Top Tips October 9, 2007

Hi everyone

since beginning the Web 2.0 project I’ve used so many different tools, some of them i wouldn’t want to be without, and some of them have used only once. Here are my recommendations and raves and thoughts and suggestions!

• del.icio.us – could NOT live without this, probably because I’ve found many uses for it as a non-work tool too! Seems to be easiest to use if you download Firefox, and I recommend having a good nosy/browse through other people’s bookmarks – it’s a really great way of coming across like minded people, a bit like having a chat and sharing your favourite books.
• wikis – heaps of potential for making life easier, especially when doing collaborative work with others…even if you all work in the same building or city! It can mean you eliminate the need for that string of emails – you know when you’ve been away from your emails for a day or two, come back and start at the bottom and put in  your diary that your next meeting is Tues at 3…then scroll up and learn Fred can’t make it then, so it’s now Tues at 11…but Mary checked and the room’s not free then so it’s now Thurs at 1, but in a different office…blah blah blah meanwhile you’re going slowly mad. Wikis can shortcut all that background stuff just the essential and clear info is left – give it a go! I recommend www.wikispaces.com and check out the definition of occupational therapy on wikipedia
• igoogle – lots of fun and another great way of simplifying life
• www.youtube.com not just somewhere to go to watch dodgy videos! There are loads of great occupational therapy clips – you can watch therapy sessions, learn about therapy roles, and pick up great resources (check out my youtube post)
• blogs – how could i forget???? After making mine for professional development purposes (and it has been really interesting) I’d make my next one a personal one, so i could go ahead and rant about all sorts of stuff that has nothing to do with work, and put pictures of my cat out there legitimately (yes, mine would be one of those crazy-cat-lady ones!)

If i was engaging in some post-grad study, or more active in academic pursuits (ha!) i would have used some of the other tools more, so you might want to look at CiteULike, Google Scholar etc too. But as for SecondLife – it freaks me out – what do you think???!!!

 And finally, you don’t need to be any kind of technical whizz or genius – have computer, can do it! It just takes a little practice and application, like most things the more you do it and the more you use these tools the more everyday they’ll seem – remember the first time you used the internet? Did you ever think it would become such an integral part of you professional development?

It’s not all smooth sailing

Giving something new a go is often a little tricky to start with, but I really recomend persevering with these tools – you’ve got so much to gain. Some of the things that have worked for me…

• confidentiality – not being able to be identifiable in my professional/workplace role has meant having to really think before posting on my blog so that none of my clients are exposed, or my employer. This has meant I’ve limited posts and reflecting on clinical issues to pretty much nothing, but I’m sure it can be done! Sometimes it means that the hard work and reflecting is done well before posting something so that what’s posted is a”percolated” version of my thoughts
• do it regularly – what ever you’re trying to get the hang of, don’t leave it too long between accessing. If you’re anything like me you’ll think you’ll remember for next time, but if next time is too far away….it’s gone….and it all seems foreign and new again
• share it with others – one of the best things about this project has been sharing info and resources with others, and seeing the “real life” applications
• get good technical support – this was easy as we met weekly and there was always a couple of technically savvy people there, meaning frustration levels didn’t get too high, and nothing (read, computers)got thrown out the window!
• get over feeling you’re intruding – going into other people’s del.icio.us bookmarks isn’t intruding, it’s what they’re there for!

YouTube

There are heaps of YouTube videos out there showing what occupational therapists do – most of them American, so nothing that I’ve found that shows kiwis. But if you spend a bit of time trawling through everything I’m sure you’ll find something relevant. Here’s a couple that I’ve found that look good:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7jhY6bc10C8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IIxBabhz_zw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wau9cgdyT0A

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvhzHlrargU&mode=related&search=multiple%20sclerosis%20neurologist%20psychologist%20occupational%20therapist%20OT%20MS%20Trust

The project’s over but… September 19, 2007

Although our project with Merrolee officially ended a few weeks ago, I’m still learning heaps about the potential for Web 2.0 tools, and almost daily am thinking of ways of using these tools in my practice and professional debvleopment.

Really looking forward to presenting at the NZAOT Clincial Workshops in October (www.nzaot.com) and I hope that lots of people take the opportunity to come along and learn a little (or a lot) about what’s out there and how it can be of use to us.

This week I’ve been working with some colleauges and staff from an Occupational Therapy School on putting together an academic proposal. Over the past year (yep, it’s taken us THAT long) we’ve had a couple of false starts, and it’s taken a while to organise even some of the most simple things. This isn’t from want of trying or effort, it’s just been really tricky for us all to co-ordinate diaires and figure out when we’re all available, let alone putting in the brain power when we meet! This week, we’ve gotten really close to finalising our research question, and it finally struck me that using a wiki to plan and organise our meetings and ideas would help to streamline things. In the past someone’s suggested a meeting time or research idea, and 700 emails later we confirm something, meanwhile I’ve responded to the first person’s email, someone else responded to the second persons, and round and round we go!

So although that’s a pretty straightforward example of how to make use of a WEb 2.0 tool, I imagine it’s going to make this project SO much better. Clever eh?!

PowerPoint presentation Web 2.0 August 20, 2007

Web 2.0

Good Morning August 6, 2007

This week I’m presenting to occupational colleagues about the Web 2.0 project and tools I’ve learnt about. I only have a couple of days (plans of being super-organised didn’t quite work out!) but i thought i would focus on what I got out of the project, and in particular my “favourite” tools. So participants should expect to hear a lot about del.icio.us and less about the ones i didn’t quite pick up, or have now forgotten (it’s been a few weeks now you know!)

I’ll also talk about my reflections on the project and tool, and Merrolee I know if you’re reading this you’ll be wanting me to reflect on my blog too….I promise i will!!!

Right, better get to it,

later.

Hello visitors! June 15, 2007

Hello to anyone I work with who has found their way to my blog. PLEASE leave a message (just go to the comment icon below this and take it from there) and let me know you’ve been here, and what you think. Have a look at my del.icio.us bookmarks – on the right – it’s a list of interesting and useful sites and resources I’ve come across…not all work related!

Also, keep a watch on the definition of occupational therapy in http://www.wikipedia.org – what do you think of it so far? We’re going to be adding to it and hopefully giving it more of a kiwi flavour!

Sprung! May 25, 2007

Colleagues are on to me! Those not involved in the Web 2.0 project are starting to ask questions about what we’re up to, learning, and how useful it is. Thought the five of us who work together could present to the other occupational therapists…including sending out our blog addresses so others can have a look. Must remember to ask the others on Monday night….!

Saturday May 18, 2007

Yep, that’s right, I’m making anohter posting, and it’s the weekend! I’m in the office putting the finishing touches to a lecture I’m giving to 2nd year Occupational Therapy students next week, and also catching up on homework for the Web 2.0 project.

I’m getting a lot out of each class, and am looking forward to feeling savvy enough to share what I’ve learnt with colleagues (any day now, ha ha!) I think tools like del.icio.us will be really popular with my team as we all spend a bit of time on the computer and everyone here likes to keep up with what’s out there, whether it’s research or great clinical/client resources. The bloglines would probably be good to share too, but like me, I think most of my colleagues think of blogs as being more about people sharing personal rather than professional information. Who knows – only one way to find out!

MONDAY! May 14, 2007

Somehow Mondays come around much faster than every other day, and each week I realise how slack I’ve been with my postings…whoops!

Last week in class we discussed what the purpose of our blogs was, and I think mine is intended to be a “stop-off” for other occupational therapists who may share either a practice interest or be keen on the same resources I am. I hope that others who stop by here will find my del.icio.us site useful, and it’s an added bonus if you leave a message.

I’m really enjoying coming across other occupational therapists’ blogs, and am really impressed especially by some of the OT students out there – where do you find the time, and motivation?!

Merrolee has talked a bit about the Web 2.0 resources being there to aid our social networking, and I think that’s something I need to work on to lure people here! But before I do that I’ll have a chat with my manager to check that it’s OK to disclose a bit more about where I work and what I do. That has held me back as while I’d love to be specific about my work (without breaking client confidentiality) I can’t say too much yet – very cloak and dagger!