The DDA Trouble Free Zone Part 2

[Glynis]

Glynis-

I tried answering but it said your mailbox was full. I will try and answer a little later.

On that note, can anyone tell me how to clear out my mailbox. I have 3 messages saved in my inbox, but the computer is saying that I have 117 stored. How do I get rid of the stored messages?

 

[Glynis]

Glynis - interesting question. I would agree with what Tammi wrote, and then also add that I think the technology of today is impacting the development as well. With so much information (particularly in the world events and general research categories) now available on the Internet or through multi-media CD-ROMS, I would imagine this has caused traditional library collections to decrease, from books to microfiche, etc.

I can just remember using all of those encyclopedias growing up for various school projects - do they even make those anymore??

I don't know if that's helpful to you, but good luck with your class tonight!!

Actually, they do make those encyclopedias still. They are incredibly expensive, and have to be replaced every 4-5 years as information changes so rapidly. It's much more cost efficient to buy the software for an electronic encyclopedia. I think you are right, though, about the technology causing a decrease in library collections. Kids just don't go to the library to do reasearch when they can do it online. We spent a great deal of time last semester talking about just that. I just can't imagine a world where books will become obsolete! That is my NIGHTMARE!

 

[UP Disney]

On that note, can anyone tell me how to clear out my mailbox. I have 3 messages saved in my inbox, but the computer is saying that I have 117 stored. How do I get rid of the stored messages?

How many do you have in your Sent Items? There is a drop-down box at the top that says Inbox. If you select the drop-down, you can change to your sent items. Is this where the other 114 messages are?

 

[UP Disney]

Hey everyone, I need some help from you. As a graduate student, I have to teach a portion of a class tonight. I need to get some of your thoughts to help me put my lecture together. So, if you feel like you can, could you please answer the following question, and give a short answer as to why you chose what you did? Thanks.

Which of the following 3 societal trends do you feel have the largest impact on school library collection development:
a. illiteracy - not only the inability to read or write, but also the inability to use information.

b. the decline of school achievement

c. Cultural diversity (determining what is right/wrong; good/bad; secular/religious.

Thanks to anyone who can help me out.

I really struggled on this one between b & c and d (technology). Kids just don't read like they used to.

I think that I would have to say technology is the biggest culprit. Kids spend all kinds of time on their computers chatting with their friends. They can easily find all kinds of info on a subject (not always accurate) at home on their computer so why spend time in the library with all that heavy work (they are also lazier than I remember being). Also, they don't spend the time reading & writing that I remember doing when I was their age. My kids would spend all day on the computer chatting with their friends and playing games if I let them. Luckily, with much encouragement from their dad & I, they have become leisurely readers. However, they both went through phases where they didn't read much except assigned from school.

Of the options you gave us, I would say it would be c for the reasons that Tammi described.

No libraries is a horrible thought! I love the printed page. There is nothing like picking up a book and feeling and smelling it as you are reading. Some of my favorites are reading some of my mom's old books.

Hope this helps.

 

[disney newbie]

Hey everyone, I need some help from you. As a graduate student, I have to teach a portion of a class tonight. I need to get some of your thoughts to help me put my lecture together. So, if you feel like you can, could you please answer the following question, and give a short answer as to why you chose what you did? Thanks.

Which of the following 3 societal trends do you feel have the largest impact on school library collection development:
a. illiteracy - not only the inability to read or write, but also the inability to use information.

b. the decline of school achievement

c. Cultural diversity (determining what is right/wrong; good/bad; secular/religious.


Thanks to anyone who can help me out.

I PM'd you about this.

 

[bethbuchall]

Hey everyone, I need some help from you. As a graduate student, I have to teach a portion of a class tonight. I need to get some of your thoughts to help me put my lecture together. So, if you feel like you can, could you please answer the following question, and give a short answer as to why you chose what you did? Thanks.

Which of the following 3 societal trends do you feel have the largest impact on school library collection development:
a. illiteracy - not only the inability to read or write, but also the inability to use information.

b. the decline of school achievement

c. Cultural diversity (determining what is right/wrong; good/bad; secular/religious.

Thanks to anyone who can help me out.

I think of the answers given, I would choose c. I think that censorship is on the increase for different reasons in different areas. In some places people are trying too hard to be politically correct. In others, religious groups are trying to ban Harry Potter and similar books from the library shelves. The debate on evolution vs. intelligent design is increasing.

Other factors that have a large impact are technology and lack of funding for schools/school libraries.

Beth

 

[Steamboat Marti]

I may need the remedial class regarding DVC...it confuses me

Don't worry Kristine - there is help out there! All you have to do is ask.

DVC in a nutshell: You buy points once and each year you get to use that many points for a hotel room. You decide when to use those points. Its like having a bank account, but instead of cash you have points. Spend your points how you'd like. If your bank account runs out, you can borrow from the next year (and only from the next year). If you couldn't spend all of your points that year, you can add them to next year (and only next year).

That's the quick way to start understanding DVC. But don't worry - it took me three tours before I began to understand - and that's with their professional tour guide!!!!

Sorry for the DVC talk - now back to your regularly scheduled DISing.

 

[Steamboat Marti]

We head for NC tomorrow morning at 6:30 am and the funeral will be Friday morning - we will spend the rest of the weekend at Nancy's and head home on Sunday

I am not sure that I will get to post -

I hope everyone has a great weekend

Mac - I am sorry about the DVC points - but I started a WHOLE thread JUST FOR YOU!!! what more can I do?!?!?

Marti - have an AWESOME trip and birthday - I can't believe I wont get to talk to you for a week!!!!!! I am so glad you are feeling better!!

I hope everyone starts to feel better and GO DVC!!!!! Best decision we ever made!!

Thank you all for your support this week - it has really meant a lot to me!!!

I will miss you guys!!

kate

I'm gonna miss you Kate - here's a until I get back!

 

[Steamboat Marti]

I had cravings with my two boys and not my daughter!

Beth

I know I had cravings with Matthew - but I can't remember what they were. Skunka of course will remember exactly what they were!!!

 

[Steamboat Marti]

I just bought our airline tickets for October. I know it's early but I saw a fare on United out of Dulles for $182, and thought that was pretty good. Who knows what will happen to prices once summer gets here. I'm sure I could have gotten it a little cheaper on SWA out of Baltimore, but Dulles is so much more convenient, and we don't have to pay to park.

I don't know why, but trips always seem so much more real once I have purchased my airline tickets. Maybe it's because you can always cancel a hotel ressie, but not an airline ticket! Woohoo!

Tammi - you are so right about vacations - to me they only seem real when you buy the airline tickets. Yippee! Have a drink for me when you go!

 

[Steamboat Marti]

Kristine and Marti- You two are realtors??? WHen I get ready to sell my home, can I ask you some questions??

Absolutely I'll help you out with questions. Just keep in mind that each state has different laws, but we can certainly help you out!!

 

[KristineN]

Kristine and Marti- You two are realtors??? WHen I get ready to sell my home, can I ask you some questions??

Of course you can!!

 

[Steamboat Marti]

Hey everyone, I need some help from you. As a graduate student, I have to teach a portion of a class tonight. I need to get some of your thoughts to help me put my lecture together. So, if you feel like you can, could you please answer the following question, and give a short answer as to why you chose what you did? Thanks.

Which of the following 3 societal trends do you feel have the largest impact on school library collection development:
a. illiteracy - not only the inability to read or write, but also the inability to use information.

b. the decline of school achievement

c. Cultural diversity (determining what is right/wrong; good/bad; secular/religious.

Thanks to anyone who can help me out.

Glynis - I've been thinking about my answer because libraries are important to our family. My dad was an English teacher and the head of the library board for many many years. He often said that the library budget wouldn't pass if it weren't for the "stroller brigade". They are the young moms who would bring their pre-school children to all of the events and classes that were offered. Without them, the budget wouldn't have passed.

Of your three choices, I think the choice is d) technology. I think illiteracy is on the decline (I know that is a huge generalization, but in our area it is on the decline). I do think there is some truth to b) because I feel that our children's generation expect more things handed to them than our parents generation did. And yes, c) does deal with the political correctness of this generation. But overall, technology has single-handedly stopped alot of people from needing to leave their house. You can do so much online from the comfort of your easy chair - why go out in the freezing cold to do your research??

Hope that helps!!

 

[Steamboat Marti]

This is exactly my argument for DVC, or any way you can make sure you travel on vacation (not necessarily to see family) once a year. Fortunately, DH also likes to travel, so he does agree on that point. He didn't really do much traveling as a kid, and since we've been married we try to take at least one trip a year (sometimes more).

For those that have asked - I gently broached the DVC subject as we were getting ready for bed last night. I said that I legitimately wanted to talk about it in the next day or two, and didn't want him to dismiss it until he'd heard me out. I said you know me - I would never in a million years be proposing that we do this right now (particularly since we won't be back to Disney until likely late 2007) if I didn't think it made some sense and was a good deal. He agreed we could talk about it Friday night.

But then laying in bed, out of the blue he starts asking questions about what type of accomodations? how many points would it cost to do this at this time of year? where else can we go? and we could rent points out if we weren't going to use them?

I consider that a positive sign - we'll see!

Lindsay - that certainly does sound like a positive sign!! I agree with you that somebody shouldn't rule something out until they have heard the hard facts. Once he's listening and understands, I think that's a very positive thing!!! Good luck!

 

[bethbuchall]

I know I had cravings with Matthew - but I can't remember what they were. Skunka of course will remember exactly what they were!!!

For my Matthew it was peanut butter and almost anything that contained peanut butter.

For Miles it was a bit weirder. Wendy's Frostys and Wendy's baked potatoes. I also had quite a thing for raw onions (in/on things, not by themselves).

Beth

 

[Steamboat Marti]

OK - I'm done with my little posting party. Hope all is well with all of our DDA lurkers! Come on out and play!!




ETA: Darn server is driving me nuts!!!

 

[rosiejo]

He looks much better with some clothes on

Matthew's wife could do with a better frock

And I sooooo want to be Kate - she is stunning - even when she's all sweaty and bedraggled from running through the jungle!

 

[rosiejo]

I wanted to give you all an update...

The patches from Deb arrived today as well as the letter from Cinderella

As you can see she was very excited and put the patch right on! Many many thanks to Deb!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So glad she likes them

 

[rosiejo]

You know us guys might stop posting if we get ignored becuase we don't have UTI's or Sinus infections.

I said I missed out on a 25 point contract for DVC at Boardwalk none the less and no one told me how bad they felt for me...

Probably would have been denied by Disney on ROFR anyhow. That payment is 1% of a downpayment on a house anyhow. So it was probably smarter that way.

Anyhow this was all said toungue in cheek, I was just looking for a little attention on our loss.

The next one that comes along will be sooooo much better

Although the house downpayment does sound more important!

Hey who changed the smilies????? I liked those other ones

 

[marcij]

Glynis -
Of your three choices, I think the choice is d) technology. I think illiteracy is on the decline (I know that is a huge generalization, but in our area it is on the decline). I do think there is some truth to b) because I feel that our children's generation expect more things handed to them than our parents generation did. And yes, c) does deal with the political correctness of this generation. But overall, technology has single-handedly stopped alot of people from needing to leave their house. You can do so much online from the comfort of your easy chair - why go out in the freezing cold to do your research??

Hope that helps!!

Glynis -- I don't know if this is in time for your class, but wanted to respond. I agree with Marti and some of the earlier posters that there is just too much technology marketed to kids, that catches their attention, and is for most kids, more visually stimulating. I think that has had the biggest impact on reading and libraries -- too many other distractions for kids. I've heard kids say "Reading is so last century." I think A does factor in, not so much because of illiteracy (at least in my small town), but because it's too easy to get the answers you need without true old-fashioned research, knowing how to dig in for the answers, and then how the answers determine what you are going to do with them. In other words, the emphasis is more on getting the answer, not what it means. I think B also factors in some, because in some school systems, the results of the Taks test or whatever states use to monitor progress is really the only thing focused on and taught. Out of the three options given, C is probably the biggest factor in my eyes. Many schools/libraries do struggle more with what is politically correct, depending on the climate of their community.

My kids both have learning differences -- ADHD and dyslexia, so reading is a big focus in their school and in our family. From birth, we have always made reading a big part of our evening ritual. I think nowdays that parents are also being pulled in too many directions, and sometimes aren't able to give their kids that reading time.

Anyway, good luck tonight!