Get a Voki now!

Be Careful About Assumptions!

As I was cleaning up some old e-mails I came across this article which I feel is worth revisiting. In our world today little time seems to be given to thoughtful reflection, replaced by quick judgments, which too often are based on assumptions. Then these assumptions are passed around as truth, with the speed of cyberspace. I am thinking about assumptions made about "digital natives"...those in the "Google Generation." We assume their comfort level reflects a corresponding level of competence All native speakers of English are not equally proficient in comprehension or expression; why should students be equally competent in technology?
The British Library and the Joint Information Systems Committee have a new study out that, depending on how you think young people use the Net, may confirms some assumptions and pop others. For full context, you'll want to read the report (http://www.jisc.ac.uk/media/documents/programmes/reppres/gg_final_keynote_11012008.pdf ), which looks at the challenges facing libraries in the digital transition, but here's a sampling of its conclusions about the "Google Generation" (born 1993 or later):

* Assumption: They are more competent with technology. Verdict: "Generally true, we think, but older users are catching up fast. However, the majority of young people tend to use much simpler applications and fewer facilities than many imagine."

* Assumption: They prefer visual information over text. Verdict: "A qualified yes, but text is still important. As technologies improve and costs fall, we expect to see video links beginning to replace text in the social networking context. However, for library interfaces, there is evidence that multimedia can quickly lose its appeal, providing short-term novelty."

* Assumption: They have zero tolerance for delay and their information needs must be fulfilled immediately. Verdict: "No. We feel that this is a truism of our time and there is no hard evidence to suggest that young people are more impatient in this regard."

* Assumption: They find their peers more credible as information sources than authority figures. Verdict: "On balance, we think this is a myth. Research in the specific context of the information resources that children prefer and value in a secondary school setting shows that teachers, relatives and textbooks are consistently valued above the Internet."

* Assumption: They are the "cut-and-paste" generation. Verdict: "We think this is true; there is a lot of anecdotal evidence and plagiarism is a serious issue."

* Assumption: They are expert searchers. Verdict: "This is a dangerous myth. Digital literacies and information literacies do not go hand in hand. A careful look at the literature over the past 25 years finds no improvement (or deterioration) in young people's information skills.” My sense is you can have all kinds of big online players jump on the bandwagon but unless OpenID's benefits are well-explained, it will continue to languish."

Sharing Resources

Today Diane and I had the opportunity to share our district's online resources with the district Tech Steering Committee. The presentation was successful and informative for our audience...whew!!!
The wealth of resources that are available to our students and staff is amazing and frankly, my dear, overwhelming! When I was a student in grade school and high school, the challenge was to find the information that you needed. ACCESS was the problem we faced as learners for centuries. (this is not from personal experience...despite what my son might say!) In the last fifteen years the learner's challenge has changed. Access is ubiquitous and now the challenge is to EVALUATE and SELECT the information that is accurate and relevant. We may have talked about "information literacy" for years...but it's importance has been heightened.
I'm not writing anything groundbreaking...just a reminder to myself that my eyes need to stay open to emerging trends...that we are really riding a wave of change.

Ideas--as wide as Lake Superior!

As I was reading reactions to Obama's speech to Congress and to the nation in Atlantic Monthly, I followed a link to an interesting but controversial blog "Divided We Stand United We Fall". The thing that I found intriguing was his concept for linking different blogs and news articles about the event through lines in a song for a musical. He thought Obama's speech was full of "razzle dazzle", thus....Chicago! I could see this being adapted for classroom use. Take the powerful lyrics from "the Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald"
The legend lives on from the Chippewa on down
Of the big lake they call Gitche Gumee
Superior, they say, never gives up her dead
When the gales of November come early.
Student researchers could find appropriate links for the history of the Chippewa, the origins of the name, "Gitche Gumee" and the history of shipwrecks in Lake Superior. Or, the teacher could embed links to websites that students would access through the lyrics. A pre-activity could include listening to the song and developing research topics or questions to be answered. What more do you need to know to understand what happened on that November day? What happened before? What has happened since? What are other disasters that have been immortalized in song, and why?
The use of music to connect to students and create meaningful content and context is amazing.
Some how I got from a podium in Washington D.C. to the depths of Lake Superior. The Internet allows our intellects to wander far and wide!
www.flickr.com/photos/52532834@N00/233759577

Hysterically Historical Librarians

"The charm of history and its enigmatic lesson consist in the fact that, from age to age, nothing changes and yet everything is completely different." Aldous Huxley

My friend and colleague, Kari, send me this link to a 1947-vintage movie about librarianship as a career. It is always worthwhile to visit our past, so we can more effectively understand our present and create our future.

Blogging as Professional Practice

I just read a blog by the Liminal Librarian on the topic of blogging. She says: "Every bit of blogging serves as that same practice that morning pages (concept from Julia Cameron's The Artist's Way) provide: Seeing what works for you, what works for your readers, and what works when you come back to it later; finding the nuggets of usefulness among everything you have to say; finding your own voice."
I am finding myself blogging more regularly now. It is becoming more a part of my practice.