library+instruction+technology

I know, you barely have enough time to read/browse/scan library literature and here I am suggesting another journal to add to your reading list…

I have been sifting around on Google looking for good resources for problem based learning and informatoin literacy or library instruction. I stumbled on to the referral to the journal New Directions for Teaching and Learning (ISSN: 0271-0633) on the Samford University’s problem based learning web site.

I haven’t had much time to do more than skim through the table of contents on-line, but some of the articles look very interesting. For those of you at OhioLINK institutions, we get this journal in the EJC from 1997 to the present.

I jumped into the blog world after the ODCE conference at the beginning of this month. I did a Google search to see what RSS readers were out there. I downloaded and installed Awasu on my laptop. It’s nice, but I knew that I didn’t want to use another application all the time. So, I have been keeping up to date by using Bloglines. The web site RSS Info has put together a list of recommended RSS readers.

Allen Reichert and Jane Wu distributed a nice bibliography when they gave their “Promoting Your Library by Using Technolgy-Wise E-Marketing Tools” at the ODCE conference. One of the articles they listed is a nice introduction to RSS in non technical lanuage. Steven M. Cohen published RSS For Non-Techie Librarians back in June 2002. It’s a nice introduction to the basics of RSS and how it can be useful to librarians.

The link for this paper was posted on the COLLIB-L discussion list. I skimmed it. Haven’t had a chance to read it yet. I have used Google Scholar in my class this semester. The students had mixed opinions on it’s value.

Banks, Marcus A. The excitement of Google Scholar, the worry of Google Print. Biomedical Digital Libraries, 2(2). Published March 22, 2005.
http://www.bio-diglib.com/content/pdf/1742-5581-2-2.pdf

Want to know how fast your network connection is at home or at work? Check out the TOAST.net Performance Test. I love this site. It allows me to see just how blazing fast my RoadRunner internet connection is from Time Warner Cable. I think it’s a crying shame that the good folks at SBN haven’t figured out how to improve the pathetic bandwidth situation at work… I would understand if we were in the middle of Montana…but we’re an hour from Columbus and less than two from Pittsburgh. Newark is the closest POP for the Third Frontier Network. Maybe someday we’ll get a piece of that recently lit dark fiber!

InfoWizard is a cool tool that has been developed by Kent State, BGSU, University of Cincinnati, Tri-C, and the Mount through a multi-year grant. These information literacy tutorials are in various stages of development. The premise is that they can be used by any Ohio college or university. One of the sessions at the ODCE conference was co-presented by the schools currently working on developing these modules.

In addition to my interest in using technology in library instruction, I am also interested in problem based learning. I am currently reading Foundations of problem-based learning by Maggi-Savin Baden and Claire Howell Major. I would like to figure out how to integrate PBL into our existing 2 credit hour Library Research Methods course as well as some of our other library instruction programs.

I found a link to a presentation given at ALAO on learning objects. Karen Diaz and Nancy O’Hanlon from The Ohio State University Libraries have posted Learning Objects for Library Instruction to OSU’s Knowledge Bank.

“This presentation was given at the Spring Workshop of the Academic Library Association of Ohio (ALAO) Instruction Interest Group on April 23, 2004. It discusses theory of learning objects and provides examples of learning object repositories. Techniques and software useful for building interactive learning objects, such as simulations, games, guided tasks (action mazes and Web Quests) are described. Evaluation of learning objects and use of the National Learning Infrastructure Initiative (NLII) observation tool are also covered. A workshop activity and a resource list are included.”

Got a hankering for watching every game on the bracket? Then you better be a subscriber of Time Warner Digital Cable or have a HDTV system and an antennae able to pull in WBNS in Columbus. Check out the 2005 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament Multicasting Coverage & Schedule from Time Warner Cable.

“The 2005 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament action begins on Thursday, March 17 and Time Warner customers will be able to see up to four different tournament games at one time with our extended tournament coverage on digital channels 188-191. This extended coverage comes courtesy of WBNS. Any customer who has our digital service will receive this extended coverage at no extra charge.”

Mint Julep. Kentucky Burgoo. Churchhill Downs. I’ll miss out on all of the fun of the 131st Kentucky Derby in Louisville. However, I will be there the following weekend for LOEX 2005. I’m looking forward to this conference. It will be my first time attending LOEX. I have heard good things and have read some information produced by past participants. I am looking forward to the trip because I will have a chance to meet up with some OhioLINK colleagues and also a former instructor from SLIS at the Univeristy of Pittsburgh.