School Libraries and Web 2.0

In the year 2020

As a long time reader of science fiction with a surfeit of post-apocalyptic novels under my belt, I am perhaps not quite as optimistic about our future as most of my colleagues in our class. It wasn’t that long ago that we all waited with bated breath to see what would come true in Huxley’s seminal novel 1984. Jules Verne who wrote during the later part of the 19^th century is now seen to be somewhat prophetic in his fictional depiction of the future. Both authors wrote of times far in their future. Here we are writing of a future only twelve years from now.

As our society and its’ technological advances speed up exponentially it is hard to image where we will be in twelve years. I hope to be retired personally but where will my students be by then? My own children may be just finishing up their post-secondary education. Certainly that will be conducted in a very different manner then it is now.

My vision for 2020 is that the world, connected by the burgeoning internet in 2008, will have found some peace and tranquillity owed, perhaps, to Marshall McLuhan’s belief that the world is a global village though I doubt that he would have predicated that this would be achieved through the linking of computers throughout the world!. With the One Laptop Per Child program started in the early part of the century we are well underway. If everyone and anyone can participate in the read/write web then all voices can be heard. If all voices can be heard then our world does become a village and we cannot harm the citizens of our village.

Gas will have become so rare that the automotive companies will finally be forced to come up with viable alternative sources of power. We have begun to concern ourselves with the environment but it will be our young students today who will lead the way to a more sustainable lifestyle. We may not have twelve years to get our consumerism under control. Already in early 2008 there are food shortages. Where will we be in 2020? Will the Western world realize before it is too late that development is taking over all the rich farm land in North America? Will we too become a third world country with no food? The clock is ticking for the environment and for sustainable agriculture and I am not too optimistic that we can beat it. However, the read/write web will raise its’ collective voice and boycott the major developers and big business until we learn to slow down.

Education will have completely changed by 2020. Distance or virtual education will have become the norm. Since every child now has a laptop there will be no need for text books, the classroom will have become paperless. Students will connect with a teacher via webcam. Students will be assigned topics in their respective curriculum but how they learn the subjects will be up to them and their teacher/mentors.

Students will be able to converse and interact with other students around the globe (again emphasizing the global village) learning of their cultures and their languages. What better classroom could there be?

As a librarian I worry about the demise of the book and the library but I think that that day is coming, perhaps not as soon as 2020 though. The printed book will become a novelty of the well to do. Mass market publishing will become completely digital. We will walk around with readers rather then books. There are some advantages to that but, for me, the thrill of smelling and touching the book will be such an indelible part of reading that a flat screen just won’t do it for me! The library will become a virtual one open 24/7 with trained professional librarians working in shifts to provide online assistance. Specialized libraries that house archives and historical documents will remain but will not be open to the general public. The advantage of all of this is that documents, considered to fragile to be touched, will have all been digitized and available to anyone. The same will be true for the art of the world.

Schools will no longer exist as we know them today in 2008. The buildings will have been sold off to community groups. Local students will then access the services of these groups for activities like sports, clubs, and other social events. Children and young adults are very social so it would be important to give them an outlet where they can meet in person and create bonds. Otherwise, their major bonding systems and social networks will all be virtual. Now in 2008, we already worry about their ability to make connections and friends when they spend so much time online. We need to be cognizant of this potential and start to encourage more interaction.

As I said at the beginning, I am not totally optimistic that this will be a better world in 2020 then it is today. I think that our world is changing too quickly and we are not considering the consequences of our actions. Having said that though, I think that the read/write web and all the new technologies have the potential to create a world of more socially and environmentally conscious people. So I remain in hope that collectively we may be able to change the world.

9-A-1 Web applications

There are a bewildering number of choices of web applications. I wanted to pick more then one!  Like a few people, I think that Google Docs has a lot to offer but since I will be going for an in-service on the application in a couple of weeks, I will not discuss it here. 

Instead I have looked for tools that will help to organize myself and my students.  As we move more and more towards a paperless classroom, I can see the need to speed up the process.  My attempts at the beginning of the year (and each subsequent term) to keep my kids organized in their binders and/or duotangs has been a resounding failure.  They do not seem to know how to organize their notes and to keep them readily available.  And I KNOW that they were all taught this in the primary and junior grades!  Perhaps this a battle that we should give up!??

As a result I have chosen Backpack .  Check out the tutorial.  While the information is clearly aimed at corporate users, it would also have uses in the classroom.  There are calendars, meeting times which could be used for assignment due dates, pages for participants to keep track of their own work through “to do” lists.  Backpack can travel and can be share with either by a group or made public.  For classroom use, the page could be set up to be shared by students and parents.   Much of this type of information tracking is currently being done by teachers through websites, but this application allows the students to track their own progress and keep track of what they need to do and, even better, what they have accomplished.  This is a wonderful application for visual learners.  Each student would have to take more responsibility for their own learning, and if they don’t, then the proof will be in Backpack! 

I also liked EasyBib for the ease of creating a bibliography. I would be suitable for students as young as grade 6, I think.

Paperless classes

As someone who has taught online for years, I am very familiar with that version of a paperless class.  The one thing that I could do better though is the commenting on papers before sending them back.  I think that it is remarkably easy to build an online community though it takes dedication and experience to do it effectively.  Some people thrive in this environment but others have real difficulty with it.  

However, what is written of in the article is the best of all possible worlds in that all of their reading and writing is online but they still meet face-to-face for interaction.   Webcams and conferencing could replace face-to-face classes though I do not believe that you would have the same sense of energy and synergy that you can get in a really dynamic room full of shared learners. 

I think that you could measure learning in a paperless space much like any other environment.  What you are assessing may be more complex then a typical paper but the expectations and the assessment should be the same.  I do think that a paperless class does change the role of a teacher to a facilitator. The learning is in the hands of the student far more so then that of the teacher.  I believe that that is a change for the better though.  Life long learners will finally exist in the truest sense of the word!

8-A-1 Big Shifts

This was fascinating reading though I don’t think that there was anything really  new to me.  However, I like the way that Richardson organized the information – in “shifts” that scaffolded on to each other. 

As a librarian, the focus for the past few years has been on information or critical literacy.  Our young students (and adults for that matter) no longer have the luxury of reading books that have been published for their authority and authenticity.  When I first studied collection development as a part of library science, the emphasis – in public libraries – was to provide a balanced collection.  In other words, if you had books on abortion then they had to be both pro-choice and pro-life.  Now that is not even an issue since more information, slanted on both sides, is available online and as a read/write.   Where once my mother’s generation automatically believed everything (incorrectly as time would show) that was written in a newspaper, this generation cannot distinguish between truth, slightly true, and falsehoods on the web!  Indentifying authority and authenticity on the web is extremely difficult and, I think, beyond the capabilities of most elementary students.  They do not have the life experience to be critical consumers and producers of the read/write web. 

Conectivism: to network or not to network

I have read the articles, the arguments, and the blogs and I am still mystified.  Connectivism, according to those who support it, creates a network of learners. This seems self evident to me and a natural goal of our emphasis on critical literacy and higher level thinking.  However, I think we have a long way to go before we can expect our students (with my current students very much at the forefront of my thoughts) to thrive in a student centre learning by creating and working within networks in the class, the school and the world.   Were we to start now with our youngest students we might achieve this in the years to come.

The arguments for connectivism and the arguments against connectivism seem to overlap making this more of a philosophical disagreement then anything else.  Connectivism might be a theory but I do not see how it can be a model for learning when there are so many other better ones.  And, in this world of differentiated instruction, how can the idea of student centred learning based on technology be sole answer to educational practice?  In a country as large as Canada and as geographically varied with isolated communities often being the norm, technological connectivism is perhaps something to aspire to but is not yet the end game.

Skype in the classroom

I have just recently joined the world of Skype.  I have been instant messaging friends, family and students for years but I have not been terribly interested in Skype.   I bought a new laptop a few weeks ago and it came with a webcam so adding headphones was no big deal.  Now I love the ease of access and communication!  Not everyone likes the video component but that really isn’t necessary.

 If I were to use it in education a webcam would be necessary. I have taught online for years and, as a result, most of my graduate students do not know what I look like!  There are advantages to that, of course, but the disadvantages out weigh those. The nuances of communication such as tone and facial expressions which are missing in instant messaging make online ommunication cumbersome and often times, awkward.   

My graduate courses involve some group work so it would be wonderful if the students could meet via Skype to discuss their topics.  One of the most complaints I receive is the snail pace of communication in the planning stage.  Confusion and misunderstandings are often a problem as well.  Video conferencing would certainly move the assignment into the next stage of technology!  And as many of my students are from all over the world, video conferencing would give them an opportunity to connect in a more natural way.  I think that the possibilities are quite exciting!

Instructional Intelligence

My school board(district) has been promoting something called “instructional intelligence” or II for the past few years.  It was developed by a man named Barrie Bennett who works in the educational faculty at the University of Toronto.  Our administrators have spent hundreds of thousands of dollars in PD and resources to promote the approach and teaching strategies in our schools.  Not only have we had direct PD on II we have also had the strategies embedded in all other PD. 

Instructional Intelligence is the integration of content knowledge, assessment, knowledge of how we learn, instructional repertoires, personal/professional change and systemic change.

Focussing on the instruction, Instructional Intelligence Institutes facilitates school teams as they work at enriching their school-based professional learning community with a clear emphasis on student success. By exploring and strengthening their understanding of the key role of the teaching and learning process, school teams are able to expand their instructional repertoires and become increasingly skilled at differentiating learning opportunities for all students.

The wonderful thing about Bennett is that he encouages people to share his work and his books.  Some of the strategies can be found at http://www.instructionalintelligence.ca/html/downloads.htm.  An article in Orbit by Bennett with supporting material can be found at : http://www.oise.utoronto.ca/orbit/core5_teach_strat.html.  

Most of his strategies are ones that I have sure that you have used before such as “think pair share”, “placemat”, “six hats”, etc.   Combined with “multiple intelligences’ which looks at how students learn, “instructional intelligences” provides strategies that can be extemely effective. None of this is rocket science but I have found that the validation of what I am already doing a real booster.  For example, learning about “wait time” which requires that after asking a question, the teacher wait a noticeable amount of time was a bit of an eye opener for me. As teachers, we tend to be too quick in demanding answers. If we don’t get hands up right away, we often jump in with the answer.  “Wait time” allows the students to process the question and then formulate an answer that is usually more indepth.  Taking that back to my class and making a conscious effort at using the strategy has really changed the dynamics in my class.  Students I would normally never hear from are now speaking up because they have time to consider and contribute.  Another strategy, “think pair share” allows students to try out their comments or thoughts with a buddy before offering it to the general class.  The more verbal student can do the reporting while the non-verbal student has a safe outlet.   Again, our discussions are more energized, productive and the results usually demonstrate higher level thinking. 

Have a look at some of the online discussion of Bennett and his work and then let me know if you are already doing this.  If so, how effective are the strategies in your classes?  Does II work with adult learners more effectively then younger students?  If you are not using any II in your class, how do you think that you could incorporate the strategies?  And, perhaps most importantly, how can II be used in online learning?

Podcasts

I decided that I would not create my own podcast – I will do that another time.  Instead I wanted the “excuse” to explore some of the podcasts available for educators and students.   There is certainly a wealth of choices – from “how tos” to content rich podcasts on various subjects. 

In the past two weeks, we have been using Wikisource in my classroom to find Edgar Allan Poe stories on podcasts.  I had read to my students The Tell-Tale Heart and they had been enthralled by it.  I went from an isolated story to a whole unit on the author and his stories and poems.  It was very exciting for me to have my students so enthusiastic about literature.  And, as a result, I discovered that they would sit very quietly and listen to the stories on podcast though we did read/view a couple on YouTube as well. 

What I found on Education Podcast Network was a series of booktalks geared to pre and early teens.   I choose a Hardy Boys booktalk as a sample of the podcasts but the whole series can be found at: http://www.epnweb.org/index.php?request_id=904&openpod=4#anchor4.  I would use these podcasts as a way to talk up books and to try to entice students, particularly the boys to read.  I do do booktalks when I am in the library but I would like something more for the classroom and I think that this series would be excellent.

It would also be a good way to teach – students and other teachers – how to do a booktalk.  A booktalk is a more creative assignment then doing a book report.

Introduction to Flickr

I have friends who often upload their photos on Flickr so that everyone can see them. I am extremely uncomfortable with posting personal pictures anywhere public. And as I searched through the many pages of photos I have not changed my mind. However, there are some stunning artistic shots that deserve to be in an art gallery – perhaps this is the 21st century gallery making art an equal opportunity for all to enjoy??

But, in an attempt to focus my searching, I decided to look for a photo that I could use in class for “writing on demand”. As such I wanted a photo that would be a “story” with an ambiguous meaning, something that would inspire my students’ imagination.

Image Citation:
blmurch (April 11, 2008). Black Books. blmurch’s Photostream.
Retrieved on April 11, 2008 from http://www.flickr.com/photos/blmurch/2406049569/
Creative Commons license

Writing on demand asks student to write for 3 to 5 minutes without a lot of thinking. A topic or picture, as in this case, is given and the students must write immediately without any time to think about it. Initially, the writing is poor with repetitive phrases but over time the writing becomes more fluent and creative. Images that are not self-explanatory are best as the student’s can create their own stories. Be prepared though for some students disclosing disturbing thoughts or events! For example, this picture will probably generate stories about Star Wars AND encounters with police!

Wikis in the classroom

I have enjoyed this week’s topic on wikis.  I have to confess that my knowledge of wikis was extremely limited before starting this module.   I was one of those people/teacher/librarian who did not approve of using Wikipedia for research.  I have, for the most part, changed my mind.  See, you can teach an old dog new tricks!  I had never really taken the time to read the explanatory information about the site.  Now that I have, I can see the merits of such a database of knowledge. 

Perhaps one of the most useful by-products of my exploration is a plan for a lesson on Wikipedia and its’ organization.   I would like to introduce my students to Wikipedia via the explanatory information so that they can fully understand why the content should not be taken as the definitive answer on any subject.  Right now, they always try to use the site for all their research and so far I have been forbidding it.   We are doing a unit on Edgar Allan Poe’s stories.  So far my student’s have no real understanding of the world that he wrote in and of his life.  Wikipedia would be a wonderful introduction to some background research on the man and his times.   In this case, where we are not doing primary research nor are we needing to understand a higher level of literacy criticism Wikipedia can provide us with the quick information that we need.  For those students who wish to explore more there will be other opportunities for enrichment.   

Another technology that I learned of this week was the “simple English” version of Wikipedia.  While the number of articles is quite small compared to the main site, there are some topics appropriate to our curriculum.  My hope is that this version of Wikipedia will be quickly added to.