2 weeks ago
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
SIGN ME UP!?!??!
I just don't know about these 123 things! It feels like I have subscribed and created user names and passwords for about 123 things. If you couldn't google me before, I feel sure that I show up somewhere now. I feel confident that my sign ups are secure, but I'm still a bit wary---like I'm signing up for too many credit cards. Delicious was my latest addition. I understand the premise. I added my bookmarks and tagged them. I still don't completely understand all of the ramifications and capabilities and I think that is what is nagging my brain. I think of my supercautious Daddy looking over my shoulder and asking if I am sure about what I'm doing? Well, no. But I'm going on the trust I have in my colleagues in SCASL who are doing the same. Don't fail me now, friends!
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3 comments:
Vicki, don't feel bad. We all have username/password issues from time to time. You just need to create a system (or a list!) so you'll remember them all. Email me and I'll share my system w/you.
As for Delicious, I've had an account for months and just never used it. On the one hand, I like the whole tagging idea - to be able to choose a tag and see all of the sites that apply. On the other hand, it's a pain to sit and tag the hundreds of bookmarks I currently have in my browsers - both at home and work!
The benefits of Delicious are that you can tag sites any way you like - for example, tag all sites you got from SCASL conference last year SCASL08. If you're collecting examples for a workshop you're planning, you can tag them all with that workshop tag to easily find them again. This is really helpful when you can't remember the name of a website, only the function.
And also just creating accounts for tools is not really purposeful. It's like teaching a citation for a class who is not researching or writing a paper. If it is not connected and useful, then in all likelihood you will probably discontinue using it. I did not "get" wikis for a long time and now I can't imagine not using them. But I had a need and I found wikis served the purpose best, hence my change of heart regarding wikis. The 23 things is simply a vehicle to expose you to a bunch of tools, and nothing more. As you continue your journey to becoming a 21st century learner (and you are just about there, b/c omg you are referencing your digital footprint when you talk about being able to google yourself-WOW)there will be times where you go back to these tools that don't click for now. Fret not over them being meaningless now. Some will always be meaningless. Some will be meaningless for a time but later you will realize they meet a need best. And some will always be useful. The tools serve a purpose, and without a purpose you don't need them. My goodness how you have GROWN in the process. : )
I got really excited about Delicious because I use one computer at work, and a different computer at home. After importing my bookmarks from my home computer, I spent hours tagging them in Delicious. Then I started to do the same thing with the bookmarks on my school computer and found to my horror that Delicious is blocked in my district! I have requested that Delicious be unblocked, but the response was NO. Now, even though I still think Delicious is a valuable tool, I'm thinking my time would have been better spent focusing on something I could actually use right now. Lesson learned: check to see whether these 2.0 apps are available at school before spending too much time on them!
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