Reflections on my blogging experience

I have been pondering the possibilities for having my students post book reviews in an electronic format and had considered using a blog in order to do this. With all the things I have to learn, however, I had just not gotten around to figuring out how to blog. I was grateful for this experience because it forced me to do what I had wanted to do for over a year now. This assignment did not allow for all the excuses that had manifested itself as procrastination.

I have never written a journal and I therefore I don’t think that I would maintain a blog for personal purposes. I can see myself using this tool to share professional purposes. I think it might continue to periodically post information about information technologies, interesting things I learn at workshops and tricks of the trade. It was nice to have a voice and be able to share new information with colleagues. It was also really helpful to learn about all of these new information technologies, web sites and learning tools that I had never heard of before. My very qualified classmates also did the work of choosing quality web sites and resources that I probably would not have had the time and initiative to find on my own.

Despite the benefits and potential for information sharing, keeping this online journal or discussion going, however, was very time intensive. In addition, a blog is only seen as valuable resource if it regularly kept up. Though it is normally written and monitored by one person, I think that having multiple authors post on and monitor the blog, might lessen the work load and consistency demands for each author. I wonder, however, if a blog would be the best electronic arena for my students to post book reviews. I am not aware of the searching capabilities inherent in the blogging software, but I would like patrons to have the ability to search for specific book reviews. If a blog does not afford this searching capability, I may have to explore other options.

Pros and Cons of YouTube use in an educational setting and the alternatives

Hey everyone,

Here are a two sites that discuss the the use of uTube from which you can garner some of the pros or cons of using uTube technology.

http://www.education-world.com/a_tech/columnists/dyck/dyck016.shtml

http://medinger.wordpress.com/tag/web-20/

What do you think the pros and cons are?



Here are some alternatives to uTube that are in a similar vain:

http://eduscapes.com/sessions/bestofweb2/index.htm

http://tech.yahoo.com/blogs/raskin/1918

www.Zamzar.com

http://www.teachertube.com/


How do you feel these sites compare with uTube?
This site allows you to convert Utube movie for use in school when it is usually blocked.

Cyber Security Industry Alliance

Hi everyone,

I found this document very interesting to read. First of all, if framed cyber awareness in a new light for me in the way that it separated cyber issues into separate categories and assigned vocabulary to each area: cyber security, cyber safety, and cyber ethics. I had not previously thought of these issues as being distinct, but I now see that they are and that there are different methodologies for educating patrons about each. What I also found intriguing was that the paper brought to light the fact that many people make assumptions about who is teaching children about these issues. Parents may often assume that children are being taught about these topics in school, but that may in fact not be. I don't think the teachers in my school are teaching kids about these realities and I advise children on an individual basis, but have not formally provided instruction on these topics. I really loved that this document provided many web sites that provide lesson plans, curriculum and interactive learning tools, such as games, that teachers, parents and students can use to educate themselves on these topics. I bookmarked them all in my del.icio.us account and definitely plan to use them to try and educate my patrons on these very important topics. The Cyber Security Industry Alliance stresses the importance of creating a national awareness program. I agree that this would be a great way to get the word out and to cultivate a more aware population concerning safe Internet practices. What do you think of this idea and in general about what the alliance had to say?