"sticky"

As someone who started using Facebook (though never MySpace)four years ago I can personally attest to just how much time can be wasted on this type of social networking site. These sites are "sticky" or keep users returning because of the service they offer. Social networking sites allow you to connect and interact with friends, family, co-workers and even strangers anytime of day right from your own computer. Additionally, you can reconnect with old friends and receive up to date news on friends you don't see very often. Also, it's quite amazing just how much information people are willing to freely include on these sites. Want to know where you old college roommate is working or if someone from high school got married? Social networking sites can often provide this information in just a few clicks. Finally, the sheer amount of content and services offered by these sites can keep users busy for hours. Perhaps you log on just to check for updates...but then you see so-and-so uploaded new pictures, so-and-so sent you a happy hour drink, so-and-so challenged you to a trivia game...and before you know hours have passed. These sites are highly entertaining and offer amazing social networking capabilities that can keep users occupied for hours.

Youtube Videos

I thought everyone did a great job on their videos; very creative. My favorite would have to be SL's "Meet the Lewis Family". I thought the music, the font, everything just went really well together and it looked great! You can view it here.

screencast

I decided to give a brief introduction to livejournal for my screencast. Livejournal is pretty easy to use but I figured it would be a good introduction to screencasting. Trying to fit the page in the recommended window size was a bit of a struggle.




screencast

Educational Videos

When I think of educational videos, the first thing that pops into my mind are the cheesy videos we used to watch in health class. With that being said I think education videos can still be relevant today. Successful education videos should have the same elements as entertainment videos: a good presentation (editing, filming, acting, etc) and interesting subject matter. Video format has the ability to grab the user's attention and almost provide hands-on instruction by showing, rather than through text. I love watching the food network, which is entertainment but also provides lots of instruction.

Educational videos can also provide the audience information in a fun and exciting format. I remember when "Planet Earth" first aired on Discovery Channel. Several of my friends, who would NEVER read a nature documentary book, loved the series. Educational videos can survive by providing information but also mixing in a little quality entertainment.

Flickr

In the SCILS-edexperience group I notice lots of similarities. For instance, many of us seem to include our computer and desk area in our education experience, certainly a huge part of this class. It's interesting to see the different libraries where people work. Although most of us are attending the same university, we each have unique view on the SCILS educational experience.

In the SCILS group I see lots of pets, places, art and events.

Youtube Video

For my entertainment video I decided to make a movie trailer. The footage is taken from the Prelinger Archive, which has a bunch of old commercials and educational videos. All the footage in the Archive is public domain and people are encouraged to use the it for their own projects. The music/sound was already in iMovie.




Youtube Link

Education Video-blip.tv

I work in an academic library and tons of undergraduates come in with no idea how to read a call number; I made a video with them in mind.

Click To Play

Blip.tv Link