and Yes the end is near, I did it my way!

What were your favorite discoveries or exercises on this learning journey?
iGoogle - however the page kept freezing my computer - very useful to be able to access the tools (google reader, blogger, facebook, google docs) from the one page and would have loved to be able to add Groupwise to this page

How has this program assisted or affected your lifelong learning goals?
My preference would have been to choose a couple of tools and practice rather than looking at 23 tools.

How did you enjoy studying online?
Organisational and time keeping skills are the secret to any form of study whether it is face 2 face or online. I prefer face to face small group activities.

Were there any take-aways or unexpected outcomes from this program that surprised you?
See and share has been very useful and I have used this with Caroline, Leeanne and Sue from the Spydus project team.

And last but not least
If we offered another program like this in the future, would you again chose to participate?
No. Exploring Web 2.0 is best done by library staff who have an affinity for social networking etc. They select several tools which I would be happy to explore. My bookmarks do not appear on the Arts computer which has baffled ICT. I will familiarise myself with the "Arts" links, contacts etc and will subscribe to these to monitor ongoing web developments etc.

Discovering Web 2.0 tools

I explored the Web 2.0 Awards website and chose BBC iplayer because I thought this would be a useful link for the ELC lecturers. Due to licensing content BBC iplayer programs are only available to view in the UK. I was able to watch the news and linked to an article about porn videos flooding Youtube in a particularly insidious fashion. Children's Youtube videos play for about 30 seconds and then continue with a pornographic segment. On closer inspection I noticed that the segment was dated May 2009. A timely reminder to always cast a "professional" eye over a web page eg. date, coverage, links etc. I checked out Color Blender and Threadless. I thought the site was to allow for the color matching and blending of paint which you would use to paint a room etc. Having decided to remember my professional training I went to the About section and read that Color blender is a tool to use to customise colors to use in web design and other digital designs and immediately lost interest in the site. Had a quick look at "Threadless" which is a tshirt design site where you can submit designs etc and decided that my interest lies in gardening rather than crafts! Will remember these sites for Arts.

Web based applications

I went to have a quick look at Microsoft Office Live Workspace and had to register which I declined. I can see the benefits in using Google Docs and See & Share and I am looking forward to the "Cloud" and extending the sharing of documents with lecturers and students.

Second life

It's Christmas Eve and I am about to enjoy my "second life" outside work. I was able to download and explore Second Life. It's obvious that I hadn't played many computer games because my "avator" received many bumps and bruises. I imagine that there is a generation who have grown up manipulating keypads etc and a growing number of people in their late 40's - 50's and older embracing this medium. I understand that it is being embraced and used in TAFE eg. Business Services and Women's Studies in the North and it could be adapted by Library Studies to train students.
I would use the application in my working life and have no desire or aspiration to use outside of this use.

Second life

Hi from Georgina Allardyce (alias Jeannie Sirona) I have had a brief visit to the help island in second life and will return to another location tomorrow and visit a library. I have no experience with computer screens and blundered and bumped my way around the screen. I wish that some of the avatars could take me by the hand and lead me to the library or take me for a swim. Ki told me that she is unable to leave Help Island and that I needed to get a swim script to be able to swim. The sea looked very inviting. I asked Ki to take me to the library and she took me to the freebie shop. Will explore tomorrow and visit a library.

Yammer

Because we are spread wide and far in TAFE Yammer is useful for communicating with colleagues. I was invited to join Yammer a few months ago by a 23 Things participant. It is useful to keep an eye on and I found the post from Trisha McLatchie re the Gordon TAFE study skills link. I would like to be able to turn off the "your colleagues have posted and we haven't heard from you"! Big brother and sister at work.

Yammer and Twitter

I did wonder why people would use Twitter since it only allows 140 characters. That changed after I read that a group surgeons were performing ground breaking surgery techinque and they twittered through out the operation to colleagues. Hospitals are keeping relatives informed of patients progress via twitter. And what can we do? We can twitter the new edition textbooks and for publicity.