Oftentimes when searching I would search through one single phrase and a very few variations. In this project I definitely was having to tweak my search terms just to make sure I wasn't missing a groundbreaking collection of material. By the end of the search process I was quickly scanning the webpages to see if they held anything of interest to me if not I moved on, if the website was appealing I would also play around on it to see if there were any other useful bits hiding anywhere.I will admit that by the end it felt like I had used every search term possible and was just hitting a brick wall.
I discovered some really handy features during this project, Delicious and bubbl.us for example and will try to use them again for any future tasks that I may take on. Delicious would certainly come in handy at work if I want to keep a collection of websites for programs and such since I bounce between 3 different computers on a given day.
Monday, September 26, 2011
Wishing
There were highs and lows with this project. I was discouraged by the books that I ultimately brought home, while useful they were more from a motivational standpoint and I was more interested in finding out what natural natural cleaners could be made at home. In the coming weeks I may stop by the Main Library to see what books are in the collection there (I don't want to waste my precious 5 holds to have items brought to my branch). Secondly there were a lot of website to sort through and so many different word combinations to search. I came to trust blogs more than standard websites, this was mostly due to the fact that the blogs oftentimes had hundreds of comments with users giving their own experience with the recipe or suggesting their own.
A different approach would be to do a full comparison of the different recipes and determine which ones clean best, in a visual way since I obviously can't conduct science tests on my surfaces. This technique would result in a very confident list of recipes.
I feel as though children and young adults might not collect a wide variety of cleaning recipes, thinking to only get the most basic. My search was very Internet heavy which is the main information gathering process for kids, at least the ones that I have encountered.
A different approach would be to do a full comparison of the different recipes and determine which ones clean best, in a visual way since I obviously can't conduct science tests on my surfaces. This technique would result in a very confident list of recipes.
I feel as though children and young adults might not collect a wide variety of cleaning recipes, thinking to only get the most basic. My search was very Internet heavy which is the main information gathering process for kids, at least the ones that I have encountered.
Technology Uses
Throughout this project I used 4 technology elements. These were:
- Concept map-I developed a map using bubb.us to map out my search process at the very beginning. This helped me stay focuses on the subject.
- Social Bookmarks-I kept track of my important websites through Delicious, a definite benefit in organization.
- Electronic Communication-I almost gave up on Bern from ask-an-expert, but he pulled through for me in the end despite having heart surgery.
- Productivity-I developed a power point presentation to reveal my findings.
Wrapping and Waving
First and foremost this information is useful for anyone who is wanting to get away from the toxic cleaners that we have grown attached to. Generally this person is concerned with the health of kids, pets, and/or themselves. Still others are concerned about the impact the cleaners have on the environment and finally there are those who are interested in sustainable living.Secondly there may be students out there who are interested in the impact of toxic cleaners on the Earth for class work.
I have organized my recipes in a way that they are primarily grouped by rooms used, but also one category for all-purpose cleaners and another for miscellaneous cleaners. There are 30 recipes in all as of right now and I foresee adding more as I find them. The current sheets will be laminated and housed in my laundry room with the cleaning supplies. For those interested in seeing my current list it can be found here. I'd like to see more and more people move towards natural cleaners, but I'm not going to force it on them. I may consider making cleaning goodie baskets for family and friends who are interested. My library system puts out a monthly Wellness Newsletter, the information that I have discovered would be of great benefit to those in the company who are interested in natural cleaners.
I chose to create a power point presentation for those interested in gaining a brief overview of cleaning with natural products. This can be found here.
I have organized my recipes in a way that they are primarily grouped by rooms used, but also one category for all-purpose cleaners and another for miscellaneous cleaners. There are 30 recipes in all as of right now and I foresee adding more as I find them. The current sheets will be laminated and housed in my laundry room with the cleaning supplies. For those interested in seeing my current list it can be found here. I'd like to see more and more people move towards natural cleaners, but I'm not going to force it on them. I may consider making cleaning goodie baskets for family and friends who are interested. My library system puts out a monthly Wellness Newsletter, the information that I have discovered would be of great benefit to those in the company who are interested in natural cleaners.
I chose to create a power point presentation for those interested in gaining a brief overview of cleaning with natural products. This can be found here.
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Delicious is delicious!
Curriculum Connection
Since I don’t have much experience with education standards I was rather nervous to do this portion of the assignment, especially since there are so many standards. This particular subject could be useful for students in a few different fields; chemistry, social science and home economics (although I feel that the name of this class has been changed to something more pc) to name some. The levels of education could range easily from upper elementary and into college education, appealing to many students out there.
AASL Standards:
3.1.1 Throughout this process information inquiry has been at the forefront, analyzing different formats and critically looking at the resources found.
2.1.6 All elements of information literacy are used to complete a project like this. Users must express their findings in the best way possible, the search process itself has led the student to access their literacy skills.
4.3.1 One would expect that if a topic of interest to the individual would result in a greater passion in them. This would naturally lead them to discuss this subject with others who were not directly involved. I know in my own experience I have mentioned homemade natural cleaners with my sisters (one is intrigued and one thinks I’m crazy).
AASL Standards:
3.1.1 Throughout this process information inquiry has been at the forefront, analyzing different formats and critically looking at the resources found.
2.1.6 All elements of information literacy are used to complete a project like this. Users must express their findings in the best way possible, the search process itself has led the student to access their literacy skills.
4.3.1 One would expect that if a topic of interest to the individual would result in a greater passion in them. This would naturally lead them to discuss this subject with others who were not directly involved. I know in my own experience I have mentioned homemade natural cleaners with my sisters (one is intrigued and one thinks I’m crazy).
Friday, September 23, 2011
Ask-an-expert
I found Bern through the ask-an-expert webpage. I asked him about the best natural cleaner for carpets when you have cats and also for any other tips that he had for general upkeep. I was beginning to think that this service doesn't really work anymore since it had been a week and hadn't heard a peep from Bern. However, the email response that I received cleared my mind. Apparently Bern had heart surgery last week and forgot to forward his emails but he had some answers for me. The man had heart surgery but was still answering cleaning questions, dedication right there. Anyways, Bern recommended a cleaner called Nature's Miracle formulated for cats and available at most pet stores. I was happy to hear this as I've been using this brand for the last few years and it really is amazing. There are just four ingredients: water, enzymes, isopropyl alcohol, and natural citrus scent. Bern also recommended vacuuming, A LOT. I'm slightly surprised that he didn't hint that getting rid of the wall to wall carpet would be a great idea (something I'm considering for at least 3 of the rooms in my house).
All in all I think Bern was helpful, he confirmed the use of a product that I love and recommended something that won't cost me thousands of dollars. Win!
All in all I think Bern was helpful, he confirmed the use of a product that I love and recommended something that won't cost me thousands of dollars. Win!
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Wiggling and Weaving
The natural products craze is still going strong and because of this there is an overwhelming amount of information out there.I brought home about 8 books on the subject, our library system has over 200. This is nothing compared to the millions of results on the Internet. So with all of these possibilities how do we decide which ones to use? Callison (2006) mentions the 3 Phases that Mary Ann Fitzgerald developed to analyze the mass of information in front of me. Phase 1 has already been completed, keyword browsing. Phase 2 involves searching the subheadings and key intro paragraphs, also at this point the reader should make note as to whether the material is at the right level. Phase 3 requires the reader to go back over the material and compare it to what the reader knew beforehand and information that could be considered common knowledge.
No matter if you are dealing with a small amount of information or a large quantity its important to organize it in someway. Lamb (2011) highlights in her Information Inquiry website the many different ways to sort your subject matter, the 3 that would work most in my area would be chronological, alphabetical and classification. my own personal preference for this type is classification. I developed a chart that allows me to insert the appropriate recipes where needed. Categories: All-purpose, Kitchen, Bathroom, Flooring, Windows, and Laundry. This allows for the recipes to be much more organized.
The ultimate determining factor in whether or not the information is relevant is whether or not it is effective. Did it clean my counter? If not than that recipe is a dud, lets try a different one. Trial and error will become my friend over the next few months. Other elements that play into the decision are cost, ease of use and smell. Why these? If one cleaner is going to cost me $8 altogether and another will cost me $4, I'm going to first go with the $4 (unless it doesn't work). If the recipe is a hassle to make, a lot of steps or takes up too storage space (which I have precious amount of) than out it goes. Finally if the recipe leaves a lingering odor that I don't like I won't be making it. The ones that immediately come to mind are the recipes that use lavender oil, I'm allergic and gives me a nasty headache.
Below are the Recipe Templates that I have created for the project.
References:
Callison, D. (2006). The Blue Book on Information Age Inquiry, Instruction and Literacy. Libraries Unlimited: Connecticut.
Lamb, A. (2011). Virtual Information Inquiry. Retrieved from http://virtualinquiry.com/inquiry/weaving.htm
No matter if you are dealing with a small amount of information or a large quantity its important to organize it in someway. Lamb (2011) highlights in her Information Inquiry website the many different ways to sort your subject matter, the 3 that would work most in my area would be chronological, alphabetical and classification. my own personal preference for this type is classification. I developed a chart that allows me to insert the appropriate recipes where needed. Categories: All-purpose, Kitchen, Bathroom, Flooring, Windows, and Laundry. This allows for the recipes to be much more organized.
The ultimate determining factor in whether or not the information is relevant is whether or not it is effective. Did it clean my counter? If not than that recipe is a dud, lets try a different one. Trial and error will become my friend over the next few months. Other elements that play into the decision are cost, ease of use and smell. Why these? If one cleaner is going to cost me $8 altogether and another will cost me $4, I'm going to first go with the $4 (unless it doesn't work). If the recipe is a hassle to make, a lot of steps or takes up too storage space (which I have precious amount of) than out it goes. Finally if the recipe leaves a lingering odor that I don't like I won't be making it. The ones that immediately come to mind are the recipes that use lavender oil, I'm allergic and gives me a nasty headache.
Below are the Recipe Templates that I have created for the project.
Callison, D. (2006). The Blue Book on Information Age Inquiry, Instruction and Literacy. Libraries Unlimited: Connecticut.
Lamb, A. (2011). Virtual Information Inquiry. Retrieved from http://virtualinquiry.com/inquiry/weaving.htm
Friday, September 16, 2011
Webbing
The two main ways of collect BCBL (Better Cleaning=Better Living) products involves diving into books and websites (standard as well as blog). There are couple of other methods of information retrieval, family and friends and then there may be local organizations that recommend certain products and techniques.
During a break at the library I took the time to wander to the 648s. 648.5 seemed to encompass cleaning and this included green, simple and organic means. Another popular resource is the magazine RealSimple. Patrons of the library can find this information by searching through the online catalog with the keyword of 'cleaning.' Naturally this method is most successful depending on the library the patron frequents, the smaller branches are not going to have a large collection, whereas the Main Library will have an overwhelming amount of resources.
Google is my search engine of choice. Search combinations that can be used: green clean* home, organic clean* home, safe clean* home, simple clean* home, diy clean* home, make your own clean* home etc. If wanting to search for blogs than the addition of blog to the search bar would add that into the equation, although Google also offers a specific search engine for blogs.
Pros of Google: practically guaranteed to get a hit (Is the hit relevant though?), uses some synonyms such as house=home and pulls 'do it yourself' alongside 'diy.'
Cons of Google: way too many results, not all synonyms plugged in. These are all keywords that all fall in together: nontoxic, eco-friendly, green, organic, natural and safe. However results with these keywords do not appear all together. Subject headings would help very much in this type of situation, while this method can be very frustrating to some and found limiting it would be much nicer if one could search 'natural cleaning home' and retrieve the most relevant results without having to repeat the search again and again.
The Google search terms can be used for YouTube as well, although the best results appear when asking for a specific thing i.e. cleaning the sink.
During a break at the library I took the time to wander to the 648s. 648.5 seemed to encompass cleaning and this included green, simple and organic means. Another popular resource is the magazine RealSimple. Patrons of the library can find this information by searching through the online catalog with the keyword of 'cleaning.' Naturally this method is most successful depending on the library the patron frequents, the smaller branches are not going to have a large collection, whereas the Main Library will have an overwhelming amount of resources.
Google is my search engine of choice. Search combinations that can be used: green clean* home, organic clean* home, safe clean* home, simple clean* home, diy clean* home, make your own clean* home etc. If wanting to search for blogs than the addition of blog to the search bar would add that into the equation, although Google also offers a specific search engine for blogs.
Pros of Google: practically guaranteed to get a hit (Is the hit relevant though?), uses some synonyms such as house=home and pulls 'do it yourself' alongside 'diy.'
Cons of Google: way too many results, not all synonyms plugged in. These are all keywords that all fall in together: nontoxic, eco-friendly, green, organic, natural and safe. However results with these keywords do not appear all together. Subject headings would help very much in this type of situation, while this method can be very frustrating to some and found limiting it would be much nicer if one could search 'natural cleaning home' and retrieve the most relevant results without having to repeat the search again and again.
The Google search terms can be used for YouTube as well, although the best results appear when asking for a specific thing i.e. cleaning the sink.
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Wondering
I think there are two different paths to take for this Better Cleaning = Better Living idea. First there's the method of using and developing the best cleaners for the home. This can mean still using traditional store bought product but using them in innovative ways. For instance many say that Joey Green is obsessed with Bounce dryer sheets. Then there's the idea of going absolutely green, not relying on store bought chemicals, this method can be fuzzy in itself. Is Borax considered a chemical? What does green really mean?
Then there's the matter of how far do I want to take this? If my cleaning supplies budget is exceeded on a regular basis am I really doing the best thing? Clearly there would have to be some type of happy medium in this situation. I guess it comes down to whether or not I want to do this because of environmental or budget reasons.
I'd like to concentrate on using simple products for cleaning around the house. A great example of this would be the countless way that Baking Soda can be use around the house.
Then there's the matter of how far do I want to take this? If my cleaning supplies budget is exceeded on a regular basis am I really doing the best thing? Clearly there would have to be some type of happy medium in this situation. I guess it comes down to whether or not I want to do this because of environmental or budget reasons.
I'd like to concentrate on using simple products for cleaning around the house. A great example of this would be the countless way that Baking Soda can be use around the house.
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Watching
You would think that since I'm this far into my education I would have worked out a method that quickly has me pick subjects for my assignments, but clearly I haven't done well. So what do I want to explore for this assignment? Hundreds of ideas are running through my head, but some things that have been tickling my brain in the last week would definitely be the place to start. Hmmm, these possibilities include: natural homemade cleaners, finding the best food for your cat, vegetable gardens (it's time to plan for next year!), landscaping, buying a car, extreme budgeting, pirates, and who knows what else.
So how am I supposed to narrow this down? I want to delve deeper into all of these (except for the car, that got solved already), but which ones have been driving me the most insane? That's easily the first two. The idea of finding natural based cleaners that work really well has been in the back of my mind now and it seems to have jumped to the forefront in just the last couple months. At the same time I've been trying to get the best information about feeding your cat. Wet vs Dry. Homemade vs Commercial. Raw vs Cooked.
As of right now I'm leaning towards DIY cleaners since it's been on my mind the longest.
So how am I supposed to narrow this down? I want to delve deeper into all of these (except for the car, that got solved already), but which ones have been driving me the most insane? That's easily the first two. The idea of finding natural based cleaners that work really well has been in the back of my mind now and it seems to have jumped to the forefront in just the last couple months. At the same time I've been trying to get the best information about feeding your cat. Wet vs Dry. Homemade vs Commercial. Raw vs Cooked.
As of right now I'm leaning towards DIY cleaners since it's been on my mind the longest.
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