July 23, 2008
Lib 3: Final project inspiration
Here is a final project example from a prior Library 3 student - Scott Zettlemoyer- his blog post for his final project is: http://lbccszlib3.blogspot.com/. The format has changed slightly but it's a good example for you to view to help you understand what you should be working toward.
July 22, 2008
Lib 3: Reflections on Assignment 5 - Reference Sources
I just finished grading assignment 5 on Reference Sources. Interesting to note given the choice between using online reference sources, print reference sources or a combination of both, the majority of the class did most of their searches with online only resources. The few people who went to a library and used print resources and the ones who used a combination were refreshing to read.
Most people went to IPL.org and performed searches there. Several students seemed frustrated with the idea that they could not just google for the answers. Sure, we all know that can be done, but what will that teach us? My goal is to show students other resources, reputable resources that can be used online. For instance several students have greatly enjoyed biography.com and artcyclopedia.com. Some students have discovered factmonster.com which looks useful but is geared toward elementary and middle school students. It is a great site to show your kids and help them with their homework.
Anyways, I digress. The point is that some students used IPL to search for their topic (example: Margaret Sanger) and some searched for the reference they wanted like "biography." I found this to be quite interesting. When performing that exact search above, you won't find anything useful by typing in Margaret Sanger. The searching for "biography" is the better bet.
Some students avoiding the search box and used the subject links on the left side of the page. Looking at the bold subject Ready Reference they had a list of several different types of reference resources and chose one from that list. I think that is the best bet for this assignment. I want people to connect the resource they need to the specific type of information they are looking for. Find the RESOURCE, use the RESOURCE instead of depending on Google to do all the work.
Use a Quotation resource to find a quotation by Eleanor Roosevelt. There's TONS of quotation resources out there. The students who used a quotation source had a much easier time answering the question compared to the student who typed in a search for Eleanor Roosevelt.
It is so ingrained in us to just rely on the keyword searches (thank you google :-P) but sometimes there is a better, faster choice. Ready reference is general reference information easily searchable, up-to-date, not too detailed but detailed enough. Ready reference books or online sources can answer most, if not all, of the questions posed in Assignment 5.
All in all, I'm very pleased to see the work my students are producing. It's great to show them new ways of doing things and the feedback seems pretty positive. I only wish I could teach Library 3 more than just the summer term because I get so much out of it. I learn new things in these courses too - new ways of running the class, making the assignments easier to understand, new websites to utilize, etc.
Most people went to IPL.org and performed searches there. Several students seemed frustrated with the idea that they could not just google for the answers. Sure, we all know that can be done, but what will that teach us? My goal is to show students other resources, reputable resources that can be used online. For instance several students have greatly enjoyed biography.com and artcyclopedia.com. Some students have discovered factmonster.com which looks useful but is geared toward elementary and middle school students. It is a great site to show your kids and help them with their homework.
Anyways, I digress. The point is that some students used IPL to search for their topic (example: Margaret Sanger) and some searched for the reference they wanted like "biography." I found this to be quite interesting. When performing that exact search above, you won't find anything useful by typing in Margaret Sanger. The searching for "biography" is the better bet.
Some students avoiding the search box and used the subject links on the left side of the page. Looking at the bold subject Ready Reference they had a list of several different types of reference resources and chose one from that list. I think that is the best bet for this assignment. I want people to connect the resource they need to the specific type of information they are looking for. Find the RESOURCE, use the RESOURCE instead of depending on Google to do all the work.
Use a Quotation resource to find a quotation by Eleanor Roosevelt. There's TONS of quotation resources out there. The students who used a quotation source had a much easier time answering the question compared to the student who typed in a search for Eleanor Roosevelt.
It is so ingrained in us to just rely on the keyword searches (thank you google :-P) but sometimes there is a better, faster choice. Ready reference is general reference information easily searchable, up-to-date, not too detailed but detailed enough. Ready reference books or online sources can answer most, if not all, of the questions posed in Assignment 5.
All in all, I'm very pleased to see the work my students are producing. It's great to show them new ways of doing things and the feedback seems pretty positive. I only wish I could teach Library 3 more than just the summer term because I get so much out of it. I learn new things in these courses too - new ways of running the class, making the assignments easier to understand, new websites to utilize, etc.
July 17, 2008
Summer 08 ending
Wow, this summer has gone by so fast! I can't believe it.
I traveled a good portion of the summer, the first 4 weeks of the semester and saw some amazing things. I went to three national parks in ONE week - Mt. Rainier, Glacier and Zion. Breathtaking and really reset my peacefulness meter.
Library 3 only has a few more weeks. Another great summer class with excellent students. Out of all the classes I teach, Library 3 seems to give me the most joy. Probably because its a three unit class compared to the one units that I teach often. I'll be happy to see some library 3 faces in my new course Library 204 starting this fall (Intro to Reference Services).
Even though I'm more of a computer/database programming geek, I love working at the reference desk and sharing that enthusiasm with students. In my masters program, the Reference Services course was probably my favorite and the course that I learned so much about library resources in. Perhaps that is what my students feel as they discover the resources they learn about as well. It's overwhelming, but in a good way. Amazing to think that there is so much information out there.
There is no doubt we are an information fed species that thrives on the Internet. If there is something we hear throughout the day that we don't know anything about, once online google to the rescue. Instant access (not always correct information but as we develop our research skills we learn how to sort through credible versus non-credible information). We are *keyword* driven. We use words daily to describe things, but how do we learn which word to use? Thats one of the ideas I try to emphasize in my courses - the difference between keyword searching and subject searching.
We look at dictionaries, encyclopedias and reference indexes and have to first learn how to use the book, how is it organized, how do i search using it. It seems like so much work compared to just opening up a search engine and typing our word. But is it worth it? I think so. I think thats what makes these classes so interesting. Learning about the resources, learning which resources are available for you to use online through the LBCC library, learning how they work. Most of the online reference sources are trying to simplify the searches to resemble the google searchbox. Because that is what we know. That is what we breathe. As educated people, we need to be aware of what are other options are when we need more.
Okay, enough for today. Back to the reference desk!
I traveled a good portion of the summer, the first 4 weeks of the semester and saw some amazing things. I went to three national parks in ONE week - Mt. Rainier, Glacier and Zion. Breathtaking and really reset my peacefulness meter.
Library 3 only has a few more weeks. Another great summer class with excellent students. Out of all the classes I teach, Library 3 seems to give me the most joy. Probably because its a three unit class compared to the one units that I teach often. I'll be happy to see some library 3 faces in my new course Library 204 starting this fall (Intro to Reference Services).
Even though I'm more of a computer/database programming geek, I love working at the reference desk and sharing that enthusiasm with students. In my masters program, the Reference Services course was probably my favorite and the course that I learned so much about library resources in. Perhaps that is what my students feel as they discover the resources they learn about as well. It's overwhelming, but in a good way. Amazing to think that there is so much information out there.
There is no doubt we are an information fed species that thrives on the Internet. If there is something we hear throughout the day that we don't know anything about, once online google to the rescue. Instant access (not always correct information but as we develop our research skills we learn how to sort through credible versus non-credible information). We are *keyword* driven. We use words daily to describe things, but how do we learn which word to use? Thats one of the ideas I try to emphasize in my courses - the difference between keyword searching and subject searching.
We look at dictionaries, encyclopedias and reference indexes and have to first learn how to use the book, how is it organized, how do i search using it. It seems like so much work compared to just opening up a search engine and typing our word. But is it worth it? I think so. I think thats what makes these classes so interesting. Learning about the resources, learning which resources are available for you to use online through the LBCC library, learning how they work. Most of the online reference sources are trying to simplify the searches to resemble the google searchbox. Because that is what we know. That is what we breathe. As educated people, we need to be aware of what are other options are when we need more.
Okay, enough for today. Back to the reference desk!
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