Thing #23

1. What were your favorite discoveries or exercises on this learning journey?
How can I even begin to narrow down my list? I loved discovering LibraryThing (Thing #11), learning about social bookmarking websites (Thing #13), exploring wikis (Thing #16), looking at Nings (Thing #22) and creating a videocast (Thing #21).

2. How has this program assisted or affected your lifelong learning goals?
I was completely inspired by Thing #15 in which we studied some of the takes on Web 2.0, Library 2.0, and libraries in the future. I realized that libraries are in a huge transition time and I want to be part of the change. This means that I must stay ahead of the curve and anticipate how libraries can meaningfully meet the needs of learners everywhere. In order to do this I must embrace being a lifeline learner. This program has also expanded my view of what a life long learner looks like. Life long learning can occur in formal settings such as universities, but learning can also take place on a professional blog, joining a Ning, watching an online tutorial posted on TeacherTube and "playing" with technology.

3. Were there any take-a-ways or unexpected outcomes from this program that surprised you?
I did not expect to feel so passionate about the concept of Library 2.0. I really hadn't thought about it much until I watched the video A Vision of Students Today. I suddenly found myself asking "What can I do as a librarian to make learning meaningful for the students of today?" and "How can I help teachers bridge the gap between the teaching strategies of yesterday and the Web 2.0 tools available for use today?" I feel a much heavier sense of purpose and refined focus than I did when I began this program.

4. What could we do differently to improve upon this program’s format or concept?
I'm not sure. I loved the concept of using a blog to document the learning experience. It has given me both a personal record of my accomplishments and a platform for interactions with others.

5. If we offered another discovery program like this in the future, would you choose to participate?
I absolutely would. I have learned more in the past four weeks than I did during two semesters of technology classes for my undergraduate studies.

6. How would you describe your learning experience in ONE WORD or in ONE SENTENCE, so we could use your words to promote 23 Things learning activities?
RELEVANT