A lot of false authority; none of the power
Posted by: Mary Alice Anderson on: November 25, 2009
” And, I’m sick of democracy.” A colleague who is not a media specialist, but a G.A.T.E. coordinator whose job success is dependant on factors much like a media specialists’,* shared his lament today. No, he’s not anti-democracy, just frustrated with indecision, the slow speed of change, and lack of excitement about technology. Ironically, I had stopped by to discuss our mutual interest in learning and exploring web 2.0 tools.
I left refreshed and reenergized. It’s always good to have a colleague who thinks like you! Work with the living!
*collaboration, teacher acceptance of change, innovation, time
Active, engaged learning . . . always
Posted by: Mary Alice Anderson on: November 8, 2009
A photo of middle school age students wearing headphones, viewing action on a small screen and looking like they are having fun was haunting me. I had to find it. I did! I also found a photo of four students sitting at a media center table working with books and notebooks; in the background are other students with headsets and small screens. The big deal? The headphone had giant foam ear pieces, the plugs are 1/4″. The small screen is an individual filmstrip viewer/cassette player and the photos were taken in 1971.
It doesn’t matter if the students were enjoying a recreational filmstrip about cars (I can still picture those boxed sets of books and filmstrips and cassettes) or viewing and listening to a story about Zeus. (I loved that collaborative mythology project with a language arts teacher). What does matter is that the students enjoyed opportunities to experience multimedia in the media center, a relatively radical offering to many staff. Thinking back, I know I’ve always felt things wereright when the media center was full of varied activities appealing to a variety of student needs. Those early risks and adventures influenced my interests in all of the opportunities that technology offers our students. What has influenced you?
Being a guru in the “old days” was easier than today. . . .
Posted by: Mary Alice Anderson on: November 1, 2009
A tech savvy, energetic student in the Innovations and Opportunities for Media Specialists class is frustrated with the pace of implementing web 2.0 tools in the curriculum. It looks like she is doing quite a lot already. I’ve been thinking about this myself, too. Why are so few teachers are adapting 2.0 tools or rushing to attend classes we’re offering.
When technology first entered schools it was new to everyone & there were many teachers eager to begin using it. (There were also quite a few who weren’t) Everyone needed help, I was an early adapter & the principal wanted teachers to use technology, It was relatively easy become the building guru and help teachers implement new teaching tools.
Now the basics are in place but teachers have to use technology for things such as grades, attendance, online lesson plans etc etc. Add in the challenges of budget problems and NCLB which means less time for fun stuff & more time spent on meetings & data mining. (I’ve been on the docket for weeks at a school’s faculty meeting this week; now the principal has asked me to be brief since the staff needs to discuss the school’s AYP situation). But:
- there are some teachers taking the classes we’re offering
- there are a few teachers who are using web 2.0 tools such as Skype, Wikis, Google Docs and creating podcasts
- most teachers in our district have a web site and many teachers putting there lesson plans online
- there is some interest in easy to use tools such as Wordle
Bit by bit we are moving forward.
Work with the living.
You can eat an entire elephant if you cut it into small enough pieces!
& this from a wise principal
What are the compelling reasons that teachers have to use technology?
Have you ever been a coach? You always have such upbeat suggestions. . . .
Posted by: Mary Alice Anderson on: October 23, 2009
Someone asked me that today. I have never been a coach. Like many media specialists these days, it’s easy to whine now and then. We get frustrated with policies, declining budgets, limited time, NCLB, and a multitude of daily challenges.
There’s been a fair amount of discussion (and whining) lately about the Valenza/Johnson article Things that Keep us Up in the Night in the Oct. School Library Journal. But, for the most part I try to think positively about the things we are able to do in our jobs and the freedom or flexibility that we have.
How can we remain upbeat and positive?
- Stay involved and do the things you can control.
- Keep a “happy file” or list of positive stuff.
- Learn something new and feel proud of it. Many web 2.0 tools take only minutes. The newest addition to my collection is Doodle. What a handy little tool.
- Work with the living and those who want to collaborate; there’s always someone out there who needs our help and expertise or someone who also wants to try something new. I had a great time showing a 3d grade teacher how her students could use Wordle as a “book report” option. She got excited. We’ll put student Wordles on the school’s media center web site.
- Step away from the big issues for a while; one of the nice things about being a media specialist is that there are lot of opportunities for variety and still plenty of little tasks that need to be done. Little tasks will take your mind off the stuff that drives you nuts. Clean out your electronic or filing system. Throw out some old books or up date the web site. Feel proud of what you accomplished!
- Take on a big project that needs to be done.
- Make lemonade from lemons. For most problems there are opportunities. I’ve noticed that our district’s reading and math specialists make a nice team; I’ve also noticed that they do some things I also do and maybe even some things I’d just as soon be doing, it’s in their job description, not mine. The lemonade? We share many similarities in our job challenges. We all work with teachers so they can help students succeed; like me, they have to be out and about talking to people in order to do their jobs. Like media specialists, they work with data and have to stay on top of new technologies. I help them with some things, they help me with others. We have have offered staff development together and plan to do more.
We all have issues to deal with, but there are also opportunities. Get Energized and Recharged. Share, discuss and learn with others.
The next session of Issues and Opportunities for Media Specialists begins January 25, 2010. Join our discussion.
Still thinking about those transferable skills
Posted by: Mary Alice Anderson on: October 13, 2009
I am no longer providing any direct instruction to elementary or middle school students; I miss those opportunities to remind them how they can easily how to use new computer applications just by remembering how they used the same skill in another application. A speaker at a conference listed skills she expects studentes to learn, use, and apply as they combine their skill sets using PowerPoint and Kidspiration to complete a multimedia projects. There are several transferrable skills in the speaker’s list:
- text box
- font size, style and colors
- background colors
- group and frame an object
- order and layer objects
- make a picture or object transparent!
Thanks for the inspiration! If we teach students–and teachers who teach students–to us and apply transferrable skills they will acquire those skills that will take them a long ways as new applications come along. Little steps can take us far.
Leadership or Management
Posted by: Mary Alice Anderson on: October 13, 2009
In his October “Head for the Edge” Column (LMC Connection) Doug Johnson addresses “Leadership or management.” I related to his comments. For quite a while I’ve been thinking that all the emphasis on collaboration has left too many media specialists feeling guilty for not collaborating as much as they think should. Many find fewer opportunities for collaboration working within the realm of NCLB; others are finding themselves stretched thinner and thinner with tech support or working in multiple buildings.
Can the same can be said for the emphasis on leadership. Do we feel guilty if we are not visible enough in our leadership role or recognized as leaders? There still are a lot of good management skills needed to run a media center/program. People won’t want to collaborate with you if you don’t know what resources (in any format) to suggest or where to find the resource. Teachers won’t want to use the media center if the scheduling is mishandled or equipment doesn’t work. Management is not a dirty word. Something else to think about.
What are you doing? What do people see you doing?
Posted by: Mary Alice Anderson on: September 18, 2009
No, I’m not sending a tweet. Many years ago a school superintendent spoke at our state media conference. A few words stuck with me:
When people see you checking out books and doing clerical tasks they think that’s what a media specialist does.
Today’s version: An administrator asked a media specialist this question:
How will you use your time If you don’t do tech support and software installations?
What are you doing? How are you spending your time? Most importantly (and, yes, we all know these clerical and technical jobs need to be done), what do people see you doing?
Your media center’s web site. An essential tool for advocacy and visbility
Posted by: Mary Alice Anderson on: August 23, 2009
How’s “your’ media center web site doing these days? Is it a “Let’s stop here first” shopping center for information? Is it current? Or, has it been left behind as you move forward with nings, Twitter, blogs, wikis or other web 2.0 tools are there for us to use? Or, worse yet, have district policies and limited access prevented you from doing anything? Whatever the tool, a web presence is essential for advocacy, visibility and information access. I’ve tweaked some handouts used at conference workshops I’ve given on why media center websites are essential. The forms are here to help you plan. A presentation created for workshops in Kentucky and South Dakota is also included. No web site yet? Too many issues to deal with? The University of Wisconsin-Stout Innovations and Opportunities for Media Specialist class beginning Sept. 28 will help you get going! Create a web site for your class project!
Form_barriers (A brainstorming form to think about perceived and real barriers to creating a web site)
Form_audience_needs (A tool to help you think who will use the media center’s web site)
Essential_Components (A list of key ingredients to help you plan what to include on the web site)
Web_site_workshop_ (PowerPoint)
The class was what I needed to help me get focused for school!
Posted by: Mary Alice Anderson on: August 17, 2009
Primary Sources, Where have you been? Why have I never used primary sources? I didn’t use them because I didn’t know where to find the resources. I never considered all of the possibilities.
Primary sources are all around us and accessible to all of us through vast digital collections. Each time I engage with students in Teaching Information Literacy with Primary Sources I learn and am inspired by the wonderful and creative ideas students share.
Learn how to locate authentic digital primary sources in multiple formats to enhance your curriculum. Develop age appropriate learning activities that promote higher level questioning and critical thinking skills while adding excitement to student learning through engaging activities. The course is especially helpful for teachers of AP classes, teachers addressing state and national standards requiring the use of primary sources, and teachers working with National History Day activities. Materials fromTPS Direct, the Library of Congress Teaching with Primary Sources professional development program, will be incorporated in the class.
The next class begins Sept 21; I’d love to have you join us in the University of Wisconsin-Stout Online Professional Development Program.
Digital Classroom: Teaching Information Literacy with Primary Sources | Student Comments
E-Learning Certificate and Online Learning Certificate
Posted by: Mary Alice Anderson on: July 27, 2009
It seems like “everyone” I talk to these days is taking online classes, teaching online, or wanting to know more about online learning. I’ve been honored this summer to work and learn with a practicum student in the elearning program offered by the University of Wisconsin-Stout. This final course in the 5 taught program is by program advisor Dennis O’Connor.
Practicum in teaching online with a cooperating online instructor. Application of online pedagogy and technology evaluated through observation, discussion and reflections. Completion of a professional development plan and an e-portfolio of evidence of attainment of online learning standards. (Note: The practicum may only be taken after all other courses for the Certificate in E-Learning and Online Teaching are completed.)
This course provides a mentored online teaching experience for participants who have completed the first four courses in the Certificate program. Graduates of the certificate program will have real time experience in e-learning and online teaching.
Visit Dennis O’Connor’s Keyword Blog: 21st Century Information Fluency
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