All posts by John

Academic, General, Public, School Media Specialist, Special

Do you have a habitual dependency on technology?

What happens when students are forced to disconnect from technology? What would happen if WE were forced to disconnect from technology? Many of us wouldn’t be able to do our jobs. Is technology’s use such a bad thing? That’s what a recent 3 day “disconnect from technology” program aimed to find out at a San Francisco school.

Some of the students reactions to the challenge weren’t surprising:

  • “I feel very addicted to social media and stuff… It’s like habitual dependency”
  • “When I wasn’t with my phone I felt different, like I was naked all the time.” His phone makes him feel secure.
  • “It was almost a wakeup call for how dependent we are on technology”

Besides some students not completing the full 3 days, some students struggled to complete their homework without technology. One student mentioned that they had to have “his mom to look it up for him.” Was anything learned? In general, it seems an awareness of the issue was the biggest win. You can read the whole story here.

The program was part of the Tech Timeout Academic Challenge. Check out this video about the challenge below:

Academic, General, Public, School Media Specialist, Special

Get your Chrome Extensions

animotoDid you know Google Calendar had an official Chrome Extension? Thanks to MakeUseOf we all do! From Dropbox to Discoverly extensions can be a quick way to use a tool right in your browser.

Need some school specific extensions? Check out Alice Keeler’s blog posts for even more ideas.

What’s your favorite Chrome Extension? Are there any new ones we should know about?

Academic, General, Public, School Media Specialist, Special

MN Library Legislative Update

Capital SunsetThe following legislative update was written by Elaine Keefe, library lobbyist for the Minnesota Library Association (MLA) and Information Technology Educators of MN (ITEM).

Received Sunday, March 8, 2015 at 3:16 pm

 

MDE Education Policy Bill: Last week the MDE education policy bill, HF 1591/SF 1495, was heard in committee in both bodies.  The bill includes two provisions of interest.  The first repeals the requirement that school districts have a technology plan on file with MDE in order to be eligible for telecommunications equity aid.  The second requires that the governing board of a regional public library system employ a full-time chief administrative officer.

Parental Review of School Library Media Center Materials:  A bill was introduced in both bodies last week that would expand an existing law requiring school districts to have a procedure for parents to review the content of instructional materials and to arrange alternative instruction if the parent objects to the content.  The bill specifies that this applies to instructional materials in a classroom, school library or media center.  It also requires that when a parent objects to the content because he or she considers it to be sexually explicit or obscene, the district must notify the parents of all students who are being provided that content that a parent has objected to it on that basis.  The name of the parent making the objection would be private data.

HF 1648/SF 1449 was introduced in the House by Rep. Abigail Whelan (R – Anoka) and it has many co-authors, all Republican.  It was introduced in the Senate by Senator Dan Hall (R – Burnsville).  All co-authors are Republicans.  The bill will not receive a hearing this session.

Regional Library Basic System Support (RLBSS): Last week a bill was introduced to change the RLBSS formula by increasing base portion from 5% to 15% of the distribution and reducing the equalization portion of the formula from 25% to 15% of the distribution.  The bill also increases funding for RLBSS by $5 million per year.

The House version, HF 1626, was introduced by Rep. Sondra Erickson (R – Princeton).  Co-authors are Rep. Mary Murphy (DFL – Hermantown), Rep. Greg Davids (R – Preston), Rep. Paul Marquart (DFL – Dilworth), Rep. Bud Nornes – R – Fergus Falls) and 10 others.  The Senate version, SF 1675 was introduced by Senator LeRoy Stumpf (DFL – Plummer). Co-authors are Senator Tom Saxhaug (DFL – Grand Rapids), Senator Gary Dahms (R – Redwood Falls) and Senator Vicki Jensen (DFL – Owatonna).

Coming Up this Week: The House Education Innovation Policy Committee and the Senate Education Committee will each release their respective omnibus education policy bills this week, hear the bills and pass them out of committee by the end of the week in order to meet the first committee deadline, which is Friday, March 20.

Governor Dayton will release his supplemental budget proposal this week.  He has already announced that it will include more funding for universal preschool for 4 year olds, more funding for the MnSCU system and more funding for nursing homes.

 

Elaine Keefe
Capitol Hill Associates
525 Park Street, Suite 310
St. Paul, MN 55103
(office)651-293-0229
(cell) 612-590-1244
elaine@capitolhillassoc.com

Image credit: http://tinyurl.com/p4m2ool, licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
Academic, General, Public, School Media Specialist, Special

We’ve learned: Jobs and Kudos

Lightbulb

Jobs:

Centracare is looking for a Health Science Library/ Education Assistant. “The Health Science Library/Education Assistant provides a variety of clerical and technical duties of moderate complexity as appropriate to the diverse operations and specialized procedures of the Health Science Library and Education Departments.” Here is a link to the position.

GRRL is looking for a Associate Director of Human Resources. Check out the position description here. The deadline is 3/31/2015.

ECRL is has a few job openings but most notable is the East Central Regional Library Mascot Wearer! They’re looking for someone who is outgoing, energetic and enjoys interacting with people. Get your application in now!

Staffing Changes:

Congratulations to Carolyn Avaire who has accepted the position as the new Hinckley Branch Librarian for East Central Library!

Carolyn has worked for ECRL since 2009, first as a Branch Aide in Mille Lacs Lake and most recently as a Branch Aide in Mora. Carolyn also has experience working at Great River Regional Library, ECRL’s western neighbor. She began her full time position in Hinckley on March 4th.

Awards:

Congratulations to Paul Beckermann, Dassel-Cokato High School, who recently self-published a book of poetry.

 

 

CMLE would like to congratulate the following participants in MLA’s MILE program from the CMLE Region:

  • Carolyn Avair, East Central Regional Library System
  • Roxanne Backowski, St. Cloud State University
  • Sarah Hawkins, East Central Regional Library System
  • Kelly Kraemer, College of St. Benedict | St. John’s University
  • Michael Schnieder, Minnesota School of Business-Elk River

We wish them luck with the MILE program.

Image credit: http://tinyurl.com/nwbfuhq, licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
Academic, General, Public

Makerspace Mania: Academic and Public libraries too

15854128181_5c4ec55106_kMarch is makerspace month here at CMLE! This month we’ll have a series of  blog posts with the makerspace theme. This week we learn that makerspaces aren’t just for schools.

A lot of the buzz around makerspaces seems to be about school libraries. But academic and public libraries are getting into the action too! From 3D printers to edible book festivals, many academic libraries have had makerspaces, except by name, for years. And who doesn’t think of their local public library and not think of the children’s area where kids can play and explore.

Academic: 

Many in academia will quickly dismiss makerspaces due to their lack of obvious pedagogy learning goals. However, others see a move beyond Fixed-Choice Tests into Performance Assessment – which can sound a little like makerspaces.  “In the performance assessment paradigm, learning is an active process in which “students construct meaning and knowledge: they do not have meaning or knowledge handed to them in a book or lecture,” says Megan Oakleaf. “Learning, then, is a process of students ‘making sense’ of how things fit together…” (DOI: 10.1353/pla.0.0011 ). Even Megan Lotts’ recent article: Implementing a culture of creativity: Pop-up making spaces and participating events in academic libraries dug deeper in to the Academic Makerspace.

Public:

One local example where public libraries are getting into the makerspace business is with Smart Play Spots and a partnership with the Minnesota Children’s Museum. Smart Play Spots are learning environments that encourage children’s “literacy development through hands-on, multi-sensory activities that include dramatic play, story telling, and playing with letters and sounds.” You can read more about the program here. From play areas to 3D printers, public libraries are joining the makerspace fun!

Let us know how you’re using makerspaces in your academic or public library!

Image credit: http://tinyurl.com/l92kuy3, licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0