I posted to the curriculum Wiki five times in various areas. I have found it interesting to read the various posts on that wiki. I hope my ideas have been helpful to others too.
I ran through the resources in this section. I sort of scanned them rather briefly, since they related to PB Wiki and I have used WikiSpaces, I didn't want to memorize too much technical stuff and confuse my WikiSpace procedures which are finally becoming second nature.
Like I mentioned previously I think a wiki would be good for a bunch of student applications, like book clubs. But it's all dependent on students using the wiki. As a teacher I could require my secondary students to post to a wiki, but as a librarian it would be voluntary so I would be interested if I would get any elementary students involved. It might be nice, professional development-wise, to have an elementary library wiki for those of us in the district to use.
Monday, July 21, 2008
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Week #7 Thing #16
I think that Wiki's are pretty interesting and certainly have generated a lot of controversy in light of all the Wikipedia discussions. I played with Wiki's prior to this class. I used Wikispaces to create a "web page" for my school library. It's really not a "wiki" in the strict sense because I locked the pages (Obviously I don't need people to edit my overdue policy.) However I have offered membership to staff and parents, for the purpose of discussion, but no takers. I've also set up a page to link to possible teachers wikis or webpages, but I don't think any of our teachers really make use of a web page - there are none on our school page. At least I have this wiki linked on our school homepage, so I feel like our library information is out there if people want to find it. Due to the nature of our school (high military enrollment) our student population changes throughout the year and at least this way it's easy to provide information to new parents if they choose to use it.
I jumped around within the resources provided and found lots of stuff on the various wikis in the Library Resources wiki including a plagiarism worksheet and a kind of neat assignment calculator from the University of Minnesota that I plan to show my daughter when she heads to college this fall. I think setting up a wiki as sort of a book club would be neat, but probably more at the secondary level than primary.
Here's my Wiki, just FYI
Ladd Library Wiki
I jumped around within the resources provided and found lots of stuff on the various wikis in the Library Resources wiki including a plagiarism worksheet and a kind of neat assignment calculator from the University of Minnesota that I plan to show my daughter when she heads to college this fall. I think setting up a wiki as sort of a book club would be neat, but probably more at the secondary level than primary.
Here's my Wiki, just FYI
Ladd Library Wiki
Week #6 Thing #15
I've really enjoyed opening my mind to the approaching inevitability of Library 2.0. I read a number of the suggested readings listed in the Discovery Resources and 5 perspectives.
I thought Rick Anderson's "Away From Icebergs" was simple and clear. It probably blew the minds of people not willing to accept change. The idea of looking again at our collection and the "come to us" library is radical. I like that he knows that we can't train everyone, but can make the programs more accessible, so we don't need to. I know that as far as training, I have it made because I have the kids for a set time that can be used for training. Also the library will have a dedicated projector, document camera and laptop in the fall and I look forward to challenging myself to confidently forge forward.
I feel pretty good about our districts decision to move to Follett Destiny this upcoming year. When I read Michael Stephen's "Into A New World of Librarianship" about bringing the library to the user I think Destiny will allow the students access anywhere. Now we just need to overcome those hardware and network problems that we know will exist.
I liked Wendy Schultz' "To a Temporary Place and Time." It was a little Science Fiction-y and like the Matrix. Still I think it's wise to think outside the box. Due to my husband's association with the university's bookstore we have ample opportunity to discuss the changes to our use of books in a variety of ways. If we think the role of libraries is changing, think about text books and college students. It's important that we consider all possibilities in the education of our students and work to come up with the best solutions.
Web 2.0 means rethinking the school library. One physical thing that has been going through my brain for new libraries is configuring computer work stations in such a way as to make it easy for the single librarian to monitor student work. In a public library the work stations are set up for privacy, it should be the opposite for school libraries, and I don't care that the students don't have a sense of privacy. I'm more concerned that the students have ready access and that one staff member can easily monitor them while accomplishing other work. Currently the work stations in my library are circled around a central column. Their initial intent really to be used as an internal OPAC System. The only way to monitor internet computer use is to circle around like a coyote. Not too helpful.
I think the generation of the "Hush Library!" is over. If we want to move forward as librarians it will take more than just posting a sign that says "& Media Center" under our "Library" sign.
I thought Rick Anderson's "Away From Icebergs" was simple and clear. It probably blew the minds of people not willing to accept change. The idea of looking again at our collection and the "come to us" library is radical. I like that he knows that we can't train everyone, but can make the programs more accessible, so we don't need to. I know that as far as training, I have it made because I have the kids for a set time that can be used for training. Also the library will have a dedicated projector, document camera and laptop in the fall and I look forward to challenging myself to confidently forge forward.
I feel pretty good about our districts decision to move to Follett Destiny this upcoming year. When I read Michael Stephen's "Into A New World of Librarianship" about bringing the library to the user I think Destiny will allow the students access anywhere. Now we just need to overcome those hardware and network problems that we know will exist.
I liked Wendy Schultz' "To a Temporary Place and Time." It was a little Science Fiction-y and like the Matrix. Still I think it's wise to think outside the box. Due to my husband's association with the university's bookstore we have ample opportunity to discuss the changes to our use of books in a variety of ways. If we think the role of libraries is changing, think about text books and college students. It's important that we consider all possibilities in the education of our students and work to come up with the best solutions.
Web 2.0 means rethinking the school library. One physical thing that has been going through my brain for new libraries is configuring computer work stations in such a way as to make it easy for the single librarian to monitor student work. In a public library the work stations are set up for privacy, it should be the opposite for school libraries, and I don't care that the students don't have a sense of privacy. I'm more concerned that the students have ready access and that one staff member can easily monitor them while accomplishing other work. Currently the work stations in my library are circled around a central column. Their initial intent really to be used as an internal OPAC System. The only way to monitor internet computer use is to circle around like a coyote. Not too helpful.
I think the generation of the "Hush Library!" is over. If we want to move forward as librarians it will take more than just posting a sign that says "& Media Center" under our "Library" sign.
Week #6 Thing #14
I was really skeptical about Technorati after reading some of the posts. Actually, it didn't seem too bad if you are really into reading Blogs.
After clicking on the link to Technorati I discovered I had won a free computer and the opportunity for brain seizures ... don't you love those flashing ads that just won't go away? Well, I guess that's how they keep it free.
Also on the first page when it opened it I discovered that "Elizabeth Dole says %&*@!! to Americans Who Died From Aids." Reminds me why I don't search these type of sites at school and how Wiki's look like the Harvard Medical Journal compared to Blogs...
I don't know if it's because I use Mozilla, but the little video "Technorati Tour - Videocast of New features and Look" (under Discovery Resources) shows a totally different interface than the Technorati link I clicked on which apparently shows the "Old features and Look." Regardless, I was able to use the advanced search and navigate around to view the required Blog posts, Tags, Blog Directory for "School Library Learning 2.0" Remember the quotation marks in your search. Also, if you don't get any hits on tags change the search to include "any authority." I did see a variety of posts using the different searches, interestingly enough many expressing the sort of Technorati Shell Shock I've seen in the Raven About Web 2.0. I was reminded that I enjoy checking out Boing Boing once in awhile for fun.
Did anyone else notice that the lady in the Videocast said she visits the "My Favorites" page of Technorati seven (or several?) times a day to see updates to her favorite Blogs? I think I'd list that right there with EverQuest and W.O.W. for internet addictions.
I passed on the optional activity of tagging my blog for Technorati. There was just something about the phrase "Technorati will pick up these tags when it spiders (or web crawls) your site" that gave me the heebie-jeebie's. It's kind of like dust mites, I know they're there, but I don't want to think about it.
Now on Tags: One of the Blog posts I saw in Technorati said that as a cataloging tool tags are only good if created correctly. Absolutely. That said, I love tags! I have been using them for awhile now. Gmail calls them "labels," but they are basically "tags." And of course LibraryThing which we'll cover later and I jumped ahead to earlier uses tags. Every time an application calls for tags I find them useful. It's like infinite file boxes and you can easily put copies of the data in as many boxes as you like. It's a whole different way to visualize organization and I love it. (I'm an organization nut by nature, obviously!)
After clicking on the link to Technorati I discovered I had won a free computer and the opportunity for brain seizures ... don't you love those flashing ads that just won't go away? Well, I guess that's how they keep it free.
Also on the first page when it opened it I discovered that "Elizabeth Dole says %&*@!! to Americans Who Died From Aids." Reminds me why I don't search these type of sites at school and how Wiki's look like the Harvard Medical Journal compared to Blogs...
I don't know if it's because I use Mozilla, but the little video "Technorati Tour - Videocast of New features and Look" (under Discovery Resources) shows a totally different interface than the Technorati link I clicked on which apparently shows the "Old features and Look." Regardless, I was able to use the advanced search and navigate around to view the required Blog posts, Tags, Blog Directory for "School Library Learning 2.0" Remember the quotation marks in your search. Also, if you don't get any hits on tags change the search to include "any authority." I did see a variety of posts using the different searches, interestingly enough many expressing the sort of Technorati Shell Shock I've seen in the Raven About Web 2.0. I was reminded that I enjoy checking out Boing Boing once in awhile for fun.
Did anyone else notice that the lady in the Videocast said she visits the "My Favorites" page of Technorati seven (or several?) times a day to see updates to her favorite Blogs? I think I'd list that right there with EverQuest and W.O.W. for internet addictions.
I passed on the optional activity of tagging my blog for Technorati. There was just something about the phrase "Technorati will pick up these tags when it spiders (or web crawls) your site" that gave me the heebie-jeebie's. It's kind of like dust mites, I know they're there, but I don't want to think about it.
Now on Tags: One of the Blog posts I saw in Technorati said that as a cataloging tool tags are only good if created correctly. Absolutely. That said, I love tags! I have been using them for awhile now. Gmail calls them "labels," but they are basically "tags." And of course LibraryThing which we'll cover later and I jumped ahead to earlier uses tags. Every time an application calls for tags I find them useful. It's like infinite file boxes and you can easily put copies of the data in as many boxes as you like. It's a whole different way to visualize organization and I love it. (I'm an organization nut by nature, obviously!)
Week #6 Thing #13
I explored the resources and set up my own del.icio.us account. I had tried to do this many months ago after a ProDev that we had. Unfortunately it was quite glitchy and the tags didn't work. Fortunately, it seems to allow two on an email account - I set up a new one and deleted the glitchy one, so far so good.
The hilarious thing is that after I set it up I kept closing it and going up to my Bookmarks on the top of my tool bar to open the stuff I'd just put in del.icio.us! I sounded like Homer Simpson, "D'oh!" It's like locking your keys in the car; you see it happening in slow motion, but just can't help yourself! Old dog and new tricks I guess!
I can see myself using this quite a lot, however I think I'm pretty lazy on Tags and think I'll save stuff quickly and tag it later. I bet that will be a mistake. I do think that del.icio.us looks kind of "1.0" to use the popular term. I think that they could shine up the interface to bring it to the "2.0" realm. I'm glad I had the ProDev in addition to the Web 2.0 to get a real feel for it's use.
Is it just me? In the Discovery Resources the link "Libraries that del.icio.us:" takes me to a site that's primarily in German. The link at the bottom of the Discovery Resources: "Recommendations Site" is in French and English. Since my daughter just returned from Spain and is speaking to me half in English and half in Spanish (which I do not speak) I'm thinking either I need my head examined or a bulk pack of Rosetta Stone programs...
The hilarious thing is that after I set it up I kept closing it and going up to my Bookmarks on the top of my tool bar to open the stuff I'd just put in del.icio.us! I sounded like Homer Simpson, "D'oh!" It's like locking your keys in the car; you see it happening in slow motion, but just can't help yourself! Old dog and new tricks I guess!
I can see myself using this quite a lot, however I think I'm pretty lazy on Tags and think I'll save stuff quickly and tag it later. I bet that will be a mistake. I do think that del.icio.us looks kind of "1.0" to use the popular term. I think that they could shine up the interface to bring it to the "2.0" realm. I'm glad I had the ProDev in addition to the Web 2.0 to get a real feel for it's use.
Is it just me? In the Discovery Resources the link "Libraries that del.icio.us:" takes me to a site that's primarily in German. The link at the bottom of the Discovery Resources: "Recommendations Site" is in French and English. Since my daughter just returned from Spain and is speaking to me half in English and half in Spanish (which I do not speak) I'm thinking either I need my head examined or a bulk pack of Rosetta Stone programs...
Web 2.0 Text Chapter 9
As I review my notes from this chapter on New Schools I see many things that I've already touched on in previous chapters. Among them:
- The idea of Education web based programs like Ebay or Amazon. Excellent idea. Again, they had better be as neat and user friendly for both the educator and the student or they won't fly. Might I suggest reviewing Google and FaceBook? We should learn from our competitors.
- Teachers picking their own materials custom fit for each student instead of textbooks as mentioned on page 181 is a wonderful idea. However without some help this is a lofty goal. The information overload is wild. I can tell by reading some of the comments on this blog that we can feel it even trying to pull information out on this class for ourselves alone. Educators are so busy with things that have nothing to do with actual academics, our educational system will really need to figure out how to facilitate this for it to happen.
- Hear, Hear! on the software sitting in cabinets and used only on school computers. Let's make learning available everywhere.
I really liked both the boxes on pages 184-186:
- Creators in the Classroom by Jeff Utecht. I've mentioned in numerous ways how we're afraid of the social web, but that our students already live in it. I really don't think being the Ostrich and putting our heads in the sand is going to make it go away!
- Learning from Games by David Warlick. First, let me state that I am not either a parent or an educator who thinks that everything a kid should do has to be fun and entertaining. I actually think that's a really dangerous viewpoint and was afraid that was where this article was going, but it wasn't. One thing I liked is the time invested to increase levels. The rewards and personal investment - how can we use that in education? Also I was really struck with the part on Dependability. How many times have you seen kids work and work to find the "secret" in the game because they know that a "secret" does exist for that level? But the same kid gives up easily on the math problem or figuring out the theme in a work of literature? They don't have the "...sense that the answer is always close by; that it merely means turning over the right stone..." (page 186.) Really well stated and thought provoking.
- The idea of Education web based programs like Ebay or Amazon. Excellent idea. Again, they had better be as neat and user friendly for both the educator and the student or they won't fly. Might I suggest reviewing Google and FaceBook? We should learn from our competitors.
- Teachers picking their own materials custom fit for each student instead of textbooks as mentioned on page 181 is a wonderful idea. However without some help this is a lofty goal. The information overload is wild. I can tell by reading some of the comments on this blog that we can feel it even trying to pull information out on this class for ourselves alone. Educators are so busy with things that have nothing to do with actual academics, our educational system will really need to figure out how to facilitate this for it to happen.
- Hear, Hear! on the software sitting in cabinets and used only on school computers. Let's make learning available everywhere.
I really liked both the boxes on pages 184-186:
- Creators in the Classroom by Jeff Utecht. I've mentioned in numerous ways how we're afraid of the social web, but that our students already live in it. I really don't think being the Ostrich and putting our heads in the sand is going to make it go away!
- Learning from Games by David Warlick. First, let me state that I am not either a parent or an educator who thinks that everything a kid should do has to be fun and entertaining. I actually think that's a really dangerous viewpoint and was afraid that was where this article was going, but it wasn't. One thing I liked is the time invested to increase levels. The rewards and personal investment - how can we use that in education? Also I was really struck with the part on Dependability. How many times have you seen kids work and work to find the "secret" in the game because they know that a "secret" does exist for that level? But the same kid gives up easily on the math problem or figuring out the theme in a work of literature? They don't have the "...sense that the answer is always close by; that it merely means turning over the right stone..." (page 186.) Really well stated and thought provoking.
Web 2.0 Text Chapter 7
Online safety and security is a huge issue of course. A few things that stood out:
-"Cyberbullying may be the online equivalent of bad school yard behavior, but it is no less hurtful or dangerous." ("Web 2.0 New Tools, New Schools" p.138.) What?! I couldn't believe I read that. Cyberbullying is so much worse and in too many obvious ways to list. In my opinion it's like equating chopping down a tree in your backyard to slashing and burning a rain forest. Yikes.
- I liked the idea of special educational search engines, but they had better look sharp, or the kids are going to blow them off. Also, I agree that the AUP and Permission to Publish paperwork should be updated in simple language.
- Here's an interesting thing about YouTube: You have an option to "select only kid friendly videos" - but that doesn't filter the comments at all. If you watch an Elmo video and someone wants to post the nastiest comments (which they do) then there they are. Sure you can "flag" the comment and YouTube will review it and may remove it. Have you seen the filth people post to YouTube? I could sit with hundreds of people in a room flagging 40 hours a week and not keep up with it. Here's the cool part - it looks like there are some "non-YouTube" people out there working on applications to filter the comments. Go Web 2.0! What a perfect example of the two way street.
- Tee-Hee, the comments on MySpace on page 154 were funny... between Aug 2005 and Aug 2006 hits to MySpace by 12-17 year olds had declined, "they don't know why..." Anybody with their finger on the pulse of teenagers knows that the MySpace was losing favor and they were making the transition to FaceBook. "Positive Change?" as they state, or just change to a different Social Network that mom and dad didn't have a page on? I'd need to see more statistics to verify...
- The Cyber Awareness Survey was interesting. Sure the kids can "pass the test" when handed the survey. The real question is if they didn't know they were being observed how many would really put it into practice?
- Here's what I found most appalling: 71% of parents thought that a major portion of the responsibility for ensuring kids safety on the internet fell to the schools (page 150.) Another charming example of deferred responsibility. How much unsupervised time does a kid get with a computer in the school? Really, chart the time. Sure it happens, and sure the kids find things they shouldn't. In high school they may have a whole period where they are in the computer lab. And they are "unsupervised" until the librarian or teacher walks by, or the filtering software kicks in. And we need to be alert. Then the kid heads home at 2:30 and gets on the computer surfing gosh knows where for hours every afternoon while the parents are at work (and probably on into the night.) If you look at the Cyber Awareness Survey results the kids have been pretty well schooled in the text book answers. The parents in this survey need to step up and take some responsibility.
- Our only hope is to strengthen the triangle, the points are: schools/education - student/user - parent/home. Until we have commitment in all these areas the internet will remain a place with danger lurking behind the next mouse click.
-"Cyberbullying may be the online equivalent of bad school yard behavior, but it is no less hurtful or dangerous." ("Web 2.0 New Tools, New Schools" p.138.) What?! I couldn't believe I read that. Cyberbullying is so much worse and in too many obvious ways to list. In my opinion it's like equating chopping down a tree in your backyard to slashing and burning a rain forest. Yikes.
- I liked the idea of special educational search engines, but they had better look sharp, or the kids are going to blow them off. Also, I agree that the AUP and Permission to Publish paperwork should be updated in simple language.
- Here's an interesting thing about YouTube: You have an option to "select only kid friendly videos" - but that doesn't filter the comments at all. If you watch an Elmo video and someone wants to post the nastiest comments (which they do) then there they are. Sure you can "flag" the comment and YouTube will review it and may remove it. Have you seen the filth people post to YouTube? I could sit with hundreds of people in a room flagging 40 hours a week and not keep up with it. Here's the cool part - it looks like there are some "non-YouTube" people out there working on applications to filter the comments. Go Web 2.0! What a perfect example of the two way street.
- Tee-Hee, the comments on MySpace on page 154 were funny... between Aug 2005 and Aug 2006 hits to MySpace by 12-17 year olds had declined, "they don't know why..." Anybody with their finger on the pulse of teenagers knows that the MySpace was losing favor and they were making the transition to FaceBook. "Positive Change?" as they state, or just change to a different Social Network that mom and dad didn't have a page on? I'd need to see more statistics to verify...
- The Cyber Awareness Survey was interesting. Sure the kids can "pass the test" when handed the survey. The real question is if they didn't know they were being observed how many would really put it into practice?
- Here's what I found most appalling: 71% of parents thought that a major portion of the responsibility for ensuring kids safety on the internet fell to the schools (page 150.) Another charming example of deferred responsibility. How much unsupervised time does a kid get with a computer in the school? Really, chart the time. Sure it happens, and sure the kids find things they shouldn't. In high school they may have a whole period where they are in the computer lab. And they are "unsupervised" until the librarian or teacher walks by, or the filtering software kicks in. And we need to be alert. Then the kid heads home at 2:30 and gets on the computer surfing gosh knows where for hours every afternoon while the parents are at work (and probably on into the night.) If you look at the Cyber Awareness Survey results the kids have been pretty well schooled in the text book answers. The parents in this survey need to step up and take some responsibility.
- Our only hope is to strengthen the triangle, the points are: schools/education - student/user - parent/home. Until we have commitment in all these areas the internet will remain a place with danger lurking behind the next mouse click.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
