theBookmark Book Club

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theBookmark Book Club

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BOOK # 1: 

Recommended by Bonnie Chapman. April 26, 2008.
Whole New Mind, Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future.  by Daniel Pink.
ISBN-10: 1594481717 ISBN-13: 978-1594481710
Wired magazine contributor and industrial thinker. Daniel H. Pink is a writer for "Wired magazine and author of Free Agent Nation and A Whole New Mind.  His career includes work as Vice President Al Gore's chief speechwriter from 1995-97, and later as an aide to Secretary of Labor Robert Reich.

“…Pink's last big idea (Free Agent Nation)has crafted a profound read packed with an abundance of references to books, seminars, Web sites, and such to guide your adjustment to expanding your right brain if you plan to survive and prosper in the Western world....
"...He has become a cornerstone of employee-management relations. Pink is more concerned with how certain skill sets can be harnessed effectively in the dawning "Conceptual Age.” ( Amazon.ca)
"...Lawyers. Accountants. Radiologists. Software engineers. That's what our parents encouraged us to become when we grew up. But Mom and Dad were wrong. The future belongs to a very different kind of person with a very different kind of mind. The era of "left brain" dominance, and the Information Age that it engendered, are giving way to a new world in which "right brain" qualities-inventiveness, empathy, meaning-predominate. That's the argument at the center of this provocative and original book, which uses the two sides of our brains as a metaphor for understanding the contours of our times.( danpink.com)

Learn More:
Concepts: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Whole_New_Mind
Podcast from Pink- "Dan Pink on How Half Your Brain Can Save Your Job"
Right Brain Theory- case in point "Volvo wants your right brain"-(Ebsco)
MFA the New MBA-by Daniel Pink.( Ebsco) (Download pinkinterview.pdf )
The Left Brain-Right Brain Teacher, Instructor, Sep2002. ( Ebsco)

Reviews and Thoughts:
Al Smith says....

At our last Spring Chapter Council, one of our new Executive members, Bonnie Chapman of Surrey suggested a advoacy plan.  Her idea centered around the promotion of the book A Whole New Mind- Why right brainers will rule the future.  Well, I don't know about the plan but I do have some views on the book.  This book is amazing snapshot of the complex social changes that have a direct impact on our goals as educators.  It has affirmed for me that we need to embrace the pedagogical adaptations that will make students think more as independent people. 

Example after example of Pink's book echoes in so many other thinkers and writers, I am convinced tha this general thesis is true.  The concept is not brand new.  The notion has been debated by Tofler and written about in the BC Learner 2000 Commission.  I have already had many people ask about it. It has generated so much valuable educational discussion and it is only a week ago since I read it.

As Bonnie indicated in April, this is a must read for every teacher-librarian who wants to understand why he/she works so hard. I am so convinced of Pink's 'conceptual work', I am going to study more and follow his concept of 'design' to adapt my collaborative lessons in 2008-2009.

ps

I found another article in Teacher Librarian 2006 that similarly touches on the need for less technical skills and greater conceptual building. Download knowledgeworker242.pdf see link below

Pink, Daniel. A Whole New Mind. Berkley Publishing TRD
(288 Pages, 6.00 x 9.00) ISBN-10: 1594481717 . ISBN-13: 978-1594481710

February 23, 2006.

Pink, best-selling author of Free Agent Nation (2001) and also former chief speechwriter for former vice-president Al Gore, has crafted a profound read packed with an abundance of references to books, seminars, Web sites, and such to guide your adjustment to expanding your right brain if you plan to survive and prosper in the Western world. According to Pink, the keys to success are in developing and cultivating six senses: design, story, symphony, empathy, play, and meaning. Pink compares this upcoming "Conceptual Age" to past periods of intense change, such as the Industrial Revolution and the Renaissance, as a way of emphasizing its importance.
-Booklist.Ed Dwyer. Copyright © American Library Association.

Johnson, Doug. "skills for the knowledge worker." Teacher Librarian 34.1 (Oct. 2006): 8-13. Professional Development Collection. EBSCO. [Library name], [City], [State abbreviation]. 12 May 2008 http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=tfh&AN=22627954&loginpage=Login.asp&site=ehost-live.

Persistent link to this record: http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=tfh&AN=22627954&loginpage=Login.asp&site=ehost-live

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BOOK # 2:

Recommended by Al Smith. May 29, 2008.
Digital Game-Based Learning.  by Marc Prensky
ISBN-: 1557788634

http://www.librarything.com/catalog/literateowl&tag=digital%2Blearning

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BOOK # 3:

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Recommend a title to Blog. Send us your blurb or post below. 
regards, Angie MacRitchie or Al Smith.  virtualbookmark@gmail.com

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Comments

[Lesley Edwards]

Some further suggestions for summer reading posted by Ryan Bretag in his Metanoia blog post:

Summer of Reading and Learning
http://www.bretagdesigns.com/technologist/?p=552

[Lesley Edwards]

I am part way through Pink's book and will reserve comment until I
have finished it. In the meantime I'll play devil's advocate and
offer this review of the book by Gary Stager (http://
www.districtadministration.com/pulse/commentpost.aspx?news=no&postid=...)

The Worst Book of the 21st Century: a review
http://www.districtadministration.com/pulse/commentpost.aspx?news=no&...