Since this is our last week, I have written several reflection blogs. In my other courses we have always written posts or papers looking back on our experiences during the semester. I figured I would keep the tradition alive with my blog. I have written a blog about this course and one reflecting on blogging. Now for my last post, I thought I would talk about the assignments we completed during the semester. There were several I liked and a few I was ready to pull my hair out while doing.
The first half of the semester I found out that I really did not like Google Reader. Then through this course I discovered the great book called Google The Lost Manual. I loved this book and my mom did purchase it for her library. Of course I later found out (during the ePrints 3 assignment) that the lost manual was a series and they had one about Facebook. I found that to be so cool and if I get a high school library position I plan on purchasing it. Of course Facebook may not be popular then, who knows!
The ePrints 3 assignment was one of my favorites. I thought it was really a great way to locate materials about social networking. I didn’t think I would like working on this assignment, but I was shocked that I did. Once you get the hang of using the website, it was easy. It created a list of resources and I think that is really beneficial for students and librarians. I would definitely use this type of technology in my library.
The Koha assignment was different in many ways from the ePrints 3 assignment. First, I found it really difficult to use and I was not too happy with it. I liked how we were able to use the virtual shelf and look at what everyone else had selected. This really helped me in the beginning when I was trying to figure out what to do. However, I do not think I will use this system in my own library, I found it confusing and I think students might as well, though I see the benefits of using this type of technology.
The Thoreau Fragment assignment was also one of my favorites. I think it was really interesting that we were asked to change the formatting around to look like an old version of the item. I have always liked playing around with the different font styles, so I found this really interesting. It also gave us a chance to become more familiar with the different font styles and sizes.
I also think the hyperlink assignment was fun and beneficial. It gave us a better sense of what to do with hyperlinks. This was beneficial because we didn’t have to start from scratch when completing this assignment. Hyperlinks are a great source for students.
The final assignment we had to complete was the webpage and this helped me to start an electronic portfolio. I think I may continue with this webpage and add my other courses to it, that way I will have an electronic portfolio for my time spent in the MLIS program.
I have really enjoyed this course and blogging about my experiences. I can definitely see myself using many of the different technologies in my future library. I am glad that I was able to work with so many different things over the last twelve weeks. I’m really excited about graduating but will miss this program. This is my last post, so I hope everyone has a great summer and next semester!! I'm off for vacation!!
Monday, July 27, 2009
Goodbye Blogging
I hate to actually admit it but I’m going to miss blogging. In the beginning of this course, I hated the idea of just randomly sharing thoughts. I did not want to share my feelings or comments with anyone else. I was totally against others reading what I had written and I just did not want to do it.
You hear all the horror stories of people getting stalked on the internet by others and it’s kind of scary. Though in this case I wasn’t scared of being stalked, but it still gave me pause when starting out. I also had friends who blogged and they shared everything. So I was really hesitant about blogging.
When I started I resisted the urge to enjoy this part of the course. I put it off until I had to. However as the weeks passed I started enjoying writing these things. I was able to complain about having issues with the assignments and I wasn’t the only one. One person in our chat even called us all “emo.” So it was nice that everyone was able to help each other out. I also found it interesting to look over other people’s blogs and get a sense of how they were dealing with everything. I liked that we were able to share and talk in our blogs, but it didn’t have to be personal or invasive.
In my other classes, we have always been told to write everything out in a word document before posting them on courseweb, that way in case something happens and it doesn’t post, we haven’t lost anything. I have always done this because I like having records of what I’ve done in school, especially since we have to complete portfolios for our interviews. So I started to do this with my blogs. I would type them up on word and then cut and paste them into my blog. This way if something would happen I would still have all of my blogs. Plus I was able to catch my spelling mistakes.
After this week, I am done blogging. Though I am thinking about creating a blog for my library, when I get a job. I probably wouldn’t blog for an elementary school, but I have seen it done. However, I would create a blog for a middle or high school library, to talk about things we are doing in the library or books I have read and recommend. I would want students to interact with it and to add their own comments. I think this would be a great way to involve students and to get some publicity, among students, for the library.
Even though I am going to stop blogging, at least for a while. I have really enjoyed this experience and am glad that I did it.
You hear all the horror stories of people getting stalked on the internet by others and it’s kind of scary. Though in this case I wasn’t scared of being stalked, but it still gave me pause when starting out. I also had friends who blogged and they shared everything. So I was really hesitant about blogging.
When I started I resisted the urge to enjoy this part of the course. I put it off until I had to. However as the weeks passed I started enjoying writing these things. I was able to complain about having issues with the assignments and I wasn’t the only one. One person in our chat even called us all “emo.” So it was nice that everyone was able to help each other out. I also found it interesting to look over other people’s blogs and get a sense of how they were dealing with everything. I liked that we were able to share and talk in our blogs, but it didn’t have to be personal or invasive.
In my other classes, we have always been told to write everything out in a word document before posting them on courseweb, that way in case something happens and it doesn’t post, we haven’t lost anything. I have always done this because I like having records of what I’ve done in school, especially since we have to complete portfolios for our interviews. So I started to do this with my blogs. I would type them up on word and then cut and paste them into my blog. This way if something would happen I would still have all of my blogs. Plus I was able to catch my spelling mistakes.
After this week, I am done blogging. Though I am thinking about creating a blog for my library, when I get a job. I probably wouldn’t blog for an elementary school, but I have seen it done. However, I would create a blog for a middle or high school library, to talk about things we are doing in the library or books I have read and recommend. I would want students to interact with it and to add their own comments. I think this would be a great way to involve students and to get some publicity, among students, for the library.
Even though I am going to stop blogging, at least for a while. I have really enjoyed this experience and am glad that I did it.
The End is Near
Wow! Time really has flown this summer. I can’t believe we are on our last week. It seems like yesterday we were starting out and had the whole semester ahead of us. I am glad that I got to take this course, but I’m just as glad that it’s over. I cannot believe I am leaving this program. In a few short weeks it will be the “real world” for me. I’m definitely nervous.
When I started this course, I was quite scared. I had never worked with many of the technologies presented. I was panicking at the thought of not being able to complete my work and failing. It would be my luck, last semester and not able to graduate!
This was my first and only fast track course in this program, so it was nice to get this experience in, before I’m done. I liked the fact that we basically got to work at our own pace. We were given deadlines to meet, but we could do all of the assignments when we chose to do them. Some of my other classes, the professor handed out assignments one or two weeks before the assignment was due, so we had to make time to complete them. I like working ahead and getting everything done prior to when it’s due.
I also enjoyed the chat sessions although I was glad they were not mandatory. I tried to log onto each and every chat, but sometimes life got in the way and I was unable to do so. I also liked meeting everyone during Fast Track weekend. It was nice to finally put a face to a name. Even though that was only a few weeks ago, it seems like a lot longer.
Although I did not like every single technology/program we used during this course, I am glad I got a chance to use them. It was definitely an eye opening experience and I hope to put all of them to good use when I get my own library.
This is one of my last posts, which is odd because I’ve become slightly attached to blogging. But I hope everyone has a great rest of the summer and good luck with school! To those of you who are graduating, congratulations and good luck in the real world!
When I started this course, I was quite scared. I had never worked with many of the technologies presented. I was panicking at the thought of not being able to complete my work and failing. It would be my luck, last semester and not able to graduate!
This was my first and only fast track course in this program, so it was nice to get this experience in, before I’m done. I liked the fact that we basically got to work at our own pace. We were given deadlines to meet, but we could do all of the assignments when we chose to do them. Some of my other classes, the professor handed out assignments one or two weeks before the assignment was due, so we had to make time to complete them. I like working ahead and getting everything done prior to when it’s due.
I also enjoyed the chat sessions although I was glad they were not mandatory. I tried to log onto each and every chat, but sometimes life got in the way and I was unable to do so. I also liked meeting everyone during Fast Track weekend. It was nice to finally put a face to a name. Even though that was only a few weeks ago, it seems like a lot longer.
Although I did not like every single technology/program we used during this course, I am glad I got a chance to use them. It was definitely an eye opening experience and I hope to put all of them to good use when I get my own library.
This is one of my last posts, which is odd because I’ve become slightly attached to blogging. But I hope everyone has a great rest of the summer and good luck with school! To those of you who are graduating, congratulations and good luck in the real world!
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
I have no clue what to talk about…
This semester has been one of the toughest for me at Pitt. I’m almost done. I’m trying to do homework, work on my exit requirements, put my information up on PA Educator and I’m getting ready for interviews. I completed my webpage the other day and so I am out of assignments to talk about…haha. So this is the post that really has no point. Next week I plan on talking about the entire semester and what we did and how much I’ve enjoyed some of the technology and how I would like to throw some of the technology off a building!
I took a web design class in my undergraduate degree and I thought I had really learned a lot from that class. I had no clue there was so much more to learn. I figured I would be able to complete the last three assignments quickly and easily, no such luck. I had to re teach myself a lot of the web design information. I also learned a lot more from this course. I had no idea how to do externally linked style sheets and even though I am still confused a bit, I am able to do it.
I really like the idea of Google Sites and am thinking about using it to create an electronic portfolio for the MLIS program as well as one for my future library. I think it is a great way to introduce web design to students and staff. The only thing I did not like was including the Koha and ePrints 3 assignments because I was unable to post a direct link to the information.
I’m giving myself a few days away from my portfolio and then I am going to go back and look at it as a viewer to see if I really like the way it looks. From there I will make changes, if necessary. I have really enjoyed working with Google Sites!
I took a web design class in my undergraduate degree and I thought I had really learned a lot from that class. I had no clue there was so much more to learn. I figured I would be able to complete the last three assignments quickly and easily, no such luck. I had to re teach myself a lot of the web design information. I also learned a lot more from this course. I had no idea how to do externally linked style sheets and even though I am still confused a bit, I am able to do it.
I really like the idea of Google Sites and am thinking about using it to create an electronic portfolio for the MLIS program as well as one for my future library. I think it is a great way to introduce web design to students and staff. The only thing I did not like was including the Koha and ePrints 3 assignments because I was unable to post a direct link to the information.
I’m giving myself a few days away from my portfolio and then I am going to go back and look at it as a viewer to see if I really like the way it looks. From there I will make changes, if necessary. I have really enjoyed working with Google Sites!
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
My Electronic Portfolio…
The final assignment for this course is the HTML webpage. After much debate I decided to use Google Sites to create my electronic portfolio. I really liked the background and simplicity of the Google site. Also, with all my courses, homework, graduation, and getting everything ready for interviews, I really didn’t have as much time to devote to my webpage as I would have liked.
So after I made the decision to use Google sites, I went and made my website public. Next, I added the link to my Pitt homepage (http://www.pitt.edu/~anh55/) and I checked to make sure that the linked worked and it did!
The next step was also easy. I started by creating several different subpages, one for each assignment, ePrints 3, Jing, my blog, Scopus, WorldCat, Koha, and the two Thoreau fragment assignments. I kept them in alphabetical order. The next step was to start filling in the subpages with information. For this step I had to decide what I wanted to do for each assignment, did I want a link; it actually posted there, or make it an attachment. I used each of these ways to incorporate all of my information into my website.
For the Koha assignment I made two subpages, this way the reader can see the master collection as well as the cataloguing information. Originally I wanted to have a link to the Koha webpage, but the reader may not be able to sign in and view my virtual shelf. I found this cut and paste way much more user friendly. I faced a similar problem with ePrints 3. I ended up just cutting and pasting my master list into the Google Site.
Finally, I wrote out information that described what each assignment was. Overall, I really like the way my webpage looks and I think I might use this website for my entire online portfolio!
So after I made the decision to use Google sites, I went and made my website public. Next, I added the link to my Pitt homepage (http://www.pitt.edu/~anh55/) and I checked to make sure that the linked worked and it did!
The next step was also easy. I started by creating several different subpages, one for each assignment, ePrints 3, Jing, my blog, Scopus, WorldCat, Koha, and the two Thoreau fragment assignments. I kept them in alphabetical order. The next step was to start filling in the subpages with information. For this step I had to decide what I wanted to do for each assignment, did I want a link; it actually posted there, or make it an attachment. I used each of these ways to incorporate all of my information into my website.
For the Koha assignment I made two subpages, this way the reader can see the master collection as well as the cataloguing information. Originally I wanted to have a link to the Koha webpage, but the reader may not be able to sign in and view my virtual shelf. I found this cut and paste way much more user friendly. I faced a similar problem with ePrints 3. I ended up just cutting and pasting my master list into the Google Site.
Finally, I wrote out information that described what each assignment was. Overall, I really like the way my webpage looks and I think I might use this website for my entire online portfolio!
Monday, July 20, 2009
I found another form of technology I am not a fan of…
When I started this assignment, I thought all we had to do was put hyperlinks into the fragment assignment. Piece of cake, I actually knew how to do this part of the assignment. I was looking forward to it, actually, and was quick to start looking for words to use and websites to embed. Of course, things are never that simple. Then I realized we had to create an externally linked style sheet. Gulp! I was in trouble!
After reading over what I had to do in order to complete this type of style sheet I was horribly confused. I had used CSS in my Seton Hill University webpage, so I was somewhat familiar. However, when we wanted to create the same background/format for each page we simply cut and pasted. We did not have to create an externally linked style sheet. So my past experience was not going to be any help.
So, I did the easiest part, for me, first. I went through and created 12 hyperlinks for different words in the text. I tried to give more information for words/places people might not be familiar with. I also tried to put at least one hyperlink in each paragraph. When I was done I went to the web address..http://www.pitt.edu~anh55/Thoreau_fragment_2.html to check and double check that all the links worked.
Then I started working on the style sheet. I created my .css file (like it said in the book) and added all of my rules into it. Then I typed the appropriate link information into the Thoreau file, removed certain tags and prayed. The moment of truth had arrived and it was time to see if my style sheet had linked properly and would work. I typed the web address in and hit enter. Of course, it did not work and my fragment assignment was a complete mess. It didn’t work the next 12 times I tried to do it, either. I also tried @ import linking and that didn’t work. I kept playing around after an hour of failing, I was pretty mad. Also in my works, sort of deleted the entire assignment off of my unixs file. I panicked, because I had erased everything, all of my hyperlinks and the majority of my work. In a moment of clarity, I typed in the web address and by some miracle the website was still there with all of the hyperlinks. I opened the source information and copied and pasted it into a new file. Everything had been saved!
I ended up turning to the internet for help. I eventually found a website that helped me to figure out what I was doing wrong. Even now I’m still not sure what happened. But it worked and my style sheet linked up to the webpage.
Once, I figured that out I quickly completed the assignment! Now only a few more blogs and an electronic portfolio and I’m done!
After reading over what I had to do in order to complete this type of style sheet I was horribly confused. I had used CSS in my Seton Hill University webpage, so I was somewhat familiar. However, when we wanted to create the same background/format for each page we simply cut and pasted. We did not have to create an externally linked style sheet. So my past experience was not going to be any help.
So, I did the easiest part, for me, first. I went through and created 12 hyperlinks for different words in the text. I tried to give more information for words/places people might not be familiar with. I also tried to put at least one hyperlink in each paragraph. When I was done I went to the web address..http://www.pitt.edu~anh55/Thoreau_fragment_2.html to check and double check that all the links worked.
Then I started working on the style sheet. I created my .css file (like it said in the book) and added all of my rules into it. Then I typed the appropriate link information into the Thoreau file, removed certain tags and prayed. The moment of truth had arrived and it was time to see if my style sheet had linked properly and would work. I typed the web address in and hit enter. Of course, it did not work and my fragment assignment was a complete mess. It didn’t work the next 12 times I tried to do it, either. I also tried @ import linking and that didn’t work. I kept playing around after an hour of failing, I was pretty mad. Also in my works, sort of deleted the entire assignment off of my unixs file. I panicked, because I had erased everything, all of my hyperlinks and the majority of my work. In a moment of clarity, I typed in the web address and by some miracle the website was still there with all of the hyperlinks. I opened the source information and copied and pasted it into a new file. Everything had been saved!
I ended up turning to the internet for help. I eventually found a website that helped me to figure out what I was doing wrong. Even now I’m still not sure what happened. But it worked and my style sheet linked up to the webpage.
Once, I figured that out I quickly completed the assignment! Now only a few more blogs and an electronic portfolio and I’m done!
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Finally a Google Apps I actually like….
The last assignment for this course is to create an online portfolio of the work we did throughout the semester. At first, I was freaking out over this assignment. I had to create a website from scratch and make it a working portfolio. I could never do that in the amount of time left. So I did what I’ve been doing this semester, I put it off and put it off. After the Thoreau assignment though, I have calmed down and plan on using both my personal website at Pitt and Google Sites to complete it.
We have learned in my other courses that some school districts like the idea of electronic portfolios. It shows that you are tech savvy and able to use different technologies. I was not too thrilled about this and was not looking forward to creating one. However, I think this class has helped me to better understand web design and I actually cannot wait to complete this portfolio.
I started looking at Google Sites, I figured I would hate it as much as I did Google Reader. However, I found that it really works and is easy to use. Everything is set up for you and you just need to punch in your information. I started adding in some of my assignments already. I have copied and pasted one into the web site, another I added as an attachment and the third is a link to another web page. I am still playing around and trying to figure everything out. I am also not sure how I am going to upload the ePrints 3 assignment or the Koha assignment. I guess I will cross that bridge when I come to it.
I’m still not sure if this is exactly what I am going to use as my portfolio or if I will just create a web page on the unixs server. I may try both and see which turns out better. Either way I think it is beneficial to learn different techniques and applications that are out there. I’m glad I finally found a Google application that I actually like!
We have learned in my other courses that some school districts like the idea of electronic portfolios. It shows that you are tech savvy and able to use different technologies. I was not too thrilled about this and was not looking forward to creating one. However, I think this class has helped me to better understand web design and I actually cannot wait to complete this portfolio.
I started looking at Google Sites, I figured I would hate it as much as I did Google Reader. However, I found that it really works and is easy to use. Everything is set up for you and you just need to punch in your information. I started adding in some of my assignments already. I have copied and pasted one into the web site, another I added as an attachment and the third is a link to another web page. I am still playing around and trying to figure everything out. I am also not sure how I am going to upload the ePrints 3 assignment or the Koha assignment. I guess I will cross that bridge when I come to it.
I’m still not sure if this is exactly what I am going to use as my portfolio or if I will just create a web page on the unixs server. I may try both and see which turns out better. Either way I think it is beneficial to learn different techniques and applications that are out there. I’m glad I finally found a Google application that I actually like!
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