Week 9, Thing #23

Copyright and Creative Commons
The School Library Learning 2.0 website does a great job of acknowledging the source and inspiration for this online course. It says so right on the blog: Learning 2.0 is a discovery learning program created by Helene Blowers. Content and style for School Library Learning 2.0 and Classroom Learning 2.0 have been borrowed and duplicated with permission, under a Creative Commons License.

Thoughts on this online course:

The many Web 2.0 features that have stuck with me and that I continue to use tell me that the course was of value. Some of these features I use because I simply enjoy them, and others have become part of my work routine.
Some of the highlights:

1. I found out that I love to blog. And I have really learned how to set up a blog as a "one-stop shopping" site for myself by adding feeds and widgets. In addition to this blog I also have one that chronicles my Peruvian trip last summer: http://www.tonysperu2007.blogspot.com/. I will continue to use blogs to keep a record of my most memorable travels.
2. Wikis are great for collaborative professional learning. Our LMT group in the district set up a wiki that compares library automation systems. We were all able to go to the wiki to try out the demo sites and to add to the comments on the features of each system. The Board of Education was very impressed by the process, and when we requested funds to pay for the automation conversion, they all voted in support of us!
3. I use online word processing and other tools on a regular basis. My preferred online source for this is Google docs. I use their documents and calendar frequently and am starting to use the reader.
4. I thoroughly enjoy "Library Thing". I have two accounts set up: one for my personal interest reading, and one for children's books. I used to write down every book I read in my pocket calendar, but now I just add the books in Library Thing. I was having trouble remembering what books I'd read and what they were about, but this tool is a big help.
5. I haven't yet started using .nings or social bookmarking sites very much. The same can be said for Technorati and Rollyo. I enjoy using Flickr but haven't spent much time on it.

Many thanks to CSLA for setting up this online course. Nine weeks turned into over 6 months for me, but now I have indeed finished!!

I found out that the public librarians in our county and in a neighboring county have been doing "The 23 Things" as well - with their own online tutors and leaders. They were very happy and impressed when I told them that the school librarians in the area were on board as well.

Thanks to the School Library Learning 2.o team and to bibliofan for your encouraging comments throughout this course.