About the Learning 2.0 Project

2007-05-23T17:46:00.001-05:00

This blog has been set-up as part of the Ohio University Libraries Learning 2.0 project to encourage staff to experiment and learn about the new and emerging technologies that are reshaping the context of information on the Internet today. The objectives of this program are to:

encourage exploration of Web 2.0 technologies by Ohio University Libraries staff
facilitate the acquistion of new skills in a creative and fun way that will promote staff collaboration and innovation
reward staff for taking the initiative to complete 23 self-discovery exercises

The Learning 2.0 program was originally designed by Helene Blowers, the Public Library of Charlotte & Mecklenburg County Technology Director, with the support and assistance of several PLCMC staff members, and is loosely based upon Stephen Abram's article, 43 Things I (or You) might want to do this year (Information Outlook - Feb 2006) and the website 43Things.

The Learning 2.0 program was modified for use by the Ohio University Libraries staff with the assistance of Lorraine Wochna, Eileen Theodore-Shusta, Diana Nichols, Jo Brown, Edie Luce, Mark Mace, and Whitney Townsend.

The design of this online program was completely built on Web 2.0 technologies that are freely available on the Internet. These sites include: Blogger, Flickr, Odeo, YouTube, PBWiki & Bloglines.

Staff Prizes & Incentives: (back to top)

23 Things - Every staff member who completes all 23 things will receive a USB MP3 player* capable of holding at least 1GB worth of data, music and/or audio files. The device can not only be used as a regular USB/Flash drive to store work files, but it can also be used to download and play audio books, music and more.

Staff have until September 18th, 2007 to complete all 23 items in order to receive the USB/MP3 Player.

Final Prize Drawing - All staff who complete 23 things by September 18th, 2007 will receive an MP3 player and will be eligible for the final prize drawing - a new laptop.

Frequently Asked Questions: (back to top)

How does this online learning program work? This is a self-discovery program which encourages staff to take control of their own learning and to utilize their lifelong learning skills through exploration and PLAY. There will be optional weekly workshops offered to support this program. Staff are also encouraged to work together and share with each other their discoveries, techniques and "how to's" both in person and through their blogs.
Is this program open to all Ohio University Library staff or just some? This program is open to ALL permanent Ohio University Libraries staff regardless of position and status (full and part time).
How long do I have to complete the program? The program kicks off June 11th, 2007 and officially wraps up on September 18th, 2007. The staff that complete all 23 Things by September 18th, 2007 will receive an MP3 player and qualify for the final prize drawing.
How do I track my progress for each of the 23 Things? Each staff member that chooses to participate in this program will be required to keep a blog to track their progress and will also need to register their blog with the program administrators.
Why 23 things instead of having participants do 43 things like the website? Given the time frame of the program (14 weeks), the number of "things" was reduced so that staff already burdened with busy work schedules wouldn't feel overwhelmed by having too many discovery exercises to complete in a week. Also, it takes a lot of effort to create and develop 23 separate exercises!
Will there be any training classes offered to show staff how to do this? Yes! There will be staggered weekly workshop sessions for staff who would like support.
I've seen the list of 23 Things on the website, but how do I know what to do with them? Each week, two or three posts will be added to the Learning 2.0 blog with details about the discovery exercises for that week. The reason for this staggered approach is to allow participants the ability to focus each week on a different area without feeling overwhelmed.
What if I need help - who can I call? Try attending one of the weekly workshop sessions for extra help. Remember, your co-workers are a great source of assistance too!
I would like to earn the MP3 player but don't feel comfortable with my co-workers reading my blog, can I participate anonymously? Yes & No. Since you control all the information that you share on your blog, you can choose to use a screen name to identify yourself or to keep yourself anonymous. However, in order to receive the MP3 player and qualify for the final drawing, you will need to identify yourself when you register your blog with the program administrators. Your record of progress will only be viewable to program administrators.
Once I complete all 23 things, how do I get my prize? USB MP3 Players will be distributed after completion of the program.
When will the drawing take place for the laptop? The drawing for the laptop will take place September 20th, 2007 during the program finale. In order to qualify for the drawing, staff must complete all 23 Things by September 18th, 2007.

Don't find your question answered here? Please contact the program administrators.

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About the Learning 2.0 Project