Libraries and Transliteracy blog: Gone, but not forgotten!

I am very sad that to read that Bobbi Newman and the crew at the Libraries and Transliteracy blog are closing shop.  In most parts of the country we are just opening the door to Information Literacy and have so many more battles to win before we offer true support to Transliteracy.  We will dearly miss the guidance and support they offered through this blog and can only hope that the void this departure leaves will be filled with motivational visionaries dedicated to this cause as a beacon for librarians into the future.

Below are some favorite presentations posted recently to the Libraries and Transliteracy blog and below them, excerpts from a February 2011 post by Bobbi introducing the concept of transliteracy to beginners.

Framing Transliterate Learning Through Inquiry and Participatory Culture from Buffy Hamilton

Transliteracy, customer service and the future of from Anthony Molaro

Exploring transliteracy from Bobbi Newman

ALA 2011 - Why Transliteracy from Lane Wilkinson

Beginner’s Guide to Transliteracy

February 27, 2011 — Bobbi Newman

Where did the term transliteracy come from?

 . . . . . . . . . . . .

Thomas, et al, posit a very specific origin to the term transliteracy:

The word ‘transliteracy’ is derived from the verb ‘to transliterate’, meaning to write or print a letter or word using the closest corresponding letters of a different alphabet or language. This of course is nothing new, but transliteracy extends the act of transliteration and applies it to the increasingly wide range of communication platforms and tools at our disposal. From early signing and orality through handwriting, print, TV and film to networked digital media, the concept of transliteracy calls for a change of perspective away from the battles over print versus digital, and a move instead towards a unifying ecology not just of media, but of all literacies relevant to reading, writing, interaction and culture, both past and present.

What is transliteracy?

Sue Thomas and her group use this working definition:

Transliteracy is the ability to read, write and interact across a range of platforms, tools and media from signing and orality through handwriting, print, TV, radio and film, to digital social networks.

The definition of transliteracy continues to be expanded and refined, but, as Ipri points out:

Basically, transliteracy is concerned with what it means to be literate in the 21st century. It analyzes the relationship between people and technology, most specifically social networking, but is fluid enough to not be tied to any particular technology. It focuses more on the social uses of technology, whatever that technology may be.

How is transliteracy different than media literacy, digital literacy or technology literacy?

Transliteracy is an over-arching concept that is not meant to replace any of the other more specific studies of format-specific literacies. It sits on top of these other literacies in an attempt to understand the relationship among them. As Thomas, et al write, transliteracy

offers a wider analysis of reading, writing and interacting across a range of platforms, tools, media and cultures, transliteracy does not replace, but rather contains, “media literacy” and also “digital literacy.”

They go on to posit that

transliteracy calls for a change of perspective away from the battles over print versus digital, and a move instead towards a unifying ecology not just of media, but of all literacies relevant to reading, writing, interaction and culture, both past and present. It is, we hope, an opportunity to cross some very obstructive divides.

Unlike many literacies that have a particular focus, transliteracy attempts to be all-inclusive. According to Thomas

transliteracy is not just about computer-based materials, but about all communication types across time and culture. It does not privilege one above the other but treats all as of equal value and moves between and across them.

. . . . . . . . . . . .

Check out the archived Libraries and Transliteracy blog for the rest of this post and many other even more compelling ones.  Thanks Bobbi, Tom, Anthony, Lane and Gretchen for your leadership.

Beyond Google Translate!

The world is flat and language is not a barrier!  On the other hand, how great is it that we, as librarians, can research a topic in our native language in newspapers or the web in foreign countries and then, once discovered, can print or send a link to the untranslated version, as written, to our foreign language teachers.  They will think we are geniuses!  Unless, as I plan to tomorrow, we tell them about this great trick!!

This video describes how to search the foreign web in a fully translated format.  Yowza!


Disclaimer: Again, I post this video only with hopes that Google will allow me to display for my own use and yours despite the fact that it was created for a registered user only online course. My apologies if at any point in the future this video becomes unavailable.

Google Timeline gone, but not forgotten

I am loving the "Power Searching with Google" class.  I have been sad for a long time that Google eliminated the timeline feature.  I would have students use this to isolate periods of change or conversation regarding the issues they were researching.  It was very helpful for this purpose and to quickly identify the key thoughts at certain times in history.  While Google Timeline has not been replaced, this video demonstrates how to manually create the same results.  The problem, of course, is that most students don't know what time periods to search but, at least with this tool, once they can figure that out, they still have a way to search within the chosen time period.


Disclaimer: Again, I post this video only with hopes that Google will allow me to display for my own use and yours despite the fact that it was created for a registered user only online course. My apologies if at any point in the future this video becomes unavailable.

Common Core is marching in!

My apologies in advance for this presentation of disjointed thoughts.  I have had a full day and a half of PD already this year on DDI (Data Driven Instruction) and the Six Shifts to the ELA Common Core.  While the DDI concept seems totally logical, understanding how it can drive differentiated teaching and learning is incredibly motivating.  Even more motivating was working with groups of teachers who are in search of "challenging" non-fiction texts to encourage "close reading" for understanding!

I see the Common Core marching in and am glad to be an usher at the event.  The downside, of course, is that it would appear our educational colleagues are being directed to the literature without mention that we are here to support or guide them.  Nobody is speaking up for us if we don't speak up for ourselves!  They will find articles on their own - somewhere, and of unknown quality.  Some will be good and some not so good.  If we can't step to the front and make ourselves heard, with supportive offers of guidance the process will happen without us and more librarians and the services that we can provide will be lost.

We can find articles in specific lexile ranges.  We can find articles on both sides of the issues.  We can order magazines or books to support the curriculum.  We can find articles specific to the curriculum instead of just, "something that will work."  We can and we must! 

The College Board announced today a redesign of the AP U.S. History program.  Though it will not take effect until fall of 2014, it's three objectives focus on alignment with current university requirements, a narrowed volume of required knowledge, and greater flexibility for "teachers and students to focus on the close reading and analysis of primary and secondary source material, and the development of the skills practiced by historians, such as argumentation and periodization."

"The increased flexibility of the redesigned course will provide teachers with time to help students use the knowledge they gain to practice the work of a historian. Rather than simply moving rapidly from topic to topic, AP U.S. History students will regularly engage in sustained, close reading of historical source material and the development of written arguments solidly grounded in such evidence."

For years our best students have been restrained from deep study of U.S. History and development of history research projects because the demands of the curriculum left no time for these follies.  Finally, these advanced students may get the opportunity to engage in these essential practices.  We have two years to align this program and an endless variety of opportunities. 

Today, tomorrow & next week we must focus all over our buildings.  We must somehow present ourselves as ushers to higher quality information.  In many buildings this means first removing the stereotype that we are trip hazards as we suggest books and databases that take longer than a quick Google search.  Our future and the future of every other librarian and aspiring librarian is in our own hands right now!