Future Vision Project Post #2: A Change in Destiny

I can't escape Destiny

Every time I contemplate ideas around research and Web 2.0 skills, my thoughts flicker back to ways in which the Destiny Quest program could be better used to teach and practice skills of information retrieving, list making, and sharing.

In scooting about the web for other educators ideas and sharing around this topic, I encountered only two resources that discussed Destiny Quest as a teaching tool. The first was a pay-only resource (not likely!) and the second, generated by the New York City School Library System, provided a list of simple lesson plans related to the site.

You can check it out here.

How I Might Use Destiny in My Library

How to write a review. Students can write reviews that are then saved in Destiny Quest and remain attached to each book.

How to find a Just Right Book in Destiny Quest. Students can make recommendations. They can look up a book that they have already read and view a list of read-alike links. Students can check out the top 10 books. They can also look at the list of new arrivals.

Accessing Resources. Students can search for books or websites on a topic. Titles can be saved to a resource list. Titles can be reviewed. Lists can be generated into a Bibliography.

Website Review. Students can access websites via One Search. One Search allows is an Internet search on a topic. Students can practice information retrieval and also review resources found.

Considering the Topic

As I consider this topic, a number of classroom applications come to mind and yet I find myself wondering if this is a topic that is interesting enough to share out.

Also, who would be interested in this topic? Teacher Librarians and students are the primary users of Destiny Quest. Students are interacting with the site. An additional site about the topic might just translate to another layer of information that inhibits rather than promotes use of the site.  Hmmm. How-to Videos could be helpful... And yet when I find those videos online, I often find them boring. I certainly glaze-out during the explanations and find that exploring the site to figure something out is often how I learn what the video is trying to teach me.

Teacher Librarians would likely be interested in ideas around using the site. Creating an entire website devoted to the topic seems a little much. Perhaps videos might be more engaging to this audience. Or perhaps still shots with something like Voice Thread.

I suppose I need to go back to my planning with the end in mind:

What do I want others to take away? Some ideas for how to use Destiny Quest to support digital literacy.

How can this information be best conveyed? Still thinking...

Perhaps I need to expand my thinking from computer-based concepts to consider the iPad possibilities. Leah shared out that awesome list of apps. Perhaps an app is the place to start. I haven't actually spent a lot of time exploring iPad teaching possibilities. I know Leah has. I think that I could learn through this process and also share in an effective way.

I just stopped for a brain break to read Danielle's blog. Danielle always has these awesome ideas, deep thoughts, and succinct communication which is both inspiring and mildly depressing (because I'm not Danielle and am juveniley jealous). Anyhow, her latest post is chocked full of great links. Not only does she reference classmates' ideas, she also tips us toward some excellent resources. Toward the end of her page she mentions Edmoto. I haven't spend much time there but I think this could be a good time to sign up and see if this might be a place to share out my final project.

Anyhow, it's Spring Break and the sun is shining and it was all I could do to sit down at a computer this afternoon. My bike and a coffee date are calling. I think I'll just have to do some constructive thinking out in the sunshine.