What's a widget?

I've seen the term "Web 2.0" several times and not wanting to look or sound ignorant, decided to look around the web for what it is.
Wikipedia says " Web 2.0" refers to what is perceived as a second generation of web development and web design. It is characterized as facilitating communication, information sharing, interoperability, User-centered design[1] and collaboration on the World Wide Web. It has led to the development and evolution of web-based communities, hosted services, and web applications. Examples include social-networking sites, video-sharing sites, wikis, blogs, mashups and folksonomies." (Wikipedia, 2009)
So I guess this (my blog) is Web 2.0 stuff.
I found an interesting article about Web 2.0 and some New York libraries using grant money to help students access reference materials through the public libraries.
They will use widgets which is a small mechanical device to send the students doing homework and assignments to the correct places in the reference databases.
Teachers and librarians will have training on this in November. They hope to have the first one going by Dec. 1, 2009. Check out the article.
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/article/CA6666827.html?industryid=47079

Twittering

I have to be honest... I never looked at a blog until I got this assignment. I had heard about blogs, just never thought they pertained to me. Now the new sensation... Twitter. So should I learn about it before I get an assignment? (No, Rachel, it's not a hint)
I read an article where the teacher used Twitter to assess high school students on the levels of hell in Dante's Inferno. They had to describe each level as if they were Dante writing to Beatrice.
Read it for yourself: http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/article/CA6647718.html
I thought it was a very interesting way to incorporate technology in the classroom.

Librarian lay-offs

I just read a horrible article on the Library Journal's webpage. It is about school districts in Washington state cutting out having a media specialist in the library and putting in aides. The slms, instead of being laid off are moving to classrooms because of the increase in students. There are other articles about lay-offs of librarians in California, Arizona, etc... It is worrisome in this time of economic hardship! Read the article at http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/article/CA6663004.html?rssid=190

Mandy Moo

By the way- my family and some friends call me Mandy Moo or MooMoo (my brother across Wal-Mart especially) because I collect black and white cows.

Glad to meet all of you!

It was so fun to meet all of you today. It was a great learning day. I really learned that I have a lot to learn about technology trends. This is my first blog-doing one and seeing one. Have a blessed day!!

All About Me

My name is Kathleen Amanda Brady (maiden name, now middle name) Bennett. My nickname is Mandy. This is my first semester at UCA. I taught second grade for 9 years and this past year was the LMS for my school, Norfork Elementary. I am loving it.
My family and I live in Mountain Home. We moved here from Louisiana 12 years ago. My husband of 15 years, Randy, is the love of my life. My son, Cullen, is 16 yrs. old, 6'1" with a size 15 shoe and still growing. I have a step-daughter, Sheena, and 4 wonderful grandkids: Tamara (8), Lexie (5), Taylor (4) and Skylar (almost 3). They live in Texas, so I miss them a lot.