Thoughts From The Book Diva....

I was surprised to see how many different things you can do with Google. I was familiar with a few. I already knew about Google Earth and iGoogle. I clicked around on all of the tools and tried to familiarize myself with them all. I like the calendar option, but I already use a calendar in Outlook. I decided to focus on Google Advanced Search and Atomic Learning. In the advanced search part of Google I loved looking for powerpoints that are already made that go with my curriculum. I searched specifically for library rules powerpoints and found all kinds of neat stuff. Here is a link to a Jeopardy game that goes along with the library rules theme. I would have to tweek this a little to match my personal library rules, but it is awesome to have this already made! Atomic Learning is awesome! I wish my district had a subscription to this. My campus is always discussing and looking for ways to get reluctant technology users to become comfortable with technolgy and to use it in their classr...

At first I had a hard time seeing how the mashup sites would work for me in the library. However, my interest really perked up when I came across the trading cards site! I can think of so many ideas to use this site. I also love the Mosaic pictures! Wow! I can't wait to put my Disney World pictures into a cool mosaic.

I went to Flikr and searched for nursery rhymes. I found this picture of Humpty Dumpty. I think it would be cute to share with the kids. It is made with food.

I found setting up my blog pretty easy. I have a blog for my library website at school and it all pretty much worked the same way. I enjoyed creating the avatar. I reminds me of setting up a Mii on my kid's Wii. The hardest part about that was uploading it. I sought out my sister (our family tech-guru) and she showed me how to save as a jpeg and upload it that way. I have looked at a few other blogs. I have not yet posted any comments or questions.

The hardest lifelong learning habit for me is #4, having confidence in myself as a competent, effective learner. I have discovered that whenever I run into a technology problem if I slow down and give it time I can solve the problem. However, when I think I have figured out how to solve the problem, I start to doubt myself. Most of the time I will seek out by email or a phone call one of my fellow librarians to see how they have solved similiar problems. Most of the time I find that I had figured it out correctly on my own, I just did not have confidence in myself.

The easiest lifelong learning habit for me is #6, Using Technology to my Advantage. I do not claim to be a "super-techie" librarian, but I do love technology and love to use it. I find myself turning to technology to simplify all areas of my life. The latest example of this would be a few weeks ago. I was packing my family for our trip to Disney World. I had already ironed my husband's shirts and did NOT want to re-iron them once we reached our resort. So, I went on YouTube and found a video I remembered seeing on how to best fold knit shirts. I watched it a few times, and quickly learned how to fold the shirts so that they would make the trip without getting messed up in the suitcases. OK...did I mention I can be a little anal in some areas of my life??? :)