Book Brat (Teresa)

Although I have not fully investigated the following links yet, the article which addresses the links speaks highly of the content of the foresaid links. Make sense?  Library Media Connection (Oct. 2006, vol. 25, number 2) has an article titled Blogs, Podcasts, and the Letter J by Christopher Harris in the Technology Connection feature. Basically it gives an overview of blogging, podcasts, Web 2.0, etc. Since we know the basics I won’t rehash it. However, I was introduced to some information with which I was not familiar. Honestly, I am not sure if the “letter j” is actually still used and current considering this article is a year old. Nonethless, this article is beneficial to me because as a new SLMS I can use the advice for the classroom (computer lab). I will bullet the main ideas:

• The first website, http://web20workgroup.com/ is a network of blogs which combine the ideas of media and technology professionals. You can subscribe to all of these blogs through an RSS reader. 
• The author suggests that English teachers could use the book Confessions of a Boyfriend Stealer (A Blog) by Robynn Clairday (Delacorte, 2005) as a precursor to blogging. The book is written as a post with reader’s whom post comments in each chapter. Has anyone read this book?
• The author has his own blog which has information for school librarians at http://schoolof.info/infomancy/ . It is loaded with links, categories, and a clever Christmas poem. I find this site helpful for school librarians.
• One of the coolest websites that I know I will use is http://classblogmeister.com/ . This allows a class to register and blog. There is a graphic organizer at the bottom of the page which depicts the process of using this site. The author proposes that teachers can put their classroom newsletters on a blog like this.
• We can use podcasts for auditory learners just as we can use blogs for visual learners.
• Poscasts can replace the basic research project so they can have a larger audience. A website which displays weekly classroom shows is http://bobsprankle.com/blog/ . I did not listen to any but did review the site and it seems really creative.
• I don’t know if I will get marked down if I go over the word count, so I will end with the letter j. The article states that if you use an aggregator such as Google Reader, the letter j is a keyboard shortcut you can press to cycle through to the next article from your feeds. With RSS, you don’t have to bookmark and check all your blogs separately. I guess I will have to check this on netvibes. Is anyone familiar with this?
• I lied, one more: Secrets of Podcasting: Audio Blogging for the Masses by Bart G. Farkas (Pearson, 2006) was recommended for those interested in podcasting.

(Still trying to fix the date/time stamp)