Check out all the exciting programs I have planned for the 2017-2018 school year! Now since I'm not officially employed as a school librarian, all of these programs were written for Anderson Elementary's library, which already has an amazing librarian named Margaret Resendez, who is not going anywhere.
This yearly plan is part of my graduate work at Sam Houston State University where I am wrapping up my graduate program. Although this is an artifact written for my Library Science Portfolio, it is a working plan that can be easily adapted for any elementary school. Each link leads to a Google Doc with my ideas for each month as well as a book list created using the Anderson Elementary OPAC. I am really excited about my books choices and all the literacy programs I've put together. I'd love to hear your thoughts, so please feel free to include your comments on the Google Doc or at the end of this post.
August Theme: New Arrivals
August Promotions
September Theme: Back to School
September Promotions
October Theme(s): 2018 Bluebonnet Nominees, Global Read-aloud Kickoff, and Halloween
October Promotions
November Themes: Picture Book Month, Thanksgiving and Giving Thanks, National Day of Listening
November Promotions
December Themes: Winter Holidays and the Friendship Tree
December Promotions
January Themes: Bluebonnet Voting and Creativity
January Promotions
February Themes: Black History Month, World Read-aloud Day, and the Global Read-Aloud
February Promotions
March Themes: Women's History Month and Read Across America
March Promotions
April Themes: National Poetry Month and National Library Week
April Promotions
May Themes: Children's Book Week and Celebrate Nature
May Promotions
Sunday, July 9, 2017
Sunday, May 7, 2017
Final Reflection
I was so nervous about taking this class this semester. The course title, Digital Technology for the School Librarian, intimidated me. I was worried about having to learn highly technical material that I might not be able to master. But the class was so much more enjoyable than I ever anticipated.
First of all, I never imagined I'd enjoy maintaining a blog as much as I have. I always thought, "Who cares what I think?" But I've found I enjoy sharing my thoughts and observations, even though my readership is primarily limited to the others taking this course. I've always enjoyed critiquing things; books, movies, restaurants, and I enjoyed sharing my opinions of and experiences with the various technologies covered in this course. It was surprisingly gratifying.
And I learned a great deal about technologies that I can utilize when I have my own library. Of all the tools I learned to use, I think learning how to make a screencast was probably one of the most useful units in the course. I can think of many ways I will be likely to use screencasting as a librarian. It is an excellent tool for presenting technology professional development training and providing instructions for students in the use of online resources. By making screencasts and posting them on the school website, students can always have a ready reference for using online resources as such as databases, the district's OPAC, and Web 2.0 tools.
Learning how to create professional looking infographics using free sites such as Easly or Canva was another eye-opening experience. The templates were so easy to use. I think teachers would be thrilled to learn how easy it is to create colorful classroom posters and anchor charts they can reuse year after year, or alter them according to their changing tastes. Students could use them to demonstrate learning in any subject area.
First of all, I never imagined I'd enjoy maintaining a blog as much as I have. I always thought, "Who cares what I think?" But I've found I enjoy sharing my thoughts and observations, even though my readership is primarily limited to the others taking this course. I've always enjoyed critiquing things; books, movies, restaurants, and I enjoyed sharing my opinions of and experiences with the various technologies covered in this course. It was surprisingly gratifying.
And I learned a great deal about technologies that I can utilize when I have my own library. Of all the tools I learned to use, I think learning how to make a screencast was probably one of the most useful units in the course. I can think of many ways I will be likely to use screencasting as a librarian. It is an excellent tool for presenting technology professional development training and providing instructions for students in the use of online resources. By making screencasts and posting them on the school website, students can always have a ready reference for using online resources as such as databases, the district's OPAC, and Web 2.0 tools.
Learning how to create professional looking infographics using free sites such as Easly or Canva was another eye-opening experience. The templates were so easy to use. I think teachers would be thrilled to learn how easy it is to create colorful classroom posters and anchor charts they can reuse year after year, or alter them according to their changing tastes. Students could use them to demonstrate learning in any subject area.
Sunday, April 23, 2017
Learning through the Lens of Technology
Is Technology the Medium or the Message?
There's a debate in education about the role and importance of technology and its potential to impact students' learning. One point of view, the one to which I subscribe by the way, is that technology is primarily a tool that can enhance curriculum and instruction. Then there are those like Marc Prensky who believe that the "decline" of education in our country stems from the fact that students today are tech savvy "digital natives" who have the misfortune to have as their teachers "digital immigrants" delivering instruction using methods that have little relevancy in a society so reliant on technology for immediate gratification and acquisition of information on demand.
A Flawed Perspective
I find that argument very flawed, in large part because most of those who point to technology as the way to "save" education from itself are often large stakeholders in the educational marketplace. Since "No Child Left Behind" became the law of the land, billions have been spent on the development of standardized tests that meet increasingly rigorous standards and billions more have been spent on materials designed to increase student achievement on those tests. Tech companies across the country were quick to recognize that the politics of education provide huge opportunities to capitalize on the push to improve student achievement.
If I do sound cynical it's because I am. Every time I drive north on Dallas' Central Expressway I'm greeted by twin office buildings shimmering in the light, one of which bears the Istation logo on the side and I can't help but think of the millions of dollars that company receives from the state of Texas every year to provide an inauthentic, passive reading program that has minimal impact on student literacy. Although studies indicate that early readers gain letter-sound awareness through the use of Istation, it doesn't replace a balanced literacy approach that depends on authentic teacher-student interaction and discussion. We can't continue to promote such passive use of technology as a means to an end.
As educators, we should always keep in mind that many years of research-based evidence support that best practices in teaching rely on teachers providing students multiple opportunities to construct meaning based on authentic learning experiences. There are many times that technology will enhance a lesson; however, it is important to first consider what type technology will improve a lesson's objective. In researching this week's topic, I read about the Technology Integration Matrix which is maintained by Northern Arizona University. This superb instrument provides wonderful examples of how teachers use technology in actual lessons from elementary to high school. There are sample lessons and lesson plans highlighted by short videos of the lessons actually being taught in the classroom. The matrix provides information about how to utilize technology in five different learning environments. If you'd like to explore ths matrix, click here. Please be aware that the videos require FlashPlayer to run.
The Role of the Librarian
In her article, Through the Looking Glass: Examining Technology Integration in School Librarianship, Lucy Santos Green states that "becoming effective technology leaders involves shifting the focus of our efforts from promoting technology tools and usage to supporting teachers in designing technology-enabled experiences." (Green, 2014, p. 42). I think this is the most effective manner in which librarians can become impactful and indispensible technology leaders in our schools. As a classroom teacher myself, I am already overwhelmed by the demands that come with teaching the core curriculum objectives. I simply don't have the time to teach new technology on top of my main responsibilities. But by working collaboratively with the school librarian to develop engaging yet purposeful lessons that incorporate technology in a meaningful manner, both teacher and students would benefit from a co-teaching partnership.
As I prepare to move into the role of school librarian myself, I think the most difficult obstacle to overcome will be making time to collaborate and co-teach with the faculty. My district does not provide library aids for elementary librarians and the collaborative process requires time for that collaboration to take place. It will take a combination of flexible scheduling and effective time-management to develop the collaborative technology-enabled lessons that will help students develop the 21st century skills they will need. We must also beware of the desire to utilize the latest technology tools if they do not add value to the lesson. Because in my opinion, educational technology is a means to an end rather than the end in and of itself.
Best Practices and Technology
As educators, we should always keep in mind that many years of research-based evidence support that best practices in teaching rely on teachers providing students multiple opportunities to construct meaning based on authentic learning experiences. There are many times that technology will enhance a lesson; however, it is important to first consider what type technology will improve a lesson's objective. In researching this week's topic, I read about the Technology Integration Matrix which is maintained by Northern Arizona University. This superb instrument provides wonderful examples of how teachers use technology in actual lessons from elementary to high school. There are sample lessons and lesson plans highlighted by short videos of the lessons actually being taught in the classroom. The matrix provides information about how to utilize technology in five different learning environments. If you'd like to explore ths matrix, click here. Please be aware that the videos require FlashPlayer to run.
The Role of the Librarian
In her article, Through the Looking Glass: Examining Technology Integration in School Librarianship, Lucy Santos Green states that "becoming effective technology leaders involves shifting the focus of our efforts from promoting technology tools and usage to supporting teachers in designing technology-enabled experiences." (Green, 2014, p. 42). I think this is the most effective manner in which librarians can become impactful and indispensible technology leaders in our schools. As a classroom teacher myself, I am already overwhelmed by the demands that come with teaching the core curriculum objectives. I simply don't have the time to teach new technology on top of my main responsibilities. But by working collaboratively with the school librarian to develop engaging yet purposeful lessons that incorporate technology in a meaningful manner, both teacher and students would benefit from a co-teaching partnership.
Obstacles and Challenges
As I prepare to move into the role of school librarian myself, I think the most difficult obstacle to overcome will be making time to collaborate and co-teach with the faculty. My district does not provide library aids for elementary librarians and the collaborative process requires time for that collaboration to take place. It will take a combination of flexible scheduling and effective time-management to develop the collaborative technology-enabled lessons that will help students develop the 21st century skills they will need. We must also beware of the desire to utilize the latest technology tools if they do not add value to the lesson. Because in my opinion, educational technology is a means to an end rather than the end in and of itself.
References
Arizona K12 Center. (2012). AZk12 - Arizona technology integration matrix. Retrieved from http://www.azk12.org/tim/
Bock, M.
(2012, September 18). Q&A: Marc Prensky talks about Learning in the
21st century - Digital education - Education week [Web log post].
Retrieved from
http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/DigitalEducation/2012/09/qa_marc_prensky_talks_about_le.html
Green, L. S. (2014). Through the looking glass: Examining technology integration in school librarianship. Knowledge Quest, 43(1), 36-43.
Putman, R. S.
(2016). Technology versus teachers in the early literacy classroom: an
investigation of the effectiveness of the Istation integrated learning
system. Educational Technology Research and Development. doi:10.1007/s11423-016-9499-5
Sheninger, E. (2016, April 25). Why pedagogy first, tech second stance is key to the future. EdTech. Retrieved from http://www.edtechmagazine.com/k12/article/2016/04/why-pedagogy-first-tech-second-stance-key-future
Harris, J., Mishra, P., & Koehler, M. (2009). Teachers' Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge and Learning Activity Types: Curriculum-based Technology Integration Reframed. Journal Of Research On Technology In Education, 41(4), 393-416.
Sunday, April 9, 2017
Podcasting in the Library and the Classroom
Using podcasts in the classroom is something I have not considered before but after spending the larger part of my weekend exploring a mere fraction of the podcasting world, I see that creating them is relatively simple and numerous (many free! yea!) platforms exist for sharing them.
Truth be told, I have been fretting about this week's assignment for 6 days. I've made 3 previous podcasts and experienced an inordinate amount of anxiety before making each one. But that's just me and my overly self-conscious inner voice. I can't imagine my students feeling the least self-conscious about recording themselves, especially when I think of how most love and crave attention! And it's from that point of view that I can truly see the value of using podcasts as a way to not only present content but to show evidence of learning.
So how do you create your own podcast? It's so easy! All you really need are a smart phone or computer with a microphone to get started. There are a number of free apps and platforms that allow you to create your own podcasts and discover podcasts on any imaginable topic known to human kind. I'm not exaggerating, there are literally podcasts about EVERYTHING! But I digress...
I love easy and free, and and app called ZCast fits the bill. To create this book talk about Spies of Mississippi by Rick Bowers, I used my iPhone to record and share it. I literally downloaded the app, recorded the podcast, and shared it in less than 10 minutes. The whole process was remarkably easy. One of the best features of ZCast is that it lets you take your podcasting with you, so you can podcast live from literally anywhere you can receive a cell phone signal. All I needed to create an account was to log in to Twitter, then it downloaded quickly. There was absolutely no learning curve involved.
I've found SoundCloud to be the easiest online platform for creating podcasts. SoundCloud has a free option but also has a Pro upgrade for $7 a month.
Since I'm a poor student and underpaid teacher, I went for the free
option of course! I have used it a sum total of 3 times for my grad school coursework, but the process is so easy, anyone can create a podcast from their computer if they have a WiFi network. First you'll need to create an account, which you can do using your Facebook, Twitter, or Google+ accounts, then choose the account option you'd like. When you're ready to record, simply choose the "Upload" button in the top right-hand side of the screen to either upload a recording or start a new recording. If you're interested in hearing the remainder of my podcasting career thus far, click here.
SoundCloud may be better choice for podcasting newbies like myself, but I found Podomatic and audioBoom to be better choices for discovering content. Since I had already recorded my podcast, I didn't try to create another on these two platforms. I did click around to see if I could easily record a podcast on both though. Podomatic has a "Create" link but I did not see an option to record a new podcast, just one to upload a recording made in another application. I saw no "Create" option on the audioBoom website. However, both platforms allow the user to discover podcasts and access trending shows with ease.
Did I mention that there are podcasts about every topic under the sun? That includes educational topics, from math to science, poetry and professional development. I found a wonderful channel called Classic Poetry Aloud which features, you guessed it, classic poetry read aloud. Which is INFINITELY better than having to read it, especially from a student anthology as I did when I was an undergrad.
A website called BAM! Radio is a home to podcasts devoted to educational programming. You can discover content related to all things educational already neatly organized for your listening pleasure. Popular programs like K-12 Greatest Hits and Ed Tech Chat are at your fingertips on this website. Bookmark this website and let BAM! Radio curate the content for you.
Teachercast.net is another website that advertises itself as "teachers helping teachers" that also has links to podcasts and videos that provide professional development on your time. There's also an app that you can download to your iPhone or Android smart phone, although I haven't done that myself. I'd love to hear from readers who have though!
A quick Google search will lead you to discover ways you can incorporate podcasting into your classroom, but here are just a few of the ways I think teachers and librarians could use podcasts as a way for students to show evidence of learning in a fun, engaging manner:
Reading Rockets has a great beginner's guide to getting started with podcasts in the classroom. Find it here. Click here for a Learners Edge blog post that has links to podcasts for teachers and students alike that you might also find helpful.
Do you have some favorite podcast lessons and activities that you'd like to share? Feel free to post the link to them in the comment section below.
Truth be told, I have been fretting about this week's assignment for 6 days. I've made 3 previous podcasts and experienced an inordinate amount of anxiety before making each one. But that's just me and my overly self-conscious inner voice. I can't imagine my students feeling the least self-conscious about recording themselves, especially when I think of how most love and crave attention! And it's from that point of view that I can truly see the value of using podcasts as a way to not only present content but to show evidence of learning.
So how do you create your own podcast? It's so easy! All you really need are a smart phone or computer with a microphone to get started. There are a number of free apps and platforms that allow you to create your own podcasts and discover podcasts on any imaginable topic known to human kind. I'm not exaggerating, there are literally podcasts about EVERYTHING! But I digress...
Apps
Online Platforms and Applications
SoundCloud
Podomatic and audioBoom
Exemplary Content
Did I mention that there are podcasts about every topic under the sun? That includes educational topics, from math to science, poetry and professional development. I found a wonderful channel called Classic Poetry Aloud which features, you guessed it, classic poetry read aloud. Which is INFINITELY better than having to read it, especially from a student anthology as I did when I was an undergrad.
Ideas for the Classroom and the Library
A quick Google search will lead you to discover ways you can incorporate podcasting into your classroom, but here are just a few of the ways I think teachers and librarians could use podcasts as a way for students to show evidence of learning in a fun, engaging manner:
- Reader's Theatre
- Book Reviews
- Literary Analysis
- Literature Circles
- Interviews
- Poetry Jams
- Science Logs
- Weekly Classroom News
- Student Op-Ed Writing
Starting Places
Reading Rockets has a great beginner's guide to getting started with podcasts in the classroom. Find it here. Click here for a Learners Edge blog post that has links to podcasts for teachers and students alike that you might also find helpful.
Do you have some favorite podcast lessons and activities that you'd like to share? Feel free to post the link to them in the comment section below.
Sunday, April 2, 2017
Saturday, April 1, 2017
Comic Creation Sites and Uses
I'm constantly amazed that people exist who create wonderful, FREE websites that make it seem as if I am creatively inclined! I'd like to send them a hearty thank you for all their hard work.
This week I'm evaluating websites that allow the user to create their own comics. Each of them has a free version but subscriptions are available for 2 of the 3 in today's post.
MakeBeliefsComix is a free computer website that also has a free app that can be downloaded to your iPad, ad-free, for $1.99. I found this website quite easy to use, but if you want loads of options, this is not the website for you. Since I myself am overwhelmed by options, I loved it! I thought it would be a fun way to teach students about onomotapeia and this is the comic I created using it:
There are plenty of playful character images to choose from, each with 3 or 4 poses to use, depending on the mood of the comic you're creating. The only downfall of this website is that there are advertisements on each page, which may be a problem when using them in the classroom, but the positives outweigh the negatives. Not only can students and teachers make their own comic strips, but there are literally hundreds of free printables to use with students as well, and what teacher doesn't love free? The categories include writing prompts, holidays, ESL, science, history, reading, and more. Click here to explore those printables.
For my comic I chose to create a reference interview. What do you think? Not bad, eh?
Something I didn't explore in depth are the many templates available for educators, but there are literally hundreds. This is an example of a character map template for Scout from the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, so clearly, there are numerous applications for Pixton in the classroom. Can you imagine the level of engagement ou'd see in the classroom when teaching students character analysis in this manner?
Using Comic Creator Tools in the Classroom
So how can you use these sites in your own classroom? Below are a few ideas to get you started:
So next time you sit down to create a standard slide show for a lesson or for meet the teacher night, try something new and insert a customized comic to bring your lesson to life!
This week I'm evaluating websites that allow the user to create their own comics. Each of them has a free version but subscriptions are available for 2 of the 3 in today's post.
MakeBeliefsComix
MakeBeliefsComix is a free computer website that also has a free app that can be downloaded to your iPad, ad-free, for $1.99. I found this website quite easy to use, but if you want loads of options, this is not the website for you. Since I myself am overwhelmed by options, I loved it! I thought it would be a fun way to teach students about onomotapeia and this is the comic I created using it:
There are plenty of playful character images to choose from, each with 3 or 4 poses to use, depending on the mood of the comic you're creating. The only downfall of this website is that there are advertisements on each page, which may be a problem when using them in the classroom, but the positives outweigh the negatives. Not only can students and teachers make their own comic strips, but there are literally hundreds of free printables to use with students as well, and what teacher doesn't love free? The categories include writing prompts, holidays, ESL, science, history, reading, and more. Click here to explore those printables.ToonDoo
ToonDoo is a login website that allows you to make your own comics for free. You can create a free account that allows you access your creative capabilities and create comics with up to 4 panels for free, and also allows you to access comics created by other users. This is a site for adults and is not monitored for child-friendly content, so you may not be able to access it on your district's network. However, you can screenshot your comics and use them in presentations and slideshows. Also, ToonDoo users can publish their comics for others to redo for personal use, so if you want a head start, that's another option available.For my comic I chose to create a reference interview. What do you think? Not bad, eh?
Pixton
Pixton is another online comic creator site. I found this one the most challenging to use, but it also has the most options available to the user. You can rotate the images, move their limbs, redesign their outfits, and much, much more. However, the manipulation of the characters and props within each frame is not terribly straightforward like it is with ToonDoo and MakeBeliefsComics. Now I don't know about you, but I like to use web tools that I can figure out on my own. So I found my experience with this one to be the least satisfactory. But if you are willing to read through the many help pages available on the website, you will find there are many uses for this program. Here is my modest comic that illustrates a reader's advisory interview.
Something I didn't explore in depth are the many templates available for educators, but there are literally hundreds. This is an example of a character map template for Scout from the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, so clearly, there are numerous applications for Pixton in the classroom. Can you imagine the level of engagement ou'd see in the classroom when teaching students character analysis in this manner?
Using Comic Creator Tools in the Classroom
So how can you use these sites in your own classroom? Below are a few ideas to get you started:
- Vocabulary-Evidence of Learning
- Literary Analysis
- Open House and Back-to-School Night
- PTA Presentations
- Character Education
- Writing Prompts
- Sequencing Lessons
So next time you sit down to create a standard slide show for a lesson or for meet the teacher night, try something new and insert a customized comic to bring your lesson to life!
Sunday, March 26, 2017
Videos and QR Codes in the Library
This week's post examines how some libraries have used videos and YouTube for instruction and promotion. When I began my library science graduate program, I knew I was going to have to learn some new technologies. And I have. But not in the way I anticipated! I thought I would have to create a database and of course, I knew I'd have to learn cataloging. I did NOT anticipate learning how to use social media and web 2.0 tools as part of my master's program! But I'm so glad it is!
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I created a book trailer of Hitler Youth in Animoto, which offers free accounts for educators. It's really easy to use and there's a bonus: educators can create 2 minute videos to use in the classroom free of charge! You will have to renew your membership every year, but that's a very small inconvenience.
To see my video on YouTube, capture my QR Code here.
Want to see how librarians across the country are using videos in their libraries? Just scroll on down. There's a wealth of creativity out there!
Norman High School
Norman High School's video channel offers a good selection of instructional and promotional library videos which demonstrate how librarians can use YouTube in their libraries. The first video is a screencast which explains how to use the EBSCO databases for research. The idea is great, which is why I included it in my examples; however, the display is small and hard to read. Which brings to light what librarians should avoid when creating screencasts.
But students are sure to enjoy this playful video of the school mascot navigating the library. And it could also be used to introduce new students to some of the areas of the library in a clever manner.
The Unquiet Library
The Unquiet Library channel has a wealth of examples that show how a librarian can use videos to provide instruction. I had a hard time choosing a favorite, but I think the screencast that teaches students how to search and use Wikimedia Commons images is extremely valuable. The librarian does an excellent job of explaining how to find copyright friendly images, which is a critical element for research and informational literacy instruction.
I also enjoyed the video of the library going to the students in the cafeteria. It's such a great idea!
Pikesville High School
Pikesville HS has literally dozens of videos on their channel. One is quite helpful for registration but my favorite is one students made with the librarian to honor hip-hop music for Black History Month. This is a seriously FUN librarian!
Check her out in this video....
Bonnie Branch Middle School
This channel features many student created videos that are terrific examples of how students can create videos as evidence of learning and also how videos can engage students in the library program.
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