer software."

Thing #22- Explore ebooks and audiobooks
I have already been a fan of audiobooks.  I love checking them out from the library for a long trip in the car!  I remember years ago taking Forrest Gump with us on a family vacation.  My children, then 10 and 14 thought it was awesome.  They wanted to listen to all of it even before they asked for videos  on the TV we brought. (I never got to watch TV in the car as a kid!) As for ebooks, I have used a few for my online classes through Clarion. 
I did explore http://www.worldebookfair.com/ but found you need to be a member to see how it works.  Maybe someone else was able to click on a way to view books without joining but I didn't.
I went to LibriVox and had a bit more luck. I was able to download a poem by Oscar Wilde onto my itunes site.  That's pretty cool!
Next I went to British Library Online Gallery and had to install Adobe shockwave to view William Blake's  Notebook. How cool to have the book pop up on the screen!  I couldn't read much of the handwriting but the illustrations were really interesting. Then I went to Alice's Adventures Underground.  Wow!  I got to see the beautiful book, and I could listen to someone with a great English accent read it to me, or read it on my own.  What a great idea!  Very enjoyable! (I did have to download another "reader" but it worked.)

There are so many places to go for free books online, at the library, and even places to share ebooks with others by mail.  Very informative!  I will have to try more of this.

Thing #23 Summary

This has been an excellent program.  I am rather methodical in my learning and tend to get overwhelmed when everything is given at once.  Putting tasks and learning tools into small bits with great introductions has been most helpful for me.  I have tried things I normally wouldn't.  I'm afraid of downloading virus's (Actually, still am.) so had always avoided things like Facebook, and Twitter, and other social networks.  This program made me try those and more.  I've enjoyed exploring and plan to continue.  I get a bit nervous about downloading so many things on my computer. (My computer actually got a horrible virus while I was doing this.  However, it has been taken care of thank goodness.) I now have a different virus protection that I hope will protect me as I explore more.
I think my favorite discovery was the avatar, what fun!  I had no idea what they were.  My technology vocabulary is growing by leaps and bounds, by mega bytes! It is also great to learn about RSS feeds and be connected to other's blogs and feeds.  So much to keep up with, but I like that you can do what's possible and the rest will still be there.  (It may change, but the concept will still be there!)
I am an avid learner, and have continue to learn as I've grown older.  I don't plan on stopping.  If Classroom Learning 2.0 had another "class" I would definitely participate!




 

6 comments:

  1. Valerie, your speaking librarian is AWESOME! Love the fact that you created your own voice, and the graphics are great! Nice job :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks Erin! I've grown rather attached to her but I'd like to be able to change her voice more often...I'm checking into what that would cost!

    ReplyDelete
  3. good that you went into more depth with the podcasts. Personally, I like the term 'casts to cover the formats.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Congratulations on successfully completing Learning 2.0. We are delighted that you are continuing on with "Discovering Assistive Technology".

    Best wishes.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I'm really enjoying this blog and look forward to continuing with the "Discovering Assistive Technology"!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Your story about the teacher who used a wheelchair made me chuckle, particularly because everything was low and you struggled to find a chair. I subbed in a classroom for two months where everything was so high. Apparently, the woman I was subbing for was nearly 6 feet tall. :-)

    ReplyDelete