Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Rule #1
Back to my "Five Rules for Becoming a Computer Genius" ... Rule #1 -- READ THE SCREEN!!
This rule seems obvious ... but most students (or people in general) simply do not read what is in front of them. Yet, if they did, most of the problems or confusing situations encountered in the locating and use of information would be alleviated.
We have had computer technology with us ... in our schools, homes, and offices ... for about 20 years. In that time designers of software, web sites, search engines, and operating systems have learned some things about making their products user friendly. That isn't to say that all of those products are great or as good as they might be ... but there are conventions and devices that are commonly available to the user -- things like search fields and the availability of Boolean search grids ... or print buttons that format a web-based document so that it prints what is wanted and not frames and blocks of gibberish ... or Help screens and sometimes tutorials for how to use a new application ... or ways for the user to sort search results by relevance or date, etc. ... or highlighted blocks or text to indicate what choice is being made .... and so on. Some of these things seem intuitive to those of us who have used computers and tech for a while, but younger students may not be aware of these aids and won't know about them unless they have time to scan and read the screen in front of them.
Without reading the screen, students can easily become bewildered as to what to do next. There are two extremes of this bewilderment. The first I call, The Quick Clickers ... and the second, The Hesitant Mice. The Quick Clickers do just that; they click and move through all sorts of links and buttons but never really see what they have and take no time to analyze their results. Pretty soon they are lost and have found nothing helpful. The Hesitant Mice are afraid to try anything and sit stymied - afraid to make a mistake. They are equally as lost and also have no information to use. Between these extremes are those students who, at varying degrees, successfully navigate through their task but those who do the best will have read and absorbed the visual and textual cues sitting there before them on the screen.
If we could teach students to really SEE what is on the screen ... AND give them the time to read it so they can figure out for themselves how to proceed, we would be moving a long way to making our students truly independent, self-sufficient learners. I estimate that about 70% of the "problems" students encounter while using technology could be solved by the very simply application of Rule #1 - READ THE SCREEN!!
This rule seems obvious ... but most students (or people in general) simply do not read what is in front of them. Yet, if they did, most of the problems or confusing situations encountered in the locating and use of information would be alleviated.
We have had computer technology with us ... in our schools, homes, and offices ... for about 20 years. In that time designers of software, web sites, search engines, and operating systems have learned some things about making their products user friendly. That isn't to say that all of those products are great or as good as they might be ... but there are conventions and devices that are commonly available to the user -- things like search fields and the availability of Boolean search grids ... or print buttons that format a web-based document so that it prints what is wanted and not frames and blocks of gibberish ... or Help screens and sometimes tutorials for how to use a new application ... or ways for the user to sort search results by relevance or date, etc. ... or highlighted blocks or text to indicate what choice is being made .... and so on. Some of these things seem intuitive to those of us who have used computers and tech for a while, but younger students may not be aware of these aids and won't know about them unless they have time to scan and read the screen in front of them.
Without reading the screen, students can easily become bewildered as to what to do next. There are two extremes of this bewilderment. The first I call, The Quick Clickers ... and the second, The Hesitant Mice. The Quick Clickers do just that; they click and move through all sorts of links and buttons but never really see what they have and take no time to analyze their results. Pretty soon they are lost and have found nothing helpful. The Hesitant Mice are afraid to try anything and sit stymied - afraid to make a mistake. They are equally as lost and also have no information to use. Between these extremes are those students who, at varying degrees, successfully navigate through their task but those who do the best will have read and absorbed the visual and textual cues sitting there before them on the screen.
If we could teach students to really SEE what is on the screen ... AND give them the time to read it so they can figure out for themselves how to proceed, we would be moving a long way to making our students truly independent, self-sufficient learners. I estimate that about 70% of the "problems" students encounter while using technology could be solved by the very simply application of Rule #1 - READ THE SCREEN!!
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Information Literacy Presentation
Last week I was privileged to be able to present at the MAMSE (Michigan Association for Middle School Educators) annual conference. It was the first time I had ever presented at a professional teaching conference and aside from the typical anxiety that accompanies any such endeavor, I found it to be a very positive experience.
My session title was "Five Rules for Becoming a Computer Genius: OR How to Make Information Literacy Relevant to Middle School Students". I based it on the rules introduced here in a previous blog post. I was fearful that what I would talk about was old news to fellow teachers but was surprised to find that many did not know about things like Boolean search strategies or better-than-Google sources on the Web. A couple of session attendees commented that they wished they had had a class when attending college that dealt with how to use search tools ... or that there had been someone to show them the 'tricks' for finding great information. My background in libraries has probably given me an insider's view of some of this but I was taken aback by the overall lack of support that most of my colleagues received in the information/research process.
What hit me hard was the realization that our use of technology in education for finding information (and, if we are honest, most other sorts of applications too) has been pretty much a failure to this point. There has been no - or very little - instruction on the very basic tools and strategies needed to utilize the information we have at our disposal. We as educators are trying to get a grasp of the mass of information out there and also trying hard to make it usable in our teaching ... but it's a struggle when you've never been taught how to do it ... or more importantly, WHY to do it.
That experience has started me thinking in a deeper way about information literacy and I've been looking at articles, blogs, and Twitter posts (Twitter ID - ljhardin) in my own attempt to get a handle on how to approach the issue with both teachers and students. A few things of interest:
Joyce Valenza Ph.D - posts a blog through School Library Journal. This recent post deals with the "human based search tool" called Finding Dulcinea.
The following is a link to a study dealing with young people and information literacy/searching located when I did a search on 'information literacy' using the 'Sweet Search' in Finding Dulcinea. Go to the link to read a '30 second summary' and find a link to the full study available for download:
Jamie McKenzie publishes a monthly newsletter dealing with technology and information literacy among many, many other topics. This article in the March issue of FNO (From Now On) deals with some of the basic "literacies" students (and staff!) must have to be information literate.
My session title was "Five Rules for Becoming a Computer Genius: OR How to Make Information Literacy Relevant to Middle School Students". I based it on the rules introduced here in a previous blog post. I was fearful that what I would talk about was old news to fellow teachers but was surprised to find that many did not know about things like Boolean search strategies or better-than-Google sources on the Web. A couple of session attendees commented that they wished they had had a class when attending college that dealt with how to use search tools ... or that there had been someone to show them the 'tricks' for finding great information. My background in libraries has probably given me an insider's view of some of this but I was taken aback by the overall lack of support that most of my colleagues received in the information/research process.
What hit me hard was the realization that our use of technology in education for finding information (and, if we are honest, most other sorts of applications too) has been pretty much a failure to this point. There has been no - or very little - instruction on the very basic tools and strategies needed to utilize the information we have at our disposal. We as educators are trying to get a grasp of the mass of information out there and also trying hard to make it usable in our teaching ... but it's a struggle when you've never been taught how to do it ... or more importantly, WHY to do it.
That experience has started me thinking in a deeper way about information literacy and I've been looking at articles, blogs, and Twitter posts (Twitter ID - ljhardin) in my own attempt to get a handle on how to approach the issue with both teachers and students. A few things of interest:
Joyce Valenza Ph.D - posts a blog through School Library Journal. This recent post deals with the "human based search tool" called Finding Dulcinea.
On finding Finding Dulcinea March 17, 2009
Call it a response or a backlash or an adjustment. Something is going on in the search world.
There's a growing recognition that we need more than Google, we need to reach beyond the limits of keyword search to make sense of a crowded, media-rich information landscape.
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/blog/1340000334/post/1090042109.html
The following is a link to a study dealing with young people and information literacy/searching located when I did a search on 'information literacy' using the 'Sweet Search' in Finding Dulcinea. Go to the link to read a '30 second summary' and find a link to the full study available for download:
Young People Not So Tech Savvy After All
May 21, 2008 07:45 AMby Finding Dulcinea StaffThe “Google generation” might have grown up using Internet technologies, but experts say they don’t know how to conduct effective Web searches.
http://www.findingdulcinea.com/news/technology/March-April-08/Young-People-Not-So-Tech-Savvy-After-All-.html#1
Jamie McKenzie publishes a monthly newsletter dealing with technology and information literacy among many, many other topics. This article in the March issue of FNO (From Now On) deals with some of the basic "literacies" students (and staff!) must have to be information literate.
Reading Across a Dozen Literacies By Jamie McKenzie
Reading?
We need a broadened conception of reading to capture the many different types of reading that occur when considering information in different formats across different media. As mentioned in the companion piece to this article ("Reading Between the Lines"), students must now be able to "read a face" as well as a page, must be able to read a photograph or a chart or a situation. Reading as understanding applies to many aspects of life.
http://fno.org/mar09/dozen.html
Monday, February 16, 2009
Skills for Information Literacy - You Just Need to Know This Stuff
In the library media world it has long been the accepted wisdom that information skills and/or technology skills should not be taught in isolation. In other words, that we should all collaborate and integrate these skills into all curriculum areas. The thought is that when we do this, the skills have context and make sense and students will retain them because the skills have relevance to them completing an assignment or project.
I agree with this concept - but only to a point. In a perfect world it makes sense but I have found that the ideal hardly ever happens. The reality is that students get a hodge-podge of information literacy or technology skills thrown at them at random moments which they use to get through the current assignment ... but they have NO idea how what they've done relates to anything else. The "skill" they were exposed to is quickly forgotten and has absolutely no application to the next assignment or information need. And I'm not talking here about learning 'applications' like Word or PowerPoint - but rather more fundamental information literacy skills that require an understanding of how technology can be used - and must be used - to get to the good stuff ... the information students need.
However, students rarely have any understanding of the underlying concepts that now intertwine technology and information. Technology has dramatically changed how we generate, store, retrieve, and use information but we don't teach students anything about how that all works. It would be like teaching math by allowing students from first grade on to always use a calculator for all calculations and never requiring them to know multiplication tables or even to know that 5 + 7 = 12. To do math well, at some point kids just have to know the facts of math ... those basic concepts than underlie the discipline. It's my contention that there are likewise, basic concepts and skills every students needs in order to be an information and technology literate person and further, that these concepts must be taught before we can effectively integrate technology and information literacy throughout the curriculum.
As educators we have often made the unfortunate assumption that because our students have grown up with computers and the Internet, that they know how to use technology. I hear fellow teachers and parents and administrators say it all the time ... that students know more than we do or that students understand computers while we're afraid of them and so on. In fact students know very little about using technology. Certainly they know almost nothing about using it to locate information. They are very enthusiastic about using technology ... but we have mistaken enthusiasm for knowledge and understanding.
So what do they know?
I agree with this concept - but only to a point. In a perfect world it makes sense but I have found that the ideal hardly ever happens. The reality is that students get a hodge-podge of information literacy or technology skills thrown at them at random moments which they use to get through the current assignment ... but they have NO idea how what they've done relates to anything else. The "skill" they were exposed to is quickly forgotten and has absolutely no application to the next assignment or information need. And I'm not talking here about learning 'applications' like Word or PowerPoint - but rather more fundamental information literacy skills that require an understanding of how technology can be used - and must be used - to get to the good stuff ... the information students need.
However, students rarely have any understanding of the underlying concepts that now intertwine technology and information. Technology has dramatically changed how we generate, store, retrieve, and use information but we don't teach students anything about how that all works. It would be like teaching math by allowing students from first grade on to always use a calculator for all calculations and never requiring them to know multiplication tables or even to know that 5 + 7 = 12. To do math well, at some point kids just have to know the facts of math ... those basic concepts than underlie the discipline. It's my contention that there are likewise, basic concepts and skills every students needs in order to be an information and technology literate person and further, that these concepts must be taught before we can effectively integrate technology and information literacy throughout the curriculum.
As educators we have often made the unfortunate assumption that because our students have grown up with computers and the Internet, that they know how to use technology. I hear fellow teachers and parents and administrators say it all the time ... that students know more than we do or that students understand computers while we're afraid of them and so on. In fact students know very little about using technology. Certainly they know almost nothing about using it to locate information. They are very enthusiastic about using technology ... but we have mistaken enthusiasm for knowledge and understanding.
So what do they know?
- Depending on our communities, many of our middle school students do have computers and Internet access at home .... but certainly not all or the access is not consistent. Some parents monitor their child's use of the computer and the Internet but I think a lot more do not.
- A growing number of our students have cell phones and know how to text one another and do that constantly and everywhere ... including in class while you're teaching.
- Our students know how to chat in all sorts of messaging applications online.
- Many play various web-based games or use other game systems in conjunction with the Internet.
- Some of our students have an email account but certainly not all and most of those that do, use it minimally to email and chat with their friends.
- A few middle school students participate in social networking sites but, at least for the students in my school, that is not yet common.
- Most students know basic Internet safety principles.
- Most middle school students have probably accessed an inappropriate site or many sites on the Internet. (When you ask them, they all know what "inappropriate site" means ... this is not a new concept!)
- Students view videos on YouTube, search for images on Flikr and Google Images, and sometimes post to these and other content sharing sites.
- They all know they can use Google to search the Internet and Wikipedia is widely used as an information source.
- Many have particular interests and know sites associated with those interests - like cars, fantasy teams, music groups, news and weather sites, celebrity information, hobbies, etc.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Five Rules for Looking Like a Computer Genius! or ... How to make Information Literacy relevant to middle school students!
This school year I have been teaching a class for 6th graders called "Information Literacy". I love teaching this class and feel that it may be one of the most important courses a student will take in the middle school - or perhaps in their life! Of course I created the class so my opinion of it is high, but I still believe that if students come away with better skills to find, evaluate, and use information, they will be head and shoulders above others in high school, college, or the workplace. What this course provides by way of introduction is truly a life skill for life long learners.
Students come to the class with almost no understanding of what "information literacy" is and even less about how it relates to their life and education. There are many definitions ... I've placed some of the major ones from organizations like ALA and prominent libraries at my web site here. When I start talking about "information retrieval" and "evaluating information" I can see student's eyes glaze over sometimes. So, I had to develop a way to spark their interest in what I had to say. The result is what I call my "Five Rules for Looking Like a Computer Genius"! And while I know - and I suspect most adults know - that "information" is not limited to what can be found on a computer, most 6th graders have already developed bad habits and turn to a computer for everything. My rules are designed to address students where they are and move them forward into a greater understanding of information literacy.
So here are my five rules for looking like a computer genius ...
Rule #1 - Read the screen!
Rule #2 - It's all about the words!
Rule #3 - Computers are dumb!
Rule #4 - Think before you compute.
Rule #5 - What's on the Internet, STAYS on the Internet!
In future posts I will elaborate on each one of my rules and attempt to illuminate the principles behind them.
Students come to the class with almost no understanding of what "information literacy" is and even less about how it relates to their life and education. There are many definitions ... I've placed some of the major ones from organizations like ALA and prominent libraries at my web site here. When I start talking about "information retrieval" and "evaluating information" I can see student's eyes glaze over sometimes. So, I had to develop a way to spark their interest in what I had to say. The result is what I call my "Five Rules for Looking Like a Computer Genius"! And while I know - and I suspect most adults know - that "information" is not limited to what can be found on a computer, most 6th graders have already developed bad habits and turn to a computer for everything. My rules are designed to address students where they are and move them forward into a greater understanding of information literacy.
So here are my five rules for looking like a computer genius ...
Rule #1 - Read the screen!
Rule #2 - It's all about the words!
Rule #3 - Computers are dumb!
Rule #4 - Think before you compute.
Rule #5 - What's on the Internet, STAYS on the Internet!
In future posts I will elaborate on each one of my rules and attempt to illuminate the principles behind them.
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Thing 23
Take a few moments to reflect on your journey. You've covered a lot of material over the past ten weeks. What does it all mean? How has your thinking changed between Thing 1 and Thing 23? Has this program changed how you view the Internet or how view teaching in the digital world? What plans have you made for using these tools in and out of the classroom? How will you continue to learn about Web 2.0 tools? What are your big "take aways" from this experience?
I am so glad I took this online class. I knew that I needed to update myself with Web 2.0 ... and figure out exactly what "Web 2.0" means. I don't claim to have a complete understanding but I now know the possibilities ... and that seems more than half of the battle. I completed all of the "Things" (I had worked with a wiki previously so did not do that section here) although not by the December deadline. Still, it was one of the best learning experiences I've participated in and I will recommend it to colleagues.
As I leave this class I am sobered by the lack of acceptance or knowledge of Web 2.0 in my school system. Our technology is underutilized and ruled by fear of what is out there. Our discussion still focuses more on blocking and filtering than exploring and using. Even though we've had computers for literally 20+ years, our institutional technology "vision" is woefully lacking and outdated. I'm still struggling with how to make these tools and an open attitude more prevalent with my fellow teachers and, most importantly, with the decision makers. To that end, I want to continue this blog and use it to bring ideas, applications, and resources to those who are interested. The sub-title of this blog was "23 Things & Beyond" ... it's time for the "BEYOND" part!
I am so glad I took this online class. I knew that I needed to update myself with Web 2.0 ... and figure out exactly what "Web 2.0" means. I don't claim to have a complete understanding but I now know the possibilities ... and that seems more than half of the battle. I completed all of the "Things" (I had worked with a wiki previously so did not do that section here) although not by the December deadline. Still, it was one of the best learning experiences I've participated in and I will recommend it to colleagues.
As I leave this class I am sobered by the lack of acceptance or knowledge of Web 2.0 in my school system. Our technology is underutilized and ruled by fear of what is out there. Our discussion still focuses more on blocking and filtering than exploring and using. Even though we've had computers for literally 20+ years, our institutional technology "vision" is woefully lacking and outdated. I'm still struggling with how to make these tools and an open attitude more prevalent with my fellow teachers and, most importantly, with the decision makers. To that end, I want to continue this blog and use it to bring ideas, applications, and resources to those who are interested. The sub-title of this blog was "23 Things & Beyond" ... it's time for the "BEYOND" part!
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