Project ENABLE - Day 2

Day 2 began a bit more smoothly.  Each group shared the results of the homework-modifications that they had made to their respective lesson plans.  Each group talked a fair amount about reasonable expectations for the age group they were working with and discussed multiple means of expression for enhancing student understanding and learning.  Several groups worked on the same lesson plan that we did and found it to be a fairly outdated, clunky lesson, much as we had.  Several suggestions were made for its improvement and several alternate methods of presentation discussed.  The original plan called for a PowerPoint presentation as the final product and most groups vetoed that idea out of hand.  Alternates mentioned included Prezi, Glogster, and Voicethread.  We also talked about the notion of having a screencasted set of instructions available on the web for later reference.  Later, our group talked about ways we might use some of these tools and screencasting in other lessons--I love it when we spark ideas!

Our other morning activity was a field trip to the Syracuse University Library.  We poked around the library (some of us with tape measures in hand!), looking at the library through a Universal Design and ADA lens.  We took a look at the library's ease of use and accessibility for all users, then started a discussion about how our own libraries might be made more accessible for all users.  I saw several nifty things that I may try to incorporate in our library.  One was a bookmark with 5 ways to get in touch with the library for reference help: phone, in person, email, via text and instant messaging.  There was also a QR Code to scan with a smartphone to connect you with the library's homepage.  Some folks in my group weren't super familiar with QR codes.  Here's an example:

 

This code can be scanned, much like a UPC code and will take you to a specific URL.  This particular code will take you to the Stillwater MS/HS Library Media Center's Facebook page.  The uses for these codes are many, from linking to book trailers in the library to embedding links to subscription databases on a paper assignment--resources at your fingertips!

After lunch, we had a PowerPoint presentation/Skype call with Dr. Marcia Sherer about assistive technologies that led to a good conversation in our group about what technology we have in place and what we think might be useful to add. 

Our homework tonight was to begin an action plan for how we might improve our school library's accessibility to all and what specific steps we might take to get there.  It is a work in progress at the moment, but I will share the completed plan when we get there.  One of the goals we worked on tonight was improving communication between library and SPED department about students’ needs and the library resources available.  This goal stemmed from a conversation today where I was mentioning the New York State Talking Book and Braille Library and that we haven't used them much, as we don't currently have any students with visual disabilities.  This statement was met with "Except ____, who is nearly legally blind!"  While Colleen and I have good communication, it had never occurred to me to mention this resource to her, and I had no idea that we had a visually impaired student.  We resolved to work together to try to make a better match between students and resources.  We'll be working on our action plan all week, and I'll keep you updated on where we stand as we go.

I had a little individual homework tonight too, which I promptly dragged my team into.  Tomorrow, the librarians in the group will be discussing: 

1. How you plan your library's programs and services.
2. Your experiences working with students with special needs.
3. Your role in the school community.
4. Your perception of how OTHERS in the school community perceive your role.
5. Your experiences collaborating with other educators including general and special educators and school librarians in other school settings.

The idea is for each group to recognize and understand what the others so.  The two groups of teachers will also present on Thursday and Friday.    

I'm presenting on number 5, as the librarians in my group decided to "divide and conquer".

I'm looking forward to talking about how I suck teachers into collaborating with me, as well as some of the great (and not so great) experiences I've had collaborating with teachers and other librarians.  I've got 2-3 minutes...filling the time shouldn't be a problem; shutting up after that time has elapsed might :) 

 Librarians reading along, what would you want to share about these issues?