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Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Absorbing Technology Akin to Starbucks Java

I have decided that learning informational technology can make you manic and then some!  Just as learning the terminology for a cuppa java at your local Starbucks, with that decaf, low fat, no foam, soya latte to go, I have discovered the addictive nature of digital technology.  My brain has slowed down over the last few years, and so learning new applications can take time, and more time...  So I wanted to share the techno "buzzz" the same way you get that coffee "buzzz", of course some of us are just more addicted than others:)

At my recent library conference I was overwhelmed at all the available technology out there, and felt helpless to know where to begin.  So I felt really good that I was on Facebook, could not get excited about Twitter, had figured out Skype and Elluminate (well barely) and now I had to learn about Diigo, Delicious, Jing, Flikker, and many more to mention.  To me they sounded like dog's names, and yet the web was naming them in the top 100 applications of the year.  To get you excited about all these top applications, here are the sites to follow:

Online tools and applications by  - Go2web20
Jane Hart's 100 Tools for Learning List 2010
Kathy Shrock's List Web2.0Tools

Today after much practice and prayer, I brandished my sword, and cuppa and conquered Jing.  Jing is not a prelude to Christmas bells, but rather a very clever way of capturing screen and audio, like IMovie on a Mac, if you would like to have an online screen cast.  My goal was to explain my virtual library to staff and parents, and after several attempts of stopping my dog from making really bad noises in my mike, I realised, according to my son that I had not changed the internal mike to my headset. Oops.. 2 and half hours later, I finalized my sound under 5 minutes and was ready to produce my first "ahem" movie, (not really but it felt like it).  Even my dog and daughter said, "Not bad mum".  Hey, if I can figure out how to load it onto Screencast.com and then send it to you all I will be flying:)  PS Next week we will attempt poster applications using Glogster.  What?

God Bless Pippa

8 comments:

  1. HAHA! They do sound like dog's names. Love to see your movie premiere! Now I feel like a techno-dinosaur...

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  2. Just write your blog Tina. You are an amazing homeschool mum who has sooo much to share. Trust me there is a life after 40 and it's called Techno Bling!

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  3. Here's some hints: You can actually post it on this blog. I would suggest that we make it part of the next HCOS newsletter and post it the HCOS website.

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  4. Will do so Greg. Thanks. Hope your conference is going well and the golfing is in full swing.

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  5. Thanks Pippa, I think that you may very well be my road map to the current epoch....
    Jo

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  6. Haha! Thanks Jo! Hmmm I am learning mostly from my son and trial and error:)

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  7. You are too sweet Katina! Thanks:) You must start your art blog!! I would love to learn some art from you...

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