Ontario Library Association Super
Conference 2015
Think It. Do It!
Conference
Reflections by Diana Maliszewski
Friday, January 30,
2015 – 8:00 a.m.
Session #???: EBSCO Breakfast
Summary =Librarians from various sectors were asked to hear
about EBSCO’s latest products, in exchange for a hot breakfast and the chance
at some prizes. According to the invitation, “attendees will hear about recent
news and updates for eBooks on EBSCOHost, EBSCO Discovery Service, as well as
Flipster, digital magazines from EBSCO and a preview of the all-new interfaces
for school and public libraries”.
3 Key Points:
- 1. Searchasaurus,
the kid-friendly EBSCO tool which has existed for 12 years, will be retired on
June 30. It will be replaced by a new tool called “Explora”.
- 2. EBSCO
found, by analyzing their search logs as well as through customer feedback,
that students want topical overviews like they can find on Wikipedia, so they
are providing this (and currently there are 2601 K-5 overviews but would love
to hear from users what topics people want).
- 3. EBSCO
has included more help options like auto-completes, stop-words and
text-to-speech.
So what? Now what? = I entered the breakfast fully aware
that this was a promotion campaign fuelled by the promise of free food. I’ll
have to see if/when my board switches the icons on our school virtual library
page and do some direct teaching with the kids on how to use this new product.
I’d be intrigued to see what words are considered “stop words” and are blocked;
would this impede work on health education research? In my grab bag, I really
liked the keyboard cleaner freebie!
Friday, January 30,
2015 – 9:00 a.m.
Session #1503G:
Forest of Reading Showcase
Summary = (taken from the program description) “The Forest
of Reading Showcase will celebrate the 2014 Forest of Reading winners [eight
authors in attendance]. The authors will share their personal reflections of
being nominated, attending the Festival of Trees or Golden Oak ceremony, and
their experience of being part of Canada’s largest children’s reading programs.”
So what? Now what? = I decided at the last minute that this
would be enjoyable to hear but not necessarily chock-full of new learning for
me. Conference visitors are permitted to change their minds and attend
different workshops, so I did. I used my “extra” time to tour the Expo Hall
floor and speak (as much as I could with no voice) to some colleagues I saw.
Friday, January 30,
2015 – 9:50 a.m.
Session #1502J: You
Can Do That Here – Building a Maker Culture @ Your Library by Michael Laverty
Summary = (taken from program description) “By embracing the
ethos of the Maker Movement, the Sioux Lookout Public Library is inviting all
members of our community to help build the best possible library through active
engagement (online and in person). Check out our ongoing experiment to make an
innovative space for patrons to create, research, and discover”.
3 Key Points:
- 1. Michael’s
library received two grants to transform their space and his weekly Friday
conversations with his boss led to their motto philosophy “You can do that here”
and their attempt to challenge and rethink how they do things at their small
library and push a revolutionary mindset.
- 2. Who
defines what a public library is? It should be like open source code, tweakable
by many people, not just those who work there or even by those who visit, but
by those who aren’t present. It may be impossible to understand the unique
community needs of all but we should try.
- 3. Words
are important. The space used to be called the Community Internet Access room
(CIA) but they rebranded it the Community Media Room, where people can live
stream events from the room, a return to public broadcasting. The people in the
library are patrons, not users, because patrons give money and support and have
a stake in the place.
So what? Now what? = Michael’s talk was more philosophical
than I had imagined it would be. I don’t have any new insights on Maker Culture
but I can always check out Vector Images for pictures to use – there were lots
of little asides like that he mentioned that might be worth noting for future
use.
Friday, January 30,
2015 – 10:45 a.m.
Session #1618:
Teacher Learning and Leadership Program @ Your Library Learning Commons by
Cindy van Wonderen, Caroline Freibauer, Ray Mercer, and Diana Maliszewski
Summary = (taken from program description) “Join us to hear
about our Teacher Learning and Leadership Program [TLLP] projects for learning,
research and advocacy of the Learning Commons! The TLLP is a Ministry of
Education and Ontario Teachers’ Federation funded program for innovative,
teacher-created learning. Learn about our proposal and what we have learned
from each other in the process in showcasing the wonders of the Learning
Commons for today’s students!”
3 Key Points:
- 1. The
TLLP program benefits small boards, as many educators have never heard of it
and every board regardless of size is permitted to put forward only two
proposals. Caroline has done it twice (and is trying for a third).
- 2. There
is a lot of teacher autonomy with this project, as the funds are from the
Ministry and teachers are accountable to the Ministry for spending. Ray didn’t
have to ask permission of his administration to come to Superconference this
year because his expenses were covered by the project.
- 3. It
helps to begin with a “problem of practice” or something that personally
intrigues you. For Ray, it was how to best service all the FDK students with
inquiry when they are beginning readers. For Caroline, it was how to become a
more effective teacher-librarian and learn/teach/spread inquiry practices. For
Diana, it was how to understand and share best practices surrounding
games-based learning, especially Minecraft.
So what? Now what? = Based on the questions we heard from
the small but interested audience (of about 20 people), I will be writing an
article on how to fund Minecraft in the schools for GamingEdus. It was
relieving to hear that people’s projects progress very slowly – I’m glad it’s
not just us!
Friday, January 30,
2015 – 12:00 noon
Session #???: Open
Shelf Editorial Board Lunch Meeting
Summary = OLA’s official magazine, Access, has changed its
name to Open Shelf and gone purely digital. We discussed what’s working well,
what needs fixing, and future plans.
So what? Now what? = I need to send Mike Ridley, Open Shelf’s
editor-in-chief, the file that The
Teaching Librarian magazine uses for standardized responses to writing
submissions. I also volunteered to learn the back-end production information
for publication, depending on release time. The team will develop an editorial
calendar, share the work load (soliciting articles / editing articles / posting
on the site), and look into some specialized theme editions.
Friday, January 30,
2015 – 2:15 p.m.
Session #1701R: STEM
Education – What’s the School Library Got to Do with It? by Lisa Dempster, Fran
Potvin-Schafer and Ruth Hall
Summary = (taken from program description) “STEM [Science,
Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics] education is a growing focus in the
education landscape. How does STEM relate to school library programming? Hear
the perspectives of a secondary teacher-librarian, elementary
teacher-librarian, and central support staff. Leave with ideas on how to
implement STEM programming in your library learning commons.”
3 Key Points:
- 1. STEM
is taking prominence now because fewer than 50% of students graduate with
skills needed for STEM related careers, but (at least in the TDSB definition) it
is more about an integrative, trans-disciplinary approach to learning and not
focused on the subjects in the acronym.
- 2. Some
of elementary ideas (which can work with all types of TL service models from
full collaboration to prep fairy) include developing a teddy bear playground,
designing an animal that can live in a certain habitat, Lego Mindstorms,
Scratch programming, STEM challenges during prep classes, STEM clubs and using
the Engineer in Residence program.
- 3. Some
of the secondary ideas include 3D printing, using tools that are usually
reserved for speciality programs like drafting tables and light tables,
take-apart stations, challenges left on tables, steam punk artifact creation
inspired by books read during a reading club, maker space in a bag, maker space
on a cart, etc.
So what? Now what? = My biggest inspiration from this talk
was from Lisa Dempster and two words: DUCT TAPE! Maker Spaces and STEM doesn’t
have to be high-tech and involve computers. It can be paper crafts, fabric, origami,
and I think duct tape has so much potential! I might want to touch base with
names mentioned during this presentation like Petra at Port Royal and Michael
Mendozza with his Blue Spruce linked Tinker area.
Friday, January 30,
2015 – 3:05 p.m.
Session #1702N: Inquiring
Minds and Blue Spruce by Ruth Gretsinger
Summary = (taken from program description) “Looking for ways
to ramp up the inquiry skills of your primary students, meet the curricular
needs of your students in social studies, science and language and use Blue
Spruce 2015 to its full potential in your Library Learning Commons? Come out
and learn about my efforts to integrate these “buzz words” and make them
meaningful with concrete strategies to enhance your Blue Spruce program”.
3 Key Points:
- 1. Ruth
began this new approach because she noticed that often, the Blue Spruce book
that won was the last book she read to the kids because they wouldn’t remember
the others, so there had to be a way to keep all the books in mind. She also
found that she’d teach about digital resources but when it was time for kids to
research, they’d just Google things.
- 2. Some
of the digital resources she used include True Flix and Expert Space (bought
from Scholastic with Book Fair money), Pebble Go, Kids Info Bits, Book Flix,
Britannica School, and Notebook 10.
- 3. Some
of the skills she taught as part of this method was dot jot note taking, how to
cite sources, how to turn I wonders into questions, highlighting text, making
search terms, citing pictures, and developing criteria for judging picture
books.
So what? Now what? = Ruth is one of the most generous
teacher-librarians I know. She gave EVERY member of her audience a USB stick
with ALL of her resources, including her SMARTboard files for immediate use. I
had several people that asked me to attend this session and share what I
received. My intent is that I, and anyone else that is lucky enough to get
this, “pay it forward” and donate some money to the Forest Fund as a way to say
thank you to Ruth for making and sharing. I’ll be using this resource this
coming week with my classes! I’ll also look into buying True Flix with my extra
book fair funds.
Friday, January 30,
2015 – 4:00 p.m.
Session #1800: Chief
of Confusion by John Seely Brown
Summary = (taken from program description) “Part scientist,
part artist and part strategist, John Seely Brown’s unofficial title has become
“Chief of Confusion” focusing on helping people ask the right questions and
make sense out of a constantly changing world. Brown is considered one of the
leading contemporary thinkers on how technology impacts modern life…”
3 Key Points:
- 1. In
the 21st century, there is no stability in sight, genres are fluid,
topics have no boundaries, and no one agrees on anything. We need to reimagine
libraries.
- 2. It
is more important to cultivate a disposition than it is to teach content or
mentor skills.
- 3. Blend
“man who knows” with “man who makes” and “man who plays” and create three
priorities: place the library as the hub of a community / make the most of
digital technology and creative media / mentor, connect, guide and curate.
So what? Now what? = I was a bit critical of one part of the
talk, because as a way to address the issue that learning happens outside school
and we should acknowledge the “in the wild” learning, he proposed a badge
system to show employees, friends, and teachers that you’ve engaged in
learning. (I find badges part of gamification and that’s problematic. Who
creates the badges? Who awards them? Is it for the learning or the ‘prize’?).
Despite the small crowd for the closing keynote and his remote access (because
he was stuck in LA), it provided some reassurance that we are on the right
path, as well as food for thought .
