#23 End or Beginning???? Ramblings

I nearly didn't start this journey at all. It was something I was very interested in doing - but week one started the very week my 3 weeks holiday also began. I was really looking forward to my leave as the last 12 months work changing from one Library Management system ( GEAC) to the new LMS ( Sisi) had taken place and I was in dire need of a break. My energy and drive and enthusiasm were rock bottom. I felt overloaded, well and truly -and the thought of this extra workload - even though it was supposed to be more exploration and fun , left me feeling

- not another thing to do and I felt like I was being pushed over the edge. The thought of being three/ four weeks behind on my return left me wondering if it was all too much for me at this time, I thought I should give my place up to another staff.
Well needless to say as I have reached this point, that - I didn't give it up and I wasn't behind because I allowed time during my holiday to venture into this explorative learning experience.

Now I am at the end I am feeling like- WOW I did it and WOW this really isn't the end- but at least anything I now take on for my explorative ongoing learning will be set by me in my own good time - I have just explored the tip of the iceberg.

My favourite and most rewarding thing was actually setting up this blog, and WOW sometimes someone out there even put a comment on my blog. It made me realise the potential of communicating with others out there in cyberspace who are on similar wavelengths and what a valuable communication tool for sharing information.
In total it has been a whirlwind of learning. There were some things I took to easier than others, but hey -that's what makes us all different.

The learning 2.0 program made me aware of what online resources are available. Next time someone comes into the library and asks about Flickr, or Wiki, or YouTube, or deli.icio.us or Bloglines - I won't look at them with a blank vacant stare.

Another favourite was YouTube but I got something out of each week. Some of it I thought I wouldn't have time for and remembering all the sites I have registered for and the passwords etc !!!! Remembering my email and bank pins and passwords are enough.

If it wasn't for this learning experience I wouldn't have known about all all the other sites out there and their usefulness.
This program did take up much more of my time than I thought it would. Exploring what the weeks activities were about and having a go at them , then blogging about it took hours. Even though there were only ( only!!!) 23 things, each thing often took you off into 3 or 4 other different / related things. All the time dedicated to this was in my own time as my workload is over full - my family started saying - Oh she's off working and blogging again - why don't you want to watch this movie or do this with us?????

Unexpected Outcomes - even though I moaned about it some weeks and my family missed me while I had my head in the computer , the keyboard jumping and using up the families broadband allowance - I'm glad I did it. I'm please with myself for doing it and for completing it as I had my doubt about this in the beginning.
I guess with so much dependence on technology and with new emerging technologies we need to create new forms of service and reach out in new ways to users, training like this at least keeps you aware of the changes happening.

Well done to to all those involved in the creation of Learning 2.0
Thanks for the opportunity to learn, thanks for enabling the learning and encouraging me ( I Loved my encouragement certificate) -now it's up to me to keep learning because - "The times they are a changing...." and it really was just the tip of the iceberg.