News

Twelve interactive whiteboards have been funded by the TOSA foundation for use in School of Education classrooms and will be deployed throughout the School in the coming months. This project complements a current project at Madison West High School and will provide an opportunity for shared experiences with this Professional Development School.

Faculty members from Counseling Psychology, C&I, ELPA, Educational Psychology, and Kinesiology submitted proposals for the use of this technology in response to an RFP from this foundation supported by UW-Madison alums John and Tashia Morgridge.

The proposals submitted by faculty emphasized the ways in which this technology will support the integration of a wide range of resources and support student centered learning. The ability to integrate primary source materials and student response systems in teaching was cited by the social studies faculty members Simone Schweber and Diana Hess. The potential to increase student participation in large lecture classes led to Lee Nelson's request for a "Sympodium" for room 228 Educational Sciences. Creation of simulated activities for physical education will be the emphasis of interactive whiteboard use in Kinesiology. Illustrations of problem sets and experiments will be used in many subject areas including science and mathematics education.

Program participants who submitted the proposals will participate in structured training in the integration of this technology in teaching. Additional training for School of Education faculty and staff will be provided by MERIT staff beginning in the Fall 2009.

The interactive whiteboards are scheduled for installation in rooms 131, 215, 267, 344, 401a, 401b, and 566 of the Teacher Education Building; rooms 228 and 1252 [tentative room assignment] Educational Sciences, portable boards in the Natatorium, as well as a portable interactive whiteboard for use by the Dean’s office. Peripheral equipment including student response devices and portable slates will be part of the MERIT equipment pool.

Posted by Jo Ann Carr on March 1, 2009

Come celebrate with us! March presents many events worthy of balloons and confetti, including Dr. Seuss' birthday, Spring Break, and the 100th Day of School. Stop-in MERIT Library to find activities, resources, and books by the best-loved children's authors on our Read Across America display (in honor of Dr. Seuss' birthday). In addition, pick-up a fun audiobook or DVD for your listening or viewing pleasure over Spring Break (audiobooks make great roadtrip companions), and discover all things "100" as area schools complete their 100th day of school this month.

Hope to see you soon!

Posted by Amanda Manteufel on March 1, 2009

Climate Change from Pole to Pole: Biology Investigations, by Juanita Constible, Luke Sandro, and Richard E. Lee, Jr.
NSTA Press, 2008
LTy QC 981.8.C5 C697 2008

Investigating Climate Change: Scientists' Search for Answers in a Warming World, by Rebecca L. Johnson.
Twenty-First Century Books, 2009
LTy QC 981.8.C5 J64 2009
Summary: "Scientists say if we act quickly, we may find ourselves coping with changes instead of courting catastrophe."

Core Meteorology [DVD, 3 vol.].
Ambrose Video Pub., 2008
LTy QC 861.3 .C67 2008
Summary: "Meteorology, once the simple study of atmospheric events such as storms, hurricanes, tornadoes and temperature changes, has grown in the 21st century. This science now includes such disciplines as atmospheric chemistry and physics, climatology and global warming."

Nano Legends [CD-ROM].
CommGraphics Interactive, 2006
LTy QH 582.5 .N26 2006
Summary: A cell biology science video game based on National Science Standards intended "to provide students with an engaging blend of ... science and computer video gaming technology that results in an innovative learning experience

Fun Facts About Salamanders!, by Carmen Bredeson.
Series: I like reptiles and amphibians!
Enslow Elementary, 2008
LTy QL 668.C2 B69 2008
Summary: Photographs and text present interesting facts about salamanders.

All About Manatees, by Jim Arnosky.
Scholastic, 2008
LTy QL 737.S63 A76 2008
Summary: Provides information about manatees, where they live, what they eat, how they breathe, the dangers to manatees and how they are being protected.

Amazing Plants, by Sally Hewitt.
Series: Amazing science
Crabtree Pub., 2008
LTy QK 49 .H515 2008

Hornets: Incredible Insect Architects, by Sandra Markle.
Series: Insect world
Lerner Publications Company, 2008
LTy QL 568.V5 M37 2008
Summary: Discusses what makes hornets similar to and different from other insects and reveals details about hornets' bodies.

Wetlands, by Peter D. Moore ; illustrations by Richard Garratt.
[2nd ed.]
Series: Biomes of the Earth
Chelsea House, 2006
LTy QH 541.5.M3 M664 2006
Summary: Beginning with a general overview of the geography and geology of wetlands--including lakes, ponds, pothole mires, marshes, temperate and tropical swamps, and bogs--this volume helps readers visualize this natural habitat.

The Mysterious Universe: Supernovae, Dark Energy, and Black Holes, by Ellen Jackson ; photographs and illustrations by Nic Bishop.
Series: Scientists in the field
Houghton Mifflin Books, 2008
LTy QB 843.S95 J33 2008
Summary: Dr. Alex Fillippenko looks for black holes--areas in space with such a strong gravitational pull that no matter or energy can escape from them--with his robotic telescope; studies the effects of dark energy, the mysterious force that scientists believe is pushing the universe apart, causing its constant and accelerating expansion.

Jane Goodall: A Twentieth-Century Life, by Sudipta Bardhan.
Series: Up close
Penguin Group, 2008
LTy QL 31.G58 B37 2008
Summary: Biography of Jane Goodall who at age twenty-six started a six-month project at the Gombe Stream Chimpanzee Reserve on Lake Tanganyika, Africa which became her life's work.

Sir Isaac Newton: Brilliant Mathematician and Scientist, by Natalie M. Rosinsky.
Series: Signature lives
Compass Point Books, 2008
LTy QC 16.N7 R64 2008
Summary: A biography of the famous seventeenth-century English physicist, Sir Isaac Newton, who formulated the laws of gravity, force, and motion.

Posted by Vince Jenkins on March 1, 2009

The Early Care and Education Teaching Workforce at the Fulcrum: An Agenda for Reform, by Sharon Lynn Kagan, Kristie Kauerz, Kate Tarrant.
Teachers College Press, 2008
Prof LB 1775.6 .K34 2008

Promising Practices for Partnering with Families in the Early Years, edited by Mary M. Cornish.
Information Age Pub., 2008
Prof LC 225 .P763 2008

Are You Listening? Fostering Conversations that Help Young Children Learn, by Lisa Burman.
Redleaf Press, 2009
Prof LB1139 L3 B89 2009

We Are All Explorers: Learning and Teaching with Reggio Principles in Urban Settings, by Daniel R. Scheinfeld, Karen M. Haigh, Sandra J.P. Scheinfeld.
Teachers College Press, 2008
Prof LB1139.27.I3 S34 2008

Observing and Recording the Behavior of Young Children, by Dorothy Cohen and others.
5th ed.
Teachers College Press, 2008
Prof BF722 .C63 2008

The Parent Newsletter: A Complete Guide for Early Childhood Professionals, by Sylvia Reichel.
1st ed.
Redleaf Press, 2006
Prof LB1140.23 .R45 2006

Posted by Vince Jenkins on March 1, 2009

The start of March brings with it a number of exciting learning opportunities. As MERIT Library's continued support of the SOE community, we will be offering seven workshops over the course of the month - several for the first time. The instruction schedule includes:

Finding Education Articles - Wednesday, 3/4 from 10:00-11:30
Introduction to Data Analysis with SPSS - Friday, 3/6 from 2:00-4:00
Online Tutorials: From Passive to Interactive - Tuesday, 3/10 from 1:00-2:30
Introduction to PowerPoint 2007 - Tuesday, 3/24 from 10:00-11:30
Internet Media in the Classroom - Tuesday, 3/26 from 2:30-4:00
Enhanced Educational Maps with Google Earth - Friday, March 27 from 11:00-12:30
Introduction to the GIMP - Friday, March 27 from 2:00-4:00

Please visit our Workshops page for workshop descriptions and resources. All workshops are free and do not require registration. We hope to see you there!

Posted by Jim Jonas on March 1, 2009

If you print out anything in the library these days, you will notice a difference in the appearance of the print stations. The software used to route print jobs has changed, and with this change library users will notice a few differences. One of the strengths of the new GoPrint software is its ability to better handle commonly printed PDF files. The other major difference for users is grouping of print jobs by computer rather than chronological order; users will want to note the number on the front of their computer before going up to release their print jobs. Take a look:

https://mywebspace.wisc.edu/jmjonas/goprint-poster.png?uniq=-h3r1wb
Image created by Tony Krier, Web Development & Reference Librarian, Memorial Library. Used with permission.

Posted by Jim Jonas on March 1, 2009

Please note MERIT library hours over the UW-Madison Spring Recess March 14-March 22.

Open: Monday - Friday: 9am-5pm
Library closed on weekends: March 14, 15, 21, 22

Posted by Anna Lewis on March 1, 2009

Please be aware that the UW-Madison Physical Plant staff is scheduled to be working in the MERIT library to install power outlets and network jacks over the month of March. This work is paving the way to make the MERIT Help Desk more visible for our patrons. Please feel free to share any questions or concerns with MERIT staff.

Posted by Jesse Winters on March 1, 2009