A to Zoo: meeting from the TEC Center at Erikson

A to Zoo New Media

Thursday, October 17, 13

Welcome

• Thank you for coming, ALSC, Children's Technology Review & Fred Rogers Center

• Thank you for having us, TEC Center at Erikson

• What's the big idea, LittleeLit.com & Digital_Storytime.com ?


http://LittleeLit.com

http://LittleeLit.com

http://digital_storytime.com

http://digital_storytime.com

Let us tell you a story

• As with most stories,this one starts with a mommy and a daddy loving each other very much

• Two mommies and two daddies, actually.

• In any case, this story starts with the children.


In the beginning... LittleeLit.com

• Cen was a librarian who had a little boy named Jude

• LittleeLit was born when Cen wondered what it might be like to use an iPad in storytime, and also what the effects of tablet technology were on her little one

• Then several pilot projects, a call from the state library, national committees, the development of an app, introductions to VIPs & many conference presentations happened

• LittleeLit has grown from a wee blog to a think tank developing best practices, presenting at conferences, writing a book & pushing for unity in libraryland around the use of new media in early literacy programming


http://littleelit.com

http://littleelit.com

This is what LittleeLit looks like

I didn't know I was opening up a can of worms when I started it


In the beginning... Digital_Storytime.com

• Carisa was a social worker who had a little boy named Zan

• One day Carisa went into a library to ask for help choosing apps to use with her young son and the librarian wasn't terribly helpful

• Digital Storytime is a database that contains just under 1000 reviews that can be searched and sorted

• Carisa has been the sole reviewer since 2010


This is what Digital Storytime looks like

Carisa totally meant to kick some a$$ when she started it


Love at First Blog!

• Cen contacted Carisa to ask if she'd like to co-present at NAEYC (they said no, but Carisa said yes!)

• We began presenting and writing together about app evaluation and using apps in informal settings (libraries, museums, outreach & home)

• That’s Carisa, Warren & Cen at Dust or Magic


Images from the LittleeLit think tank


An idea had been percolating

• In my workshops, storytellers always asked where to find good reviews

• I gave a list of review sites: SLJ, Horn Book, Kirkus (librarians trust those sources) Common Sense Media, Kindertown, Appitic, Moms with Apps

• They said, but where are the REST of them? And who is doing the reviewing? And what IS an app, anyway?


My hubby made these images for me

• We decided that as supportive as both of our hubbies are, we need to grow this project up

• Carisa's database was built by her hubby, Marc


I met Lisa in Berkeley for Brunch

• She mentioned the phrase "Media Mentor" to me as a concept that she, Chip and others had started working on

• There was movement at a federal level to leverage the power, might and resourcefulness of the public library


Call to action for playing with libraries

• "Now is the time for policy makers and practitioners to fully use the capacity of libraries and museums in their early learning efforts"

• "In their 2013-2017 5 year plans, 100% of state library agencies are funding lifelong learning programs, 80% plan a focus on early learning"


Pioneering indeed

• Problem: when you ask a librarian about apps, sometimes all your hear is the sound of tumbleweed

• Librarians have the right skills to evaluate the children's digital publishing marketplace

• We also have a presence in every community plus the trust of the public


What is he doing with his fingers!?!?

• While there is a lot of innovation happening in libraryland around the use of new media in early literacy programming, there is a lot of work to be done to unify our profession's approach to new media with young kids

• There is a huge need for "reference" resources & professional development


This is Mike with a stache

eBooks in Early Literacy Conference in Tempe, Arizona: loud call for librarian help


We made a big splash the last time we were in Chicago

• A to Zoo for Apps Conversation starter

• Chip, Lisa, Carisa, Cen + LittleeLit think tank all put out the call for librarian involvement in digital publishing for kids

• We need to develop resources for digital books similar to what we have for paper books


But we kinda left everyone hanging...

...because we didn't have the bandwidth to actually BUILD the tool and provide the kind of wide-scale training it will take to get children's librarians as comfortable with digital books as they are with paper books


That is why we're here today

We couldn't do it in our own. But we can do it if we work together.


Warren Buckleitner Children's Technology Review


Chip Donohue NAEYC/Fred Rogers Position Statement


Rita Catalano & Mike Robb Fred Rogers Center


Amanda Armstrong TEC Center App Review Matrix


Aimee Strittmatter & Joanna Ison

Association of Library Services to Children


I HAVE THE SOLUTION!!! But there's a wee glitch


Here's what I propose

• Development of an as-comprehensive-as-possible curation, evaluation & recommendation engine to be launched through public libraries and curated for home & storytelling use by librarians

• An accompanying professional development system for training media mentors


The Tool

• Comprehensive evaluation, curation & recommendation tool

• Train children's librarian to review new media

• Develop mechanism for establishing interrater reliability

• Launch through public libraries


The Training

• We are already developing a framework as part of the trainings & pilot projects we're conducting around the country

• Digital badging system for training the reviewers to ensure interrater reliability

• Training for library staff to serve as media mentors in their community (on-ground & virtual options)


California State Library is ready to rumble; other states have expressed interest


Everybody Needs an Acronym

• Access (community needs assessment; access to devices, expertise, space etc)

• Content (curation, evaluation & critical thinking)

• Engagement (joint media engagement; respecting child engagement & engagement in the marketplace)


I have all these pieces Help me put them together


Suggestion: IMLS Grant

• Phase 1: 2014 planning grant ($50,000 + 1:1 cost share)

• Phase 2: 2015 implementation grant ($500,000 + 1:1 cost share)


Suggestion: pilot

• California State Library implement training & review pilot with small number of libraries

• Every Child Ready to Read is working toward developing best practices for new media incorporation

• Mother Goose on the Loose is already developing best practices for 0-3


The Vision

• There will be a media mentor in every community who develops programming that models the intentional, appropriate and healthy use of mobile technology with young children and recommends high quality, age-appropriate media as a normal reference interaction

• The librarian-curated app recommendation tool will be available for free to library users through every public library's website


Cross Pollination

• So many folks have expressed their support for this project: developers, non-profit organizations, advocacy organizations, researchers, academics, journalists, philanthropists, local & state libraries

• They are supportive because our society is in desperate need of guidance for the use of mobile media with young kids. We're downright confused about all this. Hang on. I have to tweet something.


So what are we going to do about this?

We’re going to put a media mentor in every library, that’s what.


Education

A to Zoo: meeting from the TEC Center at Erikson