I really appreciated the opportunity of exploring Web2.0 tools.  I would not have done them without the structure and support that is built into this program.  There is still a lot more to learn and to explore as I completed tasks regularly before the holidays and needed the time limit jolt to finish the tasks.  Our library team has worked together and have put some of the technologies into their regular practice e.g wikis, blogs, del.ici.ous, pathfinders and sharing reading preferences.   I am pleased that you are keeping the global teacher sites for an extended period.  It will be most useful for me and for other Web 2.0 participants.  Thank you.

Second Life is an internet-based virtual world video game.  This is a free, complex, exciting tool for students who are interested in animation and participating in and or designing games.  It is highly interactive.  Unfortunately some functions require payment via credit card and I find this rather disturbing.  Adolescents enjoy virtual world games such as Sims and World of Warcraft. 

Week 10: Videos and Podcasts

Task 20 – Podcasts

August 4th, 2008

Podcasts have many uses, both personally and professionally.  Students regularly download programs for leisure purposes.  It would be great to extend this to their study program.  I enjoy listening to the Law Report and the Health Report on Radio National and it is great to download these programs so that I can hear them when I have time at home.  

I found Teacher Tube videos about science topics quite informative but I would prefer to use the Le@rning Federation resources to support curriculum programs.  I think these videos could be used to inspire students who are interested in media and film production.  

Our library has a procedures manual wiki.  The procedures are regularly updated after discussion and all staff from both campuses are informed of the changes through email.  Collaboration is the feature.  As new audio-visual material is added to the collection, procedures are written eg. Using ClickView at school and for program planning at home.  Wikis would be useful for Literature Circles and also to update generic material for specific curriculum areas. I will need more time to investigate Rollyo.  I enjoyed exploring the free photos section and will revisit this section soon.  I would probably create a group of websites such as AskNow and the searchme search engine to help the students answer reference questions?  I would like to make a Rollyo of sites to include works by Ansel Adams photographs, Graeme Drendel’s artwork and Tracy Sarroff’s glass sculptures.   I would do this as an exercise and see whether I like Rollyo better than del.ici.ous which I use every day.

What a great site and so flexible, easy to use and enthralling.  I am so impressed.  When I created an iGoogle home page I placed in the following gadgets – Map search, book, facebook and Google Docs & spreadsheets but then I couldn’t resist putting in other gadgets and even RSS feeds.  Google books with the excellent graphics was engaging.  The scope was extensive and ranged from basic to academic in scope.   Google Maps and Google Earth are invaluable and combined with the GPS on the mobile phones, will ensure that I never get lost.  

I added Google documents about Book Week 2008 activities and a pathfinder for the Beijing Olympics.  I added a template for recording my recent holiday in Queensland.  I am familiar with Google Maps and using them to locate businesses / addresses and to assist in planning travel.  I enjoyed seeing the book covers under the different categories in Google Book Search.  It was useful for locating books in libraries.  I intend to use this tool within our school library.

My Space and Facebook are a feature of our household.  They are great social networking tools and very addictive.  Protocols of use and protection of personal privacy are two aspects that I would like to investigate with young people. 

Regular updates of latest news from the Age will be appreciated.  I am also looking forward to receiving information from SLAV and from STAV

I have added the code for Library thing and have commenced entering some favourite books