Learning Technologies Center

Ok, desperate is too strong of a word, but it is time to be seeking potential partners for the potential IMLS grant due February 1. Spent a lot of this morning thinking about what participation would require, what the grant could pay for, how many locations would need to be involved, the best ways to contact potential partners. I hate sending info to emails blindly, but where we don't have a personal contact it may make more sense to do it that way and follow up with a telephone call.

Audio of Henry Jenkins' Opening Keynote from GLLS2007Posted on 08/08/2007 at 02:39:35 PM by Jenny Levine The first of the audio files from the 2007 TechSource Gaming, Learning, and Libraries Symposium is now available!

Article from the Online Wall Street Journal talks about the perils of relationships in Second Life. While not really GDS related, it talks about proponents and detractors of gaming and VR.

I've been approaching kids I see playing Runescape on the computers and telling them about the program (only when they pause for a break, of course!) and asking if they'd like a quick demonstration of Scratch and if they'd want to sign up. Most of these teens I see playing games in the library are boys. Interestingly, it's the girls who overhear me talking to the game players who are interested in the program. They seem to be more open to an opportunity to create something. In addition, the girls I've signed up have also wanted to sign up a friend to do the program with them.

This is a long post with information on 21st century literacies. <--break-->

21st Century Literacy- framed by academic achievement

DIGITAL AGE LITERACY
 Basic, scientific, economic and technological literacies
 Visual and information literacies
 Multicultural literacy + awareness

INVENTIVE THINKING
 Adaptability, managing complexity, and self direction
 Curiosity, creativity and risk taking
 Higher order thinking and sound reasoning

EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION
 Teaming, collaboration, interpersonal skills
 Personal, social and civic responsibility

Wednesday's roll out event went well, with about 30 people from MPL and HCL in attendance. Kirsten spoke well about informal learning and the importance of after school programming; Keith did an excellent presentation on Scratch. All nine workstations were filled with experimenters after his presentation. It felt helpful to talk about the Game Studio as a 21st century literacy activity in much the same way story times were 19th and 20th century literacy practices.

Found via Library Stuff, an Ohio Library faces opposition to a HALO 2 Tournament.