Unlurking

[Jill Midolo <Jill.MIDOLO@EDDEPT.WA.EDU.AU>]

Hi all,

I live in Perth Western Australia, which is just about as far from North
America as you can get! I've been on LM_NET since 1996, but rarely comment
openly or ask something of the group as a whole.

However, I do enjoy the LM_NET discussions, for example, Harry Potter is a
hot topic in Australia as well. An article in the latest issue of the
Australian YA journal 'Viewpoint' says the books are, 'superficial and
derivative, ... carelessly executed, ... offer troubling ideologies'.  I'm
fascinated by the Dr Laura debate and regret that I don't have an
opportunity to hear her!! <grin>

I also belong to Australia's teacher librarian network OZTL_NET and we now
have a Western Australian group called WATLNET.

I work for the Education Department of Western Australia in the central
office after spending most of my teaching career as a teacher librarian in
secondary schools (students aged 13 to 17). I review fiction resources for
schools, edit a learning technologies journal and contribute to our website:


http://www.eddept.wa.edu.au/centoff/cmis/eval/

One of the main benefits of LM_NET for me is picking up information about
leading edge projects in North America, especially related to learning
technologies.

It's interesting to see the range of things happening and compare with our
local situation. For example, Western Australia covers 2.5 million square
kilometres (5 times the size of Texas) and is 33% of Australia's land mass,
BUT, we have only 1.6 million people and less than 1200 schools (government
and non-government). Perhaps because we are so small and isolated, every
government school has an Internet connection, and every school library is
automated.

It is the beginning of spring here, so I'm off to look at wildflowers for
two weeks, starting tomorrow.

Best wishes,
        Jill

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jill Midolo
CMIS  (Curriculum Materials Information Services)
Education Department of Western Australia
151 Royal Street  East Perth  WA  6004
Ph:  (08) 9264 4192  Fax:  (08) 9264 5708
Email:  jill.midolo@eddept.wa.edu.au
Website:  http://www.eddept.wa.edu.au/centoff/cmis/eval/
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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