Marcel Proust was quoted as saying, “The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes.” Travel can be a wonderful experiential learning tool. However, not everyone is able to invest the time and money necessary to travel. Edudemic posted a list of ten virtual resources to (re) discover the American West. Travel online along rivers, across deserts and over mountains-west.
Tip: This is a wonderful research tool for students and future explorers; Classify the biology of indigenous plants or animals living in national parks and monuments; Study the social divergence of California cultures; Learn the history of the “American West”; and more.
Digital Learn.org is a new beta website-launched this month!
If you have learners that struggle with the computer basics this site is for you. It provides free tools, techniques and tips to help build confidence with technology (email, internet searching, etc.) It is sponsored by the Public Libraries Association (PLA) and the Institute of Museum and Library Services, however the tutorials can be viewed by any patron looking for help.
The main page is divided into two sections, one for the patrons (learn) and the other for support staff (help learners). The link for support staff will take you to a form to request additional information about future services and tools; so for a quick application of this ed-tech tool the “learn” tab will be extremely useful.
Please keep in mind that because this is a new beta site, the contents will continue to grow over time!
Are you a trainer seeking training? In January, CMLE highlighted an organization call WebJunction. As a learning site for libraries they provide online, self-paced courses to all members of the Minnesota library community. Each month you can elect to add a new course(s) to your professional development portfolio at no cost.
Here is a sample of this month’s FREE program:
Image provided by WebJunction
How Libraries can meet the Evolving Needs of Patrons in the Digital Age
The Future of Online Learning: a changing landscape
Self-Directed Achievement: if you give library staff an hour…
You can also take a sneak peek at the complete list of more than forty courses offered by WebJunction.
Partnering with libraries for visioning, advocating, and educating
