Well, it's finally over - for the time being!
Favourite discoveries, experiences
- setting up a blog and thinking up different uses for one
- plus helping in setting one up in my library
- I think students would find them useful and interesting; it's up to the library/originator to attract their attention with the right sort of information
Effect on lifelong learning goals
- we have to keep learning!
- when I see these examples and make myself spend time trying them out, it's very apparent that libraries have to move with the changes ... but make them relevant to user needs
Take-aways, unexpected outcomes
- the extent of technological changes seems so far-reaching - even 3D programming now in a format for use by the general public, programs such as wordprocessing being incorporated directly on to the Web (viz. Zoho)
- plus, we can really plan to improve on the relevance of our traditional library catalogues, so that searching really will answer the questions people ask for in the current era
What could we do differently
- I suspect we all had difficulty with some parts depending on our background and interests
- links are prone to constantly not work / go out of date also
- a slightly more structured setup was one of my thoughts, but in retrospect you probably need to "ferret" around a bit to learn some of the sites and the full extent of their services
I would happily participate in future ventures - many thanks to Robyn for tweaking this to suit TAFE Queensland purposes.
Showing posts with label web2. Show all posts
Showing posts with label web2. Show all posts
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Saturday, October 20, 2007
Discovering Web 2.0 tools
I looked at Medstory - it's good to find a new "version" of a search engine for medicine/health - in Beta mode, patent pending.
I tried this for searching nursing topics, and quite like the neat subject approach provided - it is easily recognisable for anyone with a medical/health background. Since it is non-Australian in construction, you need to keep this in mind when saving sites for Australia (scope of nursing is an important issue). I like the del-icio-us and RSS possibilities provided, and the capabilities for selecting audio/video, Research, etc.
All sites I chose for saving were easy to save into my accounts. There are of course, some blind/out-of-date links. I do think design and access and content are inextricably linked on the Web - the only small criticism I have is the front page! Although clean, and devoid of lots of content (which is good), I needed to scroll down to see the rest of the page. It's an understatement of the wonderful sites lurking within. It's a great dotcom site of use especially to library and other professionals. Thank you Web2 technology for letting me find yet another little something of practical benefit.
I tried this for searching nursing topics, and quite like the neat subject approach provided - it is easily recognisable for anyone with a medical/health background. Since it is non-Australian in construction, you need to keep this in mind when saving sites for Australia (scope of nursing is an important issue). I like the del-icio-us and RSS possibilities provided, and the capabilities for selecting audio/video, Research, etc.
All sites I chose for saving were easy to save into my accounts. There are of course, some blind/out-of-date links. I do think design and access and content are inextricably linked on the Web - the only small criticism I have is the front page! Although clean, and devoid of lots of content (which is good), I needed to scroll down to see the rest of the page. It's an understatement of the wonderful sites lurking within. It's a great dotcom site of use especially to library and other professionals. Thank you Web2 technology for letting me find yet another little something of practical benefit.
Friday, October 19, 2007
On Library 2.0 ...
Our traditional ways of providing information to clients often conjure visions such as static or labour-intensive or difficult to understand or requiring too much user-input or not in step with Gen Y technological interests or out of date, etc ...
Probably Web2 is the way to step forward, make the necessary changes or whatever. Like all new technology, it enables visions of wonderful things - users can provide online reviews to a library website, bibliographical descriptions will actually describe whether a resource is the type of format a teacher wants, students will actively engage in learning about referencing because our interactive (3D) tutorial speaks their particular language or learning style, and so on.
And when we reach there or think we're on the way, maybe the danger is in then relaxing. We've reached the summit. Don't we still make this mistake at times - it's so relaxing to take a step back, relax, and be glad the pressure is off. But maybe we will continue to be passionate about wanting to stay at the "change" edge. We still have to pursue ongoing professional development, and enjoy it. If we don't, then the next time we have to make a big transitional leap, maybe it will be too overwhelming, the temptation to relax overtakes the need to move on. If we don't move on, perhaps libraries will be easily taken over in their role by other people in other related areas. There are professional jobs in existence which we often think sound very much like our library (information) jobs already.
Here's to Web2, 3D and dreamworlds, if needs be ... but don't get lost in the dreaming. We have to
1. Master the technology sufficiently to develop a clear picture of what could be done with it
2. Make the picture happen - either individually, as a group, or by working with related professionals with the level of technical expertise to make it work. It's so important not to overlook the value of great technical ability,
Probably Web2 is the way to step forward, make the necessary changes or whatever. Like all new technology, it enables visions of wonderful things - users can provide online reviews to a library website, bibliographical descriptions will actually describe whether a resource is the type of format a teacher wants, students will actively engage in learning about referencing because our interactive (3D) tutorial speaks their particular language or learning style, and so on.
And when we reach there or think we're on the way, maybe the danger is in then relaxing. We've reached the summit. Don't we still make this mistake at times - it's so relaxing to take a step back, relax, and be glad the pressure is off. But maybe we will continue to be passionate about wanting to stay at the "change" edge. We still have to pursue ongoing professional development, and enjoy it. If we don't, then the next time we have to make a big transitional leap, maybe it will be too overwhelming, the temptation to relax overtakes the need to move on. If we don't move on, perhaps libraries will be easily taken over in their role by other people in other related areas. There are professional jobs in existence which we often think sound very much like our library (information) jobs already.
Here's to Web2, 3D and dreamworlds, if needs be ... but don't get lost in the dreaming. We have to
1. Master the technology sufficiently to develop a clear picture of what could be done with it
2. Make the picture happen - either individually, as a group, or by working with related professionals with the level of technical expertise to make it work. It's so important not to overlook the value of great technical ability,
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