DeWitt Library Blog & VoiceThread Book

Reviews:

DeWitt Library Blog & VoiceThread Book

Reviews:

Presentation of Project, Marketing and Assessment Plan

Gail BrissonIST 613

Professor Megan OakleafApril, 2009

Presentation of Project, Marketing and Assessment Plan

Gail BrissonIST 613

Professor Megan OakleafApril, 2009

Project BackgroundProject Background

Requirement for IST 613: Planning, Marketing & Assessing Library Services.

Worked in Ithaca, NY with DeWitt Middle School librarian Joanne Church on establishing student VoiceThread book reviews on a new library blog (dewittlib.blogspot.com).

Requirement for IST 613: Planning, Marketing & Assessing Library Services.

Worked in Ithaca, NY with DeWitt Middle School librarian Joanne Church on establishing student VoiceThread book reviews on a new library blog (dewittlib.blogspot.com).

BackgroundBackgroundDeWitt Middle School serves

approximately 500 students in grades 6-8,

about 100 staff members.

The student body is economically and culturally diverse and includes a significant ESOL population.

DeWitt Middle School serves

approximately 500 students in grades 6-8,

about 100 staff members.

The student body is economically and culturally diverse and includes a significant ESOL population.

Goals & OutcomesGoals & Outcomes

Goal 1: To increase student and staff use of resources on the library website.

Outcome 1: By the end of the semester, blog traffic will increase by 15% and students and staff will be using the site to post book reviews and comments.

Goal 1: To increase student and staff use of resources on the library website.

Outcome 1: By the end of the semester, blog traffic will increase by 15% and students and staff will be using the site to post book reviews and comments.

Goal 2: To increase staff’s effective use of appropriate Web 2.0 tools in the classroom and build a school portfolio highlighting successful projects.

Outcome 2: By the end of the semester, at least 1 teacher will be have completed class projects ready to be embedded on the library website.

Goal 2: To increase staff’s effective use of appropriate Web 2.0 tools in the classroom and build a school portfolio highlighting successful projects.

Outcome 2: By the end of the semester, at least 1 teacher will be have completed class projects ready to be embedded on the library website.

Goal 3: To provide opportunities for students to gain information literacy skills by using Web 2.0 tools.

Outcome 3: Students will demonstrate an increase in familiarity with information literacy concepts and skills.

Goal 3: To provide opportunities for students to gain information literacy skills by using Web 2.0 tools.

Outcome 3: Students will demonstrate an increase in familiarity with information literacy concepts and skills.

Why VoiceThread book reviews and a blog?

Easy to use and update;

Address learning standards;

Showcase technology for staff;

Appeal to students;

Low-risk, low-cost project.

Articles about blogging and libraries suggest that:

Articles about blogging and libraries suggest that:blogs are most useful when centered around a specific purpose;

blogs effectively promote library services;

this generation of students expects to be able to participate in generating content, not just absorbing it.

blogs are most useful when centered around a specific purpose;

blogs effectively promote library services;

this generation of students expects to be able to participate in generating content, not just absorbing it.

User needs assessmentUser needs assessmentTime to add fresh content to the library’s website.

Blogs have become a popular publishing platform for quickly posting information and encouraging conversation.

New tools provide teachers with an opportunity to weave technology literacy into their curriculum.

A showcase for new tools and for student work.

Time to add fresh content to the library’s website.

Blogs have become a popular publishing platform for quickly posting information and encouraging conversation.

New tools provide teachers with an opportunity to weave technology literacy into their curriculum.

A showcase for new tools and for student work.

PlanningPlanningLindero Loves Books ( http://linderobooks.blogspot.com) as a model

VoiceThread: easy, fun, inexpensive, secure

The right blogging tool: edublogs vs blogspot

edublogs: no embedded content, only links.

blogspot: allows embedded content.

Lindero Loves Books ( http://linderobooks.blogspot.com) as a model

VoiceThread: easy, fun, inexpensive, secure

The right blogging tool: edublogs vs blogspot

edublogs: no embedded content, only links.

blogspot: allows embedded content.

http://dewittlib.blogspot.com/

MarketingMarketing

Target market: DeWitt students, staff, and families

Goals:

Develop awareness

Encourage use

Connect to learning standards

Encourage responsible digital citizenship

Target market: DeWitt students, staff, and families

Goals:

Develop awareness

Encourage use

Connect to learning standards

Encourage responsible digital citizenship

Key MessagesKey Messages

Staff: Connect to the curriculum--connect to your students @ the DeWitt library blog

Students: That book--love it? Hate it? Blog it!

Families: Connect to the benefits of blogging!

Staff: Connect to the curriculum--connect to your students @ the DeWitt library blog

Students: That book--love it? Hate it? Blog it!

Families: Connect to the benefits of blogging!

Promotional StrategiesPromotional Strategies

Promotional poster to be displayed

around school.

Brochure for parents

Table toppers for cafeteria

Bookmarks

Personalized flyers for teachers

Poster for

kickoff breakfast

AssessmentAssessment

How successful is our new service?

Strategies:

Online survey of students and staff

Interviews with students and staff

Assessment of information literacy skills

How successful is our new service?

Strategies:

Online survey of students and staff

Interviews with students and staff

Assessment of information literacy skills

Planning, Marketing, Assessment Cycle

Planning, Marketing, Assessment Cycle

Assessment results will help us determine what worked as well as what didn’t.

This will inform how the blog and book reviews develop next year.

Continuous planning, marketing and assessment offer the opportunity for continuous improvement.

Assessment results will help us determine what worked as well as what didn’t.

This will inform how the blog and book reviews develop next year.

Continuous planning, marketing and assessment offer the opportunity for continuous improvement.