What one thing did you learn, and what will you do differently as a result?
If I have to select the most important thing that I learned through this tutorial, I would have to pinpoint being exposed to the vast software and hardware options available for subscription and/or purchase. In a general sense, I was aware that there are countless technology aids to help those with disabilities. However, researching and reviewing these specific tools exposed me to just how advanced these assistive technology tools are.
Do you plan to recommend this tutorial? If so, please elaborate.
Of course I will recommend this tutorial. It is very thorough and provides insight into overcoming disabilities that a vast majority of people probably are not exposed to. When we think of a disability, many subconsciously think of physical disabilities - even as teachers who are around learning disabilities every day. The tutorial succeeds in balancing the information presented in terms of physical disabilities and learning disabilities.
Do you plan to read or recommend some of the Recommended Reading books or add them to your collection? Will you link our LibraryThing list to your blog? If you have a book recommendation or have read one of the books that does not include a review, please send us your own review so we can share it.
The list is very extensive, but I definitely plan to read a few of the titles on the list. I already have read a few of the books: The Giver (one of my favorite novels)and Freak the Mighty. I haven't read The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, but I have seen it in bookstores and been intrigued. I didn't realize the main character has a learning disability. The book is usually reviewed very well, so I will probably buy it and read it over the Christmas break. A few others on the list that I am interested in reading are Flying Solo and The View From Saturday.
The tutorial is an excellent way to learn about all types of disabilities, how to incorporate assistive technology in libraries and in classrooms, and how to most appropriately interact with people living with disabilities so as not be insensitive or condescending.
Friday, December 11, 2009
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Week #13 - Etiquette & Awareness
First, I thought the study conducted by Justin W. Patchin and Sameer Hinduja raised some interesting points about the use of social networking sites, specifically MySpace in this case (the actual name of the study is entitled Cyberbullying Research Summary - Trends in Adolescent Online Social Networking). I found it very surprising that their research showed a "general trend toward safer and smarter online social networking." I would have figured exactly the opposite. It seems to me that most adolescents feel that they are invincible, whether in the virtual world or the real one. Maybe I am not giving this particular age group enough credit. Perhaps the countless public service messages and radio commercials about online predators are actually getting through to them. Whatever works. It is great that MySpace has been able to eliminate thousands of profiles of registered sex offenders. However, isn't it fairly easy for these same predators to completely make up a profile as if they were teenagers themselves? I'm alarmed that they would have the audacity to create a profile as themselves (real name, address, etc.) in the first place. That is pretty scary.
I took the Disability Awareness Activity Quiz, and I must admit that I did not answer every question correctly. As a society, we are so concerned with not making someone uncomfortable, that we end up doing just that. Of course, there are those who are completely oblivious to the feelings of others, but they would probably be rude or uncaring to anyone, whether he or she is a person with a disability or not. For the most part, however, I think that people want to interact with those living with a disability - they just don't know how to go about doing it without inadvertently offending them. The Ten Commandments of Communicating with People with Disabilities is a very useful, practical guide to follow. One of the questions on the quiz that I missed was, "When conversing with a person who uses a wheelchair, it is preferable to pull up a chair, if available and convenient, and converse at eye level." I answered "False", but the answer is "True". To me, it seems more logical to stand as you normally would, as if to (figuratively) say, "Yes, I know you're in a wheelchair, but we are equal and it seems much more patronizing to make it obvious that I am making an attempt to discuss something at eye level at you." Apparently, this is not the case. I think the nuances of situations like these make people without disabilities uncomfortable with interacting with people with disabilities.
I have a personal example that I still think about. My wife and I were married four years ago. My mother-in-law's friend attended the wedding. She is a person who uses a wheelchair. We decided to do something a little different at the end of the ceremony. Instead of a receiving line, we dismissed each row ourselves at the church and thanked our guests for coming as they left the church pews. My mother-in-law's friend - I'll say her name is Sherri - was seated at the far end of one of the pews with her husband. As we were dismissing rows, we came to their row. Obviously, Sherri couldn't walk down the pew row for us to greet her and her husband, and I didn't know what to do. Should we have walked down the aisle and greeted them, putting them at the center of (I am assuming) unwanted attention? I wanted to thank them for attending the ceremony just as I was for everyone else. I cringe at what I actually did. I sort of waved at them and then quickly looked away. I still think about that and I still don't really know what we should have done. I hope that I didn't make Sherri feel too uncomfortable at that moment. I guess the reason I wanted to share this story is this - Being aware of how we should interact with people living with disabilities is not always a black-or-white, right or wrong issue. There are still shades of grey, but being familiar with the general consensus of what is considered appropriate will go a long way as far as willingly interacting with people living with disabilities.
Here are a few websites that are useful tools in locating and evaluating assistive technology:
http://www.abilitiesonline.org
http://www.assistivetech.net
http://www.rehabtool.com
http://www.abledata.com
http://www.ATAccess.org
Note: I have tried the Insert Link option and been to the Help section many times, but I cannot get the websites to link properly. I am not sure what option I have clicked on this blog site that is not permitting me to link these websites.
I took the Disability Awareness Activity Quiz, and I must admit that I did not answer every question correctly. As a society, we are so concerned with not making someone uncomfortable, that we end up doing just that. Of course, there are those who are completely oblivious to the feelings of others, but they would probably be rude or uncaring to anyone, whether he or she is a person with a disability or not. For the most part, however, I think that people want to interact with those living with a disability - they just don't know how to go about doing it without inadvertently offending them. The Ten Commandments of Communicating with People with Disabilities is a very useful, practical guide to follow. One of the questions on the quiz that I missed was, "When conversing with a person who uses a wheelchair, it is preferable to pull up a chair, if available and convenient, and converse at eye level." I answered "False", but the answer is "True". To me, it seems more logical to stand as you normally would, as if to (figuratively) say, "Yes, I know you're in a wheelchair, but we are equal and it seems much more patronizing to make it obvious that I am making an attempt to discuss something at eye level at you." Apparently, this is not the case. I think the nuances of situations like these make people without disabilities uncomfortable with interacting with people with disabilities.
I have a personal example that I still think about. My wife and I were married four years ago. My mother-in-law's friend attended the wedding. She is a person who uses a wheelchair. We decided to do something a little different at the end of the ceremony. Instead of a receiving line, we dismissed each row ourselves at the church and thanked our guests for coming as they left the church pews. My mother-in-law's friend - I'll say her name is Sherri - was seated at the far end of one of the pews with her husband. As we were dismissing rows, we came to their row. Obviously, Sherri couldn't walk down the pew row for us to greet her and her husband, and I didn't know what to do. Should we have walked down the aisle and greeted them, putting them at the center of (I am assuming) unwanted attention? I wanted to thank them for attending the ceremony just as I was for everyone else. I cringe at what I actually did. I sort of waved at them and then quickly looked away. I still think about that and I still don't really know what we should have done. I hope that I didn't make Sherri feel too uncomfortable at that moment. I guess the reason I wanted to share this story is this - Being aware of how we should interact with people living with disabilities is not always a black-or-white, right or wrong issue. There are still shades of grey, but being familiar with the general consensus of what is considered appropriate will go a long way as far as willingly interacting with people living with disabilities.
Here are a few websites that are useful tools in locating and evaluating assistive technology:
http://www.abilitiesonline.org
http://www.assistivetech.net
http://www.rehabtool.com
http://www.abledata.com
http://www.ATAccess.org
Note: I have tried the Insert Link option and been to the Help section many times, but I cannot get the websites to link properly. I am not sure what option I have clicked on this blog site that is not permitting me to link these websites.
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Week #12 - Assistive Technology Software Solutions
After I downloaded the Inspiration 8 software, I started to view the tutorials, which emphasized repeatedly that a visual learning format improves student performance. I looked through the various lesson plan examples already pieced together, and I could see the concept of visual learning taking shape, so to speak. I was impressed how the software can support any curriculum in any subject area. Actually putting together a visual lesson plan was a little tedious at first. Although not absolutely necessary, it is probably a good idea that anyone using Inspiration 8 view the tutorials before attempting to put together lesson plans. Overall, Inspiration 8 is pretty innovative and provides a useful alternative to more traditional lectures, handouts, or lesson plans.
InfoEyes is an excellent service for the visually impaired. The service provides live library support, which I am sure few information sites can match. I don't think I have ever heard iVocalize software being used, but I am sure it has similar features to the assistive technology software that I reviewed.
I was definitely surprised that the basic Windows Vista software available at my fingertips is so extensive when it comes to assistive technology. The options and adjustments that can be made to aid a user with a disability are quite extensive. Actually, there were probably more tutorials about the various options available for Vista than for the other assistive technology software that I read about.
InfoEyes is an excellent service for the visually impaired. The service provides live library support, which I am sure few information sites can match. I don't think I have ever heard iVocalize software being used, but I am sure it has similar features to the assistive technology software that I reviewed.
I was definitely surprised that the basic Windows Vista software available at my fingertips is so extensive when it comes to assistive technology. The options and adjustments that can be made to aid a user with a disability are quite extensive. Actually, there were probably more tutorials about the various options available for Vista than for the other assistive technology software that I read about.
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Week #11 - Assistive Technology Hardware Solutions
Watching the videos/stories of two severely physically disabled people overcoming their disabilities was very inspiring. I've seen and read about many stories like these, but it is important to be reminded of them from time to time. Well, more than just from time to time, but you know what I mean. The story of the girl with cerebral palsy who attends college through the use of the DynaVox technology (computer-generated voice recording) specifically touched a nerve because she grew up fairly close to my hometown and attends (or attended) California University of Pennsylvania, which is also pretty close to my hometown. I understand that geography is irrelevant to any feelings that I may have about Beth Anne's struggles and triumphs, but it just makes the situation more concrete somehow. I wonder if Stephen Hawking uses the same, or similar, DynaVox technology to communicate. It seems like the same company could have developed both communcation devices, if they are indeed different.
It is amazing just how much hardware is available for disabled citizens. EnableMart is an excellent website that provides purchasing options for hundreds of devices that aid people with disabilities. While I was browsing through the hardware available on the website and the links provided on the Discovering Assistive Technology webpage, a few stood out. IntelliKeys is a device that is considered by many to be the "leading assistive technology in the world." Looking through the thousands of assistive technology devices available, this seems like a bold statement. However, IntelliKeys probably is the leader in assistive technology because of its versatility. Specifically, its high contrast colors and different keyboard configurations aid several disability groups, including the visually impaired and learning disabled. The Roller Plus Joystick also stood out as an extremely helpful technological aid for people with severe motor impairments.
It is amazing just how much hardware is available for disabled citizens. EnableMart is an excellent website that provides purchasing options for hundreds of devices that aid people with disabilities. While I was browsing through the hardware available on the website and the links provided on the Discovering Assistive Technology webpage, a few stood out. IntelliKeys is a device that is considered by many to be the "leading assistive technology in the world." Looking through the thousands of assistive technology devices available, this seems like a bold statement. However, IntelliKeys probably is the leader in assistive technology because of its versatility. Specifically, its high contrast colors and different keyboard configurations aid several disability groups, including the visually impaired and learning disabled. The Roller Plus Joystick also stood out as an extremely helpful technological aid for people with severe motor impairments.
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Week 10 - Discovering Assistive Technology - Types of Disabilities & Accommodations
It was interesting to see that some celebrities who we hear about every day have to live with and overcome disabilities just like many "regular" citizens. I had heard about the struggles of Howie Mandel and Howard Stern with obsessive compulsive disorder, but I hadn't heard of many of the celebrity disability stories that I read about on the website. As I've mentioned before, I am a huge soccer fan, and I had never heard that Tim Howard, who is a goalkeeper for England's Everton FC, suffers from Tourette's syndrome, or that David Beckham, who is probably the most famous soccer player in the world, suffers from OCD. Also, two authors that I admire a lot - Jack Kerouac and Arthur C. Clarke - lived with schizophrenia and polio, respectively.
The National Federation of the Blind website provided many useful links to information and ideas on how to instruct visually impaired students. The 2009 Youth Slam is an excellent way for blind students from all over the United States to gather, interact, and discuss their classroom obstacles, their inspirations, and their aspirations. Braille is Beautiful is an excellent program that teaches sighted students how to read and write Braille. I reviewed the link for this program and I would definitely find a way to fit it into my curriculum so that my students would have a better appreciation of the struggles and obstacles that their visually impaired classmate must deal with on a daily basis. On a much more practical note, my visually impaired student could more easily participate in peer-reviewed activities if his or her classmates could read Braille.
LD.org, the website for the National Center for Learning Disabilities, is a very useful research tool for teachers. The numerous links vary from general information concerning learning disabilities to links that discuss specific learning disabilities such as dyslexia. The Resource Locator feature on the website is a great search tool for teachers, administrators, and parents alike to find outside help and/or assistance, if needed. Information and/or local aid concerning a learning disablity can be found using a basic keyword search.
The National Federation of the Blind website provided many useful links to information and ideas on how to instruct visually impaired students. The 2009 Youth Slam is an excellent way for blind students from all over the United States to gather, interact, and discuss their classroom obstacles, their inspirations, and their aspirations. Braille is Beautiful is an excellent program that teaches sighted students how to read and write Braille. I reviewed the link for this program and I would definitely find a way to fit it into my curriculum so that my students would have a better appreciation of the struggles and obstacles that their visually impaired classmate must deal with on a daily basis. On a much more practical note, my visually impaired student could more easily participate in peer-reviewed activities if his or her classmates could read Braille.
LD.org, the website for the National Center for Learning Disabilities, is a very useful research tool for teachers. The numerous links vary from general information concerning learning disabilities to links that discuss specific learning disabilities such as dyslexia. The Resource Locator feature on the website is a great search tool for teachers, administrators, and parents alike to find outside help and/or assistance, if needed. Information and/or local aid concerning a learning disablity can be found using a basic keyword search.
Sunday, November 8, 2009
#23 - Week 9 - That's All, Folks
Classroom 2.0 is a very unique method of learning how to use some of the newest technological advancements. Not being a tech-head myself, I probably benefitted from this course more than most. The amount of work that had to be completed was pretty evenly spaced out through the weeks, which was really helpful because, as returning students with full-time jobs, we do not have the luxury of dedicating 100% of our time to our studies. I realize that I am generalizing and speaking for others, but I am pretty sure most of my classmates would agree.
A few of the Web 2.0 tools stood out to me. I will absolutely use my Bloglines account, Technorati to keep track of blogs and editorials, my Zoho account, and my LibraryThing account. These are the sites and accounts that I will probably use the most in the near future. After putting so much work into this blog, I plan on keeping it updated with information related to 2.0 tools.
I am now familiar with several Web tools that I would otherwise not have explored on my own. Perhaps I would have inadvertently stumbled upon them during an information search or something like that, but this course forces you to use these tools for a purpose. The neat thing about the course is that completing the exercises is pretty fun, and you can't really say that about most coursework. I wish I could, but I just can't - with this blog being an exception.
Finally, here's a sentence that sums up the course for me: A cool method of learning how to use Web 2.0 tools without repetition and monotony getting in the way.
A few of the Web 2.0 tools stood out to me. I will absolutely use my Bloglines account, Technorati to keep track of blogs and editorials, my Zoho account, and my LibraryThing account. These are the sites and accounts that I will probably use the most in the near future. After putting so much work into this blog, I plan on keeping it updated with information related to 2.0 tools.
I am now familiar with several Web tools that I would otherwise not have explored on my own. Perhaps I would have inadvertently stumbled upon them during an information search or something like that, but this course forces you to use these tools for a purpose. The neat thing about the course is that completing the exercises is pretty fun, and you can't really say that about most coursework. I wish I could, but I just can't - with this blog being an exception.
Finally, here's a sentence that sums up the course for me: A cool method of learning how to use Web 2.0 tools without repetition and monotony getting in the way.
Saturday, November 7, 2009
#22 - Week 9 - Is the Future of Print in Trouble? The Story of E-Books
Well, no. This is a topic that I have researched in the recent past for a previous class, and in my (hopefully) informed opinion, I think print material is fairly safe. I researched the Amazon Kindle, an e-reading device that is slowly but surely gaining in sales and popularity. It is an absolutely awesome tool, but there are too many people like me who just like to have actual, tangible books. Call us old-fashioned, but that's the way we like our reading material.
This does not mean that e-books and audio books are not really cool innovations. I visited some of the free e-book websites, and the material available at the click of a mouse is pretty amazing. I specifically enjoyed exploring LibriVox's website. I found a short story by Kurt Vonnegut that I hadn't read before called 2BR02B. I listened to it, and it was an above average short story. I always find that short stories are hit-or-miss. Anyway, LibriVox is different in that it encourages users to volunteer to read and record the dialogue of the available books and/or stories. In the story that I listened to, five different readers contributed to the recording. That is pretty cool because it takes the monotony out of listening to one voice for the entire duration of the reading.
I was so impressed with LibriVox that I added the RSS feed to my BlogLines account. It will alert my account when there is a new reading added to the website.
This does not mean that e-books and audio books are not really cool innovations. I visited some of the free e-book websites, and the material available at the click of a mouse is pretty amazing. I specifically enjoyed exploring LibriVox's website. I found a short story by Kurt Vonnegut that I hadn't read before called 2BR02B. I listened to it, and it was an above average short story. I always find that short stories are hit-or-miss. Anyway, LibriVox is different in that it encourages users to volunteer to read and record the dialogue of the available books and/or stories. In the story that I listened to, five different readers contributed to the recording. That is pretty cool because it takes the monotony out of listening to one voice for the entire duration of the reading.
I was so impressed with LibriVox that I added the RSS feed to my BlogLines account. It will alert my account when there is a new reading added to the website.
#21 - Week 9 - Podcasting
I must admit that I wasn't exactly sure of the definition of a podcast. I pretty much picked up the general idea from context clues, but if I listened to one, I probably couldn't have told you that I did. I realize that I have listened to hundreds of podcasts over the last few years, namely the "LATEST NEWS" podcasts on my Internet provider's home page. I've also listened to podcasts on my favorite sports websites (espn.com, foxsoccer.com, steelers.com, etc).
I checked out Podcast.com and PodcastAlley.com to locate a few podcasts that I could add to my Bloglines account. Once I re-consulted the directions (after some trial and error) for adding the RSS feeds, I added two podcasts to my account. One is educational, while the other is definitely informative, but only for a sports fan. The first podcast is called EscapePod, which is dedicated to science fiction writing and reviews. Out of any genre, science fiction is my favorite, so I wanted to add this podcast so that I can receive updates on the latest science fiction works hitting the stores. The second podcast is titled Pardon the Interruption, which is a daily show on ESPN that I often miss because I am still at work when it airs. Now I can always check it out whenever I want, even if I have to work late.
I checked out Podcast.com and PodcastAlley.com to locate a few podcasts that I could add to my Bloglines account. Once I re-consulted the directions (after some trial and error) for adding the RSS feeds, I added two podcasts to my account. One is educational, while the other is definitely informative, but only for a sports fan. The first podcast is called EscapePod, which is dedicated to science fiction writing and reviews. Out of any genre, science fiction is my favorite, so I wanted to add this podcast so that I can receive updates on the latest science fiction works hitting the stores. The second podcast is titled Pardon the Interruption, which is a daily show on ESPN that I often miss because I am still at work when it airs. Now I can always check it out whenever I want, even if I have to work late.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
#20 - Week 9 - YouTube
Aaaaaahhhhh......YouTube. What a great innovation. I have wasted many an hour clicking on a specific video and then clicking on any video even remotely related at that video. YouTube has that Amazon thing going - "If you like this, you'll probably like this." YouTube doesn't exactly word it like that, but you know what I mean. More often than not, they are absolutely right - I do like the related videos that they suggest. That's how I get lost on YouTube.
Even though YouTube can be extremely useless (but fun), it can also be used as a learning tool, as long as the user is pushed in the right direction. There is a virtually endless number of instructional and/or educational videos on basically any topic or subject. Navigating around YouTube is really easy - I like the basic search feature of the site.
As far as specific videos go, I usually try to find music videos that I can't normally see on music video channels, or I look for soccer related chanting and singing. Aside from the Philadelphia Union, which begins playing May 2010, my favorite soccer team is Liverpool FC. The fans are (usually) pretty boisterous, and I enjoy watching videos of them singing on the famous Spion Kop. Although there are a lot of songs and chants to choose from, my favorite is a pretty simple one that isn't sung as often as it once was, but is still classic. It's title is "We Won It Five Times." If you type that phrase into the search engine, there are many clips of it.
Even though YouTube can be extremely useless (but fun), it can also be used as a learning tool, as long as the user is pushed in the right direction. There is a virtually endless number of instructional and/or educational videos on basically any topic or subject. Navigating around YouTube is really easy - I like the basic search feature of the site.
As far as specific videos go, I usually try to find music videos that I can't normally see on music video channels, or I look for soccer related chanting and singing. Aside from the Philadelphia Union, which begins playing May 2010, my favorite soccer team is Liverpool FC. The fans are (usually) pretty boisterous, and I enjoy watching videos of them singing on the famous Spion Kop. Although there are a lot of songs and chants to choose from, my favorite is a pretty simple one that isn't sung as often as it once was, but is still classic. It's title is "We Won It Five Times." If you type that phrase into the search engine, there are many clips of it.
Sunday, November 1, 2009
#19 - Week 8 - LibraryThing
LibraryThing is probably the easiest tool to navigate that we have been introduced to this semester. I have searched for certain books from time to time and have stumbled on the LibraryThing website. However, I never thought about creating an account and went on my merry way. I think I should have considered exploring the site more thoroughly. It is very easy to set up, navigate, and the option of tag searching lets a user narrow down the amount of information that he or she wants to choose from or sort through. I added several books that could be used in conjunction with my lesson plan. It took about fifteen minutes to determine if the books were relevant to the lesson and catalog them. Not bad. Not bad at all.
http://www.librarything.com/home/thetralfamadorian
Note: I'm sorry, Dr. Farmer, but I am not sure how to create a link to the above webpage. I have been searching for a while now, but all the information that I found explained what a link is, but not how to link a webpage. If you respond to this, can you please give me a pointer or two on linking the webpage? I know it's not difficult, but I just can't get it right. Thanks.
I also completed a second WebQuest lesson plan that involves more web-based activities. It is posted on the class wiki. I am not looking for a different grade or anything like that - I just thought I should, and that it will help me out in the long run if we have any other assignments related to the lesson plan.
http://www.librarything.com/home/thetralfamadorian
Note: I'm sorry, Dr. Farmer, but I am not sure how to create a link to the above webpage. I have been searching for a while now, but all the information that I found explained what a link is, but not how to link a webpage. If you respond to this, can you please give me a pointer or two on linking the webpage? I know it's not difficult, but I just can't get it right. Thanks.
I also completed a second WebQuest lesson plan that involves more web-based activities. It is posted on the class wiki. I am not looking for a different grade or anything like that - I just thought I should, and that it will help me out in the long run if we have any other assignments related to the lesson plan.
Thursday, October 29, 2009
#18 - Week 8 - Zoho Writing
Zoho Writer is an excellent tool that eliminates a lot of the extra steps necessary for word processing "the old-fashioned way." Out of all of the web technologies that I have seen this semester, this is one that I will probably use most in the future. The tutorial is informative, but not overwhelming. Every web innovation always tries to show its potential users that it is the greatest advancement of all time, but the Zoho crew actually made me believe them that they are indeed top notch. The tutorial/introduction was that convincing to me. I created a simple document - just a greeting to anyone from LS 589 - and saved it to my account. I did run into a little trouble, though. I attempted to add the document to my blog, but I, uuhhmm, couldn't find it at first. I eventually found it after I first published this post, so that is why the chronology is a little off. In retrospect, adding the document was pretty easy - I just had to find it in the Drafts section of this blog. Anyway, Zoho Writer looks to me to be an extremely useful tool that I will more than likely return to often.
LS 589 - Welcome to the Land of Zoho
Welcome those that are reading this from LS 589!
I will be trying to post this to my blog. If you are reading this right now, then the post worked. That makes me happy. This is one of the coolest tools I have seen so far this semester. I will definitely use it more often. Take it easy, everyone.
OK - So I didn't post this exactly right initially, but I did figure out where the greeting went and it wasn't permanently lost in cyberspace, which is good. I guess most pieces of information aren't permanently lost in cyberspace when you think about it.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
#17 - Week 7 - The Sandbox
Man, I had a tough time on this exercise, to be perfectly honest. I'm not sure exactly why. Creating the lesson plan wasn't a problem, but figuring out where and how to post it certainly was. My main snag was figuring out how to create a link of the lesson plan in the Sandbox. Once I finally got over that hurdle, everything was aces. Here is a link to my WebQuest lesson plan:
http://classroomlearning2.pbworks.com/f/LS+589+-+Lesson+Plan+-+Jonas'+Fate.htm
Sunday, 11/1/09 at 7:36 PM - UPDATE! UPDATE! - The above lesson plan is a solid one (in my humble opinion, of course), but is probably not as web-based as it could and should be. I put together another lesson plan that incorporates more web-based activities. The lesson can be found at the following link and also on the class wiki:
http://classroomlearning2.pbworks.com/f/LS+-+Lesson+Plan+-+Space.htm
Note: I'm not sure why the above links are not directly sending the user to the webpages. I couldn't figure out how to "link" them.
http://classroomlearning2.pbworks.com/f/LS+589+-+Lesson+Plan+-+Jonas'+Fate.htm
Sunday, 11/1/09 at 7:36 PM - UPDATE! UPDATE! - The above lesson plan is a solid one (in my humble opinion, of course), but is probably not as web-based as it could and should be. I put together another lesson plan that incorporates more web-based activities. The lesson can be found at the following link and also on the class wiki:
http://classroomlearning2.pbworks.com/f/LS+-+Lesson+Plan+-+Space.htm
Note: I'm not sure why the above links are not directly sending the user to the webpages. I couldn't figure out how to "link" them.
Saturday, October 24, 2009
#16 - Week 7 - Wikis
Fortunately, I - and many of my classmates - are familiar with wikis. Not just because we use Wikipedia at times, but because we had to set one up for one of our previous classes. I like the idea of complete and total collaboration. No one person can really bully his/her way into becoming the ringleader. It's about checks and balances, and no opinion or critique is more valuable than any other opinion or critique. As far as sharing and adding reviews and/or editorials goes, wikis are very cool to use. The Blogging Libraries Wiki and The Book Lovers Wiki are great examples of this sharing of ideas. However, I do have some reservations about the most famous wiki of all, Wikipedia. I know my credibility is somewhat shot because I mentioned in the first sentence that I definitely use Wikipedia at times, but how can that information be trusted? When people go to that website to look something up, more often than not I'm guessing they're assuming that the information is reliable. That's a big, big assumption, and if you are using it as an absolute factual resource, then you are taking your chances.
I don't mean to be a downer, because I think wikis are an excellent learning tool. I think it goes something like this:
Sharing ideas/opinions/reviews on wikis = Really useful and helpful
Sharing 'facts' on wikis = It can be reliable, but it can also be difficult to separate actual fact from information that someone perceives as fact but actually is a little off
I don't mean to be a downer, because I think wikis are an excellent learning tool. I think it goes something like this:
Sharing ideas/opinions/reviews on wikis = Really useful and helpful
Sharing 'facts' on wikis = It can be reliable, but it can also be difficult to separate actual fact from information that someone perceives as fact but actually is a little off
Sunday, October 18, 2009
#15 - Week 6 - The Fairness of Fair Use
First, I'd like to mention that the video about fair use with the Disney characters as central figures was really, really creative and must have been a long, tedious process to put together. It's a very different way of learning about the basics of fair use and copyright permission without reading directly from a bland textbook. Some of our previous classes have covered fair use policies, so I am pretty familiar with the concept. It seems that a lot of potential copyright infringers could be protected under fair use policies, as the policy itself can be manipulated to fit one's needs. 14 years is a reasonable time for an author or artist to benefit financially from his or her creation. After that, it should be a part of the public domain. A lifetime plus 70 years? I'm all for protecting an author or artist, but what kind of copyright rule is that? Isn't that a little excessive, and who is that benefiting, anyway? Only if there are strict stipulations concerning royalties to be paid to the author's or artist's family is that amount of copyright protection benefiting anyone.
The writers of Classroom Learning 2.0 have actually borrowed some of the content of the original Learning 2.0 program and molded it to fit their needs for this course. They received permission to do this under a Creative Commons License.
I viewed several of the Discovery Resources, but the Did You Know 4.0 YouTube video was the best tool to show just how much Web technology has altered the way we find, read, and analyze information. It is difficult to believe that three of the most visited social networking websites - facebook, myspace, and twitter - did not even exist five years ago. The prediction that we will all be connected to the portable Web by 2020 is absolutely believable. We were required to read the young adult novel Feed during the previous summer semester. For those who haven't read that novel, please do. The theme of the book reminds me of just how tapped into every possible bit of available information we will be in the not too distant future.
The writers of Classroom Learning 2.0 have actually borrowed some of the content of the original Learning 2.0 program and molded it to fit their needs for this course. They received permission to do this under a Creative Commons License.
I viewed several of the Discovery Resources, but the Did You Know 4.0 YouTube video was the best tool to show just how much Web technology has altered the way we find, read, and analyze information. It is difficult to believe that three of the most visited social networking websites - facebook, myspace, and twitter - did not even exist five years ago. The prediction that we will all be connected to the portable Web by 2020 is absolutely believable. We were required to read the young adult novel Feed during the previous summer semester. For those who haven't read that novel, please do. The theme of the book reminds me of just how tapped into every possible bit of available information we will be in the not too distant future.
#14 - Week 6 - Taking the Fear Out of the Enormity of the Blogosphere
Technorati is a great site to help sort out and search the vast amount of blogs. Not just blog posts, which might as well be infinite, but blogs themselves, which number in the millions. I'd say that's a lot of information to keep track of and sort through, and it's only expanding, as 32 blogs are added to cyberspace every second . That's pretty intense.
I used the keyword "School Library Learning 2.0" and my results were very different. Under Blog Posts, I found 216,226 posts directly related to "School Library Learning 2.0." However, under Tags and Blog Directory I was unable to produce any related results. I don't think I was doing anything wrong - the procedure is pretty direct. I guess there aren't any tags or blogs with that exact phrasing.
When I looked through the most popular blogs, I wasn't exactly surprised that politics, technology, and entertainment - in that order - were the themes of the top 100 most searched blogs online. I was surprised that not one sports blog (ex: ESPN, Fox Sports) found itself in the top 100. My Dad will be happy that his favorite blog, powerlineblog.com, is in the top 50. I've checked it a couple of times, even though one of the contributors is a Blue, and as a member of the Red Half, I can't in good conscience condone that.
A searcher can find a ton of relevant information by effectively using tags to his or her advantage. However, as I mentioned in an earlier post, if a searcher is looking for a particular article or blog, tagging isn't going to aid in the search that much.
I used the keyword "School Library Learning 2.0" and my results were very different. Under Blog Posts, I found 216,226 posts directly related to "School Library Learning 2.0." However, under Tags and Blog Directory I was unable to produce any related results. I don't think I was doing anything wrong - the procedure is pretty direct. I guess there aren't any tags or blogs with that exact phrasing.
When I looked through the most popular blogs, I wasn't exactly surprised that politics, technology, and entertainment - in that order - were the themes of the top 100 most searched blogs online. I was surprised that not one sports blog (ex: ESPN, Fox Sports) found itself in the top 100. My Dad will be happy that his favorite blog, powerlineblog.com, is in the top 50. I've checked it a couple of times, even though one of the contributors is a Blue, and as a member of the Red Half, I can't in good conscience condone that.
A searcher can find a ton of relevant information by effectively using tags to his or her advantage. However, as I mentioned in an earlier post, if a searcher is looking for a particular article or blog, tagging isn't going to aid in the search that much.
Saturday, October 17, 2009
#13 - Week 6 - Everything's Deli.cio.us, Thank You
Deli.cio.us is a useful site for sharing information and taking part in discussions with others who share the same interests or information needs. Specifically using the SJLibraryLearning2 account, I clicked on several bookmarks and found a ton of useful articles and other bits of information about libraries and the profession in general. I found the comments other users added about particular bookmarks pretty easily.
The only reservation I have - and that may be too harsh of a term - is that sometimes tags can lead a user or searcher astray. If I'm looking for an article about a topic, how I would choose to tag the main idea or theme of the article will differ from others. No tag is right or wrong - the importance of the tag is in the eye of the beholder. In that way, I might miss out on some useful articles because the tag that I click on isn't exactly related to what I'm searching for. I noticed that some of the articles on the SJLibraryLearning2 site were tagged by terms that seemed only loosely related. Of course, that's my opinion. I guess that's my point. Do you see what I'm saying?
The Courtney chapters brought up good points about that little snag, though. Basically, if you're searching for a specific article, you're going to use the title or author as a keyword search. If you're searching for a general article about a topic, using what seems to be a loosely related tag is still probably going to generate a decent amount of useful information. It might take an extra step or two, but you'll get there pretty quickly.
The only reservation I have - and that may be too harsh of a term - is that sometimes tags can lead a user or searcher astray. If I'm looking for an article about a topic, how I would choose to tag the main idea or theme of the article will differ from others. No tag is right or wrong - the importance of the tag is in the eye of the beholder. In that way, I might miss out on some useful articles because the tag that I click on isn't exactly related to what I'm searching for. I noticed that some of the articles on the SJLibraryLearning2 site were tagged by terms that seemed only loosely related. Of course, that's my opinion. I guess that's my point. Do you see what I'm saying?
The Courtney chapters brought up good points about that little snag, though. Basically, if you're searching for a specific article, you're going to use the title or author as a keyword search. If you're searching for a general article about a topic, using what seems to be a loosely related tag is still probably going to generate a decent amount of useful information. It might take an extra step or two, but you'll get there pretty quickly.
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
#12 (Week 5) - Rollyo Fun for Everyone (?)
Well, maybe not. I like the idea of the Rollyo website. It seems like a fairly easy way in which to collect a bunch of useful URLs and keep them in order, rather than trying to remember them or writing them down in a notebook somewhere and then forgetting where you put the list. I even noticed that some celebrities had put together searchrolls for us common folk to view. However, I have to be honest and say that my overall experience with Rollyo has been less than stellar. I'm not exactly sure what is going on with the site, but saving changes to my searchroll hasn't really been possible because the website has been ssslllooowww. I mean really, really ssslllooowww - as in not useable. I just noticed through my school email that I am not the only one who has been frustrated by the technical difficulties. Anyway, I was able to create an account and add a few websites to my searchroll, but when I attempted to add more websites at later times I was thwarted at every turn. I do want to edit my searchroll - not just for class, but for my own personal use - but I guess I'm going to have to wait until the technical problems are sorted out and I'm not booted off the website every time I try to save my changes.
Sunday, October 4, 2009
#11 - Week 5 - For Those Who Live in a Virtual World But Still Love Tangible Printed Work
Although being familiar with the available technology at our fingertips has become increasingly important over the last few decades, I figure that the foundation of any library program still centers around books and the love of reading. It does for me, anyway. With that premise in mind, I chose to explore the award winner Biblio.com (2nd Place, Category: Books). A user can find really rare material if he or she is looking for it. I don't usually need to find rare material, but over the last ten years or so I have made an effort to replace every paperback in my collection with a hardback version. I know it can be viewed as a waste of money and/or a little neurotic, but I just prefer hardbacks over paperbacks. They hold up better and, with proper care, can stick around for more than a few generations.
Biblio.com helps with my hardback vs. paperback dilemma. I searched for a hardback version of George Orwell's Homage to Catalonia - I've been looking for one for a while - and found a few editions to that I can choose from. I'll probably purchase a copy after completing this post, actually. I like that a user can set very specific parameters (ex: first edition, dust jacket or no dust jacket, stores in the U.S. or both the U.S. and abroad, price range, etc.) so he or she doesn't waste a lot of time looking through irrelevant material. This website looks to be very useful and is a lot more thorough than more general purchasing sites like Amazon.com, Buy.com, or even BarnesandNoble.com or Borders.com.
Here is a link if you are interested: http://www.biblio.com/
Biblio.com helps with my hardback vs. paperback dilemma. I searched for a hardback version of George Orwell's Homage to Catalonia - I've been looking for one for a while - and found a few editions to that I can choose from. I'll probably purchase a copy after completing this post, actually. I like that a user can set very specific parameters (ex: first edition, dust jacket or no dust jacket, stores in the U.S. or both the U.S. and abroad, price range, etc.) so he or she doesn't waste a lot of time looking through irrelevant material. This website looks to be very useful and is a lot more thorough than more general purchasing sites like Amazon.com, Buy.com, or even BarnesandNoble.com or Borders.com.
Here is a link if you are interested: http://www.biblio.com/
#10 - Week 5 - The Endless Universe of Image Collecting
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I initially searched GeneratorBlog for an image and had a pretty good time exploring the infinite amount of pictures to use. Some of the names of the links on the left hand side of the page made me laugh (zombie speech, fantasy romance title generator, t-shirts that suck). I searched a bunch of links and found something pretty cool under the link Monster. I uploaded an image of a monster but for some reason only the middle of the image posted. Basically, you couldn't tell what the image was. I decided to check out ImageChef and designed a replica jersey of tight end Heath Miller, my favorite Steeler. For those sticklers reading this post, I know that the letters and numbers on a Steelers jersey are white instead of yellow, but this is the closest I could come up with. When I played around with the white lettering, it looked like a Raiders jersey. Not good.
Here is a link: http://www.imagechef.com/ic/football/
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Task #9 - Week 4
As far as finding useful information, I primarily used Blogline's Search Tool. I typed in a keyword and more often than not found useful feeds to add to my Blogline. I did have some trouble with certain sites that initially were listed as having an RSS feed, but as I tried to add them to my Blogline account I was informed that the particular site does not provide an RSS feed. I had to dismiss a handful of potentially useful blogs because of this. I am not exactly sure why they were included in the initial search retrieval because I was certain to select only those blogs with RSS feeds (I am paraphrasing here - I can't remember the exact terminology).
I used Feedster as well, although a lot of information that I retrieved using this search tool did not seem to be very useful to meeting my objectives. While using Feedster, I located several feeds that were not entirely relevant to the initial search goals.
I used Feedster as well, although a lot of information that I retrieved using this search tool did not seem to be very useful to meeting my objectives. While using Feedster, I located several feeds that were not entirely relevant to the initial search goals.
Task #8 - Week 4
RSS is an excellent tool for keeping up-to-date on the latest information concerning libraries and the technological advancements within them. Actually, almost any piece of information out there is available for users to collect with a few mouse clicks. After registering, it took a few attempts to find useful information, but as I became familiar with navigating the official Bloglines website I was locating helpful blogs and feeds in really no time at all. I filed six useful feeds that I feel will aid me in the immediate future, whether that is as a current graduate student or a future media specialist.
I see librarians using RSS technology as a way in which to minimize research necessities. I am not suggesting that using RSS should be used for the purpose of getting librarians out of tedious research. I am suggesting, however, that RSS allows a librarian to set parameters so that the collecting of research information is minimized. It is still up to the librarian to choose what information is useful for research purposes and what is not.
I see librarians using RSS technology as a way in which to minimize research necessities. I am not suggesting that using RSS should be used for the purpose of getting librarians out of tedious research. I am suggesting, however, that RSS allows a librarian to set parameters so that the collecting of research information is minimized. It is still up to the librarian to choose what information is useful for research purposes and what is not.
Week #3 Flickr Tasks
What's up, everyone? Hopefully your week is going well. After much trial and error (you'll notice that this is my brand new blog), I was able to export this picture from Flickr to my blog.
It is a really cool picture of Beaver Stadium during 2007's Penn State-Notre Dame game. I've never heard the stadium that loud before, and I've attended plenty of games. It was pretty amazing. I know, I know - all I seem to talk about is Penn State. I'm sure it gets more than a little annoying, but State College is a big part of my life and I'm always thinking about something related to PSU.
Flickr is a great tool and the photos at one's disposal are essentially endless. I will be using Flickr much more now that I have successfully learned to navigate and "explore" the contents of the website.
It is a really cool picture of Beaver Stadium during 2007's Penn State-Notre Dame game. I've never heard the stadium that loud before, and I've attended plenty of games. It was pretty amazing. I know, I know - all I seem to talk about is Penn State. I'm sure it gets more than a little annoying, but State College is a big part of my life and I'm always thinking about something related to PSU.
Flickr is a great tool and the photos at one's disposal are essentially endless. I will be using Flickr much more now that I have successfully learned to navigate and "explore" the contents of the website.
Welcome To My Blog......
Welcome LS 589 and any others who may stumble on this blog! The 23 Things that we will complete over the course of the semester should be about exploration more than anything else. As I mentioned in an earlier discussion board post, I am not exactly the most technologically savvy person, but I am more than willing to update my skills and stay at least one step ahead of the masses.
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