If we're not there already, I suspect the time is not too far away when we'll be able to string together a class or lecture on practically any topic just by linking to YouTube/Google videos. This week's topic in the class on social computing is social bookmarking. Plugging in key words like del.icio.us, flickr, social bookmarking and a few other tags in the video web sites like YouTube quickly uncovers a good selection of instructional videos. Of course some of them aren't so good, but many are both educational and entertaining. Some of them are actually videocasts from lectures or workshops at universities; others by amateurs, some of whom are releasing entire series of do-it-yourself and instructional material. Here are just a few I found to give you an idea:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=3934368635322966760&hl=en
http://youtube.com/watch?v=x66lV7GOcNU
http://youtube.com/watch?v=A1pOsYjCvE8
I think providing multiple pathways to content is especially important with distance/virtual learning, where there isn't regular face to face contact with students. Some students do better with the printed word; others may prefer visual, spatial, or audio modalities. Videos and podcasts offer alternatives to students who prefer them.
Saturday, September 29, 2007
Sunday, September 23, 2007
Libraries and social networks.
After spending the last week with readings on online communities, mostly scholarly, we're looking at Social Networks in the social computing class this coming week. I usually try to come up with a quote or two to begin the online lecture, something to get the thought processes percolating. These two quotes both came across my news crawlers, and I though they made a really poignant juxtaposition:
- Each day hundreds of people go to the Temple Terrace Public Library to use the computers and surf the web. But patrons should not expect to check out one of the most popular sites online at the library. That's because Temple Terrace has a ban on myspace.com, as well as chat rooms and some online blogs. Michael Dunn, Temple Terrace Spokesperson says, “We're not there to promote websites. We're there to help people find a job, acquire information, learn things that could help them in their lives.” [Retrieved 9/22/2007 from http://www.tampabays10.com/printfullstory.aspx?storyid=61885].
- “…It's not just about Jena, but about inequalities and disparities around the country,” said Stephanie Brown, 26, national youth director for the NAACP, who estimated that about 2,000 college students were among the throngs of mostly black protesters who overwhelmed the tiny central Louisiana town. …Brown said the Jena case resonates with the college-aged crowd because they aren't much older than the six youths charged. Many of the student protesters had been sharing information about the case through Facebook, MySpace and other social-networking Web sites. [Retrieved 9/22/2007 from http://www.registerguard.com/news/2007/09/21/a1.nat.jena.0921.p1.php?section=nation_world].
Interesting times ahead for libraries, I think. I know many librarians are a bit soured on the social networking programs, but I think we need to look at libraries' involvment with these applications through a different lens. Throwing up a profile page hasn't been effective for most libraries, but that doesn't mean they can turn their backs on the phenomenon. We'll be looking at what does make sense this week. I'll be interested to see what the class thinks after some of the readings and assignments.
Friday, September 21, 2007
Banned Book Week, virtually.
I posted this into the announcements for the course in social computing I'm teaching this fall at the University of Arizona School of Information Resources and Library Science:
"This is somewhat out of synch with the class (although Social Networks are up next), but I would encourage you to use these events to help introduce you to the technologies. Give yourself some time with Second Life (http://www.secondlife.com). You only need a free, basic account. You'll spend a while on orientation island learning how to get around. If/when you're ready to move on, let me know and I'll offer a teleport to one of the information islands. Note: you need a reasonably good graphics card to run the software.
"The American Library Association's Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF) has announced Banned Books Week activities for librarians and the general public in virtual worlds Second Life, Teen Second Life and on social networking sites MySpace and Facebook. ALA is working with other library partners to provide an interactive experience centered on Banned Books Week, September 29-October 6, 2007, to help librarians and others to feel comfortable in social networking spaces and to reach out to new audiences. Partners include Alliance Library System, Alliance Second Life Library, TAP Information Services and the new ALA membership group Virtual Communities and Libraries. For the schedule of activities and events, see the full announcement here."
I hope to see several of the students explore this. It's always a good learning experience when the things you are studying relate to ongoing current events and real world happenings. That's also one of the reasons I've provided a news feed on social computing current events that goes directly into the D2L learning management system via RSS.
If you plan on using any of the banned book week virtual events in your teaching or learning, let me know and we'll compare notes.
"This is somewhat out of synch with the class (although Social Networks are up next), but I would encourage you to use these events to help introduce you to the technologies. Give yourself some time with Second Life (http://www.secondlife.com). You only need a free, basic account. You'll spend a while on orientation island learning how to get around. If/when you're ready to move on, let me know and I'll offer a teleport to one of the information islands. Note: you need a reasonably good graphics card to run the software.
"The American Library Association's Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF) has announced Banned Books Week activities for librarians and the general public in virtual worlds Second Life, Teen Second Life and on social networking sites MySpace and Facebook. ALA is working with other library partners to provide an interactive experience centered on Banned Books Week, September 29-October 6, 2007, to help librarians and others to feel comfortable in social networking spaces and to reach out to new audiences. Partners include Alliance Library System, Alliance Second Life Library, TAP Information Services and the new ALA membership group Virtual Communities and Libraries. For the schedule of activities and events, see the full announcement here."
I hope to see several of the students explore this. It's always a good learning experience when the things you are studying relate to ongoing current events and real world happenings. That's also one of the reasons I've provided a news feed on social computing current events that goes directly into the D2L learning management system via RSS.
If you plan on using any of the banned book week virtual events in your teaching or learning, let me know and we'll compare notes.
Sunday, September 09, 2007
Prisons Purge Books on Faith From Libraries - New York Times
Prisons Purge Books on Faith From Libraries - New York Times: "Behind the walls of federal prisons nationwide, chaplains have been quietly carrying out a systematic purge of religious books and materials that were once available to prisoners in chapel libraries. "
I'm not sure this even needs or warrants editorial comment. I would imagine most librarians are suitably appalled. You might think that with a librarian in the first lady's seat, we wouldn't see this sort of blatent political interference from the White House even given the charged nature of prison libraries. The problem is, once the books and resources are gone, even a new administration won't bring them back. Sigh.
I'm not sure this even needs or warrants editorial comment. I would imagine most librarians are suitably appalled. You might think that with a librarian in the first lady's seat, we wouldn't see this sort of blatent political interference from the White House even given the charged nature of prison libraries. The problem is, once the books and resources are gone, even a new administration won't bring them back. Sigh.
Saturday, September 08, 2007
Early thoughts on the social computing class
The social computing class I'm teaching this fall is finishing up its third week. The class is small, but the students are engaged and thinking. I'm a little surprised (but not altogether displeased) at the rather healthy skepticism I'm seeing in the student writing so far concerning the whole Library 2.0 meme. Is it really new, is it really inclusive, is it all about the tech, those kinds of things. I'm using Casey and Sevastinuk's Library 2.0 text and the final project will be to plan an implementation of some aspect of social computing in a library setting, so we'll see how opinions are shaped as we move through the course.
I posted this comment in the instructor's blog:
...One thing that concerns me at this point is how many students are waiting til the weekend to post anything into the blogs and discussion sections. Ideally, we will have a strong dialog going on; if everyone waits to post, it's hard to have a conversation. Remember that responding to your fellow students' observations is as important as making your own. We'll see how it goes, but think about getting at least some of your thoughts in earlier in the week....
On the other hand, the students are doing a great job with the blogs, and the commentary is good. One of the differences between face to face classes, especially ones that meet face to face once a week, and online classes is that the online classes really are, or can be, 24x7. I've always thought there is more potential for interaction and personalization in the online deliveries, even though they are asynchronous. That's a strong argument in favor of them. I'll probably need to give more thought to structuring the activites to encourage more participation during the week.
Thoughts?
Bruce
I posted this comment in the instructor's blog:
...One thing that concerns me at this point is how many students are waiting til the weekend to post anything into the blogs and discussion sections. Ideally, we will have a strong dialog going on; if everyone waits to post, it's hard to have a conversation. Remember that responding to your fellow students' observations is as important as making your own. We'll see how it goes, but think about getting at least some of your thoughts in earlier in the week....
On the other hand, the students are doing a great job with the blogs, and the commentary is good. One of the differences between face to face classes, especially ones that meet face to face once a week, and online classes is that the online classes really are, or can be, 24x7. I've always thought there is more potential for interaction and personalization in the online deliveries, even though they are asynchronous. That's a strong argument in favor of them. I'll probably need to give more thought to structuring the activites to encourage more participation during the week.
Thoughts?
Bruce
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