Challenge: 11.5 - Musings

The COSA 11.5 program has been very insightful and interesting.  I have explored some new concepts like the PLN, Learning Express, Novelist databases. This is a great way to explore especially for those not familiar with such concepts.  It's great that the library has been working to include this type of professional development.  It's self-paced and easy to fit into a short period of time.  More opportunities to learn via this platform is needed.

Lesson 11 Challenge - PLN

I have several PLN access points.  I love to use Pinterest to learn about Leadership qualities, create programming boards, and relationship pins.  I use Facebook groups to learn about and support my weight loss and weight lifting interests.  I have tried Twitter and it's just not my cup of tea.

Lesson 10 Challenge

7:35 PM - 7:45 PM (10 min)

14  

7:38 PM from El Sendero & Thousand Oaks  on time

 9 min every 30 min

7:35 PM

Thousand Oaks Library

4618 Thousand Oaks, San Antonio, TX 78233

Walk

 About 3 min , 0.1 mi

7:38 PM

El Sendero & Thousand Oaks

1414 Perrin Beitel INB

 1 min (3 stops)  on time · Stop ID: 17327

7:39 PM

El Sendero & Naco-Perrin

Walk

 About 6 min , 0.3 mi

7:45 PM

McDonald's

11482 Perrin Beitel Road, San Antonio, TX 78217

Rates

VIA offers its patrons and array of fare options. Choose the one that's right for you. You can buy passes, tickets and special event tokens at the VIA Online Store, VIA Information Centers, or from one of numerous retail outlets including most H-E-B stores.

Fares	Full	Reduced
Regular Bus	$1.30	$.65
Express Bus Service	$2.60	$1.30
Transfers	$.15	$.07
VIATrans Service	$2.00
VIATrans Child	$.90
Special Events Service	$2.50	$1.25
Vanpool Service	See pricing schedule

The cost of the bus fare from Thousand Oaks to the McDonalds at 11482 Perrin Beitel Road will be 1.30 because there are no transfers involved.  However, the patrons that I encounter wouldn't be interviewing at the closest McDonalds to us. They would be interviewing at the one on Walzem and wouldn't want to take any bus but the 632 which doesn't come over to Thousand Oaks.  Their appointment would be at 1:30 and it will be 1:15 when they're standing here telling us their delimma about why they don't want to take any bus other than the 632.

Lesson 9 Challenge

I chose the Made with Code coding lesson.  The allure is the Disney Inside Out movie and that the subject of the coding exercise is a girl.  The actual coding doesn't have anything to do with who can use the code.  It was a bit difficult to figure out exactly what I was doing wrong.  The hints the program gave didn't fit the problem I was experiencing.  It gave me the suggestion to modify my walk block when the problem was with the angle at which I was attempting to jump onto the railing.  I chose 90 degrees when I should have chosen 45.  Once I figured out that was the problem the coding worked and the girl slid down the railing.  This is also the same sort of coding that is used in Lego's Mindstorm robotics programming software.  Very interesting, although it doesn't really show the programming behind the scenes.  That may not be necessary.

Lesson 8 Challenge Option 1

• Situation 1:  You are having a virtual meeting with a colleague at a nearby branch; discussing a potential collaborative program between the two branches.
• Situation 2: You are conducting a virtual reference interview with a patron; this is your first time meeting this patron, so you have no background information about their interests or likes.
• Use your imagination and write a brief paragraph explaining the details of both situations. (Explain the collaborative program and specify what the patron is searching for, etc.)

Then write about …

1. The benefits of having the meeting online rather than in person
2. Any challenges, inconveniences, or issues you encountered
3.  If you would meet online with this person again
4.  If you would meet with anyone else online, and who might that be
5. Would a traditional in person meeting have been better? Why?

The collaborative program would be computer classes offered at two different branches.  Each week the two partners would take turns offering computer classes to both branches patrons via videoconferencing technology.  The benefits would be preparation for half as many computer classes.  Challenges would be whether there are technical difficulties at either of the branches, updates to computer software, availability of the space, etc.  Depending on whether or not the two collaborators are comfortable with the technology will help to determine whether the meeting occurred again.  It's preferable to have knowledgeable, confident users operate the equipment.  Training in person is sometimes better to address specific problems occurring with the equipment and give specialized assistance to students one on one without engaging the entire group.

Conducting a reference interview with someone makes it difficult to walk the patron to the area of interest and browse for materials on the subjects they are researching. I was working with a patron looking for materials that would give her information on horse training. A virtual meeting would allow for Internet research but research in the physical space would require the patron to use someone that was in the actual physical space to help them locate the actual materials in the library space itself.

Lesson 7 Challenge

Unfortunately I haven't experienced any fun 404 page errors.  I typically get the standard.

Lesson 6 Challenge

Novelist

A Man Called Ove has several read alikes that are up-beat.

Beautiful Ruins
Good Omens
Wonder Boys
The Red Notebook
Dead Over Heels
Not Working
etc