Week 6 "Thing" 14

Technorati is a fun tool to explore (although not to be used with kids...I came across some some inappropriate language!), but it's an easy way to sort through others' posts. I used the OpenID Claim to claim my blog and after doing so, it gave me a rank (like 2,900,000 or something like that!) and an "authority" number. I'm not sure how Technorati decides these numbers, but I guess it'll do (for now!).

To me, tagging has one major flaw: not using a common language--much like subject headings with books. The students in my school always ask for "funny books," but barely any books use "funny"--it's "humorous." I have yet to find an elementary school student to search for "humorous" on their own in the OPAC! As a mini-solution, I had students create their own tags for books at our library: http://fosterbooklists.wikispaces.com/ (This link will probably resurface on the "wiki post.") I transferred these tags into our OPAC, so now first graders can search for "funny" "funne" or "funy" books (the most common misspellings). Tags are opened with a common language.

Of course, I had to search for my name on Technorati and was surprised that only a few of the results were from my own blog!

The challenge was to tag a post in html in Technorati...I'm always up for a challenge, and slowly learning html....Although I do have to wonder why there isn't an easier way to do this...
Technorati Tag: SJLibrary2.0 Did that work? I'll have to double check!