Steps toward an online forum

I have really appreciated that our final project for this course required collaboration with other students.  When my group met for the first time we all enjoyed being able to share personal stories and get to know each other better before talking about our project.  Meeting face-to-face allowed us to read facial expressions and have an informal exchange of ideas which set up a level of trust that I do not have with online discussions.  I know my level of trust was higher since nothing was written down and therefore is not easily accessible to other people.  When I respond to questions and discussions for online courses by writing I am careful to write clearly to minimize misinterpretation of my thoughts.  I find I am also doing the same with this posting, rereading, editing and clarifying my ideas.  On the other hand I also enjoy online learning since I can do it when I want and I can focus on ideas that are relevant to my level of understanding.

In contrast to my lower comfort level with online learning, I found it interesting that I choose articles for this course that were about using the social network to engage students.  This  is considered a less edited way of sharing online.  I think today’s students share many personal details in online social forums.  I think they may inappropriately write their thoughts without editing, contrary to my feelings about written words.  I see my interest in the use of social networks as part of my first steps in the CBAM Level of change toward mastering an online forum for sharing ideas.

I find it is easy to manage an online presence for library information and book reviews.  But on reflecting on what I like about learning online and face-to-face I realize I should consciously review my library webpage to ensure it creates a personal feeling by sharing my excitement about library resources.  Like this course, the website could encourages responses both online and in person about library programs.  To carry this idea into collaboration with teachers to encourage them to use library resources, I realize I will also be using both online and face to face meetings.   I see my next challenge is to figure out how to master the skills to develop a meaningful online forum. 

Which newspaper would you have in your school library?

I enjoyed the blackboard discussion on having a local newspaper in your school library, both elementary and secondary libraries.  Monika Coutts and others noted that elementary students can connect to local news.  The local news can directly affect students providing personal connections, articles can be used to start classroom discussions and debates on current events, and be used for critical analysis and development of writing skills.  Local newspapers are often written in a reading level appropriate for intermediate students (Wendy Sigaty).  Our local newspaper also caries some national and international news so students can learn about the wider community they live in.  When I used local newspapers with struggling readers in highschool all the students in the class found something they could read.  One student was very excited about an ad for a touring animal show. She found it very easy to write about why it interested her and why it was important to her, success!  Other students looked at sports photos and the comics... they were all reading.  

I appreciated Anne’s comments on the social aspect of print newspaper, both sharing the newspaper between many readers but also the exposure of all readers to the variety of articles in the whole newspaper rather than just what one would search for online.  But the comment from Amber Horne I found was the most persuasive reason for a local newspaper subscription if the paper could attract early morning teachers to the library with his/her cup of coffee.  In the library administration course I learned that making the library a used part of the school community is very important.  I think Amber’s suggestion of “luring” teachers into the library for a local newspaper and coffee may also allow you to promote other library services and make the library part of a warm school community.  A local newspaper is something I would want in my library.

The educational newspapers by LesPlans Educational Services (Melissa Hunter) are also a great tool for elementary and highschool library programs.  I was pleased to hear that these come in French since I often TOC in French immersion schools.  The newspapers cover the current events of the previous month with questions and discussion points.  Melissa also noted that the activities and questions also focus on reading strategies to use when reading non-fiction.  This service may be available through our district library; I will definitely look into this program for intermediate grades.

Since I TOC in quite a few french immersion schools I also looked for a local french language newspaper.  L'Express du Pacifique is a weekly newspaper which is published in Vancouver and has an online site http://www.lexpress.org/ Most of the writers live in Vancouver so coverage appears to be limited to the Vancouver area. The one copy I bought locally (Prince George) did not have news but more newsmagazine style articles on Vancouver housing, public transport and the hockey musical. I would not order this for a Prince George school library, but I learned something new from task, thanks.

Where to find library reference materials reviews

I found out that we knew little about sources for reviews of Canadian reference materials when we started this lesson.  I am using this blog to summarize the list of sources and websites that will be useful for our review of a library collection.  Our textbook[1] provided clear guidelines on how to review resources (p 19-20).  The text listed a series of journals that review references including School Library Journal and Booklist, and reputable publishers including HW Wilson and Co and Gale group while recognizing their bias in their reviews. Our course notes provided additional review sources that were also referenced in our class postings.  These included the BC Ministry of Education (MOE) Integrate Resource Package (IRP) for “Evaluating, selecting and managing learning resources” and the Catalogue of Learning resources that are selected using MOE guidelines.  The course site listed online journals including Quill and Quire; Canadian Magazine (University of Manitoba); Canadian Children’s Book Center, and publications by the Canadian library Association.

In extension to the list in our American textbook some good sources were identified by students.  Janice[2] identified the online magazines Resource Links, Teacher Librarian - The Journal for School Library Professionals and the Calgary Board of Education list of selected resources.  Kirsti[3] shared the Association of BC Book Publishers for a listing of Canadian content and reviews with acknowledged bias.  Denise[4] noted the publisher Nystrom for providing samples and school appropriate atlases. 

Bridget[5], Regina[6] and Melissa[7] encouraged talking to other teacher librarians for personal recommendations, while I mentioned talking to teachers and public librarians for their needs and personal recommendations.At the end of reviewing the postings I feel I have a good chance at being successful at our second assignment.

---

[1] Ann Reidling 2005.  Reference Skills for the School Lirary Media Specialist: Tools and Tips, 2nd Edition.  Linwood Publishing Inc.  Worthington, Ohio.

[2] Janice Parker, Sept 23, 2010 posting to class discussion on blackboard

[3] Kirsti Yorke, Sept 28, 2010 posting

[4] Denise Natyshak, sept 29, 2010 posting

[5] Bridget Hearsey Sept 19,2010 posting to class discussion on blackboard.

[6] Regina Openshaw, Sept 26, 2010 posting to class discussion on blackboard.

[7] Melissa Hunter Sept 21, 2010 posting to class discussion on blackboard.

Reflection on using electronic vs print resources

I prefer younger elementary students use print references and learn where to find books in the library.  Libraries have carefully selected print references that are written for the grade level of the students.  I think print references are easier for initial teaching of text features and non-fiction writing style.  Students can take time to look at and take home print references. 

Older students use a number of print resources when they use their textbooks.  These resources should be used to teach about research including searching, selecting, summarizing, text features etc.  Students should also be taught about other print reference materials as Jennifer’s[1] comment points out students should use their dictionaries and thesaurus instead of jumping on the computer.  As noted for younger students, library resources are reviewed for content and appropriateness that doesn’t occur with most online resources.  For some projects I like to encourage students to use the computer.  However students need to learn about issues around information  and information sharing on the web.  Like the text stated, critical thinking is important for students to help with searching (p104) and evaluating information they select.  Dorion (2008[2]) also points out the importance of teaching students about plagiarism and the social and ethical issues of using and posting on the web.  Some of the challenge of using computers in schools was outlined by Kirsti[3] and include slow internet connections, broken computers and the challenge of sharing computer images with a class.  Most of these challenges can be overcome; however some may be restricted by budgets.  

Most of our students are familiar with the internet and social networking, teaching them more about using the internet effectively will help them with future success.  As noted in the EPIC survey[4] most university students use the internet to research, including online journals, even this course is online as noted a blackboard post.

---

[1] Jennifer Chat, Oct 4. 2010 class comment on blackboard.

[2] Dorion, Ray.  2008.  Towards a Transformative Pedagogy for School Libraries 2.0.  School Libraries Worldwide 14 (2) July 208 p. 1-18.

[3] Kirsti Youke, Sept 30, 2010 class comment on blackboard.

[4] Epic survey from lesson 4 on class blackboard http://www.epic.columbia.edu/eval/find09/find09.ppt

Towards a Transformative Pedagogy for School Libraries 2.0

Towards a Transformative Pedagogy for School Libraries 2.0[1]

I noticed that I chose articles that are focused on new skills for librarians, in particular for opportunities for collaborative teaching and using social networking.

This article talks about the competency of “new” learners in digital technologies but points to the widening divide in different socioeconomic classes.  Socioeconomic class is an important point since the web is considered a global information source, however in 2005 over 50% of the world population lived on less than $2.50/day[2]. The article notes that literacy skills used for the web are common with print literacy skills with some unique web skills including comparing information across sources, and using search engines.  I think some of the skills the article states are unique are actually used in print literacy, like comparing information across sources and scanning for information using text features.  Websites have different text features but the process is similar.  

Like our text (p. 104) the article recognizes a growing need for teaching learners how to use web resources effectively.  The article identifies web skills students need to learn:

-         searching more effectively,

-         develop critical thinking for reviewing and evaluating information found on websites, videos and social network sites and producing own postings and sites

-         rewording and recording to avoid plagiarism

-         understand social and ethical responsibilities of living in a network world

-         Develop technical literacy skills including communicating in variety of internet formats, word processing, integrating different media formats.

I agree with the article that these skills are important for new learners.  Some of these skills are taught with literacy already and lessons can be adapted to be appropriate for the web.  However the large and lifelong issues of critical thinking, social and ethical responsibilities can have an immediate impact when applied to the web and are critical for the TL to be teaching to students.  The summary of this article is for TL to make school libraries the bridge between in-school and out-of-school literacies.  This sentence really sums up the importance of teaching the literary skills to our “new” learners.

---

[1] Dorion, Ray.  2008.  Towards a Transformative Pedagogy for School Libraries 2.0.  School Libraries Worldwide 14 (2) July 208 p. 1-18.

[2]World Bank Poverty Estimate.   http://www.globalissues.org/article/4/poverty-around-the-world#WorldBanksPovertyEstimatesRevised

Article Highlight: Questions for the 21st Century Learner

This article[1] asks TL’s to be facilitators to student learning by posing essential questions.  The author notes 4 benefits of essential questions.  They encourage multiple perspectives when structured as open questions and answers can change over time as the student understands more about the topic illustrating the fluid and evolving nature of knowledge.    Second essential questions connect learning with personal experiences, so students share their background knowledge and experiences through social networking.  Thirdly essential questions address overarching themes helping students see the interconnectivity of disciplines.  And finally essential questions foster lifelong learning by promoting inquiry learning.  The author links open questions with the way young people take advantage of social network tools.  I am not sure of this link since much of social networking is about being aware of what is going on with your “friends” but not reflecting or critical thinking about what it means to you or the choices other make.

I appreciated that the author provided examples of essential questions so I could understand what they were.  One example was the student's would create a digital catalogue of their collection and the essential questions would include: What is a collection? Why do you collect these items? How do you organize your collection?  How do you know when someone has a good collection? etc.  Some of these questions appear simple but if a student answers other questions about their project and returns to reflect on the initial questions they will develop a more thoughtful answers.  Student will link their own knowledge to other student learning through social networking and to other disciplines where collections are made.  The essential questions I think require a student to return and reflect on the initial quickly answered questions to develop the benefits of essential questions.  I think for many students the review and refinement of answers will have to be taught so the students learn the steps of review, reflection and revision, just like in all writing activities.

The idea of essential questions is not new, nor is using students background knowledge to scaffold new learning but this article is trying to encourage the social learning (Vygotsky Theory[2]) through the use of social networking (new technology) to improve student learning and help with the steps of review, reflect and hopefully lead to student driven revision. 

---

[1] Brown, Karen.  2009.  Questions for the 21^st Century Learner.  Knowledge Quest, The issue is questions.  Vol 38 (1) p. 25-27

[2] Learning Theories Knowledgebase (2010, September). Social Development Theory (Vygotsky) at Learning-Theories.com. Retrieved September 21st, 2010 from http://www.learning-theories.com/vygotskys-social-learning-theory.html

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.