Information Literacy—What Does It Mean?
The American Library Association says that to be information literate a person needs to be able to recognize when information is needed and have the ability to locate, evaluate, and use the needed information effectively. Put another way, an information literate person is one who knows how to learn what they need to learn. They are prepared to be lifelong learners and can find reliable information with which to conduct their lives.
Why Is It Important?
We live in an information society with an amazing abundance of information available to us. People need to have the training to know how to gain access to the information they need, both personally and professionally. Our schools need to take the lead in equipping students toward this cause. Schools should teach not only how to locate information, but, given the plethora of information available on the Web from both reliable and unreliable sources, should also teach how to discriminate between the good and the bad.
How Will I Encourage It?
In the library at my sixth grade campus, I will teach students and teachers how to use both print and electronic information responsibly. I will demonstrate proper search strategies using the online catalog and databases to which we subscribe. I will also teach them to search the Internet in a way that ensures that they are acquiring accurate information from reliable sources.
Our campus houses many minority and at-risk students. It is a challenge to try to instill in them the desire to be lifelong learners and to try to break generational cycles of poverty and ignorance of information that can improve their situations. I am very cognizant of these factors when I work with them on a daily basis and will continue to look for ways to motivate and educate them so that they can become able seekers and users of knowledge.
How Does It Apply To My Vision?
Being information literate applies to my personal vision in that I desire to see students’ lives changed through information acquisition, sharing, and communication. I desire to teach the skills and processes needed to enable my students to find what is helpful and true on the Internet. I want students to learn to think critically and intelligently and to be well-informed users of knowledge.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Thursday, February 19, 2009
What's a "Boolean?"
Hey, friends, I looked up on ask.com and they said that George Boole is the inventor of "Boolean" search techniques!
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Educational Technology Organizations, Post #2
Department of Education Office of Educational Technology
Department of Education Office of Educational Technology (OET)
http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/os/technology/index.html
The Office of Educational Technology coordinates the U.S. Department of Education’s educational technology policies, research projects and national technology summits. Its main goal is to develop national educational technology policy and implement policy to support the goals of No Child Left Behind.
I selected this organization because I wanted to see what our federal government has to say about our subject. I have ordered a number of free resources from them in the past and was interested to see what they might offer us in this area. I noticed that this website offers a link to possible grants for technology. When I finish my coursework I plan to devote time to applying for grants for our financially-disadvantaged (poor!) school district. I also enjoyed looking through the links provided under “Federal Resources for Educational Excellence.”
EDUCAUSE
http://www.educause.edu/node/720
EDUCAUSE is a nonprofit association whose mission is to advance higher education by promoting the intelligent use of information technology. It provides professional development activities, applied research, policy advocacy, teaching and learning initiatives, print and electronic publications, and much more.
I know we’ve read the article on blogging from this site, but I wanted to mention it again because of how wonderful it is. My favorite part of this website is the “7 Things You Should Know About…” series. It gives a brief and practical explanation of various Web 2.0 applications beginning in 2005. It’s a great resource to keep up-to-date about new technologies. In these overviews you can also read about ways the technology can be used to impact learning in the classroom. It’s definitely one you might consider for tagging.
Department of Education Office of Educational Technology (OET)
http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/os/technology/index.html
The Office of Educational Technology coordinates the U.S. Department of Education’s educational technology policies, research projects and national technology summits. Its main goal is to develop national educational technology policy and implement policy to support the goals of No Child Left Behind.
I selected this organization because I wanted to see what our federal government has to say about our subject. I have ordered a number of free resources from them in the past and was interested to see what they might offer us in this area. I noticed that this website offers a link to possible grants for technology. When I finish my coursework I plan to devote time to applying for grants for our financially-disadvantaged (poor!) school district. I also enjoyed looking through the links provided under “Federal Resources for Educational Excellence.”
EDUCAUSE
http://www.educause.edu/node/720
EDUCAUSE is a nonprofit association whose mission is to advance higher education by promoting the intelligent use of information technology. It provides professional development activities, applied research, policy advocacy, teaching and learning initiatives, print and electronic publications, and much more.
I know we’ve read the article on blogging from this site, but I wanted to mention it again because of how wonderful it is. My favorite part of this website is the “7 Things You Should Know About…” series. It gives a brief and practical explanation of various Web 2.0 applications beginning in 2005. It’s a great resource to keep up-to-date about new technologies. In these overviews you can also read about ways the technology can be used to impact learning in the classroom. It’s definitely one you might consider for tagging.
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Changing the look...
In case you've been to my post before and might get confused...I'm changing this blog to be more "academic." I didn't quite "get it" when I designed it earlier. Thanks for your patience!
Saturday, January 31, 2009
ETEC 524, Post #1
Ok, friends, it’s time for me to post my first entry in regard to ETEC 524, the course that prompted me to create this blog. I will start with my…
Introduction
My name is Cinda Boshart. I am the librarian at the Greenville Sixth Grade Center and an LIS student at TAMU-Commerce. I am in my next-to-last semester after taking courses for two years. I am so excited to be in this introductory course and really wish it had fit into my schedule earlier. I certainly have needed and benefitted from the technology courses I’ve had as I had little background knowledge before beginning this degree. I am hoping this course will pull together much of the information and skills I’ve been exposed to thus far and help me refine basic skills I can use both professionally and personally.
I am seeking this degree in order to keep my job as I am presently working under an emergency certification. I love my job and feel qualified for it in many ways. Finishing my degree will give me the knowledge and skills I need to continue learning and growing in the field of library information science. My present goal is to obtain my Master’s degree this summer. In the future, I want to continue learning through experience and other continuing education opportunities. I want to be a qualified and competent library media specialist who successful grows students into effective seekers of knowledge.
My Educational Technology Philosophy
· My philosophy of educational technology focuses on using technology so that all those in my sphere of influence, including myself, are empowered by its ability to provide access to information, technologies, and communication to foster relationships.
· Educational technology should not focus on the acquisition of new technology for the sake of having more tools, but should focus on the knowledge and skills desired in order to reach certain goals for our students and ourselves.
· Technology serves to motivate students, enrich instruction, and increase productivity in a professional setting.
· Technology can add value to a balanced educational program.
· Educators should introduce students to the ability of technology to change lives through information acquisition, sharing, and communication.
Definition of Educational/Instructional Technology
Educational/instructional technology involves theories, processes and tools used in addressing educational needs and problems. It involves designing, developing, utilizing, managing, and evaluating processes and resources for teaching and learning. Simply put, it is any technology used by educators to aid the teaching and learning process.
Roblyer, M. D. Integrating Educational Technology into Teaching. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson, 2006.
Newby, Timothy J., et al. Educational Technology for Teaching and Learning. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson, 2006.
Lever-Duffy, Judy, et al. Teaching and Learning with Technology. Boston: Pearson, 2008.
Technology Skills I Would Like to Develop
I would like to learn more about Web 2.0 applications (blogs, wikis, flickr, delicious, voicethread). I also want to get more comfortable using desktop publishing and PowerPoint. I will use these to help students integrate knowledge into real-world projects and to help them build relationships with others with whom they can learn and collaborate to solve problems.
I don’t really feel proficient enough with any technological skills to the extent that I could share with others.
Introduction
My name is Cinda Boshart. I am the librarian at the Greenville Sixth Grade Center and an LIS student at TAMU-Commerce. I am in my next-to-last semester after taking courses for two years. I am so excited to be in this introductory course and really wish it had fit into my schedule earlier. I certainly have needed and benefitted from the technology courses I’ve had as I had little background knowledge before beginning this degree. I am hoping this course will pull together much of the information and skills I’ve been exposed to thus far and help me refine basic skills I can use both professionally and personally.
I am seeking this degree in order to keep my job as I am presently working under an emergency certification. I love my job and feel qualified for it in many ways. Finishing my degree will give me the knowledge and skills I need to continue learning and growing in the field of library information science. My present goal is to obtain my Master’s degree this summer. In the future, I want to continue learning through experience and other continuing education opportunities. I want to be a qualified and competent library media specialist who successful grows students into effective seekers of knowledge.
My Educational Technology Philosophy
· My philosophy of educational technology focuses on using technology so that all those in my sphere of influence, including myself, are empowered by its ability to provide access to information, technologies, and communication to foster relationships.
· Educational technology should not focus on the acquisition of new technology for the sake of having more tools, but should focus on the knowledge and skills desired in order to reach certain goals for our students and ourselves.
· Technology serves to motivate students, enrich instruction, and increase productivity in a professional setting.
· Technology can add value to a balanced educational program.
· Educators should introduce students to the ability of technology to change lives through information acquisition, sharing, and communication.
Definition of Educational/Instructional Technology
Educational/instructional technology involves theories, processes and tools used in addressing educational needs and problems. It involves designing, developing, utilizing, managing, and evaluating processes and resources for teaching and learning. Simply put, it is any technology used by educators to aid the teaching and learning process.
Roblyer, M. D. Integrating Educational Technology into Teaching. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson, 2006.
Newby, Timothy J., et al. Educational Technology for Teaching and Learning. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson, 2006.
Lever-Duffy, Judy, et al. Teaching and Learning with Technology. Boston: Pearson, 2008.
Technology Skills I Would Like to Develop
I would like to learn more about Web 2.0 applications (blogs, wikis, flickr, delicious, voicethread). I also want to get more comfortable using desktop publishing and PowerPoint. I will use these to help students integrate knowledge into real-world projects and to help them build relationships with others with whom they can learn and collaborate to solve problems.
I don’t really feel proficient enough with any technological skills to the extent that I could share with others.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Jay & Cinda Plus Eight (plus Six!)
Here's my family including our two sons-in-law and 4 grandchildren.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
My first post~
I've enjoyed reading other people's posts and now it's my turn! I actually had to create this for an Educational Technology class, which is nice since it prompted me to get going and do it. I'm learning to not be so hesitant to use all of these cool technology tools...it's definitely not something I'm drawn to learn naturally, though. I'd rather be spending my Saturday outside in the garden. Want to see what I'm looking at through my window right now? Let's see if I can get a photo of it and then post it here... 
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