The document discusses a study on how teacher librarian candidates use Web 2.0 tools in their personal, professional, and academic lives. A survey of 100 candidates found their learning ecology was limited mainly to social networking, media sharing, and communication tools for personal use. Few used more advanced Web 2.0 tools like social bookmarking and wikis. The study suggests expanding teacher candidates' learning ecologies by incorporating Web 2.0 engagement activities in their programs to increase technology adoption.

1. The learning ecology of
Web 2.0 tool use by
teacher librarian
candidates
Cynthia R. Houston, Ph.D. MLIS
Western Kentucky University
cynthia.houston@wku.edu
SLIDESHARE:
http://www.slideshare.net/media3693/Iasl

2. What is Web 2.0?
“The term Web 2.0 is associated with web applications that facilitate
participatory information sharing, inter-operability, user-centered design
and collaboration on the World Wide Web. A Web 2.0 site allows users to
interact and collaborate with each other in a social media dialogue as
creators of user-generated content in a virtual community, in contrast to
websites where users are limited to the passive viewing of content that was
created for them. Examples of Web 2.0 include:
• Social networking sites - Facebook
• Blogs – The Never Ending Search
• Wikis - Wikipedia
• Video sharing sites – Youtube
• Hosted services – Google Sites
• Web applications – Google docs
• Mashups – Generator Land
• Folksonomies – Library Thing”
-Wikipedia

3. Web 2.0 Research
 > 50 % of students engage in Web 2.0 activities at
least 9 hours per week (Greenhow, et. al., 2009)
 Students interact with new media (mp3 audio, mpg
video, Youtube, Facebook, etc.) 6.5 hours per day
(Greenhow, et. al., 2009)
 Young people are thinking and learning differently
due to digital information (Prensky, 2006)
 Multiple information formats, distributed
knowledge, communal learning
 There is a “mismatch” in the formal
teaching/learning process (Greenhow, et. al., 2009)

4. Why Web 2.0 in School
Libraries?
 “Common thinking today is to bring into
schools tools youth are using outside school
to make schools more personally meaningful,
collaborative, and socially relevant”
(Greenhow, 2009)
 “Using Web 2.0 tools can make work more
fun for adults and learning more interesting for
students” (Hauser, 2007)
 “Although most library media specialists have
heard of blogs and other Web 2.0 tools a
great number have never used them.”
(Baumbaugh, 2007)

5. Web 2.0 Research
Study
 How do Teacher-Librarian Candidates use
Web 2.0 tools?
 Creating and Accessing Information
 Personal, Professional, Academic Lives
 Online Survey (n=100)
 Descriptive Statistical Analysis (50% r.r.)
 School Librarians of the Future must be
leaders in bridging the growing Digital
Divide

6. Learning Ecology
Framework
 Learning and processes in formal, informal,
and non formal learning environments
overlap and influence each other (Barron,
2007)
 Formal = school, academic
 Nonformal = home, hobby, personal enjoyment,
health
 Informal = learning as consequence of doing
something else (learning Youtube to create
professional presentation)
Example: Student has a personal or informal interest in
science fiction, particularly “Star Wars”; this interest
leads the student to develop a “Star Wars”
Dictionary for a formal library science class
assignment; As an extension of this interest, student
non formal learns to use a Wiki with the help of
others to publish the dictionary online.

7. The Importance of the
Learning Ecology
Framework
“What children learn outside of school can shape what
they learn in school as they seek out projects based on
their interests. In turn, school projects can stimulate
students’ interest that can motivate them to seek more
information, opportunities, and like-minded people with
whom to learn on their own terms.”
•learning can manifest itself across settings
•informal or formal crossing of boundaries might
enhance learning. (Greenhow, et. al, 2009)
School librarians have a wide mission in
increasing student learning, as they assist
students with all of their learning needs: formal,
nonformal and informal

8. Web 2.0 Survey
http://cybersmartcurriculum.org/tools/
Common Sense Media
n=100 response rate=50%
Productivity and Creativity Social Bookmarking -
Tools – Google Docs 
Delicious
Digital Storytelling Tools -
Animoto  Collaboration and
Networking -
Wikis - Wikipedia Facebook
On-line Surveys –Survey  Blogs – Neverending
Monkey Search
Pod-casting - Podomatic  Social gaming -
Photo and Video Sharing –
Farmtown
Photo Bucket  Virtual Universe –
RSS Feeds – Google Second Life
Reader

9. Frequencies
Quite Often + Very Often
2.0 Tool Personal Professional Academic
Social Networking 71.5% Create 21.4% Create 4.8% Create
54.8% Access 16.6% Access 4.8% Access
Communication 64.3% Create 21.4% Create 9.5% Create
47.6% Access 21.4% Access 9.5% Access
Photo/VIdeo Sharing 45.2% Create 19.1% Create 4.8% Create
33.3% Access 21.4% Access 2.4% Access
Blogs 28.6% Create 11.9% Create 14.3% Create
24% Access 11.9% Access 7.1% Access
Wikis 7.1% Create 4.8% Create 7.1% Create
19.1% Access 11.9% Access 9.5% Access
Productivity Tools 24% Create 7.1% Create 7.2% Create
16.7% Access 11.9% Access 4.8% Access
Online Surveys 11.9% Create 4.8% Create 4.8% Create
0% Access 0% Access 7.7% Access

10. Table 1: Top Five Web 2.0 Tools Used (Mean Scores)

11. Table 2: Bottom 5 Web 2.0 Tools Used (Mean Scores)

12. Key Learnings
Some Web 2.0 tools are being used more often in professional
settings than previously reported (Baumbach, 2009, Farmer and
Shontz, 2009) but not as much as possible
2009 Farmer& Shontz 2011 Houston*
Productivity Tools 38% 37%
Photo/Video Sharing 23% 80%
Podcasts 17% 30%
Social Bookmarking 10% 17%
Wiki/Blog 26% 37%, 50%
Social Networking 4% 75%
Virtual Environments 1% 1%
*combination of “sometimes, quite often, very often”

13. Key Learnings
The learning ecology is a narrow one, limited to Social
networking, Media sharing and Communication tools for
personal activities, and to smaller degrees in the
professional and academic spheres
Research indicates this may mirror learning ecology of
Digital Natives (Ebner cited in Margaryan & Littlejohn,
2008)
• High familiarity with Wikipedia, Youtube, Facebook
• Low familiarity with Social bookmarking, podcasts,
blogging, virtual worlds
• Most frequently used technology is used to access
information and not to create information

14. Key Learnings
Age does not appear to be significant in the learning
ecology of teacher librarian candidates' Web 2.0 tool use
which does play a role in the general population
Results of a 2-tailed T test did not show there were any
significant differences between teacher-librarian
candidates 31 years of age or older and 30 years of age
and younger except:
• use of Productivity tools to create information for
personal use (x=2.62, t=.03)
• the use of RSS feeds to access information for
personal use (x=1.67, t=.05)
Perhaps the digital divide is not a barrier between
teacher-librarian candidates and their users as it is with
other populations

15. Key Learnings
Teacher-librarian candidates’ personal use of Social
Networking and Photo Sharing may represent “gateway”
tools spurring interest in exploring less commonly used
tools such as social gaming, pod-casting or virtual
environments and applications in professional activities.
Results from a survey of LM-Net subscribers indicate: “We
have the right outlook: 57% of respondents identify
themselves as technology enthusiasts or early adopters
who try to convince administrators to try new 2.0
innovations. It is our choice to lead the way” (Brooks, 2008)

16. Suggestions: Widen
the Learning Ecology!
 Incorporate Web 2.0 Engagement Activities
in Teacher-Librarian Prep programs
 Decrease Barriers at Home and Work
 Filters
 Increase Time and Opportunities for
Learning
 Technical Access
 Time allowed for Student Engagement

17. A Wider Learning
Ecology Example:
Nonformal – Facebook
Formal – PD - Animoto
Informal – Book & Trailer
THANKS!!!
cynthia.houston@wku.edu
SLIDESHARE:
http://www.slideshare.net/media3693/Iasl

18. Sources
Brooks, A. (2008). Old school meets school library 2.0: bump your media
program into an innovative model for teaching and learning. Library
Media Connection, 26(7), p. 14-16. Retrieved from EBSCO Host.
Farmer, L., & Shontz, M. (2009). Spending survey. School Library Journal,
55(4), 38. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.
Greenhow, C., Robelia, B, and Hughes, J. (2009). Learning, teaching, and
scholarship in a digital age. Web 2.0 and classroom research: What path
should we take now?. Educational Researcher, 38(4) pp. 246-259.
Margaryan, A. and Littlejohn, A. (2008). Are digital natives a myth or reality?:
Students’ use of technologies for learning. Paper presented at the
Caledonian Academy, Glasgow Caledonian University, UK, Retrieved
from Google Scholar.
Web 2.0 Tools for you to Use - http://webtools4u2use.wikispaces.com/