I Can Do That!

Like many who attended ISTE11, I'm still processing what I heard and saw and learned.

This was my second such conference, the first being NECC08, in San Antonio. Three years ago, I was frankly overwhelmed by the size and scope of the gathering. My approach has changed, and the result has been a richly-layered experience.

In 2008, I spent most of my time in the Bloggers' Cafe, connecting with people from my slowly-developing network. In 2011, I only visited there occasionally, preferring to wander. While face-to-face interaction with my PLN is still very important to me, I also took the opportunity to strike up conversations with "strangers" - the Vermont technologist who asked to share a table, the photographer taking ISTE portraits, the magazine writer whose photo I snapped when he asked for directions. These random encounters added an element of the unexpected, and served to broaden my horizons.

During one of her presentations, my friend, Shannon Miller, recalled how, early in her career as a teacher librarian, she had heard Joyce Valenza speak and left determined to follow her example. Shannon wasn't discouraged by Joyce's depth of knowledge and innovative approach to librarianship, she was inspired by it.

It was a theme I heard repeated more than once: this person has embraced technology to benefit his/her students...so can I.

Another friend, Buffy Hamilton, spoke of a participatory culture that encourages, supports, and inspires its members, ultimately creating involvement and enchantment.

In many ways, ISTE11 followed this model, empowering attendees to say, "I can do that!" And believe it.


Psst!
Here's a link to the video of the Learning Tools Family Feud session in which I made a guest appearance.

And here's what I looked like on the prowl with my camera (thanks to the very talented Robin Henson for this great portrait!)




"ISTE 2011: Unlocking Potential" by dmcordell
"Portrait" taken by Robin Henson

ISTE Update - Two Days to Departure

Since I need to take care of some family business tomorrow, my ISTE11 packing is beginning a bit early for my Thursday departure. I already have a good idea of what I'll be bringing with me, so the only challenge should be fitting things in (and whittling down, if necessary). In addition to clothing*, I'm including small items for friends, healthy snacks, and a few little boxes of wine. Essential stuff.

*If you're unsure of how to dress for a summer conference, my stylish friend, Buffy Hamilton, offers a few tips on the Tumblr blog, Librarian Wardrobe.

I've added an exciting event to my ISTE planner: TEDxPhiladelphiaED. This (naturally) creates a conflict in my schedule, but a group of us will be leaving EduBloggerCon a bit early so that we can attend both events.

Check the site to see if there are any more tickets available for TEDxPhiladelphiaED. As for EduBloggerCon, organizer Steve Hargadon writes,

"Remember, you don't need to be registered for ISTE to attend EduBloggerCon (hurray to ISTE for everything associated with our putting on EduBloggerCon--room, wireless access, promotion, and this liberal entrance policy!). So please spread the word to educators within striking distance of Philadelphia, as everyone is most welcome and, since we are in a huge ballroom (Ballroom A) at the Pennsylvania Convention Center, there's room for as many as want to come! You don't need to let anyone know you are coming, but it is definitely fun to see who's attending, so you can use the following pages to indicate your attendance: The Classroom 2.0 event page or the Facebook Event Page."

And if you haven't reserved a spot at SIGMS Forum: There is No Better Time: A Dawning Era for School Librarians better do so - it's free, but you must pre-register. Here's a little taste of what you might expect from some of the presenters:

Gwyneth Jones

"Viva La Social Media Revolución! Tough times call for tough measures! Invisible librarians are vulnerable and invisible library programs can be visibly cut. But take heart! This is a dawning era of librarianship - we are now and we always have been educational revolutionaries! Making a few daring digital shifts in your practice & program will show the world that we are vital to vision and future of learning and more indispensable than ever!"

Buffy Hamilton




Another Forum presenter, Shannon Miller urges us to Bring It! to ISTE:

"Bring that spark, that urge to connect. Bring those ideas with you. Bring your passion for wanting to try something completely out of the box.

Because all it takes is that one connection with someone else to truly make a difference in not just the lives of your students, but also in yours!"

You could do worse than to follow her advice.

See you there!

"June 9" by radarxlove

"ISTE11_SigmsForum_Viva_La_Revolucion" by The Daring Librarian

Events and Opportunities

In ten days, I will arrive in Philadelphia to attend ISTE 2011. The following are a few items I've already put on my calendar.

From my ISTE Planner:

• EduBloggerCon 2011: The Social Media in Education Unconference

	Saturday, 6/25/2011, 8:00am–5:00pm PACC Grand Ballroom A Steve Hargadon, Elluminate/Blackboard Collaborate

Learning Tools Family Feud: Crowdsourced Edition
Monday, 6/27/2011, 12:45pm–1:45pm PACC 103BC Joyce Valenza, School District of Springfield Township with Steve Dembo, Gwyneth Jones, Chad Lehman, Shannon McClintock Miller, Nicholas Provenzano and Matthew Winner A favorite 70s game show with a fabulous 21st century twist. Listen in while our lively panel illustrates the results of a learning tools survey.

• SIGMS Forum: A Dawning Era for School Librarians

Tuesday, 6/28/2011, 10:30am–12:30pm PACC 108 *ticketed event
Lisa Perez, Chicago Public School Dept of Libraries with Doug Johnson
Featuring Amy Oberts, Anita Beaman, Buffy Hamilton, Cathy Jo Nelson, Gwyneth Jones, Shannon Miller.
It is an exciting time for librarians as we seek new definitions for our profession. Attend and help create a vision for school libraries.

• SIGMS Breakfast and Annual Meeting: Swimming in the Flow

Wednesday, 6/29/2011, 8:00am–9:30am PACC 108 *ticketed event - SOLD OUT
Lisa Perez, Chicago Public School Dept of Libraries with Will Richardson
How do we become literate at seeking, evaluating, synthesizing, and sharing relevant information to meet our learning goals? Discover how you can succeed in the new information landscape with blogger Will Richardson.

• Personal Learning Environments for the Digital Age

Wednesday, 6/29/2011, 11:45am–12:45pm PACC 204B
Laura Deisley, The Lovett School with Wendy Drexler and Buffy Hamilton
Hear three case studies that explore student construction of personal learning environments that uniquely support authentic networked learning.


From my personal calendar:

• Mural Mile Walking Tour (Shannon Miller and I are bringing our cameras on this tour!)

Friday, 6/24/2011, 11:30am-1:00pm
Guided walking tours depart daily from the Independence Visitor Center (6th & Market Sts.). See Philadelphia’s iconic Mural Mile, which includes 17 murals that provide an introduction to the Mural Arts Program. Tours often sell out, reservations are strongly suggested. $17 per person.

• Rethinking Education, Sponsored by Follett Software Company

Monday, 6/27/2011, 5:30pm-7:00pm
Marriott Downtown Philadelphia Salon B Free registration required
Chris Lehmann, Shannon Miller, Dean Mantz, Diane Cordell, Kevin Honeycutt, Vicki Davis
This informal panel discussion will present an image of what could be for 21st century public education in America.


Meetups:

• Edmodo Meetup

Tuesday, 6/28/2011, 6:00pm
Field House Sports Bar, 1150 Filbert St

• Edtech Karaoke Tweetup

Tuesday, 6/28/2011, 7:30pm
Public House Philadelphia, 2 Logan Square (18th St between Arch & Cherry)


People:

The thread that will run throughout this experience will be, as always, the people with whom I'll connect. I eagerly anticipate reunions with dear friends, face-to-face meetings with online colleagues, and the chance to become acquainted with a diverse group of educators and innovators from around the world.

"It‘s not where we stand but in what direction we are moving." -Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

"One’s destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things." -Henry Miller

"ISTE11 logo" from ISTE event website
"ISTE11 Family Feud Poster" by The Daring Librarian
"Mural: Reach High and You Will Go Far" by dmcordell
"Friendship" by dmcordell

Connections

Although I am a teacher/librarian by vocation, I am also a public library user by avocation.

Each year, the American Library Association publishes a number of Fact Sheets which summarize various aspects of its State of America's Libraries Report. According to ALA Library Fact Sheet 6, 19 states reported cutting library hours, staff, or services, with additional budget reductions frequently taking place at local levels. Despite these funding issues, the fact sheet notes that:

• two-thirds of the 1,000-plus adults contacted in the survey said that the library's assistance in starting a business or finding a job was important to them
• studies show that public libraries have a significant positive economic impact on the local economy and increase property value
• taxpayers entrusted libraries with their tax dollars by approving 87 percent of operating measures on ballots across the country
• library visitation per capita has steadily increased over the past 10 years; circulation per capita has also generally increased during the past 10 years
• computer usage at public libraries continues to increase; 67 percent of libraries report they are the only provider of free public access to computers and the Internet in their communities

These last few items confirm what I have seen for myself: our local public library is always buzzing, with people browsing the shelves; parents and children participating in reading activities, both organized and informal; teens wandering in and out of their special area; citizens of all ages using computers. Print books AND music AND DVDs AND electronic resources are all available, a necessary blend for modern life. There is a Folk Life center, with primary source artifacts, and a schedule of exhibitions, lectures and programs. Citizens can do everything from complete tax forms online to watch a movie, in addition to selecting reading material or doing research.

Of particular interest to me were an exhibit and an individual.

The exhibit was a collection of webkinz stuffed animals, curated not by the library staff, but by one of the young patrons. Students sign up to participate in the "Guess What I Collect" program, and are then responsible for arranging their items in a plexiglass display case located in the children's department. Staff members tell me that this is a very popular activity, with a long waiting list. It's a wonderful way to personalize and humanize the library environment (and could easily be adapted to a school setting).


The individual was a young man I encountered in one of the reading rooms. My eye was drawn to a skateboard, resting on the window ledge next to his laptop, and I asked if I could take a photo of both him and his "stuff." After explaining who I was (retired librarian who loved taking photos of libraries and readers), and assuring him that the picture would respect his privacy, he willingly posed for me. This older teen told me that he came to the library to check on jobs and look up information about colleges, since he has no internet access at home. I have no idea whether or not he was telling me the truth about his online activities, but the point is not what he was doing, but that he wanted/needed to connect and the public library is the place that offered him that option.


I believe that libraries are about more than objects, they're about people and their interactions: with these objects, with apps, with other people.

Carl Sagan believed that

"The library connects us with the insight and knowledge, painfully extracted from Nature, of the greatest minds that ever were, with the best teachers, drawn from the entire planet and from all our history, to instruct us without tiring, and to inspire us to make our own contribution to the collective knowledge of the human species. I think the health of our civilization, the depth of our awareness about the underpinnings of our culture and our concern for the future can all be tested by how well we support our libraries."

School, public, academic, specialty: whatever the type of library, it was created to fill a need, serve a purpose, serve people...like the young man with his laptop, like the older woman reading by a window, like the young children enjoying story time, like me. All of us learners, all of us seeking, and finding, services at our public library.





"That Paradise will be a kind of library" by dmcordell
"Display case" by dmcordell
"Connecting at the Library" by dmcordell
"A Quiet Spot" by dmcordell

Cat Among the Pigeons

put/set the cat among the pigeons (British & Australian) to do or say something that causes trouble and makes a lot of people angry or worried -TheFreeDictionary

It's been a lively Monday morning on Twitter, due in large part to the discussion of Seth Godin's posting, The future of the library.

Although Godin specifically mentions public libraries, this conversation is much larger, encompassing the entire profession of librarianship.

Without rehashing the entire piece - which should be read and savored in the original - I might summarize the message as "evolution or extinction." Perhaps Mr. Godin wouldn't state it quite as starkly, but this is the choice which I strongly believe librarians must make: change to fit the needs of the populations we serve, or find ourselves made irrelevant or redundant.

There has always been a slight but discernible rift between "book" people and "information/research" people. Most librarians fill both roles, but those who see themselves as more literature-oriented can become quite heated when they feel their role as guide, consultant, expert is threatened. And yet...a good English teacher can perform the same service for students, and online sources which recommend titles by genre, author, etc. are available for readers of all ages.

Some argue that community members come to the library to use topic-specific databases. In my experience, even students only resort to databases in a school setting. Most of the public find their needs served as well by a Google search. For those who do require more scholarly resources, in most areas, anyone with a library card can access their public library's databases online. Need to ask a reference question? Many libraries already offer online options for that, as well.

In September, there will be an exciting conference, Reimagine Ed, which seeks to address the design of K-12 libraries. The larger issue will be, of course, the function of these libraries. I've been thinking a lot about this, trying to envision a school that IS a library, a library that visually and philosophically encompasses an entire school. In this facility, all teachers and administrators would be librarians, and librarians would expand their roles as teachers and leaders. Such a future would necessarily require real changes in both teacher and librarian training programs.

Godin ends by saying,

"We need librarians more than we ever did. What we don't need are mere clerks who guard dead paper. Librarians are too important to be a dwindling voice in our culture. For the right librarian, this is the chance of a lifetime."

Change is not only an option, change is an imperative. Don't just get your feathers ruffled: inquire, assess, learn, adapt. Evolve.




"DSCN1971" by ruurdz

Junkyard Archaeology

Unidentified "flipped" car

My husband, Tim, and I took a hike recently in a wooded area near our home. The logging trails we followed abut an area known locally as Indian Ridge, because of the Native American artifacts sometimes found there.

We happened upon relics of a different sort: three abandoned cars.

Nature has softened, and, to some extent, integrated this impromptu junkyard into the landscape. Trees cradle the car frames, soil and plants enfold scattered bits of rusted metal.

I took a number of photos, and Tim did some research when we got home.

When exploring a topic, both prior and specialized knowledge come into play. Because of his familiarity with vintage automobiles, Tim was able to focus and narrow his efforts. A chance remark I made, that the logo we found on a seat belt reminded me of a Japanese trademark, also helped track down relevant information.

1955 Chevrolet Station Wagon

Once a tentative identification of the years of manufacture was made, we began speculating about how long the vehicles had been in their present location. Most of the trees in that immediate area were of a similar age and size. Some had grown from beneath the autos and bent to accommodate their metal frames, suggesting that the cars had been abandoned in a cleared space, where logging had already taken place.

Early 1970s Subaru Station Wagon

After further discussing things with a neighbor, Tim concluded that the three cars date from the mid-1950s to the early 1970s and had probably been towed to their present resting place around 1980.

Although I prefer unspoiled nature, it was fun to examine this little cache of automotive artifacts. It might not be possible (or safe!) to take a group of students to a similar site, but perhaps photos could be substituted to form the backbone for a project in Junkyard Archaeology.

Opportunities for learning are everywhere, for those who have eyes to see and minds open to inquiry.

Parts from the '55 Chevy

Feel free to use any or all of the photos from my Junkyard Archaeology Flickr set And if you can identify the "flipped" car, please let us know!

The Reader

In honor of Children's Book Week, the recently-ended National Poetry Month, and my birthday, I'm sharing this poem, written by Richard Wilbur.

Although my methods of accessing literature have expanded, I will always be a reader.

The Reader

She is going back, these days, to the great stories
That charmed her younger mind. A shaded light
Shines on the nape half-shadowed by her curls,
And a page turns now with a scuffing sound.
Onward they come again, the orphans reaching
For a first handhold in a stony world,
The young provincials who at last look down
On the city's maze, and will descend into it,
The serious girl, once more, who would live nobly,

The sly one who aspires to marry so,
The young man bent on glory, and that other
Who seeks a burden. Knowing as she does
What will become of them in bloody field
Or Tuscan garden, it may be that at times
She sees their first and final selves at once,
As a god might to whom all time is now.
Or, having lived so much herself, perhaps

She meets them this time with a wiser eye,
Noting that Julien's calculating head
Is from the first too severed from his heart.
But the true wonder of it is that she,
For all that she may know of consequences,
Still turns enchanted to the next bright page
Like some Natasha in the ballroom door—
Caught in the flow of things wherever bound,
The blind delight of being, ready still
To enter life on life and see them through.

—Richard Wilbur

"October 1948" by dmcordell

"Me and my Kindle" by dmcordell

Building Bridges

Ralph Ellison said that "Education is all a matter of building bridges." So is life.

I thought I knew what my retirement would be like, I had it all planned out. But the world changed, and so did my expectations. Things are not better or worse than I anticipated, just different.

This week I will celebrate a birthday and achieve an age that the Beatles turned into a landmark of sorts. While I sometimes

"...knit a sweater by the fireside
Sunday mornings go for a ride.
Doing the garden, digging the weeds..."

I can, and do, "ask for more."

So I have become a bridge, of sorts: connecting with colleagues via social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, and Plurk; collaborating on projects in Google Docs; interacting with classrooms via Skype. I use what I've learned over the years and learn what they can teach me, in return.

Together, we bridge the past and the present, and work to create the future. We are fellow travelers on a grand adventure.

And we don't burn ANY bridges, we build them and cross them.

"Humber Bridge" by EOS_3

Tag is Better Than Hide and Seek

I started using Flickr in August 2007, and now have 12,,814 (and counting) photos stored there. These items have been viewed 187,336 times, with referrals coming from Flickr itself, Google Images, Facebook, Twitter and various other sites.

When I started out, I had no idea of the volume of work I would create. It was easy enough to scroll through my account to find images that I needed. My first organizational tool was the Sets option, which allows the user to create albums of related pictures, which can then be manipulated as a unique entity. Collections are where I then group Sets of similar content.

By far the most useful tool, however, is tagging:

"Flickr asks photo submitters to organize images using tags ... which enable searchers to find images related to particular topics, such as place names or subject matter. Flickr was also an early website to implement tag clouds, which provide access to images tagged with the most popular keywords." -Wikipedia

I now tag each photo that I upload with as many useful keywords as I can think of - month, season, location, genre, etc. For example, Hometown Graffiti has some inherent visual interest, but by tagging it with "Jimmer Fredette, " "Jimmer," "Brigham Young," and "BYU," I ensured a much wider audience: 525 views, to date.




There have been a number of interesting connections made because of my Flickr tags, as people search online for a wide range of information.

A woman in Washington state saw some photos I took in a local cemetery and asked if I could look for additional family headstones. When I was able to comply, she wrote

"The photos are perfect and are worth more than gold to me! Pictures support my family connections between Amos, Hannah and Amos Jr. conclusively... As I mentioned before, I am trying to tie up loose ends so I may present our family genealogy history to my dad for Christmas. I've been working on this project for over 6 years.
Thank you again for your thoughtfulness and generosity. You made my day!"

My Crandall Public Library set, taken in the newly-renovated facility, brought this request from Iowa:

"Hi,

My library is currently creating a slideshow illustrating our need for a new library building. I was wondering if I could use some of your photos as examples of what our library could look like.

Thanks"

The most recent contact, and farthest afield, came from Bonifacio Global City, Philippines:

"...We understand that you are the owner of the copyright of the Actaea Pachypoda Baneberry found in this link. We humbly ask for the high resolution copy of this image to use in the Kingdom Plantae exhibit in the Mind Museum and also for your permission to do so..."

How cool is that!

Unfortunately, I didn't understand the value of tagging when I first starting archiving my photos. I sometimes feel like I'm playing a game of hide and seek as I search for images I uploaded back when labeling was not a concern. According to my Flickr stats, 7,278 items are tagged, 5,536 are not. Believe me, it's much easier to tag as you go, rather than trying to backtrack.

Tagging only takes a few minutes of your time, but its value is immense. By consistently attaching keywords to photographs, you make it easier for yourself - and others - to locate and *use your images.



*Except for some portraits and my husband's artwork, I attach CC permission to the bulk of my photographs.



"Old Photos" by dmcordell

Emma and the Perfect Storm

The term "perfect storm" commonly refers to a worst-case scenario caused by the combination of significant phenomena.

In this case, the contributing elements are all good, and the perfect storm is a best-case scenario.

Emma Durflinger is a 12-year-old student at Van Meter School, in Van Meter, Iowa. We first met when I became co-advisor to Club Click, the school's photography club; now we're Twitter friends and Skype contacts.

Emma is comfortable with all those 21st century skills that the education community values: collaboration, communication, critical thinking, creation. She has participated in conference presentations, most recently the Iowa 1:1 Conference.

These accomplishments didn't just "happen." One component is, of course Emma herself, a bright and articulate young lady. But she might not have blossomed so early, if it hadn't been for a few key factors:

• Emma attends a school that values and promotes integrated technology
• her school librarian, Shannon Miller, offers students a number of interactive experiences with schools in other states, and serves as mentor and facilitator
• Emma's family (her father, Deron Durflinger is the secondary principal at Van Meter) encourages her online activities and offers guidance as well as support

Emma isn't merely posting chaty Twitter updates. She is using her connectivity to stretch her wings and expand her horizons but with adult supervision and parental permission.

Emma is learning to ride the winds of change.

"I'm not afraid of storms, for I'm learning to sail my ship." -Aeschylus

"Sailboat # 8444" by Nemo's great uncle