Resources and links on the following topics:

• Portals
• Instant Messaging
• Learning Objects
• Online Training / Professional Development
• Bulletin Boards
• Blogs
• RSS - Real Simple Syndication

Portals

What is a portal?

• FirstGov for Kids: http://www.kids.gov/
• MyFlorida: http://www.myflorida.com/
• School districts (Seminole): http://www.scps.k12.fl.us/

• Web portal entry from Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web_portal
• Portals: http://tinyurl.com/5f5hl

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Instant Messaging

IM Clients

• AOL Instant Messenger - http://www.aim.com/
• Yahoo Instant Messenger - http://messenger.yahoo.com/
• MSN Messenger - http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/windowsmessenger/default.mspx

Web Services

• Meebo.com - uses proprietary clients
• Chatango.com
• Live chat through a web page
• No account or IM client needed

More Information

• What is Instant Messaging? - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Instant_messenger
• "Virtual Reference at Your Library."  American Library Association. 2005. http://www.ala.org/ala/aasl/aaslpubsandjournals/kqweb/kqarchives/v33/333Houghton.htm

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Learning Objects

What is a learning object?

"any digital resource that can be reused to support learning"  --  David A. Wiley, "Connecting Learning Objects to Instructional Design Theory"

Who else is using them?

• Florida Virtual School http://www.flvs.net/
• Health care sites - Komen Breast Cancer site: http://tinyurl.com/2xa6x
• Commerical sites - Atomic Learning tutorials: http://www.atomiclearning.com/

More information:

• Learning objects: http://www.uwm.edu/Dept/CIE/AOP/learningobjects.html
• Learning objects portal: http://ilearn.senecac.on.ca/lop/information/information.htm
• Captivate: http://www.macromedia.com/software/captivate/
• Quia: http://www.quia.com/
• Wink: http://www.debugmode.com/wink/

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Online Training / Professional Development

Who else is using it?

• Universities - at UCF the entire Educational Media master’s degree program is online! http://pegasus.cc.ucf.edu/~edmedia/
• School districts - Broward Virtual University: http://www.broward.k12.fl.us/ci/HTML/alternative_page.html

More information:

• SUNLINK online components: http://www.sunlink.ucf.edu/train/
• WebCT course management software: http://www.webct.com/
• Multi-State Online Professional Development: http://tinyurl.com/4ghqx
• Professional Development: 21st Century Models: http://tinyurl.com/6kubs

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Bulletin Boards

Who else is using it?

• Home & Garden TV network (HGTV) - http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/chats/
• Do It Yourself TV network (DIY) - http://boards.diynetwork.com/eve/

More information:

• SUNLINK Community:  http://sunlink.groupee.net/groupee
• Bulletin Board System: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bulletin_board_system
• Groupee: http://groupee.com

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Blogs

An Introduction to Weblogs - http://tinyurl.com/5fj9f

Who else is using it? http://www.blogwithoutalibrary.net/links/

How they are using it:

• Library Rules, News, Assignments - http://coxsackie-athens.library-blogs.net/
• Book Reviews - http://nmhlibrary.typepad.com/

Conference Reports and Reviews

• AASL - http://www.noodletools.com/aasl/
• FETC - http://www.eschoolnews.com/cic/fetc/blog/

More Information

• Best Blogging Tools for the Mac - http://www.macworld.com/2005/10/features/betterblog/index.php?lsrc=mwtoprss
• Library Blogs:  Introduction to Weblogs - http://tinyurl.com/6s5pv
• Why and How to Use Blogs to Promote Your Library’s Services  - http://tinyurl.com/5cg8h

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RSS - Real Simple Syndication

Who else is using it?

• Most blogs!
• Librarian.net - http://www.librarian.net/
• Librarian in Black - http://librarianinblack.typepad.com/
• Michael Stephens’ Tame the Web - http://www.tametheweb.com/

How Can You Use It?

Standalone RSS Readers

• NetNewsWire - http://ranchero.com/netnewswire/
• FeedDemon - http://www.bradsoft.com/feeddemon/
• NewsTicker - http://www.rssnewsticker.com/

Web RSS Readers

• Bloglines - http://www.bloglines.com/
• Google Reader - http://www.google.com/reader/
• Safari (Mac only) - http://www.apple.com/macosx/features/safari/

Create Feeds

• FeedBurner - http://www.feedburner.com/

Finding Feeds

• Technorati - http://www.technorati.com/
• RSS Feed Directory - http://www.newsfeedfinder.com/
• Weblogs Compendium - http://www.lights.com/weblogs/searching.html

More Information

• Getting Started with RSS:  A Fifteen Minute Tutorial is available at http://frl.bluehighways.com/frlarchives/000123.html
• Bloglines for Librarians in 3 1/2 Easy Steps - http://joy.mollprojects.com/blog/projects/quickrss.html
• RSS Quick Start for Educators - http://www.weblogg-ed.com/rss_for_ed
• Blogging and RSS: Powerful New Tools for Education - http://tinyurl.com/4s2hc

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