Judy’s Blog for Mac in the Class

Just read “The Over Connecteds” and it was enlightening. It helps me understand more about the way children and young adults are communicating with each other. There is certainly a positive in that they are meeting many new people but the negatives of not only online predators but also what connections one really needs to make and continue to make to cultivate a real friendship. We are always looking to understand students and their communication so this is helpful. On the other hand I really liked the suggestion in the lesson plan that students write letters via snail mail to a new friend and see what adults have been used to.  It will help them understand us!

I really didn’t want to register for CNET which I seem to have to do in order to comment on the “Wired But Not Web 2.0? That’s Normal, Study Says.” I’m not surprised. It is important for people to know about Web 2.0 especially if on is in education but it is understandable that not all people will have it become a large part of their social life.  I would class myself as a “productivity enhancer” although I do keep up with a couple of family blogs too.  I am thrilled to know more about the Web 2.0 technology so I  can use it for my teaching by it hasn’t replaced my communication with friends via phone and in person.  But I could see getting more “social” if I started looking for blogs on my hobbies.

Please send me some comments!  I’ve really enjoyed the comments I’ve received so far.

Of the top 5 must-read blogs my favorites were “2¢ Worth” and “Moving at the Speed of Creativity.”  I found articles on digital storytelling, libraries and visual literacy that I enjoyed and commented on.  What a labyrinth of fun.

So I need to make it clearer that one blog will be mostly for faculty and the other for students although there’s no problem about anyone accessing either one. I’ve figured out how to link to a podcast through iTunes on the blog. Now I’m headed to start a Delicious account before finishing up my homework by reading some more blogs.

This was an excellent class. At the minimum I wanted to learn how to have my own blog and that was accomplished plus a whole lot more. I have a better understanding of Web 2.0 and its social/connectivity power and am walking into that world. I can make a basic podcast with VoiceThread and add it to my blog. I am beginning to understand Garage Band. I understand the fundamentals of iPhoto and iTunes and I have explored many blogs. This was really quite a bit of hands-on how-to-do-it. Just as I reached overload on Wednesday afternoon, we had time on Thursday to catch our breath and practice what was most important to us. In other words, the class was well-paced. I enjoyed exploring the blogs, reading my classmates blogs and starting to respond to these blogs. And there is so much to explore, too much. As a librarian I need to keep in mind that my use of technology and reading needs to stay focused on what will help students, staff and myself in this context. The other aspect of the class was to read, learn and discuss the ramifications of this technology and the changing student population. I feel that it is important that technology should be used with worthwhile content in education and these discussions helped me to study my own opinions. The class was organized to reflect the content – all of it was online, no paper. I did take most of my notes in Appleworks and a few on paper. I did enjoy the class discussions as well as reading the blogs everyone else did. I think I’ll be able to at least hold my own with some of this technology although I know I’ll be asking students for help. Finally, I’m a whole lot more aware of issues around technology and teaching and learning than I was a week ago. I feel that I’ve only touched the tip of the iceberg and Alice’s curriculum and resources listed on the blog will be good to refer back to and explore more. Thanks!

I set up a blog for the school library with categories such as the Maine Student Book Award, News, What are You Reading?

This is a practice run with Voicethread but hope to do it for real with teachers.

I’m planning to create a library blog and after this class realize it should really be put in the students’ hands as much as possible.  I’m wondering if I should have 2 blogs – one aimed more for students and one for faculty.  I need to communicate with teachers about new materials in the library, new websites among other things.  For years I’ve wanted to have an exhibit of photographs of teachers reading their favorite book with a caption of “why” under the photograph.  So I’m thinking that might be good as a podcast as part of the blog. Again students would likely have some ideas about this and be able to help make this as well.  I have yet to decide the topics I want to add to the blog but I’m thinking I should reread the “Natives” article to give me more ideas.  Certainly I would like it to be a forum for what students are reading.

The concrete explanations and ideas in this article by Marc Prensky are very helpful. What I’m taking away from this article is all the information about students – not only their technological background but how they should be an intricate part of their learning.  This is not really a new concept – we’ve been doing and talking about this for years although we aren’t there yet.  Certainly Expeditionary Learning which I have been involved with over the last couple of years is based on this principle.

Everything about students, according to Prensky, is different -  their tools, skills and knowledge.  And the most difficult hurdle is for teachers to engage them.  I think this is true but this engagement hurdle has been going on for at least 30 years, not just since computers.  He also talks about students making decisions, designing and having input into what they learn.  As I begin my first year as a middle school librarian I will keep this in mind and involve students in the library to help choose materials to buy, plan events and give input on ways to improve the library. At the very least  I’d like to have students run a library blog.

Prensky says neither our training nor our knowledge prepares us to teach the 21st century student. About the only thing Prensky thinks teachers can do well is lead class discussions.  This is a little extreme.  I agree we need to do things differently but students need teachers to guide them otherwise they won’t know what they don’t know.