Wiki-Week has introduced more tools with potential for teaching and learning. I thought this Teacher Tube video was straightforward – and short enough for most people to watch without eyes glazing over….
http://www.teachertube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=51aeb480ecbd988cd8cc
I’m not sure if the link appeared in any pages or articles – We’ve read and reviewed quite a collection of material. Teacher Tube has some very interesting videos.
The web sites Kathy recommended have ideas for design and suggestions for application. I clicked deeper and deeper into the library sites and lost track of time. I then tried to focus on the school library sites.
The Montrcrief Library drew my attention – especially the wiki pages designed to explore and explain the online databases, many similar to MBLC/SEMLS offerings. Since the EBSCO Literary Reference Center is a recent addition to the statewide databases, I was interested to read the comments :
“This database is kind of hard to use because not all of the information is easy to get to. Also, there are not many search features that allow you to find the kind of article you are looking for. However, the glossary feature helps make this database easier to use. I think this database would be most helpful in a literature class or in a class where the student needs to learn the history behind authors and their works.” 9/25/06
Twelve revisions are noted but none includes reference to “Advanced Search” – an essential feature for students to master and utilize, particularly when they begin to gather appropriate and relevant sources for a literary paper. Our juniors complete a literary research paper about an American writer. Most English teachers do not accept book reviews or general biographical sources, but direct students to select literary criticism. The Advanced Search feature is extremely important to maximize use of EBSCO’s LRC. The concept of wiki pages to explain and explore databases is relevant for a school library, but designers should be careful to include all essential features. Most of the Montcrief wiki pages are dated 2006 and seem to be repetitive in design – almost as if an assignment was given an a ‘deadline’ had to be met. Sometimes ‘less is more’…too many wikis might overwhelm the patrons. Interesting – Grandview Library wikis – included in “Make Way for Wikis” is also among the examples of library wikis. The grade 3 library wikis are ‘cleared’ at the beginning of each school year, so teachers and students can begin a fresh look at these research topics. This seems to be a good idea, especially at the elementary level (http://www.grandviewlibrary.org/ThirdGradeWikis.aspx ) The design and content of the library page is simultaneously inviting and organized. I would like to ‘work a wiki’ with the project organizers, and I would certainly love to hear Mrs. Chauncey read a story! Web 2.0 tools – wikis among them – enhance the librarian’s palette to create an information-literacy landscape for students and teachers.
Connecting and integrating all the Web 2.0 tools will be a challenge. In school libraries -where most librarians work alone without support staff – selecting a specific project might be a good place to test a wiki.
Happy Halloween !
Posted by christineronan 
