My Final Project (which isn’t final)
WHAT? My final project is this blog, Learning in the Library, and its “baby” blog, Maine Student Book Award Nominees: 2007-2008.
WHY? I need a new webpage for my library. I created this blog to replace my current onewhich is very static and unexciting. I want to have a site that can/will change often and easily. My current webpage does not allow interaction. It is strictly Web 1.0, author to audience.
WHAT AM I GOING TO CHANGE? I am going to use a blog instead of a webpage to communicate what is happening in the library. I chose a blog format because (1) it is easy for me to update and (2) readers can (and will–I hope) give me feedback or ask questions through comments. As it stands, I don’t know who my audience is (if anyone). I don’t think kids are using it at all, but I would like them to. I don’t know if the information I have up suits anyone’s needs.
Features I plan to include in my blog:
- Instead of writing a monthly newsletter and making it available on my webpage as a pdf, I plan to post news whenever there is something noteworthy to tell. (This will be a change in frequency.)
- I plan to increase the number of links to good resources. I think a set of links for students and another set for teachers might work nicely. Using a blog will allow me to organize the links into categories such as “Research” and “Math.” (This will be a change–a definite improvement.)
- One category that isn’t showing yet in “Contests.” Each week I sponsor a contest in the library. I plan to post the results under that category weekly. Perhaps I can even “advertise” the current contest at the beginning of the week. (Although I “publish” the contest results via an announcement, a sign in the library, and in my monthly newsletter, I will be able to publish the results each week instead of once a month.)
- Another goal is to create online contests that would act as online scavenger hunts. A post can pose the question and students can put their answers in a post. Thanks to the moderation tool, I could wait to post the comments until the contest is over. (This long-time goal will be a change.)
- I started a “baby blog” (linked to this one) specifically to increase interest in the Maine Student Book Award (MSBA) project at my school. I have set up my MSBA blog with a post about each book nominated for the award this year. The posts will feature brief booktalks and some statistics (genre, number of pages, and Lexile). The statistics serve as categories for browsing. Instead of having student fill in a sticker which is added to a folder about a MSBA nominee, I will encourage them to comment on blog. Perhaps people from other school will comment as well. If this works, maybe the MSBA project could use a state-wide blog to encourage students (and adults) to talk to one another about great books. (I currently only have a link to the MSBA website.)
- Since my school serves children in grades K-5 and the MSBA project is for fourth to eighth graders, I hope to create yet another baby blog for the Chickadee Award: The Maine Children’s Choice Picture Book Project for students in kindergarten through fourth grade. (I currently only have a link to the Chickadee list.)
- Someday I hope to create a wiki where students can booktalk books that they are reading (non-award books) and comment on each other’s reading. I would link the wiki to this blog.
- A “new book” or “book of the week” post would be another worthy addition. I will make them available under another category. (Another change)
- I plan to change the current “Class Work” and “Project” categories for EPC 500 to “Summer 2007 Professional Development” and save my work. I thought about deleting my posts, but Alice suggested that I keep a record of my learning for students (and others) to see. It will become part of the archives, a sort of history of this site!
HOW IS THIS PROJECT COLLABORATIVE? So far, colleagues and I have collaborated orally on the construction of this site. I only have two posts so far, but I hope to get feedback (comments and questions) from students, parents, and anyone else who reads this blog. Perhaps readers will help develop new categories that interest them or suggest new links to be included in my list.
Filed under My Professional Development | Comments (21)21 Responses to “My Final Project (which isn’t final)”
Hi Karen,
This is great! You have embraced the idea of the Read/Write web and are making a significant change to your practice (changing from a website to a blog) as a result. You sound excited about it and its possibilities (contests, scavenger hunts, timely postings instead of monthly newsletters) and this enthusiasm will no doubt be contagious in the community that you teach in.
Have you connected with Julie yet about the MSBA? In looking at her ideas for a final project this is the topic that she wanted to devote her project to.
Also, Jane has created a wiki for her book club at Cheverus which might give you some ideas in creating your own book talk. Here is a link to her wiki: http://janeglass.edublogs.org/
Good luck!
Karen,
WOW, what an impressive plan you have! Our librarians also have frequent contests, but they are so low tech compared with your ideas. Good luck putting it all together!
Nancy
Karen, I just read your comment to me (thank you!) and want you to know that only about half of my kid’s parents will have internet access, so I’ll still have to send home paper copies. I’m hoping to figure out how to cut and paste each blog entry on to a word document that I can print and run off at school. So I’ll only be half in the Web 2.0 world!
Nancy
Your description helps solidify the differences for me between a webpage and a blog. I think your use of a new blog to connect with readers and have more communication about the Maine Student Book Award nominees will be well received and you’ll have many posts along the way. I’ll enjoy checking back in to see how it’s progressing!
Thanks for sharing, Chris
Hi Karen,
I am also using a blog in replacement of a website and my audience will definatly be the parents. Do you have parents who seem very interested in the MSBA? As a parent I was. I was thinking how wonderful your blog would be to go to and access book information. When my daughter was reading the MSBA books last year, I wanted to know the other tites of the books to help her choose, but she could never remember any of the titles.(Like mother, like daughter) I think this will be a great resource you are creating and easier to maintain. Good luck, Joyce
You are untaking an amazing project.
I imagine that your teachers and studnets will like the ffrequency that they hear news and results might encourage them to be more active participants in the contests and readings.
How much computer usage does the younger classes have? Is their contact more through their classroom teachers or are they on-line?
Hey, Karen, I’m packed and ready to go up to the place in Island Falls for the next few weeks, but I find that I’m having a little separation anxiety from Web 2.0 stuff. I’ve reached a compromise with myself. I’m going to take my laptop along. That way, I can wordsmith some potential blogs. Or, I could go to the library and continue some of the starts I have made.
I have a stack of reading that I have to do and a stack I want to do, and one or two books that actually land in both categories. I rely on other people’s booklists. I love Maine titles whether for young or old. Your school community will use this.
I wondered what to do with our class side of my log, and now, because you published your advice from Alice, I think I will keep mine going too. I envision that the topics will continue to be related to Web 2.0 collaboration or about National Board Certification. I do wonder about the time commitment I will be making. I think it’s important to be replacing other practices and structures that are cumbersome not adding on. Let’s stay in touch! Laura Farnsworth
Karen, your blog looks great. Your connections to the revised ISTE Standards for Students are some of the first I’ve seen as these only came out in late June. You and several others in the class have taken on Library blogs and what a great arena for kids to interact about the books they read. I hope you can continue some online collaboration with Julie and others in the class. We have become a learning community!
Cathy
Karen
I love your scavenger hunt idea and what a great way to do this as your students comments can sit in moderation until everyone has finished. Their are so many uses for blogging in education – it’s so exciting. You have definately come up with a fun and exciting way to use blogs and I can see the students also getting excited by the use of technology.
A fantastic idea. And I love the template you choose. One great thing about the blog is the instant ability to have a webpage and the ease with which you can update it. Good luck with it all!
An excellent project. I plan to share your links with my Language Arts students at King. I think it’ll be well received when they can interact and get feedback to their own comments. Julie (I think) is working on a similar project and you two ought to combine your efforts or at least “link” them! I also like your idea of saving this blog for professional development and starting a new one for the kids. I haven’t accomplished that yet, but it’ll be the first thing I do to get set up for the new year. Hope all goes well, Jeni
Thanks for the link to your “old” library site, it was nice to see where you’ve been and where you’re headed. The project that you outlined is really big, don’t be afraid to implement small steps successfully rather than looking at the project as a whole and potentially feeling overwhelmed. I think that getting people (students, teachers, parents) using resources that the library has to offer is really important and I’m glad you’ll be able to do that here. Great work! ~Stephanie.
Karen,
What a well thought out project. I think the key to getting people to use the blog is to continually talk about it and use it in front of students and staff. The more people use it and reference it, the more people will want to check it out. Your blog will grow in readership quickly and possibly not just within your school.
To change from a website to a blog is a leap of faith but it opens windows of opportunity that will help you involve more than one audience and open up communications that can lead to good outcomes.
Steve
Great minds think alike….. and choose the same theme page for their blogs (:
You and Julie both have similar ideas- you should stay connected.
You mentioned you would like to do an online scavenger hunt. Have you ever checked out Bernie Dodge’s site on webquests??
http://webquest.org/index.php
Wow! What a feat you are going to be taking on! I think this will be incredible tool for your students to interact with and for parents to interact with as well!
Good luck!
Karen,
It has been great getting to know you and having a collaborator in my own school district! I think your blog will be a big improvement over your web page because of the interactivity. Also, as you mentioned, it will give you a much better idea of who your audience is (something I always tell my web page designers to keep in mind. . .)
Let’s keep in touch and check back on each other’s blogs in the future. You are off to a great start! Here’s wishing you continued success!
I want the book of the week also but how do I get it on my home page not under categories. Also I love the “picnik” idea my site is bland and this will spice it up!
I’m wondering what do you mean by research? Is it “how to” links? I would love if you do anything with author info or find an RSS fed about an author interview (I’m thinking maybe at MPRN?)to please send me the info as my blog is primarily KVBA (similar to maine state)books that we use for independent or whole class activities.
Terry
Hi Karen,
I love your blogs! You have some awesome ideas! You have inspired me to create another blog that will become our official library website and will link to my MSBA blog. Like you, our library website is static and unchanging, because we are not allowed to put anything on our school’s webpage without it first being proofread and checked by “The Powers That Be.” That just doesn’t work for me, so we have created our own page where we can post links, but I would like to re-do the whole thing and make it a blog! You have some great links and ideas, and I am making a link to your blog so that I can refer to them! It’s great how we can all learn from each other. We do contests as well, and it would be great to make some of the web-based.
We’ll definitely have to keep in touch and keep sharing ideas! It has been great getting to know you this past week!
Take care,
Julie
I love your ideas for what to include on your blog. I work on the Cheverus website, trying to keep it all up-to-date and your project really points out to me that I’ve ignored the library section of the website. It does need to be more interactive and have new material often. There are so many ways libraries can use Web 2.0 tools — This class (the classwork, instructor and fellow students) has really made me look forward to the new school year!
Karen: GREAT Non final project! As you can see from the feedback, everyone else thought so too. I know you will use it a great deal and the kids will really benefit. It was so much fun having you in class! Your enthusiasm was contagious! I look forward to hearing how your tech meeting goes. Have a great school year and stay in touch.