Conclusion

At the beginning of the course we were asked to assess our strengths and weaknesses in regards to technology. Now that we conclude the class, I realize how much I did not know before learning what I know now. I knew when I wrote the blog that it would be a learning experience.

For the first assessment, I thought that not knowing the inner workings of a computer (the hard drive, mother board, etc) was a weakness. Now I realize that as a librarian, although I need to know how to hook a computer up and troubleshoot, I would probably never have to build a computer from scratch for my school. When we had to write the blog about having money to spend on technologies, I realized how we acquire the computers and technologies we have in schools. Although now I recognize I need to have better knowledge about memory sizes and how big files are for various devices before purchasing them.

I stated in my first assessment that I did not understand Wikis. After this class I have a far better understanding of them, to the extent that I will try to implement them in the coming school year. I say “try” because I would like to see how it works with my students. It would be after using it in class that I might truly understand them.

I also mentioned that I knew about Web 2.0 tools and would use them. What I’ve discovered is that there are so many wikis that I will be playing and discovering forever. I did not realize to what degree Web 2.0 tools were available. I cannot wait to add these tools to my delicious.com page to implement when the assignment is right for my students. I hope to create a plethora of resources in my delicious.com page for when I become a librarian. What a treat that would be for a staff to have at a click of a button!

I’m amazed at the world of technology and how it is constantly changing. It is, for a lack of a better term, so super cool to be a part of a profession that needs to play and discover so our students can be the next inventors of a needed “super cool” tool!

Organizing with Web 2.0

There is such an array of books and materials out there for users it's wonderful that Web 2.0 tools have created easier ways to find them. Users want the simplicity that the internet has brought when seeking information. The trend of organizing information through tags could be a nightmare for professionally trained catalogers and indexers. Those professions have worked hard to keep information organized and to make it user friendly and consistent.

With the advent of tagging and creating categories of their own, users are making information more user friendly and accessible. With this, though, comes the lack of precision and recall traditional catalogs give users. If libraries were organized in such a way, which I hope it never comes to, how could one walk into one library and then another and know how to find anything? On sites that allow tagging, the way information on sites that allow tagging is organized is very subjective. As I tagged sites in delicious.com I did not agree with the tags others had put on the websites I used. I only used those I thought were fitting, making the process, very subjective. In a library, it is important to keep the same organization system for consistency in all libraries. I'm torn about whether tags are more useful than traditional headings. It depends on the area that is using the tags. For Flickr, Delicious.com, and other social sites where anyone can tag, yes, tags are far more efficient than traditional headings. Otherwise, people would not use the site or the labeling function. In other sites, it is important to have the traditional headings for consistency's sake. There are some areas where the control is necessary, but everyone using the internet will never have that training to tag or categorize information the same.

Web 2.0...The Machine is Us/Using Us

I believe the video was titled as such because Web 2.0 tools are learning from us as we use these tools more and more. The more people use the internet, we create connections with it and mold it to be what we need it to be. We are interacting with the machine and are a significant part of what it does, which in turn means we are the machine.

I'm bothered by the thought that the machine is using us, because that implies we are becoming dependent on computers and the internet. Are we using the internet too much to gain knowledge and find answers too much? Do we know how to look elsewhere? As librarians, it is our responsibility to help patrons know how to use several resources.

In Courtney (2007), it was stated that Web 2.0 tools are the evolution of the internet not a revolution, with which I completely agree. It will be amazing to see where we go with the internet in the next twenty years and see whether the machine continues to use us or, better stated, how we use it!

Handheld Devices

With $10,000 I can begin to supply my library with a fair amount of technology for busy teachers, reluctant readers, and research enthusiast (and those who are not so enthusiastic that need a little help!)

I would start with low-end MP3 players. I would purchase 12 MP3 players for student use equally for $600. If a teacher needed one, of course, I would not deny access to it. However, the primary reason for the purchase is for reluctant readers to listen to downloaded books and see the joy of getting "into" the story. I would download various books to the device in order to make it user ready. I would hope to know my students well enough to know which of them have a difficult time finding books they enjoy and want to finish. I hope students would listen to the book on the MP3 player, then wanting to read it on their own. I truly believe if students can find a way into a book, we'll hook them for life! I would suggest that teachers to use an MP3 player to play books for students. When time is limited, but "read alouds" are vital, a teacher could allow the class to hear a story via the MP3 player hooked up to portable speakers.

The second item I would buy is a mid-range Ebook Reader. Again for lower and more reluctant readers this might be just the way to get them hooked on reading. Because of their price I would be unable to purchase many of them. I would purchase 10 of them at approximately $300 a piece, totaling $3,000. With Ebook Readers students can read a book on the computer, which they would believe. It might take the intimidation out of reading a big novel. Higher-level students would not be excluded having the same access to the Ebooks as other students.

The final item I would purchase with this money is Internet Tablets. I would purchase sixteen at $400 a piece totaling $6,400. These tablets would be used in the library for research purposes. In collaborative groups students could use this portable device to complete class projects. They would also be utilized to work on Web 2.0 sites, again in collaborative groups. Teachers would be able to use Internet Tablets in their classrooms for various purposes. If teachers have assigned students to do assignments on a Web 2.0 site, they could explain in small groups how to do it.

Upon receiving the new items for the library I would preview the items before checking them out. As with any new technology, training and teaching on the use of the items would be imperative. How exciting it is for the library to offer such fun new technology to its school!

Individual Technology Assessment

As an educator I feel that I have many strengths in technology. However, I recognize that I do not know it all in the ever changing world of and have areas in which I need to continue to learn.

I'm very comfortable using technology in my classroom for instructional purposes. I know many teachers who are intimidated to use technology, which I do not understand. If it's there, I just try it and play around to figure it out. I know Microsoft office programs very well, and can create just about anything needed within them. However, I am not familiar with Access and would like to learn how to use it to create a database for various book collections at school. I love using PowerPoint, PhotoStory and MovieMaker in my classroom to enhance an assignment for students or to allow them new opportunities with technology. The internet is my best teaching partner. I am not sure how any taught before its advent!

Among my weaknesses as an educator in using technology is that I could never teach my students about computers, their components and how they work. I have a very basic knowledge of computers "guts." That is something to reflect on and figure out as this course continues.

I also try to keep up with new technologies and the workings of them, but as a student, teacher and mother, I do not have the time I'd like to learn as much as I would like. As far as technology programs I do not fully understand "Wikis." I get the idea that people are able to add their knowledge to a web page, but how do you keep the information legitimate? Podcasts are another technology I've never used, though I understand the idea. I'd be interested in learning more about how to use Podcasts in my classroom. When I'm in a library I know I'll use them to share books with students and teachers. But for now. . . I'd like to know how my students and I could use them.