THING 23

I don't know how many times I've written or thought, 'information overload'. I had no idea there was so much out there. I've really enjoyed the course and now have the ability to use numerous resources to learn and research just about anything I need to know. I think if I were back in school, I would use these resources quite often.
It will be fun to check out many of these sites when time isn't limited. It's amazing how much time I could spend on one 'thing'. I look forward to not having a deadline and being able to browse and check out all this new technology!

AudioBooks

Creating an account was easy and this may be something I will use in the future. You can find the digital version of books, journals, and databases. I don't own an Ipod or MP3 player, but if I did, I would definitely use this service. I looked at some of the databases and you can find information on just about anything. You can view pamphlets, look at local school reading lists, books on line, etc. There's a skill building course in Learning Express, with practice tests for the ACT, SAT and GED.

Podcast.com

I found that many of the podcast sites require logging in. I was able to view podcasts without logging in at podcast.com. You can view the newest podcast episodes, recommended podcasts, most popular, and random. Again, information overload!!

YouTube

This site can be educational and entertaining. I have used YouTube for homebound instruction. I can always find several videos that pertain to the subject I am teaching. Of course, it's recommended to preview before a student sees the videos. You never really know what you're going to see.
I chose a video that has probably been seen, but it's so funny I wanted to circulate it again.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gxoq-MrMWj4

FixYa

I also love FixYa. You can learn about products, find manuals, ask questions, and problem solve - all for FREE! A handy man's best friend.
http://www.fixya.com/

PANDORA INTERNET RADIO

Pandora Internet Radio is very cool. You type in an artist, and the station plays music from other artists who have similar styles. It's free and a great way to broaden your musical horizons. http://www.pandora.com/

WEB-BASED APPLICATIONS

I think Zoho and Google docs are wonderful resources. I like the idea of 'real time' changes, yet still being able to go back to previous documents. Accessing your documents at any time, on any computer is handy.

PB WIKI

I logged on to rockymountain23things but didn't see much. I'm receiving all kinds of email saying the site has been updated, but not seeing much on the site itself.

What's in a Wiki?

I like the concept of collaboratively developing a web site, because it's a great way to update information. I do see the negative side of those who may change information or add something that may not be accurate or appropriate (Wiki-Wars). How do you know if the information you're reading is factual? I think the best option would be to read wiki's that are only open to specific groups; people who know what they're writing about.

LIBRARY 2.0

Dewey Decimal, Dewey Decimal, where art thou Dewey Decimal? With technology changing so rapidly, I think it's a huge challenge to keep information updated. A person could work 24/7 and not be able to keep up. The changes I've seen in the last 50 years (okay, 51) are incomprehensible. I can't imagine the changes to come in the future.

Technorati

With over 50 millions blogs being tracked, this site is overwhelming. The amount of information is tremendous, but I suppose you must sort through everything to decide what is valuable to you and what is not. I think it's interesting how Technorati analyzes trends and themes in the blogosphere.

Del.icio.us

Social bookmarking for sharing links....I just checked out Carol's account. I'm sure this is wonderful for research and more direct than a search engine. If others have tagged articles they must have found them valuable.

Rollyo

I checked out Rollyo and decided it would be a great place to keep websites that I use for homebound students. I typed in several different sites, but when I tried to access them, any site that started with the first few words I typed in, showed up. So, I have several sites that begin with abc.teach.com. It would be easier, if just the one site appeared, and I could navigate to the location I was looking for within the site. Yes, I feel like I am rambling. Any suggestions?

GENERATOR

Generator - Still need to figure out the URL piece of this, but I'm learning.

Okay, got it. I thought this was going to be more difficult. I've spent at least two hours playing on this site. Time to move on.

http://www.imagegenerator.org/

RSS

I started a Google Reader Account - which was easy. I have added a couple feeds; one news feed and an entertainment 'blog' (I think). All the vocabulary is confusing to me. I think the best way to learn is by doing, but I definitely need more 'doing'.

Thing 7 - Technology

Confusion..................... I often feel very lost and out of the loop. I have many friends with Facebook accounts. I guess it's a great way to connect with new and old friends. I'm so not ready to do anything like it. I love connecting with people, but I'm not ready for Facebook. I kind of feel like it's geared more toward the younger generation. My daughters in college love it.

Thing #6

The Flickr Color Pickr may be my favorite. The colors are so vibrant. It's fun clicking on the different colors and seeing what pops up. I also think Befunky could be very entertaining and looks like it is easy to use.

Cool! I just added a picture. I'm learning.

Mappr

Mappr looks great , but it looks like one needs to be a member in order to access what they have to offer. Anyone know if this is the case?

Flickr

I just viewed Flickr and found some of the photos amazing. Still not quite sure how to 'capture' or download a photo to share. Looks like some are protected. Still learning.....................

Something New

This should be interesting. I think I have a lot to learn!