I think the format of this learning task has been a good way to tackle it. Many of the topics are tools I would probably never have looked into if I hadn't been gone through this programme. It has all turned out to be more "approachable" than I had expected ( so really no excuses for dithering through the first incarnation ).
I guess I would have to say I have mixed feelings about Web 2.0. There are certainly good things about it- and things I personally like such as Library Thing, Flickr and especially (cookery) blogs - but there seem to be other options that people and organisations take up on because they think they should, or because others are doing it, and I put Twitter in this category.
I guess I would say that I am not an " early uptaker" of any new technology either.
If we can get over the idea that we simply have to use something because "it is there" then we can pick up the best that Web 2.0 has to offer. I think librarians and libraries feel pressure to take up things because other libraries have but not all change is for the better.
Thanks Training Team for your help and guidance!
Thursday, October 8, 2009
#11 - More Web 2.0 Applications & Library 2.0
The Web 2.0 awards were awarded differently to what I was originally expecting. There are certainly things there that I am familiar with and we have practical uses for in the library, such as del.icio.us, wikis plus things such as Google Maps with obvious value when used on other sites. I imagine most of the sites are chosen because they do something new and do it in new ways but so much of this seems to me to be "style" over "substance". I guess what happens is that many of these fall by the wayside and the ones that actually do something useful in a better way develop and become mainstream tools. However, some are just new ways to choose to be bombarded with information - such as Twitter ( which could be useful I guess if you choose to follow someone/some group with something of value to say).
The "Flock" widget ( 2nd in it's category) for instance, if my understanding is correct, allows you to keep track of social activity on sites like Twitter, MySpace, Facebook, Flickr, and others in a sidebar that follows them no matter what site they're on. This sort of thing - as someone who uses none of these - just makes my head spin - - -
The "Flock" widget ( 2nd in it's category) for instance, if my understanding is correct, allows you to keep track of social activity on sites like Twitter, MySpace, Facebook, Flickr, and others in a sidebar that follows them no matter what site they're on. This sort of thing - as someone who uses none of these - just makes my head spin - - -
Thursday, October 1, 2009
# 10 - Photos and Videos - Flickr and YouTube
Crediting DavidGaleStudios' photostream on Flickr for this image of a variation on the standard Borg cube.
Playing around with the images on Flickr - a bit hard to drag yourself away once you start looking around in there. I did find however that not all images on Flickr were available to me to publish on my blog. Some of the images are by professional photographers and/or are gif files which I found I couldn't use. This applied to the first image I tried for which was of a Borg cube that someone had made from Lego - - -
My own public library, Eastern Regional Libraries, has used Flickr to allow users to see how the renovations of library branches are proceeding. I could imagine it also being used for various teaching aspects- because you can put what they call "Hot Spots" on images it means that you can put labels on scientific or other images.
I've also seen instances where it was used to display the entries in photography competitions which seemed a good way to make them accessible for everyone. A reasonably pleasant surprise for me was to find the the Encyclopedia of Life was using Flickr to run photographic competitions on various aspects of wildlife photography and I think that meant too that those images could potentially be used on that website eventually.
I then had a look at some of the suggested sites on "You Tube". I've never really looked at "You Tube" much before although I imagine many of the emails - containing short clips - that I have been sent at different times are picked up from this site. Although I get a little tired of many of our patrons spending untold hours on this site I can see how it can be easy to fall into the trap - -
Once I had looked at the suggested domino clip then there were links to all these other domino clips - - and then more links - -
In "ScienceHack" some of the filtering work ( most, and maybe all, the clips seem to come from "YouTube") has been done for you in terms of identifying real science clips. I had a bit of a look around "Robotics" and couldn't resist having a look at the "Cockroach Controlled Mobile Robot".
In contrast, as least as far as I can tell, "TeacherTube" isn't mediated or controlled in any way. There probably is very worthwhile material there but you'll have to do the "separating the wheat from the chaff" as they say.
Playing around with the images on Flickr - a bit hard to drag yourself away once you start looking around in there. I did find however that not all images on Flickr were available to me to publish on my blog. Some of the images are by professional photographers and/or are gif files which I found I couldn't use. This applied to the first image I tried for which was of a Borg cube that someone had made from Lego - - -
My own public library, Eastern Regional Libraries, has used Flickr to allow users to see how the renovations of library branches are proceeding. I could imagine it also being used for various teaching aspects- because you can put what they call "Hot Spots" on images it means that you can put labels on scientific or other images.
I've also seen instances where it was used to display the entries in photography competitions which seemed a good way to make them accessible for everyone. A reasonably pleasant surprise for me was to find the the Encyclopedia of Life was using Flickr to run photographic competitions on various aspects of wildlife photography and I think that meant too that those images could potentially be used on that website eventually.
I then had a look at some of the suggested sites on "You Tube". I've never really looked at "You Tube" much before although I imagine many of the emails - containing short clips - that I have been sent at different times are picked up from this site. Although I get a little tired of many of our patrons spending untold hours on this site I can see how it can be easy to fall into the trap - -
Once I had looked at the suggested domino clip then there were links to all these other domino clips - - and then more links - -
In "ScienceHack" some of the filtering work ( most, and maybe all, the clips seem to come from "YouTube") has been done for you in terms of identifying real science clips. I had a bit of a look around "Robotics" and couldn't resist having a look at the "Cockroach Controlled Mobile Robot".
In contrast, as least as far as I can tell, "TeacherTube" isn't mediated or controlled in any way. There probably is very worthwhile material there but you'll have to do the "separating the wheat from the chaff" as they say.
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