Article highlight ..."transforming Web2.0 thinking into real-time behaviour"

Article review “Rethinking Collaboration: transforming Web2.0 thinking into real-time behaviour”

This article was an interesting discussion on how TL’s can bring the ideas of social networking into collaborative teaching.  It talked about how TL’s are short of time and are overwhelmed by large numbers of students, a complaint which has been echoed in many of our classes online comments.  The author suggests TL’s need to delete “much-loved but out-dated library activities” so they can use the time to collaborative teach students.  The author suggests decreasing time spent on collecting resources, reading to children and/or maintaining a library webpage.  Instead the TL could create an online book club that is run mostly by students, have a classroom teacher read to younger students in the library setting, and/or have students manage the library webpage with the TL as a managing editor.  This last suggestions sounds like “Wikipedia” or Web2.0 doesn’t it.  I like the author’s idea that we have to look at time spent and prioritize it to achieve a maximum effect on student learning, however the replacement suggestions will require TL’s time to train students and frequently review websites so it will not be all “found” time.  The article’s intent is challenging TL’s to allow their students to construct school library services, socially shifting the library to a “creating” culture. 

The second solution identified by the article is for the TL to focus on staff requests for collaborative teaching on learning outcomes identified as school priorities.  The TL would create a “learning commons” where students would work using an inquiry model to answer an curriculum goal.  The article is challenging TL’s to use WEB 2.0 resources of blogs, wikis and discussion areas to create a “learning commons”.  The process would be assessed to evaluate student learning in research and information literacy.  Students not in collaborative classes would have short drop-in sessions to provide limited TL support.  It is not new to do collaborative teaching with interested staff members, however appropriate use of social networking for student learning is the challenge.  I have definitely heard of local TL’s using webquests and blogs to promote learning, this article has encouraged me to learn more about how to use other social network sites to meet curriculum objectives.

Cooper-Simon, Sheila.  (2008) Rethinking Collaboration: Transforming Web 2.0 thinking into real-time behaviour.  Teacher Librarian, Oct 2008, 36 (1). p34-38.  Accessed Sept 18, 2010.