Well it is official - the organisation/tidy freak in mean just loves tagging. For a person who previously had thousands of bokkmarks stored in her favourites folder (yes, many of them in folders and sorted) this is going to be a wonderful tool. One that will fulfil personal needs whilst being valuable in the work space too! Double bonus time.
I love it! I love it! I love it!
When people used to talk about "Delicious" I thought it was the gourmet food magazine online - doh! So, have opened an account - immediate response unlike my RSS Feed one which still awaits verification. What's more I went in and started adding URLS and tagging them. Not quite sure what happened when I tried to add buttons - got myself in a loop there with limited access to help late on a Friday afternoon. Liked the ease of lay out of Cleveland Public Library site and sorting by tagging - so all in all a good one for follow through in the future.
Almost forgot - learnt how to tag multi word tags from Cleveland too ie run them together!
Didn't realise but have also been adding labels to my blogs - these are really "tags" by another name! Bingo.
Friday, June 5, 2009
Thursday, June 4, 2009
RSS Feeds for dummies
Well, second go at accessing Bloglines and at least this time it opened. Now I am awaiting verification....and waiting....and waiting.
In the interim I am filling my time looking at potential RSS feed and blogs to subscribe to. Am a little unsure that all of the selections have RSS Feeds, however they come from the list of thos suggested to look at. So far, have given the ok to Courier Mail - Breaking News, BBC, Opal Training Blog and another dog site. Oh - and the IKC Network blog. Even sent them a comment. Hope they get as much of a buzz as having a comment as I did when my one and only comment came through. Challenge is that my verifaction is hung up in the ether somewhere so I am still currently not validated. Boy this could be depressing - no friends (on Twitter, not validated) - would not want to be paranoid about this.
Am going on leave and so am really trying to get this course finished off - don't even own a computer so to have a chance to "win" one is a great incentive. Fingers crossed.
In the interim I am filling my time looking at potential RSS feed and blogs to subscribe to. Am a little unsure that all of the selections have RSS Feeds, however they come from the list of thos suggested to look at. So far, have given the ok to Courier Mail - Breaking News, BBC, Opal Training Blog and another dog site. Oh - and the IKC Network blog. Even sent them a comment. Hope they get as much of a buzz as having a comment as I did when my one and only comment came through. Challenge is that my verifaction is hung up in the ether somewhere so I am still currently not validated. Boy this could be depressing - no friends (on Twitter, not validated) - would not want to be paranoid about this.
Am going on leave and so am really trying to get this course finished off - don't even own a computer so to have a chance to "win" one is a great incentive. Fingers crossed.
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
It's easy to get addicted
Well, I tried to open an account in Bloglines, however the page was temporarily down. Will try again later - pretty "down page" lots of coloured spots and dots.
In the interim, worked out that my blogs I had signed on to follow are able to be read in Google Viewer, another link mentioned in the online tutorial, so went into the account I have there and added the Cesar Milan blog. What else for a dog fan? Obvious choice really. Will await the return of bloglines with bated breath!
In the interim, worked out that my blogs I had signed on to follow are able to be read in Google Viewer, another link mentioned in the online tutorial, so went into the account I have there and added the Cesar Milan blog. What else for a dog fan? Obvious choice really. Will await the return of bloglines with bated breath!
All starting to gel.
I think I am starting to get the hang of this - proof required I hear you say? Well, number one, I worked out how to add my profile image to my "follower" statement, so now the poor friends whose blogs I have signed on to, can see my smiling face when they open their blog.
Secondly, and even more importantly - at a meeting this afternoon (yes, a work one) I conversed generally about blogs and even came across as sounding like I knew what I was talking about. I was then able to send the blog site under discussion, to my own email account via the meeting visitors laptop.
Am even starting to identify applications within the work team where blogging might actually be of value. I was interested to hear the the IKC blog has now developed a following that includes members of the local press - not only that, but the journos use the happenings blogged to write for the paper. How about that for great marketing!
Is that an improvement or what! Proud techno dummy signing out.
Secondly, and even more importantly - at a meeting this afternoon (yes, a work one) I conversed generally about blogs and even came across as sounding like I knew what I was talking about. I was then able to send the blog site under discussion, to my own email account via the meeting visitors laptop.
Am even starting to identify applications within the work team where blogging might actually be of value. I was interested to hear the the IKC blog has now developed a following that includes members of the local press - not only that, but the journos use the happenings blogged to write for the paper. How about that for great marketing!
Is that an improvement or what! Proud techno dummy signing out.
Almost forgot - Flickr update.
Suprised myself this week - went into Flickr to check references for images for an idea I am working on for a mosaic piece. With a Brisbane exhibition coming up in October - in Brisbane! (unheard of I know) I decided to go looking for inspiration to support the design I was developing. Guess what - it really helped.
Final note though, the original design I have developed is based on an image from an SLQ book. Yup - one of those old paper things we find lying around from time to time....but boy is the reference material fantastic. As a bonus you know it has gone through a rigourous selection process enroute to being published.
Anything else I have found online, just adds to the image bank - the original image is by far the best. Work on the piece - a Green Sea Turtle - progresses slowly, so all going well, will post an image of the piece once it is finished. Smiles.
Final note though, the original design I have developed is based on an image from an SLQ book. Yup - one of those old paper things we find lying around from time to time....but boy is the reference material fantastic. As a bonus you know it has gone through a rigourous selection process enroute to being published.
Anything else I have found online, just adds to the image bank - the original image is by far the best. Work on the piece - a Green Sea Turtle - progresses slowly, so all going well, will post an image of the piece once it is finished. Smiles.
To Ning or not to Ning?
OK - where do you draw the line. Each one of these sites makes you "sign on" before you can check it out. Not wanting to spend all afternoon signing on I decided to do this the smart way. Checked out reviews for Ning and was happy to note that Ning is Chinese for "Peace" - which dialect I don't know but it gives you a warm glow. Seemed to get a good wrap - assuming they didn;t post their own good review online (stranger things have happened) - but again, do I want to be a "no friends Nellie" on 2 social networking sites? Not today, thanks anyway.
By the way - I have previously signed on to "Linked In" - and have 3 friends there. Is that a social networking site or a variation therein?
Mmmmm. To infinity and beyond is ringing a bell here. Thanks Buzz.
By the way - I have previously signed on to "Linked In" - and have 3 friends there. Is that a social networking site or a variation therein?
Mmmmm. To infinity and beyond is ringing a bell here. Thanks Buzz.
Social Butterfly
Well I am well and truly "social networking". So far have looked at Twitter only. I recall hearing about this at a "New Technologies" session ages ago and planting it away thinking - "that could be fun." Well, I have signed on - and instantaneously hooked up with 73 followers and 4 friends that I was following, including Horn Kitty. The mind boggles.
Tried to find some friends - have none. Well, given my gmail account is new I shouldn't be suprised. Did eventuall find one - the lovely Thom, so added myself as a follower. So out of 77 attachments you will be pleased to know that 1 was legitimate. And yes, I did shed a tear as I "deleted" Kevin Spacey. I know he too will be devastated. Couldn't even find Nathan on Twitter!
Work wise, it could be a quick and easy way to communicate the non important stuff. Beyond that I am not sure. Will keep looking. Perhaps the secret is in the fact that students are already familiar with this style of working - perhaps students could add/access data to an SLQ Children and Young Peoples (or even specific "events") page. Might be a way to build in reflection time for a group who now expect instant responses to anything and everything. Scope for developing pre and post visit activities, scope to add in to the Schools Progam......yikes!
The name Ning intrigued me so might try that next! Stay tuned. Major gas pipe busted on Corronation Drive so getting the bus home at this stage seems like a non option.
Will let you know what flavour the cupcakes Thom mentioned in his Twitter note were - I sent him a messge to find out! As for me - I made Raspberry and White Choclate muffins to feed my mosaics class last night. Yum Yum.
Tried to find some friends - have none. Well, given my gmail account is new I shouldn't be suprised. Did eventuall find one - the lovely Thom, so added myself as a follower. So out of 77 attachments you will be pleased to know that 1 was legitimate. And yes, I did shed a tear as I "deleted" Kevin Spacey. I know he too will be devastated. Couldn't even find Nathan on Twitter!
Work wise, it could be a quick and easy way to communicate the non important stuff. Beyond that I am not sure. Will keep looking. Perhaps the secret is in the fact that students are already familiar with this style of working - perhaps students could add/access data to an SLQ Children and Young Peoples (or even specific "events") page. Might be a way to build in reflection time for a group who now expect instant responses to anything and everything. Scope for developing pre and post visit activities, scope to add in to the Schools Progam......yikes!
The name Ning intrigued me so might try that next! Stay tuned. Major gas pipe busted on Corronation Drive so getting the bus home at this stage seems like a non option.
Will let you know what flavour the cupcakes Thom mentioned in his Twitter note were - I sent him a messge to find out! As for me - I made Raspberry and White Choclate muffins to feed my mosaics class last night. Yum Yum.
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Hello to Penny
Well, I got all excited because I found I had a "follower" - then (no insult intended) discovered it was Mary. Nice photo Mary. Decided I then had to work out how I too could be a follower and stunned myself by successfully adding myself to a colleagues blog. Wow. Also sent them a comment....well a messge from Cinque to Penny so decided it was time to add an image of Cinque. Speaking of images, can't work out why my follower "sign" on did not take my blog image with it...Nathan!!!!! Will have to wait to find out what I should have done - he has headed home. Bummer.
Second life - aka - Get a life.
This is the second "oh oh moment" - I attended another session this week whereby I again had to bottle the indignant librarian within me. A briefing on an EQ Virtual Worlds trial project we sat through the usual demo of a Second Life styled "Active World". Apparently uses the Virtual Worlds software, which is in competition with Second Life.
The good points were that student involvement in the project is strong - from the mentor group of students working to establish and support the trial, to those students who were encouraged to sign on as test scenario partners for the duration of the 4 week project. So, with a 2 week set up period, and the actual project period, 6 weeks to get immersed. Designing an alternate learning environment online is fun I guess and certainly provides scope for students to have a choice of options for engaging in the project. So, overall "brownie points" from this critic.
The cringe factor for me came when I questioned the presenter as to awareness of copyright issues - hers or the students - given the heavy reliance of Youtube footage and other web based images (people, places, artworks etc) While the web link to image source was annotated, the response from the coordinator that "as it was a trial project I didn't worry about copyright too much" made me think.
The good points were that student involvement in the project is strong - from the mentor group of students working to establish and support the trial, to those students who were encouraged to sign on as test scenario partners for the duration of the 4 week project. So, with a 2 week set up period, and the actual project period, 6 weeks to get immersed. Designing an alternate learning environment online is fun I guess and certainly provides scope for students to have a choice of options for engaging in the project. So, overall "brownie points" from this critic.
The cringe factor for me came when I questioned the presenter as to awareness of copyright issues - hers or the students - given the heavy reliance of Youtube footage and other web based images (people, places, artworks etc) While the web link to image source was annotated, the response from the coordinator that "as it was a trial project I didn't worry about copyright too much" made me think.
Monday, June 1, 2009
It's a scary world
Twice in the last week I have found myself thinking "I must add that to my blog!" Oh oh. Still can't quite believe it, but there it is.
So - "oh oh moment" number 1.
Attended a presentation last week by a UQ academic presenting outcomes of a survey on Queensland Youth and the Environment. Commissioned by a QLD Government department I was intrigued to see that on two key questions asked via the online survey - both relating to sources of and reliability of information - that neither question provided an option for participants to select "libraries". To state the obvious, options included such wide ranging selections as CEO's, the internet, family, government etc - but whilst newspapers were mentioned, libraries were not. Thinking I had dozed off for the relevant part of the discussion I waited with bated breath - but still no reference to libraries as a "source of information" nor as a "reliable source of information." To say I was astounded is an understatement. To add insult to injury, when I politely questioned whether witholding libraries was a concsious decision or not I received a 5 minute "waffle" response. This was followed by one of the data entry team noting that they might have been included under - "other".
Being quietly apopleptic by this stage it did not help that the researcher then suggested that the solution might lie in the fact that "information is all virtual now anyway isn't it?" You will be somewhat relieved to know that I countered this misconception in as polite and positive a way as I could.
The session ended with the MC for the event noting that "it was wonderful to know that Government was now in the position to determine policy based on authoritative research." Yikes.
"Oh oh moment" 2 to follow!
So - "oh oh moment" number 1.
Attended a presentation last week by a UQ academic presenting outcomes of a survey on Queensland Youth and the Environment. Commissioned by a QLD Government department I was intrigued to see that on two key questions asked via the online survey - both relating to sources of and reliability of information - that neither question provided an option for participants to select "libraries". To state the obvious, options included such wide ranging selections as CEO's, the internet, family, government etc - but whilst newspapers were mentioned, libraries were not. Thinking I had dozed off for the relevant part of the discussion I waited with bated breath - but still no reference to libraries as a "source of information" nor as a "reliable source of information." To say I was astounded is an understatement. To add insult to injury, when I politely questioned whether witholding libraries was a concsious decision or not I received a 5 minute "waffle" response. This was followed by one of the data entry team noting that they might have been included under - "other".
Being quietly apopleptic by this stage it did not help that the researcher then suggested that the solution might lie in the fact that "information is all virtual now anyway isn't it?" You will be somewhat relieved to know that I countered this misconception in as polite and positive a way as I could.
The session ended with the MC for the event noting that "it was wonderful to know that Government was now in the position to determine policy based on authoritative research." Yikes.
"Oh oh moment" 2 to follow!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
.JPG)
