Watched the ABC 4corners, enjoyed the programme but certainly liked the use of Flexilecture to get to it. Saw Kathryn’s presentation at Murdoch before she went to present at the NLA – she did have some technical problems which reinforced the issue of to participate one needed downloading software and good bandwidth. If this is no longer an issue, then I would think this could be a way especially for our externals and offshore to interact and reduce the isolation and help with the interaction that is missed if one is unable to get to F2F situations. SL could be an extension to those virtual walks with headgears etc… developments from the one dimensional! Once again the visuals help to assist with reinforcement and understanding. Without a doubt there is the opportunity to develop creativity and skills-- IT, social interaction, asking, sharing, networking etc. It would be useful to follow the research discussions such as within Ausslers to track if as RSBLG says is it a fad or to stay...
One could get in and learn a skill or process before perhaps translating it into the real environment e.g. do some stock trading or real estate purchasing. All that is needed is inclination and time..maybe some Linden Dollars! Just picking up from the various existing SL reference models, maybe we could do an information literacy session or just be there at a set time for say our offshore students to interact. Picking up from RSBLG we could develop it as a campus for our offshore and remote students. Of course some givens such as relevant IT infrastructure and time-zone match would be expected!
If we need to adopt this I would look at this as another user option, that is the category that relates to this type of an avenue. The hand-held games and Xbox generation will easily relate to this but I suspect some impatience with the speed etc.
Thursday, May 24, 2007
Thursday, May 17, 2007
Flickr discoveries
Wind direction takes a new meaning! If you've been to Exmouth you'll relate to this scene I 'm sure! I found it lovely in December but believe it is much better during the winter months! I will attempt to get some digital shots attached to the Flickr account later...for now this is #10 and on to the Flickr fun!
I think we are in agreement that one could spend hours within Flickr- in one spot one could find all sorts of information including doing some shopping for gifts using albumprinter or even a photo album quilt to get a personalised gift going …just fork out the $
I had fun looking at photos …boolean and phrase searching works, the tags are real handy and as suggested by JMCG using a “thread” tag would certainly help!
Not sure if the photo I selected from Flickr is going to be seen or you will need to click this link..
I had fun looking at photos …boolean and phrase searching works, the tags are real handy and as suggested by JMCG using a “thread” tag would certainly help!
Not sure if the photo I selected from Flickr is going to be seen or you will need to click this link..
it is a lovely shot of an orchid...I hope as I was intending to include one on a fruit I rather enjoy which has the Asian name Chiku...so not sure!
One could really delve into using one’s creative skills – afraid I did the reading and exploring but not too deeply into the creation as yet. Some comments include: Spell with flickr….black with blue fonts abit hard on the eyes…but nice way to get banners etc.
One could really delve into using one’s creative skills – afraid I did the reading and exploring but not too deeply into the creation as yet. Some comments include: Spell with flickr….black with blue fonts abit hard on the eyes…but nice way to get banners etc.
The article in BusinessWeek with the slide show gives some understanding and visual egs of mashups which I take to be overlaying …would our screen captures on powerpoints be considered in this catergory??? Guess I’m being presumptuous! Issue of copyright?
Perhaps I need to get back to doing some photography…used to…those toys could set one back hours just playing with setting up galleries etc…don’t know about trading cards as probably won’t have any takers…but if we did an online learning package I wonder if we could look into using this in a game like environment! Trip planner ….potential for any planning especially with friends who might be overseas etc. Oh! JMCG the image generators are also something...see this link ...not sure if it works within this!
http://www.cybercones.com/sundae-strawberry-c-ch-2-yf.htm
Perhaps I need to get back to doing some photography…used to…those toys could set one back hours just playing with setting up galleries etc…don’t know about trading cards as probably won’t have any takers…but if we did an online learning package I wonder if we could look into using this in a game like environment! Trip planner ….potential for any planning especially with friends who might be overseas etc. Oh! JMCG the image generators are also something...see this link ...not sure if it works within this!
http://www.cybercones.com/sundae-strawberry-c-ch-2-yf.htm
Friday, May 11, 2007
Conceptualising wikis etc
So from the discovery trips and readings I have put into my thinking compartments the following: Bloggs are online journals/diaries as they are arranged by dates and the postings cannot be edited (unless specified) but comments can be made freely, more a dialogue medium. Wikis however are abit more structured…a web page that invites contribution so input and edit and the idea is to encourage development through collaboration. There is no date order and leads to the development of a knowledge/information resource.
From the exercises one could see a fair number of potential uses and obvious ones for subject teams are guides and instruction sheets. Maybe an assignment topic wiki! No need to reinvent but only trouble is sometimes if the approach is linked to an institution’s holdings then collaboration might not work although certainly on a team level it will . Adding websites or free articles etc would be an avenue to engage student participation otherwise students might be consumers rather than collaborators. Incorporating the personal touch of allowing contact like in Biz Wiki would certainly value add!
Some good suggestions for wikis have come from G8 and I would add perhaps we could have a wiki for all library wide projects so one spot for an update to what has happened or happening. Maybe a centre wide one even! Having just got back from a Conference I think one where the locals can input tips and hints about the place and goings on would be useful. Often the official site is controlled by the appointed organizer and standard “fare” so a wiki could give the easier option for anyone to give practical information for attendees before they arrive so they could maximise their short stay!
I know it is said for wikis no html knowledge etc is necessary and it does appear to have a consistent enough approach but here are several “platforms” or is software the correct term? So to encourage participation make it even easier, as some have done, give “how to” instructions up front for quick and basic input with referral to sections for any “sophisticated” input! One other feature I found that perhaps could be a standard is to offer a printable version for obvious reasons!
Have put some postings into the brochure wiki on Blackboard but I think the creative juices haven’t flowed yet and perhaps this group would be able to tackle it together with the Wikipedia Library entry once we complete this pilot.
From the exercises one could see a fair number of potential uses and obvious ones for subject teams are guides and instruction sheets. Maybe an assignment topic wiki! No need to reinvent but only trouble is sometimes if the approach is linked to an institution’s holdings then collaboration might not work although certainly on a team level it will . Adding websites or free articles etc would be an avenue to engage student participation otherwise students might be consumers rather than collaborators. Incorporating the personal touch of allowing contact like in Biz Wiki would certainly value add!
Some good suggestions for wikis have come from G8 and I would add perhaps we could have a wiki for all library wide projects so one spot for an update to what has happened or happening. Maybe a centre wide one even! Having just got back from a Conference I think one where the locals can input tips and hints about the place and goings on would be useful. Often the official site is controlled by the appointed organizer and standard “fare” so a wiki could give the easier option for anyone to give practical information for attendees before they arrive so they could maximise their short stay!
I know it is said for wikis no html knowledge etc is necessary and it does appear to have a consistent enough approach but here are several “platforms” or is software the correct term? So to encourage participation make it even easier, as some have done, give “how to” instructions up front for quick and basic input with referral to sections for any “sophisticated” input! One other feature I found that perhaps could be a standard is to offer a printable version for obvious reasons!
Have put some postings into the brochure wiki on Blackboard but I think the creative juices haven’t flowed yet and perhaps this group would be able to tackle it together with the Wikipedia Library entry once we complete this pilot.
Tuesday, May 8, 2007
RSS experience
I'm paying the price of being away ...now have to do RSS and Wikis in this week if I wish to stay on schedule. Must admit I have sometime ago set up some RSS feeds in Bloglines....but at that time it did not register much. Plus I did not have a look until doing my homework now. So it is good to be able to conceptualize this abit more. I went for news feeds as I seldom have time for the newspapers..so often relying on the radio as I travel to work and so thought having the feeds at my workstation would be another avenue. Thankfully there is a "read all" button and I suspect the system only keeps X-number of postings, otherwise it could be overwhelming if one didn't check often...my case!
But I can see a nice current awareness potential in these feeds for us to re-direct information to specific users or maybe even group of users. Features like able to clip(remember there was a time clipping was a library activity. Perhaps we could create a clipping folder on a topic for posting to a blackboard site-- does suggest partnering with the unit co-ordinator etc. Or if from the reference service point a particular topic has been regular, maybe we could do a mini clipping file.
I have added some fun (but newsy) RSS like Daily Show Videos as they take the "mickey" out of well known personalities.
With the EBSCO activity one needed to set up a profile and I didn't get an e-mail but in doing the alert and choosing to receive the alert via RSS, it did give me the URL. But herein I found some frustration as Klickety metioned Bloglines kept saying no feeds were found. Then the penny dropped...I noticed our WAM bits attached to the URL...removing them and "magically" it worked!
But I can see a nice current awareness potential in these feeds for us to re-direct information to specific users or maybe even group of users. Features like able to clip(remember there was a time clipping was a library activity. Perhaps we could create a clipping folder on a topic for posting to a blackboard site-- does suggest partnering with the unit co-ordinator etc. Or if from the reference service point a particular topic has been regular, maybe we could do a mini clipping file.
I have added some fun (but newsy) RSS like Daily Show Videos as they take the "mickey" out of well known personalities.
With the EBSCO activity one needed to set up a profile and I didn't get an e-mail but in doing the alert and choosing to receive the alert via RSS, it did give me the URL. But herein I found some frustration as Klickety metioned Bloglines kept saying no feeds were found. Then the penny dropped...I noticed our WAM bits attached to the URL...removing them and "magically" it worked!
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