Blogging and Wikis

To be blunt, I have some problems with blogging and wikis for educational use.

I'll give some history to my own experience with blogs for perspective. I've had a personal online journal since the age of 12. That was 14 years ago. This was when Ask Jeeves was the height of sophisticated internet research. To give you some idea of what the internet was like 14 years ago take a look at this Huffington Post article:

What The Internet Looked Like In 1999

As shown in this article I used my-diary.org for several years and then eventually ended up on livejournal.com.  I enjoyed blogging and journaling a lot. I was able to write down my thoughts and feelings without reservation. The problem with this was that these were public forums and that anyone would look at them. I learned at a very young age that the internet is not a friendly place. Online bullying is a huge concern for parents and should be a huge concern for educators. Although we try our hardest to make sure our kids conduct themselves in an appropriate manner there is always the chance that something they post online will be used by 'trolls' or classmates as fodder for ridicule.

Blogs are not regarded in the same manner as published journals. People are able to anonymously post comments directly to blogs and some wikis about the content of the entry. When covered with the mask of anonymity students feel they are prevented from harm or prosecution.

After reading some of the material given to us this week I can see what good that these resources can have for students I just worry about privacy.

Universal Design for Learning and Libraries

One part of school librarianship I have yet to get use to is the idea of assessment and measuring the learning progress of students. I've worked in public libraries for so long that it seems like a foreign concept to me. Having no real previous experience with state curriculum or learning goals, it can be a little frightening. The learning standards really put into perspective what teachers are responsible for and how important it is to teach a curriculum that assists students in reaching their personal and academic goals.

The Universal Design for Learning doesn't dictate or make suggestions for what is to be taught but rather how it should be taught. Teacher librarians, like all other teachers, must be aware of the methods they use to teach students and whether or not the methods are working. The UDL suggests that by differentiating instruction teachers can reach a wider range of students. As a librarian this means not only reading to children and helping them find books, but also engaging them with smart boards, computer programs, tablets, apps, and so much more.

Setting aside preconceived notions about how students learn helps in the implementation of new methods. Each student has a different set of abilities and having assessments that cater to those abilities helps showcase there knowledge. Teachers can gain a better understanding of some disabilities to understand how they can better helps some of their students.

My first week

School has started again and I'm ready to dive into new classes. There is always an exciting rush the first week with getting a new syllabus and meeting new classmates. Having online classes has changed this process for me and its become a very internal thing. School use to be something that was a very real thing for me, a place to go to and to learn. As I've grown older and more accustom to online learning I realize that school, and learning as an extension, happens everywhere.

This semester marks a great transition for me. I've overcome a rough patch and finished some coursework I never had any confidence I'd finish. I feel like I can start this semester renewed. I'll be studying the Management of School Libraries and Computer Applications in School Libraries. I believe my previous coursework in teaching exceptional learners will greatly assist my learning of school technology. A major focus of that class was assistive technology and how it can help students with disabilities in the classroom.

Looking forward to this semester and being productive!