I took the database class at last year's summer academy, and am amazed at how much things have changed in a single year! Thanks to that class I already had an Ebsco account and some journal alerts set up, but I did edit them to come to my home e-mail address instead of the ASD account.
I watched the Flash video about Ebsco's new search (coming in July 2008 - soon!) and was generally impressed. (The video was a bit long and I wonder how many kids or teachers will sit through it all - it might have been wise for them to break it into a few smaller chapters.) But some of the highlights for me:
--The new search interface looks so Googly-simple. I think that's a good thing! So much time has been spent convincing folks to use these tools, and if the search strategy is familiar then it will be an easier sell. People don't like huge learning curves: if Google is easier, that's where they go. This new interface makes Ebsco just as simple, and the results will still be superior. Once people realize that, they'll most likely play with the advanced search features or be more open to some lessons about it. ONE STEP AT A TIME! (But I do still worry about all the "clicks" necessary to get to Ebsco in the first place...)
--The date slider is very nice! I realize the option to narrow results by date has always existed, but this is a visual tool that will appeal to many people.
--The images look great.
--I like that you can mouse over the various databases to get a description.
--At the end of the video, it said something about "EBSCO 2.0." Obviously 2.0 has become a catch phrase... I know that Ebsco's interface has gone through revisions before - certainly more than 2.0 would indicate! And I'm not exactly clear about how it's a 2.0 tool... where is the interactive element? Did I miss something?
I watched some of the tutorials on the Digital Pipeline. I think the manga characters will appeal to kids, but some of the language doesn't seem to match. They instantly throw around words like "database" and "academic search premiere" that I think warrant some definition for school audiences. Other than that I think they do a really good job. On a terribly nit-picky note - I noticed the wrong form of "its" was used on the very first screen. I'm kind of a grammar-phobe that way. (Although "grammar-phobe" is probably not even a word!)
As for the Consumer Health Index - how fabulous! I really like how the search results could be sorted into categories: alternative, evidence-based, video, etc. I honestly remember conducting lessons about databases and explaining to kids that one of the only differences between the online version and print was that the online version didn't have all the pictures... I would literally hold up an article from Sports Illustrated while simultaneously projecting the text-version of the article from the computer. My how times have changed... just that quickly!
I spent most of this assignment researching eczema (our 2 year old has it) and learned SO MUCH. Even as a librarian, I sometimes forget about these wonderful database tools. I am energized with many alternative, natural therapies to try for her - if it works, I will owe an even bigger debt to this course!
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Week 8/Thing 19: Library Thing
I can't wait to show this to all the book lovers in my life! I see this as a HUGE rival to NoveList. I'd say NoveList vs. Library Thing is a perfect illustration of Web 1.0 vs. Web 2.0. Library Thing is so amazing because you can read (and post) reviews, check out other people's bookshelves, get recommendations, and more. And of course it has the cool little widgets that bloggers love. Amazingly... with all it does... it's even easier to use than NoveList too. I'm impressed!
This is a tool that school librarians can easily use with students too, because it doesn't require any personal information to create an account. I briefly thought about creating a single demo account for the entire school (a "sandbox" account, one might say!) but so many varied users would really distort the bookshelf, and make recommendations difficult. Hmmmm. Also, it would quickly max out the number of books allowed in a free account.
One of the links in this assignment mentioned that some libraries are using the Library Thing widget to easily display new books on their web sites - I really like that idea! (Maybe I will go post it on the wiki!)
I did wonder about copyright - it's so easy to add a cover image from any old URL and can that be legal? I was in a blog on Library Thing where they said it's okay to link to amazon as long as you provide a link back to the site, but I thought amazon's policy was a bit more restrictive than that? (Although the cover I uploaded isn't showing in the widget - weird!)
Week 8/Thing 18: Google Docs
I decided to try out Google Docs, because I've been adding so many other Google tools (like Google Reader) as part of this class, and I'd like to keep things somewhat centralized.
I can't believe how EASY it was! I even shared the document with someone else (as a collaborator) and it was so nice to check the revision history to see exactly who made changes and when they did it. This is going to eliminate the need to send multiple files back and forth and the worry that you might not have the most recent version. I can't tell you how many of my file names end with "_2" or "_3" and so on...
I uploaded an existing Word document from my hard drive to Google docs, and then saved it as a web page. It can be seen here. I also made a few new documents - my mom has been after me to get her a list of things we need for our trip next week, so I am sending her a link rather than an e-mail attachment. Love it!
I wonder if the Microsoft folks are nervous about these free tools? I know Microsoft has developed some kind of shared office space too, but I haven't used it. Obviously Word and Excel are much more powerful tools, so I don't see the them going away anytime soon. But for people who just need basic word processing software, this is a wonderful option. And draft copies could always be done on Google Docs or Zoho, and then the final versions could be imported to Word to do the desktop publishing end of things. (As a side note, it seems like the Microsoft corporation is in a similar boat as librarians... they need to pay very careful to the changing marketplace if they want to survive!)
It also makes me wonder just how big those Google servers can be... they can hold all of our videos, documents, photos... for free? How long can this last? And before I use this too much I would want to know how secure things are and how often they are backed up!
I can't believe how EASY it was! I even shared the document with someone else (as a collaborator) and it was so nice to check the revision history to see exactly who made changes and when they did it. This is going to eliminate the need to send multiple files back and forth and the worry that you might not have the most recent version. I can't tell you how many of my file names end with "_2" or "_3" and so on...
I uploaded an existing Word document from my hard drive to Google docs, and then saved it as a web page. It can be seen here. I also made a few new documents - my mom has been after me to get her a list of things we need for our trip next week, so I am sending her a link rather than an e-mail attachment. Love it!
I wonder if the Microsoft folks are nervous about these free tools? I know Microsoft has developed some kind of shared office space too, but I haven't used it. Obviously Word and Excel are much more powerful tools, so I don't see the them going away anytime soon. But for people who just need basic word processing software, this is a wonderful option. And draft copies could always be done on Google Docs or Zoho, and then the final versions could be imported to Word to do the desktop publishing end of things. (As a side note, it seems like the Microsoft corporation is in a similar boat as librarians... they need to pay very careful to the changing marketplace if they want to survive!)
It also makes me wonder just how big those Google servers can be... they can hold all of our videos, documents, photos... for free? How long can this last? And before I use this too much I would want to know how secure things are and how often they are backed up!
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Week 7/Thing 17: Posting on the RAW wiki
I just added a couple of entries to the Raven About Web wiki - very easy to use! I had been working within PB Wiki for my other project, so I enjoyed using Wikispaces to compare the differences. I'd have to play more before I decide which I prefer.
I think wikis are going to snowball in the coming years, as people start using them more and see the ease & potential. The next step for me will be to actually create and administer a wiki (I'm not sure what it will be about yet, as I won't be working in a school library again for another year) but maybe I can start something for the new Clark MS before its reopening. I'll have to brainstorm this one!
I think wikis are going to snowball in the coming years, as people start using them more and see the ease & potential. The next step for me will be to actually create and administer a wiki (I'm not sure what it will be about yet, as I won't be working in a school library again for another year) but maybe I can start something for the new Clark MS before its reopening. I'll have to brainstorm this one!
Week 7/Thing 16: Wikis
I am falling in love with wikis! I've been a reader of various wikis for a while, in the past month I've started adding & editing content as well (thanks to a freelance writing project). It's been a great experience... it is so much easier to edit within a wiki rather than e-mailing Word documents back and forth. I love how changes are tracked and you don't have to worry about several versions of the same file floating out there as well.
I love the potential to use wikis in schools and libraries. I think they are a wonderful format for collaborative writing projects, where students are given a broad topic (like the Internet Safety idea I posted about earlier) and then each student adds a page or "chapter" about a different aspect of the overall topic (such as cyber bullying, predator awareness, etc.).
I also like the idea to use wikis for book reviews. The wiki administrator could set up folders for various genres and the kids could add pages with reviews within the appropriate folders.
Some of the wikis I looked at weren't very collaborative - they read more like blogs to me. I think an administrator is essential to help keep things organized, but they also need to strongly encourage participation by others.
Vandalism is still a concern, especially when working with middle school students! I have never administered a wiki and wonder if the log in requirements would eliminate this problem?
My favorite wiki from the list was the Library Instruction Resources - it had a good organization scheme (categories) and a fair amount of useful ideas were posted. What a great way to share ideas and - as the front page of that wiki said - avoid reinventing the wheel! It would be nice if one of these library wikis would rise to the top and become a super source of ideas and resources!!
I love the potential to use wikis in schools and libraries. I think they are a wonderful format for collaborative writing projects, where students are given a broad topic (like the Internet Safety idea I posted about earlier) and then each student adds a page or "chapter" about a different aspect of the overall topic (such as cyber bullying, predator awareness, etc.).
I also like the idea to use wikis for book reviews. The wiki administrator could set up folders for various genres and the kids could add pages with reviews within the appropriate folders.
Some of the wikis I looked at weren't very collaborative - they read more like blogs to me. I think an administrator is essential to help keep things organized, but they also need to strongly encourage participation by others.
Vandalism is still a concern, especially when working with middle school students! I have never administered a wiki and wonder if the log in requirements would eliminate this problem?
My favorite wiki from the list was the Library Instruction Resources - it had a good organization scheme (categories) and a fair amount of useful ideas were posted. What a great way to share ideas and - as the front page of that wiki said - avoid reinventing the wheel! It would be nice if one of these library wikis would rise to the top and become a super source of ideas and resources!!
Week 6/Thing 15: Perspectives about Library 2.0
I think one quote from the Rick Anderson articles sums up the two sides of this argument very well: "No profession can survive if it throws its core principles and values overboard in response to every shift in the zeitgeist. However, it can be equally disastrous when a profession fails to acknowledge and adapt to radical, fundamental change in the marketplace it serves."
As with so many things in life, this boils down to finding balance. As librarians, we need to consider the difference between abandoning our core mission and altering it a bit. Between ignoring every new technology fad (or blindly jumping on the bandwagon - equally disastrous) and cautiously evaluating new Web 2.0 tools.
I think the Web 2.0 tools have enormous potential in school libraries, and need to be carefully considered. The most amazing part of all is that they are often FREE! If we can get the next generation of library users - today's children - to see librarians as tour guides through the Web 2.0 world, then it will have a positive impact on the future of our profession. And if we can let kids learn in formats that appeal to them (such as wikis) then I'm all for it.
I don't think we need to mourn the end of our nostalgic notion of libraries as sanctuaries full of storybook adventures just yet. But my philosophy has always been "Let's just get them in the door!" It's the first step, and from there the possibilities are endless.
As with so many things in life, this boils down to finding balance. As librarians, we need to consider the difference between abandoning our core mission and altering it a bit. Between ignoring every new technology fad (or blindly jumping on the bandwagon - equally disastrous) and cautiously evaluating new Web 2.0 tools.
I think the Web 2.0 tools have enormous potential in school libraries, and need to be carefully considered. The most amazing part of all is that they are often FREE! If we can get the next generation of library users - today's children - to see librarians as tour guides through the Web 2.0 world, then it will have a positive impact on the future of our profession. And if we can let kids learn in formats that appeal to them (such as wikis) then I'm all for it.
I don't think we need to mourn the end of our nostalgic notion of libraries as sanctuaries full of storybook adventures just yet. But my philosophy has always been "Let's just get them in the door!" It's the first step, and from there the possibilities are endless.
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Reflections about the course text
I've completed the assigned chapters from the Web 2.0 textbook. Here are my thoughts:
Chapter 1:
This chapter seemed to focus on education and the need to make major reforms that accept (and embrace) Web 2.0. One quote that especially caught my attention: "Today's education system faces irrelevance unless we bridge the gap between how students live and how they learn," (from a 2004 report Learning for the 21st Century). I've often wondered if a complete overhaul of our educational system is in order... students are coming to us with such varied backgrounds and abilities, and Web 2.0 could help individualize the process. Embracing these tools could breathe new life into students' enthusiasm for learning... if we can hammer it into their heads that the web is a tool for learning in addition to playing!
I remember reading about Microsoft's School of the Future in Philadelphia (this was years ago), and have often wondered how it is working. Rather than traditional content areas (reading, writing, arithmetic) this school broke the curriculum into several competencies that need to be achieved before graduation. I seem to remember it encompassing broader assets like responsibility and problem solving. It's an idea that has a lot of merit, I think...
This chapter lists the ability to keep learning as one of the most important skills a student must acquire. If technology continues to explode at the current rate, I would definitely have to agree. (But I also wonder if we are living in the midst of some sort of Technological Revolution, and eventually things will level out? Maybe not in our lifetime!)
I can't help but wonder how long all of these wonderful Web 2.0 tools will remain free. Will wireless access be a public service? Will Internet access become such a fundamental part of our society that it becomes subsidized? Will massive servers continue to store mammoth-sized files of photo and video collections for anyone who creates a user name and password? It's hard to imagine...
Chapter 7:
Online safety is a big issue, and I was glad to see it addressed in this book. It's clear that Web 2.0 tools have amazing potential for education, but safety is an essential consideration before we venture too far.
I love the idea of using wikis as collaborative class projects, with each student given the assignment to research, write, and publish a particular section or chapter. Just like the example in the chapter, a class could divide up a broad topic such as Internet Safety and each student could write a section (on cyber bullying, predators, social networks, filters, etc.). In addition to learning about the topic, students would be learning about technology (wikis), research skills, and writing skills. And perhaps one of the biggest bonuses to a project like this: parents would read it too! If I send home a preachy note about online safety, I don't know how many people will actually read it or take it seriously. But if it comes from the kids, it would be so much more meaningful!
I was intrigued by the copyright discussion in the chapter. I believe it's true that many people believe availability = permission and would like to explore Creative Commons more.
I don't have first hand experience with NetTrekker yet, but have seen some e-mails about it in the past year. How is it?
As for blocking software... I'm a bit of a hypocrite there. Philosophically, I am opposed to filters because I believe they create a false sense of security. No software can take the place of education, supervision, and conversation. But...realistically, it was such a relief when social networking sites like MySpace were blocked by the district, because it eliminated a lot of the trolling & discipline I had to do.
I wish it would be possible to stagger the amount of filtering/restriction by age level. We could entirely block elementary students as they are in full-on "Internet safety education" mode, but by high school we could open up the filters and let them learn through supervised experience with the real-world tools we know they're all using in the after hours anyway.
Chapter 9
I found it interesting that this chapter talked about School 2.0 - it's a nice dovetail with Web 2.0, but in reality I think schools have gone through a few more "updates" than that... I am a product of a rural, one-room schoolhouse with a total of 8 students in K-8. My class - of TWO - tied for largest in the building. It's amazing how much education has changed in my lifetime alone!
But not to be picky... I get the point! :)
I do think the vision for School 2.0 is grand. I think texbook compaies will fight it, and unfortunately some teachers will too. There are many teachers who won't even set up their Site Builder pages in ASD, let alone convert the class text to a wiki!
It does seem that teachers everywhere are in a constant state of reinventing the wheel. If some teacher/educational mega site (much like amazon) could exist - with choice, of course - it would be so helpful. Imagine if teachers could also post reviews about various lessons they tried... with modifications for different age groups. If it included Web 2.0 tools for teachers and students alike - how powerful! But of course education requires public funds and the scrutiny that goes along with that. Do I see a grant application in the works here?
Another thought I had while reading this chapter - how great is School 2.0 for all those helicopter parents out there! They could constantly keep tabs on student progress, read the wikis, watch the videos, listen to the podcasts... brilliant!
Grouping students by achievement rather than age is something I've often wondered about... I know there are social issues, but I could see how it would benefit many children and creating "levels" instead of "grades" would be motivational for this generation of gamers. I need to read some opposing viewpoints about this to think more...
Before any of it can be a possibility, Internet access for all must become a reality. I was glad to see the issue addressed in the chapter, but don't see any immediate solutions.
Chapter 1:
This chapter seemed to focus on education and the need to make major reforms that accept (and embrace) Web 2.0. One quote that especially caught my attention: "Today's education system faces irrelevance unless we bridge the gap between how students live and how they learn," (from a 2004 report Learning for the 21st Century). I've often wondered if a complete overhaul of our educational system is in order... students are coming to us with such varied backgrounds and abilities, and Web 2.0 could help individualize the process. Embracing these tools could breathe new life into students' enthusiasm for learning... if we can hammer it into their heads that the web is a tool for learning in addition to playing!
I remember reading about Microsoft's School of the Future in Philadelphia (this was years ago), and have often wondered how it is working. Rather than traditional content areas (reading, writing, arithmetic) this school broke the curriculum into several competencies that need to be achieved before graduation. I seem to remember it encompassing broader assets like responsibility and problem solving. It's an idea that has a lot of merit, I think...
This chapter lists the ability to keep learning as one of the most important skills a student must acquire. If technology continues to explode at the current rate, I would definitely have to agree. (But I also wonder if we are living in the midst of some sort of Technological Revolution, and eventually things will level out? Maybe not in our lifetime!)
I can't help but wonder how long all of these wonderful Web 2.0 tools will remain free. Will wireless access be a public service? Will Internet access become such a fundamental part of our society that it becomes subsidized? Will massive servers continue to store mammoth-sized files of photo and video collections for anyone who creates a user name and password? It's hard to imagine...
Chapter 7:
Online safety is a big issue, and I was glad to see it addressed in this book. It's clear that Web 2.0 tools have amazing potential for education, but safety is an essential consideration before we venture too far.
I love the idea of using wikis as collaborative class projects, with each student given the assignment to research, write, and publish a particular section or chapter. Just like the example in the chapter, a class could divide up a broad topic such as Internet Safety and each student could write a section (on cyber bullying, predators, social networks, filters, etc.). In addition to learning about the topic, students would be learning about technology (wikis), research skills, and writing skills. And perhaps one of the biggest bonuses to a project like this: parents would read it too! If I send home a preachy note about online safety, I don't know how many people will actually read it or take it seriously. But if it comes from the kids, it would be so much more meaningful!
I was intrigued by the copyright discussion in the chapter. I believe it's true that many people believe availability = permission and would like to explore Creative Commons more.
I don't have first hand experience with NetTrekker yet, but have seen some e-mails about it in the past year. How is it?
As for blocking software... I'm a bit of a hypocrite there. Philosophically, I am opposed to filters because I believe they create a false sense of security. No software can take the place of education, supervision, and conversation. But...realistically, it was such a relief when social networking sites like MySpace were blocked by the district, because it eliminated a lot of the trolling & discipline I had to do.
I wish it would be possible to stagger the amount of filtering/restriction by age level. We could entirely block elementary students as they are in full-on "Internet safety education" mode, but by high school we could open up the filters and let them learn through supervised experience with the real-world tools we know they're all using in the after hours anyway.
Chapter 9
I found it interesting that this chapter talked about School 2.0 - it's a nice dovetail with Web 2.0, but in reality I think schools have gone through a few more "updates" than that... I am a product of a rural, one-room schoolhouse with a total of 8 students in K-8. My class - of TWO - tied for largest in the building. It's amazing how much education has changed in my lifetime alone!
But not to be picky... I get the point! :)
I do think the vision for School 2.0 is grand. I think texbook compaies will fight it, and unfortunately some teachers will too. There are many teachers who won't even set up their Site Builder pages in ASD, let alone convert the class text to a wiki!
It does seem that teachers everywhere are in a constant state of reinventing the wheel. If some teacher/educational mega site (much like amazon) could exist - with choice, of course - it would be so helpful. Imagine if teachers could also post reviews about various lessons they tried... with modifications for different age groups. If it included Web 2.0 tools for teachers and students alike - how powerful! But of course education requires public funds and the scrutiny that goes along with that. Do I see a grant application in the works here?
Another thought I had while reading this chapter - how great is School 2.0 for all those helicopter parents out there! They could constantly keep tabs on student progress, read the wikis, watch the videos, listen to the podcasts... brilliant!
Grouping students by achievement rather than age is something I've often wondered about... I know there are social issues, but I could see how it would benefit many children and creating "levels" instead of "grades" would be motivational for this generation of gamers. I need to read some opposing viewpoints about this to think more...
Before any of it can be a possibility, Internet access for all must become a reality. I was glad to see the issue addressed in the chapter, but don't see any immediate solutions.
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