Week 9 Thing 23 (the Wrap Up)

Here we are at the end. (sniff sniff) and I have made it through my journey. And now I have this blog that I will keep and update with various things that I come across on my way through life. So keep checking back! You might find something useful. I am going to answer some questions now.

1. What were your favorite discoveries or exercises on this learning journey?

I learned about myself throughout this process. I learned that I am very comfortable with the internet and while others seemed to struggle with the assigments, I was able to just try new things and play and have fun. I really liked looking at the Web 2.0 awards. It was a nice collection of sites that I can go to and explore. It was a useful place to find the best of the best and learn something, too.

2. How has this program assisted or affected your lifelong learning goals?

I want to learn how to do a little bit more now. I would really like to learn how to set up my own podcast and put it on my blog. It really served as a starting point to help me learn more and dig a little bit deeper.

3. Were there any take-aways or unexpected outcomes from this program that surprised you?

Because of the link to the Maryland 2.0 site I learned all about Second Life, and signed up for an account. Now, when I get home, I can't get enough. I have an avatar and get to wander around this vast landscape with unlimited possibilities. There is so much to do, and to learn there as well. For example, you can actually learn to create and "build" your own objects. I have not really had the chance to play around with that, yet, but I will!

4. What could we do differently to improve upon this program’s format or concept?And last but not least…

I really liked the way the program was set up. I like learning on the computer and enjoyed watching the videos and listening to the podcasts. But then, I am really comfortable with this as a format. I think there were some librarians who were struggling because they were not as sure of themselves on how to do things here. They might need a little more time, or support.
Maybe if someone from Info services could stop by the branches to "check in" just to see how things are going. We did have a few of use trying to help the rest, so it seemed to work out. But some people are really nervous about the internet!

5. If we offered another discovery program like this in the future, would you again chose to participate?

I would. I had fun with the program and want to learn more. I am sure there are a lot of great sites that we have not even included, and as things change, more new sites and services will be invented every day. As I said before, I would like to learn how to do a podcast. Maybe we can include that in the future? A more advanced 23 things? I think we can also repeat the basics for those that need more practice. That way we can serve all levels of learning at once.

6. How would you describe your learning experience in a few words or a few sentences, so we can share our successes and promote this program?

I gained a lot from the program. I liked the self paced learning style and the fact that you could "visit" other participants sites to see the progress. I liked how it opened up dialogue in the branch as we discussed what we were doing and learning. I liked being able to tick off each thing as I got closer to the end. I liked having the blog as a finished project to show my success. I really had fun experimenting with the sites. I really enjoy my job as a librarian and this is one of the reasons. We need to keep on top of new technology. This was a great way to do it!

Thanks for all the work you did on setting up the program. I hope we get a new list of 23 more things that we can do soon!