Zepnick, Jaclyn

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Smithsonian National Museum of American History. (2017).  Do Try This At Home! Retrieved from http://invention.si.edu/try/do-try-home

This is a “fun” link I found while browsing the web for ideas in creating a Virtual Makerspace for the library I work at. Via the Smithsonian’s “Fun Stuff for Kids Online,” the Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation has an entirely different approach to fun stuff for kids not online. 

While I could not incorporate any of these activities into my Virtual Makerspace (that would defeat the purpose of being “virtual”), I thought teachers and teacher librarians could get ideas about activities that students can physically do in class, the library, or at home. Make sure to click on the Spark!Lab and Encouraging Innovative Thinking tabs too. 

Deeper Learning, Inquiry and the Teacher Librarian

Amanda Rude

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Loertscher, D. V. (2016). Deeper learning, inquiry, and the teacher librarian Retrieved from http://libaccess.sjlibrary.org/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=lls&AN=119117881&site=ehost-live&scope=site

This article proposes two new ideas for inquiry. First, a framework for teachers to self-check for areas of proficiency and deficiency according to the  Digital Promise organization's website.  Deficiencies are then to be addressed through Micro Credentials.  Secondly the article discusses how  teacher's and students can utilize a learning commons to deepen their own learning.  An example is provided along with the UTEC maker model.

Projects with Technology Do Good Things

Post by Lora Poser-Brown

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Kingston, Sally and Lenz, Bob. “Blending Technology into Project Based Learning.” Partnerships for 21st Century Learning. Jan. 21, 2016. http://www.p21.org/news-events/p21blog/1832-blending-technology-into-project-based-learning

Overview: This article discusses many ways to incorporate projects and technology in regular instruction. In addition, justification is given for more projects with evidence that doing so increases attendance, scores, engagement, social skills, and more.

Analysis: The article was a quick read with great concrete examples for teachers. Furthermore, the ideas given can easily be adapted for different ages and subjects. The article makes project based learning seem less daunting for those new to the teaching style.

Pop-Up Perfection: Staging a Pop-Up Library

Aubree Burkholder

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Fiore, S. (2016, September). Pop-Up Perfection: Staging a Pop-Up Library. Retrieved from http://publiclibrariesonline.org/2016/09/pop-up-perfection-staging-a-pop-up-library/

Summary:

This article outlines the value behind community outreach and making personal connections with members of the community, especially when trying to plan new events or even pop-up libraries. The author gives a good explanation of what exactly a pop-up library is and the role that a pop-up librarian needs to have.  The article also gives great tips on how to promote the pop-up library and the ways to incorporate as many library departments as possible.

Evaluation:

I enjoyed this article because it shines a light on how important community outreach really is. It also gives great tips on how to begin setting up a pop-up library within a community that has never hosted one before. 

TED Talks Education

Karen Rogers

ET
CA
CO

TED. (2013, May 11). TED Talks Education. Retrieved July 13, 2016, from

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dilnw_dP3xk

Summary:  This video has a plethora of educators, Bill Gates, psychologists, and students who talk about educational theory, new ways of looking at curriculum and assessment, and how to improve our teaching.  The speakers talk about the importance of relationships, inquiry, perseverance, how to motivate students, and ways to help teachers improve.

Review:  The video is incredibly empowering and inspiring.  It encourages teachers to change their traditional mindset and take some risks in education.  It talks about the problems faced in education and ways to improve them.  It talks about the importance of building up student confidence and passion for knowledge being even more important than talent.  I think it is something all people in education should watch before starting the school year.

Theory and Research as the Foundational Elements of a Learning Commons

Whitney Fischer

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Reference:
Loertscher, D. V., & Koechlin, C. (2012). Theory and Research as the Foundational Elements of a Learning Commons. Teacher Librarian, 39(3), 48-51.


Summary:
This article posits that though school libraries are always changing and evolving, there will always be a place for teacher librarians.  Teacher librarians have the power to cultivate a friendly, inviting, and technologically advanced school library (budget permitting, of course) in the form of a learning commons.  The authors present five different articles to support their assertion that students and teachers alike benefit from the creation of these learning commons, as learning commons allow students to work collaboratively and use web 2.0 technology to work on the same documents or presentations simultaneously.  Lesson plans should incorporate tutorials on how to use the new tools available to students to keep confusion to a minimum.

Evaluation:
The idea that students should be given free reign to pursue their interests and use the tools available in the learning commons resonated with me because I agree that this self-directed approach to research with minimal restrictions on research tools and materials is an excellent way to keep students engaged with their projects.  I also appreciate the notion that teacher librarians should serve more as guides that are available to help students and point them in the right direction.

Tinkerspace: Library Learning Commons

Bailey, Rachel
ET

Doorley, R. Tinkerspace: Library learning commons [Web log post]. Retrieved from http://tinkerlab.com/maker-space-library-learning-commons/.

Summary
     This blog post highlights an elementary school library that embraces the MakerSpace movement. Before being set loose in the MakerSpace environment, all classes are required to have an orientation about how to use the space. Once this is established, children may come into the library and tinker with a plethora of stations such as mask making, origami, sewing, paper airplane folding, etc. Each station showcases books about the topic as well as materials so the students may begin creating. Students are encouraged to come up with topics for the tinker stations. Additionally, much of the materials for the MakerSpace are donated from the community and the students themselves.
     When a student goes to the MakerSpace area, he is to take one of the library timers to keep track of his time. He then works independently and creates! If he has a question, he must collaborate with other students around him as the librarian is usually teaching a class or helping to check out books. When the student is finished, he must clean up his work area and fill out an "exit ticket" that is reflective of  his experience.

Evaluation
     I thought this article was helpful. Much of the literature I read talks about the importance of having a MakerSpace in the library, but it doesn't tell how to implement it. I also like how this article talks about the type of materials used in the MakerSpace as well student expectations in the space. The only concern I had was that this library has a rather large space to work with. What about school libraries that have a limited amount of space? How can the Maker movement be implemented in these types of spaces?