[LM_NET] April SIGMS Activities

[Laurie Conzemius <lconzemius@GMAIL.COM>]

Below you will find the April activities for the Media Specialist special
interest group of ISTE (SIGMS).  Whether or not you're a member of ISTE,
please feel free to join in on any of the following:

 April 2010 SIGMS Activities


Second Life: AASL-SIGMS Virtual Learning Community
Wed, April 14: 8pm ET/7pm CT/6pm MT/5pm PT
"AdvancED - Libraries & the Accreditation Process"
Presenter: David Hurst

AdvancED makes various recommendations related to school libraries and
information literacy/research-related professional development for schools
it accredits. AdvancED is the unified organization of the North Central
Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement (NCA CASI)
and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Council on
Accreditation and School Improvement (SACS CASI). It is dedicated to
advancing excellence in education worldwide through accreditation, research,
and professional services. AdvancED creates the world's largest education
community, representing 27,000 public and private schools and districts
across the United States and in 65 countries worldwide, educating 15 million
students. NCA CASI and SACS CASI schools share a unified, clear and powerful
accreditation process designed to help schools continuously improve. Attend
this event to discuss ways to strengthen your library program. See their
website at http://advanc-ed.org. Join us at
http://slurl.com/secondlife/ALA%20Island/127/102/29.

If you are new to Second Life, set up an account to join us:
1. Go to the Second Life website at
http://secondlifegrid.net/programs/education several days in advance to set
up your free basic account.
2. Verify that your computer and connectivity meets the systems requirements
at http://secondlife.com/support/sysreqs.php.
3. Click on the orange “Get Started!” button. Go through the subsequent
screens to create your avatar account.
4. Download and install the Second Life viewer software at
http://secondlife.com/support/downloads.php.
5. Open the software and log into Second Life using your avatar first name,
last name, and password. Watch your avatar “be born”. Complete the
orientation activities to learn about how to communicate, move, search, and
edit your appearance.
6. When finished, search “Places” for locations such as Chicago Public
Schools, ISTE, or the American Library Association. Teleport to a favorite
location, explore, and become acquainted with Second Life. (When searching,
make sure the “search mature places” square is checked.)
7. Fifteen minutes prior to scheduled meetings, log on and IM Elaine Tulip
for a teleport to the meeting location or use provided SLURL.

Tapped In Event - "Sister Library Programs & other International Library
Connections"
Thursday, April 15 at 8pm ET/7pm CT/6pm MT/5pm PT
Facilitator: Lesley Farmer
Description: Learn how to strengthen your library program with more
international connections. In this live chat, we will discuss how to
participate in a Sister Library program and how to collaborate with
libraries in other countries.

Directions to join the SIGMS Tapped In event:
1. In advance, go to www.tappedin.org and click on the link at the top left
to sign up for free membership. Complete the short online form to join.
2. Receive your email confirmation to complete the registration.
3. Next, log in as a member at the welcome screen.
4. Scroll down on the top frame and click on the “Tapped In After School
Online Event Calendar” link
5. Click on today’s event "NEW!! ISTE International Media Specialists -
eBook Collections" link
6. On the next page, click on the “Cybrarians” chat room. We will meet in
this room.

Webinar for April
Gaming in School Libraries
Thursday, April 22nd at 8pm ET/7pm CT/6pm MT/5 pm PT
Presenters: Kelly Czarnecki, Christopher Harris, and Brian Mayer
Join SIGMS for a free, winning webinar on Gaming in School Libraries.
Authors Christopher Harris and Brian Mayer reveal reasons why modern board
games need to be a part of your collection from their new book on gaming in
school libraries. From curriculum alignments to the creation of socially
networked learning, the games that make their top lists are proven hits in
K-12 libraries. Kelly Czarnecki, Technology Education Librarian in
Charlotte, NC. will share ideas on how to host gaming events for all
different types of users from her new book, Gaming in Libraries. She will
discuss how to incorporate problem
solving and content-area learning in K-12 classes by using modern board
games, video games and virtual worlds. Learn how librarians have already
found success using games as instructional resources and a surefire way to
draw students to the
library.

Directions to join the SIGMS webinar event
1. Check that your computer is set up for Adobe Connect by visiting Adobe
Connect Pro Connection Test
2. Use this URL to enter the webinar room 10 - 15 minutes before starting
time: http://Montgomery.na4.acrobat.com/SIGMS
3. Enter as a guest and type your first and last name.
4. Here is a link to a Visual Quick Start guide (pdf) to help you if this is
your first webinar event.

Article Discussion for April

Natasha Wanchek wrote in the article entitled, Library 2.0: Enter the
Teacher Librarian Enthusiast, “This is an exciting time to be a K-12 school
librarian. Five years have passed since the Library 2.0 concept was coined
in a blog, but only in the last couple years have school libraries fully
started to embrace social networking and other 2.0 tools. For the
advocates--many of whom are connected by learning networks--the enthusiasm
for incorporating new technologies is palpable.” Joyce Valenza is referenced
in this article as saying, “This is the beginning of a tide that changes
everything we know about teaching and learning…”

For those of us who are excited about incorporating new technologies and
riding the tide, this article provides a plethora of ideas that prompts a
great deal of reflection. Read the article and then come join the discussion
of the article in the ISTE SIGMS Ning discussion forum. We have highlighted
some quotes from Joyce Valenza, Doug Johnson, David Loertscher and Natasha
Wanchek to help get the discussion started.

Laurie Conzemius
Media Specialist, Pine Meadow Elementary School, Sartell, MN
SIGMS Communications Chair

 To stay in touch with other SIG members, join the SIGMS group at the ISTE
Community Ning: http://www.iste-community.org/group/sigms.

Contact me at conzemius@q.com.

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