COVID-19 8

Masks and self care.

Duckworth, Angela, Lyle Ungar, and Ezekiel J. Emanuel. "There Are 3 Things We Have to Do to Get People Wearing Masks: Persuasion works better than compulsion." New York Times.  May 27, 2020. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/27/opinion/coronavirus-masks.html

1. Make them easy to get and free.
2. "It is human nature to adhere to social norms. When uncertain about what to do, people tend to look around and copy what other people are doing. ... emphasize that the clear trend in this country is toward universal mask-wearing."
   
3. Draw attention to the expected instead of those who aren't wearing them.
   

So we model wearing masks!

Brody, Jane E. "To Fight Covid-19, Don’t Neglect Immunity and Inflammation." New York Times.  May 25, 2020. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/25/well/live/to-fight-covid-19-dont-neglect-immunity-and-inflammation.html

Immunity decreases at age 55 and inflammation increases as we age, both of which leave us more vulnerable to COVID-19. Exercise and weightlifting help. Eat a date or banana about an hour before bedtime to increase potassium. Daily diet: fresh fruit and veg with high vitamin C like citrus, red bell pepper, and spinach, and high in zinc, like shellfish, seeds, dairy, red meat, and nuts, and/or a Mediterranean diet. Take up to 2,000 IU of vitamin D-3 daily.

Also: Let go of judging and trying to police others. Notice how we're feeling and name the emotions, then be kind to ourselves. Tell other people how we feel and listen to them too. Journal to let things out and let go.

COVID-19 7

Today, May 11, I learned that:

1. I could create audio for PowerPoint slides
2. How to do it. 

I added audio for the Ad & PR 115 Evaluating info presentation and sent it to the professor for Blackboard. Then I added the file to the Subject Guide.

May 12:
From the music students’ questions so far, it doesn’t seem as if they are using the handout in conjunction with the subject guide. I asked the prof to remind them that the handout gives step-by-step guidance in finding resources to get them started. I feel really frustrated - why bother, when they won't use the tools I've created and made available?

One colleague suggested: "Many of them are learning to learn online right now, so there will undoubtedly be some growing pains and additional reminders as they do! Reframing: This is a fabulous opportunity for them to make initial contact with you, and for you to support their independent learning!"

Another reminded me to put the handout on the homepage for the Subject Guide. Thought I had, but I hadn't, so I did!


I’ll respond kindly to the students and will send them the handout when I set up appointments.

COVID-19 6

What have I been learning to do differently to support online learning?

• Did a literature search and revised library subject guides to include more instruction and to reduce “cognitive load” with better design; modified my guide profile to include COVID-19 special information
• Revised handouts to be more specific as online learning objects
• I have used PowerPoint for conference presentations, but thought that for the online spring courses, I would use PowerPoint as a jumping off point to create videos. So far, no instructional videos, but the PowerPoint supplements the other items
• Created a 18-second Panopto video to introduce myself to students; also learned how to incorporate a quiz into the video
• Learned how to create Blackboard Course Rooms for specified office hours
• Learned to use Zoom
• Learned to use the Lib Apps virtual chat module
• I got a sanctioned institutional account, learned to sign into Google Hangout and to create Google Meetings, and moved items from my private Google Drive to my new institutional account for security and privacy 
• Read the article by Wagner, Travis L., and Archie Crowley. (2020). “Why are bathrooms inclusive if the stacks exclude? Systemic exclusion of trans and gender nonconforming persons in post-Trump academic librarianship.” Reference Services Review (48), 159-181. https://www.emerald.com/insight/publication/issn/0090-7324/vol/48/iss/1 Although I had already included many of the recommended practices, I revised the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Resources guide to be even more welcoming, as there have been more articles about LGBTQIA people feeling especially isolated during COVID-19