Saturday, April 11, 2009

Learning 2.0 wrap-up

I found working through the 23 things a bit challenging. I think the interactivity of Web 2,0 is a good thing for libraries to draw on to create a community of users and to reach out to those who have given up on libraries as a source of information and learning. In my presentation on ideas for updating research guides I am suggesting using De.lic.ious tagging, podcasts on using the guides, and Libguides, which combines the features of wikis and blogs in software created specifically for libraries (it's not open source, but it is reasonably priced.) I would not have understood the latest research on creating library pathfinders and research guides without Learning 2.0.

YouTube as a teaching tool

I watched some videos of Brazilian "capoeira," a dance/martial art form of African origin. There is one video called "Capoeira Girl" that is very artfully done. YouTube is a great resource for teachers wanting short video clips to show to classes. I could have used it when I was teaching Portuguese--there are videos on many Brazilian topics. There is also a lot of junk on You Tube and you can spend a lot of time hunting for something good. The "favorites" tag is a little helpful in that regard. When I am doing research I usually check YouTube to see if there are any interviews on a topic and have found it useful for that purpose. It's a good way to get different people's perspectives on a topic.