#connectededucator

[elemlibletlib]

Don't Mind Me! I'll be in Graphics Doing Some Homework.

Evaluate a Library's Comics Collection

Choose a library and a specific subsection of the comics collection to assess.

Spend 20 minutes examining the physical collection and 5-10 minutes examining the catalog entries.

Create a report that includes a brief evaluative description of the collection's scope, currency, diversity, and indicators of use.

Consider the following factors: location, organization, signage, and displays.

The Library:

The Harvard Diggins Library (HDL) houses two graphic novel collections; one for junior readers and another in the teen space. There is not an adult graphic novel section. So, I took a shallow dive into the collection in the YA department, hoping to find some superhero comics!

The Comic Collection @ HDL:

Graphic novels, manga, and comics were all shelved together in the teen space using an A-Z organization style by author name. Apart from the signage at the top of the display and the 4 outfaced books, there was no further marketing for the comics collection or an implication anywhere else in the library pointing to the comics collection. The shelving pictured on the right of the display is not a continuation of the collection but the YA nonfiction display.

Oh, superheroes? Where did y'all go?!

The first item on the shelf was Thor: The Goddess of Thunder by Jason Aaron and Russell Dauterman. The call number for this title was listed as YA FIC AAR. Found one!

However, this can be problematic, especially for teen readers, for individuals who may not be familiar with the authors of their favorite comics but rather the characters and franchise.

Now off to find more superheroes!

Scope:

The collection is small; however, the scope of a library collection needs to reflect who it is serving. That said, the HDLs comics collection is representative of the smaller teen population in Harvard, IL (Total Population: 9,477). Additionally, HDL subscribes to Libby (OverDrive), which creates a virtual access point to a larger professionally curated digital collection that expands HDLs comics collection exponentially.

The collection mainly consisted of Manga, with popular graphic novel titles and barely any superhero comics.

After a brief catalog search, I discovered that HDL only owned 11 superhero comics.

Currency:

The comics collection at HDL noticeably made an effort to include current popular media within their collection efforts. The intended reader would immediately notice and gravitate to several of the manga available from hit anime shows. Some examples include Attack on Titan, Tokyo Gouhl, and Naruto; however, it is essential to note that these titles are older and act as a visible anchor to HDLs collection. Some examples of superhero comics on the shelves were Injustice: Gods Among Us (2013-2016), Hawkeye: My Life as a Weapon (2013), and Marvel's Civil War (2006-7).

Diversity:

This was an area of opportunity for the comic collection. This collection focuses on hit anime shows to attract readers and passersby. While manga includes all genres as an art form and literary medium, the physical presence of these manga series is particularly powerful and takes away from the other titles on the shelf. When I think of diversity in relation to a library collection, Professor Rudine Sims Bishop's words about windows, mirrors, and doors come to mind, and from that context, this collection could be more inclusive of the lives of others. Ms. Marvel was a gem in the collection and on loan at the time of my investigation.

Usage:

Some of the more popular titles were worn and tattered. For example, this copy of The Walking Dead has seen some wear and tear that is common for paperback circulation in public and school libraries. The paperbacks in the collection did not have any additional life-preserving covering added, such as hard laminate. The majority of the manga collection was intact and had minimal signs of damage. The concern here was whether or not the resources were seeing any movement in circulation.

Overall, HDL represents popular media and teen inclusivity well, but there is room for improvement regarding shelving and location for their comics collection.

One way to improve the comics section would be to move it to a more prominent location in the library. The comics section is located in a small corner of the library in the teen space, which makes it easy to miss. Moving the comics section to a more central location would make it more visible to library patrons and encourage more people to check out comics.

Currently, the comics are organized by author (A-Z), which can make it difficult for patrons to find specific titles. Reorganizing the shelves by genre, theme, or publishing house would make it easier for patrons to find the comics they are looking for.

Despite these minor criticisms, the comics section of this public library is a valuable resource for library patrons of all ages in the community. The library does an ok job of selecting a variety of titles.

Recommendations:

Add more graphic novels to the collection. Graphic novels are a great way to introduce people to comics who may not have read them before.

Offer more programming related to comics. This could include author visits, workshops, or discussion groups.

Partner with local comic book stores. This could help the library to get more new comics into its collection and to reach a wider audience.

I hope these suggestions are helpful to the wayward Tumblr librarian!

L'Chaim, Challa, & Comics!

[whatuphere]

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#GEN2108 Watch this keynote, she is pretty aweso https://t.co/Pk2FMBHRu0 me and collaborates globally all the time. #Connectededucator

�� Michelle Wendt (@meechele7) April 17, 2018

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What's a Hashtag? | Knowledge Quest

In last month’s post, What is a #ConnectedEducator, we looked at a few ways we can become more connected virtually and share online. Being a connected educator is one of the best ways to build your personal learning network, connect... Read More ›

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#Tanzania among #African countries which @vodafonefoundation will provide #connectededucation #inspiredleadership http://ift.tt/2rIWRLy http://ift.tt/2su6USd

[openbadges]

Connected Educator Month Kicks Off With Webinars, Events and . . . Badges!

"Alone we are smart but together we are brilliant." - Steve Anderson

Rob Furman, elementary school principal and author, dreams of connected classrooms where students have “virtual book talks with a class in England via video conferencing,” use tablet apps to create model spaceships based on the science they’re learning, and go on virtual field trips to foreign lands via Google Earth.

“This is the type of day our students should be having," Furman says. "This is the type of day our students are expecting to experience in today's classrooms. These possibilities exist today and should be used now. It does not have to be a dream. The connected classroom can be a reality.”

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Open Badges has teamed up with Connected Educators to create a badge system dedicated to supporting educators learning and collaborating through online communities and social networks during the second annual Connected Educator Month this October. Educators can earn a variety of badges throughout the month, including Connected Educator Month Starter Kit badges, badges to show off commitments to being a connected educator, and even badges to award to other peer educators. We just launched the new badge system on October 1, 2013 with the kick-off of Connected Educator Month, and are very excited to be part of the initiative. The badge system includes approximately 25 badges that educators can earn to start, and then over 100s of event and participation badges will be added and continue to be issued throughout October. As with other Open Badges, educators will be able to share their CEM badges through their online communities and social networks. They can also customize their own Mozilla Backpack as a means to collect, store and share their badges.

Nearly 200 organizations are participating nationwide in events designed to enhance professional development through online collaboration.

Participating organizations will provide a variety of interactive online professional learning opportunities, such as webinars, live chats, open houses, book clubs, contests, projects, and digital badges for connected educators to earn.

We have created the CEM badges using similar tools to those used in this summer’s citywide badge system for the Chicago Summer of Learning. As educators connect with online communities and social networks, they can personalize their learning experiences and earn Connected Educator Badges through activities and projects that interest them. There are special badges from the Connected Educator Month Starter Kit, as well as badges that can be awarded to their peer educators.

“One of the most important things we can do to support teachers and students is to put modern tools in their hands, and give them access to the limitless knowledge and connections that the Internet makes possible,” said Education Secretary Arne Duncan in video remarks shown on the Connected Educators website, where he invited “every educator across the country” to participate.

Last year, the event reached over 4 million people around the nation and the world. This year, Connected Educator Month seeks to encourage districts, as well as individual educators, to promote outcomes-based professional learning and recognition through digital tools. To that end, as well as the Connected Educator Starter Kit - full of tips, tutorials, and ideas for educators’ professional learning journeys - there is also a CEM 2013 District Toolkit geared toward district-level decision-makers and educators.

Online communities and learning networks help hundreds of thousands of educators share effective strategies, reduce isolation, and provide immediate access to a diverse range of knowledge and expertise. In many communities, however, there are educators not yet taking advantage - or even aware - of all the benefits of connected learning.

“Participating in Connected Educator Month is a way schools, districts, and states can dramatically enhance their professional development efforts,” said Darren Cambridge, a principal consultant at AIR and project director of Connected Educators. “They can integrate learning through online communities and social networks into their formal professional development and teacher quality efforts.”

Activities and events will range from a design challenge, in which educators will develop strategies for helping kids develop creative confidence, to a webinar earlier this week in which five U.S. organizations teamed up with UNESCO to share insights about mobile learning around the globe. State and locally-focused activities will also engage communities of educators across the nation.

In honor of Connected Educator Month the White House will host a “Champions of Change” event to celebrate local leaders in education, whose creative approaches in using technology to enhance learning serve as examples of what we should strive for in every classroom, for every child. These community-nominated leaders will be invited to the White House to celebrate their accomplishments and showcase their actions to support more connected schools and students.

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Want to get involved? Here's how:

Get Started with these 5 Easy Steps from the EduBlogger

Check out these 5 Free EdTech Webinars For Connected Educator Month

The Connected Educator Month Calendar can be found at http://www.ConnectedEducators.org/events/

The Connected Educator Month Newsletter will be published daily through the month of October (and weekly thereafter.) Sign up here.

You can also follow the conversation on Twitter using the #CE13 hashtag

Find other related Twitter conversations through Connected Principals chats using the #cpchat hashtag

Like CEM on Facebook

Edutopia has some great CEM resources

The Huffington Post has a series of articles by Frank Islam and Ed Crego exploring connected education: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/frank-islam/education-making-the-conn_b_4031539.html and http://www.huffingtonpost.com/frank-islam/charter-schools-cure-or-c_b_4066245.html (2 more to come)

About AIR:

Established in 1946, with headquarters in Washington, D.C., the American Institutes for Research (AIR) is a nonpartisan, not-for-profit organization that conducts behavioral and social science research and delivers technical assistance both domestically and internationally in the areas of health, education, and workforce productivity. For more information, visit http://www.air.org.