The last assignment is handed in, the last class attended, and 643 draws to a close. But, as class pointed out on Monday, it's not the end. There are still fun and exciting tools to learn and play with, old skills to refine, and, of course, once you do learn them, they will change. So, class is over, but the fun is just beginning.
The next step is to come up with a plan for your own professional development. We talked and read about the 23 things, and while we learned about it in a larger context (at the organizational level), there is no reason why you can't come up with your own personal 23 things. Or maybe you could partner up with classmates. Lots of possibility.
I don't have a plan yet, but I want to make one. Whatever your summer goals and plans are, I wish you luck!
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
And more webinars
I have already written about webinars, but I watched a few more on Monday, and wanted to point out some things I noticed. So, here goes:
1. Some of the moderators made sure to greet everyone as they joined the webinar, and I really thought this was a great touch.
2. I think some people learned from other groups' technical difficulties, which was smart of them. They did sound checks before we actually started the webinar--smart.
3. I liked the pictures people posted of themselves. It was nice to put a face to a name.
4. One of the advantages of webinars is that you can use notes, which didn't work so well for me during the screencasts. But you don't want to sound like you are reading them. So even though you are presenting to a screen, you still have to draw on your public speaking skills.
5. One drawback to elluminate was that you lost your links when you uploaded the slides. Did anyone find a way around that?
I was really impressed with everyone's webinars. The topics were all really good, and I think everyone did a terrific job presenting their material.
1. Some of the moderators made sure to greet everyone as they joined the webinar, and I really thought this was a great touch.
2. I think some people learned from other groups' technical difficulties, which was smart of them. They did sound checks before we actually started the webinar--smart.
3. I liked the pictures people posted of themselves. It was nice to put a face to a name.
4. One of the advantages of webinars is that you can use notes, which didn't work so well for me during the screencasts. But you don't want to sound like you are reading them. So even though you are presenting to a screen, you still have to draw on your public speaking skills.
5. One drawback to elluminate was that you lost your links when you uploaded the slides. Did anyone find a way around that?
I was really impressed with everyone's webinars. The topics were all really good, and I think everyone did a terrific job presenting their material.
Saturday, April 9, 2011
Webiwhat?
Webinars. Lots and lots of webinars. That is what is on this week's agenda, so I hope you aren't burned out yet.
Have you ever thought you knew what you needed to know, only to find out what you didn't know you needed to know when it was a little late in the game? That's how I felt about using elluminate. It all made a lot of sense in class on Monday, and I thought, okay, I'll go play with it and figure it out. And I did play with it a little bit. But there were a lot of things I didn't think to ask because I didn't know I needed to ask them until I actually encountered them, which happened to be while we were broadcasting live. If I had it to do over, I would do a tutorial or something, and hopefully know a little bit more. I know, obvious.
We did know our material, and we had some good resources, so at least there was good content to make up for the technical issues. I think we could refine it and improve it, of course, but that's all part of the ADDIE process. I did get my first taste of creating an online survey, which was a good experience, and I'm more familiar with elluminate and what I don't know about it. Part of learning is finding out what you don't know, right?
One funny story: after we were done with the webinar, there were some people still in the 'room' trying to figure out how to get out. So, while we were working on helping them, we started chatting, just casual conversation, because we thought that we had stopped the recording. Turns out we hadn't, so the whole casual chat is preserved, our behind-the-scenes footage, if you will.
Obviously, there is a lot left to learn about webinars, and I'm interested to try some other tools. I think this one is a little more difficult than some of the other tools we have used because there is so much going on that it requires more attention. I do like that there is a live audience (unlike with the screencast), and that you can read notes, which didn't work so well for screencasting. I think out of all the tools, I prefer the face-to-face activities best, which is funny because I am not much of a public speaker. Face-to-face, you don't have to worry as much about the technical aspect (it's important, but not as critical). Not that I'm anti-tech. I'm just a terrible multitasker and can only focus on one thing at a time. But I also like being able to see who I'm talking to for some reason. It's more personal, and for some unfathomable reason, I appreciate that.
Well, I wish you luck in your webinars. I'm sure I'll sit in on some of them, and I can't wait!
Have you ever thought you knew what you needed to know, only to find out what you didn't know you needed to know when it was a little late in the game? That's how I felt about using elluminate. It all made a lot of sense in class on Monday, and I thought, okay, I'll go play with it and figure it out. And I did play with it a little bit. But there were a lot of things I didn't think to ask because I didn't know I needed to ask them until I actually encountered them, which happened to be while we were broadcasting live. If I had it to do over, I would do a tutorial or something, and hopefully know a little bit more. I know, obvious.
We did know our material, and we had some good resources, so at least there was good content to make up for the technical issues. I think we could refine it and improve it, of course, but that's all part of the ADDIE process. I did get my first taste of creating an online survey, which was a good experience, and I'm more familiar with elluminate and what I don't know about it. Part of learning is finding out what you don't know, right?
One funny story: after we were done with the webinar, there were some people still in the 'room' trying to figure out how to get out. So, while we were working on helping them, we started chatting, just casual conversation, because we thought that we had stopped the recording. Turns out we hadn't, so the whole casual chat is preserved, our behind-the-scenes footage, if you will.
Obviously, there is a lot left to learn about webinars, and I'm interested to try some other tools. I think this one is a little more difficult than some of the other tools we have used because there is so much going on that it requires more attention. I do like that there is a live audience (unlike with the screencast), and that you can read notes, which didn't work so well for screencasting. I think out of all the tools, I prefer the face-to-face activities best, which is funny because I am not much of a public speaker. Face-to-face, you don't have to worry as much about the technical aspect (it's important, but not as critical). Not that I'm anti-tech. I'm just a terrible multitasker and can only focus on one thing at a time. But I also like being able to see who I'm talking to for some reason. It's more personal, and for some unfathomable reason, I appreciate that.
Well, I wish you luck in your webinars. I'm sure I'll sit in on some of them, and I can't wait!
Saturday, April 2, 2011
To Tweet or not to Tweet
Hello all. This week, our reading consisted of Tweets, which seems kind of odd. But that's what the syllabus said.
To begin with, confessions: I confess that I already had a Twitter account. I set one up because my sister-in-law was having a giveaway on her food blog, and she gives away some great gifts. So, one of the ways to get an entry was to follow her on Twitter. I was lured in by the potential of winning cool kitchen gadgets, what can I say. I also confess that until this assignment I had never actually sent a Tweet. My last confession: I still don't get Twitter.
I noticed a couple of trends on Twitter. First, I see a lot of potential for marketing. I really do think it's a great tool for spreading the word about the events going on within your organization, and I find that aspect of it quite useful. But other than that, I am not sure what the point is.
A lot of the Tweets I saw were rather mundane things, like, "I just did this part of my job" or "I'm bored at work." Which , given the prompt Twitter offers ("What's happening?") and the character limit, is unsurprising. I couldn't think of anything worth mentioning, which is one of my aversions to Twitter to begin with. It's enough to live it, do I really need to tell the world about it?
Then there were the posts about professional related happenings. The frustrating thing was that there was no context, so it was kind of a 'had to be there' thing. Not understanding what they were talking about, I had little interest in the tweet.
Then there were the link tweets. (I confess, I posted one of these. Ironically, it was an article in part about Twitter contributing to information overload). But the links aren't very helpful because they don't give information about what the article is about, so you don't know whether it's worth looking at, and really, I have so many other things I could be doing, it's highly unlikely I'm going to be looking at any of them unless it's something a really close friend posted, and even then it's not highly likely.
I did find one feed that I'm interested in following after the assignment is over. It's GoArchivistJobs, I think, and it will be interesting to see what results it yields.
So, I guess the end result is, as a professional tool, Twitter definitely has its place, but honestly, I just can't get that interested in reading about what everyone is doing all day long. And I hope no one is going to be super disappointed at the lack of output from my personal account, because I have a feeling it will be pretty limited in the future. (Although, there won't be much to miss. I can't be overly critical of anyone's tweets, because mine were abominable). And, just so the avid Twitterers out there know, I have nothing against you, and I'm glad you enjoy it. And who knows, maybe I'll figure out the appeal someday.
To begin with, confessions: I confess that I already had a Twitter account. I set one up because my sister-in-law was having a giveaway on her food blog, and she gives away some great gifts. So, one of the ways to get an entry was to follow her on Twitter. I was lured in by the potential of winning cool kitchen gadgets, what can I say. I also confess that until this assignment I had never actually sent a Tweet. My last confession: I still don't get Twitter.
I noticed a couple of trends on Twitter. First, I see a lot of potential for marketing. I really do think it's a great tool for spreading the word about the events going on within your organization, and I find that aspect of it quite useful. But other than that, I am not sure what the point is.
A lot of the Tweets I saw were rather mundane things, like, "I just did this part of my job" or "I'm bored at work." Which , given the prompt Twitter offers ("What's happening?") and the character limit, is unsurprising. I couldn't think of anything worth mentioning, which is one of my aversions to Twitter to begin with. It's enough to live it, do I really need to tell the world about it?
Then there were the posts about professional related happenings. The frustrating thing was that there was no context, so it was kind of a 'had to be there' thing. Not understanding what they were talking about, I had little interest in the tweet.
Then there were the link tweets. (I confess, I posted one of these. Ironically, it was an article in part about Twitter contributing to information overload). But the links aren't very helpful because they don't give information about what the article is about, so you don't know whether it's worth looking at, and really, I have so many other things I could be doing, it's highly unlikely I'm going to be looking at any of them unless it's something a really close friend posted, and even then it's not highly likely.
I did find one feed that I'm interested in following after the assignment is over. It's GoArchivistJobs, I think, and it will be interesting to see what results it yields.
So, I guess the end result is, as a professional tool, Twitter definitely has its place, but honestly, I just can't get that interested in reading about what everyone is doing all day long. And I hope no one is going to be super disappointed at the lack of output from my personal account, because I have a feeling it will be pretty limited in the future. (Although, there won't be much to miss. I can't be overly critical of anyone's tweets, because mine were abominable). And, just so the avid Twitterers out there know, I have nothing against you, and I'm glad you enjoy it. And who knows, maybe I'll figure out the appeal someday.
Saturday, March 26, 2011
One Shot Workshops, Embedded Librarians, and Webinars
Well, there certainly is a lot of material to cover today. First, a recap of our one-shot workshops. Other than having seven workshops in our group which made everyone feel kind of rushed, it was a great and informative evening. We covered some really interesting topics, including filtering, the value of Twitter, the process for pulling books and how to deal with it, and copyright. And of course, there were two others, and ours, but they escape me at the moment. It made me wish there were more time to have a full length workshop on the topics, because there was so much to learn.
On to this weeks readings. On the docket, we have:
"The Embedded Librarian Online or Face-to-Face: American University's Experiences" by Michael A. Matosa and Nobue Matsuoka-Motley and William Mayer
"Online Webinars! Interactive Learning Where Our Users Are: The Future of Embedded Librarianship" by Susan E. Montgomery
and chapter 7 from How People Learn.
The first two articles addressed the idea of embedded librarianship, both traditional and hybrid approaches. This is a practice found on college campuses and academic libraries, in which a librarian is deployed to a specific department. This can occur to different degrees. The librarian can be a liaison, based from the library but working with a particular school or department. By working in the the school, librarians are better able to understand user needs and breaks down the barriers between librarian and user, in this case faculty and students.
Montgomery also points out that embedded librarianship provides a unique chance to incorporate new technologies into education. She points out that the internet and internet tools are a must to attract this generation of students. Email, Facebook, Twitter, and other web tools are a part of the university educational experience, and librarians can harness these tools. More and more reference questions come in via email, chats are becoming a standard reference tool, and webinars provide an excellent way to conduct training for distance learners or other non-traditional learners. Webinars in particular are an excellent library instruction tool.
How People Learn Chapter 7 breathes new life into history, mathematics, and science. It analyzes the approaches of successful teachers in teaching these subjects. The big takeaway is that a teacher needs to have a deep knowledge of their subject and they need to be knowledgeable on teaching methods that help students to learn and ask questions.
So, my thoughts. First, I was delighted with the examples on teaching history. I think history is one of the most undervalued subjects, and in my view its a real shame. But How to Learn does an excellent job of demonstrating the difference teaching methods can make in bringing a subject to life and engaging interest. In terms of math, I had a roommate who taught third grade math, and she was actually using these concepts. Its very different from the way I learned math. Students not only learn how to do the problem, they learn to identify the why. In my day, you learned the formula and applied it, with the exception of an excellent calculus teacher. (Have I told this story before? Skip to the next paragraph if I have). We had all heard of the dreaded derivative and knew that someday we would be forced to do battle with it. One day in class, our teacher started out with a typical graph. Then he asked another question we knew the answer to, and continued to build on each step. Then, he announced, "That is a derivative." And I thought, "That's it? But that's easy!" That is the closest my math education ever came to the approach from chapter 7, but I have never forgotten that experience.
Chapter 7 does omit one particular benefit of its recommended approach. Back to my derivative example: because we were engaged in the learning process and it built on knowledge we already had, it stuck better. I feel that I needed less practice and reteaching because of that. We were also confident in our ability to explain it to other people, and when you can teach something, it helps you understand it better. I think this is another advantage of these strategies. By involving the students in learning, they have a chance to participate in the teaching, which means they are improving their learning.
I do wonder how these teachers have time to teach like this. It's amazing, and wonderful, and I have nothing but respect, but I still wonder how they do it.
And, webinars. I really did participate in a webinar this week. It wasn't one on the list, and I want to watch one of them too. But I had a webinar for training on a program we are using in another class. It was helpful. Overall it was really helpful. One thing I really liked was they had a demonstration where they showed what they talked about. Also, they paused frequently for questions. It was also nice because I was able to apply it directly to my project while the webinar was going on.
I'm really interested for class, to see how all the readings come together and connect to webinars. I'll see you there!
On to this weeks readings. On the docket, we have:
"The Embedded Librarian Online or Face-to-Face: American University's Experiences" by Michael A. Matosa and Nobue Matsuoka-Motley and William Mayer
"Online Webinars! Interactive Learning Where Our Users Are: The Future of Embedded Librarianship" by Susan E. Montgomery
and chapter 7 from How People Learn.
The first two articles addressed the idea of embedded librarianship, both traditional and hybrid approaches. This is a practice found on college campuses and academic libraries, in which a librarian is deployed to a specific department. This can occur to different degrees. The librarian can be a liaison, based from the library but working with a particular school or department. By working in the the school, librarians are better able to understand user needs and breaks down the barriers between librarian and user, in this case faculty and students.
Montgomery also points out that embedded librarianship provides a unique chance to incorporate new technologies into education. She points out that the internet and internet tools are a must to attract this generation of students. Email, Facebook, Twitter, and other web tools are a part of the university educational experience, and librarians can harness these tools. More and more reference questions come in via email, chats are becoming a standard reference tool, and webinars provide an excellent way to conduct training for distance learners or other non-traditional learners. Webinars in particular are an excellent library instruction tool.
How People Learn Chapter 7 breathes new life into history, mathematics, and science. It analyzes the approaches of successful teachers in teaching these subjects. The big takeaway is that a teacher needs to have a deep knowledge of their subject and they need to be knowledgeable on teaching methods that help students to learn and ask questions.
So, my thoughts. First, I was delighted with the examples on teaching history. I think history is one of the most undervalued subjects, and in my view its a real shame. But How to Learn does an excellent job of demonstrating the difference teaching methods can make in bringing a subject to life and engaging interest. In terms of math, I had a roommate who taught third grade math, and she was actually using these concepts. Its very different from the way I learned math. Students not only learn how to do the problem, they learn to identify the why. In my day, you learned the formula and applied it, with the exception of an excellent calculus teacher. (Have I told this story before? Skip to the next paragraph if I have). We had all heard of the dreaded derivative and knew that someday we would be forced to do battle with it. One day in class, our teacher started out with a typical graph. Then he asked another question we knew the answer to, and continued to build on each step. Then, he announced, "That is a derivative." And I thought, "That's it? But that's easy!" That is the closest my math education ever came to the approach from chapter 7, but I have never forgotten that experience.
Chapter 7 does omit one particular benefit of its recommended approach. Back to my derivative example: because we were engaged in the learning process and it built on knowledge we already had, it stuck better. I feel that I needed less practice and reteaching because of that. We were also confident in our ability to explain it to other people, and when you can teach something, it helps you understand it better. I think this is another advantage of these strategies. By involving the students in learning, they have a chance to participate in the teaching, which means they are improving their learning.
I do wonder how these teachers have time to teach like this. It's amazing, and wonderful, and I have nothing but respect, but I still wonder how they do it.
And, webinars. I really did participate in a webinar this week. It wasn't one on the list, and I want to watch one of them too. But I had a webinar for training on a program we are using in another class. It was helpful. Overall it was really helpful. One thing I really liked was they had a demonstration where they showed what they talked about. Also, they paused frequently for questions. It was also nice because I was able to apply it directly to my project while the webinar was going on.
I'm really interested for class, to see how all the readings come together and connect to webinars. I'll see you there!
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Let's Eat: A meal approach to workshops
I really liked the way Kristin presented putting together a workshop. Looking at it as courses to a meal is a really helpful strategy. There were a lot of things I had never considered. I tend to focus on the content of a presentation, rather than the basics that other people will be worrying about. When I am in the audience, I think about a lot of other things besides the content, so it makes sense to consider that as the presenter. And in terms of content, I usually tend to think about the new ideas I want to present, rather than considering what they already know and how I can build on that, how I can connect to the audience. I haven't ever done anything quite on the scale of a workshop, but I think these same principles could apply in other situations.
It was also interesting to participate in the discussion with Bobbi Newman. First, I just have to say, as wonderful as chat is, it has its limits. Every now and then, my siblings (I have 7) and I end up in a big chat, and it really is like everyone in the room talking at once to everyone. I'd almost rather have the conversation in a room, because then at least I don't have to read everything to follow the mini-conversation I'm part of! (And, then I'd be hanging out with my siblings, which is a definite bonus!)
But I really did get more out of the discussion than "large chats can be chaotic". First off, I really appreciated that Bobbi was able to step back from the emotions of the HarperCollins situation. I think that our first reaction can cloud our thinking and keep us from finding out all of the facts. Also, from just reading on the web, you get the feeling that everyone in libraries is irate about this, but Monday's discussion gave a different perspective. Once you know that there are publisher's that don't distribute e-books to libraries, all of a sudden the whole situation seems less dramatic. That's not to say that the HarperCollins debate is a non-issue. Obviously there are concerns, and decisions that need to be made. But having broader background knowledge, for me at least, changed how I understand the situation and the problem. It also made the response by ALA and OverDrive more appropriate.
The discussion my cohorts and I had before we had the discussion with Bobbi Newman was also enlightening. The issue certainly didn't arouse passions - it concerned us, and got us thinking, but I don't think any of us felt passionate enough to boycott or write letters to our congressmen. The discussion we had generated some interesting thoughts. One thing we discussed was how people are becoming like libraries. People felt like the HarperCollins policy was differentiating libraries from regular customers, which, they are in a way. I buy a book, and I can loan it to people, but that's not why I buy the book. A library buys a book to loan to people. But what is interesting is how people are becoming more like libraries. I can buy music on itunes and play it on a certain number of computers, and then transfer it to other devices, as well. And, from what I understand, certain ebook vendors are doing the same type of thing. We didn't really have time to finish the discussion, and I'm not sure what the implications are or what I feel about it, but it is interesting to consider.
All in all, it was another great class with great discussion. Stay tuned - great same blogspot, great same amateur blogger - for the details of our workshop!
It was also interesting to participate in the discussion with Bobbi Newman. First, I just have to say, as wonderful as chat is, it has its limits. Every now and then, my siblings (I have 7) and I end up in a big chat, and it really is like everyone in the room talking at once to everyone. I'd almost rather have the conversation in a room, because then at least I don't have to read everything to follow the mini-conversation I'm part of! (And, then I'd be hanging out with my siblings, which is a definite bonus!)
But I really did get more out of the discussion than "large chats can be chaotic". First off, I really appreciated that Bobbi was able to step back from the emotions of the HarperCollins situation. I think that our first reaction can cloud our thinking and keep us from finding out all of the facts. Also, from just reading on the web, you get the feeling that everyone in libraries is irate about this, but Monday's discussion gave a different perspective. Once you know that there are publisher's that don't distribute e-books to libraries, all of a sudden the whole situation seems less dramatic. That's not to say that the HarperCollins debate is a non-issue. Obviously there are concerns, and decisions that need to be made. But having broader background knowledge, for me at least, changed how I understand the situation and the problem. It also made the response by ALA and OverDrive more appropriate.
The discussion my cohorts and I had before we had the discussion with Bobbi Newman was also enlightening. The issue certainly didn't arouse passions - it concerned us, and got us thinking, but I don't think any of us felt passionate enough to boycott or write letters to our congressmen. The discussion we had generated some interesting thoughts. One thing we discussed was how people are becoming like libraries. People felt like the HarperCollins policy was differentiating libraries from regular customers, which, they are in a way. I buy a book, and I can loan it to people, but that's not why I buy the book. A library buys a book to loan to people. But what is interesting is how people are becoming more like libraries. I can buy music on itunes and play it on a certain number of computers, and then transfer it to other devices, as well. And, from what I understand, certain ebook vendors are doing the same type of thing. We didn't really have time to finish the discussion, and I'm not sure what the implications are or what I feel about it, but it is interesting to consider.
All in all, it was another great class with great discussion. Stay tuned - great same blogspot, great same amateur blogger - for the details of our workshop!
Saturday, March 12, 2011
And the results are in...
First item of business: Book Clubs. How did yours go? The book clubs I participated in were interesting. We had great chats about death. Really, it was a fun experience. My group went first, and so I think everyone was a little shy at first, and we were a little unsure of ourselves, but we got good feedback. It was interesting to watch the dynamics of each group. I have been part of a book club before, but I never gave the process a lot of thought before. I read the book and discussed it and that was that. So it was an interesting experience to approach it from a planner's perspective. I picked up on things I had never considered before. For example, the way you introduce characters into the discussion can limit how the discussion about them progresses. Pretty obvious, but not something you'd give a lot of conscious thought to unless you were in a situation where you had to--like this one. Also, (and I know this wasn't something that could be helped in our situation), the seating arrangement is pretty important. I have a new appreciation for sitting in a circle to discuss a book.
On to this weeks readings. Just to recap (yes, I reviewed the guidelines, and remembered why I was reviewing the readings. I have seen the error of my ways and am getting back on track), here's this weeks readings:
First, the ALA Code of Ethics. This document contains the guidelines for library professionals. They give a very useful definition of an ethical dilemma as a conflict of values. One of the points that stood out to me was that this is a framework that professionals can use to guide their behavior and make it ethical. I thought it worth noting that personal beliefs should remain separate from professional responsibilities. It is definitely something that every professional or future professional needs to contemplate and prepare for. I found the emphasis on continuing education exciting and encouraging.
The next article, by Mosley, was about the workshops for faculty. This was a really cool article. First, I think it was great that they included the role plays and materials. I think their approach to conducting these workshops was so logical, and I appreciate logic and common sense. The assignments were really practical. I actually wouldn't mind going to this workshop. In relation to the Code of Ethics, I noticed that throughout the workshop, they emphasized the importance of being respectful of faculty and not trying to demean them. I think it also demonstrates the mission of the profession and their guideline to be organized, make information accessible, and so on (Guideline I).
On to the hot topic: HarperCollins and their decision to limit use of e-books. I decided to read the HarperCollins letter, the statement released by OverDrive, the response by the ALA, and the article from CBC (Canadian news). I think the general response to HarperCollins' decision has been pretty negative, and I found their statement vague. If you knew absolutely nothing about the subject, you'd think they were trying to do the best thing for everyone, and maybe they really perceive themselves in that light. But they don't really say anything--it is very political, in the sense that they say something without saying anything. OverDrive seemed to be more to the point. I noticed they were still very diplomatic, but they seemed to explain their position a little better. I also note that their response was fairly level-headed. They expressed their concern, and their solution, but their response wasn't rash. The ALA was somewhat indefinite as well. Their overall response seemed to be, "We're looking into it." I don't think that's a bad thing, necessarily. While it would be nice to get a firm stance, I appreciate that this is unprecedented and it does require thoughtful study. The trick is to study it within a reasonable amount of time. Last of all was the CBC article. It was interesting to me that they didn't necessarily disagree with HarperCollins theory, but they did feel that the implementation was inappropriate. They were able to acknowledge HarperCollins perspective, but they make a very valid argument about the 26 uses idea.
It was interesting to read these perspectives on the issue and to read it in terms of ethics. I can understand HarperCollins reasoning--they are a business and they are concerned with the bottom line. Particularly if digital books do take over, then the effect on publishers has to be considered. However, I don't think HarperCollins has chosen the best option. I tend to think they chose the option that they liked best and that liked their bank accounts best, and then tried to present it as rational. I sympathize more with libraries and honest patrons. This is definitely an issue, and I think it's great that the discussion is taking place. I'm not sure what the best solution is, but I am sure this isn't it. What are your thoughts? Any solutions?
On to this weeks readings. Just to recap (yes, I reviewed the guidelines, and remembered why I was reviewing the readings. I have seen the error of my ways and am getting back on track), here's this weeks readings:
First, the ALA Code of Ethics. This document contains the guidelines for library professionals. They give a very useful definition of an ethical dilemma as a conflict of values. One of the points that stood out to me was that this is a framework that professionals can use to guide their behavior and make it ethical. I thought it worth noting that personal beliefs should remain separate from professional responsibilities. It is definitely something that every professional or future professional needs to contemplate and prepare for. I found the emphasis on continuing education exciting and encouraging.
The next article, by Mosley, was about the workshops for faculty. This was a really cool article. First, I think it was great that they included the role plays and materials. I think their approach to conducting these workshops was so logical, and I appreciate logic and common sense. The assignments were really practical. I actually wouldn't mind going to this workshop. In relation to the Code of Ethics, I noticed that throughout the workshop, they emphasized the importance of being respectful of faculty and not trying to demean them. I think it also demonstrates the mission of the profession and their guideline to be organized, make information accessible, and so on (Guideline I).
On to the hot topic: HarperCollins and their decision to limit use of e-books. I decided to read the HarperCollins letter, the statement released by OverDrive, the response by the ALA, and the article from CBC (Canadian news). I think the general response to HarperCollins' decision has been pretty negative, and I found their statement vague. If you knew absolutely nothing about the subject, you'd think they were trying to do the best thing for everyone, and maybe they really perceive themselves in that light. But they don't really say anything--it is very political, in the sense that they say something without saying anything. OverDrive seemed to be more to the point. I noticed they were still very diplomatic, but they seemed to explain their position a little better. I also note that their response was fairly level-headed. They expressed their concern, and their solution, but their response wasn't rash. The ALA was somewhat indefinite as well. Their overall response seemed to be, "We're looking into it." I don't think that's a bad thing, necessarily. While it would be nice to get a firm stance, I appreciate that this is unprecedented and it does require thoughtful study. The trick is to study it within a reasonable amount of time. Last of all was the CBC article. It was interesting to me that they didn't necessarily disagree with HarperCollins theory, but they did feel that the implementation was inappropriate. They were able to acknowledge HarperCollins perspective, but they make a very valid argument about the 26 uses idea.
It was interesting to read these perspectives on the issue and to read it in terms of ethics. I can understand HarperCollins reasoning--they are a business and they are concerned with the bottom line. Particularly if digital books do take over, then the effect on publishers has to be considered. However, I don't think HarperCollins has chosen the best option. I tend to think they chose the option that they liked best and that liked their bank accounts best, and then tried to present it as rational. I sympathize more with libraries and honest patrons. This is definitely an issue, and I think it's great that the discussion is taking place. I'm not sure what the best solution is, but I am sure this isn't it. What are your thoughts? Any solutions?
Friday, March 4, 2011
Storytime
My readings for this week were "The Imp of the Perverse", by Edgar Allen Poe; "A Good Man is Hard to Find", by Flannery O'Connor; and "Roosts" by Zack Brockhouse. I am not sure why, but we all chose rather unhappy stories. ("Roosts" maybe isn't unhappy, but it's certainly not bright and cheery). I think that is interesting. Maybe it is kind of like the stories we tell about our own life--we never tell about how great things are, we tell about all the mishaps of life. I imagine there would be very little to say about a story where everything was happy. What were your stories like? Any happy endings?
I did notice that one of the suggestions on Vicki's handout mentioned choosing books with unclear endings, and while the endings were pretty clear, all of these stories did have some aspect that was unclear, and it will be interesting to see how the discussions go on Monday.
In other news, I have been helping out at a branch of the Detroit Public Library this week, and it has been an interesting experience. First, it has been interesting to see the difference between their library system and the Ann Arbor system, as well as to compare it to the libraries I was familiar with in Idaho and Utah. Second, it was interesting because Detroit is cutting library staff by twenty percent, and the layoffs began this week, so I received a front row seat to the cold, hard reality of the impact of the economic crisis on librarianship (although there were rumors that this wasn't the result of just the economy). So that was fun.
Really though, it was a good experience, and even though there was the sadness of layoffs, the work was interesting and I enjoyed it, and the librarians I worked with really did fit the mold Kristin has talked about. They knew the regulars, and tried to cut people a break whenever they could. It reminded me that librarians really have to know how to give good customer service, which while one of the biggest challenges, is also one of the most rewarding things in any job. Not a bad spring break at all!
I did notice that one of the suggestions on Vicki's handout mentioned choosing books with unclear endings, and while the endings were pretty clear, all of these stories did have some aspect that was unclear, and it will be interesting to see how the discussions go on Monday.
In other news, I have been helping out at a branch of the Detroit Public Library this week, and it has been an interesting experience. First, it has been interesting to see the difference between their library system and the Ann Arbor system, as well as to compare it to the libraries I was familiar with in Idaho and Utah. Second, it was interesting because Detroit is cutting library staff by twenty percent, and the layoffs began this week, so I received a front row seat to the cold, hard reality of the impact of the economic crisis on librarianship (although there were rumors that this wasn't the result of just the economy). So that was fun.
Really though, it was a good experience, and even though there was the sadness of layoffs, the work was interesting and I enjoyed it, and the librarians I worked with really did fit the mold Kristin has talked about. They knew the regulars, and tried to cut people a break whenever they could. It reminded me that librarians really have to know how to give good customer service, which while one of the biggest challenges, is also one of the most rewarding things in any job. Not a bad spring break at all!
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Let's Talk About It...
So, I enjoyed reading about book clubs and Socratic seminars, but I also enjoyed the discussion we had in class. Some of the highlights (at least, in my opinion they are highlights):
1: I liked the discussion we had about Twilight-book club book or not. I know when I read a new book, I love to talk about it, but mostly I want to rehash my favorite parts, and in retrospect, that would be really boring for a book club. Not that you can't read Harry Potter or The Hunger Games for a book club, and in some ways, the hype may further the discussion. I mean, imagine discussing why the book is so popular, and does it merit the popularity, and what ideas are people buying into--are they sound, etc. Particularly with teens. It could really generate a lot of thought. But I do agree, that it could be very difficult to pull off.
2: All the wonderful information Vicki provided. Great website recommendations, great list of resources, great book suggestions (Delirium sounds like an interesting read--anyone read it?). Definitely worth the time.
3: The assessment review. Remember that activity? I had actually forgotten, until I reviewed the slides. But that was a really fun activity. First, I love to "edit" things--pick them apart, analyze them, etc. And in this case, it was really helpful. I get super frustrated with surveys, because I have so much more information I could provide that seems more useful than what they are getting. Looking at that survey made me appreciate the difficulty of writing them, but also made me aware of the importance of evaluating your work before you hand it out.
4: Dan the snoop. Loads of entertainment
5: Developing questions strategies. Great tips, not just for book clubs, but for any kind of discussion, presentation, etc. Long live transfer.
6: Socratic Seminar demo. One of the highlights was that I didn't get put on the spot (although, that means I'm still eligible for something else, and it could be worse). But, also, it was interesting to see the dynamics, and even more, to hear your thoughts on the Jeremaiads. Well done, and thank you all participants.
Those are my highlights, but feel free to share yours.
1: I liked the discussion we had about Twilight-book club book or not. I know when I read a new book, I love to talk about it, but mostly I want to rehash my favorite parts, and in retrospect, that would be really boring for a book club. Not that you can't read Harry Potter or The Hunger Games for a book club, and in some ways, the hype may further the discussion. I mean, imagine discussing why the book is so popular, and does it merit the popularity, and what ideas are people buying into--are they sound, etc. Particularly with teens. It could really generate a lot of thought. But I do agree, that it could be very difficult to pull off.
2: All the wonderful information Vicki provided. Great website recommendations, great list of resources, great book suggestions (Delirium sounds like an interesting read--anyone read it?). Definitely worth the time.
3: The assessment review. Remember that activity? I had actually forgotten, until I reviewed the slides. But that was a really fun activity. First, I love to "edit" things--pick them apart, analyze them, etc. And in this case, it was really helpful. I get super frustrated with surveys, because I have so much more information I could provide that seems more useful than what they are getting. Looking at that survey made me appreciate the difficulty of writing them, but also made me aware of the importance of evaluating your work before you hand it out.
4: Dan the snoop. Loads of entertainment
5: Developing questions strategies. Great tips, not just for book clubs, but for any kind of discussion, presentation, etc. Long live transfer.
6: Socratic Seminar demo. One of the highlights was that I didn't get put on the spot (although, that means I'm still eligible for something else, and it could be worse). But, also, it was interesting to see the dynamics, and even more, to hear your thoughts on the Jeremaiads. Well done, and thank you all participants.
Those are my highlights, but feel free to share yours.
Friday, February 18, 2011
Book Clubs and other eclectic items
Scratch that, reverse that. I'm starting off with the eclectics: (So eclectic it's totally unrelated to the reading, last week's class, and probably the course in general)
I just need to vent about the state of education in my home state. My brother shared a story from my mom, a teacher, about the effect standardized tests are having. There is a standardized test students take every year, but scores for all students are only kept through a certain grade level. After that, they only keep the scores of students benefiting from their special programs. The problem? If I'm a student in a higher grade, who may need extra assistance, I can only get that assistance by looking at previous scores. Which they won't have, because they stopped keeping them. Why are the people selling tests determining who gets help? Grrrr.
The other great story from my home state is that the state superintendent of education has decided that all incoming 9th graders should be provided a laptop (courtesy of the state). In theory it will save the state money, because they won't have to buy textbooks. (Really? Explain that to me...) The only people who think this is a great idea is the superintendent and a few big businesses. My brother (a senior) laughed--he said the laptops would get trashed, and no one would pay attention in class. What are your thoughts?
So, now that I'm off my soapbox, lets move on. How was class? It was a pretty good one, and I must agree, old fashioned valentine's are weird. Also, I really liked the hook questions. They are kind of like another version of story problems, perhaps a more effective use of story problems.
In terms of Monday's discussion of transfer: I don't think this was a new concept, it was just giving it a name. I think we have pretty much covered it, but I do have one more thing to say--a mini soapbox. There seemed to be some disdain for comparing Egypt to France, because France was too outdated, not as relevant, and couldn't we get something more recent to compare it to. May I point out that the point of transfer is that it isn't dated? What a great thing to teach students, that something that happened over 200 years still has relevance--that people are fighting for the same things now that they did then. Also, what a great chance to look at how the world has changed. It makes history relevant and gets us thinking about ourselves and our world. I think it is an excellent demonstration of what transfer is all about. It could also be a great theme for a book club--revolutions throughout time. (groan--cheesy transition)
So, I am a huge fan of reading, and discussing what I read. I have been in a book club once, and enjoyed it, but I think I participate in an ongoing informal book club with my family and friends, and in the context of SI and classes, with colleagues and peers. I think that Hoffert's article presented some great suggestions for libraries in terms of book clubs, and the untapped potential for these groups. The thought that just popped into my head is, "What would a thematic Socratic Seminar look like?" Could be interesting.
The Socratic Seminar readings were also interesting. Okay, I confess, Metzger's was interesting. Tredway's was informative, but a little drier. (And, it really wasn't that dry, so what am I complaining about?) I wasn't completely sold on the idea after Tredway--I mean, it has value, and that is clear, but what really sold me was Metzger's application. I love the way Metzger made the Socratic Seminar work for what she needed. Not only were students gaining new insight and knowledge about literature, they were learning to read a wide variety of texts and comprehend them. They were learning how to deconstruct an argument, how to think and form ideas--reading skills, yes, but also thinking skills. Sweet! And, I must say, what an intimidating undertaking. This type of experience requires a lot of trust and openness. Metzger was asking her students to put themselves on the line, and fortunately they rose to the challenge, with really amazing results. Would it work in every setting? I don't know. Could you conduct a Socratic Seminar with first graders focusing on sounding out words? Maybe, but do first graders have the attention span and cognitive ability to pull off that type of thing? I really don't know.
As I read, my general impression was a Socratic Seminar has a more specific purpose, a more educationally oriented intent, than a book club, which is more relaxed and less structured in terms of purpose. I think the discussion that takes place can be quite similar, depending on the book club members, and I wouldn't discount the ability of book clubs to have a profound effect on the thinking and reading skills of participants. In that regard, the two formats are quite similar: they encourage collaboration, open discussion in non-hostile (ideally) environments, and you get to read awesome stuff.
In summation, fabulous readings, valuable suggestions, ideas and insights, and now I really want to read a good book and talk about it with someone. (Just started Mockingjay, by Suzanne Collins. One step down...)
I just need to vent about the state of education in my home state. My brother shared a story from my mom, a teacher, about the effect standardized tests are having. There is a standardized test students take every year, but scores for all students are only kept through a certain grade level. After that, they only keep the scores of students benefiting from their special programs. The problem? If I'm a student in a higher grade, who may need extra assistance, I can only get that assistance by looking at previous scores. Which they won't have, because they stopped keeping them. Why are the people selling tests determining who gets help? Grrrr.
The other great story from my home state is that the state superintendent of education has decided that all incoming 9th graders should be provided a laptop (courtesy of the state). In theory it will save the state money, because they won't have to buy textbooks. (Really? Explain that to me...) The only people who think this is a great idea is the superintendent and a few big businesses. My brother (a senior) laughed--he said the laptops would get trashed, and no one would pay attention in class. What are your thoughts?
So, now that I'm off my soapbox, lets move on. How was class? It was a pretty good one, and I must agree, old fashioned valentine's are weird. Also, I really liked the hook questions. They are kind of like another version of story problems, perhaps a more effective use of story problems.
In terms of Monday's discussion of transfer: I don't think this was a new concept, it was just giving it a name. I think we have pretty much covered it, but I do have one more thing to say--a mini soapbox. There seemed to be some disdain for comparing Egypt to France, because France was too outdated, not as relevant, and couldn't we get something more recent to compare it to. May I point out that the point of transfer is that it isn't dated? What a great thing to teach students, that something that happened over 200 years still has relevance--that people are fighting for the same things now that they did then. Also, what a great chance to look at how the world has changed. It makes history relevant and gets us thinking about ourselves and our world. I think it is an excellent demonstration of what transfer is all about. It could also be a great theme for a book club--revolutions throughout time. (groan--cheesy transition)
So, I am a huge fan of reading, and discussing what I read. I have been in a book club once, and enjoyed it, but I think I participate in an ongoing informal book club with my family and friends, and in the context of SI and classes, with colleagues and peers. I think that Hoffert's article presented some great suggestions for libraries in terms of book clubs, and the untapped potential for these groups. The thought that just popped into my head is, "What would a thematic Socratic Seminar look like?" Could be interesting.
The Socratic Seminar readings were also interesting. Okay, I confess, Metzger's was interesting. Tredway's was informative, but a little drier. (And, it really wasn't that dry, so what am I complaining about?) I wasn't completely sold on the idea after Tredway--I mean, it has value, and that is clear, but what really sold me was Metzger's application. I love the way Metzger made the Socratic Seminar work for what she needed. Not only were students gaining new insight and knowledge about literature, they were learning to read a wide variety of texts and comprehend them. They were learning how to deconstruct an argument, how to think and form ideas--reading skills, yes, but also thinking skills. Sweet! And, I must say, what an intimidating undertaking. This type of experience requires a lot of trust and openness. Metzger was asking her students to put themselves on the line, and fortunately they rose to the challenge, with really amazing results. Would it work in every setting? I don't know. Could you conduct a Socratic Seminar with first graders focusing on sounding out words? Maybe, but do first graders have the attention span and cognitive ability to pull off that type of thing? I really don't know.
As I read, my general impression was a Socratic Seminar has a more specific purpose, a more educationally oriented intent, than a book club, which is more relaxed and less structured in terms of purpose. I think the discussion that takes place can be quite similar, depending on the book club members, and I wouldn't discount the ability of book clubs to have a profound effect on the thinking and reading skills of participants. In that regard, the two formats are quite similar: they encourage collaboration, open discussion in non-hostile (ideally) environments, and you get to read awesome stuff.
In summation, fabulous readings, valuable suggestions, ideas and insights, and now I really want to read a good book and talk about it with someone. (Just started Mockingjay, by Suzanne Collins. One step down...)
Saturday, February 12, 2011
I'd like to make a transfer...
I think the highlight of class this week was its applicability to another class I'm in, which entails a group project and conducting research (it's very 501-ish in a way) in an organization. We are basically trying to assess a program to see how effective it is, and so the advice about conducting surveys was extremely timely and helpful. Does that count as transfer? (For a minute, I started to wonder if I had mixed the two classes up and was writing about the wrong class for this post!)
Another memorable moment was the McGonigal video. I don't know that I agree with everything she said. I'm definitely not going to start playing thousands of hours in online games, but I thought the results of the online gaming experience were interesting, and I think that the idea here is, again, transfer. Take those same skills and use them in a different setting.
Which is a terrific lead-in to this weeks reading, which I really enjoyed. There was a lot of good stuff in there, but I assume you all did the reading and are writing about it as well, and I am going to try to avoid repeating the textbook. But there are a few things that did get me thinking that I want to mention.
First, how many of you remember the scenario where college students were given a problem about a general and a fortress? The general has to decide how to take the fortress without setting of the mines and blowing up the roads, and the solution is to divide the army and send them in a few at a time. Then the students are given the tumor scenario, and most of them couldn't make the connection between the two automatically. Was anyone else kind of surprised by that? I definitely was, and my first reaction was, "Seriously? They couldn't figure it out without someone telling them that the general problem could help solve the tumor problem?" Then I started thinking about it. To give them the benefit of the doubt, it doesn't specify how much time had passed between receiving the problems, and time is a consideration in transfer. But more importantly, I was reading this problem laid out on one page, in the context of transfer. If I hadn't been able to make the connection, then I would expect expulsion from SI, and from a master's program in general. And while I would certainly hope that I would be able to make the connection on my own, if there was no context, and I was just handed these two problems with no explanation of why, maybe it wouldn't be as obvious. Which just goes to show that context really is significant in transfer.
The other section that really caught my eye in the How People Learn reading was the discussion on transfer and cultural practices. Quick story to illustrate. I was at my sister's, and her husband was playing Superbowl ads, including this one Tommy Chevy Silverado. I made a comment about how younger kids probably wouldn't get the reference to Lassie, and my sister said, "Oh!" She'd thought it was funny before, but now that she watched it from that reference point, it was even funnier. But someone who didn't know about Lassie would probably find it absolutely idiotic and would miss a whole dimension of meaning.
So, this story is a good illustration of background knowledge and the role it plays in transfer, but it really does illustrate cultural practices, too. Because we have this world where we make references to things all the time--like the pumpkin pie story--without even thinking about it. And if you want people to make connections from what they learn in one setting to other settings, they have to understand what they learn, and if you drop a whole bunch of cultural references in there, they aren't going to get it. Where we live in such a diverse society, we as librarians definitely need to be aware of that, especially as we do things like reference interviews or workshops or webinars, etc. And, as the text noted, this goes beyond references to TV shows or phrases we use in our language. Different cultures communicate differently. They teach differently. And to be able to assess real understanding and ability to transfer, that needs to be accounted for to some degree.
I think this idea of transfer also really highlights what the essence of learning is. It isn't memorization or regurgitation of facts. Accepting this view will create value for formative assessment along with the summative assessment. The McTighe and Wiggins article emphasizes this view of learning when they describe the goal of high school education. Of course, in reality, its not as easy to do all of this--it's worthwhile and important, but not necessarily easy. And I think librarians can really help out here, by doing our best to give people transferable skills and knowledge, to help them identify that pattern and skill, so that the responsibility of the teacher is shared. That being said, this article did make me wonder how we would define the role of grade school and junior high/middle school. Just out of curiosity. Any thoughts?
To wrap up, transfer is really an awesome thing. Not just in the abstract sense, but for the learner who starts to make connections, who can transfer knowledge and abilities from one setting to another, that is a cool experience. It is empowering and it really does change the world for them. Pretty amazing, wouldn't you agree?
Another memorable moment was the McGonigal video. I don't know that I agree with everything she said. I'm definitely not going to start playing thousands of hours in online games, but I thought the results of the online gaming experience were interesting, and I think that the idea here is, again, transfer. Take those same skills and use them in a different setting.
Which is a terrific lead-in to this weeks reading, which I really enjoyed. There was a lot of good stuff in there, but I assume you all did the reading and are writing about it as well, and I am going to try to avoid repeating the textbook. But there are a few things that did get me thinking that I want to mention.
First, how many of you remember the scenario where college students were given a problem about a general and a fortress? The general has to decide how to take the fortress without setting of the mines and blowing up the roads, and the solution is to divide the army and send them in a few at a time. Then the students are given the tumor scenario, and most of them couldn't make the connection between the two automatically. Was anyone else kind of surprised by that? I definitely was, and my first reaction was, "Seriously? They couldn't figure it out without someone telling them that the general problem could help solve the tumor problem?" Then I started thinking about it. To give them the benefit of the doubt, it doesn't specify how much time had passed between receiving the problems, and time is a consideration in transfer. But more importantly, I was reading this problem laid out on one page, in the context of transfer. If I hadn't been able to make the connection, then I would expect expulsion from SI, and from a master's program in general. And while I would certainly hope that I would be able to make the connection on my own, if there was no context, and I was just handed these two problems with no explanation of why, maybe it wouldn't be as obvious. Which just goes to show that context really is significant in transfer.
The other section that really caught my eye in the How People Learn reading was the discussion on transfer and cultural practices. Quick story to illustrate. I was at my sister's, and her husband was playing Superbowl ads, including this one Tommy Chevy Silverado. I made a comment about how younger kids probably wouldn't get the reference to Lassie, and my sister said, "Oh!" She'd thought it was funny before, but now that she watched it from that reference point, it was even funnier. But someone who didn't know about Lassie would probably find it absolutely idiotic and would miss a whole dimension of meaning.
So, this story is a good illustration of background knowledge and the role it plays in transfer, but it really does illustrate cultural practices, too. Because we have this world where we make references to things all the time--like the pumpkin pie story--without even thinking about it. And if you want people to make connections from what they learn in one setting to other settings, they have to understand what they learn, and if you drop a whole bunch of cultural references in there, they aren't going to get it. Where we live in such a diverse society, we as librarians definitely need to be aware of that, especially as we do things like reference interviews or workshops or webinars, etc. And, as the text noted, this goes beyond references to TV shows or phrases we use in our language. Different cultures communicate differently. They teach differently. And to be able to assess real understanding and ability to transfer, that needs to be accounted for to some degree.
I think this idea of transfer also really highlights what the essence of learning is. It isn't memorization or regurgitation of facts. Accepting this view will create value for formative assessment along with the summative assessment. The McTighe and Wiggins article emphasizes this view of learning when they describe the goal of high school education. Of course, in reality, its not as easy to do all of this--it's worthwhile and important, but not necessarily easy. And I think librarians can really help out here, by doing our best to give people transferable skills and knowledge, to help them identify that pattern and skill, so that the responsibility of the teacher is shared. That being said, this article did make me wonder how we would define the role of grade school and junior high/middle school. Just out of curiosity. Any thoughts?
To wrap up, transfer is really an awesome thing. Not just in the abstract sense, but for the learner who starts to make connections, who can transfer knowledge and abilities from one setting to another, that is a cool experience. It is empowering and it really does change the world for them. Pretty amazing, wouldn't you agree?
Saturday, February 5, 2011
In tribute
This week's reading got me in a reflective mood. First off, I've been thinking about our last class, and I confess, I appreciate the group discussion. It's a great way to get to know people, which for shy, little ole me is pretty terrific.
I am also impressed with the deviousness of Kristin. How slyly she put into practice this week's reading. Scratching your head? Well, do you recall our sandwich evaluations of our classmates' screencasts? It kind of resonates with the idea Sadler discussed, that learners need to have experience evaluating in order to learn to self-monitor? Sneaky, sneaky...
Speaking of Sadler's article, I would sum it up this way: Give a man a grade, you've impacted him for a day. Teach a man to self-monitor, you've impacted them for life. Well, you know how the old fish saying goes. This is what went through my mind as formative assessment was discussed. The whole idea is to give feedback that changes the learner's ability to change their own performance. That is an amazing gift to give a learner. So, how can I as a public librarian or archivist or special collections librarian give patrons that gift? That's the real question. There is so little time to interact with them. Any ideas? What are your thoughts?
Now, moving on to the nostalgic phase of my post. The introduction to chapter 6 in How People Learn: "The Design of Learning Environments", talked about how the real change in education is in our expectations, rather than the quality. This was very encouraging, and it made me think back on my education. It wasn't anything special, and I don't know that they had so much focus on methods and environments, and such--teachers taught, you took tests and did assignments, and that was that. And I think I got a good education. I think it was definitely the best education for me. But reading this introduction also made me realize that maybe education is a lot better for a lot of other people now. Sure, it's still not perfect, but maybe it isn't the disaster we think it is.
I also began thinking of the learning environments. The chapter highlighted 4 different environments, and as I read about Community-Centered Environments, I felt a great need to pay tribute to my family, who provided me with a great learning environment to grow up in. Thank you, thank you, my dear family. My mom currently works with kindergartners, and I have other friends who are in education, and frequently, I hear stories that indicate lack of support from the home. Of course, this can't be considered representative--I don't hear about every student in the class--but based on my own experience of a learning-centered family environment, I know this makes a huge difference.
Another element of the Community-centered environment that caught my attention was connecting to the broader community. It's pretty foreign to me to not apply what I learned in school to life and vice versa. When I was in high school, I had a physics teacher that would write tests that had problems like, "An Olympic long jumper is trapped on the roof of a building that's on fire." Then we had to figure out all the physics of getting him onto the roof of the next building. His tests always had at least a couple of problems like that. Very real life application-ish. During my freshman year at college, I drove my roommates nuts by telling them all the things that couldn't actually have happened in the movie we were watching because of physics. And, (another tribute to family) it is dangerous to get any of my siblings talking about what we've read or studied or anything, because we can't stop talking, and we drag the conversation everywhere--school, work, home life, everywhere. So, I really do have a point, and here it is. Community-centered learning takes a community, and it can also give meaning to all that learning we do.
But it takes more than just a community-centered environment. An Assessment-Centered environment is also important, especially assessment meant to improve performance--yes, formative assessment. I think this is a positive change in education. I think it's terrific that alternate forms of assessment are taking hold. I have known friends who felt inferior because they didn't do well on tests, even though they were the ones who were teaching me how to do the homework. It thrills me that tests are no longer the only form of assessment.
Add to that the knowledge-centered environment. I think this is the environment that we most associate with school--fill those children's heads with knowledge. If you leave this environment out of the picture, what are you really doing? This also seems the easiest to accomplish--we know what we are supposed to teach. But to really manage this environment effectively, it needs to go hand in hand with assessment, to make sure there is real knowledge acquisition, and community-centered, to make sure that knowledge has meaning.
Last but not least is the learner-centered environment. This is finding out where the learner is at. This will shape the knowledge we give them. A community-centered environment will help in determining where the learner is at--how they see the world and interpret things. It can give background. It also draws on assessment--we have to find out what learners know and understand and need to know somehow.
Now that we have completed that terrific rundown of the reading, how does it apply outside of a school environment? As mentioned when discussing one-shot workshops, anytime we're teaching, be it a workshop or a class or a screencast, we should consider the learners needs, and assess their knowledge. We also need to give them an environment they feel comfortable in, give them a community, and that can happen in any setting--a library, an archive, or even a webinar. And then we can move forward and get them the knowledge they need.
So, there is my take on formative assessment and learning environments. hope my spin is in there somewhere. Thank you for sticking it out to the end.
I am also impressed with the deviousness of Kristin. How slyly she put into practice this week's reading. Scratching your head? Well, do you recall our sandwich evaluations of our classmates' screencasts? It kind of resonates with the idea Sadler discussed, that learners need to have experience evaluating in order to learn to self-monitor? Sneaky, sneaky...
Speaking of Sadler's article, I would sum it up this way: Give a man a grade, you've impacted him for a day. Teach a man to self-monitor, you've impacted them for life. Well, you know how the old fish saying goes. This is what went through my mind as formative assessment was discussed. The whole idea is to give feedback that changes the learner's ability to change their own performance. That is an amazing gift to give a learner. So, how can I as a public librarian or archivist or special collections librarian give patrons that gift? That's the real question. There is so little time to interact with them. Any ideas? What are your thoughts?
Now, moving on to the nostalgic phase of my post. The introduction to chapter 6 in How People Learn: "The Design of Learning Environments", talked about how the real change in education is in our expectations, rather than the quality. This was very encouraging, and it made me think back on my education. It wasn't anything special, and I don't know that they had so much focus on methods and environments, and such--teachers taught, you took tests and did assignments, and that was that. And I think I got a good education. I think it was definitely the best education for me. But reading this introduction also made me realize that maybe education is a lot better for a lot of other people now. Sure, it's still not perfect, but maybe it isn't the disaster we think it is.
I also began thinking of the learning environments. The chapter highlighted 4 different environments, and as I read about Community-Centered Environments, I felt a great need to pay tribute to my family, who provided me with a great learning environment to grow up in. Thank you, thank you, my dear family. My mom currently works with kindergartners, and I have other friends who are in education, and frequently, I hear stories that indicate lack of support from the home. Of course, this can't be considered representative--I don't hear about every student in the class--but based on my own experience of a learning-centered family environment, I know this makes a huge difference.
Another element of the Community-centered environment that caught my attention was connecting to the broader community. It's pretty foreign to me to not apply what I learned in school to life and vice versa. When I was in high school, I had a physics teacher that would write tests that had problems like, "An Olympic long jumper is trapped on the roof of a building that's on fire." Then we had to figure out all the physics of getting him onto the roof of the next building. His tests always had at least a couple of problems like that. Very real life application-ish. During my freshman year at college, I drove my roommates nuts by telling them all the things that couldn't actually have happened in the movie we were watching because of physics. And, (another tribute to family) it is dangerous to get any of my siblings talking about what we've read or studied or anything, because we can't stop talking, and we drag the conversation everywhere--school, work, home life, everywhere. So, I really do have a point, and here it is. Community-centered learning takes a community, and it can also give meaning to all that learning we do.
But it takes more than just a community-centered environment. An Assessment-Centered environment is also important, especially assessment meant to improve performance--yes, formative assessment. I think this is a positive change in education. I think it's terrific that alternate forms of assessment are taking hold. I have known friends who felt inferior because they didn't do well on tests, even though they were the ones who were teaching me how to do the homework. It thrills me that tests are no longer the only form of assessment.
Add to that the knowledge-centered environment. I think this is the environment that we most associate with school--fill those children's heads with knowledge. If you leave this environment out of the picture, what are you really doing? This also seems the easiest to accomplish--we know what we are supposed to teach. But to really manage this environment effectively, it needs to go hand in hand with assessment, to make sure there is real knowledge acquisition, and community-centered, to make sure that knowledge has meaning.
Last but not least is the learner-centered environment. This is finding out where the learner is at. This will shape the knowledge we give them. A community-centered environment will help in determining where the learner is at--how they see the world and interpret things. It can give background. It also draws on assessment--we have to find out what learners know and understand and need to know somehow.
Now that we have completed that terrific rundown of the reading, how does it apply outside of a school environment? As mentioned when discussing one-shot workshops, anytime we're teaching, be it a workshop or a class or a screencast, we should consider the learners needs, and assess their knowledge. We also need to give them an environment they feel comfortable in, give them a community, and that can happen in any setting--a library, an archive, or even a webinar. And then we can move forward and get them the knowledge they need.
So, there is my take on formative assessment and learning environments. hope my spin is in there somewhere. Thank you for sticking it out to the end.
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Are you literate?
The topic of this week's readings was information literacy, but unlike previous readings, the articles were self-assigned. I actually ended up reading quite a few, all of which had some useful insights, and here is a list for your reference:
With that question out of the way, I proceeded on to my research (long live online magazine articles at the U of M library), and found some very interesting ideas.
First, there was a common theme in multiple articles about the definition of information literacy. In Anderson's article, he refers to "literacies" and argues that there are other literacies, such as visual literacy and media literacy. This raises an interesting question. Are these part of information literacy, are they separate types of literacy, or are they synonyms for information literacy? At present, my verdict is that they are subcategories of information literacy, but I'm open to discussion. At any rate, it does give one pause to consider the full scope of information literacy. Hignite's article, which delves into the result of an information literacy assessment (and has some really intriguing statistics, it was a great read), concludes that information literacy has to go beyond mere software/hardware manipulation, which provides another thing to take into account when teaching. Another dimension to information literacy is discussed in by Lloyd. In her article "Information Literacy: Different contexts, different concepts, different truths?" she introduces the idea of information literacy in the workplace, vs. information literacy in education, and points out that in the workplace, information is based on social relationships and experience, sources of information not accumulated into the the standard definition of information literacy, but I think Lloyd has a valid point. There are more sources of information than just books and computers.
The meta-competency article by Lloyd then questions whether the information literacy learned in the academic realm is transferable to other arenas. For example, if I can write a research report for a class, does that also mean I can solve a technical problem in my employment? I like to think I am informational literate--this is an unverified claim, I've never taken a test or anything, and I do have moments when I wonder about my informational skills. But, I think overall, I am information literate. And I think that there are foundational skills that do transfer from field to field. Sure, there are others that don't carry over, but I think that they probably build on some of these foundational skills, which makes it possible to acquire new skills. I can't prove it, but it's as good a theory as any.
The Shenton and Fitzgibbon article is good food for thought, particularly for school librarians. I quite enjoyed the opening section: how do you convince kids that information literacy has value beyond school assignments? It seems like the eternal question of education, how on earth do we convince these kids that this matters. Good luck to all of you seeking an answer. Let me know if you find it. I won't give you a spoiler, but they do have some good suggestions to help.
They article also raise another interesting point. Can information literacy be taught independent of other subjects? That is to say, can we just go in and teach Information Literacy 101? Or does it have to be in the context of other subjects? I'm interested in opinions and thoughts. I think some skills could be taught or enhanced independently. But some things you learn best by doing, and may be taught best in conjunction with other subjects. I really don't know. Anyone else have any thoughts?
As you can see, there is a lot to explore in information literacy. I figured I would check out a few articles and pick the three that were most interesting--clearly that didn't work. I do hope that there has been something interesting for you to consider in my lengthy recap, and feel free to contribute your insights as well!
- Hignite, Michael, Ph.D. et al. "Information Literacy Assessment: Moving Beyond Computer Literacy". College Student Journal Vol. 43, Issue 3. Date: 09/01/2009 Start Page: 81
- Shenton, Andrew K. and Megan Fitzgibbons. "Making information literacy relevant". Library Review Vol. 59, Issue 3. Date: 03/01/2010 Start Page: 165.
- Lloyd, Annemaree. "Information Literacy : The Meta-Competency of the Knowledge Economy? An Exploratory Paper". Journal of Librarianship and Information Science 2003 35: 87, http://lis.sagepub.com
- Lloyd, Annemaree. "Information literacy : Different contexts, different concepts, different truths?"Journal of Librarianship and Information Science 2005 37: 82
- Anderson, Byron(2008) 'Information “Literacies”', Behavioral & Social Sciences Librarian, 26: 2, 63 — 65. http://dx.doi.org/10.1300/J103v26n02_05
With that question out of the way, I proceeded on to my research (long live online magazine articles at the U of M library), and found some very interesting ideas.
First, there was a common theme in multiple articles about the definition of information literacy. In Anderson's article, he refers to "literacies" and argues that there are other literacies, such as visual literacy and media literacy. This raises an interesting question. Are these part of information literacy, are they separate types of literacy, or are they synonyms for information literacy? At present, my verdict is that they are subcategories of information literacy, but I'm open to discussion. At any rate, it does give one pause to consider the full scope of information literacy. Hignite's article, which delves into the result of an information literacy assessment (and has some really intriguing statistics, it was a great read), concludes that information literacy has to go beyond mere software/hardware manipulation, which provides another thing to take into account when teaching. Another dimension to information literacy is discussed in by Lloyd. In her article "Information Literacy: Different contexts, different concepts, different truths?" she introduces the idea of information literacy in the workplace, vs. information literacy in education, and points out that in the workplace, information is based on social relationships and experience, sources of information not accumulated into the the standard definition of information literacy, but I think Lloyd has a valid point. There are more sources of information than just books and computers.
The meta-competency article by Lloyd then questions whether the information literacy learned in the academic realm is transferable to other arenas. For example, if I can write a research report for a class, does that also mean I can solve a technical problem in my employment? I like to think I am informational literate--this is an unverified claim, I've never taken a test or anything, and I do have moments when I wonder about my informational skills. But, I think overall, I am information literate. And I think that there are foundational skills that do transfer from field to field. Sure, there are others that don't carry over, but I think that they probably build on some of these foundational skills, which makes it possible to acquire new skills. I can't prove it, but it's as good a theory as any.
The Shenton and Fitzgibbon article is good food for thought, particularly for school librarians. I quite enjoyed the opening section: how do you convince kids that information literacy has value beyond school assignments? It seems like the eternal question of education, how on earth do we convince these kids that this matters. Good luck to all of you seeking an answer. Let me know if you find it. I won't give you a spoiler, but they do have some good suggestions to help.
They article also raise another interesting point. Can information literacy be taught independent of other subjects? That is to say, can we just go in and teach Information Literacy 101? Or does it have to be in the context of other subjects? I'm interested in opinions and thoughts. I think some skills could be taught or enhanced independently. But some things you learn best by doing, and may be taught best in conjunction with other subjects. I really don't know. Anyone else have any thoughts?
As you can see, there is a lot to explore in information literacy. I figured I would check out a few articles and pick the three that were most interesting--clearly that didn't work. I do hope that there has been something interesting for you to consider in my lengthy recap, and feel free to contribute your insights as well!
My first, but not last, attempt at screencasting
So, here is a link to my first ever (and hopefully worst!) screencast:
643 Screencast
I must say, I will probably never have a career as a narrator. And probably not as a director-maybe assistant director, or maybe I just need to direct someone other than myself. I will say, I have gained a new empathy for all the really lousy YouTube videos we watched in class. This is not to say I didn't like the assignment. I did, and I think it is a terrific assignment. It was just kind of stressful for me. Why, you ask? (Or maybe you don't ask, and are hoping not to find out. Sorry) Well, for just a few reasons.
For example, topic selection. This probably should have been very easy, but everything I thought of seemed so redundant or self-explanatory. I didn't actually look, but I imagine there are about a thousand tutorials on photo editing, or blogging, or wiki-ing (I know, not a word). I really wanted to do something that wasn't adding to the already abundant collection. And then, everything I thought of seemed so obvious, including the topic I finally chose, which was checking out audio and digital books online. Who is actually going to be doing that? Most likely people who already know how to navigate a computer. I ended up banking on the fact that somewhere out there is someone whose children bought them a kindle or mp3 player for their birthday and they have no idea what to do with it. I also convinced myself not to worry about what tutorials already existed. I did discover that there are a lot of cool tools out there though (including one called crocodoc, which has been a lifesaver this weekend! Yay for unforeseen perks of homework).
I also discovered some screencasting problems that we didn't mention in class. For example, I found I have a tendency to play around with the mouse, which doesn't go over well in a screencast. And I had to remind myself to balance professional and natural, and to hit my key points (it's hard to read a script when you have to watch a screen, after all). I also realized that not all topics lend themselves to all teaching strategies - for example, it was hard to draw connections and demonstrate transferability with my topic, and the limited timing didn't help. The big lesson here was that a five-minute screencast takes much longer than 5 minutes to prepare. (Although you may not believe it from watching my screencast...but I really did spend more than 5 minutes on it).
But, on the bright side, we learn from mistakes as much as we do from success, and I definitely learned a lot. I have a great new tool at my disposal, and a nice long list of what-not-to-do's. As far as learning and getting experience goes, this is a definite winner.
643 Screencast
I must say, I will probably never have a career as a narrator. And probably not as a director-maybe assistant director, or maybe I just need to direct someone other than myself. I will say, I have gained a new empathy for all the really lousy YouTube videos we watched in class. This is not to say I didn't like the assignment. I did, and I think it is a terrific assignment. It was just kind of stressful for me. Why, you ask? (Or maybe you don't ask, and are hoping not to find out. Sorry) Well, for just a few reasons.
For example, topic selection. This probably should have been very easy, but everything I thought of seemed so redundant or self-explanatory. I didn't actually look, but I imagine there are about a thousand tutorials on photo editing, or blogging, or wiki-ing (I know, not a word). I really wanted to do something that wasn't adding to the already abundant collection. And then, everything I thought of seemed so obvious, including the topic I finally chose, which was checking out audio and digital books online. Who is actually going to be doing that? Most likely people who already know how to navigate a computer. I ended up banking on the fact that somewhere out there is someone whose children bought them a kindle or mp3 player for their birthday and they have no idea what to do with it. I also convinced myself not to worry about what tutorials already existed. I did discover that there are a lot of cool tools out there though (including one called crocodoc, which has been a lifesaver this weekend! Yay for unforeseen perks of homework).
I also discovered some screencasting problems that we didn't mention in class. For example, I found I have a tendency to play around with the mouse, which doesn't go over well in a screencast. And I had to remind myself to balance professional and natural, and to hit my key points (it's hard to read a script when you have to watch a screen, after all). I also realized that not all topics lend themselves to all teaching strategies - for example, it was hard to draw connections and demonstrate transferability with my topic, and the limited timing didn't help. The big lesson here was that a five-minute screencast takes much longer than 5 minutes to prepare. (Although you may not believe it from watching my screencast...but I really did spend more than 5 minutes on it).
But, on the bright side, we learn from mistakes as much as we do from success, and I definitely learned a lot. I have a great new tool at my disposal, and a nice long list of what-not-to-do's. As far as learning and getting experience goes, this is a definite winner.
Saturday, January 22, 2011
One Shot, IDS, and Online Tutorials
Not the most creative of titles, but an accurate account of this week's material. I have been thinking a lot about the online tutorials and my own experience. Some of the points of Johnston's work have stuck with me, most notably the pros and cons of online tutorials. It's great to be able to cover material at your own pace and your own convenience, but there is that drawback of not having a live resource to explain and clarify what you aren't sure on. It made me think of my experiences learning Excel. The first time I set out to learn Excel (more than the very basic stuff), I took a course at the public library. This course was pretty basic, and we didn't have much of an opportunity to do anything hands on, there was no application element. The second time, I actually did Microsoft's online training. This was much more beneficial and I actually learned quite a bit. It also included practice exercises, and had printable reference sheets that made it easy to compile a reference manual of sorts. In that scenario, I definitely liked the online training, but there are many things I would prefer in class instruction. My courses here at the University, for example. There is so much I would miss out on if all I did was download a copy of the PowerPoint slides and give myself the lecture! I definitely agree that online tutorials can be valuable tools for learning, though.
I have also been thinking about ADDIE, that good old instructional design process. The book was specifically referring to live teaching, but I think the same process would be invaluable in designing an online tutorial. Many of the benefits of using the instructional design process would be particularly beneficial for an online tutorial. For example, being able to design a course that could be used over and over for years is a desirable quality in online tutorials. Getting consistent results is also critical. And the idea of having one shot applies as well. So, even though the case study and examples from Veldof's book are classroom experiences, the same ideas are applicable in other areas, as well.
I am pretty excited about the screencasting tools--I love free programs, especially when I actually learn how to use them! More on that in the future, I imagine.
I know this barely touches the surface of the material for this week, but I just wanted to share my thoughts. Till next time.
I have also been thinking about ADDIE, that good old instructional design process. The book was specifically referring to live teaching, but I think the same process would be invaluable in designing an online tutorial. Many of the benefits of using the instructional design process would be particularly beneficial for an online tutorial. For example, being able to design a course that could be used over and over for years is a desirable quality in online tutorials. Getting consistent results is also critical. And the idea of having one shot applies as well. So, even though the case study and examples from Veldof's book are classroom experiences, the same ideas are applicable in other areas, as well.
I am pretty excited about the screencasting tools--I love free programs, especially when I actually learn how to use them! More on that in the future, I imagine.
I know this barely touches the surface of the material for this week, but I just wanted to share my thoughts. Till next time.
Monday, January 10, 2011
Expert Learners, Competencies, and other thoughts
I confess, I find expertise alluring. At least, I do after reading chapter 2. Being an expert in something really gives you a powerful set of tools to use, not just in your field, but in acquiring new knowledge, and in all aspects of life. Maybe that is why education has traditionally been so valued and why it opens doors--it's not so much about the facts you learn, but about becoming someone who can think a certain way about one thing and then apply that to other areas. When I think about my own education--both in a formal setting, and in less formal settings, such as in my home for example--I feel like the most valuable thing I took from my years of study is my ability to think about things the way I do. The ability to learn and think is empowering.
But what does this have to do with libraries, competencies, an MSI? Well, the most obvious answer is that the goal of a master's degree is to become an expert, or at least more of an expert, in an area. And in looking at the competencies, one of the words that comes up a lot is understanding. A competent library science professional has to understand and have a way of thinking about information to be successful.
Now, ideally, we graduate as experts, but in case you didn't notice, those competencies are pretty detailed. I don't think there is any way to become an expert in all aspects of librarianship--how on earth would one learn everything about legal, administrative, outreach, collecting, etc.? There's just too much. So how do we become expert without being expert? How do we learn everything we need to know? It's kind of overwhelming. Fortunately, an expert learner knows what they don't know.Thank goodness for metacognition!
But what does this have to do with libraries, competencies, an MSI? Well, the most obvious answer is that the goal of a master's degree is to become an expert, or at least more of an expert, in an area. And in looking at the competencies, one of the words that comes up a lot is understanding. A competent library science professional has to understand and have a way of thinking about information to be successful.
Now, ideally, we graduate as experts, but in case you didn't notice, those competencies are pretty detailed. I don't think there is any way to become an expert in all aspects of librarianship--how on earth would one learn everything about legal, administrative, outreach, collecting, etc.? There's just too much. So how do we become expert without being expert? How do we learn everything we need to know? It's kind of overwhelming. Fortunately, an expert learner knows what they don't know.Thank goodness for metacognition!
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Learning: From Speculation to Science
So far, I have only read chapter one. There are some very interesting ideas, though, that ring true to me, at least. First is the idea that what we consider knowing has changed. I remember when I was in high school (waaaaay back when), everyone thought I was super smart because I could memorize well, but I never felt that my memory indicated my intellect. What is the use of being able to spew forth trivial information? The value of knowledge comes in being able to connect, to apply what you know to a given situation or idea. I think that is where the understanding comes in. And, as the text indicated, being able to take what you know, and bring that into play with what you are being taught really enhances the learning process.
Back to the idea of "what is knowing." The text also mentioned that knowing has shifted to being able to find and use knowledge. Reflecting on the leadership experiences I have had, that is really a crucial element. I was a leader not because I knew the answers, but because I knew how to find them, and took the initiative to find them. People turned to me because they knew that I would find an answer. I have always considered the ability to learn one of my greatest strengths, and I think we assume that it's one of those inalienable qualities we all have--we are people, therefore we can all learn. That is true, but as the reading points out, some of us are better at it than others, and there are ways to become better learners.
So, those are just a few things I've been thinking about as I read, but I'm sure there is more to come with Chapter 2: How Experts Differ from Novices
Back to the idea of "what is knowing." The text also mentioned that knowing has shifted to being able to find and use knowledge. Reflecting on the leadership experiences I have had, that is really a crucial element. I was a leader not because I knew the answers, but because I knew how to find them, and took the initiative to find them. People turned to me because they knew that I would find an answer. I have always considered the ability to learn one of my greatest strengths, and I think we assume that it's one of those inalienable qualities we all have--we are people, therefore we can all learn. That is true, but as the reading points out, some of us are better at it than others, and there are ways to become better learners.
So, those are just a few things I've been thinking about as I read, but I'm sure there is more to come with Chapter 2: How Experts Differ from Novices
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