Tuesday, July 10, 2007

Pathfinder tutorials

Hi, can anyone give me some hints about good sources for ideas for pathfinder activities or tutorials for using print reference collections? I found some good ones here. Maybe it will be useful to someone else. We beginners are searching and practicing all of the time. Thanks in advance to anyone that responds.

Randy de Jong

Future LMT

I know enough to know I don't know enough.

Thursday, June 28, 2007

Practice to see if I can answer a question




I am trying to see if I can publish duplicate images and find the easiest way to delete the unwanted images. I am still experimenting, now to upload a second copy of the same image.

I was successful. I added the same picture. I went into edit html and deleted one of the pictures. The html designation for the picture is found between the "less than carot (<)followed by "a" and the greater than carot (>) followed by "a". The top sequence of code matches the top picture and the next batch the next picture etc. I highlighted the code for the picture I wanted to delete. This is basic for many but was an experiment for me. I tried to write it as you would see it, but it would leave the example blank because it really didn't represent an image. Write me an email if you need me to try to send it via email that is not in actual html. dejongster@mchsi.com

Wednesday, June 27, 2007

Week #9 Thing #23

This course will continue to be an good experience. Thing #23 has just become a temporary resting point before continuing the journey. I have enjoyed and needed the opportunity to learn what is out in cyberspace. I had seen many of these tools in use, but didn't know how to harness them. Most of the course took me to places to become "almost proficient" and then gave me latitude to choose to "make do" or explore and learn more.

I think the course was very helpful. I have gained a great deal of knowledge about blogging and the many potential uses associated with a blog. I entered the course with the desire to find a specific end result for my own need (how to use a blog for a reference log). I have gotten all my answers and so much more. Thank you for sharing the guideposts that allowed me to navigate the course.

Randy de Jong, future librarian

I know enough to know I don't know enough.

Week #9 Thing #22

I have been impressed with the number of free or reduced prices for ebooks and the number of formats available. There is enough free material available to last a lifetime practically. I am amazed at some of the human voice recordings of some of the audio books. The computer generated are distracting and obnoxious to listen to them. I can see a great deal of value for ELL students with the audio books. They would gain a great deal listening to the book alone or while following along with a print version. I realize the audio books are also useful for those with limited time that use an audio book while driving or multi-tasking. I would be concerned that it might cut into our pool of readers. Perhaps the research has shown how it has strengthened the readers in the younger generations. The audio format may also be a springboard for the reluctant reader or those that are challenged by reading.Ebooks will never replace a print format in my mind because it is really hard to curl up with an exciting computer. Noe it may be more feasible if you can curl up with a PDA or an IPod. As long as snacks are available, the reading will go on. I was very surprised to see free ebooks written by Edgar rice Burroughs. His writing is a challenge to many of today's students, but he a=is a classic author that will build any student's reading abilities with practice. I used tread his books to my 7th grade reading classes as a treat. I started reading them at 5 or 6 years old. Never a dull moment. This is the greatest site to find free books: http://manybooks.net/

Tuesday, June 26, 2007

Week #9 Thing 21 (part 2)


I have added a feed to Google Reader; it is Tech on the Fly. I hope to get a better understanding of the technology that is available. I will monitor it for a while and then decide if it is worth keeping. I am realizing that many of the available podcasts are a number of months old and not as recent as I had hoped they would be. While playing with adding this to my RSS reader, I did see a great article that helped me understand the concept of open sources and tools. I still need to learn more. (Is there an echo in here? I seem to hear that repeatedly in posts on dejongsplace. Someone should talk to that guy.)
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Week #9 Thing #21 (part 1)

I enjoyed discovering podcasts. I found some things interesting but not of great use personally. I will probably find other podcasts that will be of greater interest through further exploration. I came across many that would not boot up on my system for whatever reason. I had others that came right up. I downloaded a player from Yahoo. I found PodcastAlley to be a waste of time since I could not locate any way to register for the site. I did attempt to play some of the podcasts without any success on all that I tried. I will go back and see if I can get them to work. I even tried to go to some of the recommended sites to download players that would work, but none would respond. I assume it was because I could not log in as a registered user. Some of the sites would be useful for library patrons seeking information or viewpoints about many subjects. Most of what I heard did not give much authentication or validation. Some were silly, homemade, humorous playing around from kids. Each feed would have to be evaluated by the librarian and/or patron to determine aplicability. I know from personal experience about some of the podcasts about other topics such as fishing. I have heard them before but had not realized they were podcasts. They came through on my Windows Media Player. Many seemd to come through the Yahoo tool and some came through the media player. It must have something to do with how they were created or the file type. So much to explore.I had to play around with the background color just to see how it would come out when posted. LOL

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No Week, Voice Thread

I just got an email from Connie that included this site in the samples of text editing she had included. Voice Thread: http://www.voicethread.com/ I went and explored. It has so many possibilities in many classes and especially in language or foreign language classes. Here are some of the thoughts that I will cut and paste from her sample in my email. I am too lazy to retype them.

http://dejongsplace.blogspot.com/2007/06/week-3-thing-6-plus-curriculum.htmlCWilliams I just heard about a great new site from one of the 2.0 participants! This one can mix photos with voices. There are a MILLION things you could do with this in the classroom and library - Here's my first "out of the bag" thoughts:1. oral history - post a photo and have people comment on what it means to them [ a photo of classmates, a building, an event, a family....]2. Language Arts - reading poetry as in the example on the tutorial, book talking and showing the cover of the book, putting on an action video and describing the action.3. a power point presentation - each slide could have the accompanying voice over.Here's the site: http://www.voicethread.com/

I can imagine the usage to prepare students for the oral or quick response part of the foreign language AP tests. It gives me, as the teacher, the chance to concentrate on the verbal aspects of their speech. It helps with pronunciation. There will be another value apparent as they become accustomed to speaking into a microphone. I am grateful to Connie and CWilliams.

MY EXPERIMENT