The following was submitted by a CMLE scholarship recipient.
Submitted by: Mark Krueger, North Junior High Media Specialist
The TIES Conference 2010 was an excellent conference. There were many very good sessions to take part in. It seemed like the focus was more mobile devices than in the past. Such devices that were discussed in many sessions were iPods and iPads. Administrators who attended the conference received their own free iPads.
The keynote speaker on Monday was Sir Ken Robinson. He was an excellent speaker. Sir Robinson talked about how each learner has strengths and weaknesses. Each person has something that they are good at and education needs to change to help develop these personalized strengths. What also made him an excellent speaker was his ability to engage the audience with humor.
Overall I thought TIES 2010 was worth the trip. It is always a good experience to meet with other professionals in the area of education and technology. It is also a great time to talk with vendors about individual school needs. I know I talked with numerous vendors for multiple hours about what they have that could contribute to my school’s success. Such tools include projectors, document cameras, and audio devices. I would recommend the TIES conference in the future for any teacher or media specialist interested in technology and education.
National Geographic has Giant Traveling Maps available for use by schools. The maps are the largest maps ever produced by National Geographic and require a gym or large room for use. Each map is accompanied by a set of activities and other materials. Currently maps for Africa, Asia, North American and South America are available for loan. Schools can borrow the traveling maps for $450 (for the minimum two-week loan). Each additional week costs $225/week.
A partnership between the American Association of School Libraries (AASL), SchoolTube and Cisco has launched a project called Learning4Life in My School LibraryStudent Video Contest. The videos should focus on how school libraries and their technologies encourage students to become lifelong learners. Student video submissions will be accepted between January 4th and March 18th. Winners will be announced April 1st, and will receive a Flip video camera and a prize for their school library. More information can be found at www.ala.org/aasl/l4lvideocontest/.
The December 11th edition of the Star Tribune included an article titled School Librarians: Headed for the History Books, which summarized the current state of affairs for Minnesota school libraries and their staff. The article brought to light the fact that a quarter of the state’s librarians have lost their jobs. Some of the largest districts in the state, including Anoka- Hennepin, St. Paul, and Minneapolis, have very few school librarians considering the number of schools and students served.
MEMO’s president, Tori Jensen, was interviewed for the article. Jensen states that if librarians are cut “ [Schools will] …be OK for three years and then find out there’s nobody there to teach kids the skills that we are experts in. It’s not a matter of bringing the resources to them, it’s about teaching them how to use them.”
The following was submitted by a CMLE scholarship recipient.
Submitted by: Joan Nevitt, Paynesville High School & Middle School Media Specialist
After attending one day of the 2010 Ties workshop, I was energized and inspired by the professional and relevant information that was presented. Unfortunately, I could only partake in 2 breakout sessions of the many offered. Time and money would not allow for more this year. A big thank you to CMLE and the scholarship that allowed for me to attend. The first workshop that I chose was “Building a PLC (Professional Learning Community) using Google Docs and other tools”. Not only was the presenter knowledgeable, she also shared how this technology can inform staff with the ease of not rushing to countless meetings, etc. The other workshop provided insight and free applications for High School teachers to use with their Smart Boards.
The first staff meeting after the conference, I shared the many opportunities available for those who attend. We will be sending staff members every year in the future. Serving on the Staff Development Community and Technology Committee will allow me to keep the word out about this amazing experience.
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