BA Library Online: The Flow and Structure of MOOCS and Online Classes

Here is another throwback post. The 23 Mobile Things is a MOOC created and delivered by librarians from the Philippines and Singapore back in 2014.The MOOC is designed to assist librarians in learning, using and implementing twenty three mobile apps into the services and programs of their libraries. Nanyang Technological University Library and the Rizal Library of ADMU hosted the MOOC.

Five years is a long time ago but there is learning and insight to be had because the contents and the design of the MOOC are still applicable in our current experience of online learning. Do take note that the MOOC is designed for adult learners. But the creators set a structure and a method for communicating content, the learning activities that go with it and an online chat or conversation. There is entrance, engagement and an exit in each "thing".

For example, a Getting Started Page is set-up for participants of the MOOC. A point of entry is then established. In Thing 14, which is about mobile apps for curation like Pinterest Tumblr Storify and Scoopit, curation is briefly introduced and defined. This is followed by thinking and exploratory activities on the four curation apps.Engagement with the content in the form of a text, media and/or technology happens. Facilitators then schedule and lead a group chat or conversation among participants online. A wrap-up of the online chat is the exit or the end of the cycle until the next "thing".

Entrance. Engagement. Exit. That's the structure. The sequence. The flow.

In our last faculty meeting before campus closure, the Head of School (HOS) presented three parts to structure an online class -- Consume, Communicate. Create. It would be interesting to see how this structure or flow translate into practice.

23 Mobile Things PH SG: Things 15 ,16 & Catching Up on Things 13 & 14

I'm a returning mentor for Thing #16: Ebooks & Ebook Apps this week on 23 Mobile Things PH SG. It's a fun week since there are two things going on in 23 Mobile Things apart from mine. Thing # 15 Adobe ID is also up for reading and discussion.

It's a smart move for Joan Wee and Karryl Sagun to put these two things together in the same week as these two things are connected. Mentor Persues Rex Molina provides a thorough and practical use of Adobe ID to access Adobe Ebooks, while I lend insight and strategies on using ebook apps and setting up an ebook collection in the library. I come from the school library background, while Mr. Molina brings forth his experience in an academic library setting. It's going to be an exciting convo this coming Saturday, May 17 at 10.30AM Manila time, I predict!

To make Thing 16 more exciting and engaging (I hope), I'm giving away copies of my books for the first five librarians who will do and submit any of the three activities I designed.

As for the past Things, particularly 13 and 14, I updated the links in About Me and added apps like Facebook, Twitter, Tumbler and Blogger in my account there. I'm relearning Tumblr all over again. I discovered I have a microblog in Tumblr: In Between Shelves. Now I'm thinking of using it to tell the back stories on my published books, or share success stories on reading, books and my library advocacy. We'll see. I've really no intent in using Tumblr for specific library work, so I suppose I'll optimize it for developing my personal and professional learning network (PLNs).

23 Mobile Things # 11 and # 12: Augmented Reality & Games

If you missed my post on Thing # 11, here is the link to the Book Love activity I did using ThingLink. It's my second favorite as Flashissue happens to be the first. Overall, what I am having fun with in 23 Mobile Things is the process of creating stuff using things. Ooops. That sounds vague.

I mean, I enjoy learning about the apps introduced every week and I enjoy it even more that I'm capable of creating content using the apps for personal and professional purposes. I have been using Flashissue as the library's e-newsletter for over a month now and teachers reply back to me on resources I recommend and apps I feature in the newsletter.

Last week, I had a ball exploring ThingLink. I discovered it as a cool tool to feature books I've read and recommend these to library readers. I like these two the best, so far, since I found the apps so easy to use. I learned making the e-newsletter in an hour with all the basic bells and whistles. The same with ThingLink. But, content really matters big time. While these apps allowed me to blend technology, content matters.

Now that Thing 12 has been up since last week, I'm trying to figure out how to use games in the library. One thing I know for sure, this is one Thing in the 23 Mobile Things that I need to put aside for now and go back to during the summer. The apps recommended for Thing 12: Games look easy to learn. No coding needed. But, a certain degree of logic and a knowledge of basic design, plus a clever story is needed to put one end with the other.

My list of to dos for 23 Mobile Things is getting longer. Just saying. Time management is the key here. I have learned in the past that technology use and integration must be well thought out. Never jump into the tech bandwagon immediately. Study. Strategize. Experiment. Assess. Evaluate. And yes, I'll bog to document my learning experiences in 23 Mobile Things.

23 Mobile Things PH & SG: #s 4 & 5: Maps & Checking In Photos+Maps+Apps

Here's an update on stuff I do at 23 Mobile Things PH & SG:

I've added a badge of Historypin in the blog as I've set up an account. I plan to create a channel of my travels as workshop facilitator, resource speaker and author to different schools and communities. I also intend to create tours of international conferences I've been to and will be going to in the future. I am still in the process of learning this app on photo archiving.

What would make Historypin different from Flickr and other photo apps out there? Technology is fascinating, but the librarian in me could not help but look for order in chaos. I'm trying to be poetic here. I just find the wealth of apps and Web 2.0 freebies overwhelming at times. There must be a way to put things in order and to categorize these apps and freebies into useful mechanism that will aid in content development and construction of knowledge.

Another app I've downloaded (in my iPhone) is Readar from LibraryThing. I think I'll be able to share my experiences with these apps as I go along, using and exploring its functionality in daily life applications.

Technology is pretty cool and yes, in this day and age, it's not just a tool but an environment that needs to be managed.

23 Mobile Things PH&SG: Thing # 3: Email Marketing

Thing #3 is Email Marketing.

This is all I can say about this week's topic: It is new technology for me and it's taking me a while to learn the whole thing. I've done a couple of Enewsletters using FlashIssue and MailChimp. I sent this to 23 Mobile Things' email add and I'm a bit successful. I think. My blogging experience helped me figure the navigation and design of both apps but this is new stuff for me. Blogger is indeed old school. And yes, I feel old too. Hahaha!

But, I'm a self declared learner for life so I'll keep trying until I figure things out completely in MailChimp and FlashIssue. I can use either apps to repackage and reformat information needed to disseminate to readers in our high school library. Apart from news and updates on readers' services, I can use the Enewsletter as tool to communicate Information Literacy Skills topics. For example, an introduction to the research cycle may take one whole period to teach. That's an hour. As follow through, an e-newsletter will help me remind students on relevant concepts about the research cycle. The cool thing about sending this e-newsletter is that, I can make a mailing list and presto! The e-newsletter is sent to recipients.

I take it that there are two prerequisites here: one is learning the apps; two is the digestion of content. Oh Father Time, please be a friend!

E-newsletter using FlashIssue

Ecampaign using MailChimp

23 Mobile Things PH&SG: Thing #2 Photo Apps

It's all about Photo Apps in 23 Mobile Things PH & SG this week.

I'm not a big Instagram fan and I only post in IG when I feel like it but I definitely love taking photos. So you'll find all sorts of pictures in my IG account should you visit me there or choose to follow me. However, recent upgrade in my mobile has made IG more interesting as I can use Pic Collage, post it on IG and link the post to Twitter. Twitter then sends the link to FB. Ah, social media magic!

Collage of new books posted in IG

Should you visit the 23 Mobile Things PH & SG website, you'll read about a blog entry of Hedren Sum from Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. He has recommended a slew of Thinking as it asks relevant questions on the use of the said technology. More than knowing how to use technology, understanding the why of using technology is just as important.

Here are my answers to the questions:

When was the last time you printed out photographs you have taken? What could be the reason behind this?

I have not printed out any of my photos. But I might. I'll Tweet and tag #23mthingsphsg.

How could your library use photographs to promote library services, events and activities?

I used Pic Collage to combine photos of new books. I sent this to our school's mailing list. By day's end, we received five book reservations!

Do you have a permission form available so that when you take photographs of clients or events, you have their agreement for those images to be used and shared online?

This is a good suggestion and I'll try this out.

How easy is it for clients to contribute digital photographs to your library collection (eg. local history)?

This question prompts me to look at the library's photo collection. For now, all are stored in digital folders and in CDs as back ups. But, yes. It is good to revisit procedures on how the community can take part in building the library's collection.

A sample of my book spine poem to entice high school kids to join the contest. Posted in IG too.

Thanks to Karryl and Joan for this wonderful initiative, and to Hedren for the content he provided in Thing #2! I had fun answering the questions.

23 Mobile Things PH & SG

Filipino Librarian Karryl Kim Sagun and Joan Wee of Singapore teamed up for 23 Mobile Things PH & SG, a self paced online course that provides discussion and interaction on 23 mobile things that libraries can use to deliver services. Scheduled to run on a weekly basis for 23 weeks, participants register, log-in and engage with moderators and co-participants in the course from all over the world. Started in 2006 by Helen Blowers, 23 Mobile Things has been replicated by librarians from different countries like Denmark, Australia and New Zealand.

Today, January 17, is the start of the first 23 Mobile Things discussion. Thing #1 is Twitter. Aaron Tay from the National University of Singapore Libraries moderates.

If you have not registered, you can still catch up. Register in 23 Mobile Things. Once you have registered, join in the conversation in Twitter by using #23MThingsPHSG.

I will be moderating Thing #10 and Thing #16. See you online!