The OLD Top Shelf

Wow – it’s been a while since I posted here. Things are really busy getting ready for TLA and the Strong Libraries Strong Scores conference, but that’s a topic for another day.

I have several blog postings, annoucements and resources that I’ve been wanting to share, so here goes:

In his blog 2¢ worth, David Warlick writes about 12 steps (a 12-step program?) we can take to become educators who are literate in the skills needed for the 21st century. I found it very interesting that several of his steps advocated the use of the web 2.0 tools that we used in our Learning Through Play program.

The Cool Cat Teacher summarizes a great podcast in her post, Envisioning the Future of Libraries, and posts a link to the original audio file. Doug Johnson and Joyce Valenza were the presenters. One of the most interesting things they discussed was the idea of the “invisible collection” which is the same idea we were all starting to kick around at our last librarians’ staff development. With the advent of this invisible collection, we are going to have to revamp our idea of what a “balanced” collection really is – especially at the secondary level. Give this podcast a listen! (BTW, Joyce Valenza will be presenting two programs at the TLA conference – you should try to go to at least one of them!)

Another post from 2¢ worth that I found fascinating is one in which David Warlick reports on a conference session he attended that was led by brain research guru, Patricia Wolfe. Pat points out that good teachers often do things intuitively without knowing why. While that’s great for the intuitive teacher’s students, the students in the non-intuitive teacher’s classroom don’t get the same level of instruction. Educators must start being aware of the educational research that is being done and using the findings to improve their teaching. In other words, teachers should know and be able to tell someone else why they are use the strategies they do. (Sounds like a TEKS student expectation, huh?)

Apparently we won’t have to worry anymore about whether we should still be ordering encyclopedias in print and feeling guilty when we find other ways to spend our money. The Blue Skunk Blog by Doug Johnson tells us that the New York Times has declared the traditional multi-volume encyclopedia to be the first casualty in the world of print. Read Doug’s post here.

Here’s another feed for your RSS reader: AASL has a new blog! The AASLBlog is intended to be a source of general AASL news, as well as a forum for important discussion on issues and concerns of school library media specialists. Recent topics include, for example, copyright issues and parent involvement in school library media program advocacy. Voice your concerns, share your experiences, and be a part of the broader AASL community on the new AASL blog! Visit the blog (and comment) at http://www.aasl.ala.org/aaslblog/.

April is School Library Media Month. Celebrate by giving your teachers a little “thank you” from the library, having a contest for students or hosting a special event. For other ideas, see the page on the AASL web site.

Julie Andrews, Academy Award recipient and honorary chair of National Library Week (April 13-19, 2008), shares her view on the value of libraries in a video available on YouTube. Library media specialists are encouraged to use the video on Web sites and blogs to promote National Library Week. Watch the video at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ieUD9vCeXu0

Now that I’ve shared these little items with you, I can go home and watch American Idol with a clear conscience!

The National School Boards Association (NSBA) has released a study report, “Creating & Connecting: Research and Guidelines on Online Social – and Educational – Networking.”
This study was conducted by Grunwald Associates and underwritten by Newscorp, Microsoft and Verizon.

The study defined social networking as a cluster of technical functions that allow users to easily create, share and respond to information. Some key findings:

1. Many students report using social networking to discuss education-related topics (60%).

2. Social networking is allowing students to engage in creative expression of all kinds.

3. Negative experiences online are much lower than was expected.

4. Parents are much more involved in kids’ use of technology than is commonly perceived.

Download the full study here.

From the AASL Hotlinks for  September 2007…

In August, the Partnership for 21st Century Skills released an updated version of its Framework for 21st Century Learning, which creates a clear vision for 21st Century student outcomes in the new global economy. It also defines how school systems can best support these outcomes by focusing diligently on 21st Century standards, assessments, professional development, curriculum and instruction, and learning environments.

AASL has been active in the Partnership since 2005.

from Views You Can Use, Vol IV, No. 5
by Bill Daggett

As the debates over NCLB requirements and the achievement gap continue, a recent article in The New York Times Magazine recalled research by Betty Hart and Todd Risley started in the mid-1960s that studied the preschool language development of children from various socioeconomic backgrounds. The study indicated that the amount and type of talking, coupled with vocabulary-rich home environments and socially engaging conversations (how often the discussion toggles back and forth between parent and child), appeared to increase the linguistic, social, and cognitive development of children regardless of socioeconomic differences.

Source: The New York Times Magazine, November 26, 2006, and
www.childrenofthecode.org/interviews/risley. htm.