The Daring Librarian

Did you know about Secret Bitmoji's? Well, I just stumbled over them this summer and WOW! Cool! Are these new features or something we just missed? Since Bitmoji never talks to me -- and I've Tweeted and Instagrammed them over and over for years and nothing......I guess this is a new feature? The ability to make a Bitmoji with just about any word.  I found this in the weirdest way, I was searching for a picture of an orchid -- because my Dad got my Mom & I orchid plants and I was asking how hers was faring. I found ALL these cartoons with the word Orchid -- but no pictures. Like why????  What was funny, it wasn't a cartoon of an orchid, it was just the word. I tried it again and got a different set of cartoons.    Then I realized, wait..... it's just the word. I know, I'm slow sometimes - don't judge me.  So of course I tried my name See that little pencil on the top? That means it's going to write out what you put in!    There are also other ...

100% Street Cred! I get emails every week from startups, apps, & companies wanting me to blog about their products to which I always (99%) nicely say "no thanks" and that my street cred and integrity on this blog is important!  But when I fall in love with something that's fun and FREE - I just HAVE to share it! You have to try this in your life! From the Bitstrips People The Bitmoji app , brought to you by the people of Bitstrips (which I shared more than 4 years ago on my 21+ Avatar Generator & Creators page!) is available in both iOs and on Google Play for the Android OS. Create your face, bod, hairstyle, dress it up, & BOOM! They're put into these fun cartoon stickers that are an alternate emoji keyboard! Even my 75 year old Mom & Dad have them, and we use them with each other ALL the time. It's hilarious and a blast! I re-read this blog post early this morning and realized I used the word FUN....way too many times! Cool, ...

I was really excited to work with two great ELA cooperating (student) teachers who are from my alma mater, Towson University. Shout out to Jessica Robertson & Debora Chun ! An additional shout out their kind professor who actually had my blog on her "to read & review" list! So, they came to this school already familiar with my blog, how crazy is that? W00t! So, when they expressed a desire for us to work together before they left my school it was trixy finding 2-4 days between PARCC testing and MAP testing to fit them in, but we did!  As I mentioned in my last pos t I first wanted to do a Mystery Skype with an educator in the Dominican Republic because my 7th grade kiddos had just finished reading Before We Were Free . Sadly, after reaching out to, and never hearing back, from all of Mystery Skype educators in the Dominican Republic (Ok, there were only 4!) we had to move on to plan B! or should I say Plan V for Vine!  We tasked the kids to create a persuasive...

I can't help myself. I love me some JT. He brings my Sexy Back! (not that it ever left! ;-) ...But almost as much I love Justin Timberlake, I adore this new app that "plays" the vinyl records of my youth AND let's you "scratch" as if you had 2 turn tables and a microphone (Beck knows where it's at!) And...it's only $1.99! Thanks to my dear friends Joquetta Johnson & Donna Anderson - my Appolicious Queens of the i Pad I learned about this at the MSET spring board meeting last week! The pic on the right shows another cool feature! When choosing an LP you can "flip" through the albums in a milk crate of all your iTunes music! No need to import the App finds it and puts it right there for you! How cool! Another great new app is from my longtime software love, Comic Life. At a more hefty price of $7.99 this gorgeous app promises to feed my comic desires on the go! Haven't played much with this but I'll report back to you dear ...

a long graphic for a long post. fitting. I had a great time over break having a lovely Tweetup Lunch with some of my favourite Maryland iPad experts! As I'm still an iPad newbie I thought it only fitting to put it to them: What are Coolest iPad techniques, tips & tricks and most loved and must have APPS!?? Guest bloggers Donna Anderson the Digital Librarian21 @digilibrarian21 Joquetta Johnson, the Digital Diva @accordin2jo and Selena Ward the Tech Tiger @thetechtiger 3 educators who are amazing, forward thinking, and yes..DARING! (& fun, too! YAY!) So as not to pay favourites I'm going alphabetically! And if you were expecting a SHORT blog post on this...heh heh Not so much... This one is lusciously lovely & long....Enjoy! iPad Tweetup with Appalicious Apps by Donna Anderson aka Digital Librarian 21 "The iPad Tweetup went very well and we had nine awesome folks show up. I’m even in the process of planning another iPad tweetup. Stay tuned for ...

Now, I know being on the Board of Directors of ISTE means I'm a wee bit biased...But they don't pay me and I've been an avid ISTE association fan & member since I attended my first NECC conference in 2007 - Atlanta - where Kathy Schrock first introduced to me the virtual world of Second Life! I'd been presenting every year at my state affiliate MICCA now MSET since 1996 but had never had the $ or the gumption to go to the "big show until 2007...when I finally decided that saving all year for the conference was the best investment in my professional growth...and yeah, I think it has worked out pretty well! [grin] ISTE is committed to being a vibrant vehicle and support for change agents & EdTech professionals around the globe. As leaders of the cutting edge they keep adding cool new stuff that makes being a member of the LARGEST EdTech association in the WORLD even better ! A brand NEW re-vamped website....with all kinds of great new features! Live! Chat ...