Thing #13 Making Time

I LOVE THIS THING! I have spent too much time playing with all of these great tools. I added a counter to the vacation planning wiki I created. I created a calendar in 30 Boxes that I now share with my husband so he has no excuse for "double-booking" our weekends. I chose 30 Boxes because it said I could sync with iCal but it wouldn't accept my subscription? I have created a fun iGoogle page. I added the penguins - which are just too much fun, as well as the ladybugs that the penguins will chase. Don't know what I'm talking about - check it out when you create your iGoogle, choose add stuff and find the penguins and ladybugs.

I have shared the information about these tools with a number of co-workers and even a couple of students! It's fun to be the resident online expert - thanks Things!

Thing #12 Digging for information

I spent some time looking at these sites, mind you not an extensive amount of time but the intention of this whole Thing exploration was to quickly go through all of the things. But I digress. Using these sites would be an interesting way to plow through the vast array of websites generating news. But I just don't think it's a big time saver. Maybe if I spent a lot of time each day pouring over online news, it would be an aid but I really don't. I listen to the news on the radio as I'm getting ready for work. I scan the headlines when I change the newspapers in the media center. I watch the evening news. That's pretty much it.

My information digging is mainly on a subject to subject basis. I was hoping these sites would act more as a research gathering device. I was hoping I could type in a subject and pull articles about that subject but it didn't work that way. I did read a couple of articles that came up when I was messing around with each site but don't think I'll revisit these any time soon. I like my news from reliable, legitimate sources and I don't think John Q. Public needs to be a collaborator on everything. Somethings just need to be left to the experts.

Thing #9 Google Docs

Ok, I've been messing around with this Thing for a few days now and it was giving me trouble but now I think I've got it. I really like Goggle Docs. The contributions to the Declaration of Independence were really pretty funny. I would imagine that the same kind of "collaboration" would happen in my classroom of comedians. We'd have some fairly serious additions but then the goofballs would take over and it would fall apart. So, I won't be using this on in my classroom.

I would use it with co-workers though. I can see where it would be more efficient than emailing a document around. It could be a committee meeting without meeting. I've never been one to really enjoy committee work. Remember - a camel is a horse designed by committee. Plus, there's a lot of "get ready, get set . . . get set . . . get set . . ." but not a lot of go. Sharing documents, organizing information, collaboration on the fly are all steps in the right direction!

I'm definitely sharing this the rest of my department when we are working on policy and procedure.

Thing 11: Tagging and Delicious

I am skipping Thing 9 for a little while. I started a Delicious account last summer and LOVE it. At the time, I didn't have my own computer so was computer hopping a lot. Having a delicious account was so nice. Keeping all my bookmarks and favorites together was really helpful. Now that I have my own computer, I was able to quickly access my delicious bookmarks to add to my new computer.

Working in a public school setting is a lot different from working in the general public sector. There are many of these tools that would be fun to use but aren't really appropriate in our school setting. Our administration is very particular about what we can and cannot use via the school's website and server. I don't think I'll be able to use many of these networking tools in my professional life but in my personal life, it's a lot of fun to think of the possibilities.

Thing #10: Wiki, wiki, woo!

I LOVE Common Craft videos. My son watched with me and he wants to make his own Star Wars wiki. He's 8 and quite sharp, if I do say so myself. I might let him try it. We also watched the Common Craft video on zombies - if you haven't seen it, definitely look it up. It's hysterical. But I digress. Back to wikis.

I find the concept of wikis to be really fun and interesting to be part of the collaborative common; however, as an educator, I do not allow wikis as a valid source for research. I have also educated my co-workers on wikis and advised them against allowing wikis. I explained that wikis allow both your brightest student and your most challenged student to post information with very little in the way of verification.

I would like to start a Book Talk wiki to which my library patrons could add their picks. I worry about having to constantly monitoring it for content. I don't think our administration would approve an unfiltered/ unmonitored wiki to be connected with our school webpage. I might look into that.

I added a post to the Library Success wiki, Best Graphic Novels for Teens section. I had just finished reading Plain Janes and added that to the wiki. When I get more time, I might add a couple more.

Now, I'm off to create a wiki for my girlfriends in our planning of the annual Girls Getaway Weekend.