Friday, June 29, 2007

Battle Lines Being Drawn

" There's battle lines being drawn, nobody's right if everybody's wrong"
Buffalo Springfield,
For What It's Worth (1967)

The latest round has been fired in the tech wars, with the publication of Andrew Keen's THE CULT OF THE AMATEUR:How Today’s Internet Is Killing Our Culture.

The New York Times characterizes this book as "
a shrewdly argued jeremiad against the digerati effort to dethrone cultural and political gatekeepers and replace experts with the 'wisdom of the crowd.'”

I don't consider myself one of the "digerati", but “noble amateur” has a nice ring to it. I am very aware of copyright issues and do not consider this blog to be a serious threat to literature and literacy.

No, Mr. Keene, I do not believe that I belong to a culture guilty of "cannibalizing its young, destroying the very sources of the content they crave.” I'm a nurturer, not an agent of intellectual deprivation!





Technology Tools and the Life of the Mind

"The universe is change; our life is what our thoughts make it."
-Marcus Aurelius
(121-180)

A battle is raging at Brittanica blogs regarding the nature and value of Web2.0. Michael Gorman started the discussion with Web 2.0: The Sleep of Reason Part I claiming that "an increase in credulity and an associated flight from expertise" is the direct result of "the often-anarchic world of the Internet" (it is interesting that he chooses to share these opinions via a blog with hotlinks!). Experts have weighed in on both sides of the debate.

Thomas Mann, author and Reference Librarian in the Library of Congress, worries whether "the Web, being geared toward the pictorial, the audio, the colorful, the animated, the instantaneous, the quickly updated, and to short verbal texts, is a tool whose biases may be conditioning us in ways that will have deplorable consequences for education." Among his concerns: "What will happen when all of the books in dozens of large libraries are digitized, and we find that, because we’ve also abandoned standardized cataloging in exchange for keyword access, no one can find the texts efficiently or systematically without being overwhelmed by tens of thousands of “noise” retrievals, outside the desired (but no longer existent) conceptual boundaries created by subject cataloging and classification?"

On the other side of the digital divide stands Roger Kimball, co-editor and publisher of The New Criterion and president and publisher of Encounter Books. While agreeing with Gorman's "warning not to confuse an excellent means of communication (the Internet and all its works) with excellent communications (the product of the patient search for truth and aesthetic delight)", Kimball insists that "the issue is not, or not only, the digital revolution—the sudden explosion of computers and e-mail and the Internet. It is rather the effect of such developments on our moral and imaginative life, and even our cognitive life."

danah boyd is a doctoral candidate in the School of Information at the University of California-Berkeley and a fellow at the USC Annenberg Center for Communications. She writes that "Unlike Dr. Gorman, Wikipedia brings me great joy. I see it as a fantastic example of how knowledge can be distributed outside of elite institutions." boyd reminds Gorman that "Like paper, the Internet is a medium. People express a lot of crap through both mediums. Yet, should we denounce paper as inherently flawed?"

All of the posts on the Web 2.0 forum have drawn vigorous defenders and critics. My belief: living in two worlds, print-traditional-scholarly and digital-modern-populist, is possible, even necessary, when teaching, communicating, learning in this 21st century.



Wednesday, June 27, 2007

To teach people how to learn

"We now accept the fact that learning is a lifelong process of keeping abreast of change. And the most pressing task is to teach people how to learn." Peter Drucker (1909 - 2005)

Konrad Glogowski speaks of grades, averages, and the brick wall that is the month of June, in his blog of proximal development. His course description sounds exactly like what I'm hoping to implement next year in my Current Events class. Should I be discouraged or energized by his posting? It would appear that his students used technology effectively and appropriately. I don't agree that their engagement necessarily ended with the class - the blogs may be abandoned, but the habits of thought that the blog writing encouraged might well survive and thrive.

Learning from a Master

One of the first blogs I added to my Google Reader site was Will Richarson's Weblogg-ed, an ongoing source of education/technology information. So, naturally, when I was informed of my new teaching assignment, I turned to the Master for guidance.

Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts... is intended to help educators take advantage of the "ways in which this new Internet can enhance their own practice and their students' learning" ("Blogs, Wikis...", p.5).

I've already started to change my blog to reflect some of Richardson's key characteristics of Weblogs:
  • frequent updates
  • hotlinks to sites mentioned in the blog
  • interaction with others (challenging to implement, with so many excellent blogs online - maybe send a link to my BOCES Listserv inviting other SLMS to respond to my posts? Also need to comment on other bloggers' postings that I read and enjoy)
  • inclusion of graphics, photos, video, and audio files (hopefully this will expand as my class gets underway next school year)
  • provision of professional credentials and experience to validate reliability and accuracy of postings (get to work on "About Me"!)
  • additional features, like a link list to favorite blogs, sites or web pages
Obviously, my Journeys have just begun.

Moving on

The temperature should reach the mid-90s today, so I plan to retreat to our studio/computer lab downstairs and catch up on my blogging.

After much frustration - and anxiety - I've decided to move my blog from edublogs to blogger.com. One of the necessary components of a blog is immediacy, and not being able to post for an indefinite period of time is unacceptable. Reliability and accessibility are also essential if blogging is to be part of next year's Current Events curriculum.

Fortunately, I was able to copy and save my previous posts, so that my "online professional journal" still exists. There are hazards for unwary cyber sojourners!

Monday, June 25, 2007

Endings and Beginnings

Originally posted on June 9, 2007

Our older students have finished classes and will only be back for exams. The seniors were very emotional on the last day, as the reality of leaving a familiar environment for the wide world finally hit home.

We will see some of them on their first college break next year; some will stop by to update staff members and favorite teachers on how their lives are progressing.

We’ve given them what we hope are the knowledge and skills necessary for a successful life. We wish them well. We’ll miss them all.

Interlude

Originally posted on June 9, 2007

An experienced teacher made a comment at the MS/HS awards assembly about being more mature than the preceding presenter. The remark was not meant to be derogatory, but the younger staff member was unsure how to react.

A few tongue-in-cheek e-mails settled the “issue” amicably:

“Dear Ms. X,

It has come to our attention that you felt denigrated by the insinuation that you are not “mature”.

Please bear in mind that “immature” is not the sole antonym for “mature”. Other, more positive interpretations might include

“youthful” or “still developing”.

Those who have not yet reached maturity are evolving, changing, moving in new directions; not rigid, fixed, immobile.

We congratulate you on your non-mature status and wish you well in your dynamic life!

Sincerely,

The Word Police”

I like the term, “still evolving,” as in, not being stagnant. Thanks ladies, you are the best! Have a great weekend.”

Pebbles in the Path

Originally posted on June 8, 2007

This was intended to be both a personal and professional blog. I’m finding it difficult to be candid, articulate, and PC all at the same time! Since I’m too busy (aren’t we all) to split this online journal into two separate threads, I’ll have to do the best I can. I’m not sure how other bloggers strike a balance between entertaining and erudite…it must be a talent that comes with experience.

Setting Sail

Originally posted on June 6, 2007

Good news on two fronts: my MS/HS Principal told me that the Current Events students will most likely be allowed to have school e-mail accounts (the responsibilities of a good digital citizen will definitely be one of our first discussions!). Also, the District Superintendent has requested that I do a short BOE presentation, focusing on the goals of the Library program, in August or September.
These topics intertwine, as do my duties as a K-12 SLMS. If I can effectively convey this to the Board, it may well open the door to further integration of technology and information literacy skills within the core curriculum.

Perhaps the students themselves could appear before the BOE later in the school year to explain what and how they’ve learned. Our young adults would surely be very effective advocates for the technologies of what will be their future!

Meanwhile, back in the LMC

Originally posted on June 5, 2007

Library Media Center/SLMS responsibilities:

  • weed and update Elementary non-fiction, particularly Nations of the World and Biography
  • instruct teachers in database use
  • share interesting sites
  • introduce information literacy and web2.0 terms and tools to staff members
  • keep updated on the Social Studies research project for grades 6-12
  • read some of the news fiction, particularly in the YA section
  • work on a new Library Webpage
  • update BOCES Plan of Service (yearly)
  • fulfill BOCES SLS Liason duties
  • inquire about processing Inter Library Loans through our automated system
  • investigate the feasibility of extended LMC/Computer Lab hours
  • create chances to collaborate…be a Presence!

Advocating for web2.0 Tools

Originally posted on June 5, 2007
  • spoke to a few students interested in taking the Current Events class next year
  • requested e-mail accounts for the participants and offered to explain and/or demonstrate educational blogs to the BOE
  • set up a class blog, with a few questions to stimulate class discussion (if necessary, I’ll type in all the comments myself and add the students’ initials) at cardinals.edublogs.org
  • need to set up another Google Reader account for news feeds, as a demo for students
  • set up a new Google Document also or show them one of mine?

Note to self: Be sure to read Will Richardson’s “Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts…”
soon!

First Steps

Originally posted on June 4, 2007

Yesterday I received my tentative teaching assignments for next school year (in addition to my duties in the LMC). I am now scheduled to instruct a mixed class of high school students in current events. I don’t have any details yet, but the high school principal said this scheduling is a direct result of my advocating for more 21st century fluency skills in our district. My hope is the students and I will explore - and master - things like podcasts, blogging, etc. The first hurdle will be to secure student e-mail accounts, at least for those enrolled in my class. If this can not be supported by our district technology, I’ll funnel everything through a class account.
I visualize this course as a combination of a traditional current events class (emerging issues, world economy, geography, politics, etc.) and library skills instruction (plagiarism & copyright, fact vs. opinion, media “genres”, effective research). Setting the kids up on Google Reader, would be one of my first steps. Blogs, a wiki, podcasts, video clips, might follow. A Zoho notebook publication would be the perfect culminating project. Or, perhaps, a videotaped news show.
If we are successful, I anticipate having my students function as instructors for other students - and teachers.

This blog will serve as an online professional journal, a repository for odd ideas and quirky facts, and a public diary, of sorts. I am, most definitely, a “Stranger in a Strange Land”.

A Challenge and an Opportunity

Originally posted on June 4, 2007

Yesterday I received my tentative teaching assignments for next school year (in addition to my duties in the LMC). I am now scheduled to instruct a mixed class of high school students in current events. I don’t have any details yet, but the high school principal said this scheduling is a direct result of my advocating for more 21st century fluency skills in our district. My hope is the students and I will explore - and master - things like podcasts, blogging, etc. The first hurdle will be to secure student e-mail accounts, at least for those enrolled in my class. If this can not be supported by our district technology, I’ll funnel everything through a class account.
I visualize this course as a combination of a traditional current events class (emerging issues, world economy, geography, politics, etc.) and library skills instruction (plagiarism & copyright, fact vs. opinion, media “genres”, effective research). Setting the kids up on Google Reader, would be one of my first steps. Blogs, a wiki, podcasts, video clips, might follow. A Zoho notebook publication would be the perfect culminating project. Or, perhaps, a videotaped news show.
If we are successful, I anticipate having my students function as instructors for other students - and teachers.

This blog will serve as an online professional journal, a repository for odd ideas and quirky facts, and a public diary, of sorts. I am, most definitely, a “Stranger in a Strange Land”.