Research Strategies and Twitter Connections

As I come to a close on my latest course, Research Strategies, I wanted to share a few Twitter connections I discovered which are not mentioned in a syllabus or in the online classroom. Online libraries and databases can be intimidating to students new to the online learning environment so I thought I would share the Twitter connections I discovered while waiting for these online libraries or databases to produce the results for my key words.

As a seasoned online student, I have to give props to EBSCOhost. Of all the online databases used in this course, EBSCOhost has improved the most over the years. Options for storing notes, export citations to Bibliographic Manager, and offering different formats for citations.

The options to export citations to the Bibliographic Manager are:

Save citations to a file formatted for:

Direct Export to EndNote, ProCite, or Reference Manager

Direct Export to EndNote Web

Generic bibliographic management software

Citations in BibTeX format

Citations in MARC21 format

Direct Export to RefWorks

The formatting options for citations by EBSCOhost are:

AMA - Reference List

APA - References

Chicago/Turabian - Author/Date - Reference List

Chicago/Turabian - Humanities - Bibliography

MLA - Works Cited

Vancouver/ICMJE Style - References

Now for the Twitter connections to the different online databases and the public websites associated with the source:

@credoreference - Customizable general reference solution for learners and librarians.

@EBSCOPublishing - Service provider of e-journal, e-book and e-journal package, print subscriptions, e-resource management tools, full-text, secondary databases, and services for all types of libraries and research organizations.

@LNAcademic - LexisNexis Academic - Research references and for libraries worldwide.

@OCLC - Online Computer Library Center

@ProQuest - Creates specialized information resources and technologies that propel successful research, discovery, and lifelong learning.

@RefWorks - Creates tools for faculty, researchers, students, and librarians that enhance and enrich the process of discovery and research.

@safaribooks - Safari Books Online - Depending on your school or employer your access may vary. Free trials are available.

@SAGEeducation - A leading international publisher of books and resources for education professionals.

@worldcatorg - The largest network of library content and services.

*The list is alphabetical, not based on any rating system, personal preference or priority.

This post is meant to share information that I wish was available when I started the Research Strategies course. I do not suggest that the Twitter connections replace your online library resources, but provide a supplementary means to keep informed of scheduled updates/outages, knowing whether a particular resource is available with a mobile app, connecting to a source on Twitter (or other social networks), being able to search FAQs or connect with someone who can provide real time information about your school's connection with a particular online database or service and to improve your awareness of the tools available today.

If you have additional resources to share or recommendations, please leave a comment, shared knowledge empowers us all.

Reflection and Perspectives

How often do you pause and reflect on your efforts, accomplishments, and adjust your avenues of approach? How do you encourage others to self reflect and view different perspectives in the learning environment?

Whether I am in a formal or informal learning environment I am often reminded of the story of "The Blind Men and the Elephant". Today you can see the various credits in the Wikipedia article or through the 1000+ titles in Google Books.

So how often do you put yourself in the position of the blind men and the elephant to see another person's perspective?

I am not sure how old I was when I first read this story but I know it factors into my life, regardless of my role of the hour. Wikipedia describes a few versions of the story but this quote from the Buddhist version caught my attention: "Just so are these preachers and scholars holding various views blind and unseeing...In their ignorance they are by nature quarrelsome, wrangling, and disputatious, each maintaining reality is thus and thus."

So for those who are sharing knowledge in any learning environment, ensure you are not right fighting for a truth which may only be a half truth, take a moment and listen, and see if you can "Seek first to understand then be understood" (Steven Covey).

The learning process is not an "us vs. them" battlefield. The lifelong learning process is one part of the "unity" within the community. What role do you fill?

Some quotes that have caught my attention during my homework and research assignments this week:

Quotes from Robert M. Hutchins:

"The object of education is to prepare the young to educate themselves throughout their lives."

“It must be remembered that the purpose of education is not to fill the minds of students with facts…it is to teach them to think.”

“Education is a kind of continuing dialogue, and a dialogue assumes different points of view.”

“My idea of education is to unsettle the minds of the young and inflame their intellects.”

From Peter F. Drucker:

We now accept the fact that learning is a lifelong process of keeping abreast of change. And the most pressing task is to teach people how to learn.

So how often do you pause and reflect on your efforts, accomplishments, and adjust your avenues of approach? How do you encourage others to self reflect and view different perspectives in the learning environment?

Comments are always welcome.

Ever spent time with a School Nurse?

Thank You Nurse Jones!

Nurse Belinda Jones presenting health & welfare information and statistics about student health.

Ever spent some time with your school nurse? I know the experiences vary from one school to another (if a school even has a school nurse) but this blog post is just a simple appreciation for School Nurse Belinda Jones. School Nurses and Georgia came together to petition Governor Sonny Perdue's eradication of school nurses. While people look for test scores and AYP stats, it is rare to find the death statistics for a school district. With privacy issues and medical records, critical thinking is imperative for students today.

Even if you have the healthiest of children, does your child know how to provide or seek assistance if something happens in the classroom? Just as adults prepare for emergencies in a working environment, students have a need to know how to seek help when something happens. While great strides are improving technology, most schools still ban cell phones. Just like knowing where the emergency gas shut off is at a gas station, students need to know how to seek help and what to do in the mean time.

Believe me...Nurse Jones is not a school nurse for the $$$. Butler HS' Nurse Jones gets to spend time between an elementary and a high school and on emergency calls for other schools. Between trying to get students to return the medical cards and emergency contact information, she treats students w/allergies, asthma, accidents, pregnancies, diabetes, bruises, bloody noses, broken bones, MRSA, H1N1, and whatever other ailments she is notified of in the realm of a day and manages prescriptions and consent forms from parents.

We encouraged Nurse Jones to fill out a "Teacher Wish List" because she also takes care of our students. You have never seen such a smile when delivering some basic personal hygiene items, a few boxes of band aids, and plastic bags for ice packs. You would have thought we brought her the best gift in the world. With budgets being cut left and right, have you checked on your school nurse lately?

Mark your calendars May 12, 2010, National School Nurse Day.