Monday, January 7, 2008

Thing 7 - Technology Oriented post

After briefly looking over the "Horizon Report" I was most interested in the way technologies are used and accepted by youth today. The fact that cell phones are used for so many vital teen activities is something that our high school students have made me extremely aware. However, at our school site access to cell phones is prohibited during school hours. Somehow it seems we are going against the tide and it would behoove us to look at why we are restricting and whether the total ban should be rethought. I realize that plagiarism, copying and cheating are issues that need to be addressed but is the ban on this 'vital' technology the answer.

Friday, January 4, 2008

Thing 6 - Mashups


I enjoyed playing with Montagr. I tried books, libraries and of course donkeys. I tried the Mosaic with the photos from our library remodel. I think it should prove more useful than the badge option for me. I am thinking it might be a good way to feature new book covers. But would this be copyright infringement? I looked over the trading cards and am always amused at the variety of librarians out there.

Thing 5 - Flickr

I have been using Flickr now for about a half year. This course has brought up some concerns I probably should have had previously. I have posted our school's annual read poster winners on my Flickr account. I did this initially because I wanted to make a Flickr badge ( I think this is a mashup?) to appear on our library website. I had trouble with the html coding and never succeeded in getting the badge to appear. I left the pictures up. I did have written permission from the students and parents to use the pictures on our school website. I have made the pictures private (friends only can view) on Flickr but now am thinking I need to remove them all together. Any thoughts on this concern?

Thing 4 - Register your Blog

Okay, I think I have done it. I am not sure how to know if I was successful but because I have had a comment on this blog by someone official, I guess that means my registration was successful.

Thank you for for letting me get away with just posting the Thing #s from now on. That will make it easier.