In my hyperlinked library class we’ve been learning about the library as classroom and the benefits of the flipped classroom. The flipped classroom lends itself to the newer concept of teaching and learning, the active, community centered, collaborative, group learning in which both students and instructors can be learners or teachers. What is a flipped classroom? The flipped or inverted classroom assigns pre-class, often an online video, pod cast, or reading material, homework and then utilizes class time to complete an active discussion or learning exercise. “Lectures are moved online to be viewed before class, and classroom time is dedicated […]
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I am honored to have written this piece for the Queen’s Education Letter with Margaret Jean Campbell. Margaret served as our graduate research assistant throughout the MOOC planning, delivery and assessment phases. http://educ.queensu.ca/sites/webpublish.queensu.ca.educwww/files/files/Community/ed_letter_spring_2015.pdf Findings from our research yield a positive view of the cMOOC experience, with many inspired to explore new potentials in the LIS field, especially with new technologies. MOOC participants discovered that they can learn, reflect upon professional practices, discuss and exchange ideas with others in evolving networks and create new networks outside their individual library environments.
Stephens, M., & Jones, K. M. L. (2015). Emerging roles: Key insights from librarians in a massive open online course. Journal of Library and Information Services in Distance Learning, 9(1-2), 133–147. doi: 10.1080/1533290X.2014.946353 Abstract: From the cutting edge of innovations in online education comes the MOOC (Massive Open Online Course), a potentially disruptive and transformational mechanism for large-scale learning. What’s the role of librarians in a MOOC? What can librarians learn from participating in a large-scale professional development opportunity delivered in an open environment to illuminate their own practice? This paper explores the experiences and perceptions of librarians/information professionals participating in an […]
Project Information Literacy (PIL) has just shared the Information Literacy’s latest “Smart Talk” interview with Craig Watkins a leading thinker on social media, connected learning and youth. In the interview, Craig says: “While schools do not always suffer from a lack of technology, they consistently suffer from a lack of vision in how the technology will be used. In high-poverty schools, technology is rarely used to promote the development of higher-order thinking skills, such as design, problem-solving, or coding. Schools must invest in highly-skilled instructors and curricula that cultivate the skills associated with innovation. This is not necessarily a technological […]
I am honored to have an article co-authored with Kyle Jones in the new issue of Journal of Education for Library and Information Science. Stephens, M. & Jones, K. M. L. (2014). “MOOCs as LIS Professional Development Platforms: Evaluating and Refining SJSU’s First Not-for-Credit MOOC.” Journal of Education for Library and Information Science, 55,(4). Abstract: Beyond for-credit offerings, some library and information science (LIS) schools are exploring MOOCs as a means to promote lifelong learning and professional development. Using web surveys and descriptive content analysis methods, this paper empirically addresses if, in LIS programs, MOOCs can fill a role and serve […]
LIBR 200-12 Information Communities Spring 2015 Dr. Michael Stephens Office Hours: Virtual office hours by appointment (BB IM, etc) Course Description Examines information users and the social, cultural, economic, technological, and political forces that shape their information access and use. The different resources and services that information professionals provide for their user communities will also be addressed as well as ethical/legal professional practice. LIBR 200 meets SJSU’s graduate writing assessment requirement. Note: iSchool requires that students earn a B in this course. If the grade is less than B (B- or lower) after the first attempt you will be […]
Oops – forgot to post this: http://lj.libraryjournal.com/2014/07/opinion/michael-stephens/flipping-the-lis-classroom-office-hours/ I’m most excited about the requirement for student reflection blogging in this course. Discussion forums, landlocked inside the learning management system, are giving way to a WordPress-enabled blog community that all of our core students will work with for thoughts on the course content. I am a longtime advocate of the power of blogging as a means to foster critical reflection in a safe thinking-out-loud space and promote engagement with other students and faculty via commenting. The Sloan Consortium, devoted to effective online education, recently heralded a similar model: the University of Nevada […]
Here’s last month’s column – all about getting too hung up on citation formatting: http://lj.libraryjournal.com/2014/09/opinion/michael-stephens/citation-fixation-office-hours/ But wait—shouldn’t we be teaching soon-to-be librarians how to cite properly so they in turn can deliver the gospel to their young charges in the university? And grading them down for every missed period or italicized article title? I’d argue that instead of citation fixation we promote reflection and consideration of the ideas presented in our courses. To synthesize is a sometimes overused verb in higher education, but it works in this instance. Students encountering new ideas and voices of any discipline are better served by someone […]
Citation: Michael Stephens , (2014) “23 mobile things: self-directed and effective professional learning: “, Library Management , Vol. 35 Iss: 8/9, pp. –. Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the “Mobile 23 Things” survey results from the program offered by Guldborgsund-bibliotekerne (a public library in Denmark) and present the findings as support for professional development models to increase library staff familiarity with emerging technologies. Design/methodology/approach Using an integrated, exploratory approach, a Web-based survey tool, developed for a previous Learning 2.0 study, was adapted for this study, with survey questions translated English – Danish, and responses Danish – English. The data […]
I can’t believe it’s already my fourth year at the School of Information at San Jose State University. This is my 4th year dossier. It grew out of the one binder I turned in 2 years ago! It’s all about the tabs!