put the music on

maura @ 6:36 pm

You may remember my musing/grumping about classes I taught earlier in the week. I had a class this morning (my lone weekend class this semester), and I’m happy to report that it was an entirely different — and pleasant! — experience.

I’ve been trying to deconstruct it all day. The course instructor was there, though she had to miss the first half of the session; since the library doesn’t open that early she had to wait by the door for latecomers. The students were averagely engaged, some more than others, and there was a bit of chatting. I worked to ask more questions of them which I think helped, especially asking questions of the chatty ones. It was the first class of the day so the room wasn’t too hot yet.* I tried to pace + talk with my hands less (because I think that tires me out), though I’m not exceptionally well-rested today. And a big plus is that the students are working on a research assignment right now. I always ask students to suggest topics to search during library sessions, but today we actually found a couple of relevant books, articles, and websites for a few lucky ones.

* This is a serious bummer. Because the classroom was carved out of a windowless space not originally intended for 30 computers, it gets incredibly hot. We have a couple of fans and run them between classes, but we can’t run them too high during class or we’d have to yell over them. I sympathize with the students, really, I do. Even the most fascinating discussion is difficult to concentrate on when you’re in a hot room, and for most students even debating the pros + cons of Wikipedia (usually the high point of student interest in the session) doesn’t really qualify as fascinating.

So, what can I take away from this?

1. I need to try harder to schedule these sessions at students’ point of need: when they are beginning research for an assignment.

Scheduling is a huge bear for us. This semester we have 126 sections of English Comp I. We always have 4 instruction librarians and 1 classroom. Recently we’ve been trying to squeeze most classes in right after midterms, figuring that students won’t really be thinking about their final papers until then. But some sections don’t do a research paper and some faculty would prefer sessions earlier or later (we do accommodate those faculty who ask). Maybe next semester we will try asking for a few date suggestions from each prof and schedule them first come, first served. A colleague also suggested sticking with the same librarian/instructor pair from semester to semester, which could help us keep all of these diverse assignments in mind.

I also need to gently remind faculty that the sessions work best if students have an assignment. Since this is the only required library session in our students’ academic careers at the college, there’s a tendency to make it more orientation than instruction. I’d really like to move my classes more firmly into the instruction zone. Probably it’s time to revisit our learning objectives to make sure they don’t focus too much on orientation-type info. It’s also really hard to resist the temptation in these sessions to try and cover everything, because we’re only guaranteed to get them in the library this one time. But I know I should probably resist.

2. More thinking about a session that’s entirely made up of questions I ask of the students.

I already structure the first part of the class like this, in which I discuss searching the internet and how library and internet resources are different. We have classroom control software, so I could ask students to search and then display their results on the screen for all to see, which might be more efficient (and less scary) than asking students to come to the podium to demonstrate. I’m still not sure this will work with all classes — in my experience the students’ prior library knowledge is all over the place. But it will definitely be more interactive and (I hope) engaging for the students. I’ll need to really tightly tie the questions to our learning objectives to be sure that we have time to cover everything we need to in the session, and practice keeping a closer eye on the clock.

Closer, closer still! This is getting closer to a plan.

P.S. Sorry for so much library stuff here lately. I guess I can’t figure out where to put these less-formal blatherings. But I clearly want to write about these issues (I sat down to try to write an ACRL blog post but this is what I got instead), so I guess it’ll be here for now.

just like falling off a log

maura @ 9:51 pm

This afternoon I went to a meeting of the CUNY Games Network. Let’s get this right out of the way: yes, it’s true, we do play games at these meetings. And sometimes I feel a little bit guilty about it, because it doesn’t seem as worky as some of the other parts of my job do. I also waver a bit before these meetings because I have so much else going on in my research life right now, including my main project (probably a multi-year commitment) and an article I’m coauthoring with a colleague.

But I always end up being glad that I’ve made time for the meeting (and not just because we play a game). It’s such an interesting group: faculty from all over the university who are interested in using games for teaching and learning. All kinds of games, too, from board to digital to roleplaying to simulations. It’s really right at the intersection of many of my personal and professional interests, which is why I haven’t successfully convinced myself that I’m too busy for it.

Today (among other things) we played Settlers of Catan. It’s a great game, though it was a little weird to play again after so many years. We had a pretty regular Settlers game night with friends maybe 10 (!) yrs ago, but haven’t played much since. After a couple of rounds of play the group stopped to discuss the aspects of the game that might be used in teaching (a regular feature of these meetings).

Catan is pretty complex, which I’d kind of forgotten, so it was great to have the chance to break it down and see whether the underlying mechanics can be adapted to a classroom setting. Often we discuss games on the micro level, seeing which parts of the game can be pulled out for teaching. But today I was struck by the macro level. Resource management games like Catan are (in part) about using your resources to accomplish small tasks in the pursuit of a bigger goal (winning the game). Which is kind of like scaffolding student work on a research paper/project/assignment. To use the term paper analogy, first students need to pick an appropriate (in subject + scope) topic, then find resources on the topic, then maybe create an annotated bibliography, then write the paper, and finally add their references.

It’s not a perfect fit: part of the gameplay in resource management games is that you don’t always have the resources you need to win, and you need to strategize to get as many resources as you can. In a way what I’ve described is really any game that it’s possible to win. And certainly in a class there shouldn’t be one student who will “win” above all others — everyone can be a winner (in theory, at least). But it was good to be able to map something gamey (har) onto a traditional library/research task. I mean, I always think of research as a kind of game — hunting + gathering for the best info hits many of the same notes for me that playing a good puzzley adventure game does. Transferring that enjoyment of the research process to students, that’s the challenge.

you can count the fingers on one hand

maura @ 10:57 pm

I read a lot of stuff about instructional tech and information tech these days, and I see a lot of love for Twitter in those spheres. And I share that love, really, I do. I felt kinda embarrassed when I first signed up,* but Twitter has become a pretty indispensable part of my infostreams.

* linking to this post is cracking me up because apparently back in May of aught-eight I was all “I don’t want an iPhone!” And look at me now.

But lately I’ve been thinking about the other stuff that I like about Twitter. I don’t go overboard w/the celebs on Twitter — really it’s only a few folks. But it’s neato to be able to follow some musicians that I like, most notably Kristin Hersh and Tracey Thorn. Maybe it’s because they’re old like me and have kids and still talk about “records.” Tracey Thorn’s kids made fun of her for using that word, and now that I’m a librarian it sometimes has a different meaning for me, too, though I will always think of A sides and B sides before anything else (old habits die hard). Kristin Hersh, one of the most prolific (and sharing) musicians out there, lets us know every time she has a new song up on her website. And they both tweet silly funny stuff about their kids, an indulgence that any parent will probably appreciate (and admit to).

My Twitter music fan habit is probably just another mutation in the evolution path (and aging) of me as a music fan. I’ve written some about this in the past. The older I get, the less I crave live music, browsing record (ha) stores, and reading music reviews/news/zines/etc. (though I still sometimes miss my college radio show). But I still feel strongly about music and consider “music fan” to be a core facet of my personality.

Gets me thinking: what counts as a “fan”? I’ve seen only a handful of live shows since Gus was born and probably buy only 1-2 CDs every few months these days. But I still listen to music every day. And my Twitter habit helps keep music in mind, too.

5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0

maura @ 9:08 pm

At times like this I’m glad I have a picture on my camera I’ve been meaning to upload:

I took this picture last week — it’s of the big jello mold art in the Willoughby Windows that I mentioned, one of my favorite things to walk by in the mornings on the way to work. After I wrote that post I searched all around Flickr, thinking that someone had to have taken a photo of the big jello mold on a table, but I couldn’t find anything. So here it is for your delectation.

I should probably join Flickr. I don’t know why I never have, just hasn’t occurred to me, I guess. I don’t take that many photos (though I do take more now that I have a phone w/a camera) and I’m not sure that I would ever remember to upload them. But it would be nice to add to the pool of Creative Commons-licensed images out there in the world, so maybe I’ll take the plunge soon.

inside out in the daytime, outside in in the night time

maura @ 9:39 pm

Tonight I want to read the Science section in the Times and catch up on my RSS feeds and join FriendFeed and back up my student interview data and brainstorm ways to market the library’s course to the (hopefully many) students that will soon be able to register for it for next semester and go to sleep before 11. Probably impossible, but thank you for making blogging so easy, Twitter Tuesdays!

busy day, just catching up now & kinda funny to see the Levi-Strauss news reported from all corners of my twitterstream.
about 3 hours ago from Echofon

canceled meeting = pleasant surprise of extra time to gtd. listening to air: talkie walkie = good tuesday morning work music.
about 11 hours ago from web

@s_francoeur I know, I love voting w/those old machines, it feels so tangible and real.
about 12 hours ago from Echofon in reply to s_francoeur

no line to vote, w00t!
about 13 hours ago from Echofon

@maura isn’t every night goth night in new orleans?
7:17 AM Nov 2nd from Echofon in reply to maura

resetting clocks last night worked: Gus let us sleep an extra hour this morning, yay!
7:46 AM Nov 1st from Echofon

RT @dancohen UNC Press surveying librarians on “ideas for innovative publishing projects” http://tr.im/DHAe. Free book 4 completing survey.
11:53 AM Oct 31st from web

RT @tracey_thorn: bloody spoilsports http://tinyurl.com/ydapt6g
9:07 AM Oct 31st from Echofon

@listentomyvoice Don’t let it get you down. I had a prof talk loudly to a few students while I was teaching earlier this week. So rude!
10:26 PM Oct 30th from Echofon in reply to listentomyvoice

@lwaltzer he wants 2 B a cobra & does not care that we can’t find a costume. my husband is painting scales on a cape right now. Kaya & Roby?
10:04 PM Oct 30th from Echofon in reply to lwaltzer

perfect weather right now for Halloween: cloudy, windy and mid-50s. shame it’ll be warmer tomorrow.
5:35 PM Oct 30th from web

Great time today @ Gravesend Inn, incredible haunted house built + run by amazing #citytech Entertainment Tech students http://bit.ly/1VeT4N
6:42 PM Oct 29th from web

@brianmathews digital learning objects integrated into library website & college course management system & the marketing of same
12:32 PM Oct 28th from Echofon in reply to brianmathews

so far, so far away

maura @ 9:06 pm

I had this whole post about open access publishing I was in the middle of writing for my other blag, but I broke my own writing rules and didn’t finish it this morning. I read the paper and my RSS feeds instead, which felt like a better way to start this Monday. We blew any sleep gained Saturday night by staying up too late reading/programming last night, then of course I woke up early and couldn’t go back to sleep, just for good measure. Tonight I am going to sleep at 9pm, seriously.

I had two classes right in a row in the middle of the day today, which meant that I ate lunch around 11:00am. Maybe it was my tiredness or maybe my full stomach that made me feel like the classes didn’t go particularly well. They weren’t awful, just that there seemed to be a higher percentage than usual of students either blatantly not paying attention and/or chatting amongst themselves. I know all of the things to do in these cases, e.g., stand near the chatterers, give them pointed looks, ask them questions about the material, and ask them to stop talking. And I even did some of them. But still, something about these classes was dissatisfying.

The humble one-shot library instruction session has been written about many times and in many venues, both formal and informal, and I’m not going to bore you with a repeat here. But on days like today I find myself wondering how I can make it better. What if there were a way to get the students more involved and to make the session less draining for me, too? Partly that’s my own fault — my adrenaline rush usually keeps me moving around during classes and I talk with my hands too much. But it’s also because of that dreaded feeling that I have to lecture for much of the session or else I won’t be able to cover all of the material. And lecturing is tiring.

I’ve been trying to hatch an alternative plan for these sessions in my head over the past week or so. I’m not sure if it’s gained enough mass yet to put down in writing — it still feels kind of ethereal. But the gist of it is: what if the entire class session consisted of me asking students questions? What if I asked them to demonstrate searching the library catalog and databases? I do ask questions throughout my classes, but maybe actually rewriting the library session as a series of questions would both help take the talking onus off of me and get the students more involved.

Now I just need to find the time to write those questions down. But not tonight.

i had a little trouble with the scissors

maura @ 10:58 am

Yes, it’s November, so once again it’s time for NaBloPoMo. All fall I’ve been laboring under the assumption that I wouldn’t participate this year. Just like last year, the first 3 weeks of November is the busiest time at MPOW for library instruction. I’m on more committees than last yr, too, and in the midst of a big research project.

BUT. The big but. The point of NaBloPoMo is to force gently encourage yourself to write more, and I could use a kick in the pants w/writing these days. Back in September I settled on a new writing plan: I come into work at 8am and write for an hour before work. (This year Gus rides the school bus to school as well as home, which means that he and Jonathan need to leave the house at 7:30am, which suddenly makes this plan feasible.) Mostly this writing is supposed to be scholarly, but lighter stuff like library blogging also counts.

And this all worked swimmingly until around the 2nd week in October, when I started the student interviews portion of my research project. Suddenly I needed all the time I could scrape together to manage my research; my one Reassigned Time day/week just wasn’t cutting it. So I started devoting mornings to the project too. Which is fine — it’s a great project and I’m really enjoying the work. But I miss my writing time.

Now that the data collection part of my research project is starting to slow down for this semester, it’s time to get back to that regular writing again. And I figure I’ve got a couple of posts that I already know I’ll write, between Twitter Tuesdays and the other blags I write for.

So, I’m in. 30 posts in 30 days. I’ve done it before, I can do it again, right?

sputtering to a stop

maura @ 9:24 pm

Well, that’s it, this NaBloPoMo thing has ended for this year. I feel a bit blah about it compared to years past. I did blag every day, it’s true, but it doesn’t seem like I really gave it my all. There were a few meaty posts, but mostly they were short + very picturey.

Ah well, that’s the way it goes. I guess with the superbusy class time of the semester in the first half of this month, my energies were not as available for writing. Maybe next year I’ll have figured out how to devote more time to writing even during the teaching crush.

Or maybe I’ll just prewrite a bunch of blags before I get too busy, and post them sneakily each day, as if they were written fresh + new! Except that I’ve just blown my cover, dang.

wizard needs food badly

maura @ 10:27 pm

Nothing like spending 5 hrs on the NJ Turnpike to make you realize that the future looks awfully much like the past. I mean, honestly, it could have been 30 yrs ago and our drive would have been almost exactly the same as today. Probably less traffic, but the roads are certainly the same. The infrastructure is identical.

In some ways we’ve achieved the dream of the 1950s: everyone cruises around in their own personal climate controlled bubble, listening to music, watching TV, eating and drinking whenever they feel like it. It’s car as living room, as Jonathan said earlier.

I don’t know. It’s not that I’m not grateful for all of the cool future stuff that we do have. This video (which Jonathan sent me from bing bong, I believe) is a hilarious reminder of that. And we certainly took advantage of the advances this afternoon + evening, when Gus watched Castle in the Sky three (3!) times while we were stuck in horrible traffic.

BUT. But, but, but. It’s hard to believe that we couldn’t have used all of our fantastic futurizing powers to do something better. Superfast trains that don’t pollute the way cars do (and are cheaper to run, too). Eco-energy, from cleaner power plants to better ways of moving electricity over long distances (though I do like the aesthetics of those giant electrical towers — they look like robots).

I don’t know, it’s just disappointing, I guess. Cars are stupid. And I’d even give up my iphone for a better train system. Though if I did, what would I use to read my web stories en route?

gobble gobble

maura @ 7:43 pm

The dinner’s been consumed (dessert too), and Gus is in hog heaven: playing Link’s Crossbow Training on my BIL’s Wii w/surround sound. We had some iconic fall moments this afternoon raking leaves so Gus could jump into a pile of them a la Charlie Brown Thanksgiving (“never jump into a pile of leaves with a wet sucker”). AND we didn’t even hit traffic on the SIE and NJT today. Much to be thankful for!

Don’t forget, tomorrow is Buy Nothing Day! Sadly, tomorrow we might actually have to buy something, since it’d be rude to eat all of my sister’s food + not pick up dinner in exchange for crashing at their pad. But dinner’s hardly frivolous, so I think we get a pass on that.