It is clearly evident that the spring semester is in full swing, here at UD.
On Monday we went over the web content and design components for the "How Do I?" page. We narrowed down our list to emphasize simplicity and clarity when addressing frequently asked questions and hope to include a few bells and whistles too (compared to what we currently have). One thing I was keeping in mind as we examined what we currently have and other Web sites was the accessibility. Right now the main menus are hover-over/drop down menus, which work but can be difficult for those with physical disabilities to navigate. In just glancing at the code, I found many validation errors and glanced through to see if alt text was used or longdesc. There were alt text examples, but no longdesc. Indiana University's Adaptive Technology and Accessibility Centers were helpful when I was working on my Web project for Information Architecture for the Web (a class I took this past fall). They offer a wide range of services to not only support students and their technology needs, but will also review student-created (and other) content for ease of use/accessibility. The accessibility component will be taken care of by the web-gurus here on campus, but it’s something I like to keep in mind as we brainstorm.
I observed and assisted with Speech Communication (COM101). Rather than what others might think of as a “traditional informative speech,” the students will be presenting a policy speech wherein they cover the policy within a federal bill (or state bill if approved by the instructor). In this policy speech the students will present factual evidence from both sides and then encourage their audience (their classmates) to take action on that subject. GovTrack and OpenCongress help compile the necessary information into one place, making it easily accessible and understandable. I worked with two COM101 classes last week and was impressed by the level of engagement with the topics. Throughout the instruction portion of the class, students were reminded to consider bias (personal and within the language of the bill), what problem is being solved should the bill pass, and the credibility of other sources that discuss the bill.
I worked with the students in RES104 as they learned about the humanities, and searching for humanities resources and topics. Students worked in groups to answer questions about finding specific kinds of resources (one group looked for appropriate print items, another searched general databases, another looked at specialized databases, and the last looked at print and online encyclopedia articles). That was built upon in the next session, when students examined the credibility of sources, particularly websites. In the second library session, students discussed what makes a website credible, authority, whether the website is current, chose their topic, and dove into finding sources for their next paper. I enjoyed assisting with the classes, but really appreciated leading the Humanities Day 2 session.
So much of teaching is making the topic relatable to students (and not just “because you have to write this paper soon” kind of relatable). I found myself pulling from previous experience with Wikipedia, using humor, and using examples the students provided to emphasize the importance of evaluating your resources (for credibility, bias, etc.). I also really enjoyed working with students to develop the scope of their topics. They are studying the Mississippi River Watershed which lends itself to a variety of topics.
Later in the week I helped out with the CIS101 class as they learned about plagiarism and how to avoid it. On Saturday, Anne Marie and I came in to work on our LOEX presentation/paper. We have a strong start (which is good, since I'm presenting something similar at ILA/ACRL coming up on March 18th)! I'm working with Prezi, which I have used in the past, but am trying some of the newest features (the ability to choose the three fonts, modify the colors, etc.) and have created my own "background" using images that fit my gardening theme for ILA/ACRL. Also, I was excited to get a call on Tuesday from Mary Iber, librarian at Cornell College in Mount Vernon, informing me that I received the ILA/ACRL Annual Spring Conference Scholarship for 2011! I'm excited for this opportunity and look forward to learning a lot from the sessions and meetings I attend!
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