Neat to Note

Today, while searching for information about this year's Manitoba Libraries Conferenece (MLC), I came across an upcoming session entitled, "A Blended Learning Approach to Information Literacy: A Case of the Collaborative Work of the Library, Learning Assistance Centre, and the Faculty of Human Ecology at the University of Manitoba." How appropriate, given that I just finished a series of blog entries focused on the concept of blended learning!  If curious, you can check out more info about this or other MLC sessions here.

OR...feel free to read below and get a bit of a preview about what this Blended Learning Session plans to do:

9:00 a.m. - 10:15 a.m.

A Blended Learning Approach to Information Literacy: A Case of the Collaborative Work of the Library, Learning Assistance Centre, and the Faculty of Human Ecology at the University of Manitoba. 

In this session, a new collaborative approach to supporting undergraduate students in the context of a specific undergraduate foundational course will be discussed. Specific examples will be drawn from the HMEC 2030W (“Communications & Perspective”) and HMEC 2000 (“Research Methods and Communication”) blended learning projects in which the Liaison Librarian for Human Ecology at Elizabeth Dafoe Library, a Writing Instructor from the Learning Assistance Centre, and the course instructor from the Faculty of Human Ecology developed a blended learning environment to better scaffold students’ learning. In particular, we focused on the development of their skills for researching and writing academic papers. The nature of collaboration, the planning processes, the online resources and classroom activities will be presented and discussed. 

Facilitators: Asako Yoshida and Kathy Block

Convenor: Jan Guise
Location: Strathcona

Blended Learning (entry 3 of 3): Blinding Technology of Online Learning

Article: Blinding Technology of Online Learning – Steve Kolowich http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2010/08/23/accessibility

For the third and final portion of my blended learning blog posts, I have focused on an article by Steve Kolowich, discussing the impact of newer, technology-based learning styles on students with vision impairments.  Although the general consensus about advancements in DE is usually positive, such progressions often overlook the needs of disabled users, therefore, putting them at an increasing disadvantage among their peers.  As Kelly Hermann, chair of the Online Education Special Interest Group at the Association on Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD) explains, although faculty or course developers are always eager to test out new DE tools they, “fail to recognize…where that new tool might create barriers to accessibility”(as cited in Kolowich, 2010, para. 2).

Despite the fact that such concerns put diverse users at an obvious and critical disadvantage, given their learning needs, Kolowich asserts that, unfortunately, “the courts have made little progress toward defining and enforcing accessibility standards for online education in the last decade, even as online degree programs have proliferated and been adopted into mainstream high education” (2010, para. 2).  Overall, this article made me feel conflicted.  On one hand, I understand the importance of advancing DE, and the many benefits given to remote students (flexibility, ease of access, etc.) and feel that this is a process that should continue to flourish.  At the same time, however, I became incredibly angry. Hasn’t education created enough barriers against diverse users already, given the incredibly high cost of tuition?? And now, there are additional hurdles.  For even if a student with a visual impairment is able to afford the expenses associated with a higher education, their experience will still be inadequate when compared to that of their peers!  Kolowich himself draws on this inequality, admitting that, “advocates for the blind are worried that it is becoming harder for the assistive technology used by blind students to keep pace with advances in educational technology” (2010, para. 4). 

Luckily, there are online programs like Moodle, who, according to Kolowich, has, “[set] a new standard for accessibility with the latest version of its online learning portal…allow[ing] individual campuses to customize their portals such that they are accessible to blind students” (2010, para. 6).  At the same time, however, even Moodle has a long way to go.  Although the program itself is accessible, there are still some issues where imported content is concerned.  As most online students (and students in general) know, “[i]mported content is becoming as much a part of online course delivery as the discussion forums and other features governed by the accessibility practices of the learning-management system” (Kolowich, 2010, para. 7).  While this response leaves me feeling somewhat bleak, I am reminding myself that addressing the problem is the first step to rectifying it, leading to steps that will encourage positive change.

In retrospect, this article really made me realize how often I take the convenience of online tools for granted.  Given my status as a student possessing no special needs, and my very own functioning (well, usually functioning) laptop, I feel so incredibly fortunate.  How could I have spent so much time complaining about how long something takes to load? Or the fact that I could only access an article in full-text rather than pdf?  Reading this article has really encouraged me to think critically about my own experience as a user, and the privileges I’ve had as a learner.  Feeling pretty lucky right about now - and more importantly, hoping that more can be done to provide others with more adaptable tools for distance ed.  I know it’s a massive challenge, but learning really should be an equal opportunity.  I wish it was easier to make this a reality. 

Blended Learning (entry 2 of 3): Next Generation Learning Challenges

Webinar: Technology’s Role in the College Completion Agenda: An Introduction to Next Generation Learning Challenges http://www.educause.edu/Resources/TechnologysRoleintheCollegeCom/219203

Continuing with the second of my three-part blog entry concerning blended learning, inspired by information provided through Educause (http://www.educause.edu/Resources/Browse/HybridorBlendedLearning/33312), I engaged in a webinar in which Educause discussed the next generation of learning challenges, or NGLC.  According to the information provided, current employers are increasingly interested in hiring candidates who have completed a four-year post-secondary degree (which, quite honestly, should come as no surprise, given the steadily climbing significance placed on education in today’s society).  Surveyed employers also cited communication, as the most essential skill to bring to the workplace, adding that traits such as creativity, critical thinking, info literacy and teamwork were also highly applicable.  Based on this knowledge, the webinar went on to explain how current students and educational practices can be altered to meet these goals. 

Though many students are likely to start college nowadays, not all will graduate with a four-year degree; an increasingly prominent concern.  Although the webinar didn’t cover this issue in as much detail as I had hoped for, it did stress the importance of college preparedness, explaining that teachers of secondary schools need to do what they can to ensure students will be ready for the changes and challenges created by the college experience. One way this could be addressed, the webinar offered, is through the incorporation of online college prep classes, which, in my opinion, definitely has the potential to be a useful resource for prospective college students in future. 

Through its own efforts, Educause’s NGLC intends to focus their attention on the areas of college readiness & completion, which they hope they to improve through increased funding.  This funding will be distributed in “waves,” the first of which will be given to support technology-enabled solutions for post-secondary education.  Additionally, the webinar identified four key areas that are important when considering the future of learning:

1) Blended Learning allows students to have flexibility, and to complete work at the same pace as traditional students (or in some cases faster) through the online component

2) Learning Analytics is useful for risk assessment, allowing profs and planners to predict student successes or trouble areas and work to tailor learning to meet these factors

3) Deeper Learning & Engagement allows students to retain more of what is being taught and to teach practical skills (ie – technology-related initiatives such as interactive videos, etc. work well here & are becoming more advanced/popular)

4) Open Core Courseware makes it easy for the sharing of information to exist – convenient both for students (allowing them to have access to tutorials and study materials any time/place) and profs (allowing them to share information with students, or other schools or educators).   

Overall, I found this topic interesting, but wished that the webinar would’ve delved a bit deeper and provided specific examples and references to the goals that have been set out.  Have these initiatives been incorporated into schools? If so, where?  How?  What was the response of the students? The teachers?  Although I would’ve appreciated a bit more detail, I will have to remember that some of these projects are still in their early stages…on the bright side, all of this talk about new ways of learning did get me thinking…what will schools be like 10 years from now? Or 25 years from now?  Will we rely on physical school buildings the way we do today?  Guess I will have to wait and see. 

Blended Learning (entry 1 of 3): Teaching Shakespeare Online

After reviewing some resources on blended learning this week, I’ve decided to take a few moments to talk a bit about what I had found.  Through Educause, a non-profit group devoted to promoting information technology, I was able to discover a vast range of presentations, blogs, podcasts and publications – all of which can be found here:  http://www.educause.edu/Resources/Browse/HybridorBlendedLearning/33312

To make this topic a bit more concise, however, I chose to focus in on three of these resources (which I will break down into 3 posts, so as not to overwhelm/frighten everybody with long strings of heavy text, as sometimes I do end up ranting a bit…).  Here is the first one:

Podcast: To Hybrid, or Not To Hybrid? Teaching Shakespeare Online (podcast)
http://www.educause.edu/Resources/Browse/HybridorBlendedLearning/33312

Through this podcast, I learned about the hybrid (a mix of online and f2f teaching) and online options available for courses at the University of Colorado, one of which, was “Shakespeare 3000”.  Given that Shakespeare (at least for me) was always so difficult to comprehend, and rooted so deeply in speaking the Shakespearian dialect, I was curious to see how non-traditional class structures would affect the learning experience (both for the students and the profs).  The podcast talked about how these newer class structures often give shier students a chance to express themselves.  When participating through blogs and online discussions, they have time to think critically about what they would like to say, and provide a response (with blogging) that is contributed at a pace with which they feel comfortable.  In the hybrid courses, one of the profs asserted that he would first look at the students’ blogs, and based on their content, often call on students who were shier, but clearly familiar with the topic, based on their writing.  This process was described as drawing students out “in a safe way.”  

For example, if a shier student would not raise their hand on their own, the professor can still engage them in class by saying things such as, “you made an excellent comment on your blog this week, would you mind sharing that with us?”  Alternatively, the professor said that this allows him not to “pick on” those who do not seem as comfortable with the material, based on their posts.  Though I’m completely supportive of allowing shier students to have a stronger involvement in f2f classes, I wonder if avoiding asking those who have not blogged as deeply is really the best way to go.  Although a student truly may not have understood the material that week, is there also not a chance that they are simply trying to get out of speaking in class, or avoid work (ie- writing on the blog)?  However, this was just one example from one school, so it is difficult to identify how other professors would deal with these situations.  Overall, however, I was extremely impressed by what was said, and really enjoyed the podcast format.  I found this topic really engaging on a personal level, and of course, very pertinent to the changing structure of student learning and thus, teaching. 

DE Teaching Modules Assignment: A Few Thoughts

Since it’s been a little while since my last update, I thought I should take an opportunity to provide some information concerning our most recent DE assignment:  the creation of distance education teaching modules.  Given my strong interest in children’s literature, I decided to focus my project on early literacy resources for parents and young ones, which, right from the start, gave me a lot to think about.  What types of resources did I want to provide?   What types of resources are most accessible? How would my resources compare to other websites hosting similar types of information?  How could I build on what already exists online?   What types of platforms could be used to share my findings?  After giving some serious thought to these (among other) preliminary issues, and investigating currently existing resources in order to give me some ideas, I was able to develop a solid plan for my module.

In terms of a platform, I decided to choose two ways through which to communicate my information: the first, being a Pinterest account.  Although this route seemed a bit radical, I think that’s part of why I wanted to experiment with this tool.  Originally doted on for its ability to allow users to organize and keep track of the things they liked (recipes, books, places to travel, etc.), I feel that Pinterest has the potential to also incorporate resources that can be useful in a public library setting, similar to the gradual presence of public libraries on twitter, facebook and other popular web-based applications.  Although many people may feel that this is not the ideal way to target patrons (which I do not necessarily disagree with), I feel a tool like Pinterest may be useful in targeting a certain clientele – namely, the new parent who is also interested in online trends, or organizational tools (2 options which both fuel the Pinterest movement).   Furthermore, I wanted to attempt to do something new and original.  Something I haven’t seen before.  Since the majority of Pinterest resources I scouted were based on the interests of individual people, I decided to take things one step further, and design a tester account that, if actually put in place, would cater to the needs of remote library users, collectively.    

My second platform for early literacy was created using a more “traditional” method: the wiki.  Although wikis have existed for quite some time now, if you can believe it, this experience was my first foray into the world of wiki-creation (or, to be fair, wiki-usage).  Never before had I ever experimented with this feature (which probably makes me sound like I’ve been living under a rock, I know).  However, given my unfamiliarity in navigating this tool, as well as its ability to allow users to create pages dedicated to learning about a particular subject, I deemed it to be a highly appropriate platform for my project. 

Overall, I also felt that both these resources (Pinterest/wiki) were fairly accessible and simply designed, making them easy for patrons to access regardless of their location, type of computer, etc.   Furthermore, I tried to ensure (with both resources) that the information I provided was clean and well-organized, attempting to ease the experiences of users who may be less familiar with web resources. 

As for content, I made sure to keep both platforms fairly simplistic, providing mostly basic resources used to aid users such as new parents, especially those who may have recently immigrated to areas such as London, and may not be familiar with Western reading resources, or perhaps the English language itself.  Furthermore, regardless of location, I find many parents that I have interacted with (mainly through my library career and volunteering experiences) seem to be unfamiliar with the significance of early literacy.  Many new parents simply assume that their children will learn to read once they enter school, and assume that this is “good enough” in terms of literacy skill development.  As a future librarian who would ideally love to specialize in working with children, assumptions like this often frustrate me.  Children can be read to from birth.  They should start interacting with books as early as possible, given that these experiences aid in the development of language skills, and often allow children to have a stronger understanding of how people read, and why this behavior is so important.  Based on these factors, I figured it would be appropriate to include materials designed for very young children in particular, aiming to target an ideal age range of birth to seven years.  Some resources for older children (8-12) were also included, but in these cases, I made sure to make a note about the appropriate age group for the resource, as to make things as clear as possible.    

Wanting to provide a number of different options to encourage variety (and also, to let parents know exactly what’s available), I used the wiki to provide online resources for songs, picture book readings, and kid-friendly websites, providing details (for parents) on each resource.  To help adults develop a stronger understanding of popular or appropriate items for their kids, I also included areas such as “Notable Canadian Authors” and “Award Winners” to give them a starting point when seeking resources independently.  Finally, I also included an area with tips for new parents, in which I included some links about early literacy and its importance. 

Since Pinterest is designed to foster creativity and is generally a more “laid-back” tool, I tried to incorporate fun elements to encourage use of the Pinterest platform, and more importantly, quality time with their children.  After consulting resources such as Novelist, Good Reads, Shelfari and Amazon, I attempted to select books that were age-appropriate (both for babies, as well as slightly older children), entertaining and easy to read aloud to a child (as some books are better designed to be read independently by the child).  I attempted to include details on each book, including features such as author, plot, and often, a fact about the book (such as if it was part of a series, etc.).   I also included some information about some of North America’s most popular authors, making materials written by these people easy to find at any library, regardless of where a user is situated.   To keep things interesting, I also included a Board for fun children’s crafts, choosing activities that were simple, and cost-efficient, typically involving supplies that were easy to locate, ensuring that low-income or particularly busy parents could also participate.  Under the “Misc.” area, I chose to incorporate a variety of resources for which I could find no similar theme, but still considered to be important.  For example: lists of literacy building activities, storytime podcasts, printable alphabet pages, etc.  since these all seemed relevant to my theme and also interesting.  As for the “Neat Ideas” section, here, I attempted to add a few crafty things/activities that needed to be designed by parents – either for the kids, or for the whole family to share in. 

Though both the Pinterest account and the wiki were designed as temporary examples for class, if used beyond this assignment, I would ensure to update both on a regular basis to prevent dead links and keep things fresh J   For those who follow the blog, free to check out either resource here:

My wiki: http://literacyforchildren.wikispaces.com/
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/earlylitforkids/

Breakthroughs in DE: How has technology changed this landscape?

In the third chapter of Sharon G. Almquist’s, “Distributed Learning and Virtual Librarianship” Leora M. Kemp refers to a Library Journal webcast in which co-presenter Rob Mercer cemented two very critical points concerning distance learning: (a) that the internet has changed everything, and (b) that today’s library is user-driven.  Although the webcast is already a few years old, these types of trends have continued to gain momentum and, arguably, can be identified in all areas of librarianship.  

In terms of the internet’s effect on distance learning, it is no secret that online capabilities have immensely furthered the educational opportunities available to remote students.  Even in terms of more general functions such as course registration, tuition payments, etc., it is clear that (despite technical difficulties) the internet has enhanced the accessibility and convenience of the student experience.  Though an internet-fueled education is now fairly common among post-secondary institutions and even some elementary and high schools, the way distance learning is being conducted continues to evolve as technologies become smarter, sleeker and increasingly essential within present day society.  

The birth of the SmartPhone, for example, has given users a new way to access online content.  To provide a personal example, it was only moments ago that I had to rely upon my own Blackberry for some academic-related assistance.  Over the past couple days, I have been away from my temporary homebase of London, returning to my original locale of Winnipeg to spend time with friends and family over Reading Week.  Though I arrived at the University of Winnipeg bright and early this morning with every intention of updating my blog and getting some work done, as soon as I booted up my laptop, I noticed that my regular “visitor” internet connection was no longer available on the network!  Instead, the only connection options required both passwords and a student log-in – neither of which were provided or relevant for me.  

However, using my SmartPhone, I was able to find a few helpful resources.  I discovered that the public library, which also offers wireless, opens at 10am, and luckily, is only a couple blocks away from my current location.  I also discovered that, if I was incredibly patient, I could always wait around until 12pm, at which time the University library would open up, allowing me to voice my concern with someone face-to-face.  Additionally, I also found a pdf document online providing a network password for UW students, though additional student ID was required in order to fully gain internet access.  If I was a still a student here however, this last finding would probably be extremely helpful, and, without an internet-capable SmartPhone, could not have been realized.  

(As a side note, I would also like to point out that it would be even more helpful if the library website supplied a password for guest users…as it would’ve saved me some time, in addition to a bitterly cold walk over to the public library.  Although the public library also has a password for its internet connection, this access code is posted all around the branch, especially by the reference desk, making it easily accessible for users, even if a librarian is not physically present).  

Anyways, my original point was that SmartPhones, at least in my experience, seem to be becoming increasingly important in the process of knowledge acquisition – especially within post-secondary institutions.  During my co-op this past summer, for example, one librarian began creating “mobile-friendly” online subject guides.  Though the guides were built on a computer using a specific template, the librarian I worked with made sure to employ thin columns and short streams of text on her pages, allowing the guide to be displayed more neatly on the SmartPhones’ narrow screens, making it easier for users to read or scroll through information.  

Another collaboration between academics and SmartPhones was found in an article I came across this past fall, entitled “M-learning in Distance Education Libraries: A Case Scenario of Indira Gandhi National Open University” by Seema Chandhok and Parveen Babbar.  In the article, Chandhok and Babbar note that technology-driven resources for distance education are continuing to expand, deeming mobile devices a viable option for remote learning.  The idea of mobile learning (often referred to as “m-learning”), is an initiative that has taken off in India, fueled by the prominence of cell-phone-bearing students.  Drawing on this new learning strategy, Chandhok and Babbar explain that, “any information that is provided on the mobile device can be accessed by…learners,” including, but not limited to course materials and video lectures, all of which can be downloaded onto mobile devices and accessed as needed.  

Similarly, North American institutions such as the University of Waterloo are also beginning to see the potential role of SmartPhones in distance learning, as evident through pilot programs such as this one: http://ca.blackberry.com/newsroom/success/UofWaterloo_BCS.pdf    

Kind of excited to see where these new learning tools will take us, both as students and as librarians. Who knows what the future has in store!

e-books, e-books, e-books

Finally back from Toronto and, after a chance to settle in again after my travels, I have returned to the blogosphere with another post.  As an attendee of this year’s OLA Super Conference, the past few days have been eye-opening, inspiring and overall, incredible.  Many of my sessions led me to think critically about the profession and discover the types of issues that I will confront in the library environment – many of which pertained to the current and future roles of the distance user, both as a general learner and as a library patron specifically. 

One session I attended addressed the topic of e-books within the public library.  During this time, representatives from Toronto, Vancouver and Hamilton public libraries were all present, each offering information on their current position with e-books and how the challenges of these new e-resources were being dealt with in a library setting.  This presentation included some interesting statistics on e-book usage from patrons – a welcome background for someone who is currently not employed in a public library, such as myself, and thus, does not see the effects of e-books on a daily basis. 

The presenters also talked a lot about the publishing industry, drawing on the difficulties that exist with many of the larger companies.  Though Harper Collins Canada is willing to provide e-books, their capacity (26-uses-per-title) is creating a strain on the public library system’s budget.  Penguin’s choice to start restricting e-book access to libraries also caused some difficulties, though the publishing companies that blatantly refused to sell to libraries at all arguably created the largest challenge.  The opinions of independent publishers were also discussed, along with concerns about the Overdrive system (an e-book distributor used by most public libraries).  Though a lot of information was given during this session, I felt it was organized in an easily accessible way.  Additionally, this session was highly prevalent to the future of public libraries, and therefore, was one of my favorites during my time at OLA. 

While reflecting on this session, however, I couldn’t help but become frustrated.  The idea of purchasing an e-book and allowing a patron to borrow it seems like such a straightforward concept.  Ironically, the public libraries’ current position with publishing companies, accessibility, finances and e-book distributors demonstrates that librarians will have a challenging year ahead of them.  Though I know many people (non-librarians) have speculated that e-resources will eventually make libraries obsolete, this session enforced the idea that this is not the case.  From the presentation, it was clear that librarians are dedicated to gaining additional access to e-books, in order to ensure that their patrons remain satisfied and that these challenges have not led to closed doors, but instead, opportunities for further discussion.

As library materials, e-resources are highly useful for distance learners, given their ability to be accessed remotely.  The efficiency of e-books was highlighted by one speaker in particular, who drew attention to the time and effort saved through this new media.  If a hold is placed on a print book, there is a huge delay between the time it is returned by one user and deposited into the hands of the next.  The book is usually sent to the main library, where it is sorted, before being redistributed to the new patron’s branch of choice.  In addition, the patron may not travel to the library to pick up their hold until 3 or 4 days after it has arrived, making the delivery process even longer.  However, the arrival of e-books has completely changed this process.  In the case of Vancouver Public Library, an email is sent to a patron, explaining that their e-book hold is ready for pickup.  They are given 3 days to collect their item before it continues circulating.  As a former library employee who has physically transferred giant boxes full of books from one location to another, I am extremely appreciative of this advancement.  Additionally, I can understand how patrons will benefit from a stronger and more effective e-book collection, especially as remote users.  

I wish the current librarians out there the best of luck with upcoming negotiations.