Professional Learning Networks

Felix Davila III
CO
Moreillon, J. (2016). Building your PERSONAL LEARNING NETWORK (PLN): 21st-century school librarians seek self-regulated professional development online. Knowledge Quest, 44(3), 64-69. Retrieved from http://libaccess.sjlibrary.org/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com.libaccess.sjlibrary.org/login.aspx?direct=true&db=lih&AN=112090464&site=ehost-live&scope=site

Moreillon’s work here is a strong reminder of the necessity of developing a personal learning network. A PLN is essentially a core of resources that allows professionals to communicate or collaborate with others of the same field to expose themselves to new resources, tactics and more. The article provides a listing of ideas that librarians should bookmark for future reference. Moreillon includes discussion boards, Twitter groups or hastags, Facebook groups, webinars and blogs as common resources that can provide endless engagement, workshopping and brainstorming.

What is important to realize is that professional development is not simply located at work through employee meetings or training sessions. With technology, professional development is an every day, every hour phenomenon that can allow professionals a chance to grow and develop. Essentially, librarians should not rule out any outlet where they can connect with fellow librarians. This article motivated me to join a Facebook group of students that have taken INFO 254, which allowed me to not only share and receive ideas, but keep in touch with colleagues without compromising my personal social media (an important factor for those that may be really concerned with privacy).

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School libraries shift toward innovation areas, but librarians fear for what’s lost

Mierop, Kerrie

Z

Montgomery, R. (2016, June 24). School libraries shift towards innovation areas, but librarians fear for what’s lost. The Kansas City Star. Retrieved from:

             http://www.kansascity.com/news/politics-government/article85810532.html

Summary:

     In this article, Montgomery writes about how school districts are incorporating MakerSpaces into their school libraries, however, instead of hiring credential librarians, the districts are now hiring “innovation specialist” or individuals with teaching credentials. As school librarians retire, the districts are hiring credential teachers to run the newly revamp library that has fewer books, but more “making” materials. The districts are less concerned with story time, age-appropriate reading materials, and having students read books in the library, instead, they want the libraries to be innovated spaces with students reading books on digital sources. However, a few librarians in the Shawnee Mission School District have stepped forward to articulate that school librarians are needed, stories need to be read, and that school librarians can run both a MakerSpace and the library.

Review:

     This article reviews what many school librarians are facing today. Many districts are hiring “innovative specialist” or “media technicians” as the library environment includes technology and MakerSpaces. This article captures the feelings of district leaders as one says, “that grade schools haven’t much need anymore for the libraries of 20 years ago–when they stocked books, gave research help, suggested age-appropriate literature and provided a cozy corner in which kids could turn pages”. This article shows how leaders are not incorporating the new technology and creative spaces in the new library spaces, but replacing both the library spaces and librarians with what the newest trend is, without thinking about the consequences that will affect the students and their intellectual growth.

Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/news/politics-government/article85810532.html#storylink=cpy

Reinvention of Libraries

Shibrie Wilson

ET-New Trends
ET- Restructuring
Z- Discussions

 Manguel, A. (2015, October 24). Reinventing the Library. Retrieved May 21, 2016, from http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/24/opinion/reinventing-the-library.html?_r=0

Summary: Libraries and information in which they hold are defined in different perspectives. One thing in which most people can agree on is that libraries have been the hub for accessing information. Over the course of history libraries have been able to adapt to changing conditions whether war or other idiosyncrasies in history. During era of Alexandria libraries were viewed as powerful and central place for symbol of society. Libraries have become a social center for many patrons, according to this article, and librarians have done an excellent job befitting such change. Librarians are able to stay relevant in these times by diversifying mandate. Providing services in which traditionally were not provided, in which is excellent because it exhibits how librarians are more than just guiding one to a particular book. Being an advocate for libraries and assuring that they are not cut because they are important for symbols in our society.

Reflection: Enjoyed reading this article though I do not agree with all statements made. Some points are imperative regarding history of library and its essence. As librarians we must continue to provide services for all patrons even when that includes adopting new job descriptions. Ultimately the goal is to provide service, learning commons, and increase literacy. Literacy is an interdisciplinary word not confined to print materials only.  

Discussion of Creative Learning Commons

Christopher Fluetsch
Z

Professor Loertscher has challenged us to develop some ideas about furthering the Creative Learning Commons projects. I thought it might be useful to have a discussion about some of our ideas in this blog format instead of on the Google Doc.

Here are some of my thoughts:

How many webmixes should we create?
I think we should have webmixes for content categories of webpages – Audio/ Visual; Graphic Arts; Writing; Communications and so forth. Final webmixes titles should be determined once we have a final list of content sites. It occurs to me, perhaps too late, that we might have wished to add tags to the website entry form, to allow easier categorization.

The webmixes do not necessarily have to be mutually exclusive. A website might appear in multiple places.  The idea it to make it easier for users to find what they are looking for.

We could use webmix tile colors to denote reading level or age appropriateness.

I hesitate to place age categories on the mixes themselves, as age/ grade level is not necessarily a good predictor of student interest or ability.

How should it be organized?

If I were designing this on my own, the upper left tile on each page would link to a team created page with a quick explanation of each tile on that page.  We can draw much of the information from the Google Form answers sheet.

I like the idea of having a visual guide of the linkages between the various pages.  Perhaps a guide drawn with a program like Mindomo.

We should definitely have a tile leading to a “Suggest New Pages” form. I’d put it at the bottom right of each page, and lead to a Google Form much like the one we’ve been using.

Anyway, these are some of my ideas. Perhaps you’d like to add ideas in the Comments section and we can begin a discussion before Tuesday’s class.