The Daring Librarian

There's a new tablet & smart phone browser in town, it's for both Apple & Android, it's wicked fast, and it's FREE! (But honestly, I paid for it, keep reading to find out why!)  Puffin is a Beta cloud accelerated web browser for mobile devices.  With the free version you get the FLASH cloud enabled player for 14 days only....UNLESS you use this link and you gotta enter this secret code jembifpahhkka then you get DOUBLE! Or you could scan this QR code! It's Worth the Money, Honey! But I went ahead and splurged and bought the $2.99 version (search the App store for Puffin Browser) so I'll have cloud enabled FLASH  all the time and Nom nom is it ever SWEET! If you don't believe me, download the FREE version first, use my secret code to get double the days of FLASH, and try it for yourself. Then let me know what you think via Twitter or comments below: I think you'll like it, too! How Fast is Wicked Fast? The promotional verbage for thi...

Every year I look forward to going to ISTE Island and taking a snap for my Virtual Worlds Name Tag! Yes, I blogged about this last year..but it deserves a fresh mention! It's important that those of us who learn and teach on the grid show our SIGVE allegiance! It's also important to represent my Steampunk aesthetic by wearing my most fetching Steamy Victorian tophat by famed milliner Miss Reghan Straaf of Hatpins ! I'm also wearing Miss Punktuality gown by Cutea of Grimm Bros. with out of control grid breaking metal overskirt & matching rusty clock bedecked collar. Go big or go home, folks. I also gotta admit I photoshopped my Avatar...which frankly is just a bit odd. Get your own ISTE SIGVE Nametag! "If you're heading to Philly next week for ISTE 2011, don't be left without your avatar name badge. Come on over to ISTE HQ's and follow the directions at the photo booth. Thanks and see you soon! -Louise" Here's the SLURL to the Photobooth! ...

WOW! Thank you Lauren Barak & School Library Journal for the lovely article - (update: that doesn't work anymore! Doh!)   pinch me! I hope my principal Mr. Donyall Dickey doesn't get irked by the last line...but I'm ready to help him set up his blog.....when he's ready! He's a great Admin, very supportive & inspiring, and has a lot to share! He also wrote a book! "The Integrated Approach to Student Achievement: A results-driven model for improving performance, leadership, and the culture of instruction at your school " I would love to inspire all Admins to share more with the community in an ongoing conversation their hopes, dreams, & plans for their kids! No need to have JUST a newsletter home - an Admin can have an online relationship and inspire the world! A great list of Admin blogs can be found in this excellent blog post by Mrs. Smoke called Educational Blogs You Should Be Investigating And yes, dear readers...I did admit ...

Social Media Dim Sum: One Small Plate at a Time I love my PLN! When I have an idea I am struggling with I can go to them and ask for opinions, brainstorming, & help and - I get it! Here was my idea: a graphic that showed the tastiest bits of a PLN all in one place setting...with a side dish of other ways to build your PLN that were a bit more....ummm challenging. The main plate features those parts of my Personal Learning Network that are the most significant to me: Twitter , Flickr , Google (Gmail & Google apps) Nings ( Classroom 2.0 , Teacher Librarian Ning , MSET , ISTE Community ) Wikispaces and Sqworl . In the side of the bowl and just as important the Discovery Education Network . The side bowl features parts of a PLN that are significant, but that take more effort & time commitment: Second Life & Blogging. I'd like to reassure those new to network building that they need not try the virtual worlds of Second Life and blogging right away but can a...

WARNING : Much like my AASL-Charlotte debrief this is bound to be a bit stream of conscience and edited over a few days. Background: This was a very special & crazy busy ISTE for me. After being newly elected to the board of directors of ISTE I had duties for my new position that would sometimes interfere with my ability to hang out at the Bloggers' Cafe, the SIGMS 21st Century Playground, and the SIGVE Second Life playground ....AND go to all the sessions I wanted to. But in all honesty? ...being able to go greet & thank attendees, vendors, & poster presenters on behalf of the board and serve was both a joy and an honor. (and fun!) The other ISTE board members and the amazing full time ISTE staff (more about them below!) were so awesomely welcoming and helpful! Especially Annette Smith and her amazing crew from Wisconsin and Mike Lawrence and his crew from CUE! See Annette Smith dancing the Affiliate dance! I got a LOT out of the Leadership Bootcamp by lurking o...