Exercise 11: Personal Learning Networks

I rely on Pinterest for my crafts and over time I've come to depend are particular blogs or websites for crafts that are easy, economical, and fun-"A Jeweled Rose" is one of them. I keep up with School Library Journal and often read blogs like "The Underground Librarian." There's not shortage of information out there.

I've been doing a summer program called "Messy Fridays" and I've depended on these resources to help me be creative. A blog called "Bugy and Budy" have a lot of spectacular science experiments (well if you're three they are spectacular!) and some of my friends from school keep me posted on what's current and what they are focusing on in class. It helps to have a network!

Lesson 10 Challenge

Well, according to Google Maps it would take 12 minutes to get to McDonald's. It's pretty close. Actually, it's very easy to get to McDonald's from here--but it might be easier to walk than drive--and faster too. The traffic, which Google tends to underestimate, is brutal here!

Lesson 9 Challenge

I could have gone on with this, but we did the whole deal when I was teaching school last year. The entire 6th grade joined me for an hour of coding. I also did this with my grandson. I think it's an excellent tool to teach kids how to code, and I think it introduces them to the way a computer "thinks." I did this with our chromebooks when I worked with the Tweens, but most of them had already been introduced to the concept. It's a nice introduction to coding--and it will appeal to some, but not all people.

Lesson 8 Challenge

On-line Skype and Google Hang Out meetings have been around for a long time. My granddaughter and I Skype all the time--sometimes she forgets I'm there and sets me on the counter and engages in long conversations with her mother--it's quite funny.

Meeting on-line saves travel time. It also allows both people to be near their resources. I think there's a tendency to get down to work where in person there's more time spent getting to know the person or discussing things other than the work at hand. Just a personal observation.

All the advantages can be disadvantages--not meeting someone and not going to their branch is a disservice. It's a good thing to see other places and make human connections. Sometimes brainstorming needs to be more organic than an on-line meeting allows.

If people collaborated on-line initially then met to discuss the practical nuts and bolts of a project--a follow up meeting is a great way to check on how things are working. The children's librarians collaborated via Pinterest and email--then met to present our work. I think a combination is always a good idea.

Who would I meet on-line? I would love a three way collaboration between me and my two sons. We can't get together very often and that would be the next best thing---I think I'll arrange that!

I'm old--traditional meetings are always better in my opinion--but using our on-line capabilities to touch bases--work out kinks and further understanding between two people instead of making a group listen to you hash things out is great. I did all my upper grad work on-line. It was a great thing.

Lesson 7 Challenge

It may be Google that has the one where the page crashes and a little frowning face says, "I think she's dead, captain." Not really a 404--but funny enough.

Lesson Five Challenge

I have explored this database a number of times because of a patron who insisted we had the Real Estate practice test--and lo and behold--we do! Since then I've sent patrons there for several different reasons--and I don't understand why there isn't more professional development offered showing librarians what's available through these valuable resources.

Lesson 3 Challenge

I've used different vehicles to create posters and flyers. I like using Google Slides, but I appreciate Canva-it's pretty slick. I prefer less versus more and marketing seems to want to put too much information on their flyers for my taste-but I'm learning. Sometimes more is required when you're dealing with the public.

Lesson 2 Challenge

• A customer shows you a “too good to be true” email about getting free money from Nigeria, and asks you to help them seal the deal with their banking information.

Explain the the patron about phishing and how hackers pose as legitimate companies requesting money or making promised. The old adage, "If it's too good to be true; it probably isn't true," holds true. Advise them not to open any attachments, to delete the email, and to dump their trash.