#23: Learning never ends (but the time has come. . . )

Listen to our podcast [2:10]:

Wow! How time flies when you're having fun. That's the power of play.

Even though learning never ends, we've come to the 23rd thing. Just in case you were worried, these 23 Things aren't disappearing, so you can come back at any time and catch up, or add a comment to any of our entries, or explore some more. Because we have feeds to all of your blogs (and we hope you do too), we invite you to keep playing, writing, commenting and sharing. In fact, you can go to the Blogger Template and change the title of your blog (or add a subtitle) so it reflects the ongoing nature of learning 2.0. If you never quite got around to sharing the name of your blog with us, you can still let us know (by commenting on Thing 4.) We know we have some lurkers out there; you don't have to hide!

So now it's time to take stock and reflect on what you've learned over the past 10 weeks. Even if you skipped some of the 23 Things, we're really interested in what you've learned about your own learning during our time together.

Discovery Resources:

1. Go back to Thing #2 and review the Seven and 1/2 Habits of Highly Successful Lifelong Learners. Read your notes (is it still in your 23 Things folder?) or re-read the post you wrote for Thing #4.
   


2. Review all of the 23 Things. There's a list in the very first blog post (linked in the sidebar on the left). Think about which ones you enjoyed and which ones you didn't like or just passed over.



3. Read Will Richardson's "Why is it so Hard for Educators to Focus on Their Own Learning?" from his blog Webblogg-ed. Don't forget to read the really interesing comments at the end.

And now, for our final activities.

Did you play and learn? We've played (and worked) and learned a lot. A lot of a lot. So much so that we were challenged by the Goldilocks dilemma throughout our trek with you. You know, that conundrum of whether it's too much, too little, or just right?

So, did you find anything "just right"?

We want to know! We will be gathering information from here and there, from those of you we know, from those we sort of know, and from those of you who choose to remain anonymous. Please consider informing us of your impressions and/or suggestions through one or more venues:

• Anonymous survey responses (use link below)
• Your blog entries (most but not all of yours indicate names)
• Comments on this blog entry (another anonymous option)
• Email us at 23Things@gcmail.maricopa.edu (both Karen and Christine receive the message) or email one or the other of us!
  

Thanks for taking the trek with us and for letting us know what you think.

Discovery Activities:

1. Complete our survey, please.
   
2. Write a blog entry about what you've learned about your own learning during the past 10 weeks.

So we've come to the end of our travels in the world of Web 2.0, but we know we will keep on learning, and we hope you will too. Happy trails!

Christine and Karen

#11: Collective collections

Listen to this podcast [2:47] --->

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This Thing is all about sharing collections - or taking a peak at or a cue from others' collections that include titles along similar interests. And the first site even shares our thing for capitalized Things!

LibraryThing features that community element that distinguishes so many Web 2.0 tools. It is a social space where people share what's on their bookshelves (virtually - we're referring to titles, not physical book swapping/lending. There are other sites that do that, though, and LibraryThing has attempted to partner with 'em ... but we're getting off track here). LibraryThing book recommendations come from your browsing collections of others and/or from searching The Suggester (which draws from the collective wisdom/collections of others, and well, an algorithm or two and the Z39.50 protocol).

Take the tour or just jump to the very short introduction to LibraryThing. Registering is easy (no long form with lots of info to fill out), and each user can catalog up to 200 titles for free (fees apply after that - but $25 for life sounds like a bargain, if not amusing, as a lifetime online could be just as fleeting as enduring). "Cataloging" your titles is as easy as typing some title words, an author's name, or the ISBN - LibraryThing works with open access library records, Amazon, and the Library of Congress to provide complete records for your titles (and cover images!). Amazing! You can see the Library of Congress Subject Headings and call numbers assigned to the title - and/or Dewey Decimal number, lest we forget that other classification scheme. But you don't have to rely on those stuffy old library subject headings - you can tag titles with your terms!

You can view your titles in list form (in various table formats) or as a bookshelf (bookstore style: cover facing out, showing off those cover art images from Amazon). You can join a group of fellow readers. You can share book reviews. Okay, I'm going on and on (it's all so neat-o, though!).

Now, before I divulge too much to dampen interest in exploring LibraryThing for yourself, I have to point out The UnSuggester. This turns around Amazon's "Customers who bought this item also bought" idea and gives you the bottom of the barrel. You can consider this either the worst book recommendations you'll ever receive or one of the best ways to expand your horizons, widen your world, and consider an opposite (or absurdly mismatched) point of view for a short while (or for just a laughable passing moment, if you don't take up the suggestion).

There is all this and more! Go explore more LibraryThingies!

Reader though I am, books aren't the only collections we hold dear.

There is always music to stir our passions, evoke memories, put a spring in a step. Is it any wonder that there are social sites providing opportunities for us to share our music collections, too?

Here are a few music sites with social elements:

• Last.fm - It strikes me that this one is the closest to what LibraryThing is like - and even partners with Amazon, as LT does, for those who want to make purchases. Tags and "audioscrobbling" help users find and share titles they like.
  
• Pandora Radio - Self-billed "music discovery service" that is based on the Music Genome Project, an amazing, ambitious, and intriguing undertaking (explained in an NPR audio link here [6:32]). Not much visible social interaction beyond sharing "stations;" community is low-key here (if you'll pardon my pun!), but users can connect with other listeners.
  
• iLike.com - This works with iTunes, but iTunes is not necessary. Looks to be trying to appeal to younger listeners (but maybe that's just me?). Recommendations based on algorithm; no tagging feature.

But how can "they" (any of these sites) do that, you may ask? There are various forms of legalese posted, and protections against (former) Napster-like file sharing are in place for the most part.

Discovery Exercise:

1. Create an account at LibraryThing or at one of the music sites above.
2. Find a recommendation that pleases or surprises you.
3. Blog about the recommendation. Does the collective wisdom win you over with something new? Something vaguely familiar? Something you forgot you were interested in? Tell us about it!