ETL 504 The Teacher Librarian as Leader

So after an extended break I am back on track, studying again.  I am a little bit nervous but am also looking forward to it.  In this subject we are asked to critically reflect on our current views of leadership and the role of the teacher librarian  in schools.  Before I start module one I wanted to write a bit about how I currently view the leadership role.  It's probably easier if I write about what leadership is not because, honestly, most of my experience of leadership in schools has not been positive.  A leader should not become a leader for the attention and "glory".  They should not dictate what has to be done, or enforce change on others without discussion.  Leaders should show respect to all.  I think they need to be fairly amiable, and have the ability to get along with others. They need to be able to listen and take on criticism, using it for improvement.  I also think leaders, particularly in schools, have a responsibility to bring new ideas and experience to the school.  Leadership, in my opinion, can take on many different forms.  You can still be a leader without being right out there in the public eye.  A leader can and should motivate others and encourage change that leads to improvements in pedagogy and school procedures. 

The Techium

"...the proactive approach.  We have to use things in order to find out about them. We have to actually engage with technology.  The only way we can tell if something is good for us or bad for us is through use."

Kevin Kelly, 2009.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eeTEcwmfuu4&feature=player_embedded#!

Module 1: Web 2.0, Social networking and the social life of information

NOTES

Web 2.0
• New generation of web technologies
• Easier to use the web - publish, interact, share
• Functionality - interaction (collaborative/participative)

Some of definitions of Web 2.0:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web_2.0
• Websites that use technology beyond static pages of earlier websites
• interaction and collaboration
• social media dialogue
• User generated content
• virtual community
http://oreilly.com/web2/archive/what-is-web-20.html
• The web as platform
 No hard boundary but gravitational core
 Visualize Web 2.0 as set of principles/practices that tie together solar system of sites that demonstrate principles at a varying distance from core.
 First of principles is - web as platform • Harnessing collective intelligence
 Hyperlinking - foundation of the web
 Core of Yahoo's value - role as a portal to the collective work of its net users
 Innovative companies pick up on insight and extend it
 Folksonomy - style of collaborative categorization of sites using tags
 Network effects from user contributions are the key to market dominance in Web 2.0
• Blogging and wisdom of crowds
 Chronological organization of a blog drives a different delivery, advertising and value chain
 RSS - most significant advance in fundamental architecture of the web
 "Dynamic Websites" - not just pages but also links
 Significance of permalinks - overlapping communities
 Search engines use link structure to help predict useful pages
 Bloggers - prolific/timely linkers
• Data is the next Intel inside
 Who owns the data?
 Database management is core competency of Web 2.0 companies
 The race is on to own certain classes of core data
• End of the software release cycle
 One of defining characteristic of internet era software - delivered as a service, not a product
 Operations must become a core competency
 Users must be treated as co-developers
• Lightweight programming models
 Simplicity better than complexity
 Think syndication, not co-ordination
 Innovation in assembly
• Software above the level of a single device
 Web 2.0 - not limited to PC platform
 ITunes best example of this principal
• Rich User experiences
 Applets & other kind of active content
 several technologies coming together in powerful new ways
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7BAXvFdMBWw&feature=relate
• Making new improved forms on online connections between two or more people, between two or more online services, or between individual users and software applications.
• Key aspects of web 2.0: interpersonal computing, web services, software as a service.
• Interpersonal computing - wikis/blogs/video hosts etc. eg:facebook, youtube. Allow anyone to add and access content, leave comments, and exchange digital media.
• Web Services - components of online functionality fused together - mashup - on the one website. (Webpage drawing content from 2 or more sources).
• Software as a service - application functionality being offered directly over the internet. Online replacements for personal desktop applications, eg google docs, zoho, juice.
• Web 2.0 implications - will change the ways many companies link together, as well as the way we access our data and software applications. Purchase of expensive external software will reduce substantially and will impact on existing key industry players like Microsoft. But how robust is this new web 2.0 business model?
• Web 2.0 Strategy - many companies will need to alter their online strategy. Companies need to inhabit where consumers are expected to be (ie facebook), rather than waiting for them to find them. Needs to become a key online strategy.

Based on my reading and viewing of these definitions, Web 2.0 is a lot more than just an interactive, collaborative tool.  Web 2.0 represents increased connections between people, websites, software, and data. These things are no longer separate entities with precarious connections. Web 2.0 is a tightly bound "mash up" of these things.

INF506 Introduction

How do the concepts and findings in these sections of the OCLC report reflect your view of the socially networked world in 2012?

A lot of what I read about in this ebook was not new to me but how I thought about it was new.  Like the fact that social networking is not a new concept.  People have always built relationships based on common interests in social communities.  It is only the medium, or how this is done that has changed. Technology has given us a new medium. 

Important Points

Introduction

• Libraries need to reach out to users on the internet.
• Research challenges us to think about research beyond the search.
• People have changed from information consumer to information producer.  How does this affect library services?
• Social websites have built a new social web, connecting communities.  What will these communities mean for the possibilities they hold for library services?

Section 1 - Our Digital Lives

• Behaviours/attitudes of digital immigrants and digital natives - beginning to converge.
• Usage of internet activities as grown substantially.
• Use of library websites has dropped.
• Tipping point on digital evolution timeline - from exploration to creation and mass contribution.
• Composition of online activities is changing.

Section 2 - Our Social Spaces

• The digital medium makes contact/sharing more accessible.
• Social networks are web sites "designed to allow multiple users to publish content themselves."
• Social network service - building and verifying of online social networks for communities.  Services are primarily web based and provide a collection of various ways for users to interact.
• Different social sites have different emphases.
• Social networking is often not the central focus of the site, but a side effect of bringing people together with shared interests.
• While interaction occurs on social media sites, primary purpose is to publish and share content.
• Essence of social sites - social.
• Central value - platform.
• Function - social.
• Much of what takes place on social sites is motivated by a desire to connect.
• Information users are willing to share online varies by site.

Reference:

De Rosa, C., Cantrell, J., Havens, A., Hawk, J. & Jenkins, L. (2007). Sharing privacy and trust in our networked world: A report to the OCLC membership. Dublin, Ohio: OCLC. [ebook] Available http://www.oclc.org/reports/pdfs/sharing.pdf
 

INF506 - Social Media For Information Professionals

Well I passed my previous subject (Yay!) and have now started subject number 5 of my Masters. It feels so good to have got this far. I am a bit behind in my studies due to a number of external factors but now I feel like I am getting back on track.

Assignment One for INF506 is an OLJ creation and first entry. For this subject I am using this blog as my "Online Learning Journal (OLJ)" in order to keep everything from my course together in one place. I have also used this blog as a type of OLJ for past subjects, so it makes sense for me to just keep going.

As part of our first OLJ entry we are asked to define "social networking" in our own words. To me, social networking is online interaction between members of a community who relate to each other through a common interest. It can be a network of friends or colleagues, depending what the common interest is. The network uses a website or other technology to communicate and share information. No doubt my view of social networking will develop over the course of the semester.

I currently use a range of social networking technologies/sites for personal, work and study use. As well as Interact (CSU's social networking site) these include:
•Facebook •Pinterest •Twitter •Youtube •Diigo •Delicious •Blogger •Flickr •Yahoo •Grooveshark •Spotify •ebay •etsy •ravelry.
No wonder I don't get much housework done inbetween working full-time, three teenage kids and studying!

So what do I hope to get from studying this subject? Obviously I want to learn how to harness these and other social media sites/technologies to improve the information services I will provide as a teacher-librarian. I am currently using some of these to keep up-to-date with what's happening in the information services sector but I think this course may help me fine-tune how I do this. I am hoping to learn through the experience of trying new types of social media (Second Life and Linked In), thereby expanding my social network. Finally, I hope to gain some more confidence in using social media professionally and personally. Although I have been using a range of social media for a number of years, I still get a bit nervous when trying new ones and sometimes it all feels a bit overwhelming. Perhaps doing this course will also help me to organise my own personal social network a bit more.

Assignment 2 - Pathfinder

Well I have completed my pathfinder (I think) for Assignment 2.  I only have part B to do now.  The critical reflection.   There is so much more to this assignment than I previously considered.  In 1000 words (+/- 10%) we need to reflect on what we have learnt through the creation of the pathfinder, and also bring into it what we have learnt through this unit of study.  Mmmmm...and only in 1000 words.  I have created a mind map on the various parts we have to include, as well as my thoughts, and I think it is going to be difficult.  Particularly as I can't get 5 minutes to myself (being school holidays).  Tomorrow hubby says he will take the kids out for the day so I can get a good run of it.  We'll see.

Topic 6 : Improving Student's Web Use

My notes from topic 6 module's activities. 

How could you teach this to a Year 7 class???

a)      DEFINING  Concept maps.  Student directed activity: what is a mind map?  Why do you need one?  What should it have in it?  Show students a range of different maps to stimulate ideas.  Ask how do you group ideas on a mind map/distinguish between the different sections.  Students work in groups & share ideas with other groups to come up with an outline that suits their needs.  Relate to a tree/branches. Show students how to use an online tool such as bubbl.us to brainstorm/create concept maps.

b)      QUESTIONING  Ask them why they should ask questions (purpose).  Groups come up with ideas through a mind map.  Share with class to explore reasons.  From "Teaching Students to answer their own questions" : “When you ask the question, you feel like it’s your job to get the answer, and you want to figure it out.”  Use QFT (question formulation technique): See QFT Six Steps  - prompt, produce, improve, prioritize, decide, reflect.

c)      SEARCHING  Developing search strategies. Brainstorm "search strategy"/concept map, reasons for. Other ways: Use Boolify to get students to look at different ways to search, look at how search engine works/different search engines, practice searching/comparing engines using Search Tools for Kids.

d)      SELECTION/EVALUATION  Teaching students to be critical readers/what to look for.  Concept map- benefits of website evaluation, then share ideas.  Using the Web from Education Place-  contains good pointers for students. Kathy Schrock's 5Ws- easy for kids to understand. Credible sources count! - useful for showing the importance of credible sources.  Students could create concept map of different ways to take notes.  Look at positive/negative aspects of each. Use this summarization strategy to develop note taking skills.

e)      REFLECTIVE/EVALUATION Teaching students to be reflective web users.  Include this IN the assignment! Allow students to grade their own and/or another students research process using a rubric.  Base the rubric on Bloom using questions similar to The Reflective Student to develop deeper reflection.