The Daring Librarian

Last year I blogged about EduCon from my couch whilst the snow piled up outside around me and I vicariously enjoyed & participated in this innovative concept for an exchange of ideas. This year I'm not only going but I'm honored to be involved with two different conversations. More about that below! You may ask what is EduCon, an unconference, and why a conversation? A Conversation NOT a Presentation: Viva la Unconference! My gorgeous mentor Joyce Valenza has written a must-read SLJ article about the EduCon unconference experience: "It's networking at its best," says Valenza. "It's critical, especially, that librarians network. It's clear to me that nobody knows who we are. I don't think we've gotten the word out. But we can't be in our buildings alone anymore." Dare to be Out There! More than ever we need to be "out there" not only in our school, local districts but on the state & national level. If you have ...

(graphic by Tim Holt) The digital shift revolution in educational practice isn't about throwing everything out that has been done before (sometimes to Ad nauseam ) but to add projects & product choices that enhance learning and better demonstrate research assessments and the comprehension of data. In other words: does a diorama and the science fair trifold with pasted on pictures & graphs really best show that the student has grasped the meaning and complexity of the research project. Really? Several change agents in eduction are asking this question of late (including yours truly) and I would like to start that conversation here, too! This also ties into the conversation Diane Cordell and I will be leading at EduCon in January (YAY!) The Power of the Product: Creative, Meaningful, & Daring Ways to Demonstrate Information Mastery : This conversation will create a shared list of viable, creative, meaningful, and daring products that demonstrate information mastery...

Field Guide For Change Agents View more presentations from Ben Hazzard . From the Educon Twitter Feed: benhazzard : We wrote a book today at Educon! The Field Guide for Change Agents http://bit.ly/chffPw (RT, take, read, share!) ....and since i couldn't be at Educon (i can't afford to go to EVERY conference....if only!) i'm posting and loving the above creation.....just brilliant....!! And all hail the power of technology, Twitter and the PLN this slideshow has in less than 24 hours the following stats on slideshare: Sunday Afternoon: 1650 views , 12 favs , 8 embeds Monday Morning: 2647 views , 17 favs , 16 embeds Tuesday Morning: 3617 views , 23 favs , 20 embeds more stats WOW!.....that's pretty daggone amazing!