Thing 8.5: working with RSS feeds

Okay, it took me a while, but I figured out how to 'share' some articles with y'all. I'll find some more timely ones but now I'm getting the hang of this thing.

Thing 8: RSS Feeds

I had heard about RSS feeds during a Librarians Network Meeting at NEIU 19 in March, but didn't really do anything about RSS feeds until today. This appears to be very convenient. The news I want is delivered to me. I'm kind of a news junkie. I chose a New York Giants feed, of course, Unshelved the library comic, NPR Education news, a School Library Media blog, Library Bytes -- for book reviews -- and Library Education and a Harry Potter feed and that's just to start. It's very nice to see the information in the Google Reader -- easy to navigate and find the feed you're looking for. Of course, it's only the first day of this experiment. Can I have too many items in my folder? I may have to scale back. I tried to pick feeds that didn't have too many entries each week -- how can I keep up with hundreds? As you can see, I've sure been taking my time with the 23 Things! I did enjoy the YouTube video on RSS feeds. I chose a second one called "RSS in Plain English" and found it very informative and it was ... well, very easy to understand.

Where do I sign up for sale news for RSS??? I want the latest from Talbots, Lands End, Old Navy, The Gap, J.C.Penney, Coldwater Creek, Target ...

Good Grant News for Pennsylvania

Hello, long time, no post. My other online classes are finished -- YAY -- and now can focus my online learning on the 23 things. I am very inspired after attending the PSLA Leadership Summit and ready to get going!

But, I wanted to share some good grant news from Pennsylvania. While my school was unsuccessful in our bid with Susquehanna Community for an Improving Literacy through School Libraries grant -- 3-schools in Pennsylvania are bringing home big bucks from Washington. Harrisburg, Pittsburgh and Scranton! Yay! Here's a link to the list of winners. http://www.ed.gov/programs/lsl/awards.html No Pennsylvania school received this grant in 2007 so this is great news!

My Avatar

I may want to rethink my avatar outfit. Oprah had a whole show on 'slumpadinkas' and getting rid of sweat suits yesterday. When I come home from school, I slip one on. They're so comfy. Sigh. I'm not the fashionista librarian, I guess I'm the shlumpadinka librarian.

Life long learning habits

Hi! This assignment was due a few weeks ago, but it has been on my mind, even if not in my blog. The Habits of Highly Effective Learners came up in another class I'm taking, in the concept of backward design. Having the goal or standard in mind in our planning makes it go much better. I really connected with Habit 1: Begin with the end in mind. I really liked that this will keep you on track and your goal can be modified with the end in mind. Habit 2: I feel I am accepting responsibility for my learning. I am amazed at how much I have learned since leaving school and becoming a school librarian. I learn in class, from my colleagues and the mentors I've picked up along the way. Asking questions is one way that I've taken responsibility for my continuing education. I really have a hard time with Habit 3: view problems as challenges. Problems are just that, problems. They hold me down and cause me consternation. I never used to be like that, but, with so many plates to juggle, it just happens sometimes. With habit Number 5 -- my learning toolbox -- my gosh, I keep adding to it. It's a great resource to have and helps with Habit 3 -- those problems that pop up! I love Habit 6 -- use technology to your advantage. It just gets easier all the time -- there are so many great tools out there. Please tell me about your favorites! The other area I had a hard time with -- put it in writing -- boy, it really makes sense --we have contracts with lots of people in lots of areas, perhaps lifelong learning is another area deserving this attention.

I guess I really like Flckr

I seem to flipped for Flckr! I found all these photos of my alma mater and have posted a few comments. I hope the originial photographer doesn't mind!
More later!

Marywood University 12

Marywood University 12
Originally uploaded by pennsylvaniamentor

You can't help but look up when you're in the Rotunda ... It looks great with a Christmas Tree in the middle. Another Marywood tradition.

Marywood University 10

Marywood University 10
Originally uploaded by pennsylvaniamentor

These are the steps to Regina Hall. The dorm I called home for 4 years.

Marywood University 8

Marywood University 8
Originally uploaded by pennsylvaniamentor

Ah, the library. At the back you'll find the television and radio stations where I spent the better part of my first four years. My next jaunt back to campus was clearly focused on the front end of the building, where I began my studies to become a school librarian. Funny round building, good memories.

Marywood University 16

Marywood University 16
Originally uploaded by pennsylvaniamentor

Our hearts, are thine, sweet Marywood.
I just wanted to post where I spent most of my adult academic life, not under Electric Mary, mind you, but never too far from the arch.

Session 3

I know I have some ground to cover. I think Flckr is a great tool. I'd like to organize my pictures that way ... I figure my dinosaur of a computer won't hang around that much longer, and putting my photos on Flckr would be a good move. I liked the idea of sharing that way, instead of clogging up inboxes with pictures. I think it would be convenient to have an online place to find the pictures I'll need to do my work -- PowerPoints and other projects -- all in an accessible way.

The other item I started using is ClassMarker and Survey Monkey. Not new by any stretch of the imaginiation, but relatively new to me. I'd taken surveys on Survey Monkey. I designed a couple of quizzes to use with my students. It was part of an assessment class I'm taking. I really enjoy these classes -- there are so many wonderful tools out there to use. There were a few drawbacks to ClassMarker -- I liked how the order of quiz questions were mixed up -- so kids sitting next to each other would not be answering the same questions at the same time. I did NOT like how the order of the answers were jumbled. It only made 'all of the above' look silly, when it appeared as the first choice or in the middle of the list. I think these tools -- Survey Monkey and ClassMarker would be good choices to help assess where students are at before or after a unit of study. Also, to see what they've forgotten over the summer ...

But, back to Flckr ... convenient, fun and flexible. I guess I'm ready to sign up. I should see what ya'll have said on the subject, before I fall for it.

Talk to you soon!

Session 2

Okay -- Session 2. I've got a blog so here I go. I had a lot of fun creating an avatar. It was a nice process. I figure I'm helping out my brain by learning something new. I have to say, this online world of learning is great. At first, I'd have to print everything out and read each word on paper. I'm becoming more green and printing out only what I need. Thank goodness! I was drowning in paper. I joked that the librarian I replaced must have printed out every article she ever read and filed them in a cabinet. I'm getting better about reading the screen. Speaking of reading the screens, I'm learning so much by reading all your blogs out there in library land. I have so much to learn. So, I guess it's time to do some of that learning. Talk to you soon!

Session 1

Hello! This is the start of my Web 2.0 experience. I am very excited to be joining you on this journey. I guess I am officially a blogger. I hope to have some very worthwhile posts for your 2.0 experience.