Like a good book, a good course of study is a beginning. I have managed to make some interesting beginnings, but there are thoughts that have not taken on concrete forms. They are still banging around in my head, waiting to be tested in the real operation of a real library situation. I have really enjoyed the interview process of the last assignment, talking to a teacher about what she envisions for her students. I also found the many discussions with librarians in completing the second assignment, and going on my own explorations about the role of technology in libraries, very rewarding. After having taken the last four courses in the diploma as e-courses, I can say that there is something so rewarding from being in classes, and sharing stories with others face-to-face that I've really missed. I'm a social being, and my training in socialization came before facebook and instant messaging, and so I find these courses the poor cousins of the real classroom. There is something in a smile which can not be translated into digital signals or typed discussions. Thanks all, for creating a voice for my printed words, and good luck on future courses and challenges.
Brian
Monday, December 1, 2008
Sunday, November 30, 2008
inside and outside school
Article response
Leading Double Lives: literacy and technology inside and outside of school by Bronwyn T. Williams
"It seems obvious that there is often a gap in how and for what ends technology is used--a gap between some students and their teachers and a gap between different groups of students. What is less obvious is the nature of these gaps in terms of literacy practices. Could we be missing ways to connect with our students and help reinforce and enlarge their literate identities?"
This quote follows the scenario of some technological glitch, which is then fixed by some tech savvy student. We've all been there. Some of us can remember the first occurrence being having to thread the film projector. Thankfully that possibility was passé by the time I had a couple of years in. The question the author is asking is what secret lives are the students living that gives them these skills, and what new literacy skills have they also acquired with the new technology. More importantly, how can the school system recognize, celebrate and tap into the new literacies when teaching students.
I have to say, from my observance of my own kids, that the most popular use of the computer is as a means of communicating with friends, and the content of the messages are not very profound. what is interesting is that you can instantly know which of your friends is seeking contact. That would have taken a dozen phone calls on any given Friday night when I was a teen.
The article states that the instant and text messaging of teenagers makes them as immersed in writing as any teen cohort in years. We are missing an opportunity if we don't tap into it. They also spend a good deal of time reading, although it is on websites and text messages, not on text books and novels. The author again suggests that we need to recognize the fact and exploit it.
I happen to be of two minds, we should use these as bridges to the types of reading and writing that we see as being of value to the students in the long run. I'm not sure that a steady diet of text message reading is the same quality of reading as is a novel or non-fiction book on the library shelves, but if we are to connect with students we should understand the activities, as well as the technologies they are using. Williams states that "Such a disconnect is often more than a mere shift in what skills are being emphasized; it requires some students to move from thinking of themselves as competent and confident writers and readers to thinking of themselves as struggling students confronting literacies that don't seem relevant to their lives."
As librarians, part of our role is to try to find bridges from the competencies they have, to the ones we wish them to develop. At the same time, there are a few things that we should allw them to teach us, and each other about the skills they have built in their other lives.
Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy v. 48 no. 8 (May 2005) p. 702-6
Leading Double Lives: literacy and technology inside and outside of school by Bronwyn T. Williams
"It seems obvious that there is often a gap in how and for what ends technology is used--a gap between some students and their teachers and a gap between different groups of students. What is less obvious is the nature of these gaps in terms of literacy practices. Could we be missing ways to connect with our students and help reinforce and enlarge their literate identities?"
This quote follows the scenario of some technological glitch, which is then fixed by some tech savvy student. We've all been there. Some of us can remember the first occurrence being having to thread the film projector. Thankfully that possibility was passé by the time I had a couple of years in. The question the author is asking is what secret lives are the students living that gives them these skills, and what new literacy skills have they also acquired with the new technology. More importantly, how can the school system recognize, celebrate and tap into the new literacies when teaching students.
I have to say, from my observance of my own kids, that the most popular use of the computer is as a means of communicating with friends, and the content of the messages are not very profound. what is interesting is that you can instantly know which of your friends is seeking contact. That would have taken a dozen phone calls on any given Friday night when I was a teen.
The article states that the instant and text messaging of teenagers makes them as immersed in writing as any teen cohort in years. We are missing an opportunity if we don't tap into it. They also spend a good deal of time reading, although it is on websites and text messages, not on text books and novels. The author again suggests that we need to recognize the fact and exploit it.
I happen to be of two minds, we should use these as bridges to the types of reading and writing that we see as being of value to the students in the long run. I'm not sure that a steady diet of text message reading is the same quality of reading as is a novel or non-fiction book on the library shelves, but if we are to connect with students we should understand the activities, as well as the technologies they are using. Williams states that "Such a disconnect is often more than a mere shift in what skills are being emphasized; it requires some students to move from thinking of themselves as competent and confident writers and readers to thinking of themselves as struggling students confronting literacies that don't seem relevant to their lives."
As librarians, part of our role is to try to find bridges from the competencies they have, to the ones we wish them to develop. At the same time, there are a few things that we should allw them to teach us, and each other about the skills they have built in their other lives.
Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy v. 48 no. 8 (May 2005) p. 702-6
Saturday, November 1, 2008
I have been doing a great deal of reading and writing about online environments, and have come to the conclusion that there is a lack of research answering the question of whether the online environment improves or impedes comprehension. I read Wayne's blog on the issue, responding to an article in Teacher Librarian, and it seems not to be very definitive. I think that one of the problems is in defining comprehension. I find it interesting to note that the text book can be accessed online. this removes the excuse that students forgot their textbooks at school, but now we have the new excuses that the internet was down and the computer crashed. I'm still a big believer in fiction in book form, although you could make the case that there are certain advantages to non-fiction online, one being the ability to easily search for topics.
Thursday, October 16, 2008
disturbing news from back east
There was a news item on the week-end that was easy to miss, with all the election stuff, that really got my goat. I don't know that there is much we can do here about it, but if I were a parent in this district I'd be at the next board meeting. Since it surrounds the concepts of inclusion, and the rights of the few to dictate the behavior of the many, I thought you might want to see it:
Gay author no longer welcome to address N.B. students
Pressure from parents
Last Updated: Friday, October 10, 2008 3:58 PM AT
CBC News
A plan to have an acclaimed gay author speak to students in Charlotte County high schools has been scrapped after a few parents objected.
Alex Sanchez writes books about gay youth and their struggle to find acceptance, but local school principals were not comfortable allowing him to address their students.
Jay Remer, spokesman for the Charlotte County Rainbow Support Group, said Sanchez is a terrific public speaker whose message is about tolerance.
He said Sanchez’s mission is “to help the gay youth in the community to feel less isolated and more part of the community as a whole.”
Remer’s group is one of the sponsors bringing Sanchez, who lives in Florida, to New Brunswick.
"The idea was to try and have an audience of maybe as many as 1,500 students," Remer said.
But Sanchez won’t be able to spread his message in School District 10 because some parents have pressured principals, he said.
Keith Pierce, District 10 superintendent, said he changed his mind about allowing the author to speak in area schools after meeting with school principals.
"A few of them were getting pressure from a few parents, and they just weren’t comfortable going in that direction," Pierce said.
Some principals felt their schools were just “not ready” for the kind of presentation that Sanchez will give, he said.
In 2002, the American Library Association named Sanchez’s book Rainbow Boys to the list of Best Books for Young Adults.
Sanchez is still coming to New Brunswick. He will give a presentation at Wesley United Church in St. Andrews.
They weren't willing to go in what direction? Inclusion? Tolerance? By the way, here is the district's mission statement:
The mission of education in School District 10 is to nurture the students so that they have critical thinking skills, appropriate and relevant knowledge, inquisitive minds and independent spirits, with empathy, sense of teamwork and respect for citizenship.
Gay author no longer welcome to address N.B. students
Pressure from parents
Last Updated: Friday, October 10, 2008 3:58 PM AT
CBC News
A plan to have an acclaimed gay author speak to students in Charlotte County high schools has been scrapped after a few parents objected.
Alex Sanchez writes books about gay youth and their struggle to find acceptance, but local school principals were not comfortable allowing him to address their students.
Jay Remer, spokesman for the Charlotte County Rainbow Support Group, said Sanchez is a terrific public speaker whose message is about tolerance.
He said Sanchez’s mission is “to help the gay youth in the community to feel less isolated and more part of the community as a whole.”
Remer’s group is one of the sponsors bringing Sanchez, who lives in Florida, to New Brunswick.
"The idea was to try and have an audience of maybe as many as 1,500 students," Remer said.
But Sanchez won’t be able to spread his message in School District 10 because some parents have pressured principals, he said.
Keith Pierce, District 10 superintendent, said he changed his mind about allowing the author to speak in area schools after meeting with school principals.
"A few of them were getting pressure from a few parents, and they just weren’t comfortable going in that direction," Pierce said.
Some principals felt their schools were just “not ready” for the kind of presentation that Sanchez will give, he said.
In 2002, the American Library Association named Sanchez’s book Rainbow Boys to the list of Best Books for Young Adults.
Sanchez is still coming to New Brunswick. He will give a presentation at Wesley United Church in St. Andrews.
They weren't willing to go in what direction? Inclusion? Tolerance? By the way, here is the district's mission statement:
The mission of education in School District 10 is to nurture the students so that they have critical thinking skills, appropriate and relevant knowledge, inquisitive minds and independent spirits, with empathy, sense of teamwork and respect for citizenship.
databases
My school has been approached by the district to see if a database would be of interest - probably the one others have talked about, but the district is willing to pay the cost - seems like a no-brainer to me. At present we have the Thompson Gale product, infotrac,which includes CPI.Q (Canadian Periodicals), Student resource Center Gold, Gale Virtual Reference Library and Biography Resource Center. None of this is paid for at the school level. I thought that there was some sort of government funded database supplied to all bc schools, Is this it? The only database paid for at the school level is the Grolier's Encyclopedia on-line. Since I'm not presently working in the library, I really don't know what kind of use is being made of the resources, but I'd have to think long and hard before adding to what we have considering the cost of a new product might be in excess of $1,000 at the school level, that's a lot of books and videos that might get a lot more use. Also, its hard to determine what kind of overlap there might be in the different products, so one might be paying a lot of money for the same source materials under different names.
I've enjoyed reading Wayne's discussion posts and blogs, and he is absolutely on the money when he talks about giving students time, not rushing them when doing research or they will revert to googling. We all have experienced the frustrations of trying to locate the right sources through UBC library on-line, there is a steep learning curve, and what we need to be aware of is the design of the portal through which the students access information through the database; if we have difficulties using the search capabilities, you can bet that the students will. Small steps, including practice using the search capabilities, in fact modeling the process on projected screen image and having students pair up (Two heads are better than one) might help.
I've enjoyed reading Wayne's discussion posts and blogs, and he is absolutely on the money when he talks about giving students time, not rushing them when doing research or they will revert to googling. We all have experienced the frustrations of trying to locate the right sources through UBC library on-line, there is a steep learning curve, and what we need to be aware of is the design of the portal through which the students access information through the database; if we have difficulties using the search capabilities, you can bet that the students will. Small steps, including practice using the search capabilities, in fact modeling the process on projected screen image and having students pair up (Two heads are better than one) might help.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
A Balanced Collection
The Importance of Books, Free Access, and Libraries as Places - and the dangerous inadequate of the information science paradigm by Thomas Mann (Wasn't that the name of the author in Field of Dreams) focuses on the apparent folly of the move from books to electronic means in libraries. This is a worthwhile article, which discusses a number of points in the debate. The reason I was attracted to the article, was as an extension of the Wikipedia debate.
There are a couple of points, one having to do with reading off the computer screen, which touched a chord. Most students, when faced with an article of more than 500 words, will print the article, and read from the printed copy. It seems that, if they are demonstrating a preference, the preference is in fact, to read from text, not computer. The preference for computer is in the search itself. We have all witnessed the pages spitting out of the printer, a slap in the face to the paperless society. The cost of this is either the student's, or library's to assume.
The second point has to do with the reading habits of students. Mann states that:
"To say that kids today are growing up comfortable with computers is simply not the same thing as saying kids today are comfortable reading and absorbing long narrative or expository works in screen display formats. What is happening is that young people are being accustomed to screen displays that require shorter rather than longer attention spans and that require less rather than more verbal understanding articulated in words.(FN14) The fact that copyright-free editions of most of the world's great books are now accessible online, for example, does not convince me that they are actually being read online. Doing keyword searches of their texts for particular passages is simply not the same as the much more important work of actually reading and absorbing their intellectual content as connected wholes."
I have been increasing concerned with the lack of focus demonstrated by students. If there is a problem with new media, it is the desire to simplify the complex. We have the prime examples of simplification in a number of elections running at present, where image is everything, and the soundbite is king. If we desire deeper understanding, than print is part of the process. It seems that the demise of the book is not at hand, according to Mann, "its not even sick."
I think that we should embrace the advantages of the new media, but we have to realize that there are advantages to the print versions, and try to seek a balance in collection development. We should also encourage the use of both print and electronic sources through the criteria we employ in research projects. That necessitates proper funding for both print and electronic access. It's not an either/or proposition.
Mann, Thomas. The importance of books, free access, and libraries as places--and the dangerous inadequacy of the information science paradigm : The Journal of Academic Librarianship, v. 27 no. 4 (July 2001) p. 268-81
There are a couple of points, one having to do with reading off the computer screen, which touched a chord. Most students, when faced with an article of more than 500 words, will print the article, and read from the printed copy. It seems that, if they are demonstrating a preference, the preference is in fact, to read from text, not computer. The preference for computer is in the search itself. We have all witnessed the pages spitting out of the printer, a slap in the face to the paperless society. The cost of this is either the student's, or library's to assume.
The second point has to do with the reading habits of students. Mann states that:
"To say that kids today are growing up comfortable with computers is simply not the same thing as saying kids today are comfortable reading and absorbing long narrative or expository works in screen display formats. What is happening is that young people are being accustomed to screen displays that require shorter rather than longer attention spans and that require less rather than more verbal understanding articulated in words.(FN14) The fact that copyright-free editions of most of the world's great books are now accessible online, for example, does not convince me that they are actually being read online. Doing keyword searches of their texts for particular passages is simply not the same as the much more important work of actually reading and absorbing their intellectual content as connected wholes."
I have been increasing concerned with the lack of focus demonstrated by students. If there is a problem with new media, it is the desire to simplify the complex. We have the prime examples of simplification in a number of elections running at present, where image is everything, and the soundbite is king. If we desire deeper understanding, than print is part of the process. It seems that the demise of the book is not at hand, according to Mann, "its not even sick."
I think that we should embrace the advantages of the new media, but we have to realize that there are advantages to the print versions, and try to seek a balance in collection development. We should also encourage the use of both print and electronic sources through the criteria we employ in research projects. That necessitates proper funding for both print and electronic access. It's not an either/or proposition.
Mann, Thomas. The importance of books, free access, and libraries as places--and the dangerous inadequacy of the information science paradigm : The Journal of Academic Librarianship, v. 27 no. 4 (July 2001) p. 268-81
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Selection Evaluation and Maintenence
Boy, what an eye opener. The breadth of the print collection in the school library where I teach is impressive, but Much of it should be in a museum. Riedling states that "it is more important to have a small but relevant and up-to-date collection of materials than a large collection that is neither useful nor of good quality” (p. 21, text). I think that most of the collection would fall into the latter category. It seems that the school had a large influx of funds in 1990, since most if the encyclopedias, including some specialized sets - encyclopedia of philosophy, Encyclopedia of Human Behavior, all were copyright 1990. This was also true of the Atlases. There was only one Atlas, and one Encyclopedia Set that were from the last eight years. I would assume that the reliance on the web based versions were reason for the lack of investment in the print versions, but really, a 1990 Comptons Encyclopedia set, I'd weed, and I'm a pack rat. I do have a question, and that is, should specialized materials, like those above, be given a longer lease on shelf life, simply due to the fact that those materials will not be replaced with the frequency of regular encyclopedia sets, if at all, due to the funds available. Or is it really beneficial to have these sets at all.
The other thing I noticed was that newer editions did not replace the older, but were placed alongside, for example, the art history books. I would probably be inclined to do the same, with the space proviso, since the great masterpieces of art from the 1600's, aren't completely revised on an annual basis.
When I look at the library collection, and the recommended shelf life of materials, I'm inclined to think that I would be a little more flexible; Is it really better to have no print encyclopedia than one six years old. Of course, with the gaping whole where the set used to be, there is some incentive to place it on the top of the acquisitions list.
The other thing I noticed was that newer editions did not replace the older, but were placed alongside, for example, the art history books. I would probably be inclined to do the same, with the space proviso, since the great masterpieces of art from the 1600's, aren't completely revised on an annual basis.
When I look at the library collection, and the recommended shelf life of materials, I'm inclined to think that I would be a little more flexible; Is it really better to have no print encyclopedia than one six years old. Of course, with the gaping whole where the set used to be, there is some incentive to place it on the top of the acquisitions list.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
School Library Websites
School Library Website Components
Article by Odin Jurkowski
Odin Jurkowski examines the content of library websites, in the state of Missouri, to find what common elements they share, what content differences there are, and to make some recommendations on the content of school websites in general.. One of the links in the article is to award winning school library websites. Unfortunately, one of two secondary sites is a dead link. Jurkowski states "Simple and easy to follow structure is important. Don’t frustrate students by designing a flashy site that is difficult for them to use." but there is such a thing as good design, and I would suggest that much can be learned about making the site simple, yet attractive and intuitive.
I decided to look into Websites, because the students preferences for finding information on computer. It would seem only natural that the school library website should be the portal through which students access the resources to answer their questions. My school library doesn't have a discrete website, It is accessed through the school website through a link under resources labeled "media center". Once a student navigates to this point, there is a list of links, by subject or as identified by source, such as Encyclopedia Britannica. There seems to be many of the same features as talked about in the article, either on the school site, or on the library link, but the design is counter intuitive. If we are to talk about the importance of visual literacy, should this not be reflected in the website. The site at my school is buried in the school site, labeled as Media Center, rather than what the kids call it, a library, and basically lists resources, rather than creating some structure or hierarchy, with visuals or icons, to direct students to the resources they need. The medium is the message, we are failing to use the medium well.
Link to article: http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdf?vid=14&hid=7&sid=9c8eb611-13e2-44df-81c8-116ddd1b799d%40sessionmgr7
Article by Odin Jurkowski
Odin Jurkowski examines the content of library websites, in the state of Missouri, to find what common elements they share, what content differences there are, and to make some recommendations on the content of school websites in general.. One of the links in the article is to award winning school library websites. Unfortunately, one of two secondary sites is a dead link. Jurkowski states "Simple and easy to follow structure is important. Don’t frustrate students by designing a flashy site that is difficult for them to use." but there is such a thing as good design, and I would suggest that much can be learned about making the site simple, yet attractive and intuitive.
I decided to look into Websites, because the students preferences for finding information on computer. It would seem only natural that the school library website should be the portal through which students access the resources to answer their questions. My school library doesn't have a discrete website, It is accessed through the school website through a link under resources labeled "media center". Once a student navigates to this point, there is a list of links, by subject or as identified by source, such as Encyclopedia Britannica. There seems to be many of the same features as talked about in the article, either on the school site, or on the library link, but the design is counter intuitive. If we are to talk about the importance of visual literacy, should this not be reflected in the website. The site at my school is buried in the school site, labeled as Media Center, rather than what the kids call it, a library, and basically lists resources, rather than creating some structure or hierarchy, with visuals or icons, to direct students to the resources they need. The medium is the message, we are failing to use the medium well.
Link to article: http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdf?vid=14&hid=7&sid=9c8eb611-13e2-44df-81c8-116ddd1b799d%40sessionmgr7
Monday, September 22, 2008
Library research models
So many names for what we are doing! The Stripling and Pitts model is probably the most detailed, but I'm wondering if this is necessarily a good thing. It seems that you want a model that the kids can follow, there are obviously little bits of the main steps that need to be followed, but they might be quick and easy, or more fully developed, depending on the grade level of the students and the research task at hand. It would be nice to have a single model that is accepted by the majority of the teachers who use the libraries resources, so that the model is reinforced, and becomes second nature to the students. It would be nice to be able, as a teacher, not to have to start the project with the explanation of the model, and definition of the terms, before getting to the task at hand. I realize, that with a student population of over 1000, and a large teaching staff, the likelihood of reaching consensus on the matter is optimistic, but if we, as teacher librarians, present a single model to teachers when planning the units, the chances of having useful overlap are improved. One blogger noted that she was unaware of what model or models were being used, this is the case with me as well, since I too am not presently working in the library. If it were my preference, I would use the big six model, a few big headings are best and cover the same ground.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
