Thing #8

I signed up for Google Reader and added some library/technology related RSS feeds. I get a daily Google update on technology applications. I have set up an iGoogle page and evertime I go there, I add something else. I am overwhelmed by how much is out there and how am I going to manage it all! I am on web 2.0 overload! But I can't stop here. So I am on to Thing #9.

Thing #7

Number 7 was quite a challenge. I signed up for a couple alerts and took the calendar tour. I now have a Google calendar. My iGoogle page is fun and I LOVE Google scholar. I can see lots of uses for this resource. I looked at Notebook; it has possibilites. I love Picasa! You can see my three posted albums. Picasa makes sharing pictures with friends and family so easy! Very intuitive, even for the technically challenged like me.

But Google Earth! Don't know what I am doing wrong, but I can't even make the Earth move! I look at it; it looks back at me and nothing happens! Nothing intuitive about this one. I got so frustrated I had to move on...

Haven't used the Google docs yet, but have lots of ideas!

RSS feeds are next. Scares the you-know-what out of me. But, I am going to give it a go!

Thing #6

In addition to creating a mosaic, I created a "Wanted" poster featuring ME! I also created a cool movie poster memorializing my son's wedding. Very beautiful! I played Quasimondo - hypnosis spiral, and found pictures using the color wheel. I also designed a magazine cover and a trading card. These are fun! What interesting ways to engage students.

Thing #5

Flickr: Interesting site. Sooooooooo many pictures. Tried to stick with Commons collection. Easy to search, find, and save to "My Pictures". Uploaded my son's wedding pictures. I had a little trouble with the tags, but I think it worked. Very easy! Loved the slide show I created. I also moved some pictures around. Flickr is a good site for sharing photos as well as finding those which can be shared or used in creation of original products. I used the pictures to create a family mosaic.

Thing #4

I'm in! Got my official confirmation this morning. Not too difficult. Ok, on to #5!

Thing #3

Not easy. Creating the Avatar was fun; setting up the account was not. I created two because I had so many choices! Depending on my mood, I can choose. I spent way too much time trying to figure out how to export and import the avatar to my blog. Couldn't figure out where to put the code! Finally copied the file to my desktop and imported as a picture. There must be an easier way.

I did visit some blogs just to see what people were doing. I even commented on one of them.

Thing #2

I wasn't sure I could get this far without help. Reading and following directions are not my strong suites, but I did. I am determined to commit to willingness to learn new things, seek help when I need it, and not get bummed out whenver I encounter an obstacle.

So, what what is the easiest? Setting the goal. Very easy for me to identify a skill that I want to learn; it is a big world out there filled with so many interesting opportunities. I love the backwards model. The most difficult is is #5 - believing in myself as effective, competent learner. So easy to get bogged down in technical difficulties or inablility to follow directions. But I am going to stay on top of it and continually remind myself that I am both competent and capable.