N'Awlinz

I returned from ALA Annual a few days ago. Everybody in New Orleans was very welcoming. I don’t think we have ever received such a warm reception. The French Quarter didn’t receive much damage from Katrina and was just like I remembered it. But librarians who made it out to the ninth ward and other damaged areas said it was worse than they had imagined. Refer to the following articles for more about the current state of New Orleans and ALA in New Orleans.

“Ten Months After Katrina: Gutting New Orleans:” www.justiceforneworleans.org

June 27 Times-Picayune article: www.nola.com/entertainment/t-p/index.ssf?/base/living-6/115138795910710.xml

CNN Video: www.cnn.com/video/partners/clickability/index.html?url=/video/us/2006/06/26/callebs.nola.convention.affl



I attended the following events and plan to post summaries soon. Event descriptions are from the conference program. There were also a lot of great looking events that I didn’t get to attend and I will be looking for summaries of those events too.

Serving the Underserved - Distance Education & the LIS Degree
Date: 6/24/2006 10:30 AM -- 12:00 PM
Location:Morial Convention Center room: Rm. 342
Meeting Type: Open
Description: Social and technological changes in recent years have created a virtual revolution in the field of LIS education. Currently there 12 institutions that offer ALA accredited degrees that can be completed entirely on-line. Many others have extensive distance education components. Four Spectrum Scholars and an LIS professor will discuss the advantages, challenges, and unique “classroom” dynamics that this phenomenon creates, particularly for students from underrepresented groups. Moderated by Mark Puente, 2003 Spectrum Scholar.

Ethical and Legal Issues in Reference Discussion Group
Date: 6/24/2006 1:30 PM -- 3:30 PM
Location:Hotel Intercontinental room: Poydras
Meeting Type: Open
Description:
Amy’s note: Topic was Plagiarism

Making Assessment Work for You: How Information Literacy Tests Can Help Support Library Programs
Date: 6/25/2006 8:00 AM -- 10:00 AM
Location:Morial Convention Center room: Rm. 286-87
Meeting Type: Open
Description: Standardized tests are being used to measure the information literacy competencies of K-16 students. Results from these tests can have a profound effect on how administrators look at information literacy. What are these tests assessing and how can we use these tests to our advantage? This program will present a panel of testing experts and practitioners who will discuss how these tests work and how test scores can be used by librarians as data to support library programming.

The Long Tail: The Internet, Culture and the Mega-Store
Date: 6/26/2006 10:30 AM -- 12:00 PM
Location:Morial Convention Center room: Rm. 298-99
Meeting Type: Open
Description: Speakers will discuss information commons and new strategies for libraries.

Information Literacy for the 21st Century Learner

I recently viewed the teleconference, “Information Literacy for the 21^st Century Learner: Reaching At-Risk High School and Community College Students,” provided by the College of DuPage’s Library Learning Network. The program focused on a project with the same name by the Network of Illinois Learning Resources in Community Colleges (NILRC). A major component of this project is the Needs Assessment Instrument, which is available for others to use free of charge.

Other Things I Learned About

Standards: In developing this project, NILRC not only referred to information literacy standards, such as those by ACRL and AASL, but also considered general education standards: the Secretary's Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills (SCANS) and the Center for Educational Policy Research’s Standards for Success. SCANS considers the skills required to succeed in the modern work world. The report lists 6 “Functional Skills Needed for Effective Work Performance,” including “Information Management: Acquires and uses necessary information.” The purpose of the Standards for Success project was to define the skills students needed to successfully complete entry-level university courses. Several of the standards, provided in Understanding University Success, focus on the ability to locate and use information.

Instruction Design: Lisa Janicke Hinchliffe discussed the Kolb Cycle of Experiential Learning, Gagne’s Nine Events of Instruction, and ARCS Motivation Theory.