Google Doc is a wonderful tool. I am using it with my Google web page that I am developing. It allows one to create a document in a familiar zone similar to Word Docs without all the tools and hoohaas. Then you can, with just a click, send it forth as a web page. It is even easier than Front Page - which I loved. Google Docs does not have as many different types of print to choose from, size of print, etc. However, most of the basics are available like headers and footers, colors, spell check, tables, etc. There is no mail merge, no label maker, no track changes, no variety of lines or lettering, no columns. But again, the basics are there. It is easy to use and recognize. In actuality - if I were teaching someone to use Word, I would start with Google Docs, let them get their feet dirty there and then move them up to Word. Google Docs is a great basic platform.
I looked at Open Office. It is very close to the same as Microsoft Word. It has all the basic features that Word or Power Point have with only some of them missing. However, if you have used the Microsoft program set, there will be things that you will miss - although the free aspect might make up for that. As these are programs that I use constantly - I would miss certain things but if you were just learning this would be a great tool to learn with. It has more bells and whistles than Google Docs but not quite as many as Microsoft Word.
Monday, July 7, 2008
Friday, July 4, 2008
Thing 17 - Rollyo
Oh boy, well I feel like my head is about to explode!!!! This is a cool way to make list of websites for kids to search. If a teacher has a subject that she wants the kids to look information up for - I could make a rollyo and give them the link. This way, I know that the sites are valid and have good information. And, on top of that, I would be able to make sure they are safe. I think that this would also be a neat way for teachers that are interested in staying up with the latest information in a certain area to have a quick review of some of the most relevant sites.
I also wanted to add - I think this would be great for students in high school as they were beginning to apply to colleges. They could put the college sites on a rollyo and then they could go in and do a search for something like - financial aid - info from all the sites would pop up. This would make getting the info much faster than going to each site and searching. Or if you were getting ready to buy a car and were doing the research first this would be a helpful thing to have. I do not see elementary students using this much - but by jr. high or high school I can see the students begin to make rollyos for themselves. In elementary it would be the teacher or librarian that is making the rollyo for the students to use.
We were asked to make a rollyo and then post the link here. However, because I did not publish mine - I could not really leave a link. However, I can give a picture.
So, like yeah, what did you think I would do it about - Pride and Prejudice fan fiction, OF COURSE. This is summer - time to relish my favorite things.
Okay, I am going to rest my brain for the rest of today.
I also wanted to add - I think this would be great for students in high school as they were beginning to apply to colleges. They could put the college sites on a rollyo and then they could go in and do a search for something like - financial aid - info from all the sites would pop up. This would make getting the info much faster than going to each site and searching. Or if you were getting ready to buy a car and were doing the research first this would be a helpful thing to have. I do not see elementary students using this much - but by jr. high or high school I can see the students begin to make rollyos for themselves. In elementary it would be the teacher or librarian that is making the rollyo for the students to use.
We were asked to make a rollyo and then post the link here. However, because I did not publish mine - I could not really leave a link. However, I can give a picture.
So, like yeah, what did you think I would do it about - Pride and Prejudice fan fiction, OF COURSE. This is summer - time to relish my favorite things.
Okay, I am going to rest my brain for the rest of today.
Thing 16 - wikis
I really liked making a wiki. We had used them a bit before but I made a personal one to help me plan a trip with my friend. I can also see how they would be useful for a team of people working together to plan something as well.
I really see this as being a great addendum to collaboration with teachers and students (for student projects). I want to try this out in the fall and see where it leads. Also, I know one way that I will use it!!!!! I will make a chart with the schedule on it and I will put it up and let everyone use the wiki to make the schedule!!!!!!! Then I will not have to go and hunt everyone down. That will be so much easier than if I had to do that again. Also, when ever I am trying to make a schedule for teachers - I think that a wiki would be an AWESOME way to go about it.
I see lots of posibilities. I want to try some of them out and see how they develop.
I really see this as being a great addendum to collaboration with teachers and students (for student projects). I want to try this out in the fall and see where it leads. Also, I know one way that I will use it!!!!! I will make a chart with the schedule on it and I will put it up and let everyone use the wiki to make the schedule!!!!!!! Then I will not have to go and hunt everyone down. That will be so much easier than if I had to do that again. Also, when ever I am trying to make a schedule for teachers - I think that a wiki would be an AWESOME way to go about it.
I see lots of posibilities. I want to try some of them out and see how they develop.
Thing 15 - Library 2.0
Disruptive thinker, David Warlick, I think not. I really felt that he had some extremely good points, was well thought out, and easy to understand. I was particularly interested in the website he mentioned and will spend some time "playing" there a bit later this summer.
I also read the Wikipedia entry and although it gave some info - it was more of an overview of the discussion rather than anything pertinate.
Last, I happend upon Michael Stephens "Into the new world of librarianship". I liked his thinking but that is more on the overview of a library rather than in the world where I live with my kids. In someways, although my end user is my students, it is also really my teachers. I am here to help them get the info they need to get to the students. Then it is also my job to help the kids understand the info and how to get it again and again. I am so looking forward to this next year when I hope that I will be able to pull my kids in and do more and more projects with them that allows me to open new arenas of info and technology to them. I really believe that a librarian is becoming more and more a facilitator to and of information than almost anything else - but then - when dealing with "digital natives" that is also what one might hope that teachers are as well. I guess that in a real overall way - that is what I see my role as being - a conduit or facilitator. Getting the person to the info they need. If that means helping them find it or if that means helping them use it, what ever, that is what my job is.
I also read the Wikipedia entry and although it gave some info - it was more of an overview of the discussion rather than anything pertinate.
Last, I happend upon Michael Stephens "Into the new world of librarianship". I liked his thinking but that is more on the overview of a library rather than in the world where I live with my kids. In someways, although my end user is my students, it is also really my teachers. I am here to help them get the info they need to get to the students. Then it is also my job to help the kids understand the info and how to get it again and again. I am so looking forward to this next year when I hope that I will be able to pull my kids in and do more and more projects with them that allows me to open new arenas of info and technology to them. I really believe that a librarian is becoming more and more a facilitator to and of information than almost anything else - but then - when dealing with "digital natives" that is also what one might hope that teachers are as well. I guess that in a real overall way - that is what I see my role as being - a conduit or facilitator. Getting the person to the info they need. If that means helping them find it or if that means helping them use it, what ever, that is what my job is.
Thing 14 - technorati
I frankly find it interesting that there is a company that is out there trying to keep up with all the blogging that is going on. But, I guess that I shouldn't be as this is just like the function of a librarian, getting info cataloged and into a shape that will allow others to find information quickly and easily. Tagging is actually another one of those librarian functions that now everyone is doing. We didn't call it tagging - we called it cataloguing. So, now it is just a tad bit easier and with out all the rules that we had to learn to catalogue - but then with tagging - the cataloguing is only as good as the tags that people use. As librarians, we all had a standardized procedure to help make it orgainzied. So, I wonder how long it will be until there becomes some sort of standardized tagging system. Naaaah I don't think that will probably ever happen. They will just expand the search to capture all the different possibilities.
While searching in different ways for "school library learning 2.0" I did notice that alot of the most popular blogs at the moment are gossip, politics, geeky stuff, and humor. I found that quite interesting. Also, I found that I did get different info sometimes but also there was some overlap.
I felt that there was a wealth of info on Technorati - but again, it would take alot of "playing" with it to get easy enough with it to make it comfortable. I tried to "claim my blog" by the site was not working properly. Oh, well, another time.
While searching in different ways for "school library learning 2.0" I did notice that alot of the most popular blogs at the moment are gossip, politics, geeky stuff, and humor. I found that quite interesting. Also, I found that I did get different info sometimes but also there was some overlap.
I felt that there was a wealth of info on Technorati - but again, it would take alot of "playing" with it to get easy enough with it to make it comfortable. I tried to "claim my blog" by the site was not working properly. Oh, well, another time.
Thing 13 - social bookmarking
Okay, I was already familiar with del.icio.us. I had not really used the site alot but I had been in a class at TCEA about it so felt comfortable with all the ins and outs of it. I like the ability to share lots of bookmarks VERY easily. However, I also looked at Furl and Ma.gnolia and there are things that I like about them more. The thing the del.icio.us has is the wealth of bookmarks already avaliable and the easy of searching. Both Furl and Ma.gnolia allow for public or private bookmarks which I really liked. On top of that Ma.gnolia also allows you to create groups to send bookmarks that you create to - such as teachers or students that a librarian would send them bookmarks to a specific group. Additionally, Ma.gnolia has another feature that I really liked. It saves a copy of the site for you. Then you never loose the site even if it goes down. That is awesome. It allows you to "grade" a website using the stars method. This is also helpful especially if you are sending them to a group. Unfortunately Ma.gnolia looses the easy of creating the bookmark that both del.icio.us and Furl have. Both of these sites allow you to copy portions of the site and put it in the comments section.
Finally, I guess I would say that I like del.icio.us for the wealth of sites already bookmarked and avaliable to search, Furl for the privacy issue, and Ma.gnolia for privacy, saving the site, and the groups option.
Interestingly - some of these things are called social and they actually keep you from being face to face with people because you spend so much time behind your computer bookmarking, blogging, etc. I admit - it does let you connect with people far away that you might not have connected with otherwise.
Finally, I guess I would say that I like del.icio.us for the wealth of sites already bookmarked and avaliable to search, Furl for the privacy issue, and Ma.gnolia for privacy, saving the site, and the groups option.
Interestingly - some of these things are called social and they actually keep you from being face to face with people because you spend so much time behind your computer bookmarking, blogging, etc. I admit - it does let you connect with people far away that you might not have connected with otherwise.
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Thing 12 part 2
I found two blogs about Pride and Prejudice that I commented on. Okay, what were you thinking I would look up blogs on - football???????
I will add one of my comments here and if I can back track to the other I will add it as well.
The first was at a site called In the Shadow of Mt. TBR
mminYour comment is awaiting moderation.
This happens to be one of my favorite books. I did my senior thesis on Jane Austen and her books. I think P&P stands far above the others with S&S and Emma close behind. I to enjoyed all the verbal by play and the glimpses under the “veneerd” of gentelism that flowed through the book. I think that one of the reasons I was so drawn to Lizzy is because she seemed so very real - even Jane is a touch perfect for me. Lizzy has foibles but also a great heart. That comes through like a shining light and I truly enjoyed that aspect of the book.
However, the thing that I find fascinating through out all of the books is the look into the parlours of that day. The mores of the society are clearly deliniated although some are being bent if not down right broken. It is like taking a step back in time - like visiting Williamsburg or Plymoth here in the States.
I do value the psychological bits of the stories - but the pictures that it draws of that descrete period of English history is a wonder to behold.
And my 2nd post was at musings on pride and prejudice
mmin // July 2, 2008 at 2:40 pm
I do agree with you to some degree. I think that he was bored - but I think that it really camafloged the man that was underneath. I think that he was a better man but was hiding because of all that he was enduring with the “matchmaking mammas” of the ton. What I believe is that he did not realize how much he was hiding who he really was and how jaded and cynical he had become. I think that Lizzy opened his eyes to that. I think that happens to all of us to some degree. We know what we think and feel inside but we are not always aware of what we are showing on the outside. Lizzy bumped his vener and made him stand outside of himself and look again. That was not a pretty sight. I also think that it was to some degree his reaction to her rejection that also surprised him. When he realized how negative that was - it made him take a closer look at himself and ask why. When he did that, he was able to open himself up again and let more of his true inner self come out to the surface.
I have already stated that I was aware of the fan fiction - but although I was aware of some of the blogging about P&P I had not read many of those sites. This was a chance to look at a few.
I will add one of my comments here and if I can back track to the other I will add it as well.
The first was at a site called In the Shadow of Mt. TBR
mminYour comment is awaiting moderation.
This happens to be one of my favorite books. I did my senior thesis on Jane Austen and her books. I think P&P stands far above the others with S&S and Emma close behind. I to enjoyed all the verbal by play and the glimpses under the “veneerd” of gentelism that flowed through the book. I think that one of the reasons I was so drawn to Lizzy is because she seemed so very real - even Jane is a touch perfect for me. Lizzy has foibles but also a great heart. That comes through like a shining light and I truly enjoyed that aspect of the book.
However, the thing that I find fascinating through out all of the books is the look into the parlours of that day. The mores of the society are clearly deliniated although some are being bent if not down right broken. It is like taking a step back in time - like visiting Williamsburg or Plymoth here in the States.
I do value the psychological bits of the stories - but the pictures that it draws of that descrete period of English history is a wonder to behold.
And my 2nd post was at musings on pride and prejudice
mmin // July 2, 2008 at 2:40 pm
I do agree with you to some degree. I think that he was bored - but I think that it really camafloged the man that was underneath. I think that he was a better man but was hiding because of all that he was enduring with the “matchmaking mammas” of the ton. What I believe is that he did not realize how much he was hiding who he really was and how jaded and cynical he had become. I think that Lizzy opened his eyes to that. I think that happens to all of us to some degree. We know what we think and feel inside but we are not always aware of what we are showing on the outside. Lizzy bumped his vener and made him stand outside of himself and look again. That was not a pretty sight. I also think that it was to some degree his reaction to her rejection that also surprised him. When he realized how negative that was - it made him take a closer look at himself and ask why. When he did that, he was able to open himself up again and let more of his true inner self come out to the surface.
I have already stated that I was aware of the fan fiction - but although I was aware of some of the blogging about P&P I had not read many of those sites. This was a chance to look at a few.
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