Sixth Course: Web-based Applications and Discovering Web 2.0 Tools

The availability and use of online productivity web-based applications (think word processing and spreadsheets) has exploded over the past two years and for good reasons! These powerful applications provide users with the ability to create and share documents over the internet without the need of installed desktop applications. Some experts speculate that this emerging trend may mean the death to Microsoft Office and other software-based productivity tools, while others think web-based applications have their place, but not in the office. But no matter which side of the office suite platform you side with, on this both sides seem to agree; web-based apps have their place.

One large benefit to web-based applications it that they eliminate the need to worry about different software versions or file types as you email documents or move from PC to PC. Another bonus is that they easy accommodate collaboration by allowing multiple users to edit the same file (with versioning) and provide users the ability to easily save and convert documents as multiple file types (including HTML and pdf). And, you can even use many of these tools, such as Zoho Writer and Google Docs* (formerly known as Writely) to author and publish posts to your blog. It’s this type of integration with other Web 2.0 tools that also makes web-based apps so appealing.

For this discovery exercise, participants are asked to take a look at a web-based word processing tool called Zoho Writer, create a simple document and then document your discoveries in your blog. If you're up to the challenge, you might even export your document as an HTML file or publish it through Zoho to your blog.

With Zoho and web-based applications, the possibilities are endless.

Throughout the course of this Learning 2.0 program we’ve explored just a small sampling of these new internet technologies and websites that are empowering users with the ability to create and share content. But given time there are so many more we could explore. Current estimates place the number of web 2.0 tools at somewhere between 300 & 500 with only a handful emerging as market dominators. And although time will only tell which of these new collaborative, social networking and information tools will remain on top, one
thing is for sure, they're not going to go away (at least anytime soon).

For this discovery exercise, participants are asked to select any site from this list of Web 2.0 Awards nominees and explore it. With so many to choose from, it might be handy to first select a category that interests you (like Books or Personal Organization) and then simply select a tool/site to explore. Be careful to select a tool that is Free and that doesn't require a plug-in or download. The majority of these are free, so this shouldn’t be a problem.

Discovery Exercise:

1. Create a free account for yourself in Zoho Writer.
   
2. Explore the site and create a few test documents of two.
   
3. Try out Zoho Writer’s features and create a blog post about your discoveries.
4. Select any site/tool from the list of Web 2.0 Awards nominees. (If you prefer to select from just the winners, here’s a link to the short list.)
   
5. Explore the site you selected.
   
6. Create a post about your discovery. What did you like or dislike about the tool? What were the site’s useful features? Could you see any applications for its use in a library setting?
   

Optional: If you're up for the challenge, try using Zoho’s "publish" options to post to your blog.

* Note: You can also explore Google Docs (formerly known as Writely), Google's online word processer, as an option for this exercise. On Oct 11th, Google relaunched Writely (which it acquired in Spring 2006) as Google Docs.

Fifth Course: Tagging and Social Bookmarking

This week we are going to take a look at what tagging is on the Web and how social bookmarking sites like Delicious use tags to organize information.

Tagging is an open and informal method of categorizing that allows users to associate keywords with online content (webpages, pictures & posts). Unlike library subject cataloging, which follows a strict set of guidelines (i.e.Library of Congress subject headings), tagging is completely unstructured and freeform, allowing users to create connections between data anyway they want.

Delicious is a social bookmarking manager which allows you to bookmark a web page and add tags to categorize your bookmarks.

Many users find that the real power of Delicious is in the social network aspect, which allows you to see how other users have tagged similar links and also discover other websites that may be of interest to you. You can think of it as peering into another users’ filing cabinet, but with this powerful bookmarking tool each user's filing cabinet helps to build an expansive knowledge network.

Another great use of Delicious is having all your bookmarks in one place. Many of us have a computer that we use at work as well as one at home. We might also use a friend's computer or a computer at the public library. When we've bookmarked sites in the past those bookmarks stayed on whatever computer we made them on. With Delicious, when you want to use a bookmark it does not matter what computer you were at when you saved it. Simply log in to your Delicious account and no matter where you are you will have access to all of your bookmarks.

For this discovery exercise, you are asked to take a look at Delicious and learn about this popular bookmarking tool.

Discovery Resources:

• Otter Group Delicious tutorial (8 min video) - Highly recommended!!!
  
• Several Habits of wildly successful Delicious users

Discovery Exercise:

1. View the 8 minute Del.icio.us tutorial to get a good overview of its features.
   
2. Take a look around Delicious using Bob's Delicious account. Note: In this account you may find some pretty strange things so be prepared!
   
3. Explore the site options and try clicking on a bookmark that has also been bookmarked by a lot of other users. Can you see the comments they added about this bookmark or the tags that they used to categorize this reference?
   
4. Create a blog post about your experience and thoughts about this tool.
   Can you see the potential of this tool for research assistance? Or just as an easy way to create bookmarks that can be accessed from anywhere?

OPTIONAL: If you’re up to the challenge, create a Delicious account for yourself and discover how this useful bookmarking tool can replace your traditional browser bookmark list.

Note: If you do setup a Delicious account, here’s a quick word about the Delicious Buttons. On PCs that have the toolbars locked down, these will install as options in your browser bookmarks. Use the “Post to my Delicious” link to add the current webpage to your account (you may need to log in). Use the “My Delicious” link to view your online account.

Fourth Course: Make life really simple with RSS

You've heard of RSS? You've seen those small funny tags on websites? You've heard co-workers and acquaintances swear by it, but still have no idea what RSS is? Well, you're about to find out! In the information world, RSS is not only revolutionizing the way news, media and content creators share information, but it is also swiftly changing the way everyday users are consuming information.

RSS stands for "Really Simple Syndication" and is a file format for delivering regularly updated information over the web.

Just think about the websites and news information sources you visit every day. It takes time to visit those sites and scour the ad-filled and image-heavy pages for just the text you want to read, doesn't it? Now imagine if you could visit all those information sources and web pages in just one place and all at the same time...without being bombarded with advertising...without having to search for new information on the page you'd already seen or read before...and without having to consume a lot of time visiting each site individually. Would that be valuable to you? Well, it's available now through a newsreader and RSS.

This week's discovery exercises focus on learning about RSS news feeds and setting up a Bloglines account (a free online newsreader) for yourself to bring your feeds together.

Discovery Resources:

• Feed Me: A gental introduction to Internet feeds - a good tutorial from Palinet, a library cooperative; it's from 2005, so some of the feed readers look a little different now
• Using Bloglines Tutorial (how to keep up with dozens of blogs every day) - This online tutorial walks you through how to setup a Bloglines account and add newsfeeds. Follow steps 1 to 3 to set up your Bloglines account. Step 4-9 are optional and cover how to subscribe to different types of feeds (podcasts, Flickr albums, etc)
• RSS Reader How To - This video tutorial provides information on creating a bloglines account, adding feeds, and making folders.

Discovery Exercises:

1. Follow the discovery resources above to learn more about RSS and newsreaders.
2. Create a free online Bloglines accout for yourself and subscribe to at least 10 newsfeeds to your reader. See Using Bloglines Tutorial steps 1-3 for instructions.
   News feeds:
   Participant blog feeds- Subscribe to several of your co-workers' feeds. This is as easy as typing the blog URL into the subscribe field in Bloglines. Try it; it's easy!
   Select some of these interesting blogs-
   The Technology Tapas feed
   The "M" Word--Marketing Libraries
   Simply Amazing--Peggy Cadigan's Blog
   Unshelved--Library Cartoon Feed
   Library Stuff--Library news and updates
   Lolcats--Funny captions for cat pictures (One of Andrea's favorite non-work websites!)
3. Create a post in your blog about this exercise. Optional: if you're up to the challenge, you can provide the URL address to your public Bloglines account (find out where to locate this below).

Don't know what to blog about? Thing about these questions:

• What do you like about RSS and newsreaders?
• How do you think you might be able to use this technology in your work or personal life?
• How can libraries use RSS or take advantage of this new technology?

How to find your public Bloglines URL (or watch this tutorial!):

1. Go into your account settings
2. Click on the tab for Blog Settings
3. Create a user name
4. Check the button for "Yes, publish my blog roll" in the section "Show My Blogroll"
5. Save changes
6. In the left-hand pane, click on "Share" under "Additional Options"
7. Your URL will appear under the section "/public" Note: it will follow the pattern: http://www.bloglines.com/public/USERNAME

In conclusion, here is the link to my public Bloglines account: http://www.bloglines.com/public/ASimzak

Why have a public account? To share blog rolls with others, of course!

P.S. Once you tackle this discovery exercise, you've tackled the most difficult one of the whole 13. :)

Third Course: Grab yourself a blog in three steps

Now that you’ve done some exploring around this website and understand how this program will work, it’s time to set up your very own personal blog to begin recording your thoughts, discoveries and exercises in. For this program, we recommend that you use Blogger*, a popular free online blog hosting service that is extremely easy to use.

Creating a blog using Blogger takes just three steps:

1. Create an account (view screenshot)
2. Name your blog (view screenshot) Note: You may need to try several different URLs before you find one that isn't already in use. You can also ignore the Advanced Options.
3. Select your template.

Once you’ve created your blog here are two important things to know:

• To add posts: The maintenance interface that you will use to add posts, edit or change the step-up your blog is accessed online at http://www.blogger.com/ Be sure to write down your login and password.
• To view your blog: Your blog address is http://(xxxx).blogspot.com, (xxxx)=the unique identifier you entered in Step 2. Be sure to also write down your blog address.

If you run into problems or would like more information about blogs and using Blogger here are some discovery resources you can use:

• Freevlog’s Quicktime Tutorial: Setup a Free Blogger Blog Note: Ignore the opening comments about downloading Firefox if your PC doesn’t have it. This will work in Explorer just fine.
• Blogger’s Quick Tutorial

OK -- Now, it’s your turn...

Discovery Exercise:

1. Setup a blog for yourself through Blogger.
2. Add a test post or two. Note: Use one of your test posts to create an entry about the habits among the 7 and 1/2 lifelong learning habits that is easiest and hardest for you & why.
3. Have fun!!!!

IMPORTANT NOTE: How you choose to identify yourself on your blog is your choice. You can blog under a screen name, anonymously, or as yourself. However, in order to qualify for the staff incentives and staff day prize drawings, you will need to email your blog's URL to Bob Keith or Andrea Simzak and include it in the comments section of the next post.

* Use of Blogger is only a recommendation. If there is another blog hosting site that you are more comfortable with, please feel free to use it.

Second Course: Lifelong Learning

Among libraries, lifelong learning is one of those core values we shelve our books by. So it makes sense that before we embark on this new online learning and discovery journey that we should take a few minutes to review a few habits that can assist in creating lifelong learners.

These habits, which we’ve called the Seven and 1/2 Habits of Highly Successful Lifelong Learners, will provide you with a refresher on what it means to be a lifelong learner.

Discovery Exercise:

1. Make sure you have headphones or speakers attached to your computer.
2. Open up the 7 & 1/2 Habits online tutorial and view the online tutorial.
3. As you watch and listen, write down which habit among the 7 & 1/2 that is easiest for you and which is hardest. You will use your personal blog (which you will set up next) to post your thoughts about lifelong learning.

Here are some additional links from Lori Reed (the tutorial's creator) as follow-up. They are also the attached documents from the tutorial, so if they cannot be opened there, you can access them here:

• Learning Contract
• List of 7 1/2 Habits
• PowerPoint File

Have fun! If you haven't jumped on board yet, it's never too late to become a lifelong learner.

First Course: Let's get started...

Welcome to NJSL's Technology Tapas program & blog. Chances are if you've found your way here you're either:

1. a member of the NJSL staff who's participating in the Technology Tapas Challenge
2. interested in learning about and playing around (yes, playing is allowed in libraries) with some new web 2.0 tools that will help you expand your information literacy toolbox.
   

Either way… We're glad you're here!!

Technology Tapas is an online learning program that encourages staff to learn more about emerging technologies on the web that are changing the way people, society and libraries access information and communicate with each other. Over the course of the next sixweeks, this website will highlight Web 2.0 through discovery exercises to help staff become familiar with blogging, RSS news feeds, tagging, wikis, podcasting, online applications, and video and image hosting sites.

To familiarize yourself with this project, be sure to read the FAQ page. The information there should answer most of your questions about this program. If not, then please add your question to the FAQ page as a comment. So fasten your seat belts, grab your mouse and get ready for a discovery adventure… and remember, it's OK to play in the library and have fun!Be sure to tune in Wednesday, March 25 for the next "thing" or discovery item ... or better yet, subscribe to the RSS feed.