Open Source

Open Source means free access and use of various media, including software, video, photos, clip art, etc. Net purists I know believe very strongly in open source and free access to information and software. Many of these people refuse to use MS products whenever possible, including WIndows platforms, instead using open source platforms like Ubuntu (Linux), which are highly user friendly. 

In class last week I had a very satisfying experience with open source software. Unable to open Sandra’s power point presentation on my Macbook, my classmate Keith said, “Why don’t you try Open Office?” OpenOffice is free to download and enables the use of MS products without the hefty price tag. Without any price tag, in fact, though donations are welcome. 

After downloading OpenOffice, I was easily able to access the Power Point presentation. Yay for open source. I like the whole idea of open source. I find it mildly subversive and evens the playing field a little more. Regular people with a library card can put content online, meet people, find information, join a group interested in pretty much anything you can dream up, and share. Open source chips away at monopolies.

Personally, I find myself very, very reluctant to use web based applications that cost money. I would be willing if I were making money through them, but otherwise, I like the option of free, upgrade and by donation.

This blog is a another great example of open source software. People create widgets and plug ins that they allow others to download and use for free. Many provide support, otherwise support can be found through helpful other users. To me, this is the true spirit of the net, the free sharing of information, and information management systems, networking and building connections. It is the true global community.

Policy and TL role

TLs must be leaders in their schools, TL communities and districts, in order to continue to exist, influence and enact change for the betterment of our students. I agree with the statement that TLs influence teachers and teachers influence students, though I had not really thought that before I read yesterday’s power point. In fact, I had not really thought about it at all. This makes sense to me, because at my elementary school where I am an enrolling teacher, I control my students access to the library, the librarian, and all learning resources. Because of teacher autonomy (which I believe in), rarely are my students exposed to material or content or speakers unless I approve and schedule it. In other words, my students are exposed to what I feel is important, to what I understand and feel comfortable with.

TLs in little TL groups can think and plan whatever they want, but unless the enrolling teachers are on board, their access to students is heavily restricted. In fact, it can be restricted to the short half hour before and after school (and in some cases, lunch time). Not exactly ideal for promoting literacy and teaching info lit skills.

Therefore, it is crucial that

• TLs have excellent working and personal relationships with the enrolling teachers
• the library and the TL is seen as an integral part of the school (protect our jobs, budgets, FTEs)
• TLs have an excellent working relationship with the administration
• TLs have a strong leadership role in the school
• TLs are heavily involved in all school policy making, including Pro D, budgets, information policy, etc.

TLs and libraries are about more than books, they are about information, and teaching new literacies.

What do I love about this video? I love that you can easily embed it into your blog with a little URL paste instead of uploading it to the site. It works seamlessly. It would be easy to do this for students and for students to do themselves.

I also love how it examines the discrepancy between what teachers know and teach and how students (digital natives) learn. Too often I hear teachers slag students for their efforts, rather than trying to understand and work with student culture. Teachers often have this elitist view, their way (often not far from what they experienced as teachers) is the best way, and students show follow blindly. What we are missing when we do this, expect compliance and top-down approach to teaching and learning, is the opportunity to create something new with our children. There are so many possibilities for collaboration, among teachers, students, parents, board members. 

In class last week, Lisa said she wondered what would happen if she built a unit with her students using a wiki, where they collaboratively planned what they would learn about and how they would approach it. This is an amazing idea, in my opinion, as I am also guilty of limiting my students learning by falling back into a teacher-centred rather than a child-centred approach to education. That’s where the learning happens! Right in the collaboration, the discussions and negotiations, right in the planning of unit. The students must gain knowledge in order to plan the unit, engaging in meaningful resource based learning.