Conclusion

What a wonderful learning experience. I knew that these things existed, but didn't really know how to use them or why I would need to - now I have a whole new perspective. I love my iGoogle page and have actually had to deactivate my facebook page because I found I was spending WAY too much time on it and not enough time on the rest of my life!!!

This is a great way to pace a course - I've put in some big blocks of time when I've had it and been able to put it all aside when my work/family commitments needed to take precedence. I've also found myself playing around with the various tools frequently in between blogging about them...

# 22 & # 23 - Ebooks & Audiobooks

We have been discussing the use of ebooks within our teacher librarian network recently. Great way to improve access to popular texts for students and staff - however the logistics of copyright and access are still causing complications. How do we share them? Can we arrange site licences? And how can we get everyone access - do we need class sets of ebooks readers, or do students borrow them from the library?

It is something we are looking into - but is not yet practical in classroom application for us.

Audiobooks are great! My family have used them for years. A lovely alternative to reading aloud to students or to allow students of low reading ability access to higher level literature...

# 21 - Online Video

Have placed a cute little video for small people introducing the dewey decimal system at the bottom of the page...

I have been using online videos in class for some time, I also include lots of them in the resource links I provide to staff for their units. They are a fantastic way to bring the world into the classroom! One particular standout was for a teacher studying mealworms with her year 5 class. We found an amazing clip showing the hatching of the pupa and another of the emergence from the cocoon, both in fast-forward and magnified for the kids to see via the classroom data projector. How much better than a series of pictures in a text book?

# 20 - Podcasts

So much to look at... we have been investigating the best way to use podcasts at school through our website (security always being an issue!). Can't wait to give it a go next year.

I have looked at a lot but have never really considered making my own... yet! Would love to use a podcast to 'record' live events at school for parents who couldn't make it in to events.

# 19 - Rollyo

Have made a search roll for library book suppliers that I regularly use... is to the left of page.

At first I thought I wouldn't personally use this a lot as I kind of like starting with a more open search as I often find my way to things I hadn't expected but are really useful. However, as a school resource this could be great - you could set it up with appropriate websites for classes to search for research, assignments, homework etc. knowing that all the sites are suitable for them to access.

I now have to admit that it makes searching for books to purchase a whole lot easier! I can enter the title and come up with a result for each supplier immediately, without having to open each site and search them separately... I really like this!!!!!!!!!!!

# 18 - Wikis

This is one I've been wanting to try for a while! I have a colleague who will be working with me in 2010 to set it up for his year 7 class literature groups.

I love the concept - but I'm not sure how it will go with primary level students. How do we manage their editing? We are looking at setting up a blog first...

I still have reservations about how it would work with young children, but I would love to use a wiki for the library!

Would be a wonderful tool to use with staff for curriculum/unit development.

# 17 - Organise yourself with Delicious

Easy to use again... I like the idea of being able to access bookmarks from any computer - I often have to use different computers at work and at home and have usually had to email links to my other email accounts to access them. This makes it a lot easier!

The only real problem I found was that wading through comments could take a long time...