For my September newsletter, I decided to resurrect and majorly update an old PowerTools document of ideas I had for mixing up the traditional student project and for offering students alternate strategies for communicating their knowledge and creativity. Yes, I have tried many of these at home with adventurous teachers. I thought I’d share. Please [...]
See Sally Research @TEDxPhillyED
September 5, 2011 By 7 Comments
When I discovered I was selected to present at TEDxPhillyED last spring, I was both honored and terrified. Doug wrote about this event and his own TEDx experience in his post Everyone should give a TED talk. Doug hit the nail on the head with his question: So here is my question: Could you give [...]
More on ISTE: the Feud, the Forum, the Final Keynote (updated with slides)
July 1, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Who says panel discussions can’t be fun? After the seriousness and pressure of preparing for my TEDxPhillyed talk on Saturday (more on that in a future post), several good friends and I presented the Learning Tools Family Feud at ISTE. Click on the Unlocking Potential image below to view the hour-long session. Perhaps we did [...]
On LibGuides (and the dangers of relying on free lunch)
February 6, 2011 By 5 Comments
It’s a new semester here in Springfield and I’ve been reflecting again. (This post is kinda connected to the next, so please read on. It will be up soon.) I am a huge fan of free apps for creativity and productivity and dynamic information gathering. No surprise that in this blog I frequently celebrate the [...]
Parents’ Guide to Facebook
December 11, 2010 By 3 Comments
Larry Magid and Anne Collier’s Parents’ Guide to Facebook is must reading for parents–and librarians. * 35-Page PDF guide * Chart of recommended privacy settings for teens Make sure you share the downloadable guide and accompanying online resources (available at Connectsafely.org). The perspective is reasoned and realistic and focused on supporting responsible citizenship. The authors offer [...]
A revised manifesto
December 3, 2010 By 49 Comments
Thank you all for the kind feedback you offered for my rant a few days back. As I wrote that response, in the back of my mind I considered a few realities: 1. Some administrators have never seen a vibrant library program. 2. In tough times moving forward is more challenging. Not moving forward is [...]
20 Things I Learned About Browsers and the Web
November 24, 2010 By Leave a Comment
True confession. When it comes to cars and technology, I readily admit that I love being an end-user. I am not all that fond of trying to understand what goes on under the hood. But if I am going to be an effective integrator, and if I am going to explain stuff to others, sometimes [...]
Apps for student teacher librarians
November 6, 2010 By 7 Comments
About a year ago around this time I began thinking of the apps I really wanted to load (metaphorically) on my students’ screens. This semester, I am very blessed to have a brilliant student teacher with me! Nora has also been with us as a parent volunteer. Like all my other student teachers, Nora arrived [...]
SortFix for searching and thinking about search
October 19, 2010 By 2 Comments
Via Richard Byrne’s lovely presentation Best of the EdTech Web 2010, I discovered Sort Fix. It works as a search tool, a brainstorming tool, and a teaching tool. Sort Fix graphically facilitates search and demonstrates thinking about search refinement. A behind-the- scenes algorithm scans results to identify and present significant keywords. Searchers can grab (or [...]
OITP seeks cutting-edge technology practices for 2010
October 7, 2010 By 1 Comment
Last year not a single school librarian submitted a nomination for ALA’s Office for Information Technology Policy (OITP) inaugural Cutting Edge Technology Practices recognition. I know this for a fact. I was on the Committee and helped develop the program. Let’s turn it around this year and point to school library practices that are ahead [...]
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