maps, maps, maps.......

I remember when I was young, my dad pulled out some USGS topographical maps that he bought of areas where he owned land. Being a curious little boy, I asked about the maps. I can't even tell you how long we sat there and he showed me how to read the map. We looked at the different types of roads, markings for houses, churches, cemeteries, etc. Now, I'm almost tired at looking at maps. Maybe I can transfer this love of maps to my sons...

Anyway, I have been working on my final project and having a tough time finding the type of map I want to include on my wiki. I started out with Google Earth, but couldn't find a way to export a small version of the map to embed in the wiki. I reverted back to Google Maps, but the links they gave me would not embed. Then I found wikimapia.org. This is a cool site. "Let's describe the whole world." Wow! OK! I figured I would add a few churches and then figure out how to link or embed a map from there to my wiki. However, I added two churches and it told me that I couldn't add anymore. Try later. It didn't let me later either. I ended up using quikmaps.com to access maps that would work. However, I have had a breakthrough in using Google Maps. Here is the key:

If you are using Google Maps, click on "Link to this page" at the top right side of the map. Copy the link under "Paste HTML to embed in website." This works great in a website. However, for a wiki, you have to delete anything past the < /iframe> designation.

ACRL-Oklahoma Conference

Let me start off by saying I went to the ACRL-Oklahoma Conference on Monday. WONDERFUL conference!!! Thank you ACRL-Oklahoma. Both keynote speakers were fantastic.

David Silver is a professor of media studies at University of San Francisco. He blogs as well as uses other tools such as Flickr and Feevy. He is a dynamic speaker and the best part is, HE'S FACULTY THAT WANTS TO WORK WITH THE LIBRARY!!!!!! How wonderful is that? He also understood Web 2.0. Basically he saw 2.0 as a conversation between two entities rather than a presentation or a lecture from one to the other. How appropriate then that the 2.0 could mean that 2.0 people are actually expressing their feelings and 2.0 people are being heard.

Another thing I got out of this presentation that empowers me...blog often - and use pictures with your blogs to give your readers another aspect of understanding. Also, not to be afraid to blog your thoughts or feelings, even if it's a somewhat short statement. There's no reason a blog entry has to be eight philosophical paragraphs on the thoughts of a Jesuit priest. (Guess you'd have to hear his presentation to understand that one.)

Advice for portfolio defenders...

If I were to give any advice to someone that is going to defend a portfolio, or any starting master's student that has a portfolio option, I would say to become a packrat. Stash away every email and paper that was returned to you. However, the biggest piece of advice is to blog. It would seem blogging does two things. The first is that it moves your thoughts out into an area that you can read and correct. It puts them into a coherent (usually) format that lets you contemplate and evaluate your responses to different areas in your school work. This is valuable later when you are attempting to put together your portfolio to show your growth in the program. The second thing it does is force you to put those ideas into a manner better consumed by the public. Personal journalling may express the thoughts and emotions, but a blog makes you think about how to phrase what you are thinking and feeling differently since the person you are talking about may have access to your blog. (Maybe the second half just applies to me. I've read many blogs that go ripping into someone else, come to think of it.) The point is to have a coherent reflection of your experiences in the program. They will really show their value at the end of your program when you are trying to remember how you felt that first semester as opposed to now. If you chose not to do the portfolio at a later time, you still would not have wasted your time putting your thoughts and feelings into words as you work toward your degree.

Portfolio...finished...defended...passed...whew!

My life can now get back to normal...well, as normal as it has been since January 2006 anyway. The defense was somewhat stressful, but mostly in anticipation. I took off a few days to rehearse my presentation and to refamiliarize myself with every piece of evidence included in the portfolio. As it turns out, it was overkill. However, I'm sure if I didn't prepare, I would have been a lot more nervous. My biggest problem was dealing with the lousy setup in the room they gave us. I suppose that was a hint of things to come too though. But the main point is...IT'S DONE! I PASSED!

The week....

So now it's in. This past week has been a hectic rush to make sure my portfolio was perfect. I somehow think Krug would be disappointed. It was an attempt to convey everything in one website...AND have it make sense without me having to explain it. I really could have used this class a previous semester. Note to others: If you are doing a portfolio, take this class BEFORE the semester you defend it. Anyway, in two weeks, I actually defend. I wait with anxiety over the outcome of my fellow cohort member's results.

Jellyfishing

Okay, honestly, my first thought was butterfly catching. However, I have two sons--6 and 3--and I am saturated with SpongeBob so Jellyfishing seemed more appropriate...

I feel like I am jellyfishing. There seems to be plenty to keep me occupied this semester in just the one class. Read the material, blog for a bit, catch up on the discussion boards, work on the final project, blog about the group project, look at the information on the course homepage... It seems endless. At some point we had a discussion about how much more time an online class takes than a regular class. You sit in class, you leave in an hour.

In my mind, I see myself sitting at my desk....leaning back and swiping a net through the air--like SpongeBob jellyfishing, as I catching a piece of the class during my breaks.

Quick information

I'm definitely overdue for a new post. I've never been much of a journal keeper, so bear with me. I've never actually written that expression. I had to go out on the 'net to find out if it's "bear" or "bare". Most accounts insure that "bare with me" is an invitation to get naked with me. Not what I had in mind. Others however tell me that "bear with me" should be easily identified as a request for someone else to call 911--and animal control.

Oddly, this all brings me back to the topic of discussion this past week--Wikipedia. Do I use it? Sure. Do I trust it? Not really. However, toward the bottom there are actual links to sources. I tend to find those sources more credible. But what is the best way to use it?

Don't hold me to this, since the class I am currently taking is changing the way I think about the interenet, but here is my ideas. I classify Wikipedia in the same category as Google and federated search engines. It's a great place to start, but to find exactly what you're looking for, you will need to start limiting and redefine your search.

That being said, I still find Wikipedia and Yahoo! Answers as good sources of information if you are just curious about what the majority of people believe.