Library 2.0-Adventure #15

Do you remember when you started Kindergarten? You may have only known some of your colors or some of your numbers, but it was okay. Kindergarten was a learning year. Now, however, kindergarten is the new 1st grade. Students are required, in kindergarten, to perform on their first day.

What does this have to do with Library 2.0? Let's first look at 21st century learning. 21st century skills are being introduced at an early age. Students are being asked to work in groups to solve problems, while building on each other's thinking; they are being asked to use critical thinking skills to share their work in a variety of ways, usually involving technology. 21st century learning is necessary in order to compete in an ever evolving technological society. It is also necessary, in my opinion, to start the 21st century learning process in elementary school.

Library 2.0, which is based on Web 2.0 tools, incorporates 21st century learning. Therefore, Library 2.0 tools need to be in place in order to facilitate the learning process. Can public school libraries provide a complete Library 2.0 setting? No. School libraries, with their money woes, lack the necessary funding and must use free technology. In addition, a school librarian's time is limited, especially when the librarian is on a fixed schedule and only has a maximum of 15 minutes of instruction time.

So, public libraries are jumping on the Library 2.0 bandwagon, with good reason. Public libraries are providing what school libraries can't: one-button commands, easy to use programs and services that require little or no training and available personnel that can work on a one-to-one basis if necessary. Does that mean that school libraries are off the hook? No. We are still responsible for 21st century learning, and once again, 21st century learning requries a 2.0 Library.

That is where Web 2.0 tools play in, for there are many free tools that school libraries can use to help students begin their 21st century journey. Wikis, blogs, glogs and other collaboration tools are readily available to school librarians if they are willing to invest a little time into learning what is actually out there.

Michael Stephens in his article "Into a New World of Librarianship" published in the OCLC newsletter summed up Library 2.0 nicely when he said that libraries must meet the needs of its patrons by allowing "users access wherever they are." How can students be expected to develop 21st century skills if they don't have access to the necessary tools?

So, a 2.0 library is what we all should be striving for; otherwise, our students will always be one step behind.

Technorati-Adventure #14

Technorati, found at http://technorati.com, is a website phenomenon that is transforming the blogging world and making it more accessible. Technorati uses tags like education, technology, web 2.0, to help bloggers or blog readers find entries that suit their reading interests.

Do I think that elementary school teachers would be interested in using Technorati? I doubt it. The reasoning behind my assumption: Time constraints. Elementary school teachers have a hard enough time keeping up with all the TAKS-related information that they have to assimilate. State testing in Texas seems to consume most of the teacher's time, whether at the elementary or high school level.

School librarians do not have the luxury of time either. Summer would seem to be the only time that librarians would be able to search Technorati for interesting blog postings.

Do I think Technorati is worth looking into? Definitely! I didn't even know Technorati existed until this Web 2.0 class; I believe it is worth introducing to the teachers/librarians; then, when they have free time (Insert big smile here!) they can explore the site on their own.

Technorati also lets you "claim your blog." When you submit your blog to Technorati, they will evaluate it to see if it is worth being included in Technorati's blog search. You have to remember, however, to include tags at the bottom of each post. (I just saw the area for labels at the bottom of this post-big Duh for me!) I guess better late than never.

So, until next time techies.....I will keep you posted on my blog claim.