MAKING WAVE FINAL REFLECTION

As I reflect on the blogging exercise assigned for the last couple of weeks,although it was consuming it was a learning experience for me.
I personally would never participate in this type of activity because of the time one must spend online and I don’t like online socializing. After a few posting, I realized the potential this assignment could have in the classroom.

As I began to look deeper into the process I realized blogging is a social tool and it connects people together to discuss a topic, which produces a form of communication.
Blogging can be used in the curriculum in several ways,and I would implement this tool in my classroom because of its a literacy aspects. One of its biggest benefits, in my opinion, is that every student in the class has an equal playing level to participate in the discussions and lead them. The passive students can participate in the privacy of their home without feeling intimidated or shy. Every student has the opportunity to participate in a discussion and it is powerful to expose students to others’ ideas.

Blogging can also be used to keep in touch with parents, or for parents to look at what their child is learning. Students who are absent can still participate and follow discussions going on in a blog. Teachers can use blogging to provoke deep questions and students respond by communicating their ideas in a written form.
In order to make this a successful experience for students, I would do the following:
- Have each student be a facilitator
- Frequently change the topic of discussion.
- Be sure to develop an assortment of interest topics.
- To assure parents the blog would not be a worldwide audience but will only be for our class.
- The entire class would put forth ideas and summaries in a rotation manner.

Blogging is a form of communication that incorporates collaboration and responds writing and I strongly believe in its benefits.

Schools Using Virtual Rhttp://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gifeferences

Hello,

This is my last article on virtual reference, and I found a very interesting one on how schools are using the tool. Schools are expanding web based resources for grades k-12 in the school library. They report 99% of schools in the United States have school computers in the library and 85% have them in the classrooms.
The same questions we have been bringing up for the last couple of weeks, are the teaachers concerns in the school too,"home access". Do the students have home access to these excellent resources, and what can be done about it if they don't.
The article also stated, more high school students are taking online classes therefore, more online services should be available too, which I find very interested.
Here is my thought,how can all these companies and radio stations get involve with providiing computers to students who don't have instead of free music on itunes?
Students need computers not music!

Check out this article. Northwest Educational Magazine Virtual Reference Services by Sally Bewer at:

www.nwrel.org/nwedu/09-01/notebook.asp

Sports Lovers Heaven

Hello Again,

I am learning more and more about this virtural reference libraries. Did you know there is a Virtual Library of Sports. It is a heaven for sport lovers. It has all types of information about sports, scores, events and etc..
I know there is many benefits to virtural libraries, but again I say how much is too much. Everything is virtual these days.
Check out this site if you have a chance.

http://sportsvl.com/
The Virtural Library of Sports.

Virtual Reference: Alive and Well

Virtural reference at the statewide level is alive and thriving. It is successful due to the fact that many small libraries have come together and unified. They share all the expenses therefore, giving them more opportunities to meet the needs of their population.

If a institution does not share the cost of virtural reference services it can shell out about $6000 - $12,000 for software and services.

Many benefits come out of sharing the cost of the services such as; services can be provided for longer hours, staff hours can be shared, the annual cost per school is reduced,increase software supplies and etc.
Institutions are targeting the young adults more now. They are the population that frequently use online services the most. Unfortunately, many students don't know about the services and the word must get out.

Read more about this collaborative adventure at:
Virtual Reference: Alive and Well
http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA401140.html

Virtual Libraries

I was thinking in the box, and have to remember to think outside of the box. I talking about the article I found called: The U.S. Navy Virtual Library (NVL).
It talked about Virtual Libraries supporting the community of users that are unable to physically go to a library for whatever reason,being distance or time. It also stated over the years the military members don't have a library to go to and they heavily use virtual libraries.

After reading this article it just confirmed once more the role of the librarian and the importance of providing for the community anyway necessary.

Take a look at the article and tell me what you think. Do you get the strong urge that our services is needed? What disadvantages do you think there is in VL services?
www.dlib.org/dlib/march97/navy/03norris.html

Virtural Reference

What an interesting article, Distance Education and Virtural Reference: Where are we headed? Yeah, where are we headed? Will there be to many librarians in 2015? Will we need to return to the classrooms? What will be the role of the librarain in 2010?

We know the positive benefits of having a virtural reference, but what is the negative benefits of having it, I wonder.

Is it cost effective to have a virtual reference librarian or a librarian?
Are answers really responded to in a timely fashion?
How correct are the answers provided by the reference librarians?

I have two very interesting articles to glance at and tell me, does it sound like to you libraians will be extinct or will they thrive in this booming technology?

www.infotoday.com/climag/apr101/coffman.htm

This site I could not provide the url,because it is a powerpoint. So just go to google and search Is Colliaborative Virtural Reference Cost effective and if so, for who?
look for this url pdaris.umuc.edu/-jarnold/vrd6kaskearnold.ppt

Vitual Reference

What is Vitual Reference?

Last year I could not have told you what vitual reference or digital reference was because I never heard of it. I recently had the opportunity to participate in a class that required me to participate in a vitual reference project. I was assigned the role as a librarian and had to help several students with their research papers. It was such a positive learning experience for me, that I would not mind participating in the program again.

So what is Vitual Reference? Vitual Reference is using computers or other forms of communication tools to provide reference services to patrons anytime and anywhere in the world.
There are two types of Digital Reference. The first is Asynchronous Digital Reference. This is when a patron emails and web form questions to a librarian,and he or she responds to the question at a later date.
The second form is Synchronous Digital Reference which refers to Chat and Voice-Over IP in which the patron and the librarain communicate to one another in real time.

The benefits of vitual reference it's convenient,its free,response is instant and it gives one options. Teachers can inform students of this service for future researches. There are so many students who don't have access to the public library, don't have research skills and need assistance and or don't have anyone to help them outside of school. Vitual Reference provides many benefits for many.

Take a look at this article for additional information.
What is Vitual Reference?

www.oclc.org/questionpoint/about/virtual/default.htm