“There’s an app for that,” has become a well-worn cliché. But like most clichés, there is a grain of truth in it. Consider the multitude of apps for education. Go online and it is easy to become overwhelmed by the sheer number of apps available ranging from subscription services to freeware, from complex platforms to Read More…
Photos and information skills
After Thanksgiving I completed a photo book for my brother, who lives out of state. The process involved a number of real -world information skills. First of all the book’s intended audience guided my choice of photos. I picked ones that my brother either had never seen or at least would find meaningful. In other Read More…
Sharing resources for veterans
Information literacy involves “communities of learning” (Association of College & Research Libraries, 2016, Introduction section). Librarians learn from each other, and that learning includes the sharing of research/resource guides. Since Veterans’ Day was last week, I’ll share some guides for veterans. The Connecticut State Library has a Service to Veterans and Military Families guide. This Read More…
Learning from Failure
Earlier this semester a database demonstration went awry. Listeners gave me topics that in no way resembled my prepared topics. Because improvisation is not my strong suit, I let a teachable moment slip away. Even experienced searchers rarely strike gold on the first try (Association of College & Research Libraries, 2016, Searching as Strategic Exploration Read More…
Dr. Rebecca Wyke Keynote Address
On October 27, University of Maine at Augusta President, Dr. Rebecca Wyke delivered the keynote address to the UPCEA conference. What follows is the full text of that speech. I’d like to talk to you about something I’m incredibly passionate about. And, as a numbers person, It’s a number. It’s a number that haunts me. Read More…
Honing Your Course’s Learning Outcomes: Part 1
Learning Outcomes are the core of any course. They describe specifically what a student should be able to “do” as a result of completing a learning experience. While this is the essence of what a learning outcome is, it doesn’t tell you how to leverage outcomes as tools to guide the design of your course, Read More…
Storm Cleanup and Information Sharing
First of all I hope you are well in the aftermath of the recent storm. My thoughts and prayers go out to those severely impacted. Kudos to those who have shared information about available showers, charging stations, warming centers, contractors, etc. These acts point to the social nature of information. Part of information literacy is Read More…
Database highlights for Halloween
Halloween brings to mind skeletons, which in turn bring to mind anatomy class. Anatomy.TV features detailed, medically accurate 3D images. This database also has videos and animations. It even includes quizzes and activities. Halloween brings to mind pumpkins as well. The USM libraries have a trial to Bloomsbury Food Library . You can look up food customs Read More…
Open Access Week 2017: Bringing quality content together
Recently I heard about two initiatives bringing together open content and subscription content. In a webinar presenters André Avorio and Jenna Makowski (Alexander Street) speak about these projects, The Open Music Library and The Anthropology Commons, respectively. The webinar itself goes into detail about the projects themselves (Avorio, Makowski, & Derks, 2017). The great takeway Read More…
Info Lit and Student Journeys
My work with capstone students has made me think of the student journey. More accurately I think of the levels to the journey. The first is probably the most obvious one. How do we support students from their first course to graduation–especially when their first USM course is not their first course overall? Sandelli (2017) Read More…