This past week I was introduced to a variety of information about libraries, librarians, and the realities of both in light of Web 2.0. I am not a librarian but what I read created an instant connection (in my mind at least) to the premise for the new film The Book of Eli. If you are familiar with the film...don't run away! Give me a chance to explain. If you aren't familiar with the Book of Eli film, take a quick look at the trailer below:
Short Explanation:
People in the know are noticing a huge shift in the educational landscape generated by the read/write web. They sense that this shift is "laying waste" to how education was done and is generating a new way (world) of researching, learning...interacting with knowledge. Librarians are a group of heroes that are charged with proactively responding to this shift, protecting the key elements from the old world, and developing new skills to aid the students/staff of the present and future. Slightly Longer (but less dramatic) Explanation: The Threat: Obsolescence and Ineffectiveness (not nuclear in any shape or form)
"While the influences of Web 2.0 may vary in regions around the world, there can be little doubt that the challenges raised by new technologies must be addressed by the entire school library community. Without facing the new realities of how people use information and communication or digital learning technologies, we risk a real danger of becoming isolated as print-only learning environments. We need to draw on our traditional leadership in building collaborative teaching and learning activities in order to engage students in new learning environments which harness their innate interests in new technologies and connect their in-school and out-of-school literacy practices."(SLW 2008)
What should libraries do to become relevant in the digital age? They can't survive as community-funded repositories for books that individuals don't want to own (or for reference books we can't afford to own.) More librarians are telling me (unhappily) that the number one thing they deliver to their patrons is free DVD rentals. That's not a long-term strategy, nor is it particularly an uplifting use of our tax dollars.(Seth Godin)
Listening to podcasts and reading blogs/manifestos gave me the impression that librarians are excited about their profession but the source of their excitement is also generating fear or concern:
It is the best time in history to be a librarian. We have rich opportunities to teach and guide in new information and communication landscapes...perhaps our biggest nightmare is the lack of urgency in our profession. Educational change, technological change, and funding reductions are pressing in on all sides. (Joyce Valenza)
Librarians are signaling that change is happening and they are taking on Denzel's role. They are braving the new world, with new skills, and with new passion.
What needs to be protected or what is truly at risk....libraries? librarians? or something else? I would argue that, unlike the movie, physical objects aren't the focus in this discussion. True, powerful, and meaningful research + critical thinking skills are being lost and librarians are trying to respond to this educational extinction crisis (okay...a little drama left).
The Response (no kung fu required)
Joyce Valenza initiated a wiki (click here) on the topic of librarians. This wiki hit home that the most effective response to the above threat is human....not technological. Two statements from this wiki emphasized to me that a philosophical shift...a fundamental change in the discourse held by all educators (librarians, teachers, administrators, ministers, parents etc.) is the key:
The library is not just a place to get stuff, it is a place to make and share stuff...Know your physical space is about books and way more than books. Your space is a libratory.
Imagine how different the movie trailer above included Denzel and about 100 000 partners who all shared the same level of capability, vision, and focus. That probably wouldn't make a good movie but that is what is needed in education. Joyce's manifesto is a useless document if only one person in each district fits that description. If a school division became permeated with leaders who believed schools are physical places where youth explored creation in all its forms....imagine the implications and the possibilities:
1) Libarians would no longer have to ask how "to begin to make the school library program indispensable to the success of every learner at [their] school?" (thanks Cyn). They would have a whole community reflecting alongside them.
2)Libarians would no longer have to ask how to "involve other teachers, administrators, parents, and students as stakeholders in defining library program goals that support school goals" (thanks Cynthia). The whole school would be founded on this premise of involvement.
3) Staffing models and hiring practices would be altered to make sure a strong core of specialists are hired, supported, and utilized in staff professional development. These specialists would likely be creative in nature and highly skilled at navigating the technological and informational universes (sounds like a librarian to me....thanks Dawn).
4) People like Joyce Valenza would no longer have to push librarians and other educators to stay current with their skills. The general culture and the individuals within that culture would demand this as stagnant individuals/practices would contravene the core value of creativity. (Click here to read more about Joyce's charge)
In closing, I want to emphasize that fundamental skills in our students are what is at risk. My discussions with colleagues this week kept coming back to this perception. We perceive a difficult road ahead as we try to impart effective research and thinking skills on the next generation. Our experiences and research supports the fact that the presence of technology alone does not guarantee that youth will gain these complex skills (Todd, 2008).
Simply put...Denzel in the movie "The Book of Eli" could probably save the future without the physical book, but the book couldn't save the future without Denzel. Our students will succeed even if libraries as we know them cease to exist but their future is bleak without specialists like librarians.
Nonhyperlinked resources:
Todd, R. (2008). Youth and their virtual networked words: Research findings and implications for school libraries (14),2. School Libraries Worldwide, 19-34.
We are getting close to the time where people begin to look back at the successes and challenges of the last year. Music channels outline the movers and shakers of the year. The movie industry post their biggest earners and their biggest flops.
This blog and the intense exposure to Web 2.0 was a totally new experience for me so I thought I would follow suit and look back at this exciting process. Posting this reflection early will hopefully keep my thoughts from getting lost in a sea of gems like the one below:
Web 2.0 Highlights
1. Creativity - I have never considered myelf to be a creative person. After all, when you are colour blind you try to stay with the basics so people don't laugh at the fact that you colour oceans on maps purple instead of blue (sorry...traumatic childhood moment). Starting this blog has drawn out creativity I didn't know that I had. To be honest, it is hard not to be creative when tools like Blogger, Jing, and GoAnimate (my favourite) are so easy to use and to embed into my blog. As cool as text is by itself, text with video and images is infinitely better. This leads me to my second highlight...
2. Free - If you are a teacher, a librarian or a parent then I don't need to say much more. Once I got over the belief that everything that is free is useless, my experience grew. If you need to do something on the net...there is a free quality tool out there for you.
3. Connections - Social networking is something that every educator should have the opportunity to play with. While I do see challenges such as exposure to inappropriate content, monitoring students and the content they post, etc. (click here for my posting on the subject) the benefits are phenomenal. I would recommend Ning as a place to start as it does provide some management control and the Ning community is ripe with great educational opportunities. For instance, I am participating in an open ended conference with over 650 other people from across the world. Not only do I get to hear from great keynote speakers/bloggers, I can chat with them, ask them for direction, grab resources, and potentially invite them to partipate in my online activities. Beyond this, I am making new connections with highly skilled people with common interests and struggles which means my traditionally closed door classroom is now wide open to fresh eyes and new mentors. If you haven't signed up fo the K12 Online Conference click on my badge on my sidebar. It is amazing and it is FREE.
4. Reality check - I have to be honest. Blogging can be disappointing if you don't see tons of comments on your posts. I began with the belief that my blog, my tweets, my discussion postings meant something to me but not to anyone else. They felt like one way conversations. Just this last week I was proven wrong. One colleague joined the k12 online conference after reading something I posted, another started a Delicious account, and a fellow classmate contacted me by email to share how much she appreciated our online discussions (Thanks Canadanz. Check out her blog here.) The stuff we post can become conversations, can impact peoples lives, and in turn can enhance our own experiences if we give it a chance ( ).
Challenges...not Lowlights
As an educator I try to adhere to the idea that even the darkest moments funamentally will point me to an even brighter future. 2009 definitely proved that to be true....
Challenge 1: Not everything is as easy to do as they say it is.
I said 'we' because my plans will hopefully include entice my family, my colleagues, my region, and my students to join in. What I have in mind I can't do alone.
1. Focus - I am in the middle of choosing the tools I am most passionate about. I don't want to go back to work with 50 great things. Out of all the tools I have used the ones that I feel every teacher in my region should experience are:
a. Social Bookmarking - We are constantly on the move and the amount of luggage we can carry is highly limited. Being able to use anyone's computer to access and share our favourite sites...priceless. While I am using Delicious, I honestly feel Diigo is a strong option that many will love.
b. RSS Feeds and Google Reader - Our isolation means that accessing PD is exceptionally hard. Our community expects a high level of teacher involvement outside of school which means researching in free time is tough. Having a steady stream of personally identified information of interest coming to one spot...priceless. Add this to the potential of having online student work coming to us instead of having to go look for it (Richardson, 2009). Fantabulous.
c. Blogs - I think blogging may be a good first step for many teachers. Our region is focusing on literacy so everyone is looking for engaging ways to engage students in reading and writing. This incentive combined with relatively easy set up procedures and the ability to personalize blogs will be appealing to many. The fact that our email system (First Class) supports a completely in house alternative will also likely be a plus. Using First Class, students could generate blogs safely behind the firewall of our regional network. They get to interact with other students while we get the peace of mind of knowing they are fairly well protected.
d. GoAnimate - This tool is fantastic and it can support our computer courses and our literacy initiatives. Many classes call for storyboarding skills, editing text/video, combining multiple forms of media and other complex skills. GoAnimate is highly accessible to everyone and it allows you to focus on the objectives at hand instead of complicated programming/interfaces. Plus it is wicked cool :)
2. Research - I need to go back with as much information as I can about how schools are already using web 2.0 tools effectively. As mentioned I am part of the k12 online conference. I am actively following "Moving at the Speed of Creativity Podcasts" (you can easily find the following podcasts through iTunes). These podcasts by Wesley Fryer dig into the big picture stuff like why social media (#334), how to develop social media guidelines (#323), designing 2.0 schools (#312)and the steps needed to make technology available to everyone in our schools (#335). These should be mandatory listening for every educational leader. These podcasts directed me to schools in the states that are totally reinventing how they do school. I am reading up on these schools so I can learn from their mistakes and potentially support changes in my neck of the woods (http://k12blueprint.com/k12/blueprint/. Excellent place to start.)
3. Advocate - I have already initiated conversations with key technology people in my region. I have invited them to participate in my learning and I have asked big questions like do we have a five year plan for technology? How can we educate students about online behaviour when the internet is heavily filtered? How can we advocate for creative timetabling to allow staff to play with these effective tools? Can we identify at least one teacher from each school that I can work with to implement these tools to prove their value? It seems to be working as I am being consulted and informed of many exciting developments.
4. Practice -"As a teacher, blogging will have a profound effect on their reading and writing skills. They will be able to get outside feedback and build on their already existing knowledge. They will learn to build their own PLN based on the blogs they follow and the information they learn from those blogs and the links they lead others to and to where they have been." (http://learningtogether-laurie.blogspot.com/) It is one thing to read about how things work and another to put things like blogging into action and confirming their value for yourself. My son struggles with writing but he is highly social and loves to learn. He has shown great interest in my blog and I heard him say last week that he wished he had is own blog. Before Xmas I am going to set up a blog with him that he and key people in his life will have access to. This will give an opportunity for me to see if the above claims of blogging are true and I will gain great experience in how to actively manage an elementary student in an online environment. I can't wait.
The End of One Journey...the Start of Another.
This blog entry could go on forever. I don't know when the last time was that I was so excited about possibilities and change. I planned on doing one last GoAnimate entry for 2009 but my internet is very unstable. So I will end this entry with quotes from two inspirational leaders in the Web 2.0 world.
"Level 1 seems to be “getting” that there are all these new tools and technologies out there and that we can now publish all sorts of content really easily. And that kids are already using social networks and that these tools are cropping up more and more in classrooms around the world...Level 2 takes it a step further and implies that “getting it” means that there is some real change involved in what’s happening right now, that it’s not just about tools, but about connections and building learning networks for ourselves and for our students...That to really “get” what the implications of all of this might be, you have to really be willing to really think differently." (Will Richardson)
This summarizes my journey over the last few months. I have gone from merely recognizing the existence of these tools, to understanding that there is some sort of change going on, and now the overwhelming evidence presented to me has forced me to fundamentally change how I view myself, my students, and the way I approach my craft. My experiences have shifted from being fun for me, to being fundamental for the future of my profession (still fun though).
"For the successful learner, learning is not the end -- but the process they use to achieve goals and the feeling of pride and satisfaction in their accomplishments. Learning literally has a different feel for them. It is not just a matter of going to school, listening to the teacher, and completing assignments on time. Not measured Instead, learning springs from within; is felt in their minds and hearts.
The successful learner is someone who learns how to learn in the fullest sense of the word. They are heroes because they have taken their given talents and strengths and combined them with hard work, ambition, attitude to get where they are going. " (Angela Maiers)
It is easy to see from that quote why Angela is an award winning blogger. Over the last few months I have been a successful learner probably for the first time in decades...at least to this degree. Grades never truly entered the picture on this journey. I pushed myself. I participated. I took risks. I communicated through novel modes of communication. I joyously shared everything I did with anyone who would listen. I gleaned from anyone who would communicate with me. I altered my lifestyle and my aspirations based on what I learned. I questioned almost everything. These are all things I wish for my students.
As tough as this journey has been so far, truly submersing myself in Web 2.0 under the guidance and support of the Web 2.0 community has put me in the position of being a learning hero (great term Angela)for my son and my students. I wholeheartedly agree with Angela that "it is only after exploring learning success in a broader sense, that I really understood how to teach students to be successful learners and not just wish it upon them. (Angela Maiers) I hope this understanding spreads like wildfire through my circles of influence.
Next challenge....exploring the psychological, neurological and social impacts of Web 2.0. The new journey begins....
All of my classmates have much to offer but the following people truly helped me through the roughspots and they have much knowledge to share:
Many historical events have stopped the world in its tracks. Events like the theory of relativity, the invention of the printing press, and the birth of Tim Hortons rank right at the top of the monumental events list. But ultimately, stories of love continue to strike our souls at the very core. Many of you may be thinking of New Moon but before those vampires hit the screen, the biggest love story of all time was... Randy the Macho Man Savage and Elizabeth.
The Proposal
The Response
I still remember where I was for this wedding....Barbados, drinking sour sop punch and sweating like a mad man. What is the point? Blogging and feed aggregators are two tools that were meant to be together. Any teacher or librarian who chooses to bask in their radiance will be changed forever. Don't believe me?
My First Experiences with the Lovely Couple
Before September I hadn't met either partner. I didn't know what blogs were and I definitely didn't know what 'RSS' or feed aggregators were (hmmm...sounds like aligators). This posting could go on for days so I want to focus more on the relationship between the two tools rather than breaking each down individually. If any of you are unsure about what blogging is you are reading one right now and my colleague did a great posting about the basics of blogging (Click here) Check out the links under "Google Reader Wonderfulness" on my sidebar to tour blogs and to find blogs about blogs.
The learning process has been long so I will give you brief highlights in the screencasts below.
1. Self Efficacy - I am a person who wears many hats. Many of the roles I play in my personal life require skills that I don't have. As a dad, this fact drives me crazy. My mom always talked about how her father and mother would show her everything she needed to know. She walked side by side with them as they demonstrated the skills that she needed. Fast forward a few decades, I come along, both my parents worked, and the information age kicked into overdrive. Now I have to figure things out on my own. My son, my professors, my wife, my in-laws all seem to turn to me for advice or throw things my way that I am ill prepared to deal with. Having a planet full of bloggers and simple data collection tools such as Google Reader and Bloglines mean that I can learn what I need to know at any time. Even silly stuff like not knowing how to cook yams for his supper. Click. Click. Subscribe. Voila...recipes, tips, tricks, coming out the wazoo. I used to workout so people ask me for weight management tips. Besides referring them to a pro I can say check this out.
2. Move at my own pace without offending - One pitfall of feed aggregators is that they don't stop. They constantly bring you more...more...more. In fact, an hour ago I had only about 200 unread items, now I am at over 700. You can and will feel overwhelmed. The advantage to these tools is you are one step removed from a conversation. If you decide to ignore the incoming information or if you decide to mark them all as read so they magically disappear, no one is offended. Unlike Twitter where you are interacting directly with a community, these tools make learning all about you. Read what you want, when you want and nobody else is the wiser. For other management tips or considerations, check out Crystal's blog under Personal Implications (Click Here)
3. Join in...everybody's doing it - Take some time to read or listen to people like Joyce Valenza, Mack Male, Will Richardson, and Wesley Fryer. The constantly hit home that the web is now a venue for participation and conversation. If someone blogs something that strikes my fancy or gets me going...I don't have to sit idle. I can do my research, generate my own blog posting, and link my readers directly to the person I am responding to. I am part of the game. I am not on the sidelines anymore. This makes the internet far more exciting, personal, and alive.
"I suspect that the world-reach thrill of blogging might be novel and might wear off. But it occurs to me that the true power of working within an audience, as opposed to performing in front of an audience (writing to the teacher, what you thing the teacher wants to read), is the power of conversation. It’s knowing that somebody (even the guy in the next row) is reading what you are writing (not measuring it), and that the reader may respond to what you’ve written, pushing you to rethink and respond back." (http://davidwarlick.com/2cents/?p=2020)
4. Positive pressure to improve - My son and I are about to start our own blog before Christmas. Knowing that people are going to read our stuff, that they will be able to use Google Reader to track our writings, and that they may choose to stop following us is exciting/challenging. Blogging pushes us to become better bloggers for our reputations' sake and for the sake of our community (http://www.copyblogger.com/off-track-writing/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Copyblogger+%28Copyblogger%29&utm_content=Google+Reader).
5. Styles of learning - I don't have research to back up this point. As my thrill over Google Reader calmed down a little, and as I reflected on the story I told about my mom growing up, a thought struck me. What happens to a society where reading and communicating online becomes the ultimate form of learning/interacting? I was fortunate to grow up with parents and grandparents that forced me away from my Vic 20 to go out and build, fix, and experiment with new things. My parents forced me to put my book down and try new experiences. I spent 6 hours in front of my computer today just touring blogs, flipping through my feeds and learning through conversation. I had to yank myself away once I realized my son needed to eat. What's the point? As cool as these tools are, they shouldn't replace all other forms of learning. I will have to continue the tradition and say "Son, enough reading about BBQing or how to rebuild an engine. Let's go do it"
How can This Relationship Help My Profession?
Much like the Macho Man and Elizabeth, aggregators (like Google Reader and Bloglines) and blogs are powerful on their own but together they can be magical.
1. Resources - Have you ever been on a tight budget? Have you wandered around education fairs wishing you had the cash to buy everything? Concerned about the environment as you print off copies of articles or lesson plans for colleagues? Blogging is free. Accessing blogs is free. Highly skilled professionals are sharing infinite mounds of good stuff through these free tools (check this out). You can share these resources paper free (thanks for the idea Wesley and Will).
2 & 3. Enriching + Time Saving - Will Richardson (2009) drives home the power of blogging to engage students in rich learning experiences. He also suggested an idea I wouldn't have come up with on my own. Imagine a world where students' work was not only interesting but it automatically came to you instead of you having to travel around to find it:
"If you already use Weblogs with your students, the uses of RSS should be pretty apparent. Instead of checking out all twenty-five (or thirty, or more) student Weblogs every day, you could just collect their work in your aggregator using RSS feeds. That way, you can scan through all of the class content in one place, make sure it's all appropriate, and clich through to a particular post if you want to comment on it." (p. 77)
4. Be or have a guest speaker in a whole new way - I live in an isolated community. If you watch Ice Road Truckers or the new show Ice Pilots, it will give you an idea how hard it is for me to get people in to my class or for me to contribute to another person's class. Josh Hanagarne opened my eyes to a new possibility. He did guest postings on other peoples' blogs. Potentially I could have specialists in various fields actually do posts on my blogs which will automatically be passed on to my students and colleagues through their aggregator of choice :) Here are a few other lessons Josh learned:
By November 1 I had written over 50 posts. 42 of them had aired on other blogs. Here is what I learned:
•A lot of bloggers seem to have a fear of guest posting. Get over it or be happy with your current rate of growth. •You will meet awesome people. •Those people will act like you are doing them a favor by borrowing their traffic. •You are doing them a favor, provided you give them something they can use. I love to have guests! •This marathon approach is not for everyone. Do not try to write more than you are capable of. Test yourself but don’t flame out. I have a masochist work capacity and I still wound up with more than I could handle. I thought I would get the 80+ posts written before November 1. Life, sleep, the flu, a book proposal, and kettlebells all conspired against me. •Don’t commit to anything that will prevent you from taking care of business at home(page). There’s nothing more pointless than writing a killer guest post and having all those new visitors land on a dancing Hello Kitty graphic that’s a year old. •Don’t pretend you know things you don’t. If you can’t talk about stocks, either find another approach or turn it down. Don’t be a poser. •Don’t be afraid to say no when people pitch ideas to you. You made the rules, right?(Click here for the full posting)
Oh and he also mentioned the slight benefit of a drastic increase in people subscribing to his blog. A nice little perk...
5. Protect yourself by Projecting yourself - It is sad to say but due to the position that leaders such as educators hold, we have to be vigilent in everything we do. Our codes of ethics and professional conduct combined with our natural instincts for self preservation have always kept us conscious of how we portray ourselves in public. Thanks to the new read/write web and the Google monster...public has a totally new meaning. Blogging, publicly sharing your links/feeds, linking yourself to other reputable people and other online practices can help you generate a digital footprint to be proud of. Wesley Fryer is a major proponent of actively generating your footprint. (Click here to explore further)
There are so many more tips, tricks, applications, and implications surrounding blogging, RSS feeds and aggregators. I can't possibly cover it all (check out my followers as many of them will be adding to this conversation as well). Ideas are constantly...wait...one more.
6. Social Bookmarking - This just hit me....how can a teacher remember why they subscribed to a feed or a specific post? What if you used your aggregator to bring in the information and as you read you used your Diigo account to highlight key points, add notes, and generate conversations? Not only will you have a permanent record of why the blog posting was important to you, you can actually network with others in a different way. (If you are new to social bookmarking check out my archived posting or Joseph's) Give blogging and Google Reader or Bloglines a try. The relationship they share will likely enhance your life, the lives of your colleagues, and the lives of your students. Possibly even more than the Macho Man's wedding did :)
Nonlinked References:
Richardson, W. (2009). Blogs, wikis, podcasts, and other powerful web tools for classrooms. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
