Monday, January 12, 2009

Thing #20: Discovering Web 2.0 tools

Throughout the course of this Learning 2.0 program we’ve explored just a small sampling of these internet technologies and websites that are empowering users with the ability to create and share content. But given time there are so many more we could explore. Current estimates place the number of web 2.0 tools at over 2,900. And although time will only tell which of these new collaborative, social networking and information tools will remain on top, one thing is for sure, they're not going to go away (at least anytime soon).

For this discovery exercise, participants are asked to select any tool from SEOmoz's Web 2.0 Awards list and explore it. With so many to choose from, it might be handy to first select a category that interests you (like Books or Start Pages) and then simply select a tool to explore.

Discovery Exercise:
  1. Before selecting a tool you should know there are a few sites on the list that cost. You will want avoid these and select a free tool. Also some of them may require a plug-in or download. If this is a problem for you please avoid those sites. There's 174 winners listed plus a number of honorable mentions so it shouldn't be a problem to find a site that is both free and does not require any downloads.

  2. Select any site/tool from the list of 2008 Web 2.0 Awards.

  3. Explore the site you selected.

  4. Create a post about your discovery. What did you like or dislike about the tool? What were the site’s useful features? Could you see any applications for its use in a library setting?

Web 2.0 – with so much to explore, can you try just one? :)

75 comments:

books4york said...

Who does things in the "original order?"
Here's a Cloud Computing web site that opens lots of additional possibilities. (I got the link from the August 6th "American Libraries Direct.'

raptorrunner said...

Pandora is cool. My blog on it, and its features is at: http://raptorrunn3r.blogspot.com/2008/11/yay-for-pandora.html

vc said...

This was just too much fun! Each time I finish a "Thing" I tell myself this is the first thing I will come back to when I have a lengthy amount of time. Now, Thing #20 is going to be the first.
If you like to cook or want to learn, check out my blog.

http://vc-vcsblog.blogspot.com/2008/11/web-20-tools.html

books4york said...

Went through the Web 2.0 Awards List and found an O.P. book selling site I had not used before.
The second comment under Thing 20 relates my experience. We've been adding local history related out-of-print titles by searching & buying from abebooks & alibris for several years, but I had not known about biblio.com.

Anne said...

I have spent lots of time today wandering around these sites and could just imagine all the ways the sites could be useful in the library. Check out Tweet Scan or Now Public or Reddit. They were cool.

http://thelibrarianspeaksout.blogspot.com/2008/12/web-tweets-for-christmas.html

Marie said...

Thing #20 was a fun one to do, and is now done!

http://marieloveslibraries.blogspot.com/2008/12/thing-20.html

Rita said...

The site "myHeritage" is a WINNER! It was under the GENEALOGY category of the list of 174 winners. In the free version I could build as much or as little of my family tree as I could. Then other family members get to join in & collaborate on building the tree! It's so easy & fun! I'll be sharing this site with all the library patrons that are working on their genealogy.

http://rockinref.blogspot.com/2008/12/web-20-awards.html

Carol E said...

And the fun continues! http://carol-hoorayya.blogspot.com/2008/12/nebraska-learns-20-thing-20.html

kv@lcl said...

I really like My Heritage, as mentioned in an earlier comment. Great possibilities for patrons.

http://234kv.blogspot.com/2008/12/thing-20-of-23.html

Dana said...

Found several sites that interested me.
http://danaslearning.blogspot.com/

Dawn said...

The future is here explore it. http://dawnlearning.blogspot.com/2008/12/thing-20-future.html

Sky said...

http://seeryuslibrary.blogspot.com/2008/12/say-hello-to-my-little-friend.html

Madame Bonbon said...

http://upwardandnonward.blogspot.com/2008/12/web-20.html

Sue's blog said...

My information can be found at http://whippetbooklady.blogspot.com/2009/01/20.html

lizzieJ said...

Another Thing finished. What a delight this was. Libraries could invite patrons to explore the tools on the list.
http://liziej.blogspot.com/2009/01/thing-20_02.html

chocolil said...

Thing #20


http://chocolil-librarybooks.blogspot.com/2009/01/thing-20.html

Dianne said...

My thoughts on Web 2.0.

://lifewithdianne.blogspot.com/2009/01/web-20.html

Carole Matthews said...

I had been to this site before and checked out some of the applications. I wanted to find something I had not looked at and discoved Comiqs. Found it fun and possibly useful. My comments: http://prairie-prose.blogspot.com/2009/01/thing-20.html

JoyeLee said...

http://joyesfirstblog.blogspot.com/2009/01/i-really-had-fun-going-through-some-of.html

njv@dml said...

http://nanvac.blogspot.com/2009/01/thing-20-craigslist-is-one-of-my.html

lauran said...

I looked at recipe videos, and now I'm going home to fix supper! http://lauranloveslibraries.blogspot.com/2009/01/apps.html

Sarah J said...

Kind of fun to see some different sites that I may not have found myself.

Bob said...

Life is a Picnik....

Kids R Great said...

Picasa is great!

http://kidsrgreat1s.blogspot.com/2009/01/thing-20.html

QuiltinLibraryLady said...

I explored MY HERITAGE, a genealogy and family networking app. I tell about it in my blog here:

http://quiltinlibrarylady.blogspot.com/2009/01/thing-20.html

It has some interesting, even quirky, features I want to explore further when I have the time.

Sarah Olivia said...

Well, I accidently spent $6 at Myxer (I know we were warned)...but ended up finding Minti.com -a parenting and advice to help communicate with our troubled young adults.

My blog is at http://mrsjustice.blogspot.com

NixNoos said...

I found some new favorites to bookmark. Biblio.com and ifoods.tv I especially liked. You can read my comments at: http://nixnoos-caseydinah.blogspot.com/2009/1/thing-20.html

Brenda2.0 said...

I looked at several top sites. Spent a lot of time looking. Check out what I think on my blog spot.
librarianbrenda.blogspot.com

Anonymous said...

Discovering Web 2.0 tools: I explored the Spanish Pod
My blog: http://homerhounddog.blogspot.com/2009/01/thing-20-discovering-web-20-tools.html

pejorg2000 said...

Some thoughts about Pandora.

Anonymous said...

I explored Linkscape. See my blog
at: http://aqlibrarynews.blogspot.com/2009/01/linkscape.html

Ann

Cranefarm said...

I love Pandora but I will pass on virtual desktop application G.ho.st Virtual Computer. http://dancingcranefarm.blogspot.com/2009/01/virtually-confused.html

Mary said...

Thing #20 Lots of information! I liked craigslist for the vast amount of info that I think will be useful at the library.

willie said...

http://willie-challenger08.blogspot.com/2009/01/i-looked-at-last.html
Many sites to explore at some point.

Kathryn said...

Here's my blog entry.

JUDYG said...

No way could I try just one. Good thing I am a night owl. Some really good stuff that I had never tried before. You egg us on to bigger and better things.

http://judyg-oldlibrarian.blogspot.com/2009/01/oh-boy-another-three-hour-evening-spent.html

T said...

Really enjoyed this exercise!!http://t-beyondthemargin.blogspot.com/2009/01/thing-20.html

Just Robin said...

It's a miracle people. I am actually doing an exercise on the week is is scheduled to be done! I am caught up! Whoo Hoo. Click here to read my thoughts on the 2.0 tools.

Beverly said...

Oh the possibilites. I really enjoyed looking at the sites. Read my blog about craigslist.

leanablue said...

I am actually caught up too! My blog for Thing #20 can be found at: http://leanablue.blogspot.com/2009/01/thing-20.html

MM said...

So many helpful sites. I found a few health ones that have interesting implications.

http://kitschylib.blogspot.com/2009/01/thing-20.html

NancyS said...

Here are my thoughts on Thing 20
http://nancysos.blogspot.com/

Anonymous said...

http://melniel.blogspot.com/2009/01/thing-20.html

Had fun with this one. So far, the only "thing" I haven't been successful or happy with is delicious.

kathy the librarian said...

I agree with previous comments about the MyHeritage site! Very user friendly! See more thoughts at http://kathysbookshelf.blogspot.com

lgweb2.0 said...

I looked at My Heritage and Biblio.com. I will definitely explore these further and look at some of the others when I have more time.
See my blog at
http://lgweb20.blogspot.com/2009/01/thing-20.html

CS said...

For cooks only! (Maybe for those who like to eat too).

http://csweb2-cs.blogspot.com/2009/01/thing-20.html

lakeveran said...

Thing #20 was a real eye opener. I had difficulty realizing that there are so many opportunities out there in the Web 2.0 world. Here is my blog URL: http://lakeverna.blogspot.com/2009/01/thing-20-discovering-web-20-tools.html

vbeck said...

I keep going back and looking at more winners.
http://nelearns2.blogspot.com/2009/01/web-20-tools.html

A-one a-two a-one two three four said...

Farecast is an interesting travel tool. http://einekleinemusik.blogspot.com/2009/01/farecast.html

Tiffany said...

Here is my post. I explored myheritage.com.

http://tiffanylearns20.blogspot.com/2009/01/19-explore-web-20.html

nas said...

Loved the YouTube library carts show and chose one to embed.
Because I am doing this on Inauguration Day 2009 lots of videos feature older Barack Obama shows (close to 10 AM central) but tomorrow morning I expect inauguration day festivities to be featured.
http://suesthing.blogspot.com/

clwydshire said...

Although the language tools are really pay sites, I might sign up for Mango or SpanishPod. Here are my comments

Rae S. said...

There are so many to choose from! My blog post is at:http://raelearns.blogspot.com/2009/01/20-web-20-tools.html

Hawkeyebeth said...

Wikispaces look like an attractive tool for school libraries. View my thoughts at
http://bookmobiling.blogspot.com/2009/01/wikispaces-look-great-for-school.html

Casey's Blog said...

I think this was among my favorite activities. So many times, we do not find these unless someone tells us about them or we stumble by accident.

http://caseysteachingblog.blogspot.com/2009/01/web-20-awards.html

Madame Librarian said...

I looked at the top three music sites and blogged about Last FM:
http://musicmaam.blogspot.com/2009/01/last-fm-final-frontier.html

Anonymous said...

I found FixYa and Pipes. More info.-http://afanadorsklr.blogspot.com

Luz said...

ooppss!!I didn't want to change to anonymous

keri_from_alma said...

This lesson has a lot of possibilities for further exploration. Definitely one lesson I'll use a lot more. Here's my blog:
http://kerikreations.blogspot.com/2009/01/thing-20.html

nas said...

Yes, this is my real Web 2.0 comment: Grouping, categorizing, organizing--these are librarian-like activities. I really appreciated the subject headings.

Cheryl said...

http://wordsbycheryl.blogspot.com/
Lots of cool stuff to look at. Fixya was particularly interesting to me!

Anj said...

Found several Web 2.0 tools I'll revisit later when I have more time. Lots of cool stuff. See which ones I was most impressed with.

Library Learner said...

See what you can do with Picnik, a free photo editing software at:

http://ilikelibraries.blogspot.com/2009/01/thing20-web2-tools-picnik.html

L L Learner said...

Thing 20 really is a Pandora's Box.
My blog post is at:
http://lllearnersblog.blogspot.com/2009/01/thing-20.html

Pam@Hastings said...

I played with picnik because I seem to be always in search of an easy to use photo editor. This one seems to interact fairly well with Flickr, although it took me 3 blog posts to actually show you what I did. So start here and then look at blog entries 20a & 20, too!

Jean said...

I played with G.ho.st I really liked this tool. Read my blog to find out more or just go to the website because it's pretty simple to use.

http://g.ho.st/?language=en

http://jeanslearning20.blogspot.com/2009/01/thing-20.html

Does It Even Matter? said...

Web Dev is exactly what I wanted to discover!

http://bookmystique.blogspot.com/2009/01/thing-20-2008-web-20-awards.html

Kathysings said...

I found the "My Heritage" website quite fun and our family is now using it for my husband's family tree info.

www.kathysings.blogspot.com

D. said...

My post on Thing #20 - Discovering Web 2.0 tools can be found at:

http://dmcdnut.blogspot.com/2009/01/thing-20-web-20-award-sites.html

Operations said...

Swivel! It's Graphtastic!

http://milfordlibrary.blogspot.com/2009/01/oooooneat.html

bksrgr8 said...

It was hard to quit playing!
http://nebraskalearnsbksrgr8.blogspot.com/2009/01/thing-20.html

Pigeon Racing Fool said...

I found a seach tool for books called Biblio.com. This is kind of like Barnes&Nobles website except it seems to have a better search engine and the shipping is cheaper too!!

1pigeonracer.blogspot.com/

TheCorey said...

I visited Doof and played around there for a bit. Then I blogged:

http://thecoreysthoughts.blogspot.com/

Vicki's blog said...

I found a great site to do with cooking. My blog on it is at:
http://vickiatsouth.blogspot.com

Anonymous said...

I considered several sites, but finally gave the music-player Pandora a try. Here's my blog about it.