The Daring Librarian

( UPDATE : This is the original post about this mobile media digital discovery lesson but I've also updated it recently in Part Deux ! Pls. check it out! :-) I remixed this awesome scavenger hunt originally created by Joyce Valenza and added a QR Code Twist! I re-worked some of the questions for a lesson with my adorable ESOL kids (we have 35 right now in our ESOL program & one cute be-freckled girl just came yesterday & speaks no English at all but she LOVED scanning the codes when I handed her my Droid Fascinate!) The rest of the kids have varying degrees of English proficiency but still will benefit from a few visual clues. So the scavenger hunt questions are intentionally simply & clearly worded combined with pics I created as QR Code Hints. You can also use this lesson for special needs classes, Library Media orientation, or even re-mix the questions, QR Codes, & hints for just about ANY subject area! To create the hints I used a combination of Photoshop, Fli

So having Library Journal use a version of this quote above in the Movers & Shakers article and having had my beloved School Library blog blocked this week has made me super sensitive to the challenges & responsibilities we have teaching our kids digital awareness and responsibility. People, teaching Digital Ed is not OPTIONAL . It's not a frill, and it's not about blocking & filtering it's all about teaching kids ethics & then trusting them to be responsible . According to a recent study & Mashable : "About 80% of children between the ages of 0 and 5 who use the Internet in the United States do so on at least a weekly basis, according to a report released Monday from education non-profit organizations Joan Ganz Cooney Center and Sesame Workshop." So my Sunday mornings are for sipping my favourite Jet Fuel coffee and catching up with my PLN on the Twitters and the afternoon is for blogging. This Sunday the amazing Kathy Kaldenberg o

Posted on Blogger Help forums: Could Blogger re-consider allowing nudity & sexual content? My school library blog is now blocked in my district. I am a librarian, I believe in free speech, & I am against censorship. However, My school district just blocked Blogger for EVERYone because Blogger allows Nudity & Sexual content. I've had my Daring School Library blog for 5+ years - It's a conversation between my students, community, and the world about our library program & practice. We highlight student achievements, new books, web 2.0 tools, QR codes, and the cool things we do in our awesome school. This blog you're reading...I didn't start this until I got inspired after NECC09 - my MHMS school library blog is my first love my oldest child! YouTube blocks nudity & sexual content, why not Blogger? If Blogger just took the same tact "YouTube is not for pornography or sexually explicit content. If this describes your video, even if it'

A few weeks ago I blogged about t he AMAZING Fakebook Powerpoint Nicholas Provanzano created in PPT & shared on Slideshare. I even purchased the Discovery Teacher set of Farcebook blank posters & fictional characters examples that I mentioned in the blog - SWEET! We laminated the blank posters so that kids could write on them with dry-erase markers or yes, overhead pens [gasp!]... There are times in our school (like right now) where getting into the iMacLab or using the MacBook mobile labs is difficult due to standardized & computerized testing. These high engagement low tech alternatives are GREAT! But I wanted MORE! So, I re-imagined and re-worked the framework, changed the name to Fakebook, changed some of the text & wording. Created in ComicLife in I exported the image as a .jpeg and inserted into a MS Word doc. You'll need LEGAL SIZE paper to print it but I think it looks real cool! I showed it around to my super cool teachers & they liked it! In a few

I'm incredibly honored & humbled to be named as an Innovator and one of Library Journal's 50 worldwide Movers & Shakers for 2011!! This is like the Oscars of Libraryland! "For ten years now, LJ 's Movers & Shakers has been spotlighting librarians and others in the library field who are doing extraordinary work to serve their users and to move libraries of all types and library services forward. They hail from all corners of the library world and several nations. Nominated by their colleagues, friends, bosses, and just plain admirers, they are just the tip of the iceberg." - Library Journal Honestly, last Monday I was stunned. Mouth unbelievingly agape, eyes wide & blinking, and most likely resembling some kind of redheaded goldfish. The tweets got to me first and when I saw the posting & the amazing 49 librarians I was listed with ... I said - out loud - a Scooby Doo "Zoinks!" I also felt like just doing a Wayne'

ISTE Board of Directors Election Now Open! VOTE & Let your Choice & Voice be Heard! Voting Ends-April 11 I was surprised recently to learn that with over 20,000 ISTE members worldwide only about 10% exert their right to vote for the association leadership. Being voted to the ISTE Board of Directors just last year I take a whole new view on my responsibilities and the honor to represent our membership. You! I am your voice to ISTE! I am in your corner & here to make sure some of the corporate types in the boardroom remember the classroom teacher (and the teacher-librarians) who are actually out there in the trenches! I serve you at your pleasure. If you have a concern, or something you want me to convey to the board - email me! (links on the right of this blog) Baby, I keep it real...cause you know that's how I roll. ISTE board members are regular people from around the world who volunteer their time to speak up for all of us - so that every area (hopefully!)

So, I get this Tweet & email question a lot..." How do you make those At-A-Glance Comic Tutorials! ? " I've mentioned it before but here's more..it's Comic Life ! The above comic was probably my first - I created in 2007 for my Daring Tech Wiki about Comic Life (with classroom ideas!) and the below comics (all 3 pages!) were created by the awesome Media Specialist & my colleague & friend Mr. Adam Yeargin (he also does rockin video book review blogs !)- and he graciously gave me full permission to tweak them a little bit adding some pics (dear readers, you know of my graphic design addictions) to share with you & add them to the Comic Tutorial collection. Thanks Adam for your amazing talent & generosity! Everyone Enjoy! Creative Commons 4evah! (OOooh what a great tattoo that would be!) And Yes, I am ADD - what gave it away? O00 Shiny! Comic Life also helped me make my Comic Mission Statement! Want a choice of sizes? They'r