Category: 643

I think the discussion we had regarding the differences between empty and appropriate praise raised some interesting ideas and really helped hammer the understanding down, for me at least, about how to approach progress with others. It was relieving once we got into this discussion a little bit that our misunderstandings about this particular issue and the abstractness it still seems to have is not just an issue for me. I think that applies for all of our discussion that focused around distinctions that can hold different meanings for different people, like the conversation we also held about the novice and the expert. This particular line of inquiry and discussion made it easier to understand the ACRL Framework on another level, which I had not looked at as thoroughly in the experience I have had with the Framework in the recent past.

The Mackey/Jacobson reading regarding metaliteracy was extremely hard for me. I think this stemmed from my previous experience with so many types of literacy being used interchangeably with one another. As Mackey and Jacobson are trying to make these forms of literacy distinct, as to show that information literacy is insufficient but metaliteracy is a workable framework, I think I let myself get bogged down by the intricacies of all the different types of literacies being discussed. I think the biggest take-away from this was that metaliteracy FRAMES information literacy to allow for connections across various types of literacies. Of course, the idea of frames speaks to the authors’ contributions to the ACRL Framework and the move away from learning objectives that so many groups seem to be doing in the recent past.

While I have some prior experience with both the AASL Standards Framework and the ACRL Framework, I wanted to focus on taking something from both of them that I had not previously done. For the AASL, I had spent so much time critically looking at the visual representations that I completely overlooked that it too was a framework. While I still have some very strong opinions about the visual representations, a closer look at the table provided did give me less of a visceral response this time. This time I was capable of seeing how, box-by-box, this table could be extremely helpful, though I believe its presentation in the table is cumbersome and hard to digest as a whole. The ACRL Framework really emphasizes this idea of collaboration, even after the discussion of collaborative work that is explicit for the frames themselves. This issue of collaboration has steered much of the conversation about the framework in the profession in the practical implementation of the framework in reality, but I had completely missed the discussion of this expectation that was laid out in the appendices in my other instances with the framework.

I thought the Obama proclamation was interesting as well, mostly because I did not know there was an Information Literacy Awareness Month. The comments made in the short proclamation truly make sense though. This call for awareness is essential to the adaptation of the ever-changing information world, where people are constantly being hammered with information they are expected to process. This evaluation of information has become an even greater focus as available information is monitored less and less. On top of the usual suspects of literacy, deciphering information is becoming even more paramount.

Introductions from class and the course overview have once again made me extremely excited for the future of this course and our professor. While many of the faces are familiar and I appreciate their thoughts and ideas on various subjects, I am also excited to get to know more about the new faces as well. Personality and interest rich, I think this course will provide a very unique learning experience due to the positions of all the people involved in the class. Some of the course work does seem intimidating at this point, but I am confident that it will be approached in an understandable way and that student collaborations on particularly tough tasks will be a hallmark, just as the last course I took with her was.

The One-Shot Workshop (Veldof, 2006) introduced the ADDIE approach, which seems to be the development approach this course will be taking. With the brief, concise overview of the approach, I can understand why it has been adopted. As I read, each step made sense, but the authors were also sure to be real about the situations that librarians face in the real world. The acknowledgement of group formation and the problems that sometimes result was very helpful. While I know that these issues occur in group projects, it is often not addressed when discussed in this context.

Bowels-Terry et. al (2010) addressed the idea of best practices for online video tutorials. This research could be seen as the A, I, and E of the ADDIE approach, as it was analyzing the target audience, implementing the tutorials, and evaluating their effectiveness and findability. The results of these findings then could be used to better the design and development of future tutorial implementation. It seems that the skills addressed in these tutorials (basic library navigation skills) may be where these types of learning experiences may be the most effective, as the authors and their participants are wary of using such techniques for more complex content. Some of the accessibility concerns that were addressed by participants included accessibility to videos off-campus and the usability of videos by non-native English speakers. These issues were addressed by suggesting the use of providing information in multiple formats, speaking slowly, and giving videos captions.

Flynn (2013) discussed the idea of providing screencasts that allowed learners to determine their own experience. By allowing for a “Choose Your Own Adventure” approach to Screencasting, it is suggested that learners will get more out of them and that they will be used in their entirety. This reading emphasized the need for correct design and development which requires proper analysis. Implementing these ideas in proper planning of execution allowed for use and Evaluation was discussed in the features offered by the YouTube informatics provided for the videos being discussed. This article also seems to hint that Screencasting may be most effective for databases, websites, or tasks that are difficult to navigate or have confounding instructions, but may be less effective for tasks and skills that are easily determined due to layout or other existing instructions on completion. Accessibility, of course, comes in the way of technology. Screencasting to explain skills or tasks for a target audience that doesn’t frequent videos or the Internet could be problematic, as would be a target audience of a lower means which may not have reliable access to such technology. Screencasting for the audience that Flynn is addressing, though, seems to have no problem with accessibility, and this type of approach was extremely successful for the objective.

The final reading provided some tips to make a good screencast which seems to be applicable to all kinds of online tutorials. These tips also seemed to address the ideas of Design and Development that ADDIE suggests. In all the readings, it made the first task seem less daunting and even doable, even before I have decided on a focus. They made me excited to find something to work on to implement these ideas in a way that will be beneficial to me.

I’m Kaitlyn Haines, but I go by Kate, and I’m from Fairmont, West Virginia. I spent the last six years in Huntington, West Virginia at Marshall University getting two bachelor’s and a master’s degree. I work with an organization called the International Women’s Baseball Center selling merchandise to raise money to build a museum and education center, which I hope to run one day. I am a huge sports fan, especially baseball, soccer and hockey. I also enjoy comic books, movies, and learning about sharks. Learning new things and taking on new challenges fuels my motivation, and, often, my inspiration.

I often am searching for new ways to engage my mind, whether it be in the form of cinema or puzzles. These interests have led me to become a collector in the recent years of my life. On a normal day, you can walk into my apartment to find a puzzle laid across my dining table with a movie playing in the background as I work on yet another task. I am a proud animal lover and owner who loves her rescues. I have a passion for cooking and learning about all kinds of foods.

I have always been an adventurer, and take every chance I get to go somewhere new. In every new place I go, if I can, I try to find a locally owned restaurant for a meal and a brew, because I truly believe that food reveals everything you need to know about a place or a person. I often joke that most of my friendships are based around food, and I feel that this is true for that reason. A true West Virginia girl, nature adventures often turn out to be my favorite, as I love the outdoors, hiking, climbing, and fresh air whenever I get the chance.