week 2, thing 3

Creating the avatar was fun!  Getting it on to the Blog took a bit but it is done now and because it took awhile it reminded me that reading carefully is one of the best strategies for learning anything new.  Several years ago I had a friend whose supervisor was insisting that all staff members were required to post a photo of themselves.  She felt it was a privacy issue and refused.  It was a very uncomfortable situation.  Another staff member who posted her picture had an abusive husband track her down which changed the policy so that they were allowed to use icons instead. Avatars are a fun, creative way to go.  I am curious about how Avatars create a standard of "beauty" and how this subconsciously affects our students. 

week 1, thing 1 & thing 2

#1.  I feel like I should be posting in blue - you know Dr. Seuss Thing 1 and Thing 2.   Can you tell I am an elementary librarian who is more at home with books than technology?  That's why I think that this online class may be the way to explore these web tools.  I rarely have time during the school year to do more than check e-mails so attempting this in the summer allows me to explore without other priorities infringing. 

  The 7 1/2 habits of lifelong learners was interesting.  The crucial thing for me was #5: the toolbox. As I mentioned I am comfortable with using the computer for e-mail but our school has very little interest in technology so when I have taken classes I have information, some desire but few ways to implement needless to say the information is quickly lost.  So in my toolbox I have a good friend and fellow librarian who is a marvelous techie who is part of "raven 2.0".  We are meeting once a week to keep each other on track as well as help each other over hurdles.  Susan gets the benefit of mentoring me. I provide the questions that students may pose and Susan and I problem solve from a different view point.