Blog Reflection

When I first read that I was required to write a blog for the length of this course, I didn’t understand the purpose or usefulness of this activity. After writing this blog for the last few months, I can say that I have changed my mind.

I learned from writing this blog that blogging is much harder than it looks. It also helps to have a topic that you are passionate about, or at least interested in, for your blog to be successful. I found that writing about a specific topic gave me a challenge to not only provide useful links but at the same time these links needed to be interesting to my readers. Having to blog about a specific topic was a challenge in itself when trying to think of all the different possible angles that could relate to that topic. I think I was fortunate in my choice of topics in that they were interesting.

I had never heard of clickers before this assignment and found learning about them fascinating. Searching the internet for topics was often a chore and I found myself talking to other people about angles that I might not have thought of. In this way, blogging caused me to talk with others and engage them when I often wouldn’t have bothered before.

With Second Life, I found the topic to be much larger than I expected. I thought Second Life was just an online video game that a lot of people played. It is not something I would have even considered being a part of until I started learning more about it. The first time (and only time) someone from outside the class posted a comment to my blog I was surprised at how significant this was to me. Granted she only looked at my blog because I linked information from hers but still it was a milestone for me.

What can I do to improve my blogging? The first thing I need to do is spend more time writing on it and checking for comments. I found time for my blog only after all of my other class work was taken care of for the week. I don’t think I gave my blog the priority that it deserved. The second thing I could do to improve my blog would be to provide a wider variety of information sources. In the beginning, I usually only linked to articles or other websites that contained information on my topics. As the semester wore on though, I found that I became more creative in my choice of links. Continuing this creativity would certainly help keep my blog fresh.

As it stands today, I wouldn’t mind putting my blog address on my resume for potential employers to read; it certainly wouldn’t hurt my job chances and it might actually help. I think this is one way that blogging can be helpful to someone who is looking for a job; blog about information that would be useful in your job and show your potential employers that you know a lot about that topic.

Now that the semester is ending, I have to answer the question of whether or not to keep on blogging. I have mixed feelings about this. Although I dreaded having to write on this blog twice a week, I found that I could do it and I would like to believe that the product of my efforts was worth reading. I can see myself choosing a topic once a month that I know little about and blogging about it. In this way, I educate myself on something I should probably already know. Maybe I should start with Facebook.

Autism & Second Life

After talking with some people about what I could write about on Second Life this week, someone suggested Autism. The Internet and SL have provided Autistic people, who have a difficult time with social interactions, a safe place to communicate.

As stated on their website, Autistics.org is an organization led by persons with autism and its goal is to "build a global database of information and resources by and for persons on the autistic spectrum." Autistics.org maintains a residence in Second Life using the group name Autistic Liberation Front (ALF). The organization is hoping to make the "Porcupine Zone" owned by autistic persons. This link shows pictures of ALF's space in SL. I especially liked the part where books on the bookshelf when opened provide text files about autism. ALF also provides a link to a SL Trivia website.

CNN recently did a report on a man with Asperger's syndrome who maintains a residence in SL. He has a place that is relaxing and contains many resources to help people gain a better understanding of Austism.

Earlier in the semester, I posted a YouTube video showing Amanda's view of the world. I will end this post with a YouTube video that, although a little lengthy, talks about Autism in SL and also Amanda's presence there. I hope you will watch it.

Global Kids & Second Life

Global Kids is an organization that strives to educate children around the world about global issues and how children can participate in government and the policy making process. Their mission as stated on their website is "to transform urban youth into successful students and global and community leaders by engaging them in socially dynamic, content rich learning experiences."

In 2006, Global Kids entered the world of Teen Second Life. Global Kids lists 4 ways that it is using TSL: After school programming, leadership programs, audio and video streaming, and professional services. A video of Mia Farrow leading a discussion about genocide in Darfur was played in TSL with the help of Global Kids.

Students learn about real world problems and are given training to help solve these problems in real life. What an excellent way to use a virtual world. Check out their blog.

What do you think? Would you let your child participate?

Why educators should take a look at Second Life

In researching Second Life, I have learned that there is still a lot more to learn. What better place to go than SL. I still haven't joined up but maybe someday I will have time to have a SL but right now my first life is keeping me incredibly busy.

This week, I found a wiki that talks about virtual worlds including SL and their uses in education. In SL, you can listen to a lecture, attend a concert, or visit a library. Did you know that in 2006 Harvard even offered a course that used SL and other Web 2.0 tools? How cool is that!!!

I am beginning to see why libraries have jumped on the band wagon and created spaces in SL. For me with aspirations to be in an elementary school library media center one day, I am not sure that SL will play a large role in my life. But if I do end up in a middle or high school and they don't already have one, I just might start an after school Second Life Club!

Second Life Webinars

The topic in this weeks discussion board was all about webinars and whether or not they are better than in person seminars. Personally for me, if it wasn't too time or cost prohibitive, I would prefer to attend a seminar in person. For a topic such as Second Life though, a webinar may actually be more appropriate. Here is a link to one by Sirsi Dynix Institute. This is a second link for a webinar about SL. This third link is a webinar about Teen SL.

I subscribe to the Stephen's Lighthouse RSS feed and have learned about a lot of different things through this resource. It is amazing how much he is able to blog given the amount of time he spends traveling. Check it out if you get a chance.

Second Life Slideshow

This is a pretty comprehensive slide show about Second Life. Feel free to fast forward through the slides on your own and not listen to all of the audio. That's what I did.

View Upload your own

SL certainly looks like a place that you visit to learn. The various lectures that are offered surprise me and many people seem to attend them. Interesting.

Phishing for Passwords

The most common form of phishing in Second Life is for the resident's passwords. Second Life has provided information on how to recognize that your account has been compromised and what you can do about it if it does happen. Here is an additional link that describes some common tricks used to get your passwords. This link also provides some suggestions on how to make your passwords stronger and harder to hack.

This is a good interview about two security researchers who investigated the phishing world. It is a little long but has good information about phishing and what happens when they get your personal information.

Teen Second Life

It didn't seem appropriate to talk about Second Life without also providing information on Teen Second Life. The rules are much stricter and residents are much safer and more secure than in adult SL. Teen Second Life is only for teens aged 13-17 although occasionally the creators will allow educators to come into the world for specific purposes. The site also has "Linden Liaisons" who help keep the site safe.

Under the Teen SL "For Parents" link, parents are asked not to direct the teen's avatar around the site. Linden Labs also has community standards and tips for online safety. There are 10 community standards for teens to follow: Respect Your Fellow Residents, Stay Anonymous, Don't Give Out Your Password, Respect Others' Privacy, Keep it Clean, Don't Harass, Don't Assault, Don't Disturb the Peace, No Global Attacks, and Use Alternate Accounts Responsibly. If you break the rules, most of the time a warning will be given the first time. Further offenses will be given a strike and suspension; after an account has received three strikes, the teen's account will be permanently closed.

I can see how this would be a safe way for teens to meet other teens in a safe forum. Here is a link to a teen's review of Teen Second Life.

Using the Internet to find Helpful Resources

This weeks learning module talked about the various resources that are available to teachers on the Internet. Although I had used a few, the vast majority of them were new to me. I have used Purdue's website to look for APA citation information but not for lesson plans.

After being in this class for the past 9 weeks or so, I often wonder why all library students aren't required to take this class. I often tell them about the resources we have learned about and then they go check them out. For me, I see the usefulness of these websites in all types of libraries not just school libraries.

Check out the Discovery Education website which does not require a log in. There is clip art, a puzzle maker, and more.

Second Life Trademark and Copyright Issues

I found a good article that describes a trademark service that is being started in Second Life for residents who create a product. This will provide the creators of a product a way to verify that they were the first ones to come up with the idea. Sounds like a good plan since there were lots of articles talking about the number of lawsuits taking place around SL infringements.

This is a good article that talks about how much money people are making off of trademark infringement. When I first considered the issue, I wondered how much money people were actually willing to pay for a Rolex watch. Well according to this article, you can purchase one for $350 Linden dollars or the equivalent of $1.61 US dollars. My questions is, "Does the watch keep time?" Seriously though, people are making real money off of these products because the company does not have space in SL. Is this ethical? Legal?

This last link is to a blog about a copyright lawsuit that was taking place last year involving SL residents.

So what do you think? Should SL be doing a better job of policing itself? or Are copyright and trademark laws not applicable in the virtual world?

Second Life because...

I searched the internet looking for sources of why people join Second Life. I found very mixed messages; some joined to make money, some to test ideas, some to play, and others who play out their darkest fantasies. I found an article that questions why people would want to be in Second Life, explains some possible reasons why, and provides some risks and hidden costs.

The second is a short article about someone giving a lecture at a university that was simulcast on the University's Second Life space. Even after a few years, the site still has some issues.

The last two articles deal with some of the negative aspects of Second Life. I didn't want to start talking about negatives yet but after reading numerous blogs and articles, negatives kept arising. The first link talks about crime in the virtual world. The second blog questions why librarians have jumped on the bandwagon. Check out the links at the bottom too.

I am finding that there is an enormous amount of information about Second Life. I will do my best to sift through it all to bring the best possible information. Later in the week, I will follow through on why librarians are so into Second Life.

Second Life, Education, and Librarians

Okay this topic is much larger than I ever imagined. The vast number of people who have gotten involved in Second Life is amazing. I will try to provide links that will help understand what Second Life is and why it is appealing. I still haven't quite worked it out myself so bear with me.

This YouTube video shows some of the applications that teachers can use to educate their students using Second Life.


On Flickr, there is a group for photos from Second Life --it contains over 2000 photos! Check it out. Maybe the pictures will help clear up some of the mystique!

I am also including a link to a social network for Second Life Librarians. There are 223 members from all over. The social network provides a forum for questions, links to blogs, videos, and photos.

Still not convinced that Second Life is for you, keep checking back over the next few weeks as I try to educate myself and others about Second Life.

Random wanderings

What seems like a lifetime ago, I hosted one of the discussions on LibraryThing. I loved the idea of the site and joined. One of my fellow classmates pointed out the Early Reviewer program and I immediately signed up to snag one of the few books. Well, this week, I found out that I will be receiving an advance copy of The Spirit of the Place by Samuel Shem.

Through the Early Reviewer program, I also learned of a web site called BookCrossing. From what I can tell, people go to the site get a tracking # for a book they have read, and then drop the book in a location somewhere around them. Hopefully whoever picks up the books will find the BookCrossing # and input their location. Often books are dropped in airports and train stations. There were none dropped in Syracuse so maybe I will be the first to try it out.

Another web site someone told me about is StumbleUpon. The site takes a profile of your interests and then shows you web sites it thinks you would be interested in. You then give the web site a thumbs up or down further narrowing your profile. I have stumbled upon some interesting websites using this.

Introduction to Second Life

I have to admit that I have heard about Second Life but never really took the time to investigate further. I mentioned it to a fellow student and she told me all about the SU library in Second Life and a class that revolves around it. A search of SU's website returned 10 hits.

Second Life (SL) is a virtual world that users (or residents) create. It is free to join but if you want to own land, you need to pay a monthly fee. There are games, businesses, currency, and many other features. People have been known to make real money using Second Life. Check out the FAQs.

If you are a resident of SL, what drew you to it?

Recap of Clickers

Alas, my time with discussing clickers has come to an end. From the past few weeks, I have learned that for the most part clickers add a positive element to classrooms. Students participate more and lively discussions take place. Most frequently clickers are used in colleges and in science classrooms. On the negative side, students didn't like not being able to change their answers or not knowing if their answer had been registered.

Overall though, clickers seem to improve the students' experience in the classroom.

On a lighter note, I found this cartoon that although not the same clicker I wrote about, it still illustrates a problem that can occur with clickers. Enjoy!

Negatives of Clickers

So far, I have focused on the positive aspects of clickers so today it is about the negatives. The attached PDF is a short survey (<25 students) in a class that used clickers. There were only a few negatives listed but it is important for teachers to keep them in mind. Not being able to change your answer especially on a test, would definitely be a problem. I can see why students wouldn't want to use them on tests.

Another site that lists a few negatives is from Dartmouth. A slightly larger surveyed population, these students list cost and technical difficulties as some of the negatives. Dartmouth responded to the cost issue by decreasing the price. I like that they actually responded to the students.

Can you think of any other negatives?

Podcast Experience

I have viewed various different podcasts for the classes I have taken. Dr. Nicholson was big on searching the internet and finding vodcasts for us to view in class. That is how I first learned what Web 2.0 really is.

I have never created a personal podcast but have had the pleasure of teaching elementary schools students how it is done. It is fun watching their faces as they listen to themselves after their recording. Often, they think they sound great on the first try. Ah! If only I could model them and be confident and not worry about what others think about my your work.

A Podcast about Clicker

Because the discussion in class this week is about podcasting, I looked for a podcast with clickers as the subject. I have to be honest, the first one to appear is the one that I listened to. But wait, there's more. I also chose it because it is my undergrad alma mater, Penn State.

The podcast is less than six minutes long and interviews two professors that piloted the clicker program at PSU. It was fascinating that one of the professors was using a modified system of colored index cards before clickers came along. Both will continue to use clickers in the classroom and received positive feedback from students.

A Clicker Poster Session

I found this neat slide show of an ACRL Poster about clickers. I liked that the focus was on the use of clickers in a library setting. The slide show also provides good background information explaining how clickers work and the equipment needed. There is also a sample question and a demonstration of what the responses might look like if used in a classroom.

This Poster session is very different from my own experience in 511's poster session where my final product was an actual tri-fold poster. For those of you who have participated in a poster session, what was your experience like?

Cyberbullying using Facebook and MySpace

This week our discussion centered around cyberbullying. The instructor has also asked us to discuss our experiences with Facebook and MySpace. To be honest, I have never used or looked at Facebook. As for MySpace, I only used it to search for students who graduated from a local school to see if I could find their current location. Showing my age, I found MySpace to be noisy and brash. Many of the posts included information that I wonder if that person would be willing to say in a face to face interaction. I didn't understand the appeal of MySpace to young people.

I found an interesting post that talks about cyberbullying on Facebook. This person was subject to cyberbullying but followed the rules and reported the offender as per Facebook TOS. The poster also provides some hints on what you can do if you become a victim of cyberbullying.

I am posting the following link with some reservations. I looked through the web site and it seems that the group is interested in educating parents and families about the proper use of media without saying we shouldn't use media. I may be wrong, and apologize if I am. The site seems to provide good information on how to use MySpace and what to watch for.

Let me know what you think.

Clickers in High School

After fruitlessly searching Google for a non-college related application of clickers, I finally changed my search strategy (duh!) and found an article about clickers being used in a high school. I find it fascinating that most of the classrooms using clickers are related to the sciences.

I chose this article because it was current and talked about clickers in high school. I think clickers can help teachers receive feedback from all students but I don't completely understand why they make the students more talkative. Anything that can get quiet students to participate is a good thing.

I especially liked how this article tied in with our discussion of last week on gaming. The physics teacher turned a practice pop quiz into a game with the winning student's rocket ship landing on Mars. Sounds like fun and a good incentive for students to study harder so that they can win next time.

Games and Libraries

This week's discussion centered around games and simulations. I found the discussions went in directions I hadn't expected. The only experience I had with games in the library were centered around those that came with paid subscriptions. These games are basic and fun for the younger set. I don't have any problem with their use as long as it is controlled and not abused.

I particularly see using games as a reward for students. What an incentive to know that library time will be spent playing a game instead of a lesson on Dewey. Not that a lesson on Dewey can't be fun and engaging. I just can't see the average student getting excited about it. But make it into a game and enthusiasm will abound.

Check out this blog dedicated to gaming in libraries... http://libgaming.blogspot.com/

Students and Clickers

This weeks has been one of a flurry of projects due, bronchitis, furnace dying, and fieldwork gone amuk. Hence, the blog has been ignored unfairly. Hopefully the next few weeks will be a little quieter and the blog can receive the attention it deserves.


Last week I shared an article that described some of the things you should know about clickers. The article for this week talks about clickers with the audience in mind. Different papers have been published that show students learn the material better when they are actively involved in the process. Sitting in a lecture and taking notes is not as active learning as sitting in a lecture responding to questions.

Many of the instructors using clickers have taken the time to develop new teaching styles that increase their effectiveness in the classroom. One can only wonder that if they had changed styles to become more effective and not to incorporate the new technology, would students learning behaviors have changed anyway? A teacher in the article talks about posing a question and asking the students to confer with each other before using the clicker to respond to the question. She has found that the students interact with each other much more now. I have to wonder if this couldn't also work without the use of the clicker.

The benefits of responding anonymously is mentioned often and may be one of the best reasons to use a clicker. As I continue to read about this technology, I may have to adjust my thinking.

Here is the link...http://www.glenisgroup.com/CPSinNYT.pdf.

Social Bookmarking

This week in class, we learned all about different web sites that utilize social bookmarking. It was my week to lead the discussion board so I learned a lot of new things about Flickr and LibraryThing. Both sites are fun to explore with lots of potential uses in a classroom or library. I especially like the idea of using LibraryThing for Readers' Advisory. A fellow classmate also came up with LibraryThing for Kids and I thought this would be a great idea since the site is set up for users 13 and up. A cataloging site dedicated to children's books would be an incredible asset in a school library.

The professor also introduced del.icio.us, CiteULike, and 43 Things. I couldn't see using 43 Things in my future but it might be a good place for high school seniors to go for support and actually just setting down some goals. Del.icio.us is a fun site and I like their use of the .us which you very rarely see. CiteULike I need to explore a little bit better before I understand the full benefits that this site might provide. Trying to tie all this technology into a school library is challenging especially when I am focused on the elementary level. I need to broaden my focus because I just might end up in a high school library.

All in all, it was a busy week and I finally succumbed to a stomach virus. Hopefully that will be the last of sickness in my home for a while.

Look for more information on Clickers next week.

Just what are Clickers?

Clickers are devices used in classrooms that allow teachers to ask questions and then receive students’ responses within seconds. The devices are similar to a TV remote and work using the same technology. A student can purchase a Clicker, or for a cheaper cost a student can download a simulated version that can be used with wireless technology. The device seems to be most commonly used at the undergraduate level in large science classes.

One advantage of using such a device would be in knowing the percentage of students who got a question correct or incorrect. If 85% of the class gets a question wrong, the professor knows within seconds that further explanation is needed. Clickers can also be used as a way to take attendance because each device can be assigned to a specific student.

The following link from EDUCAUSE (http://www.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ELI7002.pdf) describes 7 things you should know about Clickers.

Over the next few weeks, I will be providing links that will help you understand better the applications and uses for Clickers. If you have any questions or suggestions, please feel free to post a comment. I will do my best to post the best possible information.

Happy clicking!

New to Blogging

This is my first attempt at writing a blog! Why am I doing this you ask? First and foremost for a class I am taking at Syracuse University where I am in my second semester of their M.S. L.I.S. School Media Program. One of the classes required is about information technologies and their applications in libraries. Hence, the blog.

I am taking three classes this semester and also completing my first 50 hours of fieldwork. All of the classes use projects in lieu of tests so you can imagine how busy I am with school. I am also the mother of 2 lovely boys, 9 & 12. Between their schedule and mine, the laundry pile is getting enormous from lack of attention.

I will try to provide at least one link in my posts (isn't that really part of being a true blogger?) and provide reasons why you should check them out. So my first link is to http://www.librarything.com/ because I am researching it for a class discussion next week. I am hoping to create an account soon and will post my screen name when I do. So why should you check out LibraryThing? This is a really cool site for people who love books. The site can help you find books that you might like based on a book that you read and enjoyed. For example, I loved _The Time Traveler's Wife_ by Audrey Niffenegger. If you loved this book, LibraryThing recommends reading _Three Junes_ by Julia Glass (something else I have already read). But wait, if you hated this book, LibraryThing provides a list of books that you probably wouldn't own if you own _The Time Traveler's Wife_. Very cool!

Check it out!