I've had a FB account since sometime in the middle of my undergrad career. I was reluctant at first, and I still don't use it a lot now, but I've joined for a primary reason: I am a bad correspondent. I don't write letters on a regular basis, and I don't call my cross-country or international friends very much, if at all. Having a FB account allows me to keep in contact with them without the pressure of always having something important to say. (For this reason, idle IMing is also nice.) And, yes, I do have a lot of library coworkers friended. ^_^ However, I would not consider connecting to the library with my FB account, since I see FB as a site for personal, not public, interactions. On the other hand, there's no reason not to have an OCLS FB page in case we have fans who'd lik e to be connected that way.
Twitter is for the most part silly. Sure, random posts, out of sheer statistical logistics, are amusing some of the time, but to use Twitter seems to me like taking care of a Tamagochi, except it's mostly for vanity purposes and 5-second attention spans. It's good, say, for stalking a celebrity or spending your time talking about what you're not doing (instead of actually doing something with undivided attention). Again, the library can set up -indeed, has set up- Twitter streams for those who want to be updated on OCLS happenings. I imagine that some people, for example, want to be informed immediately about new releases. I, however, prefer to stay away from Twitter.
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Learn 2.5 & IB3DVW
I'll be frank about Second Life: I think it's a bunch of bells and whistles. Don't get me wrong; it's awesome that designers can sell their virtual creations for actual monetary values, but, conversely, I don't see myself ever spending money for virtual clothing or buildings. While it may also be helpful to some students to walk around a virtual campus and speak with professors with their avatars, it does not change the content to be learned or the fact that there are less bandwidth-heavy alternatives available if you want to discuss something online. IM by itself seems like a faster method to me, and I would personally not prefer seeing a teacher's online representation of her or himself. It seems too superfluous for something like an academic discussion. Both parties inevitably engage in mutual avatar evaluation (even if silent), and that is just an awkwardness I want to avoid. As was mentioned in the presentation, people tend to create avatars who are thinner and younger than themselves, but what does that say about the self-image of the user?
On the other hand, if Second Life demonstrates that it can cause a drastic lowering of the affective filter in learners, I suppose that using it can't hurt. I would simply prefer to see things in real life or at least see actual photos of people, places, and objects. Why would I wander around a virtual world or campus to find someone at a certain location for a conversation when I could immediately connect to them through text or IM?
I am --or more accurately, was-- a WOW player. I see MMOs as vastly different from programs like Second Life, since they bring you to worlds that are not imitations of our own and center more around quests than simulated real-world communication. Second Life, to me, is like being on Facebook or MySpace with an avatar, while MMOs are undeniably games.
While I personally would not use the system, the library can definitely provide access to its resources through Second Life if it wants to. I don't think I'm backwards thinking in believing that keeping our article databases updated on our own website is a more streamlined approach to information dissemination, but if the bandwidth is readily available and people think that searching through a virtual world for a book is easier than typing in text on a library website, there's no real reason this option shouldn't be available to patrons.
As for integrating games like WOW with the library, I don't think that will be worthwhile. WOW is a fairly independent virtual world, and there are already plenty of information sources for it on the web. I also don't see the potential for contests concerning online virtual game worlds, since competition is already included in the games.
On the other hand, if Second Life demonstrates that it can cause a drastic lowering of the affective filter in learners, I suppose that using it can't hurt. I would simply prefer to see things in real life or at least see actual photos of people, places, and objects. Why would I wander around a virtual world or campus to find someone at a certain location for a conversation when I could immediately connect to them through text or IM?
I am --or more accurately, was-- a WOW player. I see MMOs as vastly different from programs like Second Life, since they bring you to worlds that are not imitations of our own and center more around quests than simulated real-world communication. Second Life, to me, is like being on Facebook or MySpace with an avatar, while MMOs are undeniably games.
While I personally would not use the system, the library can definitely provide access to its resources through Second Life if it wants to. I don't think I'm backwards thinking in believing that keeping our article databases updated on our own website is a more streamlined approach to information dissemination, but if the bandwidth is readily available and people think that searching through a virtual world for a book is easier than typing in text on a library website, there's no real reason this option shouldn't be available to patrons.
As for integrating games like WOW with the library, I don't think that will be worthwhile. WOW is a fairly independent virtual world, and there are already plenty of information sources for it on the web. I also don't see the potential for contests concerning online virtual game worlds, since competition is already included in the games.
Friday, January 9, 2009
lesson #9 the Dark Side of the Web --Internet Malware
I think the only way someone could get through life today without being the target of phishing is if that person somehow managed never to use the Internet for anything. That is to say, who hasn't been the target of phishing and encountered malware? Even Grandma and Grandpa have email today if they want to stay in touch with their kids.
My junk mailbox is full of promises about male member enlargements, offers from people who just can't wait to date me, and even a few letters from foreign princes who would give me a substantial portion of their inheritances if I would only give them my bank account information. I personally remember when a spammer was phishing through fake Paypal "urgent request"s for account verification. It was poorly written and the links (as in the presentation) had nothing to do with Paypal. Besides, if Paypal really needs to contact me, I figure they'll send several notices through snail mail, and then I'd call them with the number from their website to confirm that they need something from me. In general, I try to give out as little information as possible, and I sign up only for sites I really believe would be helpful to me; I wouldn't want my email address known by, say, Answerbag.
Malware attacked my computer when I was much newer to the 'Net. (Hurray hours of troubleshooting and scanning forums to fix the computer.) Even today, when there's a recommended but free program, I'm very reluctant to download it. I also shy away from poorly made sites, since a larger number of them are hoaxes and filled with cookies and ads that collect information about Internet travels.
Recently, I haven't had any obvious problems with malware or phishing. At the close of an Internet session, I always run two to three cleaning programs (which are free but reputable). Here's hoping I stay bug free!
Well, I'm out to delete browsing history on this computer, too, just in case.
-M
My junk mailbox is full of promises about male member enlargements, offers from people who just can't wait to date me, and even a few letters from foreign princes who would give me a substantial portion of their inheritances if I would only give them my bank account information. I personally remember when a spammer was phishing through fake Paypal "urgent request"s for account verification. It was poorly written and the links (as in the presentation) had nothing to do with Paypal. Besides, if Paypal really needs to contact me, I figure they'll send several notices through snail mail, and then I'd call them with the number from their website to confirm that they need something from me. In general, I try to give out as little information as possible, and I sign up only for sites I really believe would be helpful to me; I wouldn't want my email address known by, say, Answerbag.
Malware attacked my computer when I was much newer to the 'Net. (Hurray hours of troubleshooting and scanning forums to fix the computer.) Even today, when there's a recommended but free program, I'm very reluctant to download it. I also shy away from poorly made sites, since a larger number of them are hoaxes and filled with cookies and ads that collect information about Internet travels.
Recently, I haven't had any obvious problems with malware or phishing. At the close of an Internet session, I always run two to three cleaning programs (which are free but reputable). Here's hoping I stay bug free!
Well, I'm out to delete browsing history on this computer, too, just in case.
-M
Friday, December 19, 2008
lesson #8 life long learning
In the higher/continuing education section, I like both Wikiversity and Connexions . Wikiversity I like for the same reasons I already like Wikipedia, and I have always enjoyed reading over interesting trivia. I took a look at the site yesterday, and the educational picture of the day was about most popular sports. (That reminds me, though, that I forgot to look up in which small country archery is most popular.) Today, the featured diagram is on DNA replication. I'll probably visit Wikiversity occassionally just for the educational picture of the day; it's a nice bit of edification that doesn't take too long to digest.
Although I haven't done a lot of digging on Connexions, I'm hoping that there might be useful lessons posted there for TESOL. So far, I've tried researching TESOL, but the results have predominantly been research/news articles. Even if Connexions doesn't have a lot of useful resources to me at the moment, perhaps it will in the future. I might search through it again sometime.
I did not find the WorldWideLearn site (eCollege Guide) especially informative. The colleges to which the site guides you (especially the featured schools) seem to me a very limited collection. My advice to someone looking for an insitutional education would be to search for a good institution (by searching by program) first, and then to search through the individual course tracks to find out what their online course options are.
In the professional development section, I found the the Positivity Blog downright hokey (along the quality of, say, MSN.com) and businessballs.com to be in dire need of better web design. I would prefer to read about any topic (including multiple intelligences) on a more aesthetically pleasing site. Life Hacker, on the other hand, is of clean design with articles neatly featured and listed; the information is about as pertinent as, for example, the stuff on Digg, but there 's less extraneous goofy material. I probably won't visit Life Hacker that much, but I think it's a decent site.
In the personal development section, the two sites that pique my interest are Instructables and eXtropia. I can appreciate a good recycling/craft site, and the addition of photos to accompany the steps makes it a viable teaching site for, say, TESOL. eXtropia is wonderfully clean in format, and I will seriously consider studying their tutorials.
More than any of these sites, though, I'd have to say that the online places that help me develop the most personally and professionally are university sites, casual social networking sites, various silly/fringe sites, and news hubs. And I more than occassionally look up reviews to games and movies.
Only three pizza place options? The only food I really like from any of those places are Pizza Hut's breadsticks. I'll only give the delivery thing a try if we have a pizza party and I don't have to pay. =P
Until next time,
-M
Although I haven't done a lot of digging on Connexions, I'm hoping that there might be useful lessons posted there for TESOL. So far, I've tried researching TESOL, but the results have predominantly been research/news articles. Even if Connexions doesn't have a lot of useful resources to me at the moment, perhaps it will in the future. I might search through it again sometime.
I did not find the WorldWideLearn site (eCollege Guide) especially informative. The colleges to which the site guides you (especially the featured schools) seem to me a very limited collection. My advice to someone looking for an insitutional education would be to search for a good institution (by searching by program) first, and then to search through the individual course tracks to find out what their online course options are.
In the professional development section, I found the the Positivity Blog downright hokey (along the quality of, say, MSN.com) and businessballs.com to be in dire need of better web design. I would prefer to read about any topic (including multiple intelligences) on a more aesthetically pleasing site. Life Hacker, on the other hand, is of clean design with articles neatly featured and listed; the information is about as pertinent as, for example, the stuff on Digg, but there 's less extraneous goofy material. I probably won't visit Life Hacker that much, but I think it's a decent site.
In the personal development section, the two sites that pique my interest are Instructables and eXtropia. I can appreciate a good recycling/craft site, and the addition of photos to accompany the steps makes it a viable teaching site for, say, TESOL. eXtropia is wonderfully clean in format, and I will seriously consider studying their tutorials.
More than any of these sites, though, I'd have to say that the online places that help me develop the most personally and professionally are university sites, casual social networking sites, various silly/fringe sites, and news hubs. And I more than occassionally look up reviews to games and movies.
Only three pizza place options? The only food I really like from any of those places are Pizza Hut's breadsticks. I'll only give the delivery thing a try if we have a pizza party and I don't have to pay. =P
Until next time,
-M
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
lesson holiday extra OCLS & Library 2.0
I think that Orlando Memory is an interesting, informative, and casual way to record Orlando. For some people, I think that just browsing through O.M. provides a greater sense of community.
As for The Orange Seed, I think it would be a lot more useful if it were updated more often. As things are now, The Orange Peel takes care of announcements, and email is utilized when a response is needed/ requested. If a response-posting feature were integrated with the Orange Peel announcements, perhaps there would be more participation in different library projects across different OCLS departments.
I do think that it is important to make giving/getting feeback and sharing ideas easy. That sites like these are available allows for more accessible sharing and, thus, more opportunities to obtain infomation that might not have been readily available before.
Edit: Blogger finally took my blog off the spam list! Woo!
As for The Orange Seed, I think it would be a lot more useful if it were updated more often. As things are now, The Orange Peel takes care of announcements, and email is utilized when a response is needed/ requested. If a response-posting feature were integrated with the Orange Peel announcements, perhaps there would be more participation in different library projects across different OCLS departments.
I do think that it is important to make giving/getting feeback and sharing ideas easy. That sites like these are available allows for more accessible sharing and, thus, more opportunities to obtain infomation that might not have been readily available before.
Edit: Blogger finally took my blog off the spam list! Woo!
Friday, November 21, 2008
lesson #7 adventure
Whew! Found time to do the adventure, and I'm glad that I did!
Clay Shirky makes some excellent points about the shift of what he calls "cognitive surplus." I couldn't agree more with many of his points, and I believe that the shift is overall a healthy one for society as a whole. Sure, we're still going to veg, but if we can have just as much fun or more creating something, all the better for us! (Did you know that your metabolism is slower when you watch T.V. than when you sleep because of mental inactivity? At least zoning out/into a game will make you a little more active.)
Of course, it's not as if someone can't veg on the Internet. It's amazing how much time can be wasted just clicking between updates. This is probably not very different than watching T.V.; it is still passive.
Alternatively, there's a good chance that the ease of Internet communication may cause more work for people who would otherwise be relaxing, which I don't view as necessarily a good thing. Shirky says that people have free time and that we don't know what else to do with our cognitive energy except sink it into numbness. He says that gin was what people did with their free time when they moved from agricultural to industrial living. The thing is, I'm not sure that people have actually had more or much more free time. In agricultural living, you may have to work every day, but there are certain times of the day or of the year where the amount of work that needs to be done wanes (in winter, for example).
I didn't have a lot of free time before, and thus did not watch a lot of T.V. The reason I use the Internet more now is because of the information and networks available, and because it's often easier to communicate casually with someone over the 'Net than it is to physically meet with them. For myself, and I suspect many other people, I think the reason for using the Internet is its convenience more than any supposed free time we might have.
Clay Shirky makes some excellent points about the shift of what he calls "cognitive surplus." I couldn't agree more with many of his points, and I believe that the shift is overall a healthy one for society as a whole. Sure, we're still going to veg, but if we can have just as much fun or more creating something, all the better for us! (Did you know that your metabolism is slower when you watch T.V. than when you sleep because of mental inactivity? At least zoning out/into a game will make you a little more active.)
Of course, it's not as if someone can't veg on the Internet. It's amazing how much time can be wasted just clicking between updates. This is probably not very different than watching T.V.; it is still passive.
Alternatively, there's a good chance that the ease of Internet communication may cause more work for people who would otherwise be relaxing, which I don't view as necessarily a good thing. Shirky says that people have free time and that we don't know what else to do with our cognitive energy except sink it into numbness. He says that gin was what people did with their free time when they moved from agricultural to industrial living. The thing is, I'm not sure that people have actually had more or much more free time. In agricultural living, you may have to work every day, but there are certain times of the day or of the year where the amount of work that needs to be done wanes (in winter, for example).
I didn't have a lot of free time before, and thus did not watch a lot of T.V. The reason I use the Internet more now is because of the information and networks available, and because it's often easier to communicate casually with someone over the 'Net than it is to physically meet with them. For myself, and I suspect many other people, I think the reason for using the Internet is its convenience more than any supposed free time we might have.
lesson #7 web2.0 continued
This module has been more enjoyable than the others so far; I can always appreciate links to sources with brief descriptions that leave me to make my own judgements on the content. Also, kudos to Learn 2.1 for posting a link to the Google Maps video. That sort of humor is right up my alley. ^_^
After browsing through some SEOmoz's Web 2.0 Awards winners, the most interesting to me were still those that I have known about for a while, like Mango Languages and Pandora. This module has allowed me the time to finally play with Mango Languages. The format is clean and clear enough, and it allows you to start lessons right away. I went to the Japanese lessons to see if they would be good to recommend to Japanese language leaners, and found that, though pronunciation is authentic, translations and usage may not be accurate. For example, they gave a corresponding Japanese phrase to "How are you?" The problem is that there is no direct corresponding phrase to "How are you?" in Japanese, and that, "Ogenki desu ka," is generally used when you haven't seen someone for a while or you are concerned about the (health of) the other person. It is not used regularly in greeting as "How are you?" is used in English.
The usefulness of Pandora is well-known --so well-known that we are forbidden to use it at work! (Oh noes!) I don't listen to the radio much, and, when I do, I tend to listen to NPR or more eclectic stations. Pandora makes it much easier for me to find music I like. (I have to admit that I'm a little confused about why Pandora is forbidden for use in the workplace; people tend to substitute Youtube poor quality music for Pandora, and I think that that probably eats a lot of bandwidth as well. Then again, I don't know the stats. I do think it's a bit ironic that, if something is so useful that it actually gets used by lots of people here, it becomes disallowed.... ^^;)
Lulu.com also has its merits, but I would like to hear some personal stories of successful business with them from people close to me or from those in the smaller publishing circles (i.e. at universities).
One last word: Blogger needs to seriously improve its customer support. I have had to request a human review of my blog 3 times because it continues to be labeled as a spam blog. It's supposed to be reviewed within a few days of the request, but since it keeps promting me to request a new review after a couple of weeks, I have to assume that something is wrong. I don't have the time or inclination to search for a solution on their forum (though I tried, briefly). (I also don't want to sign up for their forums because my work email includes my full name --too risky for public or other posting, thanks.) It would be nice if I could directly email them to ask them to remove my blog from the spam list and keep it off, but their help resource pages narrowly define issues and funnel only to very specific problems (which do not include my own, as far as I can see).
There are far too many parentheses in that last paragraph. That's a sign it's time to end this post. >.>
Until the next module,
-M
After browsing through some SEOmoz's Web 2.0 Awards winners, the most interesting to me were still those that I have known about for a while, like Mango Languages and Pandora. This module has allowed me the time to finally play with Mango Languages. The format is clean and clear enough, and it allows you to start lessons right away. I went to the Japanese lessons to see if they would be good to recommend to Japanese language leaners, and found that, though pronunciation is authentic, translations and usage may not be accurate. For example, they gave a corresponding Japanese phrase to "How are you?" The problem is that there is no direct corresponding phrase to "How are you?" in Japanese, and that, "Ogenki desu ka," is generally used when you haven't seen someone for a while or you are concerned about the (health of) the other person. It is not used regularly in greeting as "How are you?" is used in English.
The usefulness of Pandora is well-known --so well-known that we are forbidden to use it at work! (Oh noes!) I don't listen to the radio much, and, when I do, I tend to listen to NPR or more eclectic stations. Pandora makes it much easier for me to find music I like. (I have to admit that I'm a little confused about why Pandora is forbidden for use in the workplace; people tend to substitute Youtube poor quality music for Pandora, and I think that that probably eats a lot of bandwidth as well. Then again, I don't know the stats. I do think it's a bit ironic that, if something is so useful that it actually gets used by lots of people here, it becomes disallowed.... ^^;)
Lulu.com also has its merits, but I would like to hear some personal stories of successful business with them from people close to me or from those in the smaller publishing circles (i.e. at universities).
One last word: Blogger needs to seriously improve its customer support. I have had to request a human review of my blog 3 times because it continues to be labeled as a spam blog. It's supposed to be reviewed within a few days of the request, but since it keeps promting me to request a new review after a couple of weeks, I have to assume that something is wrong. I don't have the time or inclination to search for a solution on their forum (though I tried, briefly). (I also don't want to sign up for their forums because my work email includes my full name --too risky for public or other posting, thanks.) It would be nice if I could directly email them to ask them to remove my blog from the spam list and keep it off, but their help resource pages narrowly define issues and funnel only to very specific problems (which do not include my own, as far as I can see).
There are far too many parentheses in that last paragraph. That's a sign it's time to end this post. >.>
Until the next module,
-M
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