Week#9-I can’t believe it’s already over!

Q.#1-What were your favorite discoveries or excercises on this learning journey?

A.#1-My favorite would have to be the entertainment sites like youtube, flickr, and avatars.  Sometimes computers can be more of a headache, so it was nice to find some fun sites to play around with.

Q.#2-How has this program assisted or affected your lifelong learning goals?

A.#2-It has taught me that the computer is like a universe, there is more than the eye can see.  I have actually taken what I have learned and pass it on to those who were as naive as I was when I started.

Q.#3-Were there any take-aways or unexpected outcomes from the program that suprised you?

A.#3-Absolutley, I thought I was up to date with new computer sites, but boy was I suprised at how much I didn’t know and it was great to have a program that can guide you through learning it all.  It can be overwhelming otherwise.

Q.#4-What could we do differently to improve upon this program’s format or concept?

A.#4-Just to remember how many beginners there are and how a lot of people tend to be apprehensive to explore on their own.  I had a bit of a rough start but I kept looking back at the Maryland Libraries Learning 2.0 blog for guidance and that helped.  Not everyone understand computer lingo, but they can be taught.

Q.#5-If we offered another discovery program like this is in the future, would you participate?

A.#5-OF COURSE! especially if there is a technology based incentive…I always wanted an MP3 player but never bought one for myself.

and last but not least….

Q.#6-How would you describe your learning experience in a few words or sentences.

A.#6-Fun, intriguing, and important.  This is obviously the future of our futures and it is a great way to get started in finding out information.  I highly recommend this to anyone and everyone, with or without computer experience.  You can always learn new things in this field.

Week#9-Downloadable Audiobooks

I went, I checked it out and I think I will pass.  I tried Netlibrary and Overdrive and that was enough for me.  Though I rarely listen to talking books as it is because I am too good of friends with my books.  There really is nothing like curling up with a good book. 

Not to mention the subjects I was interested in didn’t seem to have any hits.  I will keep it in mind for the future.

So intially I didn’t download any titles and I had started to download the Overdrive but decided against anymore login’s or passwords or downloading.  My computer and brain are tired.

Week#9-Podcasts

Podcasts.  I never heard of this terminology until now.  I didn’t even know that it is a word in the dictionary, and not only that but it won “word of the year” in 2005.  Where was I then? Oh at the library getting the outdated media material. ROFL.

This was interesting and I was able to download a yahoo music engine which will play and updated the podcasts I have subscribed to.  What is nice is that I can find excellent climbing information through podcasts instead of just blogs.  Sometimes it is easier to understand someone when they use speech to describe things rather then writing.

I never realized how far behind the times I was until now.  I am catching up quickly though.  This is another feature of technology that I may use in the future somewhat, maybe not on a daily basis but it is helpful to know.  I also didn’t realize how many of these things are free.  I am always worried about “accidentally” purchasing something since most things are not free anymore.

I just wish I had an Ipod or MP3 player so I could listen to these in my car.  There is absolutely nothing on radio these days, or at least the stations that I can get. Oh wait, that one of the incentives of this program…AWESOME!

Week#8-Web 2.0 Awards

There is such a thing?

By george there is.

Awards are given out for everything nowadays.  WOW.  Looking at the list, I see many sites that I have visited throughout this program and some I have never heard of.  While I agree why certain ones are first place, some I don’t.

Technorati received first place for blog guides.  I disagree!  Even though Bloglines made second place, I think it should be in first because it was easier to understand and navigate through.  But what do I know.  I don’t know.

I was happy to see that Del.icio.us made number 1 on social tagging.  I really enjoyed this site and am having fun tagging and adding.  WAY TO GO DELICIOUS!  You are very tasty.

I am not suprised to see that Craigslist made it to number 1 for classifieds and directories.  Eevryone I know has told me about or uses craigslist.  I better get with the picture.

Overall I didn’t know that awards were given for such a thing.  I always tease about awards shows just being actors/actresses who want to give awards to each other, yet again.  But this has also shown me the amount of sites out there that I did not even know existed.  Now I do and will be checking them out daily. 

What a great way to find out. (BTW-I have added that site to my del.icio.us tagging)TeHee!

Week#8-Zoho Writer

Zoho, oh Zoho, where were you in the 90’s.  I actually imported a small page from Zoho into my blog, but somehow cataloged it as “December 1969”.  How I did this, I don’t know.

What I do know is that this is one of the best ideas someone has come up with in awhile.  When I was back in highschool and taking computer classes I could have really used this.  My computer at home had wordprocessor software and my classes were with microsoft word.  I learned the hard way, a 20 page report, that wordprocessor documents could not be brought up in word and printed.  So instead of printing it, it erased my enitre disc.  My research, notes, guidelines and paper!  If only I had this feature then than I wouldn’t have had to make up the work a second time.  That still haunts me to this very day.

I highly recommend this to anyone.  I will be implementing this into mine and my boyfriends business’s so we can print invoices anywhere, anytime. SWEET!

Week#7-Sandbox Wiki

This wasn’t as painful as I would have originally thought.  Though I do understand that the sandbox wiki is a place to explore and play around with learning how to use them.

So not really knowing what to edit, I found a page on vacations and fondest memory. I went ahead and added my fondest traveling memory and everything worked out well.  I was able to put in a link and upload an image.  VIOLA!

 That is enough for me though.  I am all wiki-ed out.

Week#7-Wiki, Why?

Wikis.  Wiki, Wiki, Wiki.  Sounds like a word a child would repeat over and over until you had enough WIKI. 

What is a wiki?  “A wiki is not a carefully crafted site for casual visitors. Instead, it seeks to involve the visitor in an ongoing process of creation and collaboration that constantly changes the Web site landscape.”

I’m still lost.  I have this unabashed feeling that I would not trust a wiki site.  Do schools allow these for reports?  i am curious of this because of looking up a subject one time and getting a third graders book report.  A third grader.  I was curious about Frida Kahlo and with the phrase my parents used most when I asked questions…”If you don’t know, then look it up”.  This is what I did.  And that is how I discovered wiki for the first time.  The first hit to pop up was a wiki done by a third grader who happened to report on the subject I was curious about.  Well, the one good thing is that at least a third graders report are quick reads and only detail important parts of one’s subject.

I can understand the use for librarians who can maintain this site for future reference questions and to learn something that someone else may discovered along the way.  I read about libraries updating bibliographic information, new reads and reviews on wikis, and that makes sense. But for personal use, I don’t think I will be using this.

Week#6-Del.icio.us is very tasty

This is another site that I knew nothing about until the recent Tech Fair.  I like the name, I like the idea and I like that it was pretty simple.  The hardest part was waiting for my verification email which I had to reset a couple of times before I actually received it to  be able to use the site.  But once I got started it was hard to stop. 

This I can see will work for any business, non-profit organization, or personal use.  It is great that you can make your own tags and organize it to fit your needs.  Just like life we are all different and do things differently and this is wonderful for everyone’s needs and styles.  I will definitely being using this more and more and cannot wait to build up my sites.

Week#6-My Perspective

This is a biased point of view obviously, but a point of view at that.  I may have a different perspective on a lot of things.  As I was growing up on the first wave break of technology, I have been subjected to computer class after class since middle school.  So it has obviously been a long time coming. 

One blog suggested that the patrons are the ones that will need to be taught and trained on all this new technology. 

*Snicker*

From my experience with customer service, it seems to me that the ones that need to be taught and trained are the “classic” group of people.  “Classic” meaning the people who do not find the new adavanced technology worth their time or worth knowing.  The truth is that a lot of library patrons nowadays happen to be young adults who are computer whizzes.  They know how to manipulate a computer to do anything they want and it seems the hardest thing for them to remember is to bring their library card.  Thus they don’t have the same “repur” with librarians as they use to because they are considered “web brats”.  Classics think websites such as AIM, myspace, youtube, blogger are just a silly way for teeneagers to be teenagers.  The reality is that this is the way the world will keep connected.  I have found many uses for such websites as networking, finding and staying in touch with friends, and feeling like I have a right to express my feelings without the trouble of purchasing or researching.

The “I don’t have time Era” is now.  I read an interesting atricle many moons ago that put it simply.  We have more to do and even less time to do it in.   Back in the 1940’s it took the average housewife 2 hours to prepare dinner for a family of four.  Nowadays a half an hour is too long.  Some worry that having the library available online will keep them from physically coming in.  Well, if it wasn’t for the availability online, many people may not even get a chance to take advantage of free literature and information that most public libraries use.  The majority of people are kept busy with family, career and generally keeping up the pace with the everchanging ways and prices of this world.  Bringing the library to them is the best way to keep them interested and involved.

Many years from now we will call printed materials treasures because everything will be made available through the world wide web.  While this is a scary thought, think about how many trees we will save. 

Week#6-Technorati

I spent some time viewing this site and that was enough.  It was an easy registration but I have no use for it.  That is mainly because I don’t spend that much of my free time on the computer thus translating into not having time to read or subscribe to strangers blogs.  Plus they are strangers, who cares what they think and who trusts what they think.  Not me.  Maybe eventually.  But right now, no thanks.  Good to know though.