Harnassing the Power of Web 2.0

The video and/or PowerPoint of Did You Know? has swept the Internet for several years now. Scott McLeod, Karl Fisch, Laura Bestler, XPLANE, and The Economist have just released an updated version called Did You Know? 4.0. Check it out at Scott McLeod's blog. You'll learn some amazing things. For example, in the past two months, more video was uploaded to YouTube than all of the original programming aired by the three major networks since 1948. The average American teen sends 2,272 text messages a month.

Despite all of this, in most schools we are still trying to teach without utilizing the power of web 2.0 tools. In defense of educators, many do not know what these tools are or how they might effectively be used to support instruction.

The Oklahoma State Department of Education (SDE) hopes to help remedy this problem this fall by offering Web 2.0 professional development. This training is designed to mostly be done online at the time and pace appropriate for each individual. Two of the sessions, one on blogging and copyright, and one on podcasting, will be offered as on-site training at the SDE. The first session will be offered September 24 and October 15. Podcasting will be offered October 8 and 22.

To register, simply go to the Oklahoma State Department of Education website . There is a calendar on the bottom right corner of the page. If you click on the date, the activities for that day will appear below the calendar. Click on the session and a popup window will give you a description along with a link for registration. Come learn how to harness the power of Web 2.0 for your classroom.

I was checking out Scott McLeod's wonderful blog today, and I loved the graphic he had which stated "We trust you with the kids, but not the Internet." Working with teachers across the state for the past five years, the number one complaint I heard about technology is "We can't access the things we need because of the district's filtering software." There are some forward- thinking districts in Oklahoma that allow teachers the ability to access anything but block student use. The vast majority, however, have their networks so locked down that teachers cannot use the Internet as an effective teaching tool.

Districts need to be aware that too much Internet filtering can cause them as much trouble as not enough. A lawsuit brought by the American Civil Liberties Union against Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools and Knox County Schools this year resulted in the districts agreeing to unblock contested sites.

In July's School Library Journal, Pat Scales writes that schools should ensure that their Internet policy has a provision for unblocking Web sites upon student request if the sites are deemed educational. Otherwise, she says, they may find themselves in court.

I have had numerous conversations with technology directors who tell me if a child gets on an inappropriate site they will lose their jobs. I always remind them that the Child Internet Protection Act (CIPA) only requires blocking of pictures that (a) are obscene, (b) child pornography, or (c) harmful to minors (for computers that are accessed by minors). CIPA also states, "An authorized person may disable the blocking or filtering measure during any use by an adult to enable access for bona fide research or other lawful purposes. "

It's time to practice a little sanity where the Internet is concerned in our public schools. The Internet is a powerful tool if it is used appropriately, but it cannot be used when teachers can't get to the Web sites they need!

Catching Fire Is On Fire

Suzanne Collin's Catching Fire is the number one best-seller in the nation according to USA Today. This sequel to the hugely popular Hunger Games is bound to be eclipsed next week by the release of Dan Brown's latest, The Lost Symbol. It's really a shame, since these young adult novels are wonderful and have as many fans among adults as teens. If you read Hunger Games, you have to read this one. If you haven't, check it out! [Cover picture from Sarah Miller]

Reading the Fine Print

The Associated Press broke a story this week that software designed to allow parents to monitor their child's online activities is actually selling what the child chats as marketing data. This software, marketed under the name Sentry or Family Safe, is monitoring online activties for parents, but they are also selling information from what the user says in chat.

This is another example that supports the importance of training not just students but their parents too about safe and ethical behavior in an electronic world.

The Death of Dewey

Christopher Harris' article in the September edition of School Library Journal discusses changes on the horizon for school libraries. He says libraries will become places that manage digital information, not books. He also says libraries will ditch the Dewey Decimal System and Sears Subject Headings for more user-friendly systems such as BISAC or Library Thing's Open Shelves' Classification System.

The typical school librarian has just gone into shock after reading these predictions. Harris makes the point, however, that we must accept this new reality and determine how we can lead our libraries into the future. Are we ready for the future? It's going to arrive whether we are or not, so we may as well begin thinking outside the library walls.

Free Online Training for Teachers on Web 2.0

Teacher Training Videos is a wonderful Web site that offers videos to help teachers learn to use all types of Web 2.0 tools. There are videos on creating podcasts and blogs, on using Twitter and Moodle, and on screencasting and Delicious, plus lots more. These videos are completely free and are available even to those of you who can't access the dreaded YouTube.

No More Books?

Several articles recently, have strongly suggested that libraries should forget about books and focus on digital resources. I say keep the books and the digital resources. Ebooks are awesome. You'd have to pry my Kindle out of my hands. I loved the digital review copies offered by some publishers this summer. If I need information about a topic, the Internet is my first stop. BUT...I also love books. I love to have a pile of them waiting to be read. I love to lay on the beach and read (the Kindle isn't going there!). During last winter's ice storms, I could read quite happily by firelight but I couldn't surf the web and the Kindle battery only lasts so long. So, why does it have to be an either/or situation. Why can't we have both?

The library has always been a repository of knowledge. Now it also has to be a gateway to knowledge. Libraries, particularly school libraries, have to not just offer access to digital materials, but also offer training on effective and ethical use of these materials.

This all goes back to why librarians have to be evolved. We have to be able to act as information specialists with both the print and the digital worlds. And the awesome thing is, we can!