1) Objective
Meet with IT at North staffs Combined Healthcare
Target
To gather views and possibilities for web 2.0 services on Trust intranet e.g. current
current awareness blog
Deadline
End August 2007
2) Objective
Meet with library colleagues
Target
To put plans in place for introducing web 2.0 services on CEC Health website for staff in
community and primary care
Deadline
End September 2007
3) Objective
Introduce RSS into Outreach sessions where appropriate
Target
To use new material in sessions as a promotional tool to reach any potential new users
Deadline
End October 2007
Sunday, 15 July 2007
Course Evaluation
1) How well does this course meet your expectations / learning objectives?
I have met my expectations which were to learn more about web 2.0 technologies and how they can be used by library services, particularly to begin to promote uses in our outreach service in North staffordshire.
2) What are the difficulties encountered in accessing the course materials on the Internet at your workplace which have NOT been reported before?
Being a part time user, I always intended to complete most of the course at home, but despite a rather negative response from IT at the beginning of the course I have had no problems accessing my blog and posting from work.
3) Did you need to seek the permission of your trust IT before you accessed certain course materials on the Internet?
I contacted the IT department before commencing the course and was aware of the tools which may present a difficulty. I have not asked for any further permission as I have chosen to work from home for reasons stated above.
4) Do the readings meet the learning objectives of each topic?
The readings were very comprehensive in the breadth of coverage of each topic and showed a good range of styles and delivery which made them interesting and easier to learn from.
5) What is the average amount of time you spent on the course each day?
I found it difficult to spend time each day due to personal committments at home and work committments whilst at work but probably between 45 mins and 1.30 hours.
6) How do you find the interaction among participants of the course?
I think people all made the effort to include all members and there were some really useful and supportive comments.
7) Will you continue blogging and/or reading RSS after the course?
Yes, I intend to start a blog with my husband for personal use and will continue to use my NLH RSS feeds in a much more positive way.
I have met my expectations which were to learn more about web 2.0 technologies and how they can be used by library services, particularly to begin to promote uses in our outreach service in North staffordshire.
2) What are the difficulties encountered in accessing the course materials on the Internet at your workplace which have NOT been reported before?
Being a part time user, I always intended to complete most of the course at home, but despite a rather negative response from IT at the beginning of the course I have had no problems accessing my blog and posting from work.
3) Did you need to seek the permission of your trust IT before you accessed certain course materials on the Internet?
I contacted the IT department before commencing the course and was aware of the tools which may present a difficulty. I have not asked for any further permission as I have chosen to work from home for reasons stated above.
4) Do the readings meet the learning objectives of each topic?
The readings were very comprehensive in the breadth of coverage of each topic and showed a good range of styles and delivery which made them interesting and easier to learn from.
5) What is the average amount of time you spent on the course each day?
I found it difficult to spend time each day due to personal committments at home and work committments whilst at work but probably between 45 mins and 1.30 hours.
6) How do you find the interaction among participants of the course?
I think people all made the effort to include all members and there were some really useful and supportive comments.
7) Will you continue blogging and/or reading RSS after the course?
Yes, I intend to start a blog with my husband for personal use and will continue to use my NLH RSS feeds in a much more positive way.
Wednesday, 27 June 2007
Web 2.0 technologies: User behaviours and challenges for libraries
Will there be any library users in the future? Why should they bother with libraries at all? It seems that we will all be using mobile phones or PDAs to obtain and share information whenever and wherever we want it. Technology will be a part of our every day lives and our ‘virtual library’ will be in our pocket or handbag. Information will be the property of everyone and under the authorship of whoever wants to contribute with few barriers to involvement. The opportunity to publish information for the public will cease to be under the control of , or authority of editors, and the mechanisms required to access it no longer requiring a higher authority to be in place.
This seems to be the vision of the future that is suggested by some of the zealots of web 2.0 technologies. But others suggest there may be a less radical way of viewing the future and one that libraries and information professionals will have to adapt to and participate in to remain ‘in the game’. So what are the opportunities for information providers? Obviously, it will be some time before the whole population fits into the above picture. Technological services do not always keep pace for everyone countrywide, there are still places in rural communities where mobile phones cannot work. There are still, and possibly always will be, sectors of society who cannot use (for various reasons) the facilities provided by web 2.0 technologies themselves.
Libraries have always been inclusive, providing services and facilities for all sectors of the community, so initially, there will be a role for information professionals in helping to educate, facilitate and promote the use of the new technologies. In the process it may be possible to involve those previously excluded from library services as it is left to the users to become involved in creating library services themselves and thereby revealing user needs or preferences that have been unknown or ignored. In addition, information which belongs to everyone and comes from everywhere will be fine for certain groups of society and their purposes, but there will be a need for sectors to understand issues of evaluation and quality in order to verify information before it can be trusted. This is also an area where information professionals can make a contribution, based on their knowledge and expertise. Finally, we are human beings and although satisfaction can be derived from online interactions with others we still need to meet up face to face sometimes. Libraries should encourage the development of virtual communities through library blogs or social catalogues, but alongside these, is there not the space to encourage the like-minded users who meet in such communities to also share ‘real time’ with each other in networking meetings or discussion groups, or am I just an old fashioned girl?
This seems to be the vision of the future that is suggested by some of the zealots of web 2.0 technologies. But others suggest there may be a less radical way of viewing the future and one that libraries and information professionals will have to adapt to and participate in to remain ‘in the game’. So what are the opportunities for information providers? Obviously, it will be some time before the whole population fits into the above picture. Technological services do not always keep pace for everyone countrywide, there are still places in rural communities where mobile phones cannot work. There are still, and possibly always will be, sectors of society who cannot use (for various reasons) the facilities provided by web 2.0 technologies themselves.
Libraries have always been inclusive, providing services and facilities for all sectors of the community, so initially, there will be a role for information professionals in helping to educate, facilitate and promote the use of the new technologies. In the process it may be possible to involve those previously excluded from library services as it is left to the users to become involved in creating library services themselves and thereby revealing user needs or preferences that have been unknown or ignored. In addition, information which belongs to everyone and comes from everywhere will be fine for certain groups of society and their purposes, but there will be a need for sectors to understand issues of evaluation and quality in order to verify information before it can be trusted. This is also an area where information professionals can make a contribution, based on their knowledge and expertise. Finally, we are human beings and although satisfaction can be derived from online interactions with others we still need to meet up face to face sometimes. Libraries should encourage the development of virtual communities through library blogs or social catalogues, but alongside these, is there not the space to encourage the like-minded users who meet in such communities to also share ‘real time’ with each other in networking meetings or discussion groups, or am I just an old fashioned girl?
Tuesday, 19 June 2007
Mashups
I started this weeks assignment with a head spinning so fast that I thought it would drop off! But as I have calmed down and looked at some of the 'play' things available on my PC, I have enjoyed myself.
Podcasting
I am basically quite a lazy reader so the idea of podcasting appeals to me. Also, it is great to have the opportunity to acquire learning audibly in addition to visually, I know that this is very helpful to some people with dyslexia. However, the thought of producing my own podcast is still feeling a bit too ambitious. Thinking about applications in the work environment. In my Trust there is some discussion about audiotaping patient consultations. I was concerned that although it is a good idea for patients to have a recorded version of the consultation audiotapes are now really outdated technology. I am now beginning to wonder if podcasting could be a better way to do this, but it would obviously need a lot of thinking through.
Mashups
I found this a really great learning experience, although I am finding it hard to think of how this could be applied to our service. I first visited Healthmap http://healthmap.org and quite depressed myself finding out that there had been an outbreak of bird flu quite near in the last week or so. So next I tried out Google Maps http://www.google.com/apis/maps and enjoyed the various facilities on the mapletts, such as finding out where a particular film is playing or searching for properties that are for sale. I also liked the feature to find out the travelling distance between 2 places simply by clicking on them both and letting the computer work it out. So why don't you go to Google maps and find yourself a nice apartment for sale in New York?
Podcasting
I am basically quite a lazy reader so the idea of podcasting appeals to me. Also, it is great to have the opportunity to acquire learning audibly in addition to visually, I know that this is very helpful to some people with dyslexia. However, the thought of producing my own podcast is still feeling a bit too ambitious. Thinking about applications in the work environment. In my Trust there is some discussion about audiotaping patient consultations. I was concerned that although it is a good idea for patients to have a recorded version of the consultation audiotapes are now really outdated technology. I am now beginning to wonder if podcasting could be a better way to do this, but it would obviously need a lot of thinking through.
Mashups
I found this a really great learning experience, although I am finding it hard to think of how this could be applied to our service. I first visited Healthmap http://healthmap.org and quite depressed myself finding out that there had been an outbreak of bird flu quite near in the last week or so. So next I tried out Google Maps http://www.google.com/apis/maps and enjoyed the various facilities on the mapletts, such as finding out where a particular film is playing or searching for properties that are for sale. I also liked the feature to find out the travelling distance between 2 places simply by clicking on them both and letting the computer work it out. So why don't you go to Google maps and find yourself a nice apartment for sale in New York?
WikiMental Health
http://www.wikimentalhealth.co.uk/index.php/Main_Page
I have come across this mental health wiki which is a fantasic tool for anyone who wants a resource which enables them to keep up to date with Mental Health Law. I know this can be an interest for both practioners and patients alike.
I have come across this mental health wiki which is a fantasic tool for anyone who wants a resource which enables them to keep up to date with Mental Health Law. I know this can be an interest for both practioners and patients alike.
Monday, 18 June 2007
Wiki post
I am rather late with this post....but here it is anyway.
I am intrigued by this subject. Part of me wants to love the idea and part of me wants to dislike it. There is something that makes me feel quite nervous about anyone being able to edit text as and when they please. But this feeling only applies to subjects that I consider to be "serious". In the areas of personal interests, discussion and debate and knowledge sharing between like-minded communities, I have no reservations about it being a good thing. I was pleased to learn that wikis can be protected or private however, as I can see a wiki being a useful tool in this way for more serious work-related or professional issues.
I have visited two health related wikis;
Health Wikia: http://health.wikia.com/index.php?title=Main_Page
This wiki appealed to me visually. It was very easy to navigate around and I found reading contributors comments on subjects such as "Mental Health Care reform" informative. I liked the display of votes for each entry. However, although there was a lot of information on the site, I find it offputting that it is difficult to know anything about the authors of the content if it was to be used in any serious way.
Autism Wiki: http://autism.wikia.com/wiki/Autism_Wiki
This wiki contained some good information on autism and I liked the fact that each article had references attached which gave me confidence regarding the authority of the information. I would consider using this in sessions with learning disabilities practitioners when introducing the subject of wikis. I think the space for people for autism to write their stories could be a feature that some practitioners would like to share with clients.
I am intrigued by this subject. Part of me wants to love the idea and part of me wants to dislike it. There is something that makes me feel quite nervous about anyone being able to edit text as and when they please. But this feeling only applies to subjects that I consider to be "serious". In the areas of personal interests, discussion and debate and knowledge sharing between like-minded communities, I have no reservations about it being a good thing. I was pleased to learn that wikis can be protected or private however, as I can see a wiki being a useful tool in this way for more serious work-related or professional issues.
I have visited two health related wikis;
Health Wikia: http://health.wikia.com/index.php?title=Main_Page
This wiki appealed to me visually. It was very easy to navigate around and I found reading contributors comments on subjects such as "Mental Health Care reform" informative. I liked the display of votes for each entry. However, although there was a lot of information on the site, I find it offputting that it is difficult to know anything about the authors of the content if it was to be used in any serious way.
Autism Wiki: http://autism.wikia.com/wiki/Autism_Wiki
This wiki contained some good information on autism and I liked the fact that each article had references attached which gave me confidence regarding the authority of the information. I would consider using this in sessions with learning disabilities practitioners when introducing the subject of wikis. I think the space for people for autism to write their stories could be a feature that some practitioners would like to share with clients.
Monday, 4 June 2007
Social bookmarking and folksonomies
As a librarian who has been a cataloguer and classifier I have read this weeks topic with interest. I also have to admit that as I learn about this completely new facility, I am fighting elements of resistance to change and a perception of 'lack of control' alongside moments of genuine excitement at the possibilities that could unfold.
I decided to try find some information on personal development for nurses, as this is an area I have been asked to research recently. I looked on the del.ioui.us site. What I found when trying to use the site was that it really felt like 'pot luck' when choosing the keywords to search on. Also, I did not find very many links on this subject, and of course, they tended to be from the USA.
I also went to the BBC's social bookmarking project for news items and searched for info on scouting. This was really easy to use and I immediately got a list of news items on the subject.#
I have a lot more exploring to do around this subject, and need to experiment with all the different services that are available to really feel that I have got a good idea of the best use of social bookmarking
So how do I feel at the end of my post. I think that the idea of a folksonomy is very exciting. It is great to think of a resource that stores people's ideas in this way. This could also be a useful tool for finding out how people are thinking around certain topics, what they are really interested in what is a really current and constantly changing arena. It is a really simple for most people to do without any prior knowledge and a great way to share something you have found which you think would benefit others too. I like the idea of a shared account where it is possible to collect and organie bookmarks for a whole group.
But I am afraid the librarian in me is still worried by the inconsistency in the skills of classification, also that most people are only concerned with finding the information themselves and not taking the time to think of tags that will be useful to others as well, not to mention those that just want to mess things up! It worries me that recalling information can feel a bit hit and miss without referral to an authoritative taxonomy of subject keywords. But I shall not let this put me off, I shall be looking at more social bookmarking sites.
I decided to try find some information on personal development for nurses, as this is an area I have been asked to research recently. I looked on the del.ioui.us site. What I found when trying to use the site was that it really felt like 'pot luck' when choosing the keywords to search on. Also, I did not find very many links on this subject, and of course, they tended to be from the USA.
I also went to the BBC's social bookmarking project for news items and searched for info on scouting. This was really easy to use and I immediately got a list of news items on the subject.#
I have a lot more exploring to do around this subject, and need to experiment with all the different services that are available to really feel that I have got a good idea of the best use of social bookmarking
So how do I feel at the end of my post. I think that the idea of a folksonomy is very exciting. It is great to think of a resource that stores people's ideas in this way. This could also be a useful tool for finding out how people are thinking around certain topics, what they are really interested in what is a really current and constantly changing arena. It is a really simple for most people to do without any prior knowledge and a great way to share something you have found which you think would benefit others too. I like the idea of a shared account where it is possible to collect and organie bookmarks for a whole group.
But I am afraid the librarian in me is still worried by the inconsistency in the skills of classification, also that most people are only concerned with finding the information themselves and not taking the time to think of tags that will be useful to others as well, not to mention those that just want to mess things up! It worries me that recalling information can feel a bit hit and miss without referral to an authoritative taxonomy of subject keywords. But I shall not let this put me off, I shall be looking at more social bookmarking sites.
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