Each TechnoTuesday
Jul 30th, 2010 by Cathy Nelson
Ive been playing with Tagul this week. Cool app–apparently still in Beta. I can see lots of potential!! Learning curve is just a little steeper than the Wordle app. And you have to register as a user. Here is a Tagul generated word cloud of my blog!
Jul 29th, 2010 by Cathy Nelson
The last few days I have been sitting through sessions at the SCETV Technology 3-day Workshops. I submitted a proposal to present, mainly to have an authentic opportunity to “practice” a planned presentation for early October. (Selfish I know.) I also co-presented with Fran Bullington and Heather Loy doing the session we did at the Upstate Technology Conference back in June. But I thoroughly enjoyed my audiences and the other sessions I attended as well.
Why are “you” here?
Can’t tell you how many times a presenter asked me this either before or after a session. Yeah, I guess I’m a power user of many of the apps being presented but truth be told, sometimes I attend sessions that I already know the content well so I can hone my own presentation style by observing, critiquing, and downright stealing ideas for teaching the tools to adults as well as kids. My goal when attending these sessions is gain at least one new idea. Every session I attended did offer something, so I call it a success, even for a power user like myself.
Favorite Session
Hands down my favorite session was John Woodring’s (@Teacherbytes) session called “Don’t Put That Phone Away.” I walked away with so many new ideas, particularly involving QR Codes, that I felt myself getting to the information overload point–you know, that point where you cannot remember anything else because you just cannot process it fast enough? (His companion site/wiki for his presentations over the last few days can be found here.) When I compare myself to John Woodring, I think I’m just a “wannabe” power user. While in his session, I shared on facebook about the QR Codes, and next thing you know, two other librarians shared more on it (Diane Cordell and Gwyneth Jones) in my little network –they absolutely ran with it. (Of course power user Gwyneth had already blogged it back in May, I must confess, but she shared it again.) Be sure to read their posts here and here. All this happened in Twitter while I’m still trying to process what I learned, and find ways to implement it in my “phone-unfriendly” school and teaching context. I’m considering QR codes on shelves for students to learn more about certain books!! That’s just one idea anyway for the time being. Thanks John for a terrific session. You truly did knock my socks off!
StreamlineSC/ETV OnePlaceSC
This was my second favorite session, and most of my readers outside of SC are familiar with a major component of it –>Discovery Streaming. StreamlineSC is our state’s portal to Discovery Streaming, but as an added bonus, we have many of our own SCETV resources searchable in our portal as well–all free resources to enrich our classrooms. ETV OnePlaceSC is about a year or so old, but its dynamic features include a one stop search for all SCETV resources (Streamline SC, Knowitall.org, ETV, etc.) but adds in the mix our state’s virtual library portal, DISCUS. Everytime I hear a presentation on the resources, I gain a clearer understanding and more insight into how to use these tools with students as well as how to promote their use in my school.
Annual Funding in Question
Donna Thompson and Debbie Jarrett at SCETV
These resources seem to be on the chopping block every year as our government tries to cut back on educational spending. Each year I am contacting my legislators to plead for continued funding for the programs AND the people at SCETV. These folks work unending for not much more than a teacher’s salary (and we all know how well paid teachers are) to enrich our curriculum, provide resources that are aligned with our state standards, and offer FREE professional development to evangelize to teachers the benefits of using the SCETV content in our classrooms. They travel ALL OVER our state to provide staff development at schools for departments, entire school staffs, and even organizations (for example Aiken is having an after-school event for their librarians in the near future.) FREE. And they bring laptops if needed so everyone can get a hands on experience. Free!! In this day and age of tight budgets especially for professional development, who can’t appreciate free? The last three days of workshops at their worksite has been FREE and worth the hour and fifteen minute drive. I am going to let my legislators know and thank them for refunding the programs I find vital, and make sure I include how wonderful the workshops planned for this week were. I’m also going to make a video to send them–a video thanks from me and my students.
Reflection of my own presentations
The MediaMuskateers (the nickname we gave our trio presenting) took our presentation “There’s an App for That” from the Upstate Technology Conference and revised it to have a significantly more successful presentation. We still had too many in our room (the limit was 22, and we had just over 30) but we had an hour and a half this time, and were able to accommodate the whole group since the overflow brought their own laptops to this lab, which had the space for them too. How can you turn away those who have their own machines? After sitting through John’s session, I think our little trio is going to submit a proposal for SCASL coming in March, and add a couple of apps, meaning we’ll have to submit a proposal for a two-hour session. I suppose we’ll make it a “bring your own laptop” session if no labs are offered as session types. But we’ll make it work.
Still Room for Improvement
My own session, Words 2.0h!, went okay the first day (Tuesday), but I was not happy with it, and it showed according to my friends. So we brainstormed how to tweak it since I had to give it again today, and I kid you not when I say today I never did get to the hands on part, and actually ran out of time before finishing. But it ran smoother, I was more enthusiastic about it, and the response was very positive. Those who can multitask were able to get some hands-on time. Sounds like it could perhaps be a two hour session at SCASL as well. I’m thinking on it. But for the early October conference, I’ve got to get it over and done in under an hour, so I still have some tweaking to do. Sigh. But I did get more positive feedback, and even a way to make it better from friend and colleague Andrea Baker. Librarians are so awesome in their willingness to share and offer constructive criticisms.
Parting Shot
Please be sure to write or call your legislators and thank them for saving SCETV and all the resources we have there. Our state is very lucky to have this, and not many other states have as generous, free, and helpful (free) resource like we do. If any part of it went away, most of us in SC would not be able to afford the cost of even a tenth of the resources we are provided free. So we need to continuously remind our legislators of its value in resources and people, and NEVER take it for granted.
Jul 17th, 2010 by Cathy Nelson
In recent discussions with friends, we have bemoaned the misunderstanding of what librarians do in a school. Defending one’s job is a tiring and lonesome battle, and in the midst of budget woes all around, downright fearful. In my network of friends, the discussion has been at times heated but plentiful.
So what can we do? Well constant belly-aching sure does not help. Condemning actions of others (or lack there of) doesn’t help either. Let’s provide some useful ideas for RIGHT NOW. These are actionable items for school librarians to implement now.
Be a Part of New Teacher Orientation:
Despite the many job cuts we’ve seen affecting our own area (geographically and professionally) your school is probably in the process of hiring new teachers. These teachers will be entering your school new, if not new to the profession then new to your school. They will need assistance in many areas. Many schools have a mentor program in place to make this transition easier for new teachers, but this is a prime opportunity for librarians to make an impression to reflect what our program has to offer the teacher and the students. So get over to your principal and get on board with the new teacher orientation. Ask to be a part of it. Offer to conduct a part of it. Have materials and resources available to give to these teachers who we all know will be overwhelmed on the first workday and the first day of school. The planning for this meeting is probably happening now. So it is ripe for your offerings of help.
Provide Staff Development for Induction Teachers:
Most school systems have a set of first year teachers that are fresh out of college and woefully inexperienced. School systems have in place programs to make these teachers more successful and to retain them after their first year (since there are studies that show retention of these educators is risky in their first few years in the profession.) Think “fight or flight.” Some give a year or so, and then decide to look at another profession. No, education is not easy, and it is definitely a calling. In my area these are known as “Induction” teachers. Induction teachers are given a mentor and some very targeted staff development. As a school librarian, try to get on the list of presenters for staff development of induction teachers. This is another captive audience, and in this setting you can do great things to advocate for what the library program (and school librarian) can offer teachers, in their first year of teaching or even twentieth.
By targeting these two groups, you will make significant impressions about the importance of the library program and exactly what the school librarian does for the education program as a whole–the big picture! And who knows, you may actually change the perception of your program for other members of your educational community, such as building administrators or district level personnel, you know…the powers that be.
Jul 15th, 2010 by Cathy Nelson
Some how knowing the Old Spice Guy has become an Internet sensation and a very popular ad campaign, I sort of knew it would only be a matter of time before some savvy educator created their own spin-off!! This one is great!!
Jul 15th, 2010 by Cathy Nelson
Joyce Valenza freely shares so much, I want to officially dub her the Wizard of Apps–though she is more like a Princess or Queen. Sure wish I could have been at BLC10 in person for this one:
Jul 14th, 2010 by Cathy Nelson
I’m excited and honored to once again make this short list of “25 EdTech Leaders to Follow” in a presentation at Alan November’s Building Learning Communities. Before I get my head all fluffed up (ego is a wonderful thing) let me clarify that the list is of 25 to follow who ARE NOT in attendance at BLC10. Still, I’m honored to be in her list, along with one of my best buddies, Chris Craft. I made her list last year too–same time same conference. Two South Carolinians!! Thanks Lisa Thumann for honoring me again in your presentation, and someday, someway, I will be able to join you again. Seriously looking at Educon for this year. I have so much to share since the last time we were face to face.
Jul 5th, 2010 by Cathy Nelson
I’m a big fan of using online videos in my presentations, but I’ve found that I talk way too much (mostly “um’s”) and have a tendency to run short on time. But when I’ve selected a video to include, I usually allow the whole thing to play, or at least play through a certain point to enhance or back up meaning for something I’m talking about.
In recent days I’ve been hearing about a site called Tube Chop that will allow me to put the url for a video in it, and then select the clip I want to use in my presentations. Here is one I did from this URL, which is a 7 minutes+ video of Will Richardson talking about what the implication of social networking tools might be for pedagogy.
Well obviously I need more practice so I get exactly at the starting and stopping point that I want, but this is perfect for my needs!! Glad I tried it out finally! Wish I could thank those (and there were several) in my PLN who shared the tool. Can’t wait to share this with my teachers at school.
Attribution:
Image: ‘ANIMATRIX‘
www.flickr.com/photos/38072726@N00/2070083874
Jul 5th, 2010 by Cathy Nelson
Some of you, like me, may have opted for other conferences. Others, often like me, could not afford the cost to travel, lodge, and attend ISTE 2010. Don’t lament your losses (which I’m sure were significant, mine included.) ISTE organizers have a vision that includes whetting the appetite to attend the next annual conference in the form of multimedia tidbits. While the material made available live or archived is not enough of the whole experience to make you forgo the conference every year, there is enough there to allow you to appreciate what you missed, and best, make you start saving NOW for next year’s conference (which is in Philly btw, and oh yeah, I am SO THERE.)
ISTE Vision. Need I say more?? Lots of good material here, though frustratingly some of the videos have sound issues as on the fly editing brought links or slides into the mix, and the master control mixing content somehow did not realize the audio was cut during these mixes. Only happened a few times. But am I ever so thankful for the videos to learn from! There is a nice selection too.
ISTE Unplugged Shares too!
But there is MORE. ISTE Unplugged is an “unconference” movement that sort of runs in the hallway at or near what is called the Blogger’s Cafe, and those who either didn’t get selected to present at the conference or chose late to have a voice at ISTE can live out that desire by signing on to present with ISTE Unplugged. More informal and involving intrigue and fun (some use it as their personal soapbox, some as a poster session, some just to share for sharing’s sake) the sessions here are sure to grab attention by a wide array of attendees, many who just stop by as they walk through the hallways FUN to boot. The best news is that some of these were recorded in Elluminate for a virtual audience participation live, but now the archives are beginning to show up there–recorded Elluminates. Next best thing to being there live!
Conference Videos – ALA too
While I was in DC attending ALA10, there was a presence of videographers recording sessions. I know they had been planned and not just impromptu recordings because the rooms were set up with lights and microphones, even a microphone on a boon for when audiences made comments during q/a parts of the sessions. The one session I attended that was recorded, I heard one of the presenters begin by thanking CSPAN for taping, and she asked audience members who had to leave to be cognizant of the cameras. Wonder where THOSE videos are? Even better, I wonder if ALA will provide access to members, and if so, at what cost? I’ll be researching this in the near future.
Thank You ISTE for making location of your shared videos so easy. Other organizations, please take note.
Jul 3rd, 2010 by Cathy Nelson
“Librarians Nurture Students’ Passions.” At least so says Arne Duncan.
Jul 3rd, 2010 by Cathy Nelson
It’s that time of year when we read a lot of reflections on conferences we have attended this summer. I’ve posted my own, and I’ve read several others as well–notably Heather Loy’s, Fran Bullington’s, Diane Cordell’s, Buffy Hamilton’s, Joyce Valenza’s, and Will Richardson’s. Since this year I opted for ALA instead of ISTE, I was vicariously attending other conferences through the breadcrumbs that came from them, like twitterfeeds, Ustreams, and now even the reflective posts. So reading Will Richardson this morning after engaging in a sort of Twitter refecltion of how ALA and ISTE are different, I had to respond to Will. Go read his post “ISTE 2010: Easy…Not Free” now if you haven’t already read it. I responded with a blog post in the comments area, so decided it merited being here as well:
Will, I do believe you are suffering from “ADDOSS” (attention deficit due to overly shiny stuff). Cause? Too much time in conference exhibit halls. Prescription? Extended amounts of time interacting with educators in bloggers’ cafes and Educon-like conferences. Prevention? Avoid exhibit halls and echo chambers, and when these cannot be avoided, wear blinders.
LOL, I have a tendency to avoid exhibit halls too, and sorry to admit, but this year when I attended ALA, I found most of the exhibit hall revolting (yeah, egads, I opted for ALA instead of ISTE this year, but that’s another story!) I went looking to compare the networking experience and to interact with another part of my PLN, and sorry to admit I could not replicate the euphoria I have felt each year from networking with my PLN at ISTE, and far from what I felt at Educon that first year.
I’ve only been to one Educon (the very first one) and now I find that all other professional development type conferences are held to that standard, which is not a bad thing. For the organizations where I have input, I strive to move them towards more of a conversational approach to PD with authentic discussions and mind blowing stretching of the thinking. Blast you Educon, you warped me.
But my attendance (money right out of my own pocket) continues to feed the belief/mindset that the current status quo is what we all want. I go though for the invaluable networking more so than any exhibit hall, swag, or sessions that Ive signed up to attend.
In the Exhibits at ALA10
Image Attribution:
License 
Some rights reserved by ALA – The American Library Association
