Thing 14: Library Thing

What fun!  I took the tour and it's one of the easiest ones to do.  This may be partly because of my library background in cataloging, but I noticed from other members' blogs at metronet that they found it easy & useful too.  My Librarything will be devoted to audiobooks, which I think are a way to get kids and others interested in reading and authors.  It will be posted as soon on this blog.

Thing 13: Online productivity tools

I already have an iGoogle start page.  One thing I have noticed is that if there is too much video and picture content, the page can be slow to load especially at home.  This is an annoyance if all you want to do is to search Google.  Couldn't get the countdown widget working quite right on this blog, but did activate the one on the 23things blog. I did read the Wired article about online calendars.  Our district already uses an online calendar within and between buildings, so that isn't a particularly new concept for me.  I'll go back later to Remember the milk-the title is so catchy. 

Thing 12 social media sites

I checked out Mixx, Digg, Newsvine and Reddit.  It takes a lot of time to figure each one out, but I can see the potential and why tech-savvy people would like to use it.  Whether it wastes time or enhances productivity would I suppose depend on the topic.  I used the share tools in a NYTimes article about Facebook, which was quite easy; someone else had already shared it to Digg.  

Thing 11

1.  I've already been tagging this 23things blog in Blogger-no problem there.  Sort of like indexing.  I can see how del.icio.us can be useful when you are working on more than 1 computer-also shared by a class or group of students.  Maybe used for book reviews, authors etc.  Who knows?  The list is endless.  I've created an account there, added bookmarks from eSchool news I got from emailings.  Useful to see others' bookmarks too.

Thing 10 wikis and wikipedia

Wikipedia has its place.  I actually saw a student art teacher use it last year as a basis for a project in her class about different architectural styles.  In that case, it saved some time and helped the students concentrate on the general material about the style they selected.  However, like any encyclopedia, it's a jumping off place, not the sole source for a project.  

I edited the 23 Things wiki and added a picture of my hometown library.

Thing 9 online collaboration tools

I've used Google documents before at school, but not Zoho.  Once I get permission to edit, we'll compare in a future post.  Just having seen the HBO series John Adams (highly recommended to you by the way), much of which focuses around the writing of the declaration, I'd say it would have made Thomas Jefferson's job that much harder, since everyone could get in on the act.  And it was hard enough just as it was!  

Later (July 24)-well I can see HOW it works in both Google docs and ZOHO, but I can't actually get into the document to change/add anything at this point with either one.  So, since vacation is coming up, I'll put this aside for now.

Thing 7 communication tools

Email is the basis of how I communicate with other staff in the district and building.  I almost automatically go to to email first, before voicemail.  Email definitely favors those who prefer writing to talking, which is me.  Online reference or reading guidance using text messaging could work; right now though it's very limited in our situation by lack of proper software, hardware and support.  In this, the institution lacks behind the users (students).