Morning Day 10: Not so info overloaded

[Beth]

I did more research last night, and I feel less info overloaded. I realized that on Google Reader, I don't have to look at all of the RSS feeds for a search at once--I can look at the blog results, the news results, the podcast results, etc. separately, and for me, that is a lot less overwhelming. I sent a few things that I found to Tumblr, but I felt apprehensive and self-conscious in doing so. I guess I felt that others would look at what I had sent and wonder why I had chosen those pieces to be a part of my research. Especially since I'm a librarian I felt pressure that my research results had to reflect high quality, relevant stuff. Yet, during the research process, I always grab up a lot of stuff that might not be so relevant yet, but that I want to keep because it might lead me to other helpful resources, but I wasn't sure that others looking at my research findings would be able to see any usefulness in what I had chosen to grab. Unless they can get into my crazy mind, the stuff I chose to keep probably seems useless.

I think that this sense of self-consciousness relates to the discussion we were having this morning about how when we're teaching how to use a new technological tool, do we want to be completely confident in it or do we want to be learners along with our audience and explore and discover the tool as we go along. For me, I know that I know a lot about researching, but I never feel completely confident in it, which I think is what Paul was saying--because using technology and doing research are such messy, unpredictable processes, I model for students what I do but also let them know that they can and should discover their own processes for completing the steps of the research process that work best for them. In this sense, I think that Paul meant that we can be confident in something but still be open and flexible to discovering new functions for that tool or process and for exploring different ways of using that tool or process to fulfill different needs. For me, I do not want to seem like I am the research expert to my students--I try to let them know that I have done a lot of research and I love doing research, but that there is no one right way to do it and that I am always learning new ways to complete this process more efficiently and effectively, and that as they go through this process themselves, I challenge them to discover new ways of completing the steps and to teach me, and the rest of the class, so that we can all increase our understanding together.

So, after this reflection, I'm now feeling more comfortable sharing my research findings on Tumblr as I realize that no one will be judging my research findings, and even if they are, it doesn't matter because I am going through the trial and error process--which research always requires, no matter how many times you've done it--so if my research seems messy, irrelevant, or unorganized it is, but that's exactly the way it should be at this point.

[Felicia]

I think what the social networking medium helps us do, in an ironical way, is to get over ourselves. Although blogging and communicating online is all about "me", who really cares in the long run? You will hear from those who do and then you can either block then or engage in a conversation that will lead to deeper learning for you and them.