The Quest for Content in a World of Google, Gadgets, and Graphics

Let’s teach young people the importance of deep understandings, critical thinking, and clear communication by matching quality content with effective technology for engaging learning experiences.

As Web 2.0 applications become commonplace, the line between technology consumers and creators is blurred. From the Kindle to the iphone, gadgets provide easy access to information. Digital cameras are tools for instantly sharing multimedia information with the world. The purpose of this session is to identify ways to create effective, efficient, and appealing learning environments that incorporate the best of what technology has to offer without losing the depth of thinking and richness of information that comes from authoritative content.

In a universe where googling is a pastime, gadgets fill our pockets, and graphics replace words, how will we teach young people the importance of deep understandings, critical thinking, and clear communication? The key is matching quality content with effective technology. Use technology-rich resources and experiences to provide a context for subject-area communication and collaboration. Help young people use technology to access, evaluate, apply, and create subject-area information across the curriculum. Apply quality content to meaningful learning contexts.

Updated Presentations for American Association of School Librarians

Get Graphic! Visuals for Deep Thinking, Inquiry, and Learning
Let’s Go! Google Earth and GIS Resources Across the Curriculum
Graphic Novels, Photo Essays & Illuminated Term Papers: Communicating Deep Understandings

Thinking Outside the Book: Doing More With Less in the Academic Library
Facing tight budgets and growing demands, academic librarians are seeking ways to eliminate dated services, promote underused assets, and develop new services to meet changing needs. The key is thinking "outside the box"... and in the case of libraries, "beyond the book." The following three presentations explore ways that technology can be used to develop and promote effective, efficient, and appealing library communications, programs, and learning materials.

Recipes for Success: Information Age Approaches to Spice Up Your Academic Library Program
Sequential Art, Technology, and the Academic Library: Digital Comics and Graphic Novels Aren't Just for Kids
Get Graphic for Academic Librarians! Visual Tools and Resources for Deep Thinking, Inquiry, and Learning

Reach for the Checkered Flag: Hot Technologies to Rev Up Your Program
Reading, writing, information, and technology can rev up learning across the curriculum. Learn to integrate standards-based, technology-enhanced learning experiences; incorporate authentic, online primary source materials; and connect reading with web-based resources and activities including literature circles, wikis, collaborative projects, and blogs.

Explore practical strategies to address essential skills, differentiate instruction to meet individual needs, and promote a love of learning through a dozen project ideas for collaborating with teachers across grade levels and subject areas. Pit Stops throughout the workshop will help you explore the options, make effective choices, and integrate the best resources to address the needs of today’s 21st century learners. Avoid program wrecks through a series of practical strategies for collaboration and project planning. If you’re ready to energize your collaborative partnerships and promote inquiry-based learning across the curriculum, it’s time to “rev up” your program. How will you "rev up" your classroom with emerging technology? Learn more...

Beyond Googling Part II: A Fire Disasters Example
As you explore subject area applications, consider the many ways Google tools can be used in teaching and learning.

Let's use the topic of fire disasters and specifically the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire to learn about the options and opportunities with some of these tools.

Explore each of the following areas including Information, Multimedia, Collaboration, Creation, and Communication, Fun and Learning, and Teaching. Learn more...

Get Graphic! Visuals for Deep Thinking, Inquiry, and Learning

Learn to use technology tools and resources to promote graphic inquiry, collaboration, and communication to address technology and content-area standards. Young people are motivated by graphic communications. This visually rich workshop provides standards-based inquiry activities across grade levels and subject areas.

Learn to use online tools and resources, along with free and inexpensive software to promote graphic inquiry, collaboration, and communication to address technology and content-area standards. We live in a high-tech, multimedia world, yet most of our classroom activities still emphasize print communication. Even inquiry-based approaches to learning often stress writing lists of questions, reading texts, and writing papers. We know that many of our young people are motivated by graphic communications. There’s a need to explore the potential of graphic inquiry in teaching and learning. This workshop is intended to provide a practical approach to incorporating graphic inquiry across the curriculum. Specifically, it is designed to help the school library media specialists, technology coordinators, and classroom teachers identify tools and techniques for using graphic inquiry with their students. This visually rich workshop provides numerous, standards-based inquiry activities and projects that incorporate traditional materials as well as emerging social and collaborative technologies. Learn more...

The Digital Dog Ate My Notes: Tools and Strategies for 21st Century Research Projects
From digital note-taking to online concept mapping, explore online tools and strategies that promote 21st century information and technology skills. Learn to integrate tools such as NoteStar and Diigo to help students take, organize and share notes for research projects. Integrate online concept map tools such as Gliffy and Webspiration. Explore online citation tools such as Noodle Tools and Citation Machine to develop bibliographies. Finally, explore the pros and cons of digital tools in K-12 research projects and issues in classroom management. Learm More...

Straight from the Horse's Mouth:
Nonfiction, Technology and Information Fluent Thinkers
Designed as an all-day or multiple day workshop, each part is also a stand-alone conference sesstion. Whether reading from a book or a website, nonfiction reading is a critical skill in developing information fluent thinkers. Exploration of nonfiction is a wonderful opportunity to motivate and facilitate curious minds. Life is messy. Involve students in activities that allow them to work with information and demonstrate their understandings.

Part 1:
Straight from the Horse's Mouth: Nonfiction and the Information Age. Explore the importance of nonfiction reading across the curriculum and how teachers can design effective technology-enhanced learning experiences for their information age students,
Part 2:
A Dozen Skills: Standards, Thinking, and Information Age Fluency. Examine a dozen core nonfiction skills and associated standards including the ability to Identify Structure of Nonfiction, Analyze Genre of Nonfiction, Critique Nonfiction, Generate and Address Questions, Identify Main Idea, Apply Prior Knowledge, Identify Relationships and Make Comparisons, Solve Problems and Draw Conclusions, Make Predictions, Use Sequence and Order, Follow Instructions, and Find Meaning.
Part 3:
Enhance the Teaching and Learning Environment with Nonfiction Resources. Explore five ways to integrate technology and nonfiction into your existing classroom activities including Pair Fiction Reading with Nonfiction Resources, Fiction Read-Aloud with Nonfiction Activities, Nonfiction Read-Aloud, Nonfiction Reading Comprehension, and Cooperative Learning.