Big as the World
We lose our edge in the world market place when we don't welcome the change in the world. We aren't fostering creative thinkers. I read an article about a charter school in the US where students worked in cubicles and the goal of the school was to be successful in final marks and exams. So, critical thinking skills weren't taught necessarily or weren't a priority per se. It seemed to me getting through school was its goal but I prefer a more balanced approach - learning through drama, outdoor education, enrichment through theatre, and projects/presentations/research skills in conjunction with the tools found at the school library. It seems to me that all departments should be working in conjunction with the library. Assignments should be created so that the school library centre can be involved. This develops school community, collaboration and connection amongst the subjects, students and teachers. These skills are developed now and then when they enter post secondary and will continue in the work place since the Internet is used in our everyday interaction with the computers.
Gaming
We lose our edge in the world market place when we don't welcome the change in the world. We aren't fostering creative thinkers. I read an article about a charter school in the US where students worked in cubicles and the goal of the school was to be successful in final marks and exams. So, critical thinking skills weren't taught necessarily or weren't a priority per se. It seemed to me getting through school was its goal but I prefer a more balanced approach - learning through drama, outdoor education, enrichment through theatre, and projects/presentations/research skills in conjunction with the tools found at the school library. It seems to me that all departments should be working in conjunction with the library. Assignments should be created so that the school library centre can be involved. This develops school community, collaboration and connection amongst the subjects, students and teachers. These skills are developed now and then when they enter post secondary and will continue in the work place since the Internet is used in our everyday interaction with the computers.
Gaming
Hilary, I often think about gaming at our school library. Many, many students come in to the library to play games - I don't mind if they are quiet - if no one else is being disturbed. I have to keep an open mind about games especially since I think they help unleash energy and to some extent, testosterone (depending on the game!). It's controversial... I'm not sure how I'd feel if my son was allowed to play non-educational video games at school. I like the idea of providing games for students to play in the library at lunch. It would be great to set up games at the different tables - the kids would get off the computers and interact with others. How do others feel about card games? We often kick students out who are playing card games - we ask them to play in the cafeteria. Should we be more accepting of this? School isn't always about book/textbook learning. Games are important as they teach us how to take turns, how to think critically and strategically - isn't there a place for this in schools??
Kists' 5 Characteristics - New Literacies Classroom
Here are 5 characteristics essential for a classroom to be a "new lilteracies classroom"
1. Colloborative work space. Round tables, moveable chairs instead of cubicles.
2. Place which is information and technology rich. This includes Wi-Fi, a projector, a smartboard, ereaders, document camera, iPads, laptops, computer stations. Plus books - reference, non-fiction, fiction alike.
3. 24/7 access to information - to books or a person. Similar to the VPL where students can "ask a librarian" in the evenings for help with homework or research projects. This may be a stretch to ask a person to be available at a school library 24/7 virtually but it could possible take place in the future. The Vancouver School Board has their media catalogue available 24/7 so teachers can book films/documentaries. This feature is running 24/7. One thing I would like to see improvement is for our students to have the ability to find books online through the webcat and put a hold on the book. This system works at the Vancouver Public Library - I know that more infrastructure is required for this to take place at school libraries.
4. Decentralization - no longer one place to go for information - virtual library, library, etc. Rather than having a central library to go we can go to different branches for information. For example, one could get a inter library loan book from the Education library and pick it up at the medical library closer to home. The physical space is changing - it's decentralizing. Items will be available via login, too. New devices (smartphones, iPads, Wi-Fi) are making this possible.
5. Suitable material for learners- ESL, Gifted, etc. I know this requires more money and funding but wouldn't it be wonderful for there to be resources for specialized books to be available in the library - for ESL learners, Gifted Learners, French speaking students, etc. This morning I had a student ask for The Hunger Games in French but we had to point her to the VPL since we have no funding for French language books.
Chapters 2 + 3
Kist's discussion of the Literacy Autobiography assignment motivated me to ask my grade 8 students to write a page on one or two of the promtps provided. My students' did reminisce as Kist suggested. Not only did they reminisce over memorable texts, but some did mention their first memories of a kids' show or their memories playing a game on the computer. Indeed, as Kist puts it: "...these texts are embedded in their memories - print and non-print" (17). Their autobiography includes all kinds of media and all kinds of print form.
When Kist discusses how non-linear thinking has always been part of frameworks - we find it in the form of flashbacks, in television shows, or when students choose to read the end of the book before starting at the first chapter. We often teach students to have a beginning, middle and end in an essay - I know I teach that to my students. But when it comes to narrative writing, I ask students to write in flashback form - it allows them the opportunity to write in a non-linear way. I see how things are not always chronological especially when my students are using the smartboard for projects. The use of the lesson activity kit offers students the chance to use an interactive element in the presentation. This reviews some of the material half way through. In this way, students pause, review, take a break, then move on. Sometimes they jump around (on purpose or not!). As well, I see how we are thinking in a non-linear way when we bounce back and forth from website to website, collecting information.
In Chapter 3, Kist discusses plagiarism. This is something we discuss daily in the library. It's part of our orientation at the start of the year and it's discussed when students come in with their classes for research projects. Since it is so easy to copy and paste information from the web to a document, plagiarism is something that should be taught. Kist states: "There are some real opportunities for dialogue with students about what is and what is not fair use" (51). He finishes by stating that this conversation should take place while the students are in school.
Kist's discussion of the Literacy Autobiography assignment motivated me to ask my grade 8 students to write a page on one or two of the promtps provided. My students' did reminisce as Kist suggested. Not only did they reminisce over memorable texts, but some did mention their first memories of a kids' show or their memories playing a game on the computer. Indeed, as Kist puts it: "...these texts are embedded in their memories - print and non-print" (17). Their autobiography includes all kinds of media and all kinds of print form.
When Kist discusses how non-linear thinking has always been part of frameworks - we find it in the form of flashbacks, in television shows, or when students choose to read the end of the book before starting at the first chapter. We often teach students to have a beginning, middle and end in an essay - I know I teach that to my students. But when it comes to narrative writing, I ask students to write in flashback form - it allows them the opportunity to write in a non-linear way. I see how things are not always chronological especially when my students are using the smartboard for projects. The use of the lesson activity kit offers students the chance to use an interactive element in the presentation. This reviews some of the material half way through. In this way, students pause, review, take a break, then move on. Sometimes they jump around (on purpose or not!). As well, I see how we are thinking in a non-linear way when we bounce back and forth from website to website, collecting information.
In Chapter 3, Kist discusses plagiarism. This is something we discuss daily in the library. It's part of our orientation at the start of the year and it's discussed when students come in with their classes for research projects. Since it is so easy to copy and paste information from the web to a document, plagiarism is something that should be taught. Kist states: "There are some real opportunities for dialogue with students about what is and what is not fair use" (51). He finishes by stating that this conversation should take place while the students are in school.
