jump to navigation

Conference thoughts October 30, 2007

Posted by Debbie Stafford in : AASL2007 , 2 comments

Some last conference musings (would like to hear your thoughts);

Blogging — I tried something new this year, brought my laptop, took notes on it during the session and posted right after the session. One plus, I feel that the blog had more detail about the session. One minus, I am not sure the “reflection” piece got there. My question to myself is how to make sure the reflection gets there. I am hoping more people will blog sessions now that they are back at “school”.

Sessions — There was a good mix of sessions, a good balance between Information Literacy, Web 2.0/Library 2.0 and Literature to include author sessions. Though I didn’t go to any literature sessions this time, I did find lots on the vendor floor. I only wish more sessions could be repeated, two I wanted to go to were booked full, no one else allowed in the room. One session did get repeated but that was after a big crowd and many turned away frustrated people.

Vendors

– So much to see! After mailing one box and one poster tube, I then collected another bag of stuff that almost didn’t fit in the suitcase.
–I did notice that very few vendors had any specific library equipment. There was library furniture. There were die cut machines, one booth had digital camera sets, but no one really had any library specific equipment such as bar code scanners. I can’t help wondering why. True, bar code scanners aren’t very interesting but I remember going to a previous AASL seeing scanners and wound up purchasing one.
–Is there nothing NEW in this area (equipment)? In terms of technology the vendor floor had information providers and automation programs but no equipment. Are there no new equipment needs other than workstations? Or do vendors not see librarians as people who can affect purchase sales? If so, then I think they may have missed the boat.

Going Green
Not printing handouts really didn’t make this a green conference. With the daily newspaper, the evaluation sheets after each session, and handout printing stations plenty of paper got used. After doing the handout via computer I want the paper copy back. Technology is wonderful but sometimes the “old way” works better.

Debbie Stafford

Conference handouts October 29, 2007

Posted by ayucht in : AASL2007 , add a comment

Many of the handouts from conference sessions will be available at http://www.eshow2000.com/aasl/handouts.cfm for a limited time.

NCLB sets bar too low for our school libraries October 27, 2007

Posted by ayucht in : AASL2007 , add a comment

The Reno Gazette-Journal published an excellent article by Robbie Nickel and Sara Kelly Johns about WHY everyone needs to support the SKILLS Act, which “recognizes the important role of library media specialists in increased academic achievement and reauthorizes and strengthens the Improving Literacy through School Library Program of the No Child Left Behind Act.” Check it out at http://news.rgj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2007710250309

Closing Ceremony

Posted by Debbie Stafford in : Conferences , add a comment

For those who could not be here, AASL will have an eAcademy on the AlA website with content from the conference check here later http://www.ala.org/aasl/eAcademy

Once again, check out the new 21st Century Skills, can be downloaded at http://www.ala.org/ala/aasl/aaslproftools/learningstandards/standards.cfm

Route 21 a forum for these new standards
launch date Nov 7, 2007 school librarians will be able to contribute to the site.

Guest speaker for this closing Omar Waslow, co-founder of BlackPlanet.com. He was seen on Oprah teaching Oprah about going online.

Highlights from his speech
How libraries can thrive in the age of “google, myspace et al”. Libraries are in turmoil but Omar said thatLibraries will have to change BUT will have to re commit to the core values of libraries which include;
*the teaching, facilitating of critical thinking, research skills
*the space of a library, a space where reflection, thinking can go on library space is a productive space

Changes
*from service to transformational - see change in the “product”

*access to information move to “mastering library skills” developing a MLIS style curriculum for k-12
*focus more on developing experience than materials management

I liked this closing speach better than any I have heard recently. He acknowledged our strengths as well as where we need to “change” (as opposed to improve)

Debbie Stafford

Information Fluency Meets Web 2.0

Posted by Debbie Stafford in : AASL2007 , 1 comment so far

Presenter Joyce Valenza

This session wasn’t due to begin until 1:30. I decided to get in the room early so arrived at 1:00 pm. Good thing I did, the room is filling up fast. It was actually a repeat session, yesterday’s session was so full people were turned away.

Joyce first mentioned that these tools and that we are in a “tipping point” situation. She said she was in 1.8 beta.
Joyce is always passionate. She fervently believed that school Library Media Specialists need to know about these tools and to put these tools in the “face” of students.

Widgets — Students also will be using these “widgets” (small tools, online, web 2.0)looking to see how they will be used “creativity”. Woven in are the “traditional” skills of collaboration,commnication et al. Mentioned was a quote “Any cold beer on a warm day is good enough” but Joyce feels that we should not settle for “good enough” information.

Blogs
*Literature Blogs

*Research Blogs
*Story Telling blogs and tools
*Podcasts

Tools shared If you were there either today or yesterday and see one I didn’t list please add. Also if you have the real URL for some of the sites please add in comments.
*IGoogle - for students to use for organization — would like to see widgets from “vendors” to pull into their igoogle such as a “facts on file” database.
*Wiki Pathfinders instead of “pathfinders”.
*OEDB.org Databases
*TeacherTube as alternative to YouTube

*Online survey tools — Pole Daddy? (it occurred to me that one of these could be used to create the “passport” idea from Deb Logan’s session I attended this morning.
*Wikipedia — situational information
Conservapedia — conservative wiki (a tool I know about Congresspedia
*Flickr - art gallery
*bibme — online citation maker (some others we use easybib and citation machine)
*Creative Commons licensing for open source software
*Online notecard tools such as Noodle bib

*Voice Thread (to tell stories)
*Twitter
*xtimeline (create and share timelines)
*Primary access — attached to national archives
*NING (social network tool to create specific social networks)
ICAN

Debbie Stafford