The Adventures of Library Girl: 2011 June 28
The other day I ran across this post about educational conversations that have run their course. That is to say, ed-chat (not to be confused with #edchat) topics of discussion that have been discussed to death. We've all heard of educational "sacred cows," well... these are their "dead horse" companions. Naturally, this got me thinking about a similar list of library related conversations that I am tired of having. Don't get me wrong, I've spent plenty of time talking about these things myself and will probably be roped into talking about them again. What's more, I am not at all sitting in judgment of those for whom these issues remain compelling and important. Listen, if you're actively involved in dialogue about libraries, education and how librarians serve the needs of students, to you I tip my hat and say a hearty "bravo!" It's just, I guess I'm ready to see these conversations evolve. For me, at least, it’s time to either move these conversations to the next level, or send them out to pasture. Ok. Here goes:
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
2011 Top 25 Websites for Teaching and Learning
ALA | ALA Press Releases: 2011 June 28
CHICAGO – At the American Library Association’s (ALA) 2011 Annual Conference in New Orleans, the American Association of School Librarians (AASL) announced the 2011 Top 25 Websites for Teaching and Learning. In its third year, the list of websites honors the top 25 Internet sites for enhancing learning and curriculum development for school librarians and their teacher collaborators. The list is considered the "best of the best" by AASL.
CHICAGO – At the American Library Association’s (ALA) 2011 Annual Conference in New Orleans, the American Association of School Librarians (AASL) announced the 2011 Top 25 Websites for Teaching and Learning. In its third year, the list of websites honors the top 25 Internet sites for enhancing learning and curriculum development for school librarians and their teacher collaborators. The list is considered the "best of the best" by AASL.
Monday, June 27, 2011
Rowling develops landmark for digital publishing
Vancouver Sun: 2011 June 27
The vast majority of books that have migrated to the digital world as ebooks have simply replicated the printed page. Some of them may have search and note-taking functionalities, but most e-books are very much the web 1.0 equivalent of the literary world.
The vast majority of books that have migrated to the digital world as ebooks have simply replicated the printed page. Some of them may have search and note-taking functionalities, but most e-books are very much the web 1.0 equivalent of the literary world.
Assessing the Unassessable
NY Times: 2011 June 27
My feeling -- as someone who works in a local tech education center that shares its library with the high school next door -- is that this situation is more complex than administrators' seeing librarians as expendable
My feeling -- as someone who works in a local tech education center that shares its library with the high school next door -- is that this situation is more complex than administrators' seeing librarians as expendable
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Is This The Tipping Point For E-Books & Libraries?
The American Library Association (ALA) has just released its 2011 Public Library Funding and Technology Access Survey, and among its findings, 67% of public libraries in the U.S. now offer free access to e-books for their patrons. That's up 30% since 2007. Of course, access to e-books ranges greatly from state-to-state: 100% of Maryland and Utah libraries offer e-books, while only 25% of ilbraries in Mississippi do so, for example.
What 21st century teaching, learning really means
Sheryl Nussbaum-Beach, a former classroom teacher and school administrator, is a widely known speaker and trainer on the use of interactive technology in K-12 education. She is the co-founder (with Will Richardson) of Powerful Learning Practice, LCC, a professional development provider oriented around digital networks, and the co-author of the forthcoming book The Connected Educator (Solution Tree).
Saturday, June 25, 2011
Schools gear up for personalized learning
A shift in the approach being taken to education is gathering momentum around B.C.
Libraries come to life as cultural and social centres
Libraries in the Internet age have morphed from somber institutions into social hubs for job seekers, small business owners and local residents looking for advice, help or a free meeting place.
Schools Eliminating Librarians as Budgets Shrink
NYTimes.com: 2011 June 25
Budget belt-tightening threatens to send school librarians the way of the card catalog.
Budget belt-tightening threatens to send school librarians the way of the card catalog.
Saturday, June 18, 2011
Are you a learner?
Shift to the Future: 2011 June 18
Eric Hoffer’s quote really resonates with me…
"In times of change learners inherit the earth, while the learned find themselves beautifully equipped to deal with a world that no longer exists."
I connected for breakfast the other morning with twitter colleague and learner, Chris Wejr (@mrwejr). Chris is a principal in an elementary school in a fairly remote school district. He talked about the power of social media, in particular twitter and blogging, to facilitate his learning. It is amazing how titles and hierarchies of the bricks and mortar world seem to disappear in the digital realm. We talked about how we connect and learn along side teachers, principals, superintendents, and renowned speakers. Last week Chris and another twitter colleague David Wees (@davidwees) facilitated a tweet-up learning event with the BC Minister of Education George Abbott (@georgeabbottbc). Chris shares his learning freely, shares others learning and ideas freely, and connects with colleagues around the world to ensure he is learning in real time. Chris is an excellent example of a 21st Century learner!
Eric Hoffer’s quote really resonates with me…
"In times of change learners inherit the earth, while the learned find themselves beautifully equipped to deal with a world that no longer exists."
I connected for breakfast the other morning with twitter colleague and learner, Chris Wejr (@mrwejr). Chris is a principal in an elementary school in a fairly remote school district. He talked about the power of social media, in particular twitter and blogging, to facilitate his learning. It is amazing how titles and hierarchies of the bricks and mortar world seem to disappear in the digital realm. We talked about how we connect and learn along side teachers, principals, superintendents, and renowned speakers. Last week Chris and another twitter colleague David Wees (@davidwees) facilitated a tweet-up learning event with the BC Minister of Education George Abbott (@georgeabbottbc). Chris shares his learning freely, shares others learning and ideas freely, and connects with colleagues around the world to ensure he is learning in real time. Chris is an excellent example of a 21st Century learner!
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Communities Stand Behind Librarians Facing Layoffs
As reports of librarian layoffs continue to surface, librarians have put away their inside voices to fight -- with the support from unions, parents, and students -- to prove their jobs are essential for student success
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Appetite for destruction: Say bye to vampires and hello to Hell-on-Earth
National Post: 2011 June 8
Earth may not have ended this past May 21, as a small-but-confident group of religious zealots had hoped, but our planet fares much worse in a new crop of teen fiction: Thanks to Suzanne Collins’ mega-selling Hunger Games trilogy, dystopian and post-apocalyptic kid lit has replaced vampires as the biggest thing in YA publishing
Earth may not have ended this past May 21, as a small-but-confident group of religious zealots had hoped, but our planet fares much worse in a new crop of teen fiction: Thanks to Suzanne Collins’ mega-selling Hunger Games trilogy, dystopian and post-apocalyptic kid lit has replaced vampires as the biggest thing in YA publishing
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