BA Library Online: The Flow and Structure of MOOCS and Online Classes

Here is another throwback post. The 23 Mobile Things is a MOOC created and delivered by librarians from the Philippines and Singapore back in 2014.The MOOC is designed to assist librarians in learning, using and implementing twenty three mobile apps into the services and programs of their libraries. Nanyang Technological University Library and the Rizal Library of ADMU hosted the MOOC.

Five years is a long time ago but there is learning and insight to be had because the contents and the design of the MOOC are still applicable in our current experience of online learning. Do take note that the MOOC is designed for adult learners. But the creators set a structure and a method for communicating content, the learning activities that go with it and an online chat or conversation. There is entrance, engagement and an exit in each "thing".

For example, a Getting Started Page is set-up for participants of the MOOC. A point of entry is then established. In Thing 14, which is about mobile apps for curation like Pinterest Tumblr Storify and Scoopit, curation is briefly introduced and defined. This is followed by thinking and exploratory activities on the four curation apps.Engagement with the content in the form of a text, media and/or technology happens. Facilitators then schedule and lead a group chat or conversation among participants online. A wrap-up of the online chat is the exit or the end of the cycle until the next "thing".

Entrance. Engagement. Exit. That's the structure. The sequence. The flow.

In our last faculty meeting before campus closure, the Head of School (HOS) presented three parts to structure an online class -- Consume, Communicate. Create. It would be interesting to see how this structure or flow translate into practice.

Pilgrim's Pit Stop: Examen Prayer Apps

I started writing for the Magis Deo Newsletter nine or eight years ago. I took a hiatus for more than two years, I think. But, I am back now. Thanks to a divine intervention, I was inspired once more to write on a regular basis. Thanks to Magis Deo for allowing me a space to write once more in the Newsletter.

Last June, Pilgrim's Pit Stop debuted with an article on the anniversary of my Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA) last April 2016. For the July issue, being the feast of St. Ignatius of Loyola on July 31, I write about the Examen Prayer and three mobile apps that assist and help direct anyone who is willing to do the Examen.

I was first introduced to the Examen by Fr. Jean Desautels SJ. I signed up for the 19th Annotation where he was the spiritual director. I was in my third year of employment at Xavier School at the time and having attended the yearly Ignatian Retreats provided by the school, I felt I needed to deepen my prayer and enhance my prayer life with more meaning and verve. There was also the Consortium required for all newbies. I attended this in the middle of the school year and oh my, how it rocked my soul! I didn't remember praying for God to disturb me, but He did at a time when I seemed to be demanding so much from my relationships and from life, in general. Yet, happiness had been an elusive dream. The Consortium was my spiritual baptism of fire. Looking back, it was there where my spiritual journey began. I will share about this sometime soon on another platform or issue of the Newsletter.

Now, for the apps. These mobile apps on the Examen Prayer are produced and created by the Loyola Press, JesuitPrayer.org and The Prodigal Father. These three apps are: the 3 Minute Retreat; Jesuit Prayer; and the EXAMEN Prayer App. All three follow the five steps of the Examen and all can be downloaded for free in mobile phones, laptops and PC, and tablets and iPads. An internet connection is needed to download the apps, of course, as well as Google Play for Android and iCloud or iTunes for iPhone users.

The Examen Prayer App is made by The Prodigal Father, Fr. Michael Denk. It has an introductory video where Fr. Denk instructs users of the app through the Examen. Of the three apps, it has a space for journaling which can be shared to one's spiritual director, confessor, spouse or a trusted friend via email. It includes a social media channel for sharing on Twitter and Facebook. Of course, the choice to put up one's prayer petitions out there is a personal choice. The app is password protected. Users of the app can set the alarm as a reminder to do the Examen twice in a day.

What I like about this app is the space for journaling because I can go back to it to review my prayer journey, my prayer petitions and resolutions, and the grace received for each day.

The Jesuit Prayer is an online ministry of the Jesuit Midwest and Jesuit West in cooperation with the Spiritual Outreach through Leadership, LCC. The app presents the scriptural reading and Gospel for the day, then lead users of the app to Ignatian Reflection and Ignatian Prayer. There is a separate space for the Examen, prayer cards and a link to the Pope's Prayer.

The 3 Minute Retreat is the creation of Loyola Press. It lives up to its name. It is short, sweet and simple. Yet, it follows the five steps in the Examen. Of the three, this app is something I recommend for people starting out in the Examen. The Examen is a prayer technique that is not easy to do, but when done regularly and if the person is willing, then, he or she can start small and build up towards longer prayer time.

If you think these apps on the Examen can help you, why not try it out. There is nothing wrong with the traditional way of praying the Examen either. I think the beautiful thing about Ignatian Prayer is that we are able to meet God where ever we are in our life cycles and life journeys.

St. Ignatius of Loyola, pray for us!

#griffinsread: How We Met and Other Stories

Book selfie: A grade 10 student sent this entry for the BA Lib's #griffinsread photo contest

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Book Selfie: #griffinsread Photo Contest 2014

Launched the #griffinsread Photo Contest in school yesterday.

I. Objective: to communicate and express one’s love for books and reading using social media and mobile apps

1. Take a book selfie, or a photo of a book you are currently reading. That book should be a book borrowed from the BA Library.
2. Caption the photo and send it to librarian@beaconacademy.ph.
3. If your photo is selected, you earn 1 batch point for your batch.
4. Selected book selfies will be printed out and posted on the lib’s bulletin board. Book selfies will also be posted on the school’s web page. It is the student’s option to post his or her book selfie onto Twitter or IG using #griffinsread / #booklove
5. Teacher Librarian will ask permission from students whose photos are selected for posting onto her blog. This is to document the contest and share with other IB schools and libraries the reading and book promotion project of the Academy.
6. Selected book selfies will be judged by a pool of respectable judges: two from the Academy and one from outside the community, possibly, a professional photographer.

II. Criteria for judging

1. Artistic merit: composition, light and shade, balance, perspective

2. Visual message and content:

• Does your photo promote a positive image of books and reading?
• Does your photo show a relationship between the reader, the book and the author?
• Does your photo present a unique or “new” perspective on books and reading?

3. Caption or text of the photo:

      Does the caption or text provide context and background about the book and

enriches the overall impact of the photo’s message?

III. Timeline

 

Nov. 25 - Announcement and beginning of contest

Dec. 15 - Last day of sending in entries

Dec. 16-17 - Judging days

Dec. 18 or 19- Announcement of winners

The library bulletin board where print outs of photos will be posted. I posted my book selfie as an example.

23 Mobile Things PH SG: Things 17, 18, 19 - Research & Productivity Tools & File Sharing

I have been terribly busy the past weeks. School ended last May and I'm officially on summer vacation.

But.

So, I am catching up on 23 Mobile Things PH SG.

Things 17, 18 and 19 are all familiar tech tools. I have been using Evernote since 2011 as a way to synchronize files on the school library project I am involved in for Sambat Trust UK, a charity that set ups school libraries. Evernote keeps me on track on reports and updates, feedback and news from the charity's director and field coordinator. Since there's a mobile app, I get news from them real time. It's been pretty efficient.

I've downloaded Workflowy in my iPhone. It's very similar to the productivity tools that came with my iPhone apps when I bought it. But it's good to give it a try. Hootsuite is another productivity tool that I use to campaign for the school library projects of Sambat Trust UK. It saves me a lot of time in posting to all my social media accounts. Sadly, much as I want to try Buffer, I need an iOS7 upgrade in my iPhone. I am not yet ready to upgrade for economic reasons.

When Dianne De Las Casas and I were working on Tales From the 7,000 Isles: Filipino Folk Stories (my first book published in the US), we synced work through Dropbox. It was amazing. Now, Dropbox comes with an app. I tried downloading it but, like Buffer, it needs to run in iOS7.

I'm not jumping in the bandwagon.

Here's what I'll do: this summer, I'll include a review of useful apps  that can be used by teachers and students. I'll have the list published in the school's newsletter and posted in the school library's web portal. Indeed, the role of librarians have shifted from keepers of information who provide access to users to facilitators of technology to assist users in the responsible and efficient use of tools for thinking.

Promise, I'll post projects I do and learn from 23 Mobile Things PH SG.

And yes, I am on summer vacation.

23 Mobile Things PH & SG: Thing # 6: Videos

I'm still learning from Thing #s 4 and 5 and here comes Thing # 6 -- videos!

I have accounts in YouTube and Instagram and have used its video apps both on laptop and mobile devices a few times. However, I think I should explore using videos to promote and market special events and collections in the library. Now that's a long term plan to put in a year's strategic plan for the library. The technology is just there but the content will take a while to build it.

For this week's Thing, my attention was directed towards Videonot.es.

Tried annotating my video of a read aloud session. 

My work in the library entails guidance in using technology in instruction too. I'll recommend Videonot.es to my co-teachers and at the same time, I'll use it too to better understand the technology. The freeware/app can also be used by students who view and watch educational videos from YouTube. It's the annotation feature that I'm drawn to. 

As for updates on my use of Historypin, I have uploaded some photos of my travels. I've pinned some too. Then, I can create a Channel or a Tour. So far so good, I think.

23 Mobile Things PH & SG: #s 4 & 5: Maps & Checking In Photos+Maps+Apps

Here's an update on stuff I do at 23 Mobile Things PH & SG:

I've added a badge of Historypin in the blog as I've set up an account. I plan to create a channel of my travels as workshop facilitator, resource speaker and author to different schools and communities. I also intend to create tours of international conferences I've been to and will be going to in the future. I am still in the process of learning this app on photo archiving.

What would make Historypin different from Flickr and other photo apps out there? Technology is fascinating, but the librarian in me could not help but look for order in chaos. I'm trying to be poetic here. I just find the wealth of apps and Web 2.0 freebies overwhelming at times. There must be a way to put things in order and to categorize these apps and freebies into useful mechanism that will aid in content development and construction of knowledge.

Another app I've downloaded (in my iPhone) is Readar from LibraryThing. I think I'll be able to share my experiences with these apps as I go along, using and exploring its functionality in daily life applications.

Technology is pretty cool and yes, in this day and age, it's not just a tool but an environment that needs to be managed.