tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-157474122024-03-08T09:07:00.740+08:00The librarian edgeKatie Dayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01460127537263147529noreply@blogger.comBlogger78125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15747412.post-44252427947468323302015-04-15T22:23:00.004+08:002015-04-15T22:23:49.882+08:00New blog / website<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-size: large;">This blog has now moved to</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.thelibrarianedge.com/">www.thelibrarianedge.com</a></span><br />
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NB: <a href="http://katieday.info/">katieday.info</a> now points to the same new website (created thanks to <a href="http://squarespace.com/">Squarespace.com</a>)</div>
Katie Dayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01460127537263147529noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15747412.post-24142024018029195372014-11-16T13:20:00.002+08:002014-12-01T22:26:23.032+08:00On reading and balance in four 8-book baskets -- and the ones that got away<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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The 2014-2015 <a href="http://reddotawards.com/" target="_blank">Red Dot Book Award</a> shortlists, the 8 books in four age categories we choose for our students to read, consider, and compare -- in order to determine a favorite -- for a school and for the island nation of Singapore -- have been announced. I want to celebrate them, but also point out the books that almost made it -- and still could in a future year -- and certainly deserve a wider reading in the meantime.<br />
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You can read the background to our awards and criteria in a blog post I did a year ago -- see <a href="http://libedge.blogspot.sg/2013/10/looking-back-evolution-of-red-book.html" target="_blank">Looking Back: the evolution of the Red Dot Book Awards and the Readers Cup in Singapore</a>.<br />
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Basically, we look at: <b> </b><br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><b>publication date</b> (past four years, e.g., 2011-2014)<b>;</b></li>
<li><b>ease of access</b> (where a paperback version via one of the free-shipping online vendors (e.g., Book Depository or Fishpond.sg) is the ideal -- and an ebook available is a bonus)<b>;</b></li>
<li><b>genre</b> (one nonfiction? one graphic format? one poetry or verse novel? as well as a mix of fiction genres)<b>; </b></li>
<li><b>gender</b> (mix of female/male protagonists or appeal)<b>; </b></li>
<li><b>country of origin or flavor</b> (wanting a mix, but recognizing some countries just produce a whole lot more than others, and preferring at least one book with a Singapore or Asian connection)<b>;</b></li>
<li><b>literary vs. popular appeal</b> (considering whether a book is already played out in terms of popularity or likely to be popular -- as well as books that teachers will love for their literary, teachable aspects); </li>
<li><b>appropriateness for the age categories</b> of our award. </li>
<li><b>content</b>, where we favor books with multiple possible connections -- text-to-text, text-to-self, and text-to-world.</li>
</ul>
Balance trumps everything -- which means every year there are perfectly good books that don't get in the basket, because they unbalance it in some way. With just 8 slots, we don't really want two wordless books or two poetry books or two biographical books, etc. So I thought it would be good to lay out what is in this year's baskets AND highlight some books we seriously wanted, which lost out in some way, due to the devil of the balance. NB: most of the un-chosen titles are theoretically still in the running for next year's lists....<br />
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Here are this year's shortlists:<br />
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/2704855-isln-int-l-school-library-network-singapore?shelf=2014-2015-shortlist-early&utm_medium=api&utm_source=grid_widget" style="text-decoration: none;">2014-2015 Early Years</a>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17320985-a-boy-and-a-jaguar" title="A Boy and a Jaguar"><img alt="A Boy and a Jaguar" border="0" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1380034514m/17320985.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16005214-empty-fridge" title="Empty Fridge"><img alt="Empty Fridge" border="0" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1347495189m/16005214.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17684972-going-places" title="Going Places"><img alt="Going Places" border="0" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1376783317m/17684972.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15943369-how-to-hide-a-lion" title="How to Hide a Lion"><img alt="How to Hide a Lion" border="0" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1356468717m/15943369.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15938987-just-imagine" title="Just Imagine"><img alt="Just Imagine" border="0" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1356137742m/15938987.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18406701-norman-speak" title="Norman, Speak!"><img alt="Norman, Speak!" border="0" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1379393158m/18406701.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13414898-oliver" title="Oliver"><img alt="Oliver" border="0" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1333579242m/13414898.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20708824-vanilla-ice-cream" title="Vanilla Ice Cream"><img alt="Vanilla Ice Cream" border="0" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1400886827m/20708824.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a class="gr_grid_branding" href="https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/2704855-isln-int-l-school-library-network-singapore" style="clear: both; color: #382110; float: right; font-size: .9em; text-decoration: none;">ISLN (Int'l School Library Network) Singapore's favorite books »</a>
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Our international spread is pretty good: 2 USA, 1 Australia, 1 Iceland, 2 UK, 1 Canada, and 1 France.<br />
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We have one memoir (by Alan Rabinowitz, the large cat expert who suffered severe stuttering as a child, but found solace in speaking to animals -- <a href="http://themoth.org/posts/stories/man-and-beast" target="_blank">listen to him tell the same story to grown-ups on this "The Moth" podcast</a>). One story of someone "different" finding a friend. One non-fiction book of questions to consider, and a Peter Reynolds (of "The Dot" fame) story that considers creativity. A beautiful French book which is a modern version of "stone soup". A boy and his dog story that features learning Chinese. A tale that connects creatures and humans from India all the way to Australia. And a good-old-fashioned story of a young child befriending a lost lion, as well as a book by an Icelandic author where one unusual person finds a perfect match in another unusual person.<br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/2704855-isln-int-l-school-library-network-singapore?shelf=2014-2015-longlist-early" target="_blank"><br /></a>
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/2704855-isln-int-l-school-library-network-singapore?shelf=2014-2015-longlist-early" target="_blank">Click here</a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/2704855-isln-int-l-school-library-network-singapore?shelf=2014-2015-longlist-early&per_page=50" target="_blank"> for the longlist Early Years books we didn't choose</a>... including another French book (<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17352907-the-bear-s-song" target="_blank">Bear's Song</a>), a lovely simple Korean bedtime tale (<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20650986-blanket-travel" target="_blank">Blanket Travel</a>); the perhaps too-well-known-already <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16101018-the-day-the-crayons-quit" target="_blank">Day the Crayons Quit</a>; the latest-greatest from Peter Brown (<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18349884-my-teacher-is-a-monster" target="_blank">My Teacher is a Monster</a>); the rhyming fun of <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21018680-the-brothers-quibble" target="_blank">The Brothers Quibble</a> which wasn't readily available; and the most recent wordless genius of David Wiesner (<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17165875-mr-wuffles" target="_blank">Mr. Wuffles!</a>).<br />
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/2704855-isln-int-l-school-library-network-singapore?shelf=2014-2015-shortlist-younger&utm_medium=api&utm_source=grid_widget" style="text-decoration: none;">2014-2015 Younger Readers</a>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16702384-battle-bunny" title="Battle Bunny"><img alt="Battle Bunny" border="0" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1382220352m/16702384.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22962529-a-boy-named-harry" title="A Boy Named Harry: The Childhood of Lee Kuan Yew"><img alt="A Boy Named Harry: The Childhood of Lee Kuan Yew" border="0" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1408422350m/22962529.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23130349-captain-coconut-and-the-case-of-the-missing-bananas" title="Captain Coconut and the Case of the Missing Bananas"><img alt="Captain Coconut and the Case of the Missing Bananas" border="0" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1411447615m/23130349.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/19145465-emma-and-the-blue-genie" title="Emma and the Blue Genie"><img alt="Emma and the Blue Genie" border="0" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1391411633m/19145465.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18393324-goth-girl-and-the-ghost-of-a-mouse" title="Goth Girl and the Ghost of a Mouse"><img alt="Goth Girl and the Ghost of a Mouse" border="0" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1377681395m/18393324.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15958182-my-happy-life" title="My Happy Life"><img alt="My Happy Life" border="0" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1356488713m/15958182.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21470631-the-secrets-of-flamant-castle" title="The Secrets of Flamant Castle: The Complete Adventures of Sword Girl and Friends"><img alt="The Secrets of Flamant Castle: The Complete Adventures of Sword Girl and Friends" border="0" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1398194829m/21470631.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17331434-the-year-of-billy-miller" title="The Year of Billy Miller"><img alt="The Year of Billy Miller" border="0" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1372042428m/17331434.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a class="gr_grid_branding" href="https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/2704855-isln-int-l-school-library-network-singapore" style="clear: both; color: #382110; float: right; font-size: .9em; text-decoration: none;">ISLN (Int'l School Library Network) Singapore's favorite books »</a>
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Our international spread is good: 2 USA, 1 Australia, 1 UK, 1 India, 1 Sweden, 1 Singapore, and 1 Germany.<br />
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We have one picture book biography of Lee Kuan Yew (appropriate as the 50th anniversary of Singapore is coming up next year). A meta-fiction frolic from Jon Scieszka. A similarly silly offering from the ever-beautiful Tara Books in India featuring an Inspector-Clouseau-type character. A magical chapter book for young readers from the best-selling author of "Inkheart". A beautiful-produced purple chapter book of historical fiction inspired (<a href="http://www.theguardian.com/childrens-books-site/2014/oct/12/my-inspiration-chris-riddell-on-ada-lovelace" target="_blank">read article here</a>) by Ada Lovelace (daughter of Lord Byron and the first female programmer). An Australian knights-and-swords fantasy featuring Tommy, a kitchen girl (where there is a SGD 15 book -- "The Secret of Flamant Castle" available containing not just the first title -- "The Secret of the Swords" -- but a further five adventures -- so a bargain of a book in terms of reading on...). And two realistic fiction chapter books, one about a boy in 2nd grade -- "The Year of Billy Miller" -- by the American Kevin Henkes, and the other about a girl just starting school -- "My Happy Life" -- by the Swedish Rose Lagercrantz.<br />
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/2704855-isln-int-l-school-library-network-singapore?shelf=2014-2015-longlist-early" target="_blank">Click here</a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/2704855-isln-int-l-school-library-network-singapore?shelf=2014-2015-longlist-younger&per_page=50" target="_blank"> for the longlist Younger books we didn't choose</a>... including <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20730614-malala-yousafzai" target="_blank">a picture book biography of Malala</a>, the Nobel Peace Prize winner (because we have her original memoir in our Mature category); the knowing sarcastic humor of <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15798116-timmy-failure" target="_blank">Timmy Failure</a>; two realistic fiction verse novels we really liked: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16192212-words-with-wings" target="_blank">"Words with Wings"</a> by Nikki Grimes, and <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12793708-little-dog-lost" target="_blank">"Little Dog Lost"</a> by Marion Dane Bauer; a realistic fiction story of an Australian girl who goes to Pakistan with her parents to help flood victims (<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21806923-kelsey-and-the-quest-of-the-porcelain-doll" target="_blank">Kelsey and the Quest of the Porcelain Doll</a>); a cute graphic novel about people who don't fit in (<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16002008-odd-duck" target="_blank">Odd Duck</a>); a realistic novel about an Omani boy about to move to the States (<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/19321409-the-turtle-of-oman" target="_blank">The Turtle of Oman</a>); a Singapore mystery/adventure novel in the vein of last year's Red Dot choice, Sherlock Sam (<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20645714-danger-dan-confronts-the-merlion-mastermind" target="_blank">Danger Dan Confronts the Merlion Mastermind</a>); a wordless book for older readers -- Aaron Beck's <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17262290-journey" target="_blank">Journey</a>; a light-hearted quest out of the UK: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13501280-the-magnificent-moon-hare" target="_blank">The Magnificent Moonhare</a>; scary stories from James Preller (<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16075922-home-sweet-horror" target="_blank">Home Sweet Horror</a>); the trials and tribulations of a 7-year-old (<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16101085-penguin-problems" target="_blank">Penguin Problems</a>); and comedic kung fu <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/19246473-chicken-mission" target="_blank">chickens on a mission</a> by Jennifer Gray.<br />
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/2704855-isln-int-l-school-library-network-singapore?shelf=2014-2015-shortlist-older&utm_medium=api&utm_source=grid_widget" style="text-decoration: none;">2014-2015 Older Readers</a>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16073070-black-flame" title="Black Flame"><img alt="Black Flame" border="0" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1363078552m/16073070.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20701984-el-deafo" title="El Deafo"><img alt="El Deafo" border="0" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1408469577m/20701984.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/19085562-the-fourteenth-goldfish" title="The Fourteenth Goldfish"><img alt="The Fourteenth Goldfish" border="0" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1392722452m/19085562.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17278076-light-horse-boy" title="Light Horse Boy"><img alt="Light Horse Boy" border="0" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1358820661m/17278076.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20575434-rain-reign" title="Rain Reign"><img alt="Rain Reign" border="0" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1396393170m/20575434.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13615884-red" title="Red"><img alt="Red" border="0" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1335306700m/13615884.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17350491-rooftoppers" title="Rooftoppers"><img alt="Rooftoppers" border="0" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1362952099m/17350491.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13555073-the-screaming-staircase" title="The Screaming Staircase (Lockwood & Co., #1)"><img alt="The Screaming Staircase" border="0" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1369670906m/13555073.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a class="gr_grid_branding" href="https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/2704855-isln-int-l-school-library-network-singapore" style="clear: both; color: #382110; float: right; font-size: .9em; text-decoration: none;">ISLN (Int'l School Library Network) Singapore's favorite books »</a>
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<br />
Our international spread is not bad: 3 USA books, 1 China (Mongolia) book, 2 UK books, and 2 Australian books. <br />
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We have a graphic memoir (think: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6393631-smile?from_search=true" target="_blank">Smile</a>) about a deaf girl who has to cope with hearing aids. An adventurous trio of ghost-busters in London in the future (by the beloved Jonathan Stroud) (you have read the Bartimaeus sequence, haven't you?). A realistic fiction dog story set in Mongolia (get the hankies ready). Another realistic fiction story involving a dog, but this one told by a girl with Asperger's Syndrome, set in the US during a natural disaster, also with tear-provoking moments. A mystery/disaster narrative post-cyclone in Australia. A fairy-tale-like adventure across the rooftops of London to find a long-lost mother. A suspend-reality experience where a grandfather shows up in middle-school thanks to science fiction. And a historical fiction story -- almost a graphic novel because of the amount of visual material -- of a young man and his horse who sign up for World War One -- and end up in the horrors of the Middle East.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/2704855-isln-int-l-school-library-network-singapore?shelf=2014-2015-longlist-early" target="_blank">Click here</a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/2704855-isln-int-l-school-library-network-singapore?shelf=2014-2015-shortlist-older&per_page=50" target="_blank"> for the longlist Older books we didn't choose</a>... NB: In this category there are a lot.... We had a hard time selecting just eight. So please -- go out and read all the ones listed here that we didn't choose. They are worth it... including the <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11235712-cinder" target="_blank">Star-Wars-meet-Cinderella dystopia</a> set in Beijing, first in a sequence; <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13481112-other-brother" target="_blank">Other Brother</a> by Simon French; the <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9917879-the-unwanteds" target="_blank">Unwanteds</a> (which won in the Morning Calm Medal in Korea); the <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16054808-escape-from-mr-lemoncello-s-library" target="_blank">adventure of escaping from a library</a>; the <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18166943-the-children-of-the-king" target="_blank">beautifully written and sensitive offering by Sonya Hartnett re WWII evacuees</a>; <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18263530-a-time-to-dance" target="_blank">"A Time to Dance</a>" - <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18263530-a-time-to-dance" target="_blank">a verse novel about an Indian girl</a> who realizes she can dance even though she isn't whole (and several people have suggested <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8354134-the-running-dream" target="_blank">"The Running Dream"</a> as a perfect complement to it); a <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17303630-after-tomorrow" target="_blank">dystopia about British refugees struggling in France</a> by Gillian Cross; a brilliant <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18405537-the-night-gardener" target="_blank">British gothic/horror fantasy</a> set in the 19th century by Jonathan Auxier; a <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12308124-the-tiffin" target="_blank">realistic novel set back in the 1980s in India where boys struggle to become tiffin carriers</a>; a moving middle-school novel about <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15937108-counting-by-7s" target="_blank">a gifted and talented girl creating a family out of a group of misfits</a>; <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16101128-the-5th-wave" target="_blank">Rick Yancey's latest adventure</a>; Gordon Korman's latest offering -- re an <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13623777-ungifted" target="_blank">ungifted boy</a> who ends up with the smarties and helps them develop in a different way; a <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17119447-noble-conflict" target="_blank">noble dystopia</a> presented by Malorie Blackman; <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17839197-she-is-not-invisible" target="_blank">"She's Not Invisible"</a> by Marcus Sedgwick -- such a strong contender -- with parallels to the beautiful <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17465457-picture-me-gone?from_search=true">Picture Me Gone</a>; Jaclyn Moriarty's <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8661987-a-corner-of-white" target="_blank">"A Corner of White"</a> -- a parallel world fantasy; <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15798671-hero-on-a-bicycle" target="_blank">"Hero on a Bicycle"</a> by the classic Shirley Hughes; "Liar and Spy" by Rebecca Stead -- too well known already by our students perhaps; Jared Diamond re-offering his <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23012624-the-third-chimpanzee-for-young-people" target="_blank">"The Third Chimpanzee"</a> in a young adult version; Eoin Colfer launching a new series: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10915176-the-reluctant-assassin" target="_blank">The Reluctant Assasin</a>; the Indian mythology equivalent of Rick Riordan's Greek/Roman ones - the <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10466374-ash-mistry-and-the-savage-fortress">Ash Mistry series</a>; a time travel book set during natural disasters of fire and water in Australia -- <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18195638-the-four-seasons-of-lucy-mckenzie">"The Four Seasons of Lucy McKenzie"</a>; and a book about Aussie soldiers and horses in WWI -- to complement Morpurgo's "War Horse" and Wolfer's "Light Horse Boy" -- <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22175058-loyal-creatures">"Loyal Creatures"</a> by Morris Gleitzman.<br />
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/2704855-isln-int-l-school-library-network-singapore?shelf=2014-2015-shortlist-mature&utm_medium=api&utm_source=grid_widget" style="text-decoration: none;">2014-2015 Mature Readers</a>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18367581-afterworlds" title="Afterworlds"><img alt="Afterworlds" border="0" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1396118779m/18367581.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13613391-earth-dragon-fire-hare" title="Earth Dragon Fire Hare"><img alt="Earth Dragon Fire Hare" border="0" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1337991888m/13613391.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17851885-i-am-malala" title="I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban"><img alt="I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban" border="0" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1375414895m/17851885.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8621462-a-monster-calls" title="A Monster Calls"><img alt="A Monster Calls" border="0" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1387584864m/8621462.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11097473-sita-s-ramayana" title="Sita's Ramayana"><img alt="Sita's Ramayana" border="0" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1388198774m/11097473.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18169279-the-sky-so-heavy" title="The Sky So Heavy"><img alt="The Sky So Heavy" border="0" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1373873118m/18169279.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17333985-thrice-told-tales" title="Thrice Told Tales: Three Mice Full of Writing Advice"><img alt="Thrice Told Tales: Three Mice Full of Writing Advice" border="0" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1379314002m/17333985.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16143347-we-were-liars" title="We Were Liars"><img alt="We Were Liars" border="0" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1402749479m/16143347.jpg" /></a></div>
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<br />
Our international spread isn't bad: 3 USA, 1 Australian, 1 New Zealand, 1 India, 1 UK, 1 Pakistan.<br />
<br />
We have the memoir of the youthful Nobel Peace Prize winner. An unreliable narrator uncovering a mystery. A historical novel set in Malaya during WWII and the region's post-war conflicts. A novel within a novel -- giving us parallel worlds in more ways than one (and highlighting <a href="http://nanowrimo.org/about">NaNoWriMo</a> and the writing process). A graphic rendition of the Ramayana from Sita's point of view. An emotional (and visual) novel that examines cancer from the viewpoint of a teen whose mother is dying. A post-apocalyptic survival novel set in Australia. And an amusing and informative exploration of literary devices, all based on the nursery rhyme about three blind mice.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/2704855-isln-int-l-school-library-network-singapore?shelf=2014-2015-longlist-early" target="_blank">Click here</a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/2704855-isln-int-l-school-library-network-singapore?utf8=%E2%9C%93&shelf=2014-2015-longlist-mature&per_page=50" target="_blank"> for the longlist Mature books we didn't choose</a>... including Meg Rosoff's <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17465457-picture-me-gone?from_search=true">Picture Me Gone</a> - which everyone should read; Sara Zarr's <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11819981-the-lucy-variations">"The Lucy Variations</a>" about the power of family and expectations, framed in the world of classical pianists; a <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16276856-war-brothers">graphic version of war</a> set in Uganda's LRA; an <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18776242-ela">Indian novel about a girl's world</a> coming apart upon learning she is adopted; the Carnegie-awarding winning<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15798757-maggot-moon"> "Maggot Moon"</a>; <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16068956-the-story-of-owen">dragon slayers in Canada</a> -- not to be missed; <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18166941-boy-on-the-edge">desperate, lonely lives in Iceland</a>; <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18692493-the-road-to-gundagai">historical fiction from Australia</a> (which proved hard to source, hence it had to be eliminated -- but worth finding); <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13642246-bzrk">"BZRK"</a> by the author of the popular "Gone" series; if you don't know Brandon Sanderson, then start with his <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17182126-steelheart">"Steelhearts"</a> re a future ruled by super-humans; <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18465605-i-kill-the-mockingbird">"I Kill the Mockingbird"</a>, a novel re 8th graders obsessed with making people obsessed with "To Kill a Mockingbird"; <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13591678-endangered">a novel about the endangered bonobos</a> in the Congo; the multiple-award-winning <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12000020-aristotle-and-dante-discover-the-secrets-of-the-universe">"Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe"</a>; and <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13330305-the-reluctant-journal-of-henry-k-larsen">the sins of the brother achingly explored</a> by Susin Nielsen, author of "Word Nerd".<br />
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We'll be shifting our shortlist selection announcement time to June 1, rather than November 1 -- as we always underestimate how long it takes, which means libraries are delayed in getting books on the shelves. So with any luck we will make this a spring task, rather than an autumn one.</div>
Katie Dayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01460127537263147529noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15747412.post-81504149798429581142014-09-13T11:09:00.000+08:002014-12-01T22:27:15.556+08:00"Themed" book recommendations... make them visible... and connected...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
A couple of days ago, someone on the US-based <a href="http://lists.ala.org/wws/info/yalsa-bk" target="_blank">YALSA-BK listserv</a> (yes, listservs are still active in many arenas -- even though other social media tools have arisen) suggested we crowd-source (amongst ourselves) lists of titles for MS/HS "themed" book talks.<br />
<br />
I'd been wanting to promote such lists to my students, but struggled to find a way to make the production process scaleable. How to keep track of the books I booktalked as a themed grouping and continually promote the list.<br />
<br />
A few years back <a href="http://www.thereadventurer.com/" target="_blank">The ReadAdventurer blog</a> published some "walls of books" -- see "<a href="http://www.thereadventurer.com/-home/wall-of-books-140-books-for-the-boys-of-ya" target="_blank">140+ Books for the Boys of YA</a>", "<a href="http://www.thereadventurer.com/-home/wall-of-books-120-ya-books-from-the-uk-and-some-top-10-lists" target="_blank">120 YA books from the UK</a>", "<a href="http://www.thereadventurer.com/-home/wall-of-books-100-australian-ya-books" target="_blank">110+ Australian YA books</a>", and "<a href="http://www.thereadventurer.com/-home/wall-of-books-a-metric-ton-of-short-ya-books-220-pages-or-less" target="_blank">A Metric Ton of Short YA Books</a>" -- which I loved. Then there were the online readers advisory tools like the <a href="http://apps.npr.org/best-books-2013/" target="_blank">NPR Book Concierge</a>, which also shared booklists using book covers in a very visual way. I wanted to find some vehicle to do the same thing -- generate lists based on themes -- but be visible in the library all the time.<br />
<br />
Then I found <a href="https://plus.google.com/109619913414431403132/posts" target="_blank">+Rebecca Dunham</a> (blog - <a href="http://www.lunanshee.com/" target="_blank">Lunashee's Lunac</a>y) and <a href="https://sites.google.com/site/lunansheeslunacyresourcepage/book-posters" target="_blank">her YA themed posters</a> (freely given away under Creative Commons). Her posters inspired us to create our own, by providing some initial themes and a basic style to copy. As we didn't have all the books on her posters, we simply modified the selection of titles to match our collection.<br />
<br />
Luckily I have a teacher, Mairin Raisdana, who works part-time in our library as our design and production queen; I just come up with the themes and titles I want to potentially booktalk. <br />
<br />
Here is <a href="https://plus.google.com/photos/117025025134791483932/albums/6021710633606557937" target="_blank">a Google Plus photo album of our posters</a>, so far:<br />
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An important feature of every poster is both a QR code and a shortened URL (goo.gl or bit.ly) which takes viewers directly to the booklist in our Follett Destiny catalog. So people can find out whether any copies are currently available in the library or not. A majority of our high school students do have smart phones, but I also have a number of iPads that can be used as mobile OPACS and QR code scanners.<br />
<br />
By linking to the catalog -- to a Resource List or to a search for particular key words or subject headings -- I can booktalk the books shown on the poster, but know there is a ready list of those books plus more -- to put into students' hands. (Nothing worse than booktalking a stack of titles and not having enough to go around....)<br />
<br />
The poster images are also available in our Libguides -- on a <a href="http://research.uwcsea.edu.sg/c.php?g=60298&p=387297" target="_blank">High School Reading Recommendations </a>guide -- linking back to our catalog.<br />
<br />
Physical copies of the poster are very important. There's just so much in our libraries that is hidden online (or in our heads).<br />
<br />
In the library itself wall space is limited. So instead, we've got a circular rack of A3 (11" x 17") posters in plastic -- allowing patrons to browse the posters, like they would clothing. The photos of our poster carousel are at the end of the slideshow above. I've thought eventually I could get dividers on the rack, the equivalent of "Size 8", "Size 10", etc. -- "Teacher Favorites", "HS Genres", "MS Genres", "Fiction", "Nonfiction", etc.<br />
<br />
Note that the hanging posters are not laminated. (Bad for the environment....) Instead they are put in re-usable stiff plastic sleeves. This allows for easy updating of the display. In the slideshow I include some pictures of what I buy here in Singapore, where they are called "card cases" or "hard cases". I'm not sure what they would be called elsewhere ("document cases"?). The coat/skirt hangers are from IKEA.<br />
<br />
Our school has a big Epson printer -- that allows us to produce posters
that are 1.x meters (3 feet+) in size. So we can also put big-scale posters
in hallways and on teachers' walls. (As we encourage all teachers to
give us their list of favorite books -- from which we create a poster
for them. <a href="http://libedge.blogspot.sg/2014/02/connecting-books-and-readers-via.html" target="_blank">See this previous blog post</a>.)</div>
Katie Dayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01460127537263147529noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15747412.post-80165373300363046622014-09-08T23:35:00.003+08:002014-12-01T22:27:54.737+08:00Google Apps for Education Summit: 3rd year running at the Singapore American School<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Just got back from the 3rd annual GAFE Summit at SAS.... Excellent as usual. It's not that I return with some all-empowering new understanding or tool. Instead I get a thoroughly enjoyable two day exposure to people totally interested in technology and teaching and learning. <br />
<br />
<a href="http://sg.gafesummit.com/2014/sessions" target="_blank">See the detailed session schedule </a>-- and click on any presentation in order to see if resources are provided.<br />
<br />
Here are links to the sessions of expert advice and useful resources that I either attended or wanted to attend (thank god presenters give us the links no matter what):<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Dean Shareski</li>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1gBoBTV21LrwROpg9_naTm04xjHuLMqIY8pC_evAFlqM/edit#" target="_blank">Becoming More Productive</a> </li>
</ul>
<li>Jennie Mageira -- <a href="http://www.teachinglikeits2999.com/" target="_blank">Blog</a></li>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://bit.ly/drawedu" target="_blank">The Draw of Education </a></li>
<li><a href="http://bit.ly/chromeslam" target="_blank"> Chrome Demo Slam-a-rama</a></li>
</ul>
<li>Kimberly Hall</li>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://docs.google.com/a/gapps.uwcsea.edu.sg/presentation/d/1UTJS_3eoIfdZfRm4ftkbaJr7mt9crE3AmmWFeVmJins/edit#slide=id.g10a34ee32_012" target="_blank">Chrome is the new black </a></li>
<li><a href="https://docs.google.com/a/gapps.uwcsea.edu.sg/presentation/d/1HE8VQCtt9QqRSOsNyHsna8rj7-zmFB4CKDXhIk5bLlM/edit#slide=id.p" target="_blank">Stop Searching, Start Finding</a></li>
</ul>
<li>Chris Betcher -- <a href="http://www.summitstuff.com/" target="_blank">Presentations</a></li>
<ul>
<li>Screencasting with Snagit</li>
<li>Google Sites Design I & II</li>
</ul>
<li>Jay Atwood -- <a href="https://sites.google.com/a/atwoodphoto.com/gse/workshops" target="_blank">Presentations</a></li>
<ul>
<li>Sexy Sheets and Dirty Data</li>
</ul>
<li>Shaun Kirkwood -- <a href="https://sites.google.com/site/kirkwoodlearningwebpage/" target="_blank">Presentations</a></li>
<li>Patrick Green -- <a href="https://sites.google.com/site/pgreensoup/" target="_blank">Presentations</a> </li>
<li>Heather Dowd -- <a href="https://sites.google.com/site/dowdheather/google-summit-2014/presentation-zen" target="_blank">Google Zen presentation </a></li>
<li>John McGowen -- <a href="https://docs.google.com/a/gapps.uwcsea.edu.sg/document/d/1-N45YpGDg1n6-Y1-sa__Fl-aVA2eVvwK-oSGNtmWvaI/edit?pli=1" target="_blank">Google Scripts, Wolfram Alpha, etc.</a></li>
</ul>
I came away with an improved appreciation for Google Drawings, especially as I now realize it's an easy way to put links behind a schematic, e.g., I can make a map of my library floorplan and put links to each collection/bookshelf behind the location of that collection -- and embed it in one of my Libguides.<br />
<br />
Chris Betcher's demo of Snagit in the Chrome browser so wow'ed me that I have shown it to at least 5 people today (and changed their lives, I hope). If nothing else, the TAKE SCREEN SHOT OF THE WHOLE SCROLL OF THIS PAGE function is worth the price of the conference.....<br />
<br />
I went to a couple of sessions on Google Scripts -- and felt humbled by my ignorance. John McGowan -- you might have felt like your demo slam was a failure, but you are a beacon of excellent effort -- and accomplishment. Andrew Stillman mach 2 in the making. (Jay Atwood doesn't count for comparison, as he's already in the minor god category.....) <br />
<br />
Kimberly Hall or Jennie Mageira mentioned in passing in one of their sessions the difference between Ctrl-V (paste) and SHIFT-Ctrl-V (paste but ignore previous formatting and copy this stuff into the space using the defaults of the destination space). You don't know what this means to me.....<br />
<br />
This conference is about the small-- and important -- stuff. Productivity, connectivity, and visibility. And I was glad so many of my colleagues from UWCSEA East were there to share it with me......<br />
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Katie Dayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01460127537263147529noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15747412.post-42924497633114640832014-08-10T15:50:00.002+08:002014-12-01T22:30:56.596+08:00Frameworks for play / inquiry / research<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLdJnmKi9NNvR6kjPZw7CARZLQXG3DAcByf1hZlB6Unv-Z8bS9fVEsNamUNqIkQjuqaz1M0fwS_IVLJWIHJlPQpQUEEpbCyG1qKu_1HrWX5wXQq-hljDN_46aLvLJjvjzvPfFttA/s1600/2014-07-09+14.17.57.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLdJnmKi9NNvR6kjPZw7CARZLQXG3DAcByf1hZlB6Unv-Z8bS9fVEsNamUNqIkQjuqaz1M0fwS_IVLJWIHJlPQpQUEEpbCyG1qKu_1HrWX5wXQq-hljDN_46aLvLJjvjzvPfFttA/s1600/2014-07-09+14.17.57.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a><i>"We have a responsibility to introduce children to things they don't yet know they will love." -- Edith Ackermann</i><br />
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<a href="http://web.media.mit.edu/~edith/profile.html" target="_blank">Dr. Edith Ackermann</a> came onto my radar this summer. (See <a href="http://libedge.blogspot.sg/2014/08/summer-camp-for-teachers-way-beyond-old.html" target="_blank">my previous blog post on "Constructing Modern Knowledge 2014"</a> for the context.)<br />
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Such a charming, thoughtful expert on play and learning. And <a href="http://constructingmodernknowledge.com/cmk08/?p=2123" target="_blank">such credentials! </a>-- she worked with Jean Piaget and Seymour Papert, and has been associated with MIT for years (as well as other universities).<br />
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She loves <a href="http://www.reggiochildren.it/?lang=en" target="_blank">Reggio Emilia schools</a>, <a href="http://www.whywaldorfworks.org/" target="_blank">Steiner/Waldorf schools</a>, <a href="http://www.instituteofplay.org/2012/11/katie-salen-explains-what-makes-quest-schools-unique/" target="_blank">Katie Salen and Quest schools</a>, and <a href="http://teachersjourneytolife.blogspot.sg/2013/05/pedagogy-of-work-celestin-freinets.html" target="_blank">Freinet schools</a>. A true educational radical (or realist) -- depending on where you stand.<br />
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<a href="http://www.eurozine.com/articles/2014-07-31-ackermann-en.html" target="_blank">Read this recent interview with her on creativity, talent, and intuition</a> -- in a journal aimed at architects.<br />
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I wish I could find her CMK14 slides online. I took basic shots into my Penultimate notes, but they aren't good enough to reproduce, e.g.,<br />
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The part of her talk that interested me the most was her description of <b>the iterative cycle of self-learning</b>, which she outlined as:<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><b>Connect</b> -- Wow! I can't believe... -- the inspiration - the imaginarium</li>
<li><b>Construct</b> -- hands-on -- the atelier -- immersion and innovation</li>
<li><b>Contemplate</b> -- heads-in -- mindfulness -- the sanctuary or secret garden</li>
<li><b>Cast</b> -- play-back -- re-visit -- stage -- dramatize -- experiment</li>
<li><b>Con-vivire</b> -- the sharing -- the piazza -- the agora -- expressivity</li>
</ul>
She stressed these are just guidelines for what happens along the way in different ways -- that the stages should never be used prescriptively. <br />
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Our school is just settling on some common terminology around <b>a research model </b>-- one that will be differentiated for Infant (K1 to Grade 1), Junior (Grade 2 to Grade 5), Middle School (Grade 6 to Grade 8) and High School (Grade 9 to Grade 12). <br />
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A midway meeting ground has been agreed, e.g., here is a standard arising out of the articulation of the middle school curriculum:<br />
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<a href="https://whatedsaid.wordpress.com/2014/07/23/what-does-inquiry-learning-look-like/" target="_blank">The blog "What Ed Said" (Edna Sackson) recently had a post</a>
on her frustration with expected slavish commitment to an inquiry cycle
model. I agree. You might as well insist everyone follow the same
sequence for falling in love or grieving over death. It's useful to
appreciate typical stages, but impossible to expect everyone to adhere
to them. NB: Kath Murdoch, referenced by Edna, is a frequent professional visitor to our school, and <a href="http://kathmurdoch.com.au/fileadmin/_migrated/content_uploads/phasesofinquiry.pdf" target="_blank">her phases of inquiry</a> were key inputs to our process -- see here:<br />
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Edith was talking about <b>Play</b> -- and undoubtedly about <b>Inquiry</b>. But our school is talking about <b>Research</b>. Are they all the same thing? Just at different age levels? We'd like to think so.<br />
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Research, for middle/high school students, is just a game with adult rules (e.g., alluding to the ideas of others in a constructive and respectful way) -- and our job is to alert them to those rules and to convince them it's a game worth learning (after all, research is a form of adult fun, yes?). As Edith put it, students must learn to add value in the process of borrowing. They must become adept at massaging ideas until they are their own, rather than just functioning as an information broker, passing on ideas. To ride others' ideas until they can feel in solo mode, not fusion mode.<br />
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I particularly like Edith's "Cast" phase, with its implicit theatrical connotation. Something between our "Reflect" and "Communicate." It's the part that implies the iterative nature of the process. That you, within your own mind or in the presence of others, re-think what you have, try it out, and ask if it's sufficient, if it's enough.<br />
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(I'm also partial to Design Thinking as a basic research model; see my previous blog post: <a href="http://libedge.blogspot.sg/2013/01/carol-kuhlthau-meets-tim-brown-guided.html" target="_blank">Carol Kuhlthau Meets Tim Brown</a>. )<br />
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Other things Edith commented upon....<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>re MOOCs and online learning: </li>
<ul>
<li>the double standard: it's the new entrepreneurial elite, who are educated onsite with constructivist methods, who are promoting education online where "others" struggle alone;</li>
</ul>
<li>re today's learners:</li>
<ul>
<li> growing older younger, and staying younger older;</li>
<li>the tension between temp and "forever" work</li>
<li>the tension between professional mobility and lack of security;</li>
</ul>
<li>re the role of the eye and the senses:</li>
<ul>
<li>away from Piaget (the rationalist) to Papert (feeling the materials);</li>
<li>the real practitioners (e.g., architects) are always tricking people to get a different perspective;</li>
<li>to crawl out of the old ways of thinking;</li>
<li>tricks to get us off our own beaten path;</li>
<li>using objects creates resistance; </li>
</ul>
</ul>
<i>"Learning is all about moving in and out of focus, shifting perspective, and coming to 'see anew.'" -- Edith Ackermann</i> <br />
<ul style="text-align: left;"><ul>
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Katie Dayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01460127537263147529noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15747412.post-6583463303285318772014-08-09T18:51:00.003+08:002014-12-01T22:29:19.354+08:00Summer camp for teachers (way beyond the old Crafts Cabin)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRNHNUyIL8v3VV2Yi4dBhNuYsVuzzjN8kFfTvnGFRm73Ay7XzQ87gUsaWPjx1qPTL1NgIg3emtaaTMBg5kXhiWOLuxyhIYvYhHUxy2i8nFOmKJsp9BdQW108M1h2Ll7ZeozWFS7g/s1600/first-three-speakers-CMK-2014.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRNHNUyIL8v3VV2Yi4dBhNuYsVuzzjN8kFfTvnGFRm73Ay7XzQ87gUsaWPjx1qPTL1NgIg3emtaaTMBg5kXhiWOLuxyhIYvYhHUxy2i8nFOmKJsp9BdQW108M1h2Ll7ZeozWFS7g/s1600/first-three-speakers-CMK-2014.gif" height="244" width="320" /></a><a href="http://stager.org/" target="_blank">Gary Stager</a> and <a href="http://sylviamartinez.com/" target="_blank">Sylvia Martinez</a> have been holding a very special 4-day summer institute in New Hampshire for the past 7 years.<br />
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"<a href="http://constructingmodernknowledge.com/cmk08/?page_id=212" target="_blank">Constructing Modern Knowledge</a>" (<a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23cmk14&src=typd" target="_blank">#CMK14</a>) provides teachers with a learning space and enough time to the fail -- and succeed -- at doing what we are always exhorting our students to do: learn something! make something!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRlcMBgcAQ31vpQQZuQX6GYtCDa57u9-zqNOMCBLgIriUIj2DzPyGKY4UQY_qcflX7mZ5cd1JVb5dzADkmSYrvMxfTPY-CvnOix0QO_UvqOPRgnuy3WwrPQoNt5RShTBUuAQ95QA/s1600/Invent-To-Learn-Cover-front-only.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRlcMBgcAQ31vpQQZuQX6GYtCDa57u9-zqNOMCBLgIriUIj2DzPyGKY4UQY_qcflX7mZ5cd1JVb5dzADkmSYrvMxfTPY-CvnOix0QO_UvqOPRgnuy3WwrPQoNt5RShTBUuAQ95QA/s1600/Invent-To-Learn-Cover-front-only.jpg" height="200" width="140" /></a>I got involved by virtue of having put Stager and Martinez's book -- <a href="http://www.inventtolearn.com/" target="_blank">"Invent to Learn: making, tinkering, and engineering in the classroom"</a> -- on display in my library to coincide with the <a href="http://learning2.info/" target="_blank">Learning 2.0</a> conference last October (see my <a href="http://libedge.blogspot.sg/2013/08/making-and-tinkering-to-learn.html" target="_blank">previous blog post</a> on it). <a href="https://twitter.com/briancsmith" target="_blank">Brian Smith</a> (from Hong Kong International School) immediately began to talk to me about the book -- and the related conference. Considering I spend my summers in Maine (a stone's throw away), it wasn't hard to decide to sign up. At <a href="http://21c-learning.com/" target="_blank">21st Century Learning</a> in HK in December, I also had the opportunity to meet Gary, who exudes enthusiasm for messy learning and hard fun.<br />
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4 days, 180 participants. You can see <a href="http://vimeo.com/cmk14" target="_blank">the Vimeo videos here</a> and <a href="https://www.flickr.com/groups/2661635@N24/" target="_blank">the Flickr group photos here</a>. All in a Radisson Hotel in ManchVegas. (Yes, I guess that's what they call Manchester, NH -- as it's the region's hotspot.)<br />
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Who were we? The informal hands-up survey at the beginning indicated mainly teachers from private schools, from all over the US, plus a few internationals. I quickly found <a href="https://twitter.com/tina_p" target="_blank">Tina Photakis</a>, from Australia, to hang out with. The crowd was seeded with plenty of highlighted helpers, like <a href="https://twitter.com/briancsmith" target="_blank">Brian Smith</a> (and his daughter), young <a href="http://cmkpress.com/super-awesome-sylvias-super-awesome-project-books/" target="_blank">Super-awesome Sylvia</a> Todd (and her father), <a href="https://twitter.com/PeggySheehy" target="_blank">Peggy Sheehy</a> (one of the few librarians), <a href="http://constructingmodernknowledge.com/cmk08/?p=2357" target="_blank">Dan and Molly Watt</a>, <a href="http://constructingmodernknowledge.com/cmk08/?p=1967" target="_blank">Cynthia Solomon</a>, etc.<br />
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How did we decide what we were going to build in our 4 days? By shouting out suggestions that got put on giant post-it notes on the wall, followed by a massive gallery walk and sign-up. Then we gathered by our top favorite post-it -- and groups were formed. It worked admirably, better than most unconference events I've experienced. I loved the range of ideas: a light-sensitive chicken coop, a robot
dog, an interactive recycling bin, an interactive tree, an interactive
garden, interactive clothing, etc.<br />
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One proposed project was "wearable speakers" -- and having attended two
conferences this summer, I wish there were a smart-phone app for that right now. How can
it be that we don't have a way to make ourselves heard in big groups, e.g., questions from the floor, where no one can hear the question.<br />
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I wanted to work on a noise meter of sorts, as I'd had a Design and Technology IB student create a (unfortunately non-working) prototype for my library, using an <a href="http://www.arduino.cc/" target="_blank">Arduino</a>. So I knew I wanted to play with sound input creating some sort of visual output. (Imagine: students in a supposedly silent study room with windows, where I am outside and can't tell how much noise they are actually making; when decibels go above a certain level, colored lights began to flash -- indicating to both them and me that the room is no longer silent.) <br />
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In the end, I went with a group interested in "sound sculpture", which eventually split into three or four smaller groups. <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/pub/gordon-sakaue/a/516/929" target="_blank">Gordon</a>, <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/pub/wendy-harrop/16/843/529" target="_blank">Wendy</a>, and I decided to see how we could get sound through an Arduino to display different colors, based on volume and frequency. Gordon and Wendy wired the 3D matrix of lights, while I fooled around with programming an Arduino Esplora (a device which can take a variety of input). We didn't get a fully-functioning integrated model, due to time and other limitations, but we sure learned a lot. For me it was such a throw-back to my programming days. Oh, the frustrations of imperfect code!<br />
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A major highlight of the conference was a field trip to the fabled <a href="http://www.media.mit.edu/" target="_blank">MIT Media Lab</a>, thanks to Gary and Sylvia's connections. A talk by Mitch Resnick, founder of the <a href="http://llk.media.mit.edu/" target="_blank">Lifelong Kindergarten</a> group. (<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6ku-Xw87Ac" target="_blank">Here's a recent video of him doing a talk</a> that is similar to the one we heard - on Projects, Peers, Passion, and Play.) A chat with 87-year-old <a href="https://web.media.mit.edu/~minsky/" target="_blank">Marvin Minsky</a>, one of the three pioneers immortalized in the lobby of the impressive building, the other two being <a href="http://www.papert.org/" target="_blank">Seymour Papert</a> (represented at CMK14 by his daughter, Artemis, and granddaughter), and <a href="http://newsoffice.mit.edu/1994/cooper-0601" target="_blank">Muriel Cooper, who died 20 years ago</a>.<br />
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Marvin regaled us with memories of his time at Bell Labs with Claude Shannon. Re his artificial arm. Though he lamented that no one wants to work -- nowadays -- on something so pedestrian as a former invention. So no improvements are forthcoming. He talked about being enthralled by nanotechnology. The wave of the future. He talked of computer games, and his belief that 4 year olds might play games, but 5 year olds should be moving on to making games. His advice when getting stuck in life? Ask the experts. Which for him were Claude Shannon and Robert Oppenheimer. <br />
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We took advantage of the chance to wander down through the building. So many windows into projects and the learning going on. It was a wonderful evening in Cambridge/Boston.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLdJnmKi9NNvR6kjPZw7CARZLQXG3DAcByf1hZlB6Unv-Z8bS9fVEsNamUNqIkQjuqaz1M0fwS_IVLJWIHJlPQpQUEEpbCyG1qKu_1HrWX5wXQq-hljDN_46aLvLJjvjzvPfFttA/s1600/2014-07-09+14.17.57.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLdJnmKi9NNvR6kjPZw7CARZLQXG3DAcByf1hZlB6Unv-Z8bS9fVEsNamUNqIkQjuqaz1M0fwS_IVLJWIHJlPQpQUEEpbCyG1qKu_1HrWX5wXQq-hljDN_46aLvLJjvjzvPfFttA/s1600/2014-07-09+14.17.57.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a><a href="https://plus.google.com/photos/118307797729121488360/albums/6045456244784111809" target="_blank">Click here to see all my photos</a> of the conference -- including plenty taken inside the Media Lab. <br />
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Back in Manchester, there was plenty of time for work, for reflection, and for inspiration from speakers interspersed in the schedule. <br />
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<a href="http://web.media.mit.edu/~edith/" target="_blank">Edith Ackermann</a>, an MIT stalwart and "play" expert, gave a fascinating presentation. She talked of so many things -- she deserves a separate blog post. <br />
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<a href="http://www.nelsontreehouseandsupply.com/" target="_blank">Pete Nelson</a> is famous for building treehouses. I didn't know about him before, but now I appreciate he has his own reality <a href="http://www.animalplanet.com/tv-shows/treehouse-masters" target="_blank">TV show, Treehouse Masters</a> and <a href="http://www.treehousepoint.com/" target="_blank">a treehouse center</a> where you can go and stay. <br />
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He told the story of how his childhood passion for treehouses eventually led to a very public and remunerative vocation. (Creating a coffee table book on treehouses of the world was an important first step!) I'm sure most of us sitting there were thinking of old trees we wanted to create houses in. He made it sound all so feasible.<br />
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<br />
Overall take-away thoughts:<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Re the sharing of resources: the organizers had an incredible array of materials available to us, but the trick was, whatever we took, we needed for the four days. There wasn't much that you just needed short-term access to. So the sharing was limited. I wondered how libraries with a makerspace would cope with this. Would someone be able to check out or reserve, say, an Arduino Esplora, for three days? What is realistic for what time period of exclusive use? It makes me think that individual hardware, such as Raspberry Pi's and Arduinos, is better suited to a teacher-class situation, where a learner can work with one set of materials over time. </li>
<li>How best to handle differentiation? In this situation, some of us at a table had NO experience, and some had CONSIDERABLE. I was conscious of trying to balance the time I spent floundering on my own and the time I spent getting help from others. One thing for sure: we were in charge of our own learning. It was fascinating to wander around, seeing the vast range of projects and skills on display.</li>
</ul>
CMK library: There was a room at the conference where Gary and Sylvia laid out all their personal collection of books related to making and creating. I took photos of most of them -- and have searched Amazon, making a "list" of them. See the <b>booklist</b> here: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/registry/wishlist/D8EBAQB7J3TT/ref=cm_wl_rlist_go_o?" target="_blank">The Maker Movement and Constructing Modern Knowledge</a>.<br />
<br />
Also <a href="http://www.learningmaterialswork.com/store/reggio_children_product_page_other.html" target="_blank">see this Reggio Emilia bookshop</a> for more.<br />
<br />
p.s. Just discovered Gary and Sylvia maintain their own recommended booklist on Amazon -- <a href="http://astore.amazon.com/inventtolearnparents-20" target="_blank">see here</a>.<br />
<br />
p.p.s. Here's <a href="http://catalog.uwcsea.edu.sg/cataloging/servlet/presentbooklistform.do?listID=5831020&site=103" target="_blank">another related booklist </a>-- one from the <a href="https://www.uwcsea.edu.sg/centre/dt-conference" target="_blank">International Design Technology teachers' conference</a>, held at our school in May. These were all the books I had on display during the conference.<br />
<br /></div>
Katie Dayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01460127537263147529noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15747412.post-82721773157923385902014-07-21T01:24:00.005+08:002014-12-01T22:30:34.531+08:00ALA Las Vegas: Take-aways from being with 25k+ librarians for a couple of days<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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The
American Library Association's annual conference is a heaving mass of
librarians (of all varieties) in one place for four days -
Friday-Monday, June 26-30. Almost any US city is a convenient stopover for me, heading to Maine, at the end of the school year.<br />
<br />
This year ALA was in Las Vegas, a venue that lived up to its stereotype, in the eyes of a first-time visitor. Next year's location - San Francisco - will be more my style perhaps. <br />
<br />
But ALA is always an enriching experience, no matter where it's held.<br />
<br />
The problem is to figure out <b>what</b> and <b>who</b> you want to see in the small time and huge space of the event (the exhibition hall alone is worth four days).<br />
<br />
You
can search offerings and construct your own schedule online ahead of
time -- and there is a mobile app -- but the lack of fast/reliable/free
internet access (especially Sunday) made that fairly irrelevant. And
for those of us with overseas phone accounts, the smart-phone solution
for internet data access wasn't very economical. So making off-line
lists and lugging around the fat, physical ALA Guide was a sad, but
comforting, necessity.<br />
<br />
Here is my public debrief of the conference, filtered through my international, K-12 (primarily middle/high) librarian focus :<br />
<br />
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
Pre-Conference: SCHOOL VISITS</h2>
There was a half-day pre-conference event on Friday, visiting three independent (i.e., private) school libraries -- <a href="http://www.adsrm.org/" target="_blank">Alexander Dawson School</a>, <a href="http://www.faithlutheranlv.org/" target="_blank">Faith Lutheran Middle and High School</a>, and <a href="http://www.lvds.com/" target="_blank">Las Vegas Day School</a>. A few photos of each are <a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/118307797729121488360/albums/6030329680760848961?sort=1" target="_blank">here on Flickr</a> with notes below.<br />
<br />
<b>Alexander Dawson</b>:<br />
--
the librarian pointed out how, in designing the school, no electrical
cables or wiring is hidden, so kids are very aware of where electricity
is being used, e.g., for air conditioning, for internet access, etc.;<br />
-- the library had <a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/118307797729121488360/albums/6030329680760848961/6030329934495156866?sort=1&pid=6030329934495156866&oid=118307797729121488360" target="_blank">an "Aurasma" wall</a> -- where we could pick up iPads, scan images, and watch videos the kids had made for one unit of inquiry (e.g., Irish castles);<br />
--
two authors a year do two-week residencies, including 2 days in each
classroom, e.g., Brian Falkner (from NZ) and Paul Owen Lewis -- during which time
each student creates a book;<br />
<br />
<b>Faith Lutheran:</b><br />
-- had quite a few full-size physical displays, e.g., military uniforms and a skeleton;<br />
-- had <a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/118307797729121488360/albums/6030329680760848961/6030330019820284642?sort=1&pid=6030330019820284642&oid=118307797729121488360" target="_blank">an author/illustrator wall</a>, where each visiting celebrity's name is added each year;<br />
<br />
<b>LV Day School</b>:<br />
--
they offer a "Classic Reader" program -- where
students read more "quality" literature, and then discuss with an adult, four books above and beyond
their other reading;<br />
-- they run an "Adopt a Shelf" program for
parents -- where parents are responsible for re-shelving and keeping one
shelf looking tip-top -- they say it's quite competitive! </div>
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Overall,
questions focused on staffing (all were minimally staffed,
surprisingly) and what they were doing for ebook provision (e.g., all
had Overdrive, despite the fact the local library offers it -- though not sure
if that affected their choice of titles -- would they try to avoid
overlap?).</div>
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<br />
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
NETWORKING</h2>
This is no small part of ALA. Many of us
international school librarians managed to find each other (and we are
determined to make it more organized next year).<br />
<br />
The
four of us from Singapore (Kim Klein from Stamford American
International School, Kate Brundage from Singapore American School, and
Susanne Clower and I from United World College of Southeast Asia - East
campus) arrived as a nucleus -- and soon found Leanne Mercado from
Nishimachi International School (Tokyo), as well as Candace Aiani and
Barb Middleton from Taipei American School. Later we connected with
Leslie Henry from Jakarta International School and Victoria Robins from
ASF Guadalajara Mexico. There were others on the list of international
attendees, but poor connectivity (and our overseas phones) made it hard
to communicate. I kick myself that I didn't put out a general call on
the social media channels (like the ECIS iSkoodle listserv) beforehand.<br />
<br />
During the pre-conference session of school visits, while getting on or off the bus, I overheard one woman say
the word"Sakura" -- and I quickly determined to talk to her at the next stop,
knowing she must have been referring to the <a href="http://www.sakuramedal.com/" target="_blank">Japanese international school librarian book award program</a>, which is how I met Leanne Mercado. Only when I later I put a face on the name
"Barb Middleton" did I realize that she was on the same Friday school
library tour, but because her registration tagged identified her as
being from Minnesota, I didn't realize she was one of us - from Taipei
American School. <br />
<br />
Those of us that managed to meet up
did our best to "divide and conquer" in terms of session attendance.<br />
<br />
TO DO:<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Finish de-briefing with those who attended this year, especially my Singapore colleagues when we all get back in August; </li>
<li>Next year: advertise on social media for all going to ALA to connect ahead of time;</li>
<li>Next year: maybe have a group of us do a panel presentation on
International School Librarians - as an employment opportunity - pluses
and minuses, etc. </li>
</ul>
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
EBOOKS</h2>
A big complaint about<b> <a href="http://company.overdrive.com/education/k-12-schools/" target="_blank">Overdrive for schools</a></b>
has been the annual fee -- as much as
US$4k/yr in the past. But at their ALA booth, an Overdrive
representative confirmed they have recently lowered the cost for school
libraries. Now it is US$1k/yr for up to 999 students and US$2k/yr
for up to 1,999 students. This cost is content
purchase per annum -- it's not an annual usage fee -- which is great.<br />
<br />
For
those of us in international schools, a ongoing issue with all ebook
vendors has been digital rights management (DRM) -- where popular titles
are often not available to us, being situated outside the countries
that are the biggest publishers (USA, UK, Australia, etc.). I asked the
Overdrive rep where I could preview the titles actually available to us
in Singapore -- and she suggested I contact the sales force and get
access to a demo overseas account.<br />
<br />
<b><a href="http://starwalkkids.com/" target="_blank">StarWalk KidsMedia</a> </b>is a new ebook vendor -- headed by the famous (and charming) non-fiction author for kids, <span style="color: black;"><a href="http://www.seymoursimon.com/" target="_blank">Seymour Simon</a> (and his wife). 500 titles available so far, for grades K-8, half fiction, half non-fiction. Leveled according to Fountas and
Pinnell. Only US$895 a year (at least for big schools like ours -- I
forget if it's cheaper for smaller schools.) Unlimited, simultaneous
access. Device neutral -- in fact, they assured me that if users
downloaded a title (as you have to do to read on a mobile device), the
title will stay accessible on the device for as long as the subscription
(e.g., a year). And they will provide MARC records. It sounds a lot
like <a href="http://teacher.scholastic.com/products/bookflixfreetrial/" target="_blank">BookFlix </a>--
but going as high as Grade 8 in interest and complexity. They were
happy to offer us a 1-month free trial -- which I intend to do.</span><br />
<br />
<b>Kindle, Kindle, Kindle....? </b>
Candace Aiani (High School) and Barb Middleton (Primary School) have
embarked wholeheartedly on a Kindle-loaning program at Taipei American
School - and have a wealth of experience. Back in February she put a
call out to the <a href="mailto:silcasia@yahoogroups.com" target="_blank">SILCAsia listserv</a>, starting a discussion on the management of Kindles in schools - which some of you may have seen.<br />
<br />
They
organize their Kindles into "pods" of 5 devices each -- as each Kindle
account can be synced to five devices. Each Kindle (in a pod) will have
up to 30 titles or so on it. <span style="color: black;"><a href="http://tasdestinyweb01.tas.edu.tw/cataloging/servlet/handlebasicsearchform.do?restoreFromCrumb=1&tm=TopLevelCatalog&l2m=Library+Search&formSignature=saveData&formName=cataloging_servlet_BasicSearchForm&breadCrumbIndex=7804#anchorToGo166603&site=105" target="_blank">Click here to see</a> what a search for "Kindle" and "pod" turns up in Candace's High School catalog. <a href="http://tasdestinyweb01.tas.edu.tw/cataloging/servlet/presenttitledetailform.do?siteTypeID=-2&siteID=&includeLibrary=true&includeMedia=false&mediaSiteID=&bibID=166540&walkerID=1404252146145&site=105" target="_blank">Click here to see </a>what
one Kindle might have on it, e.g., Pod "I". (Now that Kindle Unlimited
has been launched, I wonder how many of their titles are available to overseas subscribers.)</span><br />
<br />
Taipei American School has gone for Overdrive in a big way -- <span style="color: black;"><a href="http://tas.lib.overdrive.com/79DDBF43-7A20-48AF-925D-1800C26F3F82/10/50/en/Default.htm" target="_blank">see their Overdrive homepage</a>
-- even though the Overdrive books can't be downloaded to overseas
Kindles, they said. They also aren't thrilled about the fact there is
often a 6-month delay getting the latest titles into Overdrive. Note: Barb affirms that FollettShelf is far easier for primary school students to use than Overdrive.</span><br />
<br />
TO DO:<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Contact sales@overdrive.com and ask for access to a demo overseas
account -- now that the Overdrive annual fee is reasonable for school
libraries -- for secondary school.</li>
<li>Start 1-month free trial in September of StarWalk KidsMedia -- for primary school.</li>
</ul>
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
GAMING / COMPUTING FOR KIDS</h2>
Jane McGonigal was the opening
keynote for ALA -- and didn't disappoint. She reminded us of all the
positive emotions gaming releases: CREATIVITY / CONTENTMENT / AWE + WONDER / EXCITEMENT / CURIOSITY / PRIDE / SURPRISE / LOVE / RELIEF / JOY.<br />
<br />
-- not to mention the development of RESILIENCE.<br />
<br />
I was glad to be reminded of <span style="color: black;"><a href="http://www.nypl.org/blog/2011/04/01/jane-mcgonigal-and-nypl-present-find-future-game" target="_blank">her experience developing a game for the New York Public Library</a> and the quote by Brian Sutton-Smith: <b>"The opposite of play isn't work. It's depression."</b></span><br />
<br />
Later, in the exhibits hall, I ran into <span style="color: black;"><a href="http://www.scottnicholson.com/" target="_blank">Scott Nicholson</a>,
professor at the iSchool in Syracuse and expert on gaming -- (I
attended one of his workshops last year at ALA) -- and was thrilled to
hear he is due to come to Singapore in November to work with the
National Library Board (NLB). Scott did several sessions at ALA this
year -- and is particularly keen on the cognitive benefit of creating
games, not just playing them. Read some of his past papers <a href="http://scottnicholson.com/pubs/index.html" target="_blank">here</a>.</span><br />
<br />
In the course of our conversation, he also alerted me to the <span style="color: black;"><a href="http://www.mathfair.com/" target="_blank">Math Fairs</a> for students being held annually in Toronto -- which I could definitely see our campus implementing.</span><br />
<br />
There was also a Poster session on Computational Thinking for Tweens and Teens -- see <span style="color: black;"><a href="http://ala14.ala.org/node/14901">http://ala14.ala.org/node/14901</a> where you can download the four PDFs. It's where I came across <a href="http://www.modrobotics.com/cubelets/" target="_blank">Cubelets</a>.... </span><br />
<br />
TO DO:<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Connect with Scott Nicholson before November -- and with the NLB -- and see if I can organize an <span style="color: black;"><a href="http://silcsing.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">ISLN</a> or school event as well when he is there.</span></li>
<li>Talk to Tilson Crew, our primary school math coach, to learn more
about the math games that she has created and made available in our
primary library for borrowing.</li>
<li>Talk to all our math teachers about the possibility of getting a math fair going at our school.</li>
</ul>
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
READING </h2>
ALA is one big reading-love-fest. Everyone there is
full of book-talk, whether ebook or pbook. And walking down the aisles
of the exhibition hall, I just kept snapping photos of book covers, if
not picking up free ARCs. I refuse to fetishize signed editions, making
it easy to avoid the urge to join any queues in front of author booths
in the exhibition hall -- though I thoroughly enjoyed the chance to chat
with authors when given the casual chance, e.g., attending a reception
with the author/illustrator Kevin Hawkes who happens to live in Gorham,
Maine, one town over from my hometown.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://bookwhisperer.com/" target="_blank">Donalyn Miller</a>, aka The Book Whisperer and Grade 5 teacher extraordinaire, gave a talk on <b>"Fostering Positive Reading Identities"</b>.
I was sitting between two international primary school
teacher-librarians (Leanne Mercado from Tokyo and Barb Middleton from
Taiwan) and we just kept nodding and laughing as Donalyn enlightened us
with her research and entertained us with her personal experiences as a
reader and reading teacher.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: black;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisNg-xNcCawqMNmfbsemVs-NFM8qBDxirKM-hieZ7KI-HjzExjG1fZjlWQkFuVRQqlnCl-rFUqqmnm2fGXP94nslSQo9VoredjS-tOvTjW-sqP4ytUa4XlUO4Uq7rhQrd8f6pG/s1600/SRA-4.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisNg-xNcCawqMNmfbsemVs-NFM8qBDxirKM-hieZ7KI-HjzExjG1fZjlWQkFuVRQqlnCl-rFUqqmnm2fGXP94nslSQo9VoredjS-tOvTjW-sqP4ytUa4XlUO4Uq7rhQrd8f6pG/s1600/SRA-4.jpg" height="126" width="200" /></a></span><br />
Like
her, my identity as a reader was clinched in 3rd grade thanks to "SRA"
-- that popular color-coded series of comprehension exercises in a box
(which introduced me to speed reading as a competitive sport) -- and a
memorable teacher, Miss Poole, who not only read "Charlotte's Web" to
us, but also the delightful (though 1950s antiquated) "Mrs. Piggle
Wiggle" series of magic solutions.<br />
<br />
Donalyn talked about
the power of reading communities and reiterated the influence of book
"commercials" arising out of the natural community (e.g., peer-to-peer
recommendations) -- and the role modeling of being a reader and
read-alouds -- and all the things we know and have been doing, but need
to remember are terribly inter-connected and important.<br />
<br />
She
challenges her students to read 40 or more books a year -- without any
other reward system. (Reading is its own reward, as she says.)<br />
<br />
She talked about the intersection of reading interest (<b>motivation</b>), reading level (<b>ability</b>), and background knowledge (<b>fertile ground for understanding</b>) in terms of book choice. Which makes me think of my beloved Design Thinking intersection of <b>desirability</b> (are you interested in the topic?), <b>feasibility</b> (does it match the assignment?) and <b>viability</b> (do we have the resources to support you) -- relating to research questions.<br />
<br />
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<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<br />
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
</h3>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">Though
when it comes to reading levels, she reminded us that lexiles are only
scaffolds (e.g., Fahrenheit 451 and The Diary of a Wimpy Kid
have the same lexile band (true??)) -- and that text complexity is about what is NOT found on the page.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">She recommends having a small pile of "Special Class Books" -- ready to hand to any child who says they have no book to read.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">I
like her idea of "Epicenter Readers" -- that category of people
who influence other people's reading, whether in the classroom or in life. Her own include John Schumacher
(@mrschureads) and Teri Lesesne (@professornana). I happened to meet two long-standing online "Epicenter Readers" of my own at a Random House reception: Lynn Rutan and Cindy Dobrez (aka the <a href="http://bookends.booklistonline.com/" target="_blank">Bookends</a> bloggers) -- and gushed over them like a proper groupie.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">Donalyn also reiterated the wisdom that less-than-highbrow series helps develop readers. They are not to be sneered at. Neither is the habit of re-reading. As she reminded us, close reading is re-reading with a purpose. </span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">TO DO:</span></span></span><br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><a href="http://nerdybookclub.wordpress.com/want-to-be-a-nerdy-blogger/" target="_blank">Contribute to Donalyn's Nerdy Book club blog </a></span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">Don't miss her regular Twitter chats, e.g., <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/bproots?src=hash" target="_blank">#bproots</a> - on roots of best practice for literacy teaching</span></span></span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
<br />
<br />
<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><b>I</b></span><span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><b>NFORMATION LITERACY and THRESHOLD CONCEPTS</b></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><b> </b></span><br />
<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">There
are so many information literacy sessions to attend at ALA, some
school-focused, some university-level. As a high-school
teacher-librarian, I am often indifferent to that distinction, as much
of the information literacy instruction is focused on students just entering tertiary education.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">A big difference, however, is that
school-based librarians are almost all trained teachers, while
university ones aren't (necessarily). </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><br />
<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">One
flipped university classroom session I attended was a bit of a waste, as it mainly
extolled the benefits of using curriculum design models in designing
flipped courses, which any teacher-librarian would already appreciate.
And I already knew about the handy tools for flipping the classroom
being recommended, e.g., Screencastr, Prezi, Google Docs, etc.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><br />
<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">But
another session by university librarians teaching information literacy was brilliant in every way -- content, design, and presentation -- "From Stumbling Blocks to Building Blocks: Using Threshold Concepts to Teach Information Literacy." </span></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">See <a href="http://www.ilthresholdconcepts.com/uploads/3/0/9/7/30975467/finalalapresentation.pptx" target="_blank">their Powerpoint slides here</a>. </span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">I’d read
about threshold concepts, as defined by Meyer and Land
(academic instruction experts) — and discussed by David Perkins (of
Harvard fame and general teaching expert), before — but had never read or heard anyone talk about them with specific reference to the field of information literacy, which is what this panel of academic librarians did. </span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">Korey Burnetti, Amy Hofer, and Lori Townsend </span>reviewed five characteristics of <span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">threshold concepts:</span></span></span><br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><b>Transformative</b> -- they change understanding</span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><b>Irreversible</b> — one you get them, you can’t not see them anymore</span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><b>Integrative</b> -- part of a network of interconnected understandings</span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><b>Bounded</b> — meaning they are usually discipline-specific</span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><b>Troublesome</b> — meaning often counter-intuitive</span></span></span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">The metaphor of the threshold refers to the acquisition of these concepts -- which can be compared to crossing a border; a
mental, liminal space, delimited by time and experience; an extended place where the novice transitions over time to being an expert, with some people getting stuck until they "get it" (learning bottlenecks), some roaming around inside indefinitely, perhaps never to emerge. A lens is a popular metaphor for appreciating the power of threshold concepts in different disciplines - to see with the eyes of an expert. (The transition from one side to the other also reminds me of the shift from slow thinking to fast thinking (System 1 and System 2) of Daniel Kahnemann et al.)</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9d2U6rnJl28yicYrzCkrRWEEekcKUP6iheMnd51H5NXH0q3rdrH-wHfqikSzYhlVZP1JZkp1JsZI3koVgxOWPasEJ_0vdB_eJKJPVnBeECQwMqb7vyyRtLdkwppafLUZ2OIONCw/s1600/Screenshot+2014-07-19+09.23.44.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9d2U6rnJl28yicYrzCkrRWEEekcKUP6iheMnd51H5NXH0q3rdrH-wHfqikSzYhlVZP1JZkp1JsZI3koVgxOWPasEJ_0vdB_eJKJPVnBeECQwMqb7vyyRtLdkwppafLUZ2OIONCw/s1600/Screenshot+2014-07-19+09.23.44.png" height="250" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Slide from the ALA 2014 <a href="http://www.ilthresholdconcepts.com/presentations.html" target="_blank">presentation</a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">They then discussed some basic information literacy threshold
concepts they had distilled as "enduring understandings," using the</span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">Wiggins and McTighe model of backward design, for their teaching practice. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span> </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><br />
<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">FORMAT AS PROCESS </span><br />
<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">INFORMATION AS COMMODITY</span><br />
<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">AUTHORITY IS CONSTRUCTED + CONTEXTUAL</span><br />
<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">METADATA = FINDABILITY (aka GOOD SEARCHES USE DATABASE STRUCTURES)</span><br />
<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">DATABASE = ORGANIZED COLLECTION</span><br />
<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">PRIMARY
SOURCES DEPEND ON PERSPECTIVE</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">For example, in exploring FORMAT AS THE RESULT OF A PROCESS, they showed the following typical search results, which to the average student would all look like "websites":</span></span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW3QJag7DAYrScLF_ALJBCwsmElTpzgS1Cqke6TnZcQf3PaSBya6pCNax4PbkuUKUTemp8F83LnyQgIOVHaVNaqZJMhoYu-mENamDWRPAM5-SzUoRDEdVsOiI61JbTmojA2V0MIA/s1600/Screenshot+2014-07-19+09.22.31.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW3QJag7DAYrScLF_ALJBCwsmElTpzgS1Cqke6TnZcQf3PaSBya6pCNax4PbkuUKUTemp8F83LnyQgIOVHaVNaqZJMhoYu-mENamDWRPAM5-SzUoRDEdVsOiI61JbTmojA2V0MIA/s1600/Screenshot+2014-07-19+09.22.31.png" height="250" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Slide from the ALA 2014 <a href="http://www.ilthresholdconcepts.com/presentations.html" target="_blank">presentation</a></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">Go read the seminal
articles by Land + Meyer -- and other</span></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> resources available on the wonderful webpage page of the three presenters: <a href="http://ilthresholdconcepts.com/">http://ilthresholdconcepts.com</a>.</span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><br /></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">Another librarian showed how he promotes some of his library's more unusual digital collections as a means of exploring primary vs. secondary sources with students, e.g., presenting students with an
archive of 1950s women’s magazines and having them imagine for what
research question would particular advertisements or articles be a
primary source. Showing how questions develop, to a large degree, from the resources being used - in an iterative cycle.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">The mantra they left us with: READ -- SHARE -- ACT. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">Many
sessions were preceded by awards for best practice. In the case
of the Threshold Concepts one, an award was given to <a href="http://library.pdx.edu/diy/" target="_blank">Library DIY</a> (by Meredith Farkas) — a flipped classroom example of teaching
procedural (as opposed to conceptual) stuff. I'd already starred the project in my Diigo bookmarks as something to emulate -- and was thrilled to see it so publicly recognized.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">There was also a poster session on a website called InfoSkills2Go - <a href="http://infoskills2go.com/">http://infoskills2go.com/</a> -- which allows college-bound high school students to earn badges in four categories: academic integrity, information seeking, information organization, and information evaluation, using <a href="http://www.trails-9.org/" target="_blank">TRAILS</a> as the pre-test and post-test. </span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">Another poster session I missed was -- "<a href="http://ala14.ala.org/node/14977" target="_blank">Student to Superhero: Freshmen Tell Their Research Stories</a>" -- see </span></span></span><a href="http://bit.ly/studentsuperhero">http://bit.ly/studentsuperhero</a> -- where they described how they had students create a graphical narrative using the software called <a href="http://comiclife.com/" target="_blank">Comic Life</a> to reflect on their entry-level university information literacy course. <br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">TO DO:</span></span></span><br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">Re-think my own teaching modules with these info lit threshold concepts in mind</span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">Look at the InfoSkills2Go website </span></span></span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
<br />
<br />
<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><b>DISCOVERY (AND FAST CATALOGING)</b></span><br />
</span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">There
is a tension between the Google single box search — and the box (or boxes) we provide as windows into our local information resources. Between what is out there in the largest sense of the world and what we can actually deliver (from our physical collection and our various virtual ones).</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">Candace
(of the Taipei American School) told me she has recently implemented
the <a href="http://www.ebscohost.com/discovery" target="_blank">EBSCO discovery layer</a>. I didn’t get a chance to really get into
this with her (which is why I am determined to get up to Taipei to spend
concentrated time absorbing her school’s information environment and
how she is tackling these common problems of ours).</span><br />
<br />
<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">In
terms of our library catalogs — Follett Destiny, for both Candace and
me — the new Universal Search interface is an improvement (e.g., useful filtering via the sidebar). But it's still slow and cumbersome compared to Google. </span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">Should we still be trying to steer students to our catalog? What if we the library just focused on delivery of what students find elsewhere? Leave the catalog there as our best inventory tool and perfect Subject Headings for our own discovery purposes, but not expect students to desert their best-friend Google?</span><span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> (NB: I've been heavily influenced by the thoughts of Aaron Tay (an academic librarian in Singapore) -- see this <a href="http://musingsaboutlibrarianship.blogspot.com/2013/09/the-day-library-discovery-died-2035.html#.U8t5_KhFF1k" target="_blank">Sept 2013 blog post </a>of his and his ongoing <a href="https://flipboard.com/section/web-scale-discovery-%26-search--bDyWzP" target="_blank">Flipboard magazine on Web scale search and discovery systems</a>.)</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">Traditionally (think: paper card
catalogs) findability has depended upon controlled Subject Headings (e.g.,
Library of Congress (LCSH)), where each item would have no more than six
highly-faceted subjects</span></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> (e.g., Indonesia - Relations - China - History)</span></span></span>. Nowadays, with
full-text searching and unlimited tags possible, controlled vocabularies are less important -- at least to users.</span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">The single search box -- allowing for multiple fields and combination of terms to be searched at once -- demands a re-think of subject headings. Which is why I've been following the FAST cataloging project for years -- and chose to attend the Faceted Subject Access Interest Group sessions at ALA this year. </span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><br /> </span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>FAST (Faceted Application of Subject Terminology) </b></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">As much as RDA(1) is
about moving bibliographic metadata forward, FAST cataloging is the cutting edge of subject heading progress. Which is perhaps why it was standing room only in this session where Cornell University librarians (one of whom is a Discovery Metadata Librarian by title) relayed their experience as
guinea pigs converting their data from LCSH to FAST — in collaboration
with OCLC Research (who were also in the room). They're hoping to go live on July 1st. (See <a href="http://connect.ala.org/node/226498" target="_blank">their Powerpoint slides here</a>.)</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">A lot of the technical stuff was beyond me -- and the scale difference
between Cornell’s converting their holdings and a school library like mine are enormous. </span></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">But I still got a lot out of the session -- and think we should be moving to FAST subject headings instead of Sears/LCSH.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Facets can be in eight categories: Personal names, Corporate names, Geographic names, Events, Titles, Time periods, Topics, and Form/Genre.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">The FAST mindset was described as:</span></span><br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Use what you find</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Subjects do not cross facets, e.g., you can't have "Italy - History"</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Observe difference between topical and genre/form facets</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Fewer application rules, e.g., the order of headings is not significant, no constraints on combinations of topical and geographic terms</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Dates can be whatever you need to assign, e.g., "1992-2011" is fine if that's what the resource covers</span></span></li>
</ul>
</div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">The elephant in the room, they admitted, is that, if FAST is so great, why isn't everyone rushing to use it? Will it replace LCSH? Only time will tell.</span></span> Watch this space.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
<br />Links re FAST:</span></span><br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.ala.org/alctsnews/features/fast-cataloging" target="_blank">ALCTS: FAST for cataloging and discovery</a> - newsletter</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.oclc.org/research/activities/fast.html?urlm=159754" target="_blank">OCLC FAST Research page </a></span></span></li>
<li><a href="http://fast.oclc.org/searchfast/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">searchFAST</span></span></a></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://classify.oclc.org/classify2/" target="_blank">OCLC Classify tool</a> -- </span></span>to get suggested FAST headings for a book</li>
<li><a href="http://lts.library.cornell.edu/lts/pp/cat/127FAST" target="_blank">Cornell Library FAST webpage</a></li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><b>LIBRARY DESIGN</b></span><br />
<br /><span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">Library design is of on-going interest, no matter that my library is theoretically all built now. I went to a session on <a href="http://ala14.ala.org/node/14402" target="_blank">“Science + Form = Function: The Impact of Neuroscience on Architecture and Design”</a> -- a subject for which is there is an Academy -- see <a href="http://www.anfarch.org/">http://www.anfarch.org/</a> and especially their recommended reading list: <a href="http://www.anfarch.org/recommended-reading/">http://www.anfarch.org/recommended-reading/</a>. </span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">The session opened with a quote from Winston Churchill who said, "We shape our buildings, thereafter they shape us."</span></span> </span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">The speakers talked about the <b>ten</b> senses: touch, taste, smell, hearing, and sight.... plus <b>pressure</b>, <b>balance</b>, <b>temperature</b>, <b>motion</b>, and <b>pain</b>.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">Imagine a grid where these ten senses are the y-axis. Then put these <b>library space functions</b> across the x-axis: <b>assembly</b>, <b>contemplation</b>, <b>data collection</b>, <b>presentation</b>, <b>reading</b>, <b>refuge</b>, <b>retreat</b>, <b>storage</b>, <b>studying</b>, and <b>teaching</b>. Consider the intersection of each -- and decide priorities and possibilities.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">We need to consider the intersection of three things: Behavior, Experience, and Brain Activity in a space like a library.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">Speakers talked of Inspiration, Trust, and Empathy, as well as Symbolism, Wayfinding, and Exploration -- linking hand, brain, and symbol. They asked us to consider what Affordances the library provides, to invite or indicate desired actions -- and the tension between Function and Representation (symbolism) in our spaces.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Frankly, I didn't get any practical inspirations from the session, but felt mentally stretched from sitting through it.<br />
<br />
<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">Meanwhile some other teacher-librarian
went to a discussion meeting (one of those smaller things in the
schedule that you could miss in the blink of an eye, unless you were
observant) on The Information Commons. Of all the things I was listening for
in her brief summary in the time we had for debrief, I latched onto her
reporting of someone who had “pink things hanging from the ceiling” that
absorbed sound. The ALA notes on this meeting also mention "pink noise machines" (<a href="http://connect.ala.org/node/226658#comment-62845" target="_blank">see here</a>). I am now searching for this mysterious product/item.
(Contact me if you can help!) (Could the person have been talking about "pink noise" - in contrast to "white noise" -- <a href="http://www.acousticfields.com/white-noise-definition-vs-pink-noise/" target="_blank">see distinction here</a> -- instead of something literally pink?)</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">Acoustics is my ongoing elephant in the room and I am on the lookout for all
ameliorating accessories. (Over the summer there are ceiling/wall
panels being installed in my library — wish I had done my
pre-installation research benchmarks and logged some decibel stats….)</span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">There was a poster session I really wanted to attend, but missed -- <a href="http://ala14.ala.org/node/14761" target="_blank">Librarian Design Share: Inspiration for Library Creatives</a>. On the other hand, the beauty of the best poster sessions is that the poster itself is posted online and tells it all -- see <a href="http://ala14.ala.org/files/ala14/LibDS-ALA-Poster-FINAL.pdf">http://ala14.ala.org/files/ala14/LibDS-ALA-Poster-FINAL.pdf</a> -- and their website -- <a href="http://librariandesignshare.org/">http://librariandesignshare.org/</a> -- is a treasure-trove. The session description mentions they would be giving visitors "design strategy cards" -- I wonder if they pointed people to <a href="http://architectures.danlockton.co.uk/2010/04/10/design-with-intent-toolkit-1-0-now-online/" target="_blank">the "Design with Intent" toolkit</a>, which I love.</span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">Another poster session I missed was <a href="http://ala14.ala.org/node/14936" target="_blank">"Gearing Up for College"</a> -- about university libraries reaching out to low-income middle school children who excel in STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) fields. Interestingly, they used a map activity to get the students to observe what was going on in the university library -- and hopefully to get interested in what they were observing. (Reminds me of the ALA program session I attended last year -- where Andrew Asher described having students create color-timed cognitive maps of the library -- see <a href="http://www.andrewasher.net/BiblioEthnoHistorioGraphy/category/mapping/">http://www.andrewasher.net/BiblioEthnoHistorioGraphy/category/mapping/</a>. A fascinating way to make the virtual visible.... )</span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">TO DO:</span></span></span></div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">Track down "pink noise things"</span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">Contribute to <a href="http://librariandesignshare.org/">http://librariandesignshare.org/</a></span></span></span></li>
</ul>
<h2>
Makerspaces</h2>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Makerspaces is definitely still a hot topic for libraries. I did a full-day pre-conference last year at ALA on them, and knew I was going to a four-day <a href="http://constructingmodernknowledge.com/cmk08/?page_id=212" target="_blank">"Constructing Modern Knowledge"</a> summer institute in New Hampshire, July 8-11, which would be completely about making things (watch for another blog post eventually), so I didn't bother to attend maker-related sessions at ALA.<br />
<br />
As my school already has an extensive Design and Technology department and set-up (with 3D printers, laser cutters, et al.), I'm thinking the library should focus on making to do with books -- like setting up a Writing Center (a project several of us have been trying to get off the ground for three years now) and promoting Book Art.<br />
<br />
One poster session was about an annual RE:BOOK altered book contest -- at the Claremont College Libraries. <a href="https://sakai.claremont.edu/access/content/user/nataliet%40cuc/ALA2014posterFINAL.pdf" target="_blank">See the PDF here</a>. What a great way to re-purpose donated books -- of which I have plenty.<br />
<br />
TO DO:<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Connect with the art teachers and get some regular altered book art going -- perhaps with a permanent book art workspace in a corner of the library -- or up on the Art Floor. I like the idea of an annual contest.</li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
<h2>
PDA (Patron Driven Acquisition)</h2>
<div style="text-align: left;">
When I hear "PDA," I still think of "public display of affection" -- something every high school librarian deals with every day. But it's the latest term for users letting us know what they want (starting from that good 'ole book suggestion form) -- and it goes hand-in-hand with a good collection policy.<br />
<br />
There were several small sessions on PDA as it relates to e-book and video purchases, e.g., see <a href="http://ala14.ala.org/node/15153" target="_blank">here</a>, <a href="http://ala14.ala.org/node/14950" target="_blank">here</a>, and <a href="http://ala14.ala.org/node/14842" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
<br />
Candace was telling me how she has instituted an online ticketing system for all library requests -- whether book purchase recommendations or queries about database passwords, etc. I forget the name of the software package she said she bought, but it is one where people can search the database, to see the status of their problem or request. Our Facilities and IT Depts both use a basic ticketing system, but we users don't have the ability to search their records. Must look into it for our library. I know there are requests that fall off my radar.....<br />
<br />
<h2>
The Latest and the Greatest: ARCs and Awards</h2>
For school librarians, there are two important annual lists that get announced at ALA.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><a href="http://www.ala.org/aasl/standards-guidelines/best-apps/2014" target="_blank">Best Apps for Teaching and Learning</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.ala.org/aasl/standards-guidelines/best-websites/2014" target="_blank">Best Websites for Teaching and Learning</a></li>
</ul>
ALA is also a place to pick up Advanced Reader Copies of books. I try not to go crazy.<br />
<br />
Here are a few I picked up:</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Jared Diamond's "The Third Chimpanzee" - Young Readers edition</li>
<li>Frank Einstein and the Anti-matter Motor - by Jon Scieszka </li>
<li>Hold Tight, Don't Let Go - by Laura Rose Wagner - a YA novel re Haiti and the earthquak</li>
<li>Vango - by Timothee de Fombelle</li>
<li>Imaginary - by A.F. Harrold, illustrated by Emily Gravett</li>
<li>There Will Be Lies - by Nick Lake</li>
<li>Young Houdini - by SImon Nicholson</li>
<li>The Wollstonecraft Detective Agency - by Jordan Stratford</li>
<li>On a Clear Day - by Walter Dean Myters </li>
<li>A Path Appears - by Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl Wu </li>
</ul>
</div>
<hr />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Notes:</span><br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: xx-small; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">Last
year at ALA I did a full-day pre-conference on RDA (Resource
Description + Access). What I immediately love about RDA is its simple hierarchy, distinguishing between Work,
Expression, Manifestation, Item (WEMI), not to mention its elaboration of
dates — so one can distinguish between work creation date, original
publication date, particular edition date, and manufacture date. </span></span></span> </span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Photos:</span><br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="font-size: x-small;">SRA: <a href="http://allaboutthe1970s.blogspot.com/2010/04/i-remember-those.html">http://allaboutthe1970s.blogspot.com/2010/04/i-remember-those.html</a></span></li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
Katie Dayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01460127537263147529noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15747412.post-64851157796450061492014-02-25T16:46:00.004+08:002014-12-01T22:30:18.527+08:00International School Librarians' Knowledge Sharing Weekend in Brunei: my take-aways<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
A huge thank-you to Karli Downey and her team at Jerudong International School in Brunei for hosting a valuable two-day workshop for international school librarians, Feb. 21-22, 2014. About thirty of us came together from Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Australia, and Brunei to share our practice and thoughts.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxOy8DdSnFuLmQmZbgeKBrlTYK3PU0gm1RSIuGBTUzySGgUIfPrroxo6_KFp-UOPJ-COPqMpLE6j7zwj1urG17VyzHNIc7MCOV5y3Vl-7489JxcsJkw40zk3wSfsNzh1CBElAsHw/s1600/brunei+biscuits.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxOy8DdSnFuLmQmZbgeKBrlTYK3PU0gm1RSIuGBTUzySGgUIfPrroxo6_KFp-UOPJ-COPqMpLE6j7zwj1urG17VyzHNIc7MCOV5y3Vl-7489JxcsJkw40zk3wSfsNzh1CBElAsHw/s1600/brunei+biscuits.jpg" height="400" width="186" /></a></div>
<br />
See the<a href="http://libguides.jis.edu.bn/lksw" target="_blank"> LKSW Libguide</a> for an overview.<br />
<br />
<span class="guideurl">The highlights for me included:</span><br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span class="guideurl"><a href="http://studentslearn.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Lyn Hay</a>, from <a href="http://www.sybaacademy.com.au/learning/academy-home" target="_blank">SybaAcademy</a> and Charles Sturt University, spoke on the concept of the iCentre (<a href="http://www.slideshare.net/lhay/i-centre-keynoteslides" target="_blank">see her slides here</a>) </span></li>
<ul>
<li><span class="guideurl">Read on: Mal Lee blog: <a href="http://schoolevolutionarystages.net/">http://schoolevolutionarystages.net/</a> and "digital normalization" </span></li>
</ul>
<li><span class="guideurl">Lyn Hay also spoke about <a href="http://books.google.com.sg/books/about/Guided_Inquiry.html?id=z4RmUhkg7lAC&redir_esc=y" target="_blank">guided inquiry</a> -- and <a href="http://libguides.jis.edu.bn/lkswsession8" target="_blank">Linda Twitchett (AISS) spoke</a> about how she developed a scope and sequence of information fluency for her secondary school.</span></li>
<ul>
<li><span class="guideurl">As Lyn listed the <a href="http://www.tonywagner.com/7-survival-skills" target="_blank">seven survival skills a la Tony Wagner</a>, I mentally tried to remember the 9 elements of our <a href="http://www.uwcsea.edu.sg/about/guiding-statements/uwcsea-profile" target="_blank">UWCSEA profile</a>: Qualities ( Commitment to Care, Principled, Resilient, Self-Aware) and Skills (Critical Thinker, Creative, Collaborative, Communicator, Self-Manager). Information fluency/literacy is implicit in the descriptions of each.</span></li>
<li><span class="guideurl">Made me realize our library team needs to schedule time with our curriculum dept to continue to hash out our own research model. Linda came up with four main stages: <i>Exploring</i>, <i>Investigating</i>, <i>Processing</i>, and <i>Creating</i>. Our middle school has most recently settled on five stages:</span></li>
<ul>
<li><i><span class="guideurl">Identify and ask relevant questions</span></i></li>
<li><i><span class="guideurl">Gather and organise information from different perspectives</span></i></li>
<li><i><span class="guideurl">Analyse, synthesise and evaluate information</span></i></li>
<li><i><span class="guideurl">Communicate</span></i></li>
<li><i><span class="guideurl">Reflection</span></i></li>
</ul>
<li><span class="guideurl">Made me re-read my blog post on "<a href="http://libedge.blogspot.sg/2013/01/carol-kuhlthau-meets-tim-brown-guided.html" target="_blank">Carol Kuhlthau meets Tim Brown: Guided {Design} Inquiry</a>"</span></li>
<li><span class="guideurl">Lyn highly recommended Keri Smith's book, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/How-Be-Explorer-World-Portable/dp/0399534601" target="_blank">How to be an explorer of the world</a> -- which is one of those books I hesitate to buy for the library, as it's meant to be written in and personalised.</span></li>
<li><span class="guideurl">Check out <a href="http://libguides.ais.com.sg/research" target="_blank">Linda's Libguide on Research</a>.</span></li>
</ul>
<li><span class="guideurl"> Crys Mills reminded us of some great Australian picture books -- I put <a href="https://www.librarything.com/catalog.php?tag=lksw&view=ltfl_uwcsea&collection=-1&shelf=list&collection=-1" target="_blank">the list here in LibraryThing</a> -- and will double-check we have them.</span></li>
<li><span class="guideurl">Library tech topics.... </span></li>
<ul>
<li><span class="guideurl">In the RFID discussion Rob George reminded us that RFID isn't sufficient for security, that most libraries still use magnetic strips for that. We don't anticipate going to RFID though the self-check and ease of inventory are appealing.</span></li>
<li><span class="guideurl">Thumbprint (biometric) recognition for check-out with Follett Destiny: Kim Beeman said she has a working installation -- which I look forward to seeing when I get to Bangkok next. I always envisioned it for primary, but several people warned me that it doesn't work reliably with kids younger than seven or so -- as their fingerprints are too soft? unformed? Others also mentioned parental concern over storing biometric data of children.</span><span class="guideurl"><br /></span></li>
</ul>
<li><span class="guideurl">Book Weeks.... listened to others discussing what they do. What we all do is cram a lot into one week. Why not make every week "book week"? Spread out more author visits over time, matching the right author to the right age level during the right curriculum time. World Book Day in April could be the excuse for the whole campus to dress up as a book character. The UN provides enough days throughout the year to focus on (especially for us as we aren't a nation-based school), e.g., World Literacy Day, Mother Tongue Day, etc.</span></li>
<li><span class="guideurl">Engaging readers.... Lots of good ideas and <a href="http://libguides.jis.edu.bn/aecontent.php?pid=531960&sid=4634174" target="_blank">resources</a>.</span></li>
<li><span class="guideurl">Collection development... <a href="http://padlet.com/wall/S3_collection" target="_blank">Ditto</a>. </span></li>
<li><span class="guideurl">Audiobooks and e-books.... A topic we all have
opinions about and experiences with, e.g., Shrewsbury has Overdrive, so
we were quizzing Kim Beeman. Many of us have FollettShelf, Bookflix,
and TumbleBooks. Barb Philip shared <a href="http://alice-smith.libguides.com/online_jb" target="_blank">the wealth of her experiments</a> in her primary school library. </span></li>
<li><span class="guideurl">Style of PD.... this small group worked well. I'm now thinking our network in Singapore (ISLN) should go for one-day Bootcamps designed for no more than 50 participants at a time, on various topics, e.g., on graphic design and signage, copyright, RDA and cataloging, managing genres and the trend to genre-fication, etc. -- for all library staff.</span></li>
</ul>
<span class="guideurl">Next year LKSW might be in Bangkok..... ? </span><br />
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<span class="guideurl" style="font-size: xx-small;">Photo above: a snapshot of the fabulous biscuits made specially for the conference! </span><br />
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<span class="guideurl"><br /></span></div>
Katie Dayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01460127537263147529noreply@blogger.com261tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15747412.post-2741129098476310162014-02-25T15:05:00.000+08:002014-12-01T22:31:47.792+08:00Connecting books and readers via the virtual, visible, spatial, and personal<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I have a penchant for schematics. Below is the one I made while thinking about the types of connections between readers and books -- and ways to enable them.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj67lKe1PnB5jjJ_KRhtKM680nQX3TOit589tA-bCXZCslbUxhNL2WTU7hRuQ06jc_aQrU1c4bvQsmXdDRBCD4wTtQzRVmOMwe9fAfVrV0m5tV00Z1qwWf9JS1SeG2lwbxd51eGg/s1600/Engaging+Readers_+Your+Next+Best+Read.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj67lKe1PnB5jjJ_KRhtKM680nQX3TOit589tA-bCXZCslbUxhNL2WTU7hRuQ06jc_aQrU1c4bvQsmXdDRBCD4wTtQzRVmOMwe9fAfVrV0m5tV00Z1qwWf9JS1SeG2lwbxd51eGg/s1600/Engaging+Readers_+Your+Next+Best+Read.png" height="360" width="640" /></a></div>
Note: when choosing ways to connect, three factors must always be considered: Can it <b>scale</b>? (i.e., will it work for large numbers) Is it easily <b>accessible</b>? How will it be <b>maintained</b>?<br />
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We recently started an initiative that manages to combine all four delivery methods.<b> </b><br />
<br />
<b>The personal</b> connection is that we invite secondary school teachers to identify the books they want to recommend to their students. The library then buys 3+ copies of those books for the general library collection.<br />
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<b>The virtual</b> connection is a booklist of the titles via our library catalog, e.g., see <a href="http://catalog.uwcsea.edu.sg/cataloging/servlet/presentbooklistform.do?listID=5322413&site=103" target="_blank">Dr. Alex's Favorites</a> (where Alex McGregor is the head of History). <br />
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<b>The visual</b> connection is a huge skeuomorphic bookshelf poster (thanks to a new big Epson printer and <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2du5MZQgMgQNzgyVjhybTh5TDA/edit?usp=sharing" target="_blank">this *.jpg of a blank wooden bookshelf</a>) of the booklist, with a QR code linking to the list. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg8N3LX0ZGmJ-TIGEyFXVOj8WJgu0xXR8AFO9WIHI321YCIzUPRYcTmLTqwgkH7oskpBBEZAv-XBE_UUTT7vmiWMBRyJnKSWpT2Pno9Ffm2OUEc6HpaFV78tRQ0E7dLbpHcLaZbQ/s1600/bookshelf-alex-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg8N3LX0ZGmJ-TIGEyFXVOj8WJgu0xXR8AFO9WIHI321YCIzUPRYcTmLTqwgkH7oskpBBEZAv-XBE_UUTT7vmiWMBRyJnKSWpT2Pno9Ffm2OUEc6HpaFV78tRQ0E7dLbpHcLaZbQ/s1600/bookshelf-alex-2.jpg" height="400" width="282" /></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT8cehRLmPpvZUz91XjKg22D9QFejxpJ8bujADMajvrj7mRM51Iu0z-uCxHOR5TDWwXb31jJNlvpfpZQSejBJPSMIB_Hc_L8rWOFFTr7jg_q3RlA6PHVMfCwr7Q0Egd0Su8s20Mw/s1600/bookshelf-alex-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT8cehRLmPpvZUz91XjKg22D9QFejxpJ8bujADMajvrj7mRM51Iu0z-uCxHOR5TDWwXb31jJNlvpfpZQSejBJPSMIB_Hc_L8rWOFFTr7jg_q3RlA6PHVMfCwr7Q0Egd0Su8s20Mw/s1600/bookshelf-alex-1.jpg" height="400" width="282" /></a></div>
To give you an idea of the size, the blank spots on the "shelf" are A4
size (8.5"x11") so teachers can add books to their shelf (read: maintenance) -- by printing
out a cover and just blue-tacking it into place. (Who said cutting and pasting is dead?) See below example of a poster on a classroom wall.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmMhKTZMu7UuIyLhF9UECRujT3jfGT7MVhKh22mQ8AftcXvBdmfDBQVpo-gY9BAor4YY2fX9XYfg3g8MqTQLX11yN0sFDPgd_xR1ARGiosLmPvDUAXpcIYpeQD4NvGuhkmzZZ15A/s1600/wall+of+books+sean+lacey+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmMhKTZMu7UuIyLhF9UECRujT3jfGT7MVhKh22mQ8AftcXvBdmfDBQVpo-gY9BAor4YY2fX9XYfg3g8MqTQLX11yN0sFDPgd_xR1ARGiosLmPvDUAXpcIYpeQD4NvGuhkmzZZ15A/s1600/wall+of+books+sean+lacey+(1).jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
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<b>The spatial </b>connection is a display shelf in the library where multiple copies of each book are displayed - in a very visible way. (The wall posters are also displayed, but as A4 size in acrylic holders.)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLY2UyzxRxjUcw4T44OQj37zgiY9kHe1YomlPjVUl1b22uvPol_qRnjcmMp2Bxwi8h7RJxyQ-7Wq9G8-gil4Gt4ckkRr5jZKpf9ESLxkaw5nB7BkESWONyhNW8jM-v_PH_EPEw6A/s1600/2014-02-18+18.48.53.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLY2UyzxRxjUcw4T44OQj37zgiY9kHe1YomlPjVUl1b22uvPol_qRnjcmMp2Bxwi8h7RJxyQ-7Wq9G8-gil4Gt4ckkRr5jZKpf9ESLxkaw5nB7BkESWONyhNW8jM-v_PH_EPEw6A/s1600/2014-02-18+18.48.53.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
The books are placed face-out with the extra copies stacked behind -- and in the event that all copies are gone, we have a mini-poster (another visual connection) which is a piece of paper inside a plastic sleeve -- which has a QR code and shortened URL leading to the title in the library catalog, so people can check how many copies are available. I always complain you can't see what books are missing when looking at a shelf -- this way you can permanently display the most important or popular titles.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv9ARA9UKPAoQ4vEiFLdwdPvka3hQaR6tOgHsWLFJqrxYp1CY_8M3t6wYPiZNo1c4P_YRTkaYF1R8bX_7h4RN7s-y-kshy77t1lOk_aLZtnSbMGHHKINAGGnFaNtqEVmFpnYjq9A/s1600/2014-02-25+13.54.40.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv9ARA9UKPAoQ4vEiFLdwdPvka3hQaR6tOgHsWLFJqrxYp1CY_8M3t6wYPiZNo1c4P_YRTkaYF1R8bX_7h4RN7s-y-kshy77t1lOk_aLZtnSbMGHHKINAGGnFaNtqEVmFpnYjq9A/s1600/2014-02-25+13.54.40.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a><br />
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Will we have room for all the teachers' selections? We'll find the space.... <a href="https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/167SX4Q28WUZvRza5d6yiDpXdq-MJwjCQRR0BdghpyX8/pub?start=false&loop=false&delayms=3000" target="_blank">Click here </a>for a Google Presentation showing all the book wall posters made so far.<br />
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Next I want to some teachers to write up little booktalking blurbs and see if we can hang them off the metal holders -- the way independent bookstores do.....<br />
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Katie Dayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01460127537263147529noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15747412.post-69893413855645172492013-11-22T12:08:00.002+08:002014-12-01T22:32:40.678+08:00Outside Connections and Follett Destiny<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
If I could wave a magic wand and improve Follett Destiny as a school library catalog, it would be to improve ways of linking and looking into it.<br />
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Here are a few ways to ameliorate the situation.<br />
<br />
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
1) Share a Destiny link -- the need to add the all-important 'site' information</h3>
<br />
Have you ever wanted to send a Destiny link to a title, resource list, or copy category to someone? If so, you know you HAVE TO add:<br />
<br />
<b>&site=NUMBER</b><br />
<br />
to the end of the link, where NUMBER is usually 100, 101, 102, 103, etc.<br />
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We host our own catalog, so that's all we have to do. I just learned that if Follett hosts your catalog, you also have to add:<br />
<br />
<b>&context=BLAH</b><br />
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For example: &context=saas18_8553630&site=100 <br />
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You can see your particular site information by hovering over the link that gets you into your particular catalog. For example, our Dover Secondary library is site 100, our Dover Primary library is site 101, our East Primary library is 102, and our East Secondary library is 103. So that information is added to any link we send to anyone.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7Hpym1k7BfMW1VJak5WF8qUXK8hIFbg6qcUYQ0Kkkj2PuaB-Nj6iMXKw2udMhoWzRraffiaT_cfRctLaaHrnGZlRU5d_tr3dtfh8d1xsk1pkZqFxfHIKNvFs8quY7kcpFKwXHlQ/s1600/Screenshot+2013-11-22+07.09.08.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7Hpym1k7BfMW1VJak5WF8qUXK8hIFbg6qcUYQ0Kkkj2PuaB-Nj6iMXKw2udMhoWzRraffiaT_cfRctLaaHrnGZlRU5d_tr3dtfh8d1xsk1pkZqFxfHIKNvFs8quY7kcpFKwXHlQ/s400/Screenshot+2013-11-22+07.09.08.png" height="123" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>Update 12Apr14: </i>If Follett hosts your catalog and you need to find your CONTEXT number, look at the URL when you see all your catalogs displayed -- and it will be at the end of the URL: <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6EeNUGXE9UQlGtKOPkFVPr-5UU_nnBjORKo8fShxm10f4lTJALydmeIOhUziA2rbJ2DZNncdbc3UvT8iey1497fshYmUgeNwW9-d7oqmt1xhyoVvyS7f371ft4fb3VIqmO_wm4Q/s1600/Screen+Shot+2014-04-12+at+10.13.41+am.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6EeNUGXE9UQlGtKOPkFVPr-5UU_nnBjORKo8fShxm10f4lTJALydmeIOhUziA2rbJ2DZNncdbc3UvT8iey1497fshYmUgeNwW9-d7oqmt1xhyoVvyS7f371ft4fb3VIqmO_wm4Q/s1600/Screen+Shot+2014-04-12+at+10.13.41+am.png" height="185" width="400" /></a></div>
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<h3 style="text-align: left;">
2) Get a Destiny link -- to a set of search results</h3>
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If you want to send someone a "canned" ("tinned"?) search -- such that they can dynamically search the catalog by clicking on a link, you need to edit the URL.<br />
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For example, suppose I want to send someone a link that will do a keyword search on "economics". I put "economics" in the Basic Search box and press Enter. The URL that results is not reproducible -- you can't send it to someone and get the same results. Instead you need to choose "Refine your search" and work with that URL.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3Jkk09WIgZwVp4gPbsut742fBAZ5n1LHm6pGXFbVz0BrVsnKsBbsBBDAWmgU-vsLKFafxTFQi7PEYSfB3I5lM7rWNtJH2JGutZR1dkNUEBbpxOaUJWRZaVZGLAnj3WCe5WmA1zQ/s1600/Screenshot+2013-11-22+07.25.14.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3Jkk09WIgZwVp4gPbsut742fBAZ5n1LHm6pGXFbVz0BrVsnKsBbsBBDAWmgU-vsLKFafxTFQi7PEYSfB3I5lM7rWNtJH2JGutZR1dkNUEBbpxOaUJWRZaVZGLAnj3WCe5WmA1zQ/s400/Screenshot+2013-11-22+07.25.14.png" height="172" width="400" /></a></div>
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When you get that URL, you need to change the word "present" to "handle":<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio_NVGGF6GfzBfXnzce9G0Me5Epz8YwEqFYvBHDnepkgsMf4OtdW7yqGoNvxt317nykCI97_BtdUCMiI8Gm1RF5g09OyCAC31MOhuks2MWEZdhbv3W9tlDNE-Aid8-Lnogcd3FAw/s1600/Screenshot+2013-11-22+07.25.29.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio_NVGGF6GfzBfXnzce9G0Me5Epz8YwEqFYvBHDnepkgsMf4OtdW7yqGoNvxt317nykCI97_BtdUCMiI8Gm1RF5g09OyCAC31MOhuks2MWEZdhbv3W9tlDNE-Aid8-Lnogcd3FAw/s400/Screenshot+2013-11-22+07.25.29.png" height="192" width="400" /></a></div>
Lastly, I have to add the site/context info, e.g., here is the final URL. <br />
<br />
<span style="color: #38761d;"><b>http://catalog.uwcsea.edu.sg</b></span>/cataloging/servlet/<span style="color: red;"><b>handle</b></span>basicsearchform.do?keywordText=<b><span style="color: #bf9000;">economics</span></b>&siteTypeID=-2&searchType=keyword&siteID=&includeLibrary=true&includeMedia=false&mediaSiteID=&doNotSaveSearchHistory=false&awardGroupID=-1<b><span style="color: red;">&site=103</span> </b><br />
<br />
<a href="http://catalog.uwcsea.edu.sg/cataloging/servlet/handlebasicsearchform.do?keywordText=economics&siteTypeID=-2&searchType=keyword&siteID=&includeLibrary=true&includeMedia=false&mediaSiteID=&doNotSaveSearchHistory=false&awardGroupID=-1&site=103" target="_blank">The URL above </a>will do a keyword search on "economics" for the East Second Library of UWCSEA and present the results.<br />
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Note: You can also use DQL (Destiny Query Language) to do a more complicated search out of the Basic search box (because you can't access meaningful URLs based on an Advanced Search).<br />
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See the Destiny Help system for more information, e.g.,<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjATIWFsgxzT3aglNXUqyZrG8WaAMn-dUxgpGwFAchiATJ5GG-5_ozTS9D8eslD9fq_AAxRLnvOYjGDV9XyKYlllTvpK0kTfRfAoPt_yYdoU5r2WVdbD_0IuXrFd4fSQzIyIjMdoA/s1600/dql+destiny.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjATIWFsgxzT3aglNXUqyZrG8WaAMn-dUxgpGwFAchiATJ5GG-5_ozTS9D8eslD9fq_AAxRLnvOYjGDV9XyKYlllTvpK0kTfRfAoPt_yYdoU5r2WVdbD_0IuXrFd4fSQzIyIjMdoA/s640/dql+destiny.jpg" height="170" width="640" /></a></div>
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<h3 style="text-align: left;">
3) Goodreads -- how to click to check if you already have a Goodreads book in your Destiny catalog</h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-LRBwH6dnd7GZfwwpMsMVzpL1x9uDDyebLefUrW7k4nQ8w5gsGRjFNmSVSbwfh15YXJ1yMm1cjZMWENNfu4AYv52JjEjjXIp_Ds9SNqBXJVsS1WxDDZO6qad6JjYeqBwBMgVgkQ/s1600/Goodreads+example+DFW+Screen+Shot+2013-09-08+at+8.27.29+AM.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-LRBwH6dnd7GZfwwpMsMVzpL1x9uDDyebLefUrW7k4nQ8w5gsGRjFNmSVSbwfh15YXJ1yMm1cjZMWENNfu4AYv52JjEjjXIp_Ds9SNqBXJVsS1WxDDZO6qad6JjYeqBwBMgVgkQ/s400/Goodreads+example+DFW+Screen+Shot+2013-09-08+at+8.27.29+AM.png" height="310" width="400" /></a>First, find a book in Goodreads. On the Title information page, look for "online stores" and "book links" at the bottom. It's the "Book Links" bit that you (and your patrons) can customize to go to your school's Destiny catalog to check availability.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqE3_71O0SJx1aW-ckBUvo-UZuleJYK5V-W-PzbcA6EsrJM27P1xeFIODJKSOIIbdIzNvX54-Wkm9xAH3VZoQxvX-Ckb5auqkidCcB52iSaqFWeQrdH50VPFdRaN21SZDY5URRAQ/s1600/goodreads+library+links+Screen+Shot+2013-09-08+at+8.27.48+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqE3_71O0SJx1aW-ckBUvo-UZuleJYK5V-W-PzbcA6EsrJM27P1xeFIODJKSOIIbdIzNvX54-Wkm9xAH3VZoQxvX-Ckb5auqkidCcB52iSaqFWeQrdH50VPFdRaN21SZDY5URRAQ/s400/goodreads+library+links+Screen+Shot+2013-09-08+at+8.27.48+AM.png" height="156" width="400" /></a>Angie Erickson and I presented a workshop on <a href="https://sites.google.com/site/geekingoutwithgoodreads/library-catalog-interfaces" target="_blank">"Geeking out with Goodreads"</a> in September at the Google Apps Summit here in Singapore -- and put "how to" information about integration with Follett Destiny up on a Google Site page here:<br />
<br />
<a href="https://sites.google.com/site/geekingoutwithgoodreads/library-catalog-interfaces">https://sites.google.com/site/geekingoutwithgoodreads/library-catalog-interfaces</a><br />
<br />
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
4) Book Cover Displays -- mirroring bits of your collection via Goodreads or LibraryThing or showing "Latest Arrivals" via Pinterest</h3>
<br />
Many people use Goodreads or LibraryThing to generate book display widgets for parts of their catalog. <br />
<br />
Basically, you reproduce a Resource List or Copy Category (i.e., a list of books) in your catalog into Goodreads or LibraryThing or Pinterest -- and then put them on a shelf or board or tag them.<br />
<br />
E.g., here is the 2013-2014 Red Dot books for Older Readers -- display out of Goodreads:<br />
<style media="screen" type="text/css">
.gr_grid_container {
/* customize grid container div here. eg: width: 500px; */
}
.gr_grid_book_container {
/* customize book cover container div here */
float: left;
width: 98px;
height: 160px;
padding: 0px 0px;
overflow: hidden;
}
</style>
<br />
<div id="gr_grid_widget_1385088853">
<!-- Show static html as a placeholder in case js is not enabled - javascript include will override this if things work -->
<br />
<h2>
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/2704855-isln-int-l-school-library-network-singapore?shelf=2013-2014-short-list-older&utm_medium=api&utm_source=grid_widget" style="text-decoration: none;">ISLN\ \(Int'l\ School\ Library\ Network\)'s bookshelf: 2013-2014-short-list-older</a>
</h2>
<div class="gr_grid_container">
<div class="gr_grid_book_container">
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13170021-bomb" title="Bomb: The Race to Build—and Steal—the World's Most Dangerous Weapon"><img alt="Bomb: The Race to Build—and Steal—the World's Most Dangerous Weapon" border="0" src="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1340917116m/13170021.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="gr_grid_book_container">
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11409124-the-weight-of-water" title="The Weight of Water"><img alt="The Weight of Water" border="0" src="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1317905594m/11409124.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="gr_grid_book_container">
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15843377-itch" title="Itch: The Explosive Adventures of an Element Hunter"><img alt="Itch: The Explosive Adventures of an Element Hunter" border="0" src="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1358993104m/15843377.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="gr_grid_book_container">
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16052012-flora-and-ulysses" title="Flora and Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures"><img alt="Flora and Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures" border="0" src="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1360862192m/16052012.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="gr_grid_book_container">
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15944406-doll-bones" title="Doll Bones"><img alt="Doll Bones" border="0" src="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1357922357m/15944406.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="gr_grid_book_container">
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12394100-seraphina" title="Seraphina (Seraphina, #1)"><img alt="Seraphina" border="0" src="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1325528367m/12394100.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="gr_grid_book_container">
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17262296-the-boy-who-swam-with-piranhas" title="The Boy Who Swam with Piranhas"><img alt="The Boy Who Swam with Piranhas" border="0" src="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1367256562m/17262296.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="gr_grid_book_container">
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13557891-little-white-duck" title="Little White Duck : a childhood in China"><img alt="Little White Duck : a childhood in China" border="0" src="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1336832186m/13557891.jpg" /></a></div>
<br style="clear: both;" />
<br />
<a class="gr_grid_branding" href="https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/2704855-isln-int-l-school-library-network-singapore" style="clear: both; color: #382110; float: right; font-size: .9em; text-decoration: none;">ISLN (Int'l School Library Network) Singapore's favorite books »</a>
<noscript><br/>Share <a href="/">book reviews</a> and ratings with ISLN (Int'l School Library Network), and even join a <a href="/group">book club</a> on Goodreads.</noscript>
</div>
</div>
<script charset="utf-8" src="https://www.goodreads.com/review/grid_widget/2704855.ISLN%5C%20%5C(Int'l%5C%20School%5C%20Library%5C%20Network%5C)'s%20bookshelf:%202013-2014-short-list-older?cover_size=medium&hide_link=&hide_title=&num_books=20&order=a&shelf=2013-2014-short-list-older&sort=date_added&widget_id=1385088853" type="text/javascript"></script>
<br />
<i>Update 12Apr14: </i><br />
If you "pin" books from within your Destiny catalog (adding the &site=xxx as per above), then when users click through on the board, they will be taken to the title in your catalog.<br />
<br />
Pinterest, unlike Goodreads and LibraryThing, is a time-sensitive -- last in, first out -- list. So it's perfect for showing things like "Latest Arrivals". (In Destiny Quest, users can see latest arrivals, but only 10 or so and you can't control what is on that list. Via Pinterest, you can choose the books to advertise.<br />
<br />
And here are some links to Pinterest boards that show our latest arrivals:<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><a href="http://www.pinterest.com/eastlib/new-history-books-east/" target="_blank">New -- History books -- East</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.pinterest.com/eastlib/new-science-books-east/" target="_blank">New -- Science books -- East</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.pinterest.com/eastlib/new-economics-business-books-east/" target="_blank">New -- Economic books -- East</a></li>
</ul>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
5) LibraryThing for Libraries -- Book Display Widgets -- linking back to Destiny</h3>
<br />
<a href="http://www.librarything.com/forlibraries" target="_blank">LibraryThing for Libraries</a> has a javascript <a href="http://www.librarything.com/blogs/thingology/2013/01/book-display-widgets-from-librarything-for-libraries/" target="_blank">Book Widget generator available via Bowker</a> for about US$ 400 -- which allows you to create any number of book display widgets in four different styles that will let people click on a book cover and go directly to that item in your school catalog.<br />
<br />
We're now using it to get beautiful displays of booklists on our Libguide pages, e.g., see our <a href="http://research.uwcsea.edu.sg/content.php?pid=538443&sid=4429172" target="_blank">Economics: Introduction: Books & Physical Resources</a> and our <a href="http://research.uwcsea.edu.sg/content.php?pid=537105&sid=4417605" target="_blank">Mathematics: Introduction: Books & Physical Resources</a> guides. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEG591Th9OJ1T4rkIZOakZDXhZOtaHXEePruLHPgCjVJ757BaAGlyDbT5ZToJotslVg671LANYeqm_CXlAR230U3fqQJrQPLhvhoJbm1gxo_b6uUuea35ESfGgG07K8Qig8k5wuA/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-11-22+at+9.30.37+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEG591Th9OJ1T4rkIZOakZDXhZOtaHXEePruLHPgCjVJ757BaAGlyDbT5ZToJotslVg671LANYeqm_CXlAR230U3fqQJrQPLhvhoJbm1gxo_b6uUuea35ESfGgG07K8Qig8k5wuA/s400/Screen+Shot+2013-11-22+at+9.30.37+AM.png" height="400" width="338" /></a></div>
<br />
The widget can take a variety of inputs -- as the screenshot to the right shows.<br />
<br />
If you want to have the book covers displayed link back to your own catalog -- you need to use the "LibraryThing.com User". When you buy the widget generator, you automatically get a LibraryThing account to put books into. The widget works off LibraryThing "Collections" -- so when you enter or import titles, put them in a Collection.<br />
<br />
If you have a Destiny Resource List and want those titles imported into LibraryThing, you can run a "Title/Copy List" report out of Destiny -- which includes the ISBN of copies. When the report is displayed, select all and copy the whole text output. Then in LibraryThing go to "Add Books" then "Import Books" -- and paste that text into the "Grab ISBN" box. Identify what collection you want them imported into -- then import.<br />
<br />
You can then create a widget based on that collection.<br />
<br />
You can also dump your whole school catalog as MARC records out of Destiny - and LibraryThing will upload them in batch mode -- though you can't identify tags or collections upon import.<br />
<br />
In order to have the widget link back to your catalog, you have to tell LibraryThing how to search your catalog using a URL, e.g.,<br />
<br />
ISBN search: <br />
<b>http://catalog.uwcsea.edu.sg</b>/cataloging/servlet/handlenumbersearchform.do?<b>searchOption=3</b>&searchText=<b>MAGICNUMBER</b>&includeLibrary=true&includeMedia=false&siteTypeID=-2&siteID=&mediaSiteID=&doNotSaveSearchHistory=false&awardGroupID=-1<b>&site=103</b><br />
<br />
Title search:<br />
<b>http://catalog.uwcsea.edu.sg</b>/cataloging/servlet/handlebasicsearchform.do?keywordText=<b>KEYWORDS</b>&siteTypeID=101&searchType=title&siteID=&includeLibrary=true&includeMedia=false&mediaSiteID=&doNotSaveSearchHistory=false&awardGroupID=-1<b>&site=103 </b><br />
<br />
Access-based URL:<br />
<b>http://catalog.uwcsea.edu.sg</b>/cataloging/servlet/presenttitledetailform.do?siteTypeID=101&siteID=&includeLibrary=true&includeMedia=false&mediaSiteID=&bibID=<b>ACCESSION</b>&awardGroupID=-1<b>&site=103</b><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ8wGBsQcrQuADmwp4Xv5l9-Te_tBI2O-JBBhcBfrev__9e8Hy03Z4eAs_hXh49hJrt2YLZJBQf_6O0CxnIAwk-bS0ucf-U7dVh-Fjopt-FekAIf3UdMAkl9a3CAfUhT9Sol3JfA/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-11-22+at+9.37.05+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ8wGBsQcrQuADmwp4Xv5l9-Te_tBI2O-JBBhcBfrev__9e8Hy03Z4eAs_hXh49hJrt2YLZJBQf_6O0CxnIAwk-bS0ucf-U7dVh-Fjopt-FekAIf3UdMAkl9a3CAfUhT9Sol3JfA/s640/Screen+Shot+2013-11-22+at+9.37.05+AM.png" height="323" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
After you get these Global Configurations set up, creating the widget is straight-forward. <br />
<br />
Here are the four styles available:<br />
<hr />
3D Carousel example:<br />
<div class="ltfl_bookdisplay_widget" id="ltfl_widget_52859743406653">
</div>
<script src="http://ltfl.librarything.com/forlibraries/widget.js?id=840-1221242465" type="text/javascript"></script>
<br />
<hr />
Dynamic Grid example:
<br />
<div class="ltfl_bookdisplay_widget" id="ltfl_widget_521c4a94c8d2c3">
</div>
<script src="http://ltfl.librarything.com/forlibraries/widget.js?id=840-1221242465" type="text/javascript"></script>
<br />
<hr />
Carousel example:<br />
<br />
<div class="ltfl_bookdisplay_widget" id="ltfl_widget_5203626809bcc1">
</div>
<script src="http://ltfl.librarything.com/forlibraries/widget.js?id=840-1221242465" type="text/javascript"></script><br />
<hr />
Scrolling example:<br />
<div class="ltfl_bookdisplay_widget" id="ltfl_widget_521c91277dc578">
</div>
<script src="http://ltfl.librarything.com/forlibraries/widget.js?id=840-1221242465" type="text/javascript"></script>
<br />
NB: As it's javascript, it's not possible to embed these widgets into Google Sites nor in the Destiny HTML homepage.
<br />
<hr />
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
6) Destiny Homepage -- call numbers and collections....</h3>
<br />
Last but not least, I think we all should be providing better clues about the structure of our catalogs on our Destiny homepages. <br />
<br />
When I get to somebody's catalog start page, I have no way of knowing how many books they have or how they've organized their collections. So I'll look at Resource Lists and Visual Search lists, but if people haven't create any -- then it's a blind search box and I have to guess.<br />
<br />
Ideally I'd like to create a map showing my library's layout and physical collections as well as digital resources -- and have that on my homepage.<br />
<br />
Until I get around to to doing that, I list all the major call number prefixes on <a href="http://catalog.uwcsea.edu.sg/common/welcome.jsp?site=103" target="_blank">our Destiny Home Page</a>.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih4EdfL0tVTFoi8Guo7-SSL8E7tu4HPEDL2RXcsTf-FJPk_nuryRU5F0MQbKi4scmm77rVmMHKqkhWfaauZ9ofhQXeQVOg9RuYrdxxq4-R6J3F1uaPaITgbqeMrLP7WbhTUVZJlw/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-11-22+at+11.59.16+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih4EdfL0tVTFoi8Guo7-SSL8E7tu4HPEDL2RXcsTf-FJPk_nuryRU5F0MQbKi4scmm77rVmMHKqkhWfaauZ9ofhQXeQVOg9RuYrdxxq4-R6J3F1uaPaITgbqeMrLP7WbhTUVZJlw/s320/Screen+Shot+2013-11-22+at+11.59.16+AM.png" height="320" width="297" /></a></div>
</div>
Katie Dayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01460127537263147529noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15747412.post-49174825557041188632013-11-22T08:28:00.000+08:002014-12-01T22:33:07.695+08:00Liberate your book cupboards and create a more true "bookstore" model in your school library?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EUh_Pdkw_h4/Ul9GkDRCUYI/AAAAAAAAFPA/yiztKF_dUGc/w1468-h1101-no/2013-09-12+18.48.47.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EUh_Pdkw_h4/Ul9GkDRCUYI/AAAAAAAAFPA/yiztKF_dUGc/w1468-h1101-no/2013-09-12+18.48.47.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a>We all enjoy the mental exercise of comparing libraries and bookstores as spaces where humans come to interact with books.<br />
<br />
Libraries nobly address users' needs (the story goes), while bookstores focus on their wants -- and therefore provide a better browsing experience, being organized for optimum attention rather than intellectual access. <br />
<br />
Positing bookstores as the outside competition prompts us to examine and improve discoverability in our library environment -- to increase the likelihood people will find the books they want - or, more importantly, books they didn't even know they wanted.<br />
<br />
First there's the basic environmental psychology of shopping, which <a href="http://www.pacounderhill.com/booklist.html" target="_blank">Paco Underhill</a> explained so well in his 1999 book, <i>Why We Buy: the science of shopping</i> -- what I think of as the "grocery store" approach. Put the most frequently purchased items at the back of the store, forcing people to walk through the space and be exposed to more merchandise. Put the tempting last-minute purchases (the candy and gossip magazines) in the checkout aisle. Make as much stuff face-front display as possible (who buys cereal by looking at the spine of the box?). <br />
<br />
More commonly, talk of implementing bookstore models in libraries is associated with ditching Dewey (e.g., <a href="http://www.slj.com/2012/09/librarians/are-deweys-days-numbered-libraries-across-the-country-are-giving-the-old-classification-system-the-heave-ho-heres-one-schools-story/#_" target="_blank">see this September 2012 article</a> in <i>School Library Journal</i>) in favor of sections with real names on prominent signs ("Science Fiction", "Sports", "Travel", etc.), not decimal numbers. Of course, we all ditch Dewey to some degree. Everyone has an A-Z author-sorted "Fiction" section outside the 800s. Many have a separate "Biography" section. Every collection outside the run of the Dewey numbers can be claimed as a victory by the bookstore model.<br />
<br />
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
The Magic of Multiple Copies </h3>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-boAuChbevzk/Ul9E4iRrsjI/AAAAAAAAFNI/Bzec6WrqN0c/w826-h1101-no/2013-10-08+14.57.49.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-boAuChbevzk/Ul9E4iRrsjI/AAAAAAAAFNI/Bzec6WrqN0c/w826-h1101-no/2013-10-08+14.57.49.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
But there's one aspect of the bookstore model that most libraries don't or can't reproduce -- having multiple copies on the shelf and potentially more stock "out back" somewhere.<br />
<br />
In our library this year, we have started to create "bookstore" sections. Book covers facing out. Rough grouping by author or genre. Multiple copies behind the front book. And, most importantly, a paper place-holder sign showing you what book is normally shelved in the spot -- and a QR code to let you see how many copies are still available.<br />
<br />
We started with the English Dept'.s resources, creating a <b>Hot Reads for High School</b> (<a href="http://catalog.uwcsea.edu.sg/cataloging/servlet/presentbooklistform.do?listID=4917830&site=103" target="_blank">over 250 titles so far</a>) and a <b>Middle School Reading Zone</b> (<a href="http://catalog.uwcsea.edu.sg/cataloging/servlet/presentbooklistform.do?listID=5003849&site=103" target="_blank">over 170 titles so far</a>). Next the Math Dept. came up with a list of books to buy multiple copies, and the Economics Dept. wasn't far behind. We've put those titles face-front at the beginning of the subject Dewey section in Nonfiction.<br />
<br />
The best thing is - you can booktalk efficiently. The selection is smaller and definitely selected - by virtue of the curriculum or a teacher or librarian. And there is an instant supply! <br />
<br />
Because that's the usual frustration of a school librarian in front of a group of students - booktalking when only one copy is available. What if you could booktalk a book and have 4, 6, 8, 12, 24, 144+ copies available?<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOlw7tN3glyRMQiPXnt7ifs85zajFwLsdNusY9utG4VA3HFlYXLBphsPtxO_sP5YMKlQNpg_f_KY7oOr8rUcWW-z2omlslBFVR6tktC2I1v2ndLjAXuM4goTGjTjeboipla-cLoA/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-10-17+at+11.01.00+AM.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOlw7tN3glyRMQiPXnt7ifs85zajFwLsdNusY9utG4VA3HFlYXLBphsPtxO_sP5YMKlQNpg_f_KY7oOr8rUcWW-z2omlslBFVR6tktC2I1v2ndLjAXuM4goTGjTjeboipla-cLoA/s320/Screen+Shot+2013-10-17+at+11.01.00+AM.png" height="284" width="320" /></a>The project started with our middle school's foray into Reading
Workshop, with its focus on literature circles instead of whole-grade
novel study, and our Grade 9 English teachers deciding they wanted to
kick off the year with a wide reading initiative (inspired by Penny
Kittle's <a href="http://www.heinemann.com/products/E04295.aspx" target="_blank"><i>Book Love</i></a>) before having to hone in on IGCSE texts.<br />
<b><br /></b>
How could we quickly produce varied
class libraries for 8+ English classrooms per grade level? Where would these books come from?<br />
<br />
Solution:
Take all the multiple copies previously purchased for whole-class novel study by the English Dept. and make them available to all
students (when not required by a particular teacher). Then choose some extra titles for purchase, whether in small or large sets, based on curriculum need or teacher/librarian choice. Finally, for us, add in the multiple
copies purchased as part of running of the annual Red Dot
Awards (<a href="http://libedge.blogspot.sg/2013/10/looking-back-evolution-of-red-book.html" target="_blank">see history here</a>).<br />
<br />
Voila! The library as massive class library. With multiple copies of great books available on the shelf. This is our "Best Books for Middle School" list, our "This is What Your Child Will Be Reading in English Class" list, our "What Your Teacher Recommends" list. Parents love it, as do kids. It's the quick pick-up zone. The whole Fiction section still has a fantastic selection of books, but students don't have to negotiate it until they are motivated to do so.<br />
<br />
<center>
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</center>
I want to focus now on the logistics of our implementation. Because
there always are tricks that make things work, in any given situation.<br />
<br />
<b>Q: How to you keep multiple copies on the shelf?</b><br />
<br />
A: Our shelves are deep enough to store a stack of books behind a simple
metal bookend, bent to hold a front-facing book on display. The excess
are kept in a backroom, handy enough that library staff can go retrieve
them to replenish the shelf stock or upon request.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOlw7tN3glyRMQiPXnt7ifs85zajFwLsdNusY9utG4VA3HFlYXLBphsPtxO_sP5YMKlQNpg_f_KY7oOr8rUcWW-z2omlslBFVR6tktC2I1v2ndLjAXuM4goTGjTjeboipla-cLoA/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-10-17+at+11.01.00+AM.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a> <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--hmV0mdqCN4/Ul9MbYwRg3I/AAAAAAAAFRU/spytYQLN3bc/w1024-h768-no/3957833788_86749a252f_b.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--hmV0mdqCN4/Ul9MbYwRg3I/AAAAAAAAFRU/spytYQLN3bc/w1024-h768-no/3957833788_86749a252f_b.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a><br />
<b>Q: What if all the "hot reads" are gone? How do I know what is all out?</b><br />
<br />
A: There is still evidence left behind. No titles out of sight, out of mind. We have made A5 (half of 8.5x11" sheets, for you Americans) printouts showing the cover plus a QR code and shortened URL -- which take you to the catalog, showing how many copies are still available.<br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vNjrueTRNf0/UmECVjxcTTI/AAAAAAAAFc8/YYHORw3qNoI/w505-h694-no/Screen+Shot+2013-10-18+at+5.41.27+PM.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vNjrueTRNf0/UmECVjxcTTI/AAAAAAAAFc8/YYHORw3qNoI/w505-h694-no/Screen+Shot+2013-10-18+at+5.41.27+PM.png" height="200" width="145" /></a> <br />
<br />
QR codes are magic. I've liked them from the beginning and have them sprinkled around my library, connecting the visible with the virtual.<br />
<br />
I recommend you get <b>
ShortenMe</b> in the Chrome Extension store. With one click, you get an instant QR code and goo.gl
URL.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">NB: if
you're using Follett Destiny, you always need to add your site number at
the end of the URL before shortening it (e.g., blahblahblah<b>&site=100</b>). Contact me if you use Destiny and don't know what I'm talking about.</span></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiONclUEi6h9LOWziqbGJTK8MM9CeEiklv1t4_0y4Vf2462lWMNTU2czmKFapmQWu4ZDJUZ8XT1PUKu8qWMdvYzveDoPZE6Pe2wsZ2nX7xpW5mxrf25Y8SWjp8PlgHoqpt7k4WFg/s1600/photo+%2821%29.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiONclUEi6h9LOWziqbGJTK8MM9CeEiklv1t4_0y4Vf2462lWMNTU2czmKFapmQWu4ZDJUZ8XT1PUKu8qWMdvYzveDoPZE6Pe2wsZ2nX7xpW5mxrf25Y8SWjp8PlgHoqpt7k4WFg/s320/photo+%2821%29.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a>The A5 paper signs go into re-usable stiff plastic "card cases". Sample at left.<br />
<br />
<b>Q: How do people know if there are more copies out back?</b><br />
<br />
A: By scanning the QR code or typing in the Goo.gl shortened URL provided on every display stand -- both of which link into our catalog, e.g., <a href="http://catalog.uwcsea.edu.sg/cataloging/servlet/presenttitledetailform.do?siteTypeID=-2&siteID=&includeLibrary=true&includeMedia=false&mediaSiteID=&bibID=76919&walkerID=1382064079733&site=103" target="_blank">click here</a> to see availability of <i>The Boy in the Striped Pajamas</i>.<br />
<br />
<hr />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOlw7tN3glyRMQiPXnt7ifs85zajFwLsdNusY9utG4VA3HFlYXLBphsPtxO_sP5YMKlQNpg_f_KY7oOr8rUcWW-z2omlslBFVR6tktC2I1v2ndLjAXuM4goTGjTjeboipla-cLoA/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-10-17+at+11.01.00+AM.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a> <br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMucYgY0oUemZFiD7OL4bEAWflKe2CcManoTyykdKU4ZupctM7Ej5VpdnD6N-bnh_W9bAJdILF-47bBJ03FhnCs1S_ikrK14Ctmg1hyphenhyphenVMD8A8ntA-3u7Svn8o21wDtp3MRlQ7CZQ/s1600/BOOKSTORE+MODEL+Math+books+2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMucYgY0oUemZFiD7OL4bEAWflKe2CcManoTyykdKU4ZupctM7Ej5VpdnD6N-bnh_W9bAJdILF-47bBJ03FhnCs1S_ikrK14Ctmg1hyphenhyphenVMD8A8ntA-3u7Svn8o21wDtp3MRlQ7CZQ/s1600/BOOKSTORE+MODEL+Math+books+2013.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a>As mentioned above, this model is being extended into subject
departments in high school, creating pockets of the "bookstore
experience" within the Dewey run. <a href="http://catalog.uwcsea.edu.sg/cataloging/servlet/presentbooklistform.do?listID=5067735&site=103" target="_blank">Mathematics</a>, <a href="http://catalog.uwcsea.edu.sg/cataloging/servlet/presentbooklistform.do?listID=5067739&site=103" target="_blank">Economics</a>, History, and
Drama are the first.<br />
<br />
To the right are books on the Mathematics shelves in the Dewey section. <br />
<br />
We have virtual walls, too, mirroring these bookstore sections -- thanks to a new HP large-format printer, which can make posters up to 1.x meters in size. See examples in the slideshow below.</div>
<center>
<embed flashvars="host=picasaweb.google.com&hl=en_US&feat=flashalbum&RGB=0x000000&feed=https%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2F108346553519609026534%2Falbumid%2F5935922194544743473%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_US" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" src="https://static.googleusercontent.com/external_content/picasaweb.googleusercontent.com/slideshow.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="400"></embed>
</center>
</div>
Katie Dayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01460127537263147529noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15747412.post-32050249695714683952013-10-17T00:37:00.000+08:002014-12-01T22:33:32.688+08:00Looking back: the evolution of the Red Dot Book Awards & Readers Cup in Singapore<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyEc9tr68-TJXmpoSMwgzyJNcUGcVY8tMb9ZW_7J1ecBUmNSSaRKUYG3PWZ5Y_TGTpGqsiQAWSuRY0e9-R9owXs-QIi9ytCHazVja275eeZKA7qYCM_4J-sAdSYX9oZB_MzvtFOg/s1600/Red+Dot+logo.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyEc9tr68-TJXmpoSMwgzyJNcUGcVY8tMb9ZW_7J1ecBUmNSSaRKUYG3PWZ5Y_TGTpGqsiQAWSuRY0e9-R9owXs-QIi9ytCHazVja275eeZKA7qYCM_4J-sAdSYX9oZB_MzvtFOg/s200/Red+Dot+logo.gif" height="182" width="200" /></a></div>
The <a href="http://reddotawards.com/" target="_blank">Red Dot book awards</a> (<a href="http://reddotawards.com/">reddotawards.com</a>) are one of those hybrid awards: students vote on shortlists selected by adults (school librarians). Eight books in four categories, one winner in each -- followed by a Readers Cup competition between international schools here in Singapore.<br />
<br />
<b>"But what's the mission statement? Good literature or just promoting books from various countries?"</b> someone asked as we gathered to sort through the longlists of the four categories this year.<br />
<br />
My gut response was "good literature from various countries."<br />
<br />
The <a href="http://www.reddotawards.com/home/about" target="_blank">awards website's "About" page</a> says:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The Red Dot categories are roughly based on readers,
rather than book formats or school divisions. (NB: It is up to every
librarian to determine which books are right for which classes in your
school to read.)</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;"><b>Early Years </b>(ages 3-7)</span> -- <i>formerly <b>Picture Books</b></i></span></span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;"><b>Younger Readers</b> (ages 7-10) </span>-- <i>formerly <b>Junior</b>) --</i> (where <i>Captain Underpants</i> and <i>Geronimo Stilton</i> are the assumed reading level)</span></span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;"><b>Older Readers </b>(ages 10-14)</span> -- <i>formerly </i><b style="font-style: italic;">Middle</b>) -- (where <i>Inkheart</i> and <i>The Lightning Thief</i> are the assumed reading level)</span></span></li>
</ul>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;"><b>Mature Readers</b> (ages 14-adult)</span> -- <i>(formerly </i><b style="font-style: italic;">Senior</b>) -- (where <i>Twilight</i> and <i>The Book Thief</i> are the assumed reading level)</span></span></li>
</ul>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Shortlist titles are chosen by a committee of teacher-librarians from <b><span style="color: red;">recent
children's literature (first published in English within the past four
years), with the goal of offering a range of books from around the world</span></b>. </span></span> </span></div>
</blockquote>
The initiative is now entering its fifth year, just long enough for its origins to deserve review -- especially given our transient teaching population.<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><a href="https://sites.google.com/site/reddots2009/" target="_blank">2009 - 2010 website</a></li>
<li><a href="https://sites.google.com/site/reddotbookawards20102011/" target="_blank">2010 - 2011 website</a></li>
<li><a href="https://sites.google.com/site/reddotbookawards20112012/" target="_blank">2011 - 2012 website</a></li>
<li><a href="http://sites.google.com/site/reddotbookawards20122013" target="_blank">2012 - 2013 website</a></li>
<li>2013 - 2014 - website under development</li>
</ul>
As one of its creators, it was interesting for me to go back through the minutes of meetings and posts in the Google Group of our local network - <a href="http://silcsing.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">ISLN</a> (International Schools Library Network - Singapore) and remember how it developed.<br />
<br />
First there was Barb Philip Reid, a NZ/Australian teacher-librarian at Tanglin Trust School, back in September 2008 wanting to get a Readers Cup going between all our schools, similar to the <a href="http://readerscup.cbca.org.au/" target="_blank">Readers Cup in Australia</a>. As research, she and I did a librarians-on-tour trip to Hong Kong in May 2009 to watch the finale of the <a href="http://www.battleofthebooks.hk/" target="_blank">annual Battle of the Books</a> (based on a well-established American model) run by their international school library network, <a href="http://aless.wikispaces.com/" target="_blank">ALESS</a>. <br />
<br />
At the same time I had been wanting to get an annual international students-voting book award going in Singapore, inspired by the <a href="https://pandabookawards.wikispaces.com/" target="_blank">Panda Book Awards</a> created by SLIC (School Librarians in China) and the <a href="http://www.sakuramedal.com/" target="_blank">Sakura Medal</a> started by the international school librarians in Japan. (The French international schools in Asia run a similar program: see <a href="http://www.lfs.edu.sg/fr/viescolaire/cdi/0segalen.htm" target="_blank">here</a> and <a href="http://www.lfs.edu.sg/fr/viescolaire/cdi/0azimut_asie.htm" target="_blank">here</a> -- and there is now the <a href="http://morningcalmmedal.wordpress.com/">Morning Calm Medal</a> in South Korea.) <br />
<br />
Barb and I figured, why not combine the two ambitions and start an annual book
award program, whose shortlists would become the source of the Readers Cup
competition booklists. Introduce the books in Oct/Nov, vote in March,
and the three older categories (as shown) would compete in May.<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Younger Readers - Year 3, 4 & 5 / Grade 2, 3 & 4</li>
<li>Older Readers - Year 5, 6, 7, & 8 / Grade 4, 5, 6 & 7</li>
<li>Mature Readers - Year 8+ / Grade 7+ </li>
</ul>
Our booklists would then necessarily be "formative" ones, meaning only fairly recent literature, in contrast to the "summative" kind most "Battle of the Books" (Google it) use, mixing old and new titles. Both have their place. The "summative" approach guarantees kids don't miss great books from any era. The "formative" ensures students and teachers are exposed to the best of the latest -- and encourages schools to buy multiple copies of new titles every year, potentially freshening up the book cupboards.<br />
<br />
We got a committee together and in October 2009 it was announced the award would be called the "Red Dots" (as <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_red_dot">Singapore is proud of that epithet</a>). The shortlists followed in November, with 14 schools immediately signing up to participate, including a British school, an American
school, a German school, a French school, a Canadian school, an
Australian school, plus just plain Anglo-heritage/international ones. And so it started, and has continued, with some variation in implementation.<br />
<br />
Each school can do what they want with the lists. Buy them all or only a selection. Participate in voting or not. Participate in the Readers Cup or not. Give your students different criteria for choosing one book to vote for in each category. (Your personal favorite? The one you would recommend to friends the most?) We only say students should probably have read at least two books in a category in order to make a choice. We do expect just one vote per student per category. Results are tallied by category and school, and then for all the schools, giving us overall winners.<br />
<br />
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
An International Approach (in Singapore)</h3>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
</h3>
But back to the question, how do we choose titles? What assumptions has the committee been working on over the past five years?<br />
<br />
Barb and I did a presentation at the 2010 IASL (International Association of School Librarians) in Brisbane, Australia, on "Creating Internationally Literate Readers" (see <a href="https://sites.google.com/site/kidsglobalread/home" target="_blank">the workshop website</a> and <a href="https://sites.google.com/site/kidsglobalread/formal-conference-paper" target="_blank">our conference paper</a>), which recounted the Red Dot story and summarized the challenges we face in choosing books suitable for and accessible to the wide range of students in our various international schools. <br />
<br />
We brought up the danger of the single story (a la Chimamanda Adichie's TED talk) and the need for books to serve as both mirrors and windows of culture for children, especially given the predominance of "third culture" kids in our schools. We showed examples of books that bridge cultures well - and others that are problematic. For example, the question always has to be asked, is this book too American? too British? too Australian? too Canadian? too Singaporean? etc.<br />
<br />
There are so many factors, but these are the major ones considered for the Red Dot books:<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li> <b>Publication date</b>: published in English within the past four years. That seems to increase the chance that books are available in paperback. It also allows enough time for us to take advantage of other/national book awards which may be limited to just the past year - we can choose from their backlists.</li>
<li><b>Cost and ease of access</b>: If a book is perfect, but not available through our regular book-buying channels, or only available in hardcover, we hesitate to choose it. Likewise, if a book is available as an ebook as well as print, that would give it extra points. Everyone runs their Red Dot program differently, but we assume multiple copies will be purchased.</li>
<li><b>Genres</b>: with only eight titles per category, variety is desirable, but there is no formula. One non-fiction? One poetry or verse novel? One graphic novel? One fantasy? One historical fiction? One book in translation? One book featuring global concerns, like child labor or refugees or war? There has been talk of starting a separate category for graphic novels. Maybe next year?</li>
<li><b>Reading Level vs. Reader Maturity Level</b>: This is the hardest thing to gauge. Where to place a book. Sometimes we get it wrong. There is an assumed one year overlap (at least for the Readers Cup)
between Younger and Older Readers, and Older and Mature Readers. And schools have different comfort levels with language and content. All we can say is, each librarian is responsible for reading and placing the books in their school. There is no requirement that each school stock each book. Students don't have to read all the books in order to vote. </li>
<li><b>Country of origin or country of flavor</b>: We like to include a book or two in each category that reflects the region. Having said that, we try not to privilege country of origin over quality. If there's a good one from Singapore, that's great (especially if the author likes to do school visits), but if not, we would be happy with a good one from, or set in, another Asian country. Also, no one country of origin should dominate a list. When in doubt, think international.</li>
<li><b>Literary vs. Popular</b>: This is the tension in the modified children's choice style of book awards. They don't pick the longlist or shortlist - they only get to vote. So are we choosing books we want them to read? Or books they would choose to read on their own? Should we choose a book if we already have a sense that it's going to a big hit? Or avoid the easy choice and try to put another one in their path, a lesser known one that could have just as much appeal? (Some of our past choices might look like we went for a bestseller, but if you check the dates, we chose them before their massive popularity - e.g., "The Hunger Games".)<br /><br />The bottom line is, we are buying multiple copies of these books. They might not have to be texts worth teaching in depth, but if the extra copies are going to be used (after the Red Dot cycle is over) for literature circles or to enhance class libraries, then we want both quality and appeal. I know I want books my students can possibly make at least two connections with (using the <a href="https://sites.google.com/a/alaska.edu/diane-kardash/Home/making-connections" target="_blank">Keene & Zimmerman / Harvey & Goudvis strategies</a>):<br /> </li>
<ul>
<li><b>Text-to-Self</b> -- emotional or personal connections -- think empathy...</li>
<li><b>Text-to-World</b> -- social or political or historical connections -- relevant issues or introduction to other cultures...</li>
<li><b>Text-to-Text </b>-- literary/literacy or intellectual connections -- perhaps an author, series, or genre that will keep kids reading...</li>
</ul>
</ul>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
Balance is Everything</h3>
This means within the list, across the categories, and across the years. For all the factors above.<br />
<br />
I found some old photos of our Red Dot committee shortlist meeting from September 2010. Here we are: drinks, nibbles, laptops (note the person being skyped in), smartphones, and books. I recall it was a marathon session.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjI2NyD_-R74LcLzBv5KNuhI7hNLagHZ5eU-WywlyZAII1bIjRuNxddBhkuJBTcURt3TwTIrpFyC8KafhDMMXVHa1_lunFEjzwW8gxO92PMSvqFlQ6uA11TPlQqX8T_yJlFraBkQ/s1600/Red+Dot+II+decisions++people+Aug+20101.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjI2NyD_-R74LcLzBv5KNuhI7hNLagHZ5eU-WywlyZAII1bIjRuNxddBhkuJBTcURt3TwTIrpFyC8KafhDMMXVHa1_lunFEjzwW8gxO92PMSvqFlQ6uA11TPlQqX8T_yJlFraBkQ/s400/Red+Dot+II+decisions++people+Aug+20101.jpg" height="400" width="300" /> </a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
And here's the whiteboard where the balance of the lists was incessantly being assessed.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIRMcK51_T-8WIkAxdOWCNEYa7ZNQ_AlDX6vhJbvMD3PzLZzE-8IoSghO4hWWf3UeTEZO7CgouLWtz3q33Zpk2mpidcZFEU2scieN_A4UAP6TmeMi6lJ-VKWm8JyidkBo7RwIwkw/s1600/Red+Dot+II+decisions+Aug+20101.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIRMcK51_T-8WIkAxdOWCNEYa7ZNQ_AlDX6vhJbvMD3PzLZzE-8IoSghO4hWWf3UeTEZO7CgouLWtz3q33Zpk2mpidcZFEU2scieN_A4UAP6TmeMi6lJ-VKWm8JyidkBo7RwIwkw/s400/Red+Dot+II+decisions+Aug+20101.jpg" height="400" width="300" /> </a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
This year we've split into two groups to do the selection: Early/Younger and Older/Mature. Time is ticking and we should be finishing our lists within the next two weeks. There are books to be bought. And a new website to get up and running. Watch <a href="http://reddotawards.com/">reddotawards.com</a> for updates......</div>
<br /></div>
Katie Dayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01460127537263147529noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15747412.post-55645750458755422282013-10-14T16:35:00.001+08:002014-12-01T22:33:52.764+08:00Title talk: Librarian + What? Teacher? Facilitator? Curriculum Leader?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
The last time our school posted a library job, it asked for a <b>Teacher-Librarian</b> (TL).*<br />
<br />
This time it says <a href="https://www.uwcsea.edu.sg/node/5944" target="_blank">we need a <b>Library Facilitator</b></a>. (Apply by October 23!) Primary or secondary. (While I'm in secondary now, I'm flexible.)<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/30976576@N07/6505362233/" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" title="Jane & Louise Wilson "Oddments room" by Super Furry Librarian, on Flickr"><img alt="Jane & Louise Wilson "Oddments room"" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7007/6505362233_9b0c847040.jpg" height="500" width="337" /></a>
<br />
Where did the teaching go? It's still in there, but shifted - from direct to indirect - while retaining learning as the priority. Read the job responsibilities:<br />
<br />
<ul id="docs-internal-guid-159f250c-b5ab-61c5-544c-089c1b84d528" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Work collaboratively with library staff across the campus and college.</span></span></div>
</li>
<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Work collaboratively with the curriculum leaders and department heads to develop resources and promote inquiry-based learning and all forms of literacy.</span></span></div>
</li>
<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Work collaboratively with all members of the community (whether students, parents, or staff) to support teaching and learning.</span></span></div>
</li>
<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Manage the library as a learning environment and public space, including patron services and library staff.</span></span></div>
</li>
<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Manage and develop learning resources, physical and digital, both for the library and classrooms/departments.</span></span></div>
</li>
<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Lead the development and promotion of the library as a centre dedicated to the spread of ideas, information, and learning.</span></span></div>
</li>
<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Other responsibilities as determined by the Head of Libraries and Head of Campus.</span></span></li>
</ul>
<br />
The issue is our librarian-student ratio.<br />
<br />
With only two teacher-librarians, one in the primary library and one in the secondary library, and 2,600 students total, the ratio is challenging (to be euphemistic). We have roughly 1,000 students in primary and 1,300 students this year in middle/high school (secondary) - and will be adding another 300 students in secondary next year, for a maximum of 2,600 on this new campus. (And we have a mirror campus across town with 2,900 students, K-12.)<br />
<br />
<b>How can one person "teach" 1,000 students?</b> They can't. At least not regularly. Instead they must focus on developing teachers' capacity (as a coach, modeling lessons and acting as a consultant) and learning resources (from pathfinders via Libguides to videos, podcasts, slide presentations), not to mention running a facility that is a learning space by default (the environment as the 3rd teacher), hosting events and initiatives. Our libraries are in prominent well-trodden paths. There's no danger of students not coming into them. Two major pillars of support are the stalwart library staff and the motivated and multi-talented parent body. Both are critical to maintaining library sanity. <br />
<br />
Did I mention that, at this campus, the library is also responsible for the processing and management of all teaching resources? This includes textbooks for secondary (where we have them) and reading/writing workshop resources for middle and primary (i.e., literature circles and class libraries). In addition, the secondary library works closely with departments to ensure multiple copies of great books for each age and subject are available (imagine "Hot Reads for High School" across disciplines).<br />
<br />
In this situation, we decided that the librarian half is more important than the teacher half in recruiting a new person. Hence the word "facilitator" over "teacher". We played with several others. Coach? Curriculum Liaison? Curriculum Developer? Curriculum Leader? <br />
<br />
We have great teachers. And we have a great number of resources, digital and physical. What we need is someone dedicated to connecting the two efficiently. Perhaps we are just looking for a TL committed to the Flipped Classroom -- who is also excited by metadata. Because that's what the librarian end should be focusing on -- ensuring easy, intellectual access to everything (the curriculum++) from anywhere. And this must be accomplished while living in the center of the library, where the students live each day. It's a front-of-office job with back-of-office responsibilities.<br />
<br />
So consider applying. Whether you agree with our label or not.
What's important is that you appreciate our situation and feel you could
not only cope, but add value.<br />
<br />
Head of Library role is another interesting definition to consider. This is how I describe it at the moment.<br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b id="docs-internal-guid-14f936f5-b5b0-5555-b2ec-dd56cdd041cb" style="font-weight: normal;"></b></span><br />
<ul style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<b id="docs-internal-guid-14f936f5-b5b0-5555-b2ec-dd56cdd041cb" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Develop staffing plans and co-ordinate staff recruitment and deployment</span></b></div>
</li>
<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<b id="docs-internal-guid-14f936f5-b5b0-5555-b2ec-dd56cdd041cb" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Co-ordinate the budget process</span></b></div>
</li>
</ul>
<ul style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<b id="docs-internal-guid-14f936f5-b5b0-5555-b2ec-dd56cdd041cb" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Represent the library team in a variety of settings</span></b></div>
</li>
<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<b id="docs-internal-guid-14f936f5-b5b0-5555-b2ec-dd56cdd041cb" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Facilitate communication between libraries across the campus and college</span></b></div>
</li>
<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<b id="docs-internal-guid-14f936f5-b5b0-5555-b2ec-dd56cdd041cb" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Develop a strategic plan and co-ordinate goal-setting for the libraries</span></b></div>
</li>
<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<b id="docs-internal-guid-14f936f5-b5b0-5555-b2ec-dd56cdd041cb" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Co-ordinate staff professional development</span></b></div>
</li>
<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<b id="docs-internal-guid-14f936f5-b5b0-5555-b2ec-dd56cdd041cb" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Manage facility planning and development</span></b></div>
</li>
<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<b id="docs-internal-guid-14f936f5-b5b0-5555-b2ec-dd56cdd041cb" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Develop library policies and procedures</span></b></div>
</li>
<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<b id="docs-internal-guid-14f936f5-b5b0-5555-b2ec-dd56cdd041cb" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Liaise with heads of departments &<b> </b>grades about policy and procedures relating to the management of learning resources (e.g., textbooks and class libraries)</span></b></div>
</li>
<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><b id="docs-internal-guid-14f936f5-b5b0-5555-b2ec-dd56cdd041cb" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Oversee the provision of information services</span></b></li>
</ul>
<br />
Comments welcome.... as well as sympathy.<br />
<br />
<i><b>Update Oct 15:</b></i><br />
<br />
I forgot to mention two other very very very important positions that complement the library ones.<br />
<br />
The primary school has two <b>digital literacy coaches</b> as well as one <b>literacy coach</b> (in charge of the reading/writing workshop learning). There are also two digital literacy coaches in secondary.<br />
<br />
So five other people in the school are supporting other literacies (digital, traditional, etc.) that in a smaller school would probably fall within the teacher-librarian's remit. Which helps a lot.<br />
<br />
I always draw the relationship like this:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikoe25GdDU0lbojyYjJ5ALTkWaSUmXfszkNOBkvyHX5_5fOJB6smoN7ZgUIgaJixZHWWOiKiBpIDAHoCgUk2pUBbmSoF8vcvrCsZ5SwrtMQb3k0fblMuHCmt9z-vYCMjmCRIuiJQ/s1600/venn+diagram+of+3+lib+lit+roles.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikoe25GdDU0lbojyYjJ5ALTkWaSUmXfszkNOBkvyHX5_5fOJB6smoN7ZgUIgaJixZHWWOiKiBpIDAHoCgUk2pUBbmSoF8vcvrCsZ5SwrtMQb3k0fblMuHCmt9z-vYCMjmCRIuiJQ/s320/venn+diagram+of+3+lib+lit+roles.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Also note the head of library responsibilities listed above are additional to a basic role. I have to do that as Head of Library on top of being the secondary school teacher-librarian (or library facilitator).<br />
<br />
<i><b>Update Oct 17:</b></i><br />
<br />
Several questions keep coming up.<br />
<br />
1) Is this a teaching position, with a teacher's contract and benefits? Yes.<br />
<br />
2) Is there library support staff? Yes. Lovely, hard-working staff. And we have just been given approval to advertise for a local-hire, administrative librarian for our campus (the other campus already has one - giving them three fully-qualified librarians, including the TLs).<br />
<br />
3) What about the <b>online portfolio</b> that must be submitted?<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">In addition to the usual requirement for applicants to submit a resume and letter of application, candidates for this position should also submit an online portfolio showing evidence of implementation/innovation in these six overlapping areas of the library: <b>patrons</b>; <b>resources</b>; <b>teaching & learning</b>; <b>events & initiatives</b>; <b>the library environment</b> as "the 3rd teacher"; l<b>ibrary staff/team</b>.</span></span></blockquote>
Our campus is moving towards teacher portfolios instead of appraisals, so this seemed a good way to have new staff start off -- by showing us things you've done that you're proud of and that have made a difference to the learning in the institutions you've worked in. Feel free to interpret the six areas as you will and to fashion a portfolio that suits you. Just give us something to click.<br />
<br />
<hr />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">* For the record, I have always been irritated by the American term, "Library Media Specialist". Years before I became one, I imagined such a person in charge of just CDs and DVDs (ok, it was many years ago).....</span></div>
Katie Dayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01460127537263147529noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15747412.post-82376814328819763732013-08-26T10:07:00.001+08:002013-09-06T11:17:06.217+08:00A look at staffing in international school libraries<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I've been asked to project what our library staffing needs will be post-set-up phase (as we are in Year 3 of a brand-new school with one more year of expansion).<br />
<br />
Please fill out the form below if you are a fully-established middle or high school library in an international school. Don't forget to hit the Submit button at the bottom.<br />
<br />
Many thanks.... I've made it so everyone can see the results right after you complete the form.<br />
<br />
UPDATED Sep 6: <a href="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Aln4TTpYaxRPdHUyR1BmLTJucXNHV1VRbzZ4NWJON1E&usp=sharing" target="_blank">Here is a direct link to the spreadsheet of results.</a><br />
<br />
<iframe frameborder="0" height="700" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" src="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/13vMiaz7OYSX34yUsCYVN2GkZbi0-heAdef0w4P8K9PI/viewform?embedded=true" width="550">Loading...</iframe></div>
Katie Dayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01460127537263147529noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15747412.post-9494122022386646262013-08-10T09:04:00.000+08:002014-12-01T22:34:12.752+08:00Making and Tinkering to Learn<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
If you want to have a good read about the history and future of the "making" movement in education and tinkering as "a mindset for learning," I highly recommend the book <a href="http://www.inventtolearn.com/" target="_blank">"Invent to Learn: Making, Tinkering, and Engineering in the Classroom -- by Sylvia Libow Martinez and Gary Stager</a>.<br />
<br />
Go to their website for an overview of the chapters, with links to extended resources for each.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiveuGGPjhQ9ebPkFOC6Alqi9Cpiw7O_kMBnNOiaCwkYNsDevI8XHbxwp1VufMjoy12OY1RKul0a9tNZ_RtrGg1wnPfTr89mEtIoCQwBgq1-fAkJWzq3lvIeCjzpzElS6Sbjja9-A/s1600/TMI-robot.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiveuGGPjhQ9ebPkFOC6Alqi9Cpiw7O_kMBnNOiaCwkYNsDevI8XHbxwp1VufMjoy12OY1RKul0a9tNZ_RtrGg1wnPfTr89mEtIoCQwBgq1-fAkJWzq3lvIeCjzpzElS6Sbjja9-A/s320/TMI-robot.png" height="320" width="185" /></a></div>
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZOT5aSVSf0j6XHIVibk3kuSgjEs3MJiLWsXFRTARZWLB4ApsImSLBF6LN86zzFP6D3r1X8jukTqEIxHs2TwDc9OWvGSKT0dPk-NydABLXk8aWHks_KBweGcQ_16ZAE8IM_B9t1A/s1600/3d-invent-to-learn.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZOT5aSVSf0j6XHIVibk3kuSgjEs3MJiLWsXFRTARZWLB4ApsImSLBF6LN86zzFP6D3r1X8jukTqEIxHs2TwDc9OWvGSKT0dPk-NydABLXk8aWHks_KBweGcQ_16ZAE8IM_B9t1A/s320/3d-invent-to-learn.png" height="279" width="320" /></a><br />
The best thing it did was to send me back to read/re-read <a href="http://papert.org/" target="_blank">Seymour Papert</a>, the grandfather of the movement. (I didn't realize the roots of his projects were in Maine.)<br />
<br />
I also refreshed my acquaintance with the writings of <a href="http://web.media.mit.edu/~mres/papers.html" target="_blank">Mitchel Resnick</a> (head of the MIT Lifelong Kindergarten group) re the cycle of imagine, create, play, share, reflect, imagine. And a biography of Nikola Tesla is on my "to read" list.<br />
<br />
A few notes/quotes from the book:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Stager's hypothesis: "A good prompt is worth a thousand words." -- where 'good' means it has (a) brevity (e.g., can fit on a post-it note), (b) ambiguity (let the learner be free to satisfy the prompt in their own voice), and (c) has immunity to assessment. (60-61) </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Learners can exceed expectations with the following four variables in place:<br />
-- a good prompt, motivating challenge, or thoughtful question<br />
-- appropriate materials<br />
-- sufficient time<br />
-- a supportive culture, including a range of expertise (60) </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"Great teachers know that their highest calling is to make memories." (67) </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"Constructivism is a theory of learning that doesn't mandate a specified method of teaching.... Constructionism is a theory of teaching. We believe that constructionism is the best way to implement constructivist learning." (71) </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Advice: skip the pre-load, don't overteach planning, encourage continuous improvement, allow reflection. (77)</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div style="text-align: left;">
Assessment interrupts the learning process. Even asking a kid what they're doing is disruptive. (81) </div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"Writing, filmmaking, and presenting information are the low-hanging fruit of creative expression in the digital age." (84)</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"The role of the teacher is to create the conditions for invention rather than provide ready-made knowledge." -- Seymour Papert (157)</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Educators need to be reminded that it is possible to learn without being taught. (202) </blockquote>
<br />
<hr />
Reading the book, I remembered my father's workshop down cellar in the house in Maine where I grew up. We loved to make things with him. My biggest project was a bookcase that would double as my bed's headboard. Mainly we marveled at how he could fix things. He was definitely a tinkerer.<br />
<br />
A few years ago it was time to clear the workshop out. After all, he'd been dead for some twenty years and no one was using it. But I took some last photos.<br />
<br /></div>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/thelibrarianedge/7466337182/" title="IMG_4571 by katie appleton day, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_4571" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7267/7466337182_bdffecb48e.jpg" height="333" width="500" /> </a><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/thelibrarianedge/sets/72157630340908382/with/7466337670/" target="_blank">Full Flickr set here </a>
</div>
Katie Dayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01460127537263147529noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15747412.post-38631215436814067602013-08-08T16:10:00.002+08:002014-12-01T22:34:55.650+08:00Reporting back: On being with 26,000 other librarians for five days<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I started this year's <a href="http://ala13.ala.org/">ALA</a>* (<a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23ala2013&src=hash" target="_blank">#ALA2013</a>) experience with two very practical all-day pre-conference workshops.<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><i><b>Library Makerspaces: The Field Trip</b></i> -- at the Chicago Public Library, which focused on
the spaces being created to allow kids to experience hands-on tinkering, especially with flexible,
inexpensive digital/electronic components. Various people presented, on various aspects. All-day interesting. Separate blog post coming. </li>
</ul>
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<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><i><b>RDA: Back to the Basics</b></i> -- which explained, in illuminating detail, the benefits to libraries of the new metadata <a href="http://www.rdatoolkit.org/" target="_blank">Resource Description and Access</a> standard and how to gradually implement it via existing MARC data records. Welcome, worthwhile. Separate blog post coming.</li>
</ul>
The conference itself involved shorter sessions. Highlights included:<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><i><b>Crossing the K-20 Continuum: Are Librarians Bridging Information Literacy and 21st Century Skills? </b>-- </i>a panel discussion by Kenneth Murhanna, from Kent State University, director of the <a href="http://www.trails-9.org/">TRAILS</a> project and author of the new book, <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Informed-Transitions-Libraries-Supporting-Transition/dp/1610691288/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1372939262&sr=1-1">Informed Transitions: Libraries Supporting the High School to College Transition</a></i> -- see <a href="http://www.slideshare.net/kburhanna/battling-the-unready">his presentation slides ("Battling the Unready") here</a> -- and Tasha Bergson-Michelson, a Google Search Educator moving in September to a girls-only high school in Palo Alto (<a href="http://library.castilleja.org/">http://library.castilleja.org/</a>) -- see her presentation slides at <a href="http://bit.ly/SearchSources">bit.ly/SearchSources</a>. </li>
</ul>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><i><b>Friction: Teaching Slow Thinking and Intentionality in Online Research </b></i>-- a presentation by Debbie Abilock (NoodleTools) and Tasha Bergson-Michelson again (see above). <a href="http://www.noodletools.com/debbie/literacies/information/friction.pdf" target="_blank">See presentation slides here.</a> Not only was I thrilled to finally meet Debbie in person, having known and interacted with her online for years, but this was one of the few sessions which managed to involve the audience effectively. If you go to <a href="http://bit.ly/FrictionALA">http://bit.ly/FrictionALA</a>, you can get links to the ten Google Docs used to record the small group discussions. <br /><br />I liked the idea of focusing on "friction points" in the research process -- where students could or should be prompted to use System Two thinking (as in Daniel Kahneman's book, "Thinking, Fast and Slow" - one of my favorites). More on on this in another blog post. </li>
</ul>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><i><b>Studying Ourselves: Libraries and the User Experience </b>-- </i>a panel presentation by a professor and two university librarians, each of whom had studied the library environment -- and students' use of the library -- using sociological and/or anthropological research methods. The sociology professor, Andrew Abbott, was particularly fascinating. Again, more in another blog post. </li>
</ul>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><i><b>LibrarARy Orientation: Augmented Reality in the Library: Reality</b></i> -- a quick session by the University of Houston librarians on how they are using Aurasma, a free augmented reality app, to enhance their library orientation sessions. <a href="http://prezi.com/_u9_kdgtume9/library-orientation-augmented-reality-in-the-library/?utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=copy">Click here</a> for their Prezi presentation. I had already played with Aurasma and found it interesting to see how they were using it. More on this later.</li>
</ul>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><i><b>Bleak New World: YA Authors Decode Dystopia</b></i> -- a panel discussion by four top-notch dystopia authors, from old to young: <a href="http://www.loislowry.com/" target="_blank">Lois Lowry</a> ("The Giver"), <a href="http://craphound.com/" target="_blank">Cory Doctorow</a> ("Little Brother"), <a href="http://www.patrickness.com/" target="_blank">Patrick Ness</a> ("The Knife of Never Letting Go"), and <a href="http://veronicarothbooks.blogspot.sg/" target="_blank">Veronica Roth</a> ("Insurgent"). As Ness said, the best YA books promote the question, "what would you do if....?" And another of them said, dystopia is not a story, but a way to tell a story.</li>
</ul>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcWvjJNTcsuK4upM_QUoLAwZR-RkZnHQzq2qnsz9Cc1CK0FNNofBMPAMOdmpIZTkcPdCQOFl5D1mWtzR-oA3KAq1Gp1zp_O1vkDMYa7Xh-o2o-Y_7VYtbhC8AVcY45d9YheDz1Ew/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-08-07+at+5.24.31+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcWvjJNTcsuK4upM_QUoLAwZR-RkZnHQzq2qnsz9Cc1CK0FNNofBMPAMOdmpIZTkcPdCQOFl5D1mWtzR-oA3KAq1Gp1zp_O1vkDMYa7Xh-o2o-Y_7VYtbhC8AVcY45d9YheDz1Ew/s400/Screen+Shot+2013-08-07+at+5.24.31+AM.png" height="137" width="400" /></a></div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><i><b>Jaron Lanier: Who Owns the Future?</b></i> -- An auditorium presentation by a major player in the making of today's digital world, unafraid to criticize it with compelling economic arguments in <a href="http://www.jaronlanier.com/futurewebresources.html" target="_blank">his new book</a>. Also thoroughly charming. I'm a long-time follower of his thinking, so I felt like it was a fireside chat with an old friend, bringing up scary topics (too true, big data is a big danger), but also reassuring that we can change history by raising awareness at critical moments. (What a lovable hippie....). Google him for all kinds of resources, starting with <a href="http://www.jaronlanier.com/" target="_blank">his homepage</a>. </li>
</ul>
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<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li> <i><b>Ping Fu: Bend Not Break </b></i>-- An auditorium
presentation by a woman who grew up in the worst of China's Cultural Revolution and today is a cutting edge American entrepreneur in the 3D digital "maker" space, thanks to her company, <a href="http://www.geomagic.com/en/">Geomagic</a>. Her story is fascinating - as she started out doing comparative literature in China, while computer science was her ticket to success in the States. In the photo below, note her her shoes and scarf are both 3D-printed objects. <br /><br />For more info re her book, see her website: <a href="http://bendnotbreak.com/">bendnotbreak.com</a> -- though she has come under a lot of scrutiny for some of her depictions of the Cultural Revolution. Has she exaggerated or mis-remembered? Google it yourself, if you're interested in the controversy. I still enjoyed listening to a rags-to-riches-via-technology American immigrant woman on stage -- and hope some of my students will read her autobiography.</li>
</ul>
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<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li> <i><b>Beyond Genre: Exploring the Perception, Uses, and Misuses of Genres by Readers, Writers, etc.</b></i> -- a panel discussion by three popular writers (for adults, not teens or children) -- crime novelist <a href="http://lauralippman.net/">Laura Lippman</a> (wife of David Simon, if that name means anything to you fans of "The Wire"), <a href="http://margaretdilloway.com/">Margaret Dilloway</a>, and <a href="http://www.temeraire.org/">Naomi Novik</a>, fantasy writer and analyst of fandom fiction. All new-to-me authors. The comments that stuck with me include: "Never forget, literature can be done within genre; the author is potentially limited, not the form." Also a reminder of the benefit of genre lists, i.e., booklists that help young people in a library looking for the next thing to read. NB: Since the session the organizers have posted a long list of resources related to genres -- it's well worth a look: <a href="http://ala13.ala.org/files/ala13/2013-RA-Reasearch-and-Trends-Forum-Beyond-Genre%20%281%29.pdf" target="_blank">Beyond Genre: Research and Trends PDF</a>.</li>
</ul>
Next year ALA is in Las Vegas, a place I would normally not go near. Now it sounds quite attractive.<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
</ul>
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*ALA - the American Library Association's annual conference, held at the end of June (convenient for those of us on the northern hemisphere school calendar - and for me regularly winging my way from Singapore to Maine - so any US city is "on the way".... this year it was Chicago...). A conference that attracts 26,000 librarians/attendees. Yes, think mega-library. Below is a photo which gives an idea of the expanse of the exhibition space -- which I navigated, iPhone in hand, snapping books and ideas to pursue later.<br />
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All photos taken by me.</div>
Katie Dayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01460127537263147529noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15747412.post-90002125926654685842013-06-02T00:37:00.000+08:002014-12-01T23:03:21.101+08:00The digital sensitivity of a library collection<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>"How many books are there in the library and what are the annual circulation statistics?" </b>says the secondary school administrator.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">My first response is, <b>what do you think that measures?</b></span><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kara_allyson/5523977161/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Books and Books by Kara Allyson, on Flickr"><img alt="Books and Books" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5256/5523977161_b34d3492be.jpg" height="364" width="500" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Okay, it's budget allocation time, so the underlying issue is financial competition with other development goals. It's a request to justify the collection we're building as a new secondary school, finishing our second year of operation.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">But let's start with the devil in the detail of <b>our circulation statistics</b>.</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Browsing vs. Check-out: </b>A lot of books are taken off the shelf, but don't get taken out. They're read in the library, then left on tables. Every day we have to go around and pick them up. The most popular browsing material seems to be self-help and well-being books (yes, this includes sex-ed), art and photography books, poetry, graphic format (think: cartoons, comics and manga), middle-school novels (because: teachers regularly bring their classes in for free-choice, silent sustained reading), and Chinese-language books (reasons: various). <br /><br />The fact that we're open until 9:30pm four nights a week for boarding house study time increases students' browsing potential within the library -- without having to check books out.</span> <span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>In-library-use-only Displays:</b> Large numbers of curriculum-related books are kept on display tables while a grade has a particular focus - and students are asked NOT to take them out, for mass maximum access. Students' ability to scan-to-PDF pages or chapters from books makes in-library-use-only more manageable. Recent displays have supported units on peace and conflict resolution, human rights and up-standers/heroes, the Vietnam war, religions of the world, genetics, South Africa, etc.</span> </li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Library resources are intertwined with those of the English Dept. </b>-- so our circulation statistics should be considered jointly.</span></li>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Some English teachers use the school library for their class library, checking out a box of books for in-class circulation over a long period. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Multiple copies of titles bought by the English Dept. are available on library shelves for general loan -- when not needed by a particular teacher -- rather than letting them languish in departmental book cupboards.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The library buys multiple copies of recently-published titles as part of the annual <a href="http://reddotawards.com/" target="_blank">Red Dot Book Awards</a>, and those books are automatically shifted to the English Dept. (both in the catalog and on the shelves) each June. </span></li>
</ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>In such a new library, large numbers of new items are constantly being added. </b>Many resources haven't had much chance to be discovered and taken out.</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Each school will have its own context that weakens the power of plain circulation statistics.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>What is the ideal number of books in a secondary school library? </b> In different countries at different times, school library associations, whether national or regional, have cited research and quoted numbers. 12? 16? 20? 36? books per student? I know schools that swear by each of those. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">But what are we counting? Just physical books?</span><br />
<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/malbooth/7787891576/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Avian books 34 by Mal Booth, on Flickr"><img alt="Avian books 34" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8433/7787891576_8eabb75574.jpg" height="333" width="500" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Our collection size and substance</b> is definitely affected by students' access to digital resources, due to our 1:1 Macbook program for grades 6-12.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">To start with, we have no need for a separate reference section -- as databases provide that so well.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">What doesn't the internet deliver as well as physical volumes in a school library?</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Large-format art and design books</b> -- ones you can spread out on a table and see many images at once. Big beautiful books to browse.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Graphic novels and sophisticated picture books.</b> Same idea. Big visuals.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Poetry</b>. Yes, you can find poems on websites, but due to copyright you can't find whole collections of one poet. And so many poetry books are physical works of art in themselves.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Playscripts.</b> Again, a collection not accessed every day by everyone, but a godsend to someone interested in drama.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Special collections</b> in one physical location, available for browsing -- Singapore books, self-help and well-being books, third-culture kids and global nomad books, "vintage" books (books published prior to 1950, culled from piles of donations, are a fascination to our students). World languages (mother-tongue) collections come under this category, too.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Books the average person isn't going to buy for their home library. </b>
For example, The Complete Illustrated and Annotated Letters of Vincent Van
Gogh. Price: Expensive. Who is reading this, you ask? Not just the art
teachers. Yes, they're assigning it -- because they're thrilled to
have it available. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Narrative and visual non-fiction</b> -- about science, math, history, etc. Biographies fall in this category. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Experience with non-fiction book layout standards </b>-- e.g., how to use a table of contents, index, appendices, etc. I find middle school teachers are particularly concerned with giving their students access to and experience with non-fiction books precisely because the internet doesn't easily allow them to absorb the conventions of research texts. I'd prefer to let databases provide (up-to-date) access to basic science, humanities, and geography information, but the teachers are still requesting a physical collection.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Fiction. </b> </span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We're still delivering fiction via physical books for the time being.</span> While ebooks are growing in popularity and availability, the software to be able to lend ebooks (e.g., Overdrive) isn't cheap or doesn't have a good enough interface yet (e.g., Destiny), plus the whole DRM (digital rights management) situation isn't easy. Several international school libraries have bought the ebook lending software only to find the books their students want to read aren't available as ebooks (legally) outside the US or UK. <br /><br />Our students spend a lot of time in front of a screen and when we have tried to deliver English-class texts digitally (e.g., for works out of copyright and readily available in epub format), there has been push-back. The school's standard-issue laptop isn't the ideal ebook device. I am also not convinced that the library should invest in mobile ereaders to lend out.<br /><br />Discoverability -- seeing what's available to borrow -- is also much harder with a digital loan collection. It's not like sweeping your eyes over a bookshelf. (I find Overdrive very frustrating on the browsing-for-titles front.) </span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Making the virtual visible is one of my library mantras. </span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Not just making the library's digital presence visually evident, but also creating a physical space that provides a sense of the world's knowledge</span> -- organized in some fashion. The environment is the "third" teacher -- therefore the library, as a physical space, should be a powerful influence upon learning.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">W</span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">hat I think the library space needs to do better is to connect the user with the online resources that complement and expand the physical resources on the shelf. To let digital nuggets convince you to read a whole book; it could be a video of the author speaking or an animated illustration of a book's argument or just a great article related to the book, freely available online. </span><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/giopuo/5327089760/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="The book by giopuo, on Flickr"><img alt="The book" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5201/5327089760_cac9b42bf2.jpg" height="334" width="500" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I never answered the question of how many books is enough. This comes back to the question of what we want to measure in the library - and how it can be measured. I'll save my proposed dashboard for a separate post. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Images via Flickr:
</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kara_allyson/5523977161/">Books and Books by Kara Allyson</a> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/malbooth/7787891576/">Avian books 34 by Mal Booth</a> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/giopuo/5327089760/">The book by giopuo</a>
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Katie Dayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01460127537263147529noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15747412.post-56755243475160896942013-01-14T14:19:00.001+08:002014-12-01T23:05:04.142+08:00Carol Kuhlthau meets Tim Brown: Guided Inquiry {Design} Thinking<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Two books have been guiding my thinking about research & inquiry cycles for the past couple of years.<br />
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a) <b><a href="http://books.google.com.sg/books/about/Guided_Inquiry_Design_A_Framework_for_In.html?id=e963HrpJNBoC&redir_esc=y" target="_blank">Change by Design</a></b> -- by Tim Brown, of IDEO "design thinking" fame. His framework is not explicitly educational, though IDEO have published <a href="http://www.ideo.com/work/toolkit-for-educators" target="_blank">a toolkit of design thinking for educators</a>.<br />
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b) <a href="http://books.google.com.sg/books/about/Guided_Inquiry_Design_A_Framework_for_In.html?id=e963HrpJNBoC&redir_esc=y" target="_blank"><b>Guided Inquiry Design: a framework for Inquiry in your School</b> </a>-- by <a href="http://comminfo.rutgers.edu/~kuhlthau/index.html" target="_blank">Carol C. Kuhlthau</a>, Leslie K. Maniotes, and Ann K. Caspari. Kuhlthau is the grand dame of teacher-librarianship and the one who first recognized the emotional element involved in the ISP (Information Search Process) back in 1991.<br />
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For me, the most important feature they share is the recognition of that <b>emotional element</b> in research. We all get discouraged - or should. If you don't experience any dip in confidence, then it means you're not really pushing yourself in terms of researching. Tim's sketch illustrates Carol's original insight very well.<br />
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Tim's design process is an incredibly simple iterative cycle between <b>Inspiration</b>, <b>Ideation</b>, and <b>Implementation</b> (below is my sketch) -- but I think it works just as well in terms of research.</div>
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Carol's latest framework is more expansive, incorporating 8 "verb" steps (mirroring her older ISP "noun" stages - shown in parentheses) :</div>
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<ul>
<li><b><span style="color: red;">Open</span> (Initiation)</b></li>
<ul>
<li>Invitation to inquiry</li>
<li>Open minds</li>
<li>Stimulate curiosity</li>
</ul>
<li><b><span style="color: red;">Immerse</span> (Selection)</b></li>
<ul>
<li>Build background knowledge</li>
<li>Connect to content</li>
<li>Discover interesting ideas</li>
</ul>
<li><b><span style="color: red;">Explore</span> (Exploration)</b></li>
<ul>
<li>Explore interesting ideas</li>
<li>Look around</li>
<li>Dip in</li>
</ul>
<li><b><span style="color: red;">Identify</span> (Formulation)</b></li>
<ul>
<li>Pause and ponder</li>
<li>Identify inquiry questions</li>
<li>Decide direction</li>
</ul>
<li><b><span style="color: red;">Gather</span> (Collection)</b></li>
<ul>
<li>Gather important information</li>
<li>Go broad</li>
<li>Go deep</li>
</ul>
<li><b><span style="color: red;">Create</span> (Presentation)</b></li>
<ul>
<li>Reflect on learning</li>
<li>Go beyond facts to make meaning</li>
<li>Create to communicate</li>
</ul>
<li><b><span style="color: red;">Share</span> (Presentation)</b></li>
<ul>
<li>Learn from each other</li>
<li>Sharing learning</li>
<li>Tell your story</li>
</ul>
<li><b><span style="color: red;">Evaluate</span> (Assessment)</b></li>
<ul>
<li>Evaluate achievement of learning goals</li>
<li>Reflect on content</li>
<li>Reflect on process</li>
</ul>
</ul>
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Carol's book offers plenty of practical suggestions for implementing inquiry in schools, e.g., she stresses the need for an <b>Inquiry Journal</b> (a workspace for individual composing and reflection) as well as <b>Inquiry Charts</b> (attempts to visualize ideas, connections, questions, etc.) and an <b>Inquiry Log</b> (a record of sources consulted), but one of the most important points she makes is the crucial distinction between the Explore and the Gather stages.</div>
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The <b>Explore</b> stage is about <b>browsing</b>, <b>scanning</b>, and <b>skimming</b>. <b>"Dipping in"</b> means you need to relax, read, and reflect. Sources should just be tracked in the Inquiry Log at this point.</div>
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The <b>Gather</b> stage is about <b>detailed note-taking</b>, <b>comprehensive searching</b>, and <b>"going deep"</b>. This is also the stage when you need to thinking about citing, quoting, and paraphrasing. Too often students think they have to take detailed notes on a source the first time they encounter it - before they have decided on an inquiry focus.<br />
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Again, Tim has a simple distinction which I think epitomizes the difference.<br />
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Here I have added just two extra descriptions: <b>Finding Out</b> vs. <b>Sorting Out</b> (a la Kath Murdoch)<br />
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When talking to students, I now like to have them clarify which mode they think they are currently in. And the emotional dip of uncertainty is often a sign that's time for the shift. What a metacognitive skill -- to know how much first stage searching is enough to work with -- to have enough choices.<br />
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This is Carol's <b>Identify</b> stage -- which is about focusing and establishing a meaningful inquiry question -- when the thinking shifts from divergent (broad) to convergent (deep).</div>
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Tim Brown insists all ideas (i.e., research questions) must be analyzed in light of three criteria: <b>Desirability</b> (personal interest/passion), <b>Viability</b> (for Tim this means "makes business sense," but in the educational realm it translates to "fits the assignment or criteria" and satisfies the big "so what?"), and <b>Feasibility</b> (the time and resources to actually complete the project).</div>
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Similarly, Carol asks students to consider their question in terms of the assigned task, their own interest, the time available, and the information and resources available.<br />
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I think Tim's four basic illustrations concisely convey the key stages of research better than Carol's more elaborate theory. I still want her book on my shelf, but, until I can get more teachers to read and absorb it, I'll be using Tim's ideas and images in conversation.</div>
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Katie Dayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01460127537263147529noreply@blogger.com109tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15747412.post-71842231990139724192011-10-05T10:19:00.000+08:002011-10-05T10:23:37.941+08:00OUT OF THE DRAFTS FOLDER: (2009) An Injection of Ideas on Library Design<i>How many draft blog posts do you have sitting around? Here is one from two years ago -- on library design. I never got around to publishing it, so am doing so now - with the intent of posting a recent update of thoughts and resources, especially after hearing of a recent Kevin Hennah consultation in Kuala Lumpur with international school librarians.</i><br />
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On August 22nd [2009] about 30 international school librarians from around Asia gathered at ISB in Bangkok for a one-day workshop on library design by <a href="http://www.kevinhennah.com.au/">Kevin Hennah</a>, a retail merchandising consultant and designer who has done a lot of work with libraries in Australia.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">(While he seems to have worked with many major companies, it was this advertising campaign in his portfolio that made the biggest visual impression on me: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dreampics/1439237732/">Australia Post: If you really want to touch someone, send them a letter</a>. I should also mention his featured section in the Australian book, <a href="http://www.slav.schools.net.au/public.html">Rethink! Ideas for Inspiring School Library Design</a> -- and I think he said he's working on a book with <a href="http://www.openingthebook.com/">Opening the Book</a> in the UK. )</span><br />
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The success of the workshop can be summed up by Barb Philip's comment as she walked out: "I feel like taking a sledgehammer to my library."<br />
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What did he say? Well, others who attended the workshop have been much more efficient in sharing about it online. Within 24 hours <a href="http://mscofino.edublogs.org/2009/08/23/a-brand-new-perspective-for-libraries">Kim Cofino, one of the event organizers, had blogged about it</a> and <a href="http://techlibraryclassroom.blogspot.com/2009/08/rethink-reinvent-rejuvenate.html">Tara Ethridge, the other event organizer, blogged about it</a> on Monday the 24th. <a href="http://moodle.ecis.org/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=851">Anthony Tilke posted information about it on the ECIS iSkoodle forum for librarians</a> <span style="font-size: xx-small;">(registration required to view)</span>, and <a href="http://www.evernote.com/pub/beahgo/lib_space_place">Beth Gourley made public her Evernote notebook on <span style="font-style: italic;">Library as Space and Place</span></a>, which includes her notes on Kevin's presentation.<br />
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What can I add? A few extension links, perhaps...<br />
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Kevin's value was in his slideshow presentation -- talk about visual learning! We saw over 600 images, illustrating retail principles in practice in libraries. He talked us through before-and-after shots, good examples, bad examples, interesting examples. (And, no, for copyright reasons, he said he couldn't give us copies of his presentation.)<br />
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As Kevin spoke, I kept scribbling down the names of the libraries being shown (mainly Australian and more public than school ones) -- see the <a href="http://librarianedge.pbworks.com/Kevin-Hennah-Library-Design-Workshop">list of libraries</a> here. I tried to find images of them on the internet, without much success -- except for <b><a href="http://www.ideastore.co.uk/">The Idea Stores</a></b> in London (UK), e.g., <a href="http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=%22idea%20store%22%20library&w=all&s=int">search of Flickr for "idea store" and "library"</a>.<br />
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Instead you might have a look at some of these libraries:<br />
<ul>
<li><b><a href="http://www.robinhood.org/initiatives/the-l!brary-initiative.aspx">The Robin Hood project</a></b> in New York City, where prominent architects went in and re-vamped poor school libraries. See <a href="http://books.google.com.sg/books?id=WcyhTsH2UsoC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false">"The Library Book"</a> here. See also <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7KDSFQy5Mk">Maira Kalman's video clip of how she created one library's alphabet display</a>.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.dok.info/index.php?cat=pagina&pagina_id=110"><b>DOK</b></a></li>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.infotoday.com/mls/mar08/Boekesteijn.shtml">InfoToday: Discover Innovations at DOK, Holland’s 'Library Concept Center';</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/39841872@N00/archives/date-posted/2008/03/26/">DOK Delft's Flickr photos</a> showing their library's design and interior'</li>
<li><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/shifted/sets/72157604142377648/">DOK Library Concept Center -- Flickr photos from The Shifted Librarian</a></li>
</ul>
</ul>
I was familiar with the retail design approaches in libraries -- as <a href="http://www.envirosell.com/">Paco Underhill</a>'s book "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Why-We-Buy-Science-Shopping/dp/0684849143">Why We Buy: The Science of Shopping</a>" became popular with librarians in the US several years ago, e.g., see the Library Journal article <a href="http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA6289901.html">"Power Users - Designing buildings and services from the end user's viewpoint transforms access for everyone</a>" [2005], as well as "<a href="http://www.ckls.org/~crippel/marketing/bookstore.html">What libraries can learn from bookstores: Applying bookstore design to public libraries </a>" [2003]. But it's always good to have it re-iterated.<br />
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He recommends a "What's Hot?" display (see how <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/38539149@N04/3879972484/in/set-72157619524582704/">Barb went back and immediately put that up on the wall in her library</a>).<br />
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Kevin is all for ditching Dewey and using more user-friendly, bookstore-type categories to organize books. He cited the Palmerston Public Library (NT, Australia) as an example of a library choosing to organize the collection in terms of <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/38539149@N04/3846655417/in/set-72157621990716017/">17 "living rooms" or categories</a> (read this 2006 white paper "<a href="http://www.alia.org.au/groups/topend/2006.symposium/paper.white.pdf">Where's the Dewey?</a>" for background on the process they went through).<br />
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Similar attempts:<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA6668191.html">It's Fine To Drop Dewey - 7/15/2009 - Library Journal</a> -- article re another US library ditching Dewey;</li>
<li><a href="http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA6663145.html">Rangeview Library District, CO, First System To Fully Drop Dewey - 6/5/2009 - Library Journal;</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA6448055.html">Behind the Maricopa County Library District’s Dewey-less Plan - 5/31/2007 - Library Journal</a></li>
<li><a href="http://library-matters.blogspot.com/2008/10/to-dewey-or-not-to-dewey.html">Library Matters: To Dewey or not to Dewey . . .</a> -- re a NZ library considering it;<br /> </li>
<li><a href="http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/article/CA6456387.html">Arizona Library Ditches Dewey - 7/1/2007 - School Library Journal</a></li>
<li><a href="http://deweyfree.com/">Freeing Dewey</a> -- a blog from a US public library in the process of dropping Dewey;</li>
<li>LibraryThing's <a href="http://www.librarything.com/wiki/index.php/Open_Shelves_Classification">Open Shelves Classification (OSC) Project</a> -- a free, "humble," modern, open-source, crowd-sourced replacement for the Dewey Decimal System;</li>
</ul>
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The <a href="http://www.nlb.gov.sg/">National Library of Singapore</a> has its own variation on re-grouping Dewey, supposedly to help the public find books, but I find it confusing -- as the catalog just gives me the Dewey number - so I have to wander to find the section that Dewey number is stored in.</div>
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One thing I do like about the NLB shelves is the use of <a href="http://www.colormarq.com/">ColorMarq</a>, a library shelf ID system where each letter of the alphabet has a different color. It makes it easy to see when a book is mis-shelved. (I do have a problem when NLB shelvers only bother to sort by the first three letters of the authors' names.... especially in areas like BRO or WIL.)<br />
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Katie Dayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01460127537263147529noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15747412.post-45367592117197959812010-11-20T08:38:00.021+08:002014-12-01T22:35:58.969+08:00The disturbing thought of the unknown, or, what is learning? teaching? education?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
As part of a self-study accreditation process, our school has invited staff to consider the question of what <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #351c75;"><b>learning</b></span> is -- for three hours on a Saturday morning. Reps from each grade/area should be in attendance -- and each person is asked to bring along a book, article, or reference. I know what mine will be.<br />
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<b><a href="http://www.routledge.com/books/details/9780805862874/">Engaging Minds: changing teaching in complex times</a></b> -- 2nd ed, 2008 -- by Brent Davis, Dennis Sumara, and Rebecca Luce-Kapler.<br />
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<a href="http://www.routledge.com/books/details/9780805862874/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://www.stanford.edu/group/cubberley/files/images/EngagingMinds.preview.jpg" /></a></div>
Here are some bits.... taken from <a 1zvnzfpk_qyyad11ihth-zvdi0kgzuz8l3zz9-t_cmlo="" d="" docs.google.com="" document="" edit="" hl="en"" href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1zVnzFPK_qyYad11ihtH-zVDi0kGzUz8l3Zz9-t_cMLo/edit?hl=en" https:="" target="_blank href=">my notes</a>.....<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Learning is about becoming attentive to things you never noticed before -- becoming conscious -- becoming aware.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Teachers play a pivotal role in orientating attentions in ways that prompt transformations in personal perception and consciousness -- helping people to notice what they haven't noticed.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Education is not about compelling others to see the world in the ways we see it, but in terms of expanding the space of the possible.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The notion of shared labor -- social learning -- highlighting how complex knowing is distributed across a web of individuals.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The learner is the collective. Knowledge cannot exist independent of the knower -- it is a potential to action both embodied and situated. Bodies know, and that's what makes them part of grander knowing bodies. Knowledge, then is about relationship.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The metaphor of the teacher as "the consciousness of the collective" -- expanding the space of the possible and "creating conditions for the emergence of the as-yet unimagined".</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Prompting change or learning is a matter of disequilibrium.... with the teacher in the middle, mediating, mentoring -- giving voice and advocating... opening up spaces for collective action, not defining the action.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Teaching is not about what the teacher does, it's about what happens to the learner. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Learning is complex, full of recursive elaboration... iterative processes and nested systems.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"A complexified conception of curriculum would suggest an image more like a phase space or a fractal tree, in which each event opens up new possibilities for action, which in turn open still other divergent possibilities. There is no particular direction -- except, perhaps, toward the expansion of the space of the possible."</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">A teacher is constantly perturbed and being perturbed.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Teaching is an event that prompts a complex system to respond differently.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The lesson plan is a thought experiment.</span><br />
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I'm fascinated with the idea of the unknown unknowns*. E.g., see <a href="http://libedge.blogspot.com/2010/01/its-storytelling-stupid.html" target="_blank">my blog post on Roger Schank</a>. His definition of learning bears repeating:<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 21px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">"Learning to explain phenomena such that one continues to be fascinated by the failure of one's explanations creates a continuing cycle of thinking that is the crux of intelligence."</span></span><br />
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Piaget said intelligence is what is called on when an agent doesn't know what to do, i.e., discerning what really matters in a situation.</div>
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Karl Hostetler, a professor interested in both philosophy and education -- (download <a href="http://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:lF5OFWTeMUUJ:citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download%3Fdoi%3D10.1.1.142.8621%26rep%3Drep1%26type%3Dpdf+karl+hostetler+what+is+good+education+research&hl=en&gl=sg&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEEShExG8rKBvS4RGGh3DSAhlLi2de6FeLE0RsdkgLCwiKYhLc2dsb9_oRwjfv-40OMnLhQtIeW3M0DfqpbVZkqJgN8aSBWKqOJz6rgUAfLtJ4CfJ4640xx-akJnxOoIHBVVq7D7mL&sig=AHIEtbT-2U_HAKU7fvgZ32w4hb0PF0gUJQ" target="_blank">a PDF of his article << What is "Good" Education Research?>> (2005)</a>), quotes Hans-Georg Gadamer (1960/1989) :<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">"Knowledge always means, precisely, considering opposites. Its superiority over preconceived opinion consists in the fact that is able to conceive of possibilities as possibilities.... [So] only a person who has questions can have knowledge. [However] there is no such thing as a method of learning to ask questions, of learning to see what is questionable. On the contrary, the example of Socrates teaches that<b> the important thing is the knowledge that one does not know</b>."</span><br />
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This potential knowledge is what we as teachers must value -- in ourselves as much as in our students.<br />
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Errol Morris, the documentary filmmaker, did a 5-part series of articles on knowing and unknowing in the NYT earlier this year -- <a href="http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/06/20/the-anosognosics-dilemma-1/?pagemode=print">"The Anosognosic's Dilemma: Something's Wrong but You'll Never Know What It Is" (Part I)</a> -- in which he interviews David Dunning, a professor who is known for his elaboration of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect">Dunning-Kruger effect</a>, which is when our incompetence masks our ability to recognize our incompetence.<br />
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Dunning:<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 23px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">"Unknown unknown solutions haunt the mediocre without their knowledge. The average detective does not realize the clues he or she neglects. The mediocre doctor is not aware of the diagnostic possibilities or treatments never considered. The run-of-the-mill lawyer fails to recognize the winning legal argument that is out there. People fail to reach their potential as professionals, lovers, parents and people simply because they are not aware of the possible. This is one of the reasons I often urge my student advisees to find out who the smart professors are, and to get themselves in front of those professors so they can see what smart looks like."</span></b></span><br />
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When I read that, I realized why I love <a href="http://www.ted.com/">TED Talks</a> so much -- it gives me easy access to seeing what smart looks like. It also gives another angle on the role of the teacher. People like to say 21st century learning demands teachers shift from "the sage on the stage" to the "guide on the side". I think there are times to be the "sage on the stage" -- to exhibit "unnatural acts" of thinking (a la <a href="http://www.temple.edu/tempress/titles/1518_reg.html">Sam Wineburg</a> -- more re him in a future blog post) -- though overall, I prefer the concept of the teacher as <a href="http://books.google.com.sg/books?id=_rfgn81rK-YC&pg=PA86&lpg=PA86&dq=%22meddler+in+the+middle%22&source=bl&ots=XdOabCgXVu&sig=NeTHXymNP84S0B3LKDy2uxw6_yk&hl=en&ei=1w_nTODKDoSKvQP-g5nCCA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=6&ved=0CDkQ6AEwBQ#v=onepage&q=%22meddler%20in%20the%20middle%22&f=false">"the meddler in the middle"</a> (Erica McWilliams, 2005).</div>
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<a href="http://www.scottlondon.com/interviews/barber.html">In an interview Benjamin Barber</a> reflects on the positive aspect of disturbing thoughts:<br />
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<b style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">London:</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"> It occurs to me that you are not at all afraid of controversy — not in your statements here and not in your books certainly. You say somewhere in <i style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">An Aristocracy of Everyone</i> that <b>"with good teaching, as with good art, someone is always offended."</b> Is that really true?</span></div>
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<b style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Barber:</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"> I think so.<b> I think that if you don't offend someone, you haven't even woken them up, let alone gotten their mental energies going.</b> One thing that does bother me about so-called political correctness — I don't like the term PC — it's really an unfair word, it's kind of a slur in the way that it's used. But the true part of it is that there are some people who seem unwilling to be offended and provocative speech, free speech, and most importantly educational speech — speech that makes people think — has to be to some degree offensive. That's how you get people woken up, that's how you get people caring, that's how you get them reacting.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: normal;">Another vision of the teacher as a constructive mediator is the </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: normal;"><i>grandmother</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: normal;"> -- in </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: normal;"><a href="http://www.ted.com/speakers/sugata_mitra.html">Sugata Mitra</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: normal;">'s sense -- in his SOLEs (Self-Organized Learning Environments). The person who stands behind you every now and then-- who is there to support you in your own learning.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: normal;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: normal;">Isn't that the role of our own PLN (personal learning networks) -- for us as teacher-learners? We just need to make sure we are allowing ourselves to be disturbed. That is the danger for adults... that we move into spaces (mental and physical) which do not regularly perturb us.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: normal;">* Yes, "unknown unknowns" brings Donald Rumsfeld to mind -- and my favorite packaging of him is in the 2003 <a href="http://www.slate.com/id/2081042">Slate article on "The Poetry of Donald Rumsfeld"</a>:</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px;"></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: normal;"><b>The Unknown</b></span><br />
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As we know,<br />
There are known knowns.<br />
There are things we know we know.<br />
We also know<br />
There are known unknowns.<br />
That is to say<br />
We know there are some things<br />
We do not know.<br />
But there are also unknown unknowns,<br />
The ones we don't know<br />
We don't know.</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: normal;"><i>—Feb. 12, 2002, Department of Defense news briefing</i></span></div>
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Katie Dayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01460127537263147529noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15747412.post-90348792307900043632010-10-08T16:00:00.014+08:002014-12-01T22:36:33.236+08:00Building Digitally Literate Communities, or, what I learned at IASL/SLAQ 2010<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b>"Building literate communities"</b></span> and "<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d;">Supporting the digital education agenda</span>"</b></span> were two of the four strands of the <a href="http://www.iasl-online.org/events/conf/2010/program.htm">IASL / SLAQ (Int'l Assoc. of School Librarianship / School Library Assoc. of Queensland) 2010 conference</a> held in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, Sep. 27 - Oct. 1. <br />
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Over the course of the week the two themes merged into an essential question for me: <br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>How to build <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">digitally</span><span style="color: blue;"> </span>literate communities</b>?</span></div>
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Our school is embarking on a <a href="http://www.uwcsea.edu.sg/page.cfm?p=2001">"21st Century Teaching & Learning" program</a> (aka <b><i>iLearn</i></b>) over the next two years, part of which will involve going 1:1 with Apple laptops in Grade 6 and above (and 2:1 below that) -- and designing new library/information spaces.</div>
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Presentations by two academics - one an education/business/think-tank professor and the other a education/futurist -- gave me some interesting concepts and phrases to play with -- re people and spaces that will support the digitally literate community we want to become.<a href="http://books.google.com.au/books?id=_6LVzv3Hd1EC&lpg=PP1&ots=30g1BRm759&dq=%22developing%20a%20networked%20school%20community%22&pg=PA143#v=onepage&q&f=false" target="_blank"><br />
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<li><b style="color: blue;">Michael Hough</b>, Professorial Fellow at the Univ. of Wollongong -- Keynote: "<b>In Schools that Face the Future, Libraries Matter</b>" -- & Session: "<b>The Role of the Teacher-Librarian in Developing Leadership Capabilities in Staff</b>"</li>
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<li><b><a href="http://cci.edu.au/programs/creative_workforce">Erica McWilliam</a></b>, co-leader of the Creative Workforce Program at Queensland University of Technology -- Keynote: <b>"High Standards or a High Standard of Standardness?"</b></li>
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>>> <a href="http://www.csu.edu.au/faculty/educat/sis/SLAQ_IASLConference2010.html">See a vodcast and accompanying slideshow for each keynote</a><<<</div>
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Both explored the e-learning shift underway and confirmed the need for <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">21st Century Teacher-Librarians</span> (see <a href="http://informationfluency.wikispaces.com/You+know+you%27re+a+21st+century+librarian+if+.+.+.">Joyce Valenza's Manifesto for the definitive description of one</a>), with Hough claiming librarians should become the C.I.O. (Chief Information Officer) of their schools.<br />
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He highly recommended the recently published book -- <a href="http://books.google.com.au/books?id=_6LVzv3Hd1EC&lpg=PP1&ots=30g1BRm759&dq=%22developing%20a%20networked%20school%20community%22&pg=PP1#v=onepage&q&f=false">Developing a Networked School Community</a> -- and cited Chapter 9 (most of which you can read via <a href="http://books.google.com.au/books?id=_6LVzv3Hd1EC&lpg=PP1&ots=30g1BRm759&dq=%22developing%20a%20networked%20school%20community%22&pg=PA143#v=onepage&q&f=false">GoogleBooks</a>) by <a href="http://twitter.com/#%21/lyn_hay">Lyn Hay</a> <span style="font-size: x-small;">(who was one of my online professors -- I wrote a paper on <a href="http://librarianedge.pbworks.com/f/KDay_Gaming_paper.htm">Gaming in Education</a> for her back in 2005...)</span>. <br />
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Hough particularly liked her concept of the <b>iCentre</b>, which she defines as <br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">"the central facility within the school where information, technology, learning and teaching needs are supported by qualified information and learning technology specialists. It is a centre that provides students and teachers with a one-stop shop for all resourcing, technology, and learning needs on a daily basis."</span></blockquote>
(See also the slides from a recent keynote by Hay: "<a href="http://www.slideshare.net/lhay/keynote-address-sydney-ceo-tl-conference">21st Century Teacher-Librarian: Rethink, Rebuild, and Re-brand</a>".)<br />
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McWilliam provided an interesting variation on the idea, by surveying the culture of the coffee house from raucous 17th century London up until erudite 20th century Vienna. A home away from home, a place you want to go to. She argued Hogarth's coffee house was an antecedent of the lifelong learning space -- a round table of communal resources (both liquid and intellectual) -- and that librarians would benefit from considering the various skills and dispositions of those distant coffee house landlords (arbiter, assembler, gossip provider, business manager, service manager, social broker of relationships, etc) over time. <br />
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She suggested today's online model might be nings, an iCafe for shared passions. I think Twitter is a fitter descendant. </div>
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<a href="http://twitter.com/#%21/search/%23slaqiasl2010">#slaqiasl2010</a> was the Twitter tag for the conference -- and others in my personal learning network were far more adept at typing up the passing thoughts (special thanks to <a href="http://twitter.com/#%21/staceyt">Stacey Taylor</a>, <a href="http://twitter.com/#%21/marita_t">Marita Thomson</a>, and <a href="http://twitter.com/#%21/CraftyLibrarian">Jessica Jorna </a>for their quick minds and fingers. You allowed me to concentrate on my own more expansive note-taking.)<br />
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The whole conference was a community experience, with an overlapping of school librarians, international school librarians, IBO school librarians, and academics.</div>
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In line with the same "building communities" theme, Barb Philip, the junior school teacher-librarian at Tanglin Trust School here in Singapore, and I did a presentation on "<a href="http://kidsglobalread.com/">Building Internationally Literate Communities</a>", based on our library network's efforts to expand the reading experiences of our students.</div>
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More blog posts re learning and connections made at the conference to follow...</div>
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Katie Dayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01460127537263147529noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15747412.post-32323388998558248172010-01-04T14:41:00.084+08:002014-12-01T22:37:44.608+08:00It's Storytelling, Stupid!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<a href="http://beyond-school.org/">Clay</a> doesn't stop. Luckily the blog entry he just wrote -- <a href="http://beyond-school.org/2010/01/04/you-suck-at-photoshop-paragon-of-creative-project-based-learning/">“You Suck at Photoshop”: Paragon of Creative Project-Based Learning</a> -- fits in perfectly with where I want to continue from <a href="http://libedge.blogspot.com/2010/01/teachers-meaningful-connections-mindful.html">my last post</a> (which was spurred by a previous post of his: <a href="http://beyond-school.org/2009/12/29/barbarians-with-laptops-an-unreasonable-fear">Barbarians with Laptops</a>).<br />
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">It's about the importance of narrative in the teaching/learning process. </span><br />
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Okay, <a href="http://www.mydamnchannel.com/You_Suck_at_Photoshop/Season_1/YouSuckAtPhotoshop1DistortWarpandLayerEffects_1373.aspx">You Suck at Photoshop</a> isn't "a grand narrative" (one of the three essential elements of teaching according to Michael Wesch (see my <a href="http://libedge.blogspot.com/2010/01/teachers-meaningful-connections-mindful.html">previous post</a>)). But the format could be used to help convey one, incorporating "disciplinary knowledge" into a funny story with a good hook. And Clay showed us an example of a teacher, Lynn Hunt of UCLA -- a "sage on the stage" -- presenting a compelling introduction to the Enlightenment -- by telling us a good story. It's "chalk and talk" but effective. (See his blog post: <a href="http://beyond-school.org/2009/12/31/new-tech-teaching-habits/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+cburell+%28Beyond+School%29&utm_content=Google+Reader">New Tech Teaching Habits</a>.)<br />
<br />
The power of storytelling is often lost in the <a href="http://www.ohio.com/news/80155607.html">ongoing debates</a> over:<br />
<ul>
<li>teacher-centered vs. student-centered learning</li>
<li>content vs. process focus</li>
<li>traditional vs. progressive</li>
<li>"sage on the stage" vs. "guide on the side"</li>
<li>disciplinary knowledge vs. 21st century skills</li>
</ul>
Two theorists who consider storytelling at the constant heart of intelligence and teaching and learning are <span style="font-weight: bold;">Roger Schank</span> and <span style="font-weight: bold;">Kieran Egan</span>. Both have been around for a long time and are still producing work, e.g., see:<br />
<ul>
<li>Kieran Egan's 2009 book, <a href="http://www.educ.sfu.ca/kegan/FutureEd.html">The Future of Education</a> - as well as <a href="http://www.ierg.net/LiD/">Learning in Depth: A simple innovation that can transform schooling</a>, due out from the University of Chicago Press in 2010;</li>
<li>Roger Schank's upcoming book, <span style="font-weight: bold;">Cognition! Teaching Kids to Think</span> (see <a href="http://www.rogerschank.com/docs/RogerSchankBookPreview.pdf">the first four chapters</a> he's made available on his website)</li>
</ul>
-- and both deserve wider audiences, if only as interesting voices from the margins to test your own ideas against.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 180%;"><span style="font-family: times new roman;">Roger Schank</span></span><br />
<br />
The best historical introduction to <a href="http://www.rogerschank.com/">Roger Schank</a> is probably <a href="http://www.edge.org/3rd_culture/bios/schank.html">via the Edge.org website</a>. You might read his article <a href="http://www.edge.org/documents/ThirdCulture/q-Ch.9.html">"Information is Surprises"</a> (1995). Especially note the comments by other people at the end -- re him, not that article. I particularly like this one:<br />
<blockquote style="font-family: arial;">
<span style="font-size: 85%;"><b>W. Daniel Hillis:</b> The Roger Schank I knew was a thorn in everybody's side — constructively so. The interesting thing about Roger Schank, something he shares with Minsky, is the fact that he's produced an incredible string of students. Anybody who's produced such a great string of students has to be a constructive pain in the ass. He's always taken an adversarial stance in his theories. He doesn't just say, "Here's my theory." He says, "Here's why I'm right and everybody else is an idiot." He's often right.</span></blockquote>
Okay, now that you're primed for someone quite opinionated <span style="font-size: 85%;">(I like that phrase: "a constructive pain the ass"...)</span>, go watch this Jan 2009 video, filmed in Barcelona where he is helping to open a new <a href="http://www.socraticarts.com/beslasalle/courses-lsci.html">Institute for the Learning Sciences</a> (as part of their Business Engineering program*) -- based on a <span style="font-weight: bold;">Story-Centered Curriculum</span>. He goes through everything wrong with existing schools and describes his ideal school:<br />
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<br />
In summary: <span style="font-weight: bold;">"Every curriculum should tell a story... and the story should be one that tells what the life of the future practitioner is like (and it should involve lots of practice)."</span> As he says, teaching doesn't mean talking -- people aren't good at listening -- we listen to be entertained, not to learn. Learning happens as a result of being hooked by good stories -- and by practicing goal-based scenarios that are fun or obviously useful.<br />
<br />
Here are my notes on Roger Schank's 1999 book, <a href="http://books.google.com.sg/books?id=3fah9UGzVJ8C&dq=Roger+C+Schank&printsec=frontcover&source=an&hl=en&ei=GdhBS8D2I46gkQWo5ZXsCA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=9&ved=0CCYQ6AEwCA#v=onepage&q=&f=false">Tell Me a Story: Narrative and Intelligence</a>, a thought-provoking read for teacher-librarians as it's about stories, learning, and information retrieval (out of the brain, not the internet) --and so relates to fiction, non-fiction, and tagging/cataloging. <span style="font-size: 85%;"> (<a href="http://books.google.com.sg/books?id=3fah9UGzVJ8C&dq=Roger+C+Schank&printsec=frontcover&source=an&hl=en&ei=GdhBS8D2I46gkQWo5ZXsCA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=9&ved=0CCYQ6AEwCA#v=onepage&q=&f=false">Google Books</a> makes a lot of the book available online, as well as the foreword by the literary critic Gary Saul Morson.)</span><br />
<blockquote>
<span style="color: #6600cc;">Teaching is the right story at the right time.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #6600cc;">Good stories with lots of information allow listeners to derive their own conclusions.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #6600cc;">We do not remember a whole story, but only the gist, indexed in different ways.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #6600cc;">Listening is hard -- stories usually just trigger stories back and forth -- how does new learning occur?</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #6600cc;">Creativity is the adaptation of old stories to new purposes -- it arises not from the void, but from the drawer. And the drawer is only full by virtue of intelligent indexing over time -- the collecting of lots of stories in the brain. Understanding is the process of index extraction -- figuring out what story to tell.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #6600cc;"> Find an anomaly -- ask a question -- get a story. Anomalies are when we don't know the answer. When we have no story to tell, we look for one -- by asking ourselves questions. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #6600cc;">Curiosity is about recognizing anomalies and having the ability to take pleasure in exploring them, which leads us to the value of the search process itself and to prefer answers that lead to ever more questions.</span></blockquote>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5fYb_14iqeRYDmuyFlYX3At3p9992foYOxZIW4gThHp7atlxw9k011NuFA4GUE1NWPZlyZTDInNuHyeJPe7K7hORwkJBOT7brKosneCtyZfNsXkSM72SCMsg1lcDPQPLH4KDoSQ/s1600-h/credited_3761163015_f100465d45.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5fYb_14iqeRYDmuyFlYX3At3p9992foYOxZIW4gThHp7atlxw9k011NuFA4GUE1NWPZlyZTDInNuHyeJPe7K7hORwkJBOT7brKosneCtyZfNsXkSM72SCMsg1lcDPQPLH4KDoSQ/s320/credited_3761163015_f100465d45.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423262399000783858" style="cursor: pointer; float: right; height: 230px; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; width: 230px;" /></a>Or as Schank says on page 231: <span style="color: #6600cc; font-weight: bold;">"Learning to explain phenomena such that one continues to be fascinated by the failure of one's explanations creates a continuing cycle of thinking that is the crux of intelligence."</span><br />
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Re the failure to listen to failure, see this recent Wired article - <a href="http://www.wired.com/magazine/2009/12/fail_accept_defeat/all/1">Accept Defeat: The Neuroscience of Screwing Up</a>. The importance of having a broad input of stories -- and a broad audience -- is highlighted:<br />
<blockquote style="font-family: arial;">
<span style="font-family: arial;">When Dunbar reviewed the transcripts of the meeting, he found that </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: bold;">the intellectual mix generated a distinct type of interaction</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> in which </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: bold;">the scientists were forced to rely on metaphors and analogies to express themselves</span><span style="font-family: arial;">. (That’s because, unlike the </span><i style="font-family: arial;">E. coli</i><span style="font-family: arial;"> group, the second lab lacked a specialized language that everyone could understand.) These abstractions proved essential for problem-solving, as they encouraged the scientists to reconsider their assumptions. </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: bold;">Having to explain the problem to someone else forced them to think, if only for a moment, like an intellectual on the margins, filled with self-skepticism</span><span style="font-family: arial;">.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 85%;"><span style="font-family: arial;">[</span></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 85%; font-weight: bold;">bold</span><span style="font-size: 85%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> added]</span></span></blockquote>
This is similar to something a former PhD student said about what he learned from Schank (quoted by Schank in his <a href="http://www.rogerschank.com/docs/RogerSchankBookPreview.pdf">four-chapter preview</a> of his upcoming book:<br />
<blockquote style="font-family: arial;">
You taught me that often our theories get so complex that it takes a specialist with years of training to understand them. When we get our theories this distant from everyday life and everyday people, it is awkward explaining what we do when in conversation with our family, friends, the press, and even upper level executives, etc. <span style="font-weight: bold;">You taught me to test to see if what you are doing matters and is of interest to the everyday person seeking distraction and some entertainment, but not entirely brain dead, with some curiosity left about life and what others think.</span></blockquote>
In other words, can you make an interesting story out of it?<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 180%;">Kieran Egan</span><br />
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<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9JtJ8YZBwyAhyje5jm0t8vAXCoWOcJKPS1M7aH6BhzjA5vbHLw_YaURS0q0TiCMbQZqcL8wb3rNBdV9yYYn5AF4HqYtrmLhf-_zopexJNo42bip3pO7hPHwocFyc7p2tsizQaKQ/s1600-h/credited_306073299_5cce8175aa.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9JtJ8YZBwyAhyje5jm0t8vAXCoWOcJKPS1M7aH6BhzjA5vbHLw_YaURS0q0TiCMbQZqcL8wb3rNBdV9yYYn5AF4HqYtrmLhf-_zopexJNo42bip3pO7hPHwocFyc7p2tsizQaKQ/s320/credited_306073299_5cce8175aa.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423261630755555186" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 320px; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 213px;" /></a><a href="http://www.educ.sfu.ca/kegan/">Kieran Egan</a> argues that students have access to plenty of information - the problem is getting it into them and getting it to mean anything to them. Knowledge exists only in people, in living tissue in our bodies; what exists in libraries and computers are only codes or externally stored symbolic material.<br />
<br /></div>
This is where powerful stories and metaphors come in -- as tools to engage students' imagination and emotions in learning about the world.<br />
<br />
Egan insists that students' imaginations can only work with what they know, so a great deal of content knowledge is required. He's an advocate of students becoming experts, e.g., by studying one topic throughout their whole school career (in addition to the usual curriculum). (See his new <a href="http://www.ierg.net/LiD/">Learning in Depth</a> project.)<br />
<br />
Storytelling fits into Egan's larger framework of cognitive tools and theory of <a href="http://www.ierg.net/">Imaginative Education</a>. These cognitive tools are the things that enable our brains to do cultural work -- and he likens to operating systems or programs in the brain, forms of which are running at all times in varying degrees at all ages: the <span style="font-weight: bold;">Somatic</span> (the body & its senses), the <span style="font-weight: bold;">Mythic</span> (oral language), the <span style="font-weight: bold;">Romantic</span> (reading and writing), the <span style="font-weight: bold;">Philosophic</span> (the meta-narrative of systems in the world), and the <span style="font-weight: bold;">Ironic</span> (multiple perspectives in the mind at one time).<br />
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<span style="font-size: 85%;">For more details on Egan's framework, see <a href="http://www.educ.sfu.ca/kegan/EdMind.html">The Educated Mind: how cognitive tools shape our understanding</a> (1997); for a more practical guide to his storytelling ideas for younger students, see his <a href="http://www.educ.sfu.ca/kegan/TaST.html">Teaching as Storytelling: an alternative approach to teaching and curriculum in the elementary school</a> (1986).</span><br />
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Egan defines education as "the process in which we maximize the tool kit we individually take from the external storehouse of culture." For me, libraries (whether physical or virtual) are primary portals to that cultural storehouse. (As they say, knowledge is free at the library -- bring your own container.) And librarians are there with embodied knowledge to help people find the right story at the right time.<br />
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<span style="font-size: 180%;">More on Storytelling and Metaphors</span><br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vivian_Paley">Vivian Gussin Paley</a> and her books are all about storytelling with young children -- and how <a href="http://www.script.lu/documentation/archiv/decoprim/paley.htm">story and play are inextricable in the learning process</a> (which will be the topic of my next post -- stories, serious play and disciplinary knowledge)</li>
</ul>
These next ones are NOT specifically re education and you probably know most of them, but they're some of my favorite examples of storytelling and metaphors.<br />
<ul>
<li>TED talks that exemplify a great story: <a href="http://www.ted.com/talks/sherwin_nuland_on_electroshock_therapy.html">Sherwin Nuland on electroshock therapy</a> and <a href="http://www.ted.com/talks/jill_bolte_taylor_s_powerful_stroke_of_insight.html">Jill Bolte Taylor's stroke of insight</a> -- and a TED talk that gives a great example of being taught how to tell a story at a young age: <a href="http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/doris_kearns_goodwin_on_learning_from_past_presidents.html">Doris Kearns Goodwin</a></li>
<li><a href="http://blip.tv/file/470585">Randy Pausch's Last Lecture: on achieving your childhood dreams</a></li>
<li><a href="http://postsecret.blogspot.com/">PostSecret -</a> each postcard is the tip of an iceberg of a story - (I can't help but think some were created as an exercise by a budding novelist...)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.themoth.org/podcast">The Moth podcasts</a> -- true stories told live on stage with no notes or props</li>
<li>Two connected books: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exercises_in_Style" style="font-weight: bold;"> Exercises in Style</a> (1947) by Raymond Queneau, and its modern counterpart: <a href="http://www.exercisesinstyle.com/"><span style="font-weight: bold;">99 Ways to Tell a Story</span> (2005) by Matt Madden</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.ted.com/talks/james_geary_metaphorically_speaking.html">TED talk: James Geary, metaphorically speaking</a></li>
<li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Lakoff">George Lakoff</a> is the expert on metaphors as far as I'm concerned - his <a href="http://theliterarylink.com/metaphors.html">Metaphors We Live By</a> (1980) (co-authored with Mark Johnson) is the place to start, but don't stop there....</li>
<li>Speaking of metaphors, I can't help but throw in Stephen Colbert and Sean Penn on April 19, 2007 competing in the <a href="http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/85568/april-19-2007/meta-free-phor-all--shall-i-nail-thee-to-a-summer-s-day-">Meta-Free-Phor-All: Shall I Nail Thee to a Summer's Day?</a><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background-color: whitesmoke; color: #333333; font-family: arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; height: 353px; line-height: normal;"><tbody>
<tr style="background-color: #e5e5e5;" valign="middle"><td style="padding: 2px 1px 0px 5px;"><a href="http://www.colbertnation.com/" style="color: #333333; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">The Colbert Report</a></td><td style="font-weight: bold; padding: 2px 5px 0px; text-align: right;">Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 14px;" valign="middle"><td colspan="2" style="padding: 2px 1px 0px 5px;"><a href="http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/85568/april-19-2007/meta-free-phor-all--shall-i-nail-thee-to-a-summer-s-day-" style="color: #333333; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Meta-Free-Phor-All: Shall I Nail Thee to a Summer's Day?</a></td></tr>
<tr style="background-color: #353535; height: 14px;" valign="middle"><td colspan="2" style="overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 5px 0px; text-align: right; width: 360px;"><a href="http://www.colbertnation.com/" style="color: #96deff; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">www.colbertnation.com</a></td></tr>
<tr valign="middle"><td colspan="2" style="padding: 0px;"><embed allowfullscreen="true" allownetworking="all" allowscriptaccess="always" bgcolor="#000000" flashvars="autoPlay=false" height="301" src="http://media.mtvnservices.com/mgid:cms:item:comedycentral.com:85568" style="display: block;" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="360" wmode="window"></embed></td></tr>
<tr style="height: 18px;" valign="middle"><td colspan="2" style="padding: 0px;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="height: 100%px; margin: 0px; text-align: center; width: 100%px;"><tbody>
<tr valign="middle"><td style="padding: 3px; width: 33%;"><a href="http://www.comedycentral.com/colbertreport/full-episodes" style="color: #333333; font-family: arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 10px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Colbert Report Full Episodes</a></td><td style="padding: 3px; width: 33%;"><a href="http://www.indecisionforever.com/" style="color: #333333; font-family: arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 10px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Political Humor</a></td><td style="padding: 3px; width: 33%;"><a href="http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/258566/december-15-2009/prescott-financial-sells-gold--women---sheep" style="color: #333333; font-family: arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 10px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Economy</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</li>
<li>Last but not least, the metaphor I use to introduce information overload and the need for smart searching on the internet:<br /><br /><a href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3052/2595497078_4f6d5367bc.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3052/2595497078_4f6d5367bc.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; height: 344px; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 500px;" /></a><br /><span style="font-size: 85%;">Image via <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/will-lion/2595497078/">Will Lion</a> on Flickr</span></li>
</ul>
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<br />
<span style="font-size: 85%;">* re business schools, there's <a href="http://roomfordebate.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/01/03/are-they-students-or-customers/?8ty&emc=ty">a debate in the NYTimes re the appropriate metaphor for how universities (especially business schools) treat students</a> - as customers? as products? For a really unusual business school - one that is living 21st century skills, check out <a href="http://kday.tumblr.com/post/218905269/kaospilot-a-school-for-social-entrepreneurs-and">KaosPilot</a>.<br /><br />And for an example of graduate schools looking for applicants with creative storytelling capabilities -- or at least competency in metaphors, see this NYTimes slideshow of images meant to prompt applicants' admission essays: <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2009/11/01/education/edlife/01Visuals-ss_index.html?ref=edlife">What Do <span style="font-style: italic;">You</span> See?</a><br /><br /></span></div>
Katie Dayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01460127537263147529noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15747412.post-6498240808041868712010-01-03T13:38:00.067+08:002014-12-01T22:38:25.332+08:00Teachers, Meaningful Connections, & Mindful Information Consumption<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://beyond-school.org/">Clay Burell</a> has been on a writing binge over the holiday -- and there have been long conversations in the comments of several posts, which, as Clay put it, have been the equivalent of college-level credit in terms of professional development. NB: Some of my contributions are re-formatted and expanded below.<br />
<br />
First of all, see the original <a href="http://beyond-school.org/">Beyond School</a> blog posts (among others):<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://beyond-school.org/2009/12/29/barbarians-with-laptops-an-unreasonable-fear">Barbarians with Laptops: An Unreasonable Fear?</a></li>
<li><a href="http://beyond-school.org/2009/12/25/on-using-technology-without-understanding-it">On Using Technology Without Understanding It</a></li>
<li><a href="http://beyond-school.org/2009/12/15/why-academic-excellence-no-longer-cuts-it-today">Why “Academic Excellence” No Longer Cuts It Today</a></li>
<li><a href="http://beyond-school.org/2009/12/27/videos-mental-poverty-collaboration-recession-skills-101/">Videos: Mental Poverty, Collaboration, “Recession Skills 101″</a></li>
</ul>
Clay expressed his fear that we are producing <a href="http://beyond-school.org/2009/12/29/barbarians-with-laptops-an-unreasonable-fear">barbarians with laptops</a> and challenged people to to provide good examples of learning that effectively enhanced content and the development of important skills -- and many did. (Check out the responses of Roberto Greco, Monika Hardy, Neil Stephenson, Hellen Harding, et al.)<br />
<br />
I cited <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J4yApagnr0s">Michael Wesch's philosophy of teaching outlined in a video</a> in 2008 as my guiding light.<br />
<br />
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<br />
In summary, to create students who make meaningful connections we need to<br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-weight: bold;">find a grand narrative and provide context and relevance</span> (i.e., semantic meaning);</li>
<li><span style="font-weight: bold;">create a learning environment that values and leverages learners themselves</span> (i.e., personal meaning); and</li>
<li style="font-weight: bold;">do both in a way that realizes and leverages the existing media environment</li>
</ul>
Technology isn’t an end in itself -- it’s about leverage in the service of meaningful connections. So if it doesn't enhance the learning in the classroom and it's not authentic participation in the existing media environment (read: busywork), you shouldn't feel obliged to use it.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Cliff Stoll </span>is someone who comes down squarely against computers in the classroom. See his 1999 book, <a href="http://bit.ly/8xgxcB">High-Tech Heretic: Why Computers Don't Belong in the Classroom and Other Reflections by a Computer Contrarian</a> -- as well as <a href="http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/clifford_stoll_on_everything.html">his Feb. 2006 TED talk</a> (which provides an excellent preview of how he would perform as a teacher in a classroom).<br />
<br />
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<br />
(And if you want an example of what it means to be a ruthless and natural inquirer, read his 1989 book <a href="http://books.google.com.sg/books?id=cGNEJFUKR6sC&q=cliff+stoll+cuckoo%27s+egg&dq=cliff+stoll+cuckoo%27s+egg&client=firefox-a&cd=1">The Cuckoo's Egg: tracking a spy through the maze of computer espionage</a> .)<br />
<br />
Here he is talking about computers in classrooms -- from <a href="http://www.educationworld.com/a_issues/chat/chat018.shtml">an interview in 2000</a>:<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;"></span><br />
<blockquote style="font-family: lucida grande;">
<span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: bold;">Stoll</span><span style="font-family: arial;">: The one thing that computers do extraordinarily well is bring information to kids. Computers give kids access to vast amounts of information.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: bold;">EW</span><span style="font-family: arial;">: Don't computers have a place in the classroom, then, if merely as a source of information?</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: bold;">Stoll</span><span style="font-family: arial;">: Is a lack of information a problem in schools? I've never once had a teacher say to me "I don't have enough information." Teachers say they don't have enough time. The problem in classrooms is not a lack of information. It's too much information.</span> <span style="font-family: arial;">......</span><span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: bold;"><br /><br />Stoll</span><span style="font-family: arial;">: ... The problem is that the use of computers subtracts from the student-to-teacher contact hours. It directs attention away from the student-teacher relationship and directs it toward the student-computer relationship. It teaches students to focus on getting information rather than on exploring and creating. Which is more interactive -- a student and a teacher or a student and a computer? ...</span></blockquote>
<br />
Re the love inherent in classroom teaching and the importance of time with a teacher (technology aside), I can't help but re-recommend a commencement address by <span style="font-weight: bold;">Margaret Edson, teacher and playwright</span>. <a href="http://libedge.blogspot.com/2008/07/actual-not-virtual-or-love-ideally.html">There's a link in this blog post</a> (skip the first 3 min of her talk and get to the heart of it).<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3577/3381749342_4eff244243.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3577/3381749342_4eff244243.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 215px; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 192px;" /></a><a href="http://www.spiegel.de/international/zeitgeist/0,1518,659577-2,00.html"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Umberto Eco in this interview</span></a> also brings up the problem of too much information, but sees the teacher (in the role of master to apprentices) as instrumental in dealing with it.<br />
<blockquote style="font-family: lucida grande;">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Eco</span>: ... These [Google] lists can be dangerous -- not for old people like me, who have acquired their knowledge in another way, but for young people, for whom Google is a tragedy. Schools ought to teach the high art of how to be discriminating.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">SPIEGEL</span>: Are you saying that teachers should instruct students on the difference between good and bad? If so, how should they do that?<br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Eco</span>: Education should return to the way it was in the workshops of the Renaissance. There, the masters may not necessarily have been able to explain to their students why a painting was good in theoretical terms, but they did so in more practical ways. Look, this is what your finger can look like, and this is what it has to look like. Look, this is a good mixing of colors. The same approach should be used in school when dealing with the Internet. The teacher should say: "Choose any old subject, whether it be German history or the life of ants. Search 25 different Web pages and, by comparing them, try to figure out which one has good information." If 10 pages describe the same thing, it can be a sign that the information printed there is correct. But it can also be a sign that some sites merely copied the others' mistakes.</blockquote>
Last year Clay Shirky pointed out <a href="http://web2expo.blip.tv/file/1277460">It's Not Information Overload, It's Filter Failure</a>.<br />
<br />
In that light, Umberto Eco is proposing teachers as human filters** for disciplinary knowledge and practices, teaching students to discriminate.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.edge.org/" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://www.edge.org/images/edge.gif" style="cursor: pointer; float: right; height: 73px; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; width: 144px;" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Frank Schirrmacher</span> recognizes this same need to question what we're consuming in the way of information.<br />
<br />
He talks about humans as ''informavores" in this video/transcript: <a href="http://www.edge.org/3rd_culture/schirrmacher09/schirrmacher09_index.html">Edge In Frankfurt: THE AGE OF THE INFORMAVORE— A Talk with Frank Schirrmacher</a>.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 85%;"></span><br />
<blockquote style="font-family: lucida grande;">
<span style="font-family: lucida grande; font-size: 100%;">I think it's very interesting, the concept — again, Daniel Dennett and others said it — the concept of the informavores, the human being as somebody eating information. So you can, in a way, see that the Internet and that the information overload we are faced with at this very moment has a lot to do with food chains, has a lot to do with food you take or not to take, with food which has many calories and doesn't do you any good, and with food that is very healthy and is good for you. ....<br /></span><span style="font-family: lucida grande; font-size: 100%;">As we know, information is fed by attention, so we have not enough attention, not enough food for all this information. And, as we know — this is the old Darwinian thought, the moment when Darwin started reading Malthus — when you have a conflict between a population explosion and not enough food, then Darwinian selection starts. And Darwinian systems start to change situations. And so what interests me is that we are, because we have the Internet, now entering a phase where Darwinian structures, where Darwinian dynamics, Darwinian selection, apparently attacks ideas themselves: what to remember, what not to remember, which idea is stronger, which idea is weaker.<br /></span><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-family: lucida grande;">It's the question: what is important, what is not important, what is important to know? Is this information important? Can we still decide what is important? And it starts with this absolutely normal, everyday news.</span><br /></span></blockquote>
Having introduced the metaphor of information as food, I can't help but end with a link to one of the essays David Brooks gave a <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/29/opinion/29brooks.html?th&emc=th" target="_blank">2009 Sidney (best essay) award</a> to:<br />
<br />
<a class="link" href="http://www.hoover.org/publications/policyreview/38245724.html" target="_blank">Is Food the New Sex? - Mary Eberhardt - Hoover Institution - Policy Review</a> <br />
Try reading it, substituting the word "<span style="font-weight: bold;">information</span>" for "<span style="font-weight: bold;">food</span>" or "<span style="font-weight: bold;">sex</span>".... <br />
<blockquote>
<div style="font-family: lucida grande;">
These disciplines imposed historically on access to food and sex now raise a question that has not come up before, probably because it was not even possible to imagine it until the lifetimes of the people reading this: <span style="font-weight: bold;">What happens when, for the first time in history — at least in theory, and at least in the advanced nations — adult human beings are more or less free to have all the sex and food they want?</span> </div>
<div face="lucida grande" style="font-family: lucida grande;">
This question opens the door to a real paradox. For given how closely connected the two appetites appear to be, it would be natural to expect that people would do the same kinds of things with both appetites — that they would pursue both with equal ardor when finally allowed to do so, for example, or with equal abandon for consequence; or conversely, with similar degrees of discipline in the consumption of each. </div>
<div style="font-family: lucida grande;">
<span style="font-family: lucida grande;">In fact, though, evidence from the advanced West suggests that nearly the opposite seems to be true. The answer appears to be that when many people are faced with these possibilities for the very first time, they end up doing very different things — </span><span style="font-family: lucida grande; font-weight: bold;">things we might signal by shorthand as mindful eating, and mindless sex.</span><span style="font-family: lucida grande;"> This essay is both an exploration of that curious dynamic, and a speculation about what is driving it.</span></div>
[<span style="font-weight: bold;">bold</span> added]</blockquote>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHXLjI4NXI8IWcWtgrSDVaLYwF9ZoPmLa7VCvo0_HNWocVljQULzjhpKP7Y_T1OsLrtDXR2fUjvbVsQFyIipUQo3UZrwOmMxwyuc1Nu57n_afsJyWX6I08iCibaacGNqQfqgnv-A/s1600-h/Screen+shot+2010-01-04+at+AM+10.55.34.png" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHXLjI4NXI8IWcWtgrSDVaLYwF9ZoPmLa7VCvo0_HNWocVljQULzjhpKP7Y_T1OsLrtDXR2fUjvbVsQFyIipUQo3UZrwOmMxwyuc1Nu57n_afsJyWX6I08iCibaacGNqQfqgnv-A/s320/Screen+shot+2010-01-04+at+AM+10.55.34.png" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422715595390056258" style="cursor: pointer; float: right; height: 173px; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; width: 320px;" /></a><br />
Here we are, for the first time in history with all the information we want. It's the "Informavore's Dilemma" ***. Now we just need to develop the discipline for <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">mindful information consumption</span>.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 85%;">** Social bookmarking is a form of discriminating filtering and <a href="http://delicious.com/rgreco">Roberto Greco, with over 17,500 bookmarks on Delicious</a> is one of my richest human filters for reading material. As a librarian, I'm impressed with both his descriptions and his tags.<br /><br />*** I thought I was being clever vis-a-vis <a href="http://www.michaelpollan.com/omnivore.php">Michael Pollan's book "The Omnivore's Dilemma"</a>, but Google tells me <a href="http://www.findability.org/archives/000185.php">findability.org</a> used it first...</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 85%;">p.s. Wherever I've used the word "teacher", I obviously include "librarians". </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 78%;">Image of Umberto Eco via <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/49503096783@N01/3381749342">giveawayboy</a> on Flickr / Image of bento box via <a href="http://www.cowizm.com/tag/japanese/">Cowism</a> / Image of Google log via <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/5021384/Google-celebrates-Eric-Carles-Very-Hungry-Caterpillar.html">the Telegraph UK</a><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></div>
Katie Dayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01460127537263147529noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15747412.post-62202623225084731982009-10-04T10:05:00.080+08:002014-12-01T22:39:00.034+08:0021st C Learning@HK: a team approach<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD7_5ldWtE7SImuVS0Y1VRnWEmPnyYDGEZzP4e6H00zwWhQ2z3ha0gpKp_MROV4Rz3mnBauK_eEg4YhhfKCRnOJv0G0LSYS7-QOEwA0ceQKSCA1avN4Q4zJMN0Wux2wst239XegA/s1600-h/east+idl+american+idol.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD7_5ldWtE7SImuVS0Y1VRnWEmPnyYDGEZzP4e6H00zwWhQ2z3ha0gpKp_MROV4Rz3mnBauK_eEg4YhhfKCRnOJv0G0LSYS7-QOEwA0ceQKSCA1avN4Q4zJMN0Wux2wst239XegA/s400/east+idl+american+idol.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388764378649102178" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 177px; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 258px;" /></a><br />
<a href="http://kerileebeasley.com/" target="_blank">Keri-Lee</a> and I are now <span style="font-weight: bold;">the East IDL team</span>.<br />
<br />
IDL? you ask.<br />
<br />
Take your pick: <span style="font-style: italic;">idol</span>, <span style="font-style: italic;">idyll</span>, <span style="font-style: italic;">idle</span>, or, the correct answer: <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Information & Digital Literacies</span>.<br />
<br />
It's a tag I am more comfortable with than "<span style="font-weight: bold;">21st century</span>" (no matter what you put after it, whether "<a href="http://www.21stcenturyskills.org/" target="_blank">skills</a>" or "<a href="http://sljsummit.ning.com/" target="_blank">learning</a>" or "<a href="http://beijingsummit.info/Beijing_Learning_Summit/Home.html" target="_blank">tools</a>") -- because, as <a href="http://www.utechtips.com/is-the-term-21st-century-out-of-date/" target="_blank">Dennis Harter points out</a>, we're already in the 21st century and will be for the rest of our lives, and the adjective "21st century" (like "Web 2.0") may have instant recognition to those in the educational blogosphere, but induces either alienation or only vague comprehension in others.<br />
<br />
It's understandable to want to stress the <span style="font-style: italic;">new</span> and to avoid focusing on <span style="font-style: italic;">technology</span> alone, but I'm voting for a return to <span style="font-weight: bold;">Information and Digital Literacies</span> as the label for what we are trying to spread and embed in the classrooms, which I think <a href="http://davidwarlick.com/" target="_blank">David Warlick</a> captures in these statements:<br />
<blockquote>
<blockquote>
</blockquote>
<span style="color: #330099;">"As I say again and again, it is not the computers that are impacting us as a society or as individuals. It’s what we can do with information that is changing things."</span> <span style="text-decoration: underline;"></span><a href="http://davidwarlick.com/2cents/?p=1361" target="_blank">(2008)</a></blockquote>
<blockquote>
<span style="color: #330099;">"... embracing tools that give all their student-learners and teacher-learners ubiquitous access to networked, digital, and abundant information — and the capacity to work that information and express discoveries and outcomes compellingly to authentic audiences."</span> <a href="http://davidwarlick.com/2cents/?p=1925" target="_blank">(2009)</a></blockquote>
<span style="color: #003300; font-weight: bold;">Information</span> & <span style="color: #003300; font-weight: bold;">Digital</span> Lite<a href="http://www.iste.org/Content/NavigationMenu/NETS/ForStudents/2007Standards/NETS_for_Students_2007.htm" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" target="_blank"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://www.iste.org/AM/Images/NETS_test/Resized_small_NETSS_graphic_web.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 202px; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 257px;" /></a>racies also nicely combines the main characteristic of our respective subject areas -- me as the Teacher-Librarian and Keri-Lee as the ICT Facilitator.<br />
<br />
What's new this year besides recognition of us as a team?<br />
<br />
One, Keri-Lee is no longer an ICT "teacher" on a release-time, weekly fixed schedule with classes; instead she's a facilitator on a flexi-schedule, collaborating with classroom teachers on different units of inquiry, as I have been.<br />
<br />
Two, we're using the <a href="http://www.iste.org/" target="_blank">ISTE</a> <a href="http://www.iste.org/Content/NavigationMenu/NETS/ForStudents/NETS_for_Students.htm" target="_blank">NETS for Students</a> as our roadmap and are working on a document for our teachers, translating the <a href="http://www.iste.org/Content/NavigationMenu/NETS/ForStudents/2007Standards/NETS-S_2007_Student_Profiles.pdf" target="_blank">NETS Profiles</a> into <a href="http://nets-implementation.iste.wikispaces.net/" target="_blank">possible experiences/scenarios</a> for our students based on our curriculum and taking the <a href="http://www.ibo.org/pyp/curriculum/" target="_blank">IBO PYP</a> Transdisciplinary Skills (Communication, Research, Thinking, Self-Management, and Social) into account. In addition, we're looking at the NETS for <a href="http://www.iste.org/Content/NavigationMenu/NETS/ForTeachers/NETS_for_Teachers.htm" target="_blank">Teachers</a>, <a href="http://www.iste.org/Content/NavigationMenu/NETS/ForAdministrators/NETS_for_Administrators.htm" target="_blank">Administrators</a>, and <a href="http://www.iste.org/Content/NavigationMenu/NETS/ForTechnologyFacilitatorsandLeaders/NCATE_Standards.htm" target="_blank">Technology Facilitators</a>.<br />
<br />
Three, we have some new technology toys, which teachers can book, just like they can book us: a set of <a href="http://store.apple.com/sg/browse/home/shop_ipod/family/ipod_touch?mco=MTIxMTE" target="_blank">iPod Touches</a> and a set of <a href="http://sg.creative.com/products/product.asp?category=833&subcategory=834&product=18108" target="_blank">video cameras</a>.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://21c-learning.hk/" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" target="_blank"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://21c-learning.hk/wp-content/themes/21C-L/images/21cl.gif" style="cursor: pointer; float: right; height: 70px; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; width: 120px;" /></a>In celebration of this shift, Keri-Lee and I attended the <a href="http://21c-learning.hk/" target="_blank">21st Century Learning @ Hong Kong: Extending Tomorrow's Leaders with Digital Learning</a>, held September 17-19, 2009, at <a href="http://www.hkis.edu.hk/" target="_blank">Hong Kong International School (HKIS)</a>.<br />
<br />
With over 500 attendees, many of us from overseas, there was a good mix of teachers (a lot of IT/ICT, but also librarians and others) - and <a href="http://21c-learning.hk/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/full_listing_updated_mon.pdf" target="_blank">the program</a> had plenty to offer.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://sites.google.com/site/digitalgist/" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" target="_blank"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://img.skitch.com/20091004-qr1yx9axfhe3kith2s4wbhmxgh.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 186px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 250px;" /></a>(NB: I presented a workshop with <a href="http://librarybag.info/" target="_blank">Beth Gourley</a>, from the <a href="http://www.istianjin.org/" target="_blank">In</a><a href="http://www.istianjin.org/">ternational School of Tianjin</a>, called<span style="font-size: 100%;"><a href="http://sites.google.com/site/digitalgist/" target="_blank"> <span style="font-weight: bold;">Digital Gist</span>: <span style="font-weight: bold;">Harnessing digital content for learning and the library:</span> an inquiry into texts online in audio, video, and e-book formats</a></span>.)<br />
<br />
<br />
One of the most useful sessions Keri-Lee and I attended, in terms of our goals for our own school, was <span style="font-weight: bold;">Walking the Talk: 21st Century Learning in Curriculum Design and Learning </span>by <a href="email:gcurtis@isb.bj.edu.cn" target="_blank">Greg Curtis</a>, Curriculum Director at the <a href="http://www.isb.bj.edu.cn/" target="_blank">International School of Beijing</a> (ISB).<br />
<br />
He started off with this video (from <a href="http://www.theonion.com/content/index" target="_blank">The Onion</a>) re the "21st century skills" our kids are going to need.<br />
<code><br /><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/VTbYUd1jUc4&hl=en&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/VTbYUd1jUc4&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object></code><br />
Greg stressed that the 21st century movement (yes, they do use the term at ISB) is a learning one, not a technology one -- and therefore needs to be driven by the curriculum unit, not the IT department -- that it's about strategic planning and future visioning, not IT planning. (Read: management buy-in is critical.)<br />
<br />
At ISB they are trying to create a "pull" culture, rather than a "push" one -- to infuse technology into learning experiences and explorations, not force it. A culture where technology is expected to be used and will be drawn in. Never technology for its own sake. Context is everything. It's all about the learning -- always about the learning.<br />
<br />
He walked us through ISB's <span style="font-weight: bold;">Lea</span><a href="https://docs.google.com/fileview?id=0B1n4TTpYaxRPYjY4NGVmYTEtZmIyMC00ODAzLTk4NjYtZDJiZTkzNzM0Yzlj&hl=en" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" target="_blank"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://img.skitch.com/20091004-cpapahahx9i3tjpqi4k96nf972.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 327px; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 368px;" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">rning 21</span> framework -- with <span style="font-weight: bold;">Standards</span> in the center, then moving out a ring to the Learning 21 <span style="font-weight: bold;">Approaches</span>, and then the outer ring of Learning 21 <span style="font-weight: bold;">Skills</span>. (I was pleased to learn they had blended the library and technology standards.)<br />
<br />
All these are incorporated, along with <a href="http://www.ascd.org/research_a_topic/Understanding_by_Design.aspx" target="_blank">Understanding by Design</a> constructs, into their Curriculum Mapping system, which allows them to visually check the spread of assessment tasks and see how the Learn 21 Approaches and Skills are being integrated.<br />
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To implement this program, ISB has initiated an early release afternoon on Wednesdays, providing two hours a week of concentrated staff professional development time.<br />
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What a tremendous commitment to a program and a process. I look forward to following ISB's progress over the next few years.<br />
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<a href="https://docs.google.com/fileview?id=0B1n4TTpYaxRPYjY4NGVmYTEtZmIyMC00ODAzLTk4NjYtZDJiZTkzNzM0Yzlj&hl=en" target="_blank">See Greg's handout</a> - scanned and uploaded to Google Docs<br />
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<a href="https://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AVn4TTpYaxRPZGRoZGg1Y3pfNDI4Y3p0ZGg3Y2c&hl=en" target="_blank">See also my rough notes on his presentation</a> - in Google Docs<br />
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(By the way, I was pleased to see Sharon Vipond, the secondary librarian at HKIS, has posted <a href="http://flatclassroomconference.ning.com/profile/SharonVipond?xg_source=activity" target="_blank">her notes on all the keynote speeches</a> from the conference.)<br />
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It was such a beneficial and collaborative exercise attending the conference together with Keri-Lee -- we were continually bouncing impressions and ideas off each other. We'll see how we get on with our own integrated standards, approaches, and skills initiative -- and our efforts to infuse information and digital literacy into our East campus classrooms.<br />
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And hats off to the conference organizers -- it was a well-executed event and I would definitely attend it again.<br />
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Katie Dayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01460127537263147529noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15747412.post-79312792651661294972009-04-22T11:14:00.085+08:002009-04-27T22:52:13.051+08:0023 Things & Avid Online LearnersBack in early January <a href="http://tipoftheiceberg.edublogs.org/">Keri-Lee Beasley</a>, the ICT teacher, and I started <span style="font-weight: bold;">an optional Web 2.0 professional development initiative for staff</span> at our new little campus (400 students K1 through Grade 4)- copying the very successful and widespread <span style="font-weight: bold;">23 Things</span> movement in libraries (see <a href="http://tametheweb.com/2009/03/31/measuring-the-value-and-effect-of-learning-20-programs-in-libraries/">this background summary</a> and <a href="http://delicious.com/search?context=all&p=23things&lc=1">all these Delicious bookmarks tagged "23things"</a>, if you've never heard of it).<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3619/3458534773_bb4edd9c01.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 416px; height: 311px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3619/3458534773_bb4edd9c01.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Our pre-assessment was an <a href="http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=ceo1r50yPWvOxmbWOWsiAg_3d_3d">online survey</a> asking about our teachers' familiarity -- either <span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 0); font-weight: bold;">Never heard of</span> / <span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 0); font-weight: bold;">Have heard of</span> / <span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 0); font-weight: bold;">Have used</span> / or <span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 0); font-weight: bold;">Use regularly</span> -- with a wide range of "things" like social bookmarking, blogs, wikis, RSS, Twitter, photo sharing, screen capture tools, podcasts, avatars, Skype, Google Docs, etc. (as well as some software the school subscribes to -- like StudyWiz, Atomic Learning, United Streaming, etc.).<br /><br /><a href="http://connectingeast.pbwiki.com/Original%C2%A0Survey%C2%A0East%C2%A0Campus+-+Teachers">The results</a> were quite revealing, especially as we had little knowledge of the existing digital literacy of our staff, this being the first year of a start-up school. (Note: <a href="http://connectingeast.pbwiki.com/Original-Survey-Dover-Campus">the results for our counterparts</a> at the other campus were similarly interesting.)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://connectingeast.pbwiki.com/Original%C2%A0Survey%C2%A0East%C2%A0Campus+-+Teachers"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 161px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfo3z1tV-hw_zdc2V09vCX_lR0l8Ev0i0M3p0jHYP4sTkFycbFw1fOLHjxn5kDoauWkmOTTd9QibXfvpls7mOQzm1QstKZp1dcxhwjLZ0WPlIXDT1RkDC9sXuHVfKcwEjoj_HWvw/s400/temp+survey+cropped.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327766411634167746" border="0" /></a><br />Our goal was to increase awareness of what's available online to improve teachers' personal/professional productivity and enhance their teaching. We could only tempt people to try new things -- hopefully stretching/scaffolding them to increase their ability to take more responsibility for their own Web n.0 learning. (It would be a bit ambitious to say we were aiming for the <a href="http://www.iste.org/Content/NavigationMenu/NETS/ForTeachers/2008Standards/NETS_for_Teachers_2008.htm">ISTE Educational Technology Standards for Teachers</a>.)<br /><br />I have never liked the <a href="http://www.marcprensky.com/blog/archives/000045.html">digital native vs. digital immigrant</a> distinction, as it privileges the accident of birth -- and I don't think age is the critical factor. <span style="font-weight: bold;">Digital tourists vs. digital residents</span> would be more appropriate. However, as a librarian I prefer a comparison with how people become an avid reader.<br /><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/27/97545219_3f4e8eaaaa.jpg?v=0"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 273px; height: 216px;" src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/27/97545219_3f4e8eaaaa.jpg?v=0" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">The "Magic Bullet" theory of reading</span> says the right book at the right time can turn a non-reader into a lifelong reader. Sometimes all it takes is a strong recommendation or taste of a genre to become smitten.<br /></p><p>Becoming an avid online learner is similar. For some people it happens quite easily, while others are still waiting for the "Magic Bullet" -- the right tool at the right time -- in order to understand the power of the experience. So, in selecting "things" (or Web 2.0 genres) for our Connecting East initiative and recommending examples to have a look at, Keri-Lee and I were hoping to expose our teachers to potential "Magic Bullets".</p>A recent <a href="http://innovateonline.info/index.php?view=article">article in Innovate</a> identifies the progression of a 21st century online learner as first <span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;">to link</span>, then <span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;">to lurk</span>, and then <span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;">to lunge</span>. In deciding what we could -- and should -- cover in 10 assignments, Keri-Lee and I basically set out a similar path for our participants while offering four levels of differentiation: <span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 0); font-weight: bold;">Novice </span>/ <span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 0); font-weight: bold;">Apprentice </span>/ <span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 0); font-weight: bold;">Practitioner </span>/ <span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 0); font-weight: bold;">Expert</span><br /><br />For example, we began with <a href="http://connectingeast.pbwiki.com/social-bookmarking"><span style="font-weight: bold;">social bookmarking</span></a> (i.e., linking), as 44% of our target audience had never heard of sites like <a href="http://delicious.com/">Delicious </a>and <a href="http://www.diigo.com/">Diigo</a>. Later we suggested <a href="http://connectingeast.pbwiki.com/blogs">blogs to read</a> (i.e., lurking) and ways to <a href="http://connectingeast.pbwiki.com/professional-development-tools">collect their own personal learning online</a> (i.e., lunging). Other assignments included more prosaic skills, like manipulating/creating images and using interactive whiteboards. See <a href="http://connectingeast.pbwiki.com/">our Connecting East wiki</a> for an overview. (NB: The links in red on the wiki sidebar also show what we <span style="font-style: italic;">didn</span>'t manage to fit in or get around to.)<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://connectingeast.pbwiki.com/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 75px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiINJxqYXVD39_dSj5YVhfzLDOygeg4VBJuMXs-uo6qIjqytzzxELG0tfjektQKE4ie3ZSdh9Cx9-pO94Ld1T3i-fzqQZaiXLyTIcAXxyuCwI1p1_f1aKz4JZoMAYhLooUfWquayg/s400/cropped-connecting-east-banner-final.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327363625474854322" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 0); font-weight: bold;">E-mail</span> was used to announce a new topic, introduced via a <a href="http://connectingeast.edublogs.org/">Connecting East <span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 0); font-weight: bold;">blog</span></a> posting, with task details described on a <a href="http://connectingeast.pbwiki.com/">Connecting East <span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 0); font-weight: bold;">wiki</span></a><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 0);"> </span>page -- plus weekly face-to-face time on <span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 0); font-weight: bold;">"Fruity Fridays"</span> where we were available before school in the joint library/ICT lab to answer questions, with breakfast fruit on offer as an incentive.<br /><br />It's not over yet -- the last assignment goes out today -- a reflective exercise, of which this blog post is part. Participants then have until early June to complete all tasks to qualify for a prize draw of an iPod, wine, or books.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1344/1346068786_74135cafe5.jpg?v=0"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 182px; height: 122px;" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1344/1346068786_74135cafe5.jpg?v=0" alt="" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3135/2386039669_c0b8b29150.jpg?v=0"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 104px; height: 132px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3135/2386039669_c0b8b29150.jpg?v=0" alt="" border="0" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3086/3087600034_46f98e6b55.jpg?v=1228590666"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 90px; height: 131px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3086/3087600034_46f98e6b55.jpg?v=1228590666" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />But has it been worthwhile? Yes, definitely -- at least for me and Keri-Lee. In fact, it's been a good example of <span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 0, 153);">meaningful work</span>, which <a href="http://www.gladwell.com/">Malcolm Gladwell</a> in <a href="http://www.gladwell.com/outliers/index.html">Outliers</a> defines by the qualities of <span style="font-weight: bold;">autonomy</span>, <span style="font-weight: bold;">complexity</span>, and <span style="font-weight: bold;">a connection between effort and reward</span>. It's also been a case of <span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 0, 153);">collaborative fun</span> -- for which my role model is <a href="http://www.ted.com/index.php/speakers/dan_ariely.html">Dan Ariely</a>; I just read his book <a href="http://www.predictablyirrational.com/">Predictably Irrational</a> and I was struck by how many colleagues he regularly collaborates with in setting up his quirky experiments in behavioral economics. Keri-Lee and I put just as much time and thought into setting up the Connecting East experiences for our colleagues and analyzing the results -- and had (almost) as much fun as Ariely and his friends.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3279/2901389906_7a346600f1.jpg?v=1222777670"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 345px; height: 289px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3279/2901389906_7a346600f1.jpg?v=1222777670" alt="" border="0" /></a>If our own learning has been the greatest reward so far, it's less certain how much others have gained. We have seen definite glimmers, but the uptake hasn't been as high as we, of course, would like.<br /><br />Which reminds me of the advice:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center; color: rgb(204, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;">Don't water rocks...<br /><br /></div>Be thankful for the teachers who did take us up on our offer and who have tried something new, whether it's starting to bookmark, to Twitter, or to play with Netvibes -- and put more energy into them. After all, it takes time for someone to turn into an avid reader/learner.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">Networked teacher image via <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/langwitches/3458534773/">langwitches @ Flickr</a><br />Rock image via <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/14665421@N00/2901389906/">jasohill @ Flickr</a></span><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">Wine image via <a href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3135/2386039669_c0b8b29150.jpg?v=0">Joe Pitz @ Flickr</a></span><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">iPod image via <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/nez/1346068786/">Andrew* @ Flickr</a></span><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">Books image via <a href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3086/3087600034_46f98e6b55.jpg?v=1228590666">librarybug @ Flickr</a></span><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">Butterfly bullet image via <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/raziel/97545219/">razZziel @ Flickr</a></span>Katie Dayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01460127537263147529noreply@blogger.com2