Literacy, information literacy and needs...

I have been thinking a lot about the information literacy needs of the diverse group of students that are on the campus this year. I consider the script approach taken by my colleagues in the big city campus and wonder if it would even impinge on the minds of the teenagers in the High school or the Tafe.

I was reading Dorothy Porters "El Dorado" and in one verse she succinctly put something that spoke quite clearly to me what I have been watching in my own children and the larger population of students;

The child in this situation didn't leave a note about her whereabouts, didn't think pen and paper at all! (shock, horror)She had been texting her father, however his phone was switched off... and the protagonist was remembering that this,

"..generation
is gadget-savvy,
but otherwise totally-
unapologetically-
illiterate."
Porter, D. (2007. pg. 322)

There are many 'key' words in the verse, but I think 'unapologetically' really nailed it, they don't care (sorry, even think about) if we care about our way of doing things, and why can't 'we get it'.

"Illiterate" in my dictionary is:
1. Unable to read or write. and 2. not knowledgeable about a particular subject.

However they are knowledgable about their particular subjects.

Images of the past year at this point float through my mind;
my son struggling to read a novel for the subject we still so strangely call "english", chucking it aside and then,

-texting 3 friends, (reading and writing),

-searching for a particular YouTube video, (keywords in use here),

-updating his myspace and adding visuals to make his point, (photos, graphics etc. He has facebook as well but its not as visually manipulative as myspace),

-playing online with "randoms" in a game on xbox, (gaming and social networking
some of the time the game is UNO, which I find amusing)

I have been reading about getting beyond the bullet points in presentations and others are talking about the same thing, so I think if it can be visually stimulating and not too many words to blur their minds, I might just crack it...now to work out how to do that!

off to do some social networking and think ..FeralTB-) (aka kalgrl)

Wednesday

Sorting some of the books in the pile beside the bed :o))
Kalgrl

First lines 2008

I have been looking back over my blog for the past year and have listed first lines from the first post from each month, It gave me the impetus to re-read some of my thoughts and besides the cringing :o} I remembered a lot about the year from each entry. Here 'tis, {+ some new comments from me...}

January
Well it was a long 4 days, with the last day of deliberations ending at 4.45pm. {jury duty}
February
Wishing I was somehow at VALA, Wishing I could sit in on a brilliant paper. {thoughts aloud as to why conferences don't have online components you can pay to attend??}
March
Are you relevant? Have a look at this video. {mmmm..??}
April
Today I worked, yes I know it is Sunday, however the ten students waiting for me to open the library door were very grateful! {working on weekends}
May
I was pondering on the fact feminine hygiene products attract GST but condoms don't??
June
The 106 books most often marked as “unread” by LibraryThing’s users.
July
I was/am very excited to be going to the Library Unconference, Library 2.0 and beyond: getting our hands dirty, in Perth Western Australia in August... {calm down grl lol}
August
Just quickly, I highly recommend you read this post and look at the attached video's....
September
I saw a lot of buzz in the last couple of weeks on 'Clickers", around MPOW.
October
Can't find a reason to blog at the moment... {tired I think}
November
I am pretty sure the only 'rule' he didn't break was using a mobile phone... {funny library rules vid}
December
Cool, from TypoGenerator.

Roll on 2009 kalgrl :o))

Idea from Librarians Matter

Happy New Year - 2009

Happy New Year everyone, I hope the new year brings with it many activities which you enjoy and you keep safe and happy!
Found this youtube video via HeyJude
1 year in 40 seconds



In many ways I feel this is how 2008 has passed, extremely quickly.
I have learnt a lot and hopefully I will be able to gather the bits I need in a coherent fashion and move forward!

From an idea on Flexnib's blog
Ruminations
I thought I would
'practice my gratitude' today and think of 5 things I was grateful for in the past year, so...
1. Loving family and friends
2. Living in this country
3. Generous colleagues
4. Librarians (a bunch of wonderful, sharing, brilliant people!)
5. Opportunities

Oh and I have to add
6. Tea, I enjoy tea in its many forms, black, green, peppermint etc.
(I should add I am not sure of Chai tea yet as milky, flavoured, weak tea is not a favourite of mine! I probably just haven't found one I like :-)

And now, please enjoy...


Happy New Year. FeralTB-))kalgrl.