Journal Article #1
Jennifer S.

Johnson, Doug. Library Media Specialists 2.0. Library Media Connection; Apr/May2006, Vol. 24 Issue 7: 98.

Doug Johnson is the director of Media and Technology at a school in Mankato Minnesota and has published several books about technology and education. His article titled Library Media Specialists 2.0 focuses on the recent change in technology, specifically the web, and what Library Media Specialists/Teachers need to know and do in order to serve their patrons.

Johnson notes that “the information experience is moving from mass media (few producers of information communicating with a large number of consumers) to personal media (many producers of information communicating with a more individualized group of consumers)” (Johnson 98). He claims that in order for library media specialists to remain information experts they will need to master this new media. He quickly defines web blogs, wikis, and RSS feeds. The six areas listed below are what Johnson believes LMTs need to consider in order to serve their Web 2.0 students.

1. This new media allows for new ways to communicate with students/patrons. Johnson suggests taking a look at librarian Frances Harris’s Gargoyles Loose in the Library blog at www.uni.uiuc.edu/library/blog/

2. A new question regarding sources is posed; what exactly is an authoritative source and how does one evaluate them?

3. Due to the ease of posting information new safety concerns arise. Librarians need to take measures to ensure students are taking their privacy seriously.

4, Because technology and information have become nearly synonymous is there a need for new information and technology literacy standards?

5. RSS feeds make it easier to read only the writings of those beliefs similar to our own. How are LMTs going to ensure the exposure of a diversity of ideas?

6. It is imperative that LMTs seek out this opportunity for professional growth. Johnson suggests reading and responding to the following blogs:
Alice Yucht’s Alice in Infoland at http://aliceinfo.squarespace.com/blog/
Joyce Valenza’s NeverEnding Search at http://joycevalenza.com/
Kathy Schrock’s Kaffeeklatsch at http://kathyschrock.blogspot.com/
Diane Chen’s Deep Thinking at http://deepthinking.blogsome.com/


I actually receive this magazine (Library Media Connection) and enjoy reading it (when I have time). I found this article interesting and motivating because he writes specifically for Library Media Teachers/Specialists. I looked at every blog he listed in his article and found some more useful than the others. I recommend Joyce Valenza’s website (and specially her blog at http://joycevalenza.edublogs.org/ ) as well as Kathy Schrock’s blog. Frances Harris’s Gargoyles Loose in the Library is a great example of a blog for a high school’s library media center.

Besides finding valuable blogs in his article, I found that his ideas were food for thought. As an LMT it is my responsibility to teach my patrons how to use this new “personal media” while keeping their privacy in tact. I also think it imperative that I share my knowledge with my faculty as well. It looks as though I have more to add to my LMT plate for the fall.

Journal #5- SarahM

Sarah Morgan
Podcasting for Dummies
the Companion Podcast from 6/12/06
T. Morris - One of the authors of the book "Podcasting for Dummies"

I love podcasts! If you haven't listened to one yet - do it now while you're on line.
They remind me of talk radio -something I've gotten away from since motherhood. I listened to several, including French lessons, and even my brother's. They sound like real people, talking about real things.
The episode I'm writing about was all about great interviewing tips for podcasts, which included reading and answering some e-mails from listeners. One e-mail included the following good advice for new people interested in broadcasting: USB microphones and Audacity are just fine to use if you don't have a mixer and production studio. My brother also let me in on a little secret: the left earphone to the ipods are mics too ;-) As long as you're happy with the quality of your podcast that's all that matters. Podcasts aren't meant to be over-produced. A little editing never hurt though.
Here are T's tips for conducting a good podcast interview:

• Find out the correct pronunciation of the interviewee's name.
• avoid long-winded questions ( keep the lead in short)
• Have person expand their very short answers - have a follow up question ready
• Relax and have fun so your interviewee loosens up
• It's ok to ask off-the-cuff questions
• Establish a sense of trust
• Stay within the social rules/norms

Does this give you any ideas for your own podcast? Perhaps with students? Staff?
Who's ever uploaded a podcast and how did you do it?

Journal #4 - SarahM

Sarah Morgan

Journal Review From
i.e. interactive educator ( a publication from SMART technologies)
Autumn 2005
by Kathy Schrock
pgs. 38-39

In my search for pertinent articles I came across quite a few about using hand-held devices in the classroom/school setting. When I saw this one by Kathy Schrock (of www.discoveryschool.com/schrocdkguide/) it got my attention and even almost convinced me that this should be our next purchase on on our campus.

It's just like everything else we've been talking and reading about: kids need interactive learning. By using a PDA type gaget, students can become more engaged in their school expereirence, be more organized, be motivated to do well, learn to be responsible and have a wealth of knowledge from peers and internet and e-mail, right at their fingertips. Hand-helds often cost about $250-300 and include the ablility to connect to a wireless network, run over 50 programs, including a word processor, spreadsheet, powerpoint, audio player, e-mail, voice recorder, media player, organizer that interfaces with a calendar, ebooks, Bluetooth capability, conversion programs, etc.
These would help the "equal access" for all students, encourage creativity and all of the above mentioned qualities we want in our children.
Here's an article that discusses further "Competing Visions of Handheld Computer Use in the Classroom" www.wtvi.com/teks/

Journal #3 - SarahM

Sarah Morgan
article review from:

MultiMedia &Internet @ Schools
March/April 2006
Digital Cameras, Visual Literacy, and the Xbox Generation by Charles Doe
pgs. 26-30

Once again we must remember who are students are and what they've become. They are not like many of us and have differently wired brains and must be uploaded with information they like and are comfortable with (most of the time). So... Charles Doe suggests using the digital camera in the classroom/media center to enhance teaching the digital generation.
Students are so much more visual and respond so much better to visual images. They're more visually literate than most of us were growing up. So introduce your students to photos, the process of taking them and the process of editing/uploading and using them to enhance all areas of the curriculum.
Look for the following characteristics for the younger student digital photographer:

• 3-4 megapixals is enough
• a size that's easy to handle
• point and shoot cameras are best
• LCD screen that students can see
• video output option
• rechargeable
• possibly video capable
• neck strap
• carrying/storage bag
• extra (or large) memory cards

Charles Doe likes the following models

• Canon PowerShot A410 ~$140
• SonyCyber-shot DSC-S600 ~$190
• Kodak EasyShare C300 ~$110 ( I own a C340)
• Olympus C-5500 SportZoom ~4280 -- for older students and teachers

Click on the links below to find some Ideas for projects using digital Cameras

www.lubbockisd.org/r2/CameraActivities.htm

http://members.ozemail.com.au/~cumulus/digcam.htm

www.forsyth.k12.ga.us/sbeck/digital/goingdigital.htm

www.wacona.com/digicam/digicam.html

Journal entry 2 - SarahM

Sarah Morgan
Scholastic Administrator, Feb 2006
Is this the School of the Future? by Kevin Hogan
pgs. 29-35

Check out the Microsoft Website for more information and the blog that goes along with the process
http://www.microsoft.com/education/schooloffuture.mspx

Philadelphia is building a new school. It's builders are thinking outside the box, as we say, and building a truly new school in a quickly aging public educational system. This school will be "Above and beyond all the high-tech wizardry... the school's mission is to create a next-generation learning laboratory, where new curricula and learning methosd will be devised and tested in conjunction with all the gadgetry. It will also be a research and development complex..."
The biggest assistance the school district is from Microsoft Corporation. The Corp. has been providing personnel and their vast knowledge base: research in the areas of data integration and management, collaboration and communication techniques, organizational efficiency, and professional leadership development. This school is being build the "Microsoft Way" which will be successful because everyone involved in the school has buy-in including the community.
This makes me want to write a grant a restructure our whole technology department. I could never make it perfect though because my school is 5o years old, I don't have 100% buy in from everyone and most people who are at my school are stuck in their own paradigm. To make this a successful process you'd have to assemble a special team with special knowledge and energy to engage our students by using a new-futuristic paradigm.

Journal #1 - SarahM

Journal Response 1
Sarah Morgan

From:
Discovery Education Classroom Resource Guide
November 2005
Blogs, Pods, Wikis & Furls by Mike Lawrence

This is the condensed version on Will Richarson's book and published for the users of www.unitedstreaming.com Check this out if you've never used it!

He starts the article by saying "...the next generation is immersed is a world in which all media are accessible, searchable, and most importantly, remixable." and goes on to say that students "reach their own conclusions and retell and recombine what they have discovered as newfound knowledge." This fits in perfectly to the LMT's job.
He then talks about the following:
Editing tools
like iMovie, Final cut Pro and Premiere Elements, GarageBand and Audacity to remix and create "new, interpretive creations." Even some of the videos found in UnitedStreaming are editable, so students can keep engaged.
RSS - Real Simple Syndication
that affects the way we gather information, distribute homework, and collect student assignments allowing teachers to "feed" students information/audio/video/text through web sites that can be accessed/respond from any computer and even cell phone. The simplest way of doing this to generate your own blog. Look at www.feedburner.com which allows users to set up blogs with RSS feeds capable of handling audio and video.
Podcasting
sometimes called videoblogs, vlogs, vdcatsts - that can support mainly audio and now video. Go to iTunes to get free podcasts. You can also make your own podcast of anything from class lectures to class dialogues.
Wikis
wikis allow any visitior to edit the site, add their own text or photos. Like a blog but it is editable.
www.pbwiki.com
www.wikispaces.org
Blogs
Short for weblog - we know about these! They are a valuable collaboration tool and easier to use that traditional HTML.
www.blogger.com
www.edublogs.org
Furls
These are basically public bookmark lists which I highly recommend for your school. It is way more efficient to have your bookmarks on a web-based location rather than the physical computer for many reasons.
Here's the author's furl address
www.furl.net/members/mikelawrence

Richardson Chapter 9 (and epilogue)

So what does all of this mean? Let's try to make some understanding out of these types of tools as they can be used in our situations in education... Include other web 2.0 tools that we have looked at in you comments as well.

Richardson Chapter 6 (The Social Web)

Here is where the definition of "Folksonomy" comes into the scene. With tools like del.icio.us, wikipedia, flickr and other similar tools, you can add to the social definition and understanding of any topic as well as learn what others have said or done with any topic. Post you comments to the chapter and experiences to this idea as it relates to education or your situation in this section.