End Week 3

Today I have learnt how to add an avatar into my blog, which required me to create a yahoo account and transfer this into my blog. I was required to also edit my spelling mistakes in my blog and avatar. I also found some useful suggestions about applying 'blogging' to a classroom situation. One thing I'll have to do next time is be more efficient around my labtop in accessing sites and recalling them. Maybe I have to organize things a bit better.

Lessons with blogs

I'm copying this from week 3's lesson that I thought would be helpful:
Curriculum connections:
Idea #1: Lead your students into areas of ‘big idea’ inquiry with a blog. You can get thoughts rolling, provide research links, and finish up with classroom discussions. Create one for the next school, local, state, or national election.
Idea #2: Start a book discussion blog -- it is a library and language arts favorite. Start one today and then branch out into other topics such as pro/con topics of interest.
Idea #3: Promote campus activities, conduct student surveys, and gather opinions
Curriculum Connections
Idea #1: A blog is an excellent forum for discussion of issues. Create one for the next school, local, state, or national election and discuss the issues of the day.
Idea #2: A book discussion blog is a library favorite. Start one today and then branch out into other topics such as pro/con topics of interest, student opinion surveys, or campus activity discussions.

The jouney continues:

Learning my way around this 'blogging' thing has been challenging. Probably in a few months it will seem natural and normal to use. I'm learning how to use this site on other computers, I've set up my own i-google page, I've read about Flickr (the next lesson) and I'm still enthused about the '23 things' program. I want to find out about adding tabs and blogs etc. to my google page. I want to explore the technology in order to see the implications for 'information literacy' and the classroom. I'm frustrated in my own limited abilities and time pressures, and with the limited opportunities to work with teachers in the school. Hopefully as they realize the importance of integrating information literacy in the classroom and our librarian role in this aspect that more involvement and interaction will happen. In the meantime my role is to learn, explore and immerse myself in this technology.

Lifelong Learning

• the tips given for lifelong learning are essential aspects for a healthy person


• time, space 'in my head', tiredness with the business from areas in life out of my complete control are all real barriers


• I need to view these things as challenges & make learning a priority in life in order to start achieving in even a small step


• I need to see opportunities even in a 5 min. gap or doubling activities together, e.g. listen to CD's at the gym or when doing the dishes etc.


• the easiest 'tips' of the 11 given are 'always have a book' & 'keep a 'to-learn' list', as I can see how these things already fit into my life


• the hardest 'tips' are the ones where things learnt are to be applied (which is essential for real learning to take place), i.e. 'teach others', 'learn in groups', 'unlearn assumptions' (this putting yourself out of the 'comfort zone')