Cathy Nelson’s Professional Thoughts

I arrived for the UTC around 7:20 AM and was very surprised at how quickly that happened.  It was just under a 2-hour drive and easy.  I was dismayed though to discover my sessions were scheduled for Thursday and not today as I had planned, and had to apologetically withdraw/cancel my sessions for tomorrow.  I have a meeting in Columbia at the State Department of Education, and it is one I cannot miss. I (along with others) will be working with other educators across the state on a curriculum project and even though I am not sure of the exact details, this is an opportunity to demonstrate that teacher librarians are partners in instruction and collaborative planning, and can be an asset in the development of standards-based instruction. Since way too many schools use the teacher librarian as holding area so teachers get a planning period, I want to do my very best in this project.  I love brainstorming project design.  Hopefully I will “represent” teacher librarians well.  It is important that teacher librarians help change the view that so many have, that which is incorrect.  So I feel this is more important than the UTC tomorrow. I am disappointed though because I am leaving the conference with 2 empty spots, and this is the first time ever I’ve done this.  I am also missing what I’m sure will be fabulous sessions and a keynote by David Jakes.

Mind Boggling

Today’s material was mind boggling and terrific.  I commend the planners for the UTC.  I really thought it would be difficult to top attending a conference the day before that featured a keynote and 2 sessions by Marc Prensky, but Ewan McIntosh blew my mind.  He is probably the strongest “think outside the box” speaker I’ve ever heard.  I left with many ideas on rethinking my approach to teaching, using video games in a classroom, and how to have fun with pictures that tie into the curriculum.   I remember reading McIntosh last July while BLC was happening (in both his blog and a skype backchannel), and he wrote some outstanding material about Resnick’s contribution, which focused on keeping the term “play” relevant throughout all grade levels, not just preschool/kindergarten.  I wondered if Ewan would be able to top it from back then, but he has shown me even more, taking it to a higher level for me.  If you do not read Ewan McIntosh, you should.  Ewan, you are a ROCK STAR in the field of education for me, forging a new way to think about learning.

Like brothers and sisters

I am still processing all that I learned today, and trying to collect my pictures.   I’ll share them as soon as I get them.  Pat (aka Loonyhiker) sent me one we had taken together today (but it’s not available under creative commons.).  It was nice to group up with so many in my PLN, like Ewan, Jakes, Chris Craft, MaryAnn Sansonetti, Julia Davis, Pat, Heather Loy, and others.  We had a great time today, and oddly enough each session I attended had me sitting with or by several from this group. I guess we all think a little bit alike, though that would make sense if we are truly a PLN.  When I first arrived after meeting up with Pat, I followed Chris Craft into the auditorium, where we saw David Jakes and Ewan McIntosh.  Ewan hopped down from the stage, greeted me warmly by calling me by my Twitter name, and then firmly planted a kiss on each of my cheeks.  He exclaimed, “You look just like your avatar picture!”  That’s the beauty of a PLN—we all feel some kind of brotherly/sisterly connection.  These people are not strangers at all. They frequently mirror my thoughts and extend my thinking/learning.

P.S.  I did sit right in the front row as I vowed yesterday! Best, I had David Jakes on my left, and Chris Craft on my right! What more could a girl ask for? Brilliance all around.  Oh no, I guess I really am some sort of edtech groupie.  Pictures to come, I promise.

“Mitch Resnick”
Photo by Ewan McIntosh licensed under Creative Commons Attributon 2.0 Generic

Today is an optional staff development day in my husband’s school district. He is as busy as ever making sure 120 presenters have their needs met including making sure there are students for the session that calls for it. Yes–students. Marc Prensky is in the building, and I’ve just sat through 2 sessions–a keynote titled “Engage Me or Enrage Me: Educating Today’s Digital Learners” and then a panel discussion with students titled “Interview with the Digital Natives.”

Brutally Honest

The kids were fabulous! All I could think was once they had their nerve up, they were more than willing to tell it like it is! When asked about the amount of time students spent using technology in school, across the board students said very little. When asked to speak about a memorable project or assignment, the students visibly struggled. And when they were describing it, you could almost read “guilt” on their faces for not being able to share something really dynamic. Only one could share about a memorable project that allowed him creativity and to reallly think outside the box, and his was in a “technology” course–>he worked with a business to design a website that would allow them to showcase and advertise their product. Authentic–real world. The school has had an influx of interactive boards and technology, but across the panel the kids said their teachers did not seem to know how to use it effectively, and gave examples of it being an expensive screen for the projector or a super-sized worksheet. I loved it when a student described how the teacher would scan writing, and then the teacher and/or kids used their board to edit. I was embarrassed, as I have done exactly that activity myself before. My question is how is this any different from former complaints by teachers of the “one computer in the classroom?”

What’s Next?

I go back after lunch to hear Prensky again, and the title of that session is “Turning on the Lights: Why Schools Must Compete, and How to Do It.” My guess it is going to be about taking the learning global. I was fairly familiar already with his keynote, so hopefully he will give me something new to take away. I’m carrying my laptop to the next one, even though I won’t have connectivity. I will be able to take notes, and maybe post them here in my blog to share. Pictures to share later this afternoon! (I don’t have the cord for the camera with me.)

After Lunch take away–>Get on YouTube

Well I went after lunch to his session, and he was as relaxed as ever, and encouraging folks to just voice concerns and ask questions. It was interesting to hear the fear in their voices–a fear I do not have. One teacher brought up his comment form this morning that kids should be allowed to use calculators, and that long division and multiplication tables were time wasters in the class (my phrasing, not his.) I loved his example of how the clock became a standard piece of classroom teaching–how formerly we learned to tell the time by the sun. What did I leave with? Gaming, while very relevant to kids, has yet to be made into a concept ready for school. (Oh no, I don’t know if I’m ready for gaming to become “schooly.”) He says those in the field who are doing great things should post their great things to YouTube. He strongly suggests teachers while gathering resources for units of study check YouTube to see what is there. He says we as teachers can bring down the walls of our classrooms by using social networking tools geared towards educators. OK, so nothing really new here. But it pleased me that the educators there were very much in-tune with his message and recognize that he is like a fountain slaking their thirst to be better educators, and they want learning to be relevant to our 21st century learners.

Image Attribution:

Image: ‘Thirst for Knowledge‘
www.flickr.com/photos/7809479@N08/1632564574

Image: ‘Prensky-HiRes‘
www.marcprensky.com/speaking/default.asp

I am working on my slides for the panel discussion. I’m sure i will tweak them again and again before the big day. But here is round one of the editing process. They may take on a whole different look before then, but who knows?

My contribution focuses on professional development–us getting it and giving it–using 2.0 tools. Anyone have any suggestions? I’ll gladly take them!

| View | Upload your own

Draft 2

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BUMMER! I’m having difficulty with the embed feature, and so while I work t resolve it, you can see my work in progress here. UPDATE: Fixed! thanks to Sue Waters.

Yesterday there was a very large outcry amongst the bloggers about restrictions ISTE was last minute placing on attendees intent to video, ustream, or podcast entire sessions. Wes Fryer broke the story to me in my reader, and then i read it many times over after that. Miguel Ghulin suggested we all contact conference conveners Leslie Connery and/or Don Knezek from ISTE. Migeul actually wanted many to blog there dismay as well, though I just chose to email–since he did provide us contact info (thanks Miguel.) I gather from reading Miguel’s update at his blog the email I received is more or less copy/pasted, but it was personalized by Leslie (or a Leslie designee.)

(UPDATED 6-21-08 Noon EST–I am removing the rest of this as after reflection and comments left here and elsewhere. I do not feel it is conducive to positive conversation and leaves it open for misinterpretation. My intent with this post was to give thanks to ISTE for listening to members’concerns, particularly mine. If you need more info you can contact me via my contact form on the blog.)

I’ll be in San Antonio for ISTE’s NECC very soon. It seems surreal to think I’m on the list for presenting in a panel discussion. So what if it is not like a real preso? Instead of my own presentation it is rather a group who talk about how the newer tools have changed the way we do things, particularly in the school library. My contribution (voice of expertise) is supposed to be using the tools for professional development. I hope I can hold a candle to the other experts on the panel. I am so in awe of Joyce Valenza, Carolyn Foote, and Judy O’Connell! Oh and some how one of the expert voices is not showing in the list–>Diane M Cordell-a wonderful friend I would have never met had it not been for the tools we use to network (blogs, Twitter, Skype, etc.) So looking forward to this one! Here’s the description from the NECC planner.

Next week right here in little ol’ South Carolina, I will be privy to two expert voices!! Welcome to true southern charm and manners Marc Prensky and Ewan McIntosh!

Welcome Marc!

Coming to Rock Hill (my official hometown) Marc Prensky is giving a keynote at a local conference for this school district. My husband is part of the planning committee, and yesterday he informed me that the coordinator of the conference (which I am not officially attending or participating in) said I was welcome to come hear Prensky. I guess this coordinator knows how excited I would be–meaning, I suppose, he recognizes that I’m a forward thinker too, and clamor after forward thinkers, either virtually through blogs, ustreams, and other networking or in person, like conferences. Whatever the reason, I am so excited to know I can attend for at least Prensky’s part of this conference. I won’t be able to ustream so don’t ask. The school district does not allow outside computers connectivity (wonder how they will deal with Prensky’s?) I’m still very excited. Will it look bad if I steal a front row seat for a conference that I am neither a paying or contributing member of? The uber-geek in me will be in full swing for sure. The ultra nerd in me also wants to talk to him AND get maybe I’ll even ask for an autograph. Confession–I’m an edtech groupie!

Welcome Ewan!

Ewan McIntosh will be keynoting the first day of the Greenville County School District’s Upstate Technology Conference. This one is absolutely FREE! I have a preso there at 8:00 am, and then at 9:15, Ewan does his keynote! I am so excited! Ewan was very instrumental last summer in making sure many virtual participants could participate in back-channels at NECC and the Building Learning Communities conferences. It made me realize there is a whole different way to enjoy conferences and get professional development, right from the conference I am at AND from my own living room if I am not present. I just emailed the UTC coordinators to inquire about Ustream possibilitis, and I will let you know what they say.

On a sad note, I will not get to enjoy David Jakes as keynote speaker for day 2 of the UTC. Isn’t it cool though that he will also be in SC? And he does indeed have a history in SC as part of the CSRA and the Department of Wildlife, though I’ve heard him talk about that time in his life, and though he is complimentary of his job, well, I’ll just say he doesn’t seem to like SC as a home (but of course that is my take after some “virtual” conversations.) Maybe next week when he is here, someone can get an official and 100% accurate opinion from him directly. Thursday I’ll be in Columbia, SC working with a group from across our entire state to hash out concerns relevant to school library media specialists. Perhaps more details to come later. Then Friday, we fly out to San Antonio for NECC.

Yes this is going to be a VERY exciting week coming up!

Attribution:

Today I did a session at our annual principal’s conference on social networking. Since the vast majority of tools like MySpace, Facebook, and even professional networks like Classroom 2.0 are blocked, I took the stance that we as educators must educate ourselves and our parents, especially in light of how issues stemming directly from student online interaction seems to find its way into our classrooms, guidance offices, right up to the administrators desks. I’ve presented at the conference several years, but usually in the morning. I was taken aback by the “ghost-town” feeling I had for my 2PM afternoon session. I had roughly fifteen participants. One lady assured me that my topic was popular and relevant, but after lunch folks attending this conference seem to find to “other” things to do. Factor in that it is the next to last day, and well, the lure of the beach was calling too. But honestly, when I attend conferences, I go to 90% of the offerings, and many times you can find me near the front row if I can get to a session early enough. Does this make me an uber-geek? Even in my session today, only one participant sat near the front. This was a new experience for me.

Don’t Preach to the Choir

My attendees seemed generally complimentary, and even one of the conference directors greeted me warmly by name when I arrived. But today I was a wee bit disappointed. Our SC State Department of Education library liaison (Martha Alewine) encourages us to get out and speak at different conferences besides our own. She suggests if we are to gain respect in the field, we must stop “preaching to the choir” (presenting to ourselves at our own conference) and branch out and spread our message about information literacy, ICT, and standards-based collaboratively taught engaged learning by presenting at other conferences. What better way to market what you as the teacher librarian have to offer the school and its curriculum? We must help the teacher population see that we can address standards and impact student achievement.

Spread our Message, Support our Colleagues

I generally try to present at our state edtech conference (SCEdTech), the middle school conference (if I remember to do the proposal), and this one. There are not very many “techy” sessions at this conference, as my friend Dennis Richards has noted before, and from his post here, this goes all the way up to the national level. I really like SCASA’s SLI, as I strongly feel administrators are the ones who MOST misunderstand what should be happening in a library, particularly a 21st Century Library. They are also in a position to “from the top down” help us become more of a collaborating and contributing partner for student learning. In years past, I’ve had wonderful reception and positive feedback from my sessions. My session today was later than I’d ever had before, 2PM. I never expected such a low turnout. It was quite frankly a little disheartening.

I Solemnly Promise…

I promise to all future presenters who draw an afternoon or late presentation I will strive to attend if I’m at the conference. Been there, done that. I know what if feels like now to present to an empty room. I’d have liked to have been out on the beach today too. I especially thank the ones who came.

Attribution:

I hate when presenters ask the Twitter Networks to simply say hello to their audiences.  I do like it when I’m asked to say hello and tell where I’m from, though, as this shows how far and wide reaching your network is. And I like it even better when folks ask for an opinion or idea along with this warm greeting, which is what  did today for a workshop I did today in Columbia, SC.  (I asked for folks to tell why networks are powerful.) I had recently been far removed from Twitter for assorted reasons, and so was a wee bit scared no one would comply.  Network, you absolutely amaze me.  And my participants were super impressed too.  It was funny to be able to read through the greetings and be able to tell the group an anecdotal comment about how each and every one has expanded my knowledge and expertise in some way. Thanks for coming thorugh for me today.

I read this quote today and thought about making a motivational poster to display in the library. It seems to go hand-in-hand with what we in the library world are all about. This one shows reading or researching print resources. I may make a matching one that shows a library patron using online/digital resources too. KEWL!

Attribution:

Image: ‘Reading‘
www.flickr.com/photos/29498428@N00/223492835

Okay so Wordle has been the rage in the bloggosphere of late, and many are making tag clouds for their Delicious Accounts. I can’t because I hate to admit this, but my delicious account is a mess, one that I seriously need to take the time and clean up. Why? I have tags that only have meaning to me. My tags would not mean anything to anyone else. Like what? Well like dates for when I need something–it is a tag. See what I men? Meaningless to anyone but me.

So I was missing out on the Wordle fun! This morning I took time to check out Wordle, and wow the possibilities. I discovered that Wordle will make a cloud out of any writing. I made a cloud (above) of my June archive in my blog. My hot topics are school, blog, learning library, media, teachers, & students. I’m pleased to see I focus more on “learning,” but disappointed that the word “teacher” and “student” still seem to be prominent words in m vernacular. I had a goal not too long ago to try and replace those two words synonymously with “learner.” Well at least I can see the effort is there.

I can definitely see the possibilities of this in the classroom, particularly a classroom where writing is emphasized. It will help writers see what words are used in abundance (or overused). I can just imagine the word “like” hugely displayed in most middle-schooler’s writing. I can also imagine a lot of txt-talk there as well. I am looking forward to sharing this with the learners who lead in the classroom at my school.