What I learned in Kerikeri

I've recently come back from a trip to Kerikeri.  I was invited up to do a workshop by SLANZA Te Tai Tokerau.  Actually, I ended up presenting on three topics because I gave them a few things to choose from and they chose them all!

This post is not about what I shared with them*, rather what I learned while I was there.  First off, I was wowed by how they promoted the event.  Julia, the librarian at Kerikeri High School, came up with this fabulous poster:

It was done on a site called Canva, which is worth having a look at.  Julia also taught me that vegan meals can taste delicious, when she invited me to a very scrummy dinner.  And lastly I got some great ideas from looking around her library, which hosted the event.  

I love the way these displays bring the online world into the physical environment.

I was impressed by how the event was set up.  Rather than sitting in rows of seats there were tables to sit around.  Jeannie, the National Library's Programme Adviser for Northland, made sure everyone at each table had introduced themselves to each other.  After each of my talks there was time built in for people to chat with each other about any thoughts they had and ideas they might like to implement in their libraries.  We also had time to hear from a public librarian who had interesting things to add to my talk on gamification.  

At the end of the event there was a raffle for books that had been donated by various committee members.  There were so many books that everyone who bought a ticket won at least one book, and I won three!  Best of all you got to go up and pick a book rather than be given one that might not be suitable.

As there was a committee meeting taking place after the event Jeannie and Julia had organised to bring soup so the committee could have some lunch.  They extended the offer of soup to everyone and this was a big hit.  A lot of people stayed and chatted, and it was a nice alternative to having everyone meet up at a cafe.

So, I got to see how a different SLANZA region ran an event, and I found that extremely worthwhile.  I will bring these ideas back to my own committee and see if we can use some of them.

I'd like to say a big thanks to Jeannie, Julia and everyone else I met at Kerikeri.  I had a wonderful time and they made me feel very welcome.


*But if you are interested in what I was presenting about, here is my virtual library tour and my talks on gamification and genrefication.

How to Gamify your Library: Reflections on a presentation

Last week I presented at the School Library Association of New Zealand Aotearoa (SLANZA) conference in Wellington.  Having done no public speaking since they made me at college, there were times when I did wonder what on earth I was thinking when I volunteered.  However, I gave my presentation, got some good feedback and may even do it again one day.  I think there is a need for more primary school librarians to present at these conferences so if I can't persuade others (I did try) then I may be back.

Here are some things I learnt about presenting:

• It takes much longer than you think to prepare.  Particularly if you enjoy researching, there is lots of information out there, and you want to read it all!
• The process of pulling together information, and organising it in a coherent way so that you can present it, helps give you a stronger and deeper focus on your topic.
• There is lots of great information on how to present, and people who will help you if you ask.  Here are my favourite slides on presenting from Ned Potter .  I also had lovely support and advice from @MatthewWinner and @jenniferlagarde, who are American librarians and experts on gamification.  How cool is that?!  All I had to do was ask.
• Think carefully about what to put in your abstract.  Although my abstract said my workshop was about how to use game elements to bring fun into the library, I met a few librarians who had obviously seen the title "How to gamify your library" and decided that it meant bringing video games into the library.

I'm going to embed my slides, although they are quite simple and had a lot of verbal explanations to accompany them.  I did also make a library gamification website that has a lot of the articles and videos I used in researching gamification.

I had a ball at the conference and am still writing up my notes.  I hope to post again shortly and talk about the keynotes and workshops I attended.

How to gamify your library from Michelle Simms

Gamification - Book Clubs and MOOCs

Gamification is a relatively new term so I'll start with a definition - gamification is the use of game elements and game design techniques in non-game contexts.  It is a way to bring the fun and motivating aspects of games to the real world.  As a librarian I'm interested in how gamification might work to motivate students to read more.

My first real introduction to gamification came via a blog I subscribe to called "The Adventures of Library Girl."  Jennifer LaGarde, the American librarian otherwise known as "Library Girl", joined up with fellow librarian Matthew Winner and launched a new blog called the "Level Up Book Club".  This book club now boasts a Twitter hashtag, Wiki, Tumblr, Live Binder and Diigo group.



The first book we read as part of the book club was "Reality is Broken" by Jane McGonigal.  What a fantastic book!  Easy to read and very inspiring.  Jane has also done a great TED talk about how gaming can make a better world.

We are about to read our fourth book on gamification and Jennifer and Matthew have applied their ideas about gamification to their book club to keep it fun and interesting.

So, on to the MOOC.  What is a MOOC you may ask (I certainly did!).  It is a Massive Open Online Course.  As a result of following some of the Level Up Book Club's more active members on Twitter I learnt about a MOOC that was starting on a website called Coursera.  Professor Kevin Werbach from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania was running a six week course about gamification.  I am one of over 71,000 people enrolled from 147 countries.  How cool is that?!  The course itself is one of the first on gamification in any form so I'm not surprised interest is high.

I was really keen to see how the course would work.  It involves watching a series of video lectures, completing quizzes and writing assignments.  At the end of the course you receive a certificate if you have achieved a grade of 70% or over. 

The assignments are graded by your peers.  If you submit an assignment then you are expected to grade five other assignments using a fairly basic rubric.  Here is a link to an interesting article about the problems associated with this.  I actually should be working on my first assignment now (I'm great with avoidance tactics!).  Twelve hours after the deadline I should receive some assignments to mark and I think it will be interesting to read what others have done.  The first assignment is only worth 5 points and is a maximum of 300 words so shouldn't be too taxing.

So far I am really enjoying the course.  How can you not like a lecturer who asks you to go away and play the first level of Plants vs Zombies?! (OK, I played two levels, my willpower was weak!).  I did wonder if I would be more likely to abandon the course if it became too demanding because I had not paid money to do it.  However, the high interest I have in the content of the course has ensured I am motivated to finish it.

I like the concept of gamification and am keen to see how I can apply it to my professional life.  Next week I am attending a National Library seminar about the summer reading slide.  I am hoping that gamification might be useful in keeping children reading over the summer.  But first I have an assignment to write...