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.