-Chris

Thank you so much for having the nerve! (I totally get it). I am really appreciating the feedback that I am getting on this post (see it on the Re:Generations Blog, too!). It’s hard to keep their attention, and even harder when they don’t necessarily value what they are being taught (yet).

Glad to have you reading! Maybe we can turn you to the darkside (i.e. lieberrianship!) yet!

Kim

I love this idea of using funny devices not only to convey a point but to, at the very least, get them to look in the direction of the instructor. I’ve chaperoned many a composition class during their library sessions, and I feel so utterly bad for those librarians that can’t get the attention of my sleepiest, laziest, more-important-than-college-libraries-est students. What I love about your method that you describe here is that it takes advantage of one really great potential detriment: it can be applied to different classes across the board (with mixed results of effectiveness, sure) without having a pre-established chemistry or rapport with the students. It must be extremely daunting and challenging to work with a new set of students for these sessions, establish yourself as the day’s authority figure, and require from them that they pay attention and take you seriously. Well done for breaking through that barrier! One of my university librarians here passes around a bucket filled to the brim with candy throughout the entire class period–my students would sit there, hyped up on sugar, shouting out research topics. It was effective…and neither she nor I had to deal with them when they were little sugar-coma zombies. Win-win!

Thanks for sharing this method! I have to teach the MLA style today…maybe I’ll rework my handout to include some humorous elements, too….

Thanks! and too true. On my previous phone (non-gps), I had never had any difficulty checking in on Foursquare. On my new phone (iPhone! <3), however, I have been standing in a building, knowing full well that I am standing in the building, at the correct address and Foursquare is telling me that I am too far away from the location. It'll check me in still, but no points, no badges. I can only assume that this is happening because it is believing someone who has previously checked in somewhere a little off of being in the building/location.

You also raise an interesting point in the responsibility and ownership of the presence… What about institutions that don't have a social media presence? Or at least, not one that they are in control of? A very interesting question and raises some about resources in libraries too… Hmm, I wonder what Joe Murphy would have to say about these things..?