Web 2.0 Wanderings

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NO one is getting anything done today. Except me.

This class has both made me feel more excited and more trepidatious about becoming a School Library Media Specialist. There are just so many facets to this job. In my current position, I have seen such a variety of individuals in this profession. Some are absolutely wonderful, and some are, frankly, not. I try to figure out why those that are not “wonderful” are as they are. I’ve often attributed it to personality—–the quiet ones who would rather work in their office than be out amongst students and teachers, and the outgoing ones who become a central figure in the school environment. I’ve categorized them into two separate camps: “catalogers” and “teachers”.

This class has caused me to examine what distinguishes the great from the not-so-great more closely than just those two generalizations. As I said before, there are so many facets to this job….and I think the wonderful SLMS’s are those that truly like each piece of it, or at least aren’t afraid to try with each. It is fine to enter this profession because you love to organize and get a charge out of cataloging material—but if this leads to you shutting yourself in a back room to catalog all day because you don’t like to deal with people, then you won’t be wonderful. It is great to enter this profession because you love reading and want to promote that to students—-but if that causes you to ignore the technology that students need and want to learn about, then you won’t be wonderful. It is terrific if technology is your thing and you are entering this profession because it is such an exciting time with all of the new web 2.0 tools and you can’t wait to have students blogging and podcasting—but if you never introduce your students to the benefits of print resources or to the latest, greatest novel, then you won’t be wonderful. I also know that most administrators do not know what a wonderful librarian is until they have seen one, and so, it is often easy to squeak by, focusing only on what interests you.

I personally come to this stage of my career as an avid reader with a strong background and excitement about technology. Copyright issues have never been something I have thought a great deal about, and I have cringed throughout this class at the thought of pointing out infringements to co-workers. But I know I can’t ignore it just because I don’t like it. This class has not only educated me about the fine points of copyright law (and to a terrific resource in Simpson’s book), but it has also made me realize that it all goes hand in hand. There are so many exciting technologies available that can support the work we do with students, however with such easy access to so much information, we would not effectively be teaching true information literacy without bringing copyright issues into play. That, along with skills for effective searching methods, evaluation of resources, safe practices in the online information environment, and of course a love of reading, all come together to form the information literate person. We can’t ignore any part of it, even if we aren’t crazy about it all.

So as I look ahead at who I want to be as SLMS, I know that above all, I have to be versatile, flexible, adaptable. It seems risky at times, and I sometimes fear becoming a jack-of-all-trades, master of none. But I know I will have my strengths. The key will be to remain open to all this position has to offer to the school community. I do think after going through this course, I have a much more comprehensive view of what my job will be, and the connections between all of the facets are becoming clearer to me. I see myself as a team player, a facilitator, a source of information, a teacher. I will be an advocate for not sweeping some of those tougher issues under the rug. We WILL talk about internet safety; we WILL talk about copyright; we WILL talk about the difference between good information and bad information; we WILL talk about crediting someone else’s work; we WILL utilize the fabulous web 2.0 technologies that scare some so much. But I think it is crucial not to lecture or complain, not to simply point out where someone else is going wrong. I want to lead by example; to not just talk about what should be done, but to actually do it and to help develop ways for others to succeed as well. I will not sit and wait for people to come to me, but will go out and seek the opportunities to support the goals of my school, the efforts of the teachers and the needs of our students.

I can’t believe we are almost done with this class. The more we get into the fantastic tools that are out there for our use, the more muddled my head becomes with thinking of how to use them and how to get others enthused about using them. So much will depend on what kind of environment I find myself in—is the Admin supportive? Are the faculty open to new ideas? Is there a filter that blocks access to most web 2.0 tools? Even if the environment is conducive to employing these technologies, still—where to start with all of it??!! There is just so much. I keep bringing myself back to one thought—start with one thing, perhaps one thing that has a finite timeframe. Maybe using a blog during an author study for sharing and discussion—just to try out the technology in a real setting. I do think success with such a project can generate much excitement amongst students and faculty, and they will become the best advocates for more.

I was greatly encouraged by the last few chapters of Simpson’s book. She gave practical advice for how to actually handle copyright within a school setting. My thought throughout the entire book has been that a district policy needs to be in place—-so that it is just a matter of fact, not a matter of my opinion as the copyright goto person. I was happy to see her clearly place the administration in the role of enforcer and the SLMS as an informer and facilitator. The examples of policy and forms she provides in the appendix will be very helpful. I think a required training each year for faculty is a must—and at the end of the training, faculty must sign the form stating that they have been informed about copyright law and will comply. This places responsibility directly on the individual and the worry off of the SLMS.

I have also been doing a bit of thinking about web site evaluation with students. There is of course and obvious need for this with the amount of time spent on the internet. However, I think these kinds of evaluation skills are not new. If we think about it, students need to learn how to be critical evaluators in many facets of their lives—-when peer pressue ensues, when watching the evening news, when selecting a college and a career, when deciding who to vote for—-they need to react with their own questions, and not just accept things at face value or because someone else says so. Sometimes I think people have become too complacent, depending on the various information sources in our society to tell them what they think. I think the SLMS holds a vital role in teaching students to question—everything—internet sites are only one challenge.

I can’t believe how fast this class is going. I began my iSafe training this week. I have thought much about internet safety in the past, especially since I have two school-aged children. However going through this program has really scared me. I was amazed at the chapter that showed how the police officer followed clues to track the featured girl down to her home. What an impact that had on me. I have always been a strong advocate of teaching students from a very young age about internet safety, but I must admit after watching this program so far, I would prefer that my children never go near a computer. Of course I know this is completely unrealistic. As an SLMS, I will hold to my conviction that it is crucial for students to have experience in the online environment, and that a large part of that experience must involve learning how to be safe, discerning and ethical users. This iSafe program seems to be extremely effective; I think I will definitely want to try to incorporate it wherever I end up teaching.

Copyright also has me thinking. Again, it is easy to have a belief in what should take place, but the reality of situations is often a different story. After reading so much about copyright, I feel like I am seeing it in everything I look at—and seeing violations everywhere! But it is one thing to spot the problem; it is an entire other to actually say something to someone about it. I know myself—and I think I will have a great deal of trouble pointing out violations to fellow teachers, staff and administrators, especially as a new librarian. The only thing that makes sense to me is for there to be a policy in place at the district level. If there is nothing in place when I arrive at a school, I think I would feel comfortable about approaching my administrator to suggest that a committee be formed to develop a policy on copyright. It should be a team effort—I would be happy to provide guidance in interpreting the law and in formulating procedures since I will have had training in that area, but I could never police what my colleagues are doing. Policy needs to be “owned” by all and enforced by district leaders.

The other readings for this week were fantastic—-I loved the simplicity but effectiveness of the Google Game. The difference in results when a few simple tactics were employed was amazing. The tools Google offers are mind-blowing! I am already planning to develop new workshops for next school year for my librarians to show them some of these great things. Richardson’s text presented some fantastic ideas and resources. However, once again I have been constantly disappointed by how many of these wonderful tools—-some of the Google ones as well—–are blocked by our filter in our BOCES. We are missing out on some wonderful opportunities. I plan to work with my technology committee to form a presentation for superintendents to demonstrate many of these tools and what we can be doing with students. Hopefully we can generate some energy amongst these district leaders so they may together advocate for a more progressive approach to filtering. I think it is important to not simply complain about what we don’t like; we must be proactive and find a way to be part of the creation of a solution.

This class is really making us think and discuss some of the most important issues facing school libraries today. My mind is literally swirling with thoughts about copyright, new technologies and the safety issues they bring with them. I am happy to hear that most of my classmates realize the importance of incorporating new web 2.0 tools into the curriculum. Some are still apprehensive about the amount of time it takes to learn new things and to fit them in to an already busy schedule. But teachers need to be constantly revising, adding to, omitting, refreshing their lessons. The content may be the same; the goal may be to ready students for a test; but the methods used can be altered. The thought that keeps going through my mind this week as I read postings from some who are hesitant is “this is not a seperate subject! These are merely tools to use.” It makes no sense just to teach these tools for their own sake. It is important to teach them within the context of other subjects. This is about using these tools to express, create, discuss and collaborate. I saw a great quote in an article I read recently. “Blogs are not just about writing, they are about a conversation” (Utecht, Jeff. “Blogs are Not the Enemy.” Tech Learning (April 2007) http://www.techlearning.com/showArticle.php?articleID=196604374). This is an important distinction.

I do understand the hesitation some feel regarding the safety issues involved. However, I don’t think it is acceptable to shrink from using these tools just because we are afraid a student will write something inappropriate or see something offensive. An AUP must be on file for every student using the internet—for any reason. This is the school’s and librarian’s protection and places responsibility on the student to behave appropriately when online. As for those times that a student might just stumble upon a site with inappropriate content, I say let’s teach them WHAT to do when that happens. It is not unlike the lessons given in “stranger danger,” bullying, or sexual health. These are all things these young people will encounter at some time in their lives, and it is important that they know what action to take when things happen.

On a completely different note—and I never thought I would say this—-reading about copyright has been really interesting for me. Simpson’s text is wonderful. It is so readable. There are so many details, conditions and exceptions; I will be sure to have this text on hand throughout my career. I, like most others in my class, do not want to be regarded as the copyright cop in my building; but I do think we can be a valuable resource to help our colleagues understand the law. As with the AUP, I think district policy is our best course of action. Copyright laws, guidelines and district procedures need to be clearly outlined; I also like the forms that Simpson suggests in Chapter 5. The analysis tool especially seems like it would clearly reveal if the use of AV materials is a violation. Having such procedures in place that are simply required can remove a bit of the “us vs. them” mentality. I think having annual staff development workshops on copyright is also valuable; and notices should be clearly posted near copying machines. I do think it will be hard though—-I think many teachers aren’t aware of the details of the law, and frankly aren’t interested in knowing more. They feel busy, swamped, overworked, and don’t want to put the extra time necessary into acquiring permission. I also think most don’t believe anyone will really notice.

What great reading this week! The discussion of web 2.0 tools as they can apply in the educational setting is truly one of my favorites. I have made it a large focus of my job at the Wayne-Finger Lakes BOCES to encourage our librarians to use these tools with their teachers and students. Not only are these tools engaging for students, but they also create an extension of the library beyond the walls of the room. With the concern that libraries are going to become obsolete in this age of technology, using these tools can give the library a presence and purpose that is relevant.

We are constantly frustrated within our BOCES, however, because the filter that is in place blocks many web 2.0 sites. There are only a few blogging sites that can be used within our network, and I have only found one wiki site that is not blocked, and it is, unfortunately, a horrible one. Google Docs is also blocked. Several social networking sites such as Flickr and Tumblr are blocked; even Library Technology Now 2.0, a social networking site for librarians, is blocked. One can tell quickly that our consortium is not incredibly supportive of the use of these tools. Though I understand why the filter has to be in place, I am also a firm believer in teaching children from an early age how to have a safe presence on the internet. They will not have filters following them throughout their lives, and they need to develop into astute, discriminating users; they will only do that with practice and guidance.

The reaction of many of our librarians to the filters is to complain, which, unfortunately, only sounds like whining to anyone who might be able to impact a change. My suggestion to them is to not complain, but to demonstrate: select one tool that is not blocked, such as Edublogs, and use it. Create a book club with students; collaborate with a teacher to create an online literature circle; develop a forum for discussion for the district’s community read; train teachers how to use it for student reader response. When those projects go well they will generate excitement. Publicize the results, share them with the administration, encourage teachers and students to share their enthusiasm as well. Only when these tools are viewed as valuable to student achievement will the right voices be raised to ask that they not be blocked.

I also found the various literature on student searching behavior interesting, but not altogether surprising. I spend a great deal of time looking at and considering library automation programs for our member districts. Each has its good points and its drawbacks; there doesn’t seem to be one out there that meets everyone’s needs and wants. I do think interfaces that provide more interaction with the user are very beneficial—-having students and teachers able to add their own reviews to books they have read would be a fantastic addition to any catalog. However, I struggle a bit with deciding whether it is truly better to provide a search interface that is so intuitive that the user does not need to put a great deal of thought into it. Just because students can often only think of one keyword to use, does that mean they shouldn’t be taught how to?? Learning and developing is often hard work; so is it in the students’ best interest that a search interface make it too easy for them?

I am very excited about this class! I have been experimenting with web 2.0 tools for quite awhile and look forward to learning more. I am fascinated with their potential in the educational environment. I currently work as the Technology Trainer for the Wayne-Finger Lakes BOCES School Library System. For the past two years I have offered a series of workshops to our librarians to explore various web 2.0 tools. I find them interested but intimidated at first, but once they get going, they realize how easy most of these tools are to use; then the ideas really start flowing.

As for my first week, I have been successful in setting up all of my accounts. I have used edublogs before with another blog I have setup for one of our system committees; I set up this second blog to use for this class, but then had a little bit of trouble figuring out how to get to this second blog from my account—I think I have it worked out now. I love del.icio.us and have been using it for awhile. Google Reader is something I have been meaning to spend some time on, so this is great that it is a part of this class! My profile is all setup for the class wiki. I wasn’t sure if we were supposed to start a thread from our profile for this week or not

I have also already had a discussion with an intermediate school librarian about the online databases she selects for her building and about her opac interface. So I think I’ve started off pretty well for this course.

My name is Katie Fairchild and I am a UB student pursuing my MLS degree. I started my program last fall and hope to finish up by the end of next summer.