Educational Origami

I have been wondering about what the role of the librarian is?

This is actually a hard question, some people might answer that they don’t think its changed, the role remains the same. I would argue that those people have libraries that have not adapted and changed with the world we live in.

Some might argue that their is no longer a role for the librarian. I would again disagree, I believe the role is so much more now.

So where do I stand? Librarianship as we know it has changed . It has changed as the mediums of information distribution of changed. It has changed as the speed of information growth has increased, it has changed as the access to online media has become increasingly ubiquitous. Therefore the role of the librarian has to change.

The Librarian is still the curator, but they have three key roles or features of their craft. They are the:

• Media Expert
• Ethicist
• Scholar

So what do I mean by each of these different roles.

The Many roles of the librarian

Curator – Maintaining the real and virtual space, the mediums and materials,the processes and standards that underpin the library as a center of learning and information. Critical to this role is the:

Media Expert, they have expertise in many different forms of Media, both the traditional book style format and the varied digital media

• Written Media – Book “style” media
  • mediums
    • paper based  – books, journals, magazines etc
    • electronic – ebooks
  • roles
    • access – they know where to access these resources, whether this is by ordering from the national library or such institutions
    • order/purchase/archive/disposal – they can manage the lifecycle of the resources from discovery to acquisition to disposal
    • Retrieve and distribute – they are able to distribute these resources
    • review/validate – they are considered and critical about the veracity and validity of the resources
    • organise – they can organise in what ever required form or process the materials
• Other Media
  • mediums
    • Audio visual – video, film, television, radio, podcast, vodcast, online media (youtube, clickview, teachertube etc)
    • internet based – webstes, encyclopedia etc
    • Video conferencing- accessing primary  sources
  • roles
    • access
    • schedule and record – where applicable they can schedule and appropriate record and archive materials
    • order/purchase/archive/disposal
    • Retrieve and distribute
    • review/validate
    • organise

Ethicist – The Librarians second key role is that of the ethicist. They understand the complexities of ownership, attribution, copyright, fair use, creative commons and intellectual property. They support and assist in the development of suitable ethical practice, acting as role models, guides and facilitators

• Information fluency leader (see http://fluency21.com)
  • asking good questions
  • acquire suitable resources – online and off line, primary and secondary sources
  • analyse – validity, accuracy, reliability
  • apply – apply to learning experience/opportunity
  • assess – debrief, assessing process and accuracy
• Copyright
  • understand copyright law, intellectual property, ownershipand attribution
  • apply ethical principles appropriately
  • understand fair use, and apply this
  • Creative Commons
    • liciencing
    • accessing
    • publishing
    • Acknowledging
• Bibliography
  • APA
  • MLA
  • other

Scholar – The librarian also has a scholarship role. Understanding adn supporting inquiry, promoting and teaching process working with curriculum leaders, teachers, students and parents to support learning. Applying their diverse skills to maximise the learning opportunities

• Understand the inquiry process – embedding this into everyday practice and process
• Deep understanding of and assisting in the development of information fluency
• Linking to curriculum areas
  • planning for units of learning
    • order suitable resources at suitable levels in suitable mediums
    • support the learning process
      • asking good questions
      • acquiring suitable resources
      • analysing validity
      • applying it to learning
      • assessing
  • supporting the development of units of learning
  • reviewing
• Understanding of current stock, physical and electronic – able to apply to clients learning requirements, age, interest
• Understanding of search engines, databases etc. able to apply understanding in age appropriate modes

This isn’t a role that is limited to the physical confines of teh library. That is an artifical limitation that is, I believe, self imposed. It is a role that touch all aspects of teaching and learning.

IS this a complete list? IS it a job description? No, but its my thoughts on a starting place for what a librarian is…

What have I missed? How many people would say they are already doing all of this and more?

privacy
noun [ mass noun ]
a state in which one is not observed or disturbed by other people: she returned to the privacy of her own home.
• the state of being free from public attention: a law to restrict newspapers’ freedom to invade people’s privacy.

[Dictionary Version 2.2.1 Apple]

I read this morning in Stuff that Google Glass is being send out, for a small fee, to the lucky winners of the contest held in the US (8000 winners and US$1500 per pair) – http://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/gadgets/8573092/Google-Glass-distribution-begins-this-week

The Google glass’es look amazing and they are the forerunner of a wave of wearable technologies. In fact the Horizon report for 2013 – higher education edition has wearable technology on its 4-5 year horizon – http://www.nmc.org/publications/2013-horizon-report-higher-ed and http://www.nmc.org/pdf/2013-horizon-report-HE.pdf.

Google glass is the start of what we are to see, but I am left wondering if the price we pay for these technologies isn’t just financial but also with our privacy. I love the the idea of voice activated functionality, the immediacy and potential that this technology has. The promo videos are amazing, but they are meant to be. The concern is giving all my information to Google. (I know that’s an exaggeration, but…..)

Would Google, or in fact any other global cooperation actually be interested in me beyond the general trends about what I do and see? I don’t think so, I am not that interesting, but the general trends that I contribute to that is a different matter. Am I prepared to pay this price for the potential that these technologies hold? Yes, I think I am, because with my member ship of social media site, I have already given this away. But my decision must be a conscious one, informed, aware and deliberate.

Resources:

http://www.google.com/glass/start/

http://www.google.com/glass/start/how-it-feels/

Above video on Youtube – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1uyQZNg2vE

Social media, like twitter or facebook, is neither positive or negative. It isn’t good or bad, its just a tool, a facility or a feature we can use. On the traditional medias like television these mediums are collecting a bit of criticism for the comments, tweets and posts published in light of the recent tragedies we have witnessed in the US.

Its not the medium that is at fault here, rather it is the behaviours of the users that is more of a concern. We have seen the power of twitter to help facilitate the change or regimes in the Arab Spring, to break the news to the world of devastating earthquakes in China. But we have also seen it used to organize flash mobs in the London riots or recently to do the equivalent of spreading rumors in the digital medium around the unfolding nightmare that is the Boston marathon.

There has to be balance.

As a good digital citizen we are expected to:

• respect and protect yourself – looking after yourself
• respect and protect others – looking after others
• respect and protect property – looking after property

Part of respecting and protecting others, is considering the impact, accuracy and significance of the material that we post. While sometimes the tweets we post can change the world in a positive way. Sometimes, the speed and ease at which we can post these comments and the potential size of the audience we can reach means we need to consider the impact, importance, significance and relationships effected by the material we post.

In a world of immediacy, and instant communication we need to stop, take a deep breath and wait. Taking a considered and deliberate pause, and then……

Resources:

Digital Citizenship – http://edorigami.wikispaces.com/The+Digital+Citizen

The Fluencies – http://fluency21.com/fluencies.html

This is a very interesting infographic examining generation media consumption http://adage.com/article/adagestat/infographic-generational-media-usage-time-day/229831/ especially if we start to link this with the recent BBC article and the anecdotal vignettes from teenagers about their sleepless habits – http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-21876118

There is a definite digital citizenship aspect to this. The students in the BBC article are not looking after themselves or others. They are struggling to maintqain healthy relationship and this is supported by the inforgraphic showing the timing of their technology use.

Here are a selection of interesting articles on education, technology and digital citizenship:

New Zealand Herald

Defence force highlights social network dangers – http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10870096 – This is a Digital citizenship basic concept, look after yourself by not posting information that can potentially put you at risk. For these guys it could be life and limb at risk

Dotcom’s shut down good for studios – http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10870142 This another DC related post, this time for respecting and protecting intellectual property. The big studios are reporting they are better off now Dotocom’s Megaupload is Mega closed.

New MOE figures show its true – Kids struggling at maths – http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10870138 – Basic arthimatic skills are suffering. This is a bit of a powder keg, but its actually very healthy to take a critical eye and look at what we do. We expect our kids to be reflective, we need to model this.

BBC News

US state (south Dakota) to arm teachers – http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-21722377 This is sad. This isn’t how you fix a problem, by introducing more of the problem into the system. The answer isn’t peace through superior firepower.

Web based brain for robots goes live - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-21714191 - This is both cool and alarming at the same time. The opening paragraph explains it

” Robots confused about what they encounter in the world of humans can now get help online. European scientists have turned on the first part of a web-based database of information to help them cope. Called Rapyuta, the online “brain” describes objects robots have met and can also carry out complicated computation on behalf of a robot.”

I will keep this in mind next time I encounter a robot on the street.

Stuff

Your new boss is a robot – http://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/gadgets/8399881/Your-new-boss-is-a-robot  – This robot being developed by MIT is learning to run a factory and give orders to artifical co-workers – this is an interesting topic and links with the interesting BBC article abot the web based brain for robots

3D printing revolution: Rethinking form – http://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/gadgets/8394655/3D-printing-revolution-Rethinking-form  – Fascinating article and the example of use are amazing – 3D printing is becoming affordable for the classroom and schools. This is a trend to watch.

One NEWS

News Corp unveils new tablet for schools – http://tvnz.co.nz/technology-news/corp-unveils-new-tablet-schools-5362867 – Interesting – an android powered tablet for schools, particularly secondary schools. “digital innovation to transform teaching and learning” hum

3 News

Beer Goggles to raise awareness of drink-driving – http://www.3news.co.nz/Beer-goggles-to-raise-awareness-of-drink-driving/tabid/423/articleID/289563/Default.aspx – This a driver education tactic by Auckland transport. I like it and its worth doing. I use a similar concept with my senior IT students when we are looking at accessibility and disability with computers – earplugs, glasses, think gloves you name it we try it.

In the last day or two, privacy and surveillance have been regular features of the online news sources I read and twitter articles from (@achurches). Globally, we are seeing (IMHO), an increase in surveillance and correspondingly a potential decrease in privacy.

The New Zealand Herald  reported in two articles that the police are using drones for surveillance and that A new “super spy” camera with facial recognition is being used to monitor the crowd at Eden Park, recognising trouble makers and recording faces.

• http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10868668 - Super camera spies on crowds at Eden Park
• http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10868674 – Police use drones to catch criminals

Here is an interesting quote from the “super camera” article  -

“Recent advances in CCTV technology have brought warnings from overseas privacy advocates. In the United Kingdom, new 16-megapixel HD cameras can pick out a face more than 800m away, and match it against wanted people. Such technology scans faces and “maps” their points out into a series of algorithms. Comparisons can then be made using facial recognition software to verify people’s identity.“ http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10868668

How comfortable do you feel with your face and data being matched against a database of “wanted people”?

Its not just security cameras that are of concern to young people. TV3 reported that 1 in 6 secondary school students didn’t see a doctor or nurse when they needed to over a year period and that one third report it was privacy concerns that were a reason for this. http://www.3news.co.nz/Young-people-concerned-about-privacy/tabid/423/articleID/288722/Default.aspx

We live in a connected community and world where much, if not everything, we do is recorded and public. Our students need to be aware that they live in this connected world and that there actions are no longer private. We might want to complain about the invasion of privacy, but we can’t change this and the level of surveillance is going to increase. Awareness is critical, understanding of their and our rights to privacy is important. Also encouraging behaviours that are going to protect privacy. http://edorigami.wikispaces.com/Digital+Citizen+AUA

These articles are a great stimulus for discussion and debate around privacy and surveillance.

I have watched the theatrics of Kim Dotcoms opening of his new site MEGA https://mega.co.nz with a degree of distaste, but what concerns me more is that under the banner of privacy, Dotcom has divorced himeslf from responsibility for the use of HIS site.

To protect the privacy of the users, everything uploaded is encrypted and the administrators and staff do not have the encryption keys, therefore in a move reminiscent of Pontius Pilate and the classical monkeys that can see no evil, hear no evil etc the company absolves itself of any responsibility for the use of the site.

It is obvious that this site will now become the trading hub for those who distribute child pornography and other such abuse. Protected by  encryption and safe in the knowledge that the administrators, even if requested or ordered by the courts, are unable to provide access they will ply their abuse with little concern.

The site will become a center to for the pirates who again under the banner of “privacy” will trade other people hard work, skills and IP with disregard for their developers rights of ownership and their right to profit from their time, investment, effort and work.

I think it is time we balanced the need for “privacy”, self interest and self indulgence with the greater good. Just because you can do something, in this case developing a site that allows any form of use while accepting no responsibility for its use, does not mean we should. Privacy in this case  is a catch cry for not accepting responsibility and avoiding accountability.

http://nz.news.yahoo.com/a/-/technology/15936784/specific-knowledge-important-in-considering-legality-of-mega-website/

On the wire today we have a focus on digital citizenship, and a little on a global project

1. Facebook privacy settings http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/facebooks-privacy-settings-a-complete-guide/

This week seems to have had a number of digital citizenship articles in the various online news sites that I subscribe to:

• Stuff article on “mum’s cell phone contract” – http://t.co/UWVQINiY 
• Bank hacking – http://t.co/YcC9juMb
• 70% of Kiwi’s effected by cyber crime – http://t.co/iE5I09RE
• Drivers using social media to avoid check points – http://t.co/9pILRXke
• Safe sexting app and the facebook poke – http://t.co/14UD7lWn
• Mashable article on facebook and violoence against women – http://mashable.com/2013/01/08/facebook-violence-against-women/

So its appropriate to look at some advice from Make use of http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/facebooks-privacy-settings-a-complete-guide/ and stuff’s how to avoid internet fraud - http://t.co/BqMnvKKw

2. Unfortunate truth about child pornography and the internet http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/unfortunate-truths-about-child-pornography-and-the-internet-feature/

Another interesting feature on make use of. Its disturbing and at times alarming, but there is a need for awareness and balanced responce. Also check out the article from the university of new hampshire – http://www.unh.edu/ccrc/pdf/CV269_Child%20Porn%20Possession%20Bulletin_4-13-12.pdf

3. 8 Good tech habits to adopt right now – http://mashable.com/2013/01/08/good-tech-habits/

This is in a slightly lighter vein, but is offering good solid advice that would save most people a degree of heart ache and stress – especially the back up you device regularly part.

4. 1 face watch fundraising  http://1facewatch.com/

I like this site, select the cause you want to support, buy the watch that suits you while making a difference. Check out how much of a difference you have made and the different causes which include:

• AIDS – keep a child alive
• HUNGER – one days wages
• CANCER – the american cancer society
• ENVIRONMENT – the adventure project
• WATER – charity water
• BREAST CANCER – National breast cancer

Source: http://1facewatch.com/skin/frontend/default/oneface/images/metrics.gif

The new facebook poke app raises a concern or two for me in regards to appropriate use. The app which is essentially facebook’s version of snapchat allows the user to do a number of interesting things.

Here is what they say about it in the 12 December news release

“With the Poke app, you can poke or send a message, photo, or video to Facebook friends to share what you’re up to in a lightweight way. You can poke an individual friend or several at once. Each message expires after a specific time you’ve set, either 1, 3, 5 or 10 seconds. When time runs out, the message disappears from the app. ” source: http://newsroom.fb.com/News/559/Introducing-Poke-for-Mobile

So you can set a message that is only visible for a short space of time and then deletes. The message could be text, image or video. but wait there is more facebook will only hold the message and the encryption keys for the message for 2 days (source: http://techcrunch.com/2012/12/22/your-facebook-pokes-are-stored-for-two-days-then-their-encryption-keys-are-deleted/)

When working with students we ask them, if they are being repeatedly bullied to:

• Talk with a trusted adult – be it the school Councillor, teacher etc
• not delete the messages and hold them as evidence

Now they have a message that will appear for upto 10 seconds and then disappear/deleted, even the most tech savvy user is going to struggle to take a screen grab in that time. What’s more there is a 48 hour window to get facebook to recover the the poke. If you have ever tried to get facebook to do anything it is usually more than 48 hours.

Am I concerned, yes – this is a tool for the cyber bully.

I know concerns have been raised to about snapchat as a tool of choice in sexting. Does facebook really need to match it? They ahve attempted to match some of the terms and conditions of snapchat “When you send or receive messages using the Snapchat services, we temporarily process and store your images and videos in order to provide our services… we attempt to delete image data as soon as possible after the message is transmitted.” (Source: http://www.snapchat.com/# click on terms at the bottom of the page)

Advice?

Well, what would I say to my students about this application?

1. Don’t use it – this is suspect will fall on deaf ears but, it may raise some awareness
2. if its abusive or inappropriate, unfriend the sender or is you are struggling to see who it is uninstall the app
3. If its serious and/or persistent, talk to a trusted adult and move with speed to report the issue to facebook – Facebook – report a violation – http://www.facebook.com/help/263149623790594/

Resources and links:

http://edition.cnn.com/2012/12/21/tech/social-media/facebook-poke-app/index.html

http://newsroom.fb.com/News/559/Introducing-Poke-for-Mobile

http://www.snapchat.com/

http://techcrunch.com/2012/12/22/your-facebook-pokes-are-stored-for-two-days-then-their-encryption-keys-are-deleted/

http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/blog/2012/dec/27/facebook-poke-snapchat-app-thumbs-down

http://www.netsafe.org.nz/

http://www.netsafe.org.nz/how-and-where-to-report-website-abuse/

Facebook – report a violation – http://www.facebook.com/help/263149623790594/

Digital citizenship resources – http://edorigami.wikispaces.com/Digital+Citizen+AUA

Follow me on Twitter – @achurches

Lee sent me this article recently and I have to say I am a little shocked. http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/story/2012/04/25/google-drive-cloud-storage-terms.html

Like many in education I make use of the Google suite of tools, for a long time Google documents and more recently Google drive. I suspect that like many people when it came to agreeing with the terms and conditions I just ticked the box and got on with it. I have to be honest, I am shock at what I have agreed to, and it makes me question what I would upload to google.

Here is the critical section for me:

“When you upload or otherwise submit content to our Services, you give Google (and those we work with) a worldwide license to use, host, store, reproduce, modify, create derivative works (such as those resulting from translations, adaptations or other changes we make so that your content works better with our Services), communicate, publish, publicly perform, publicly display and distribute such content. The rights you grant in this license are for the limited purpose of operating, promoting, and improving our Services, and to develop new ones. This license continues even if you stop using our Services (for example, for a business listing you have added to Google Maps). Some Services may offer you ways to access and remove content that has been provided to that Service. Also, in some of our Services, there are terms or settings that narrow the scope of our use of the content submitted in those Services. Make sure you have the necessary rights to grant us this license for any content that you submit to our Services.”

http://www.google.com/policies/terms/

Concerned? I have some reservations about this. Essentially I have given google by default permission to use, host, store, reproduce, modify, create derivative works, communicate, publish, publicly perform, publicly display and distribute my content and the license continues even if I stop using Googles Services.

As an educator trying to encourage my students to be appropriate ethical citizens in the both the real and digital world I struggle with this. I put my hand up for the primary mistake of not reading the terms and conditions, but this over the top.

source: http://www.straightlinemoving.com/~straightlinemovi/tipe/pictures/Storage%20lockers.jpg

If I was to try and draw a parallel to the real world I think it would be hiring a storage space and giving the owner of the facility or anyone he is associated with, his friends, business associates or anyone else he chooses – permission to ferret around in my stuff, use it when it suits them, the right to show to the public anything I have in the space (pictures, letters, drawings personal items) and distribute it as they see fit.

Hum, yes I think I have some concerns here. Google, I am not impressed!