AASL Fall Forum Ning opens the transliteracy conversation

CHICAGO — All are invited to become a part of the conversation on the range of skills comprising the concept of transliteracy, the focus of the American Association of School Librarians’ (AASL) 2012 Fall Forum, by joining the new AASL 2012 Fall Forum Ning. Fall Forum attendees and those unable to join their colleagues at the live event Oct. 12-13 are invited to join the Ning and start the discussion on the range of skills students need in order to navigate the current information landscape.

Ning membership is open to those attending Fall Forum and those interested in learning more about or sharing their expertise on transliteracy skills. Registered members can engage in forum discussions, create and comment on blog posts, upload media and follow #aasl12 tweets while digging deeper into the topic of transliteracy and its relationship with the school library program.

“By taking the lead in identifying and integrating the essential skills needed to provide young people with the ‘ability to navigate, read, write and interact across a range of platforms, tools and media’—transliteracy—we will continue to position ourselves as vital members of our teaching faculties,” said Barbara Jansen, committee chair. “Get a jump on the discussion by joining Fall Forum 2012’s professional learning community early—let’s use the Ning to explore the skills and media components of transliteracy before we convene in October.”

The AASL Fall Forum is a multi-day national institute held during non-AASL national conference years. A more intimate event, the institute focuses on one topic of importance to the profession. Transliteracy and the School Library Program will be held Oct. 12-13, 2012, in Greenville, S.C., with satellite sites in Doylestown, Pa.; Homestead, Pa.; Richardson, Texas; and San Jose, Calif.

The American Association of School Librarians, a division of the American Library Association (ALA), promotes the improvement and extension of library services in elementary and secondary schools as a means of strengthening the total education program. Its mission is to advocate excellence, facilitate change and develop leaders in the school library field.