Final Reflection

Final Reflection

Upon completion of my Digital Technology for School Librarians course I have had many assignments that required me to explore different technology, apps, blogs, and different forms of social media. As my final grade, I will review the things I've enjoyed the most, the things I didn't enjoy so much, and what I feel will benefit students the most.

The Highs

• Different Blogs & RSS

The only thing better than blogging was getting to read other blogs and finding a site where I can house all of my favorite blogs together. I've enjoyed blogging, and I see it as a really beneficial way to take ownership of your work. 

• Screencast-O-Matic & YouTube

Screencast-O-Matic was one of my favorite sites to explore, because I enjoy making videos that my students could watch to revisit things they didn't understand or don't remember. YouTube is the perfect way to publish the videos by creating your own channel. 

• Instagram

A picture is worth a thousand words and Instagram can help with that. Even though I was already a personal user of Instagram, I enjoyed finding different ways to say things using pictures on my school library page. 

The Lows

Disclaimer: These are sites that weren't as exciting to me, but it does not mean they aren't valuable. 

• Vine
• Facebook
• Twitter

I was not a fan of Vine or Twitter because I feel like Instagram already has a video and text feature that can be used in the same way as both of the apps.  While there are plenty of wonderful apps, I also don't feel the need to have every single one. It can get confusing and overwhelming at some point. I also had the opportunity to explore different library Facebook pages and very few were successful. A lot of work goes into making the library Facebook page relevant, and I would rather the time be spent elsewhere helping the patrons. 

• Podcasts

If you have extremely auditory students, then podcasts may definitely be an option, but it wasn't one of my favorites. 

Most Beneficial To Students

• Book Trailer
• Cartoons and Comics
• Infographics

Along with the highs I mentioned at the beginning, I found the book trailers, cartoon and comics, and infographics to be the most beneficial to students because they all fall in the create section of the Bloom's Taxonomy Pyramid. Creating or designing new and original work is challenge for many, and I even struggled creating my infographic. Students may watch videos to remember, understand, or analyze, but the creating part is where you see whether they really understand!

Media (is) the message?

Media (is) the message?

The question of whether media influences learning goes back to the early 1990's when Richard Clark and Robert Kozma first exerted their opinions sparking this continuous debate.

Clark believed that "[...] media are mere vehicles that deliver instruction but do not influence student achievement any more than the truck that delivers our groceries causes changes in our nutrition” (Clark 83: 445).

While Kozma believed that media “ possess particular characteristics that make them both more and less suitable for the accomplishment of certain kinds of learning tasks.” (Kozma, 1994).

When it comes to this age old question, I have to side with Kozma. Considering myself as a tech savvy teacher, I've seen the wonderful accomplishments that students make with the help of technology and have outlined them in three categories.

1. Presentation

With technology, there are a variety of ways that you can present information to learners. Those who are visual, audio, and kinesthetic learners are able to interact with resources that may help them understand information better. In one of my earlier blog posts, I wrote about how there is even a Revised Blooms Digital Taxonomy Pyramid. Most students use technology in their everyday lives. Using it as a means to teach sparks their interest more than a lecture. At one point my students were asking me to use the Chromebooks more for lessons, projects, and papers.

2. A 24/7 teacher

Another great thing about technology is its ability to be a constantly present tool. When students have missed lessons, forget, or need help understanding something, the right type of media/technology may be there to guide them when teachers aren't able to. For students to be able to go back, review information, and use it in various ways is an achievement in itself. Screencasts, You Tube, and many other resources guide learners to show them to how to do something, and they love being able to pause and rewind for understanding. 

3. Endless Possibilities

The possibilities with technology are endless. Learners can now take virtual field trips, seeing, learning, and experiencing things they might have never been able to experience. Even activities as simple as comics are accessible to students who thought they weren't capable of creating them because they weren't great illustrators.

I understand how it might have been easy to see media as just a tool in the early 90s when technology wasn't as advanced, but in 2016, I believe that instructors who use technology efficiently can increase the achievement of students, and a motivated student will also explore and learn on their on with the help of technology.

Podcasts

Podcasts 

Podcasts first became popular in the early 2000's as a way to share audio files over the internet. There are several websites you can use to create a podcast whether you want to share music, create a show, or listen to others. I created three free accounts using the following podcast sites, and I was able to compare their different features. Keep in mind the following chart is based upon free accounts, and you may get more features when purchasing advanced accounts. Some of the categories are left blank because the information wasn't very clear and I wanted to keep the chart as accurate as possible.

	Soundcloud	Audioboom	Podomatic
Storage			500 MB overall
Bandwidth			15 GB a month
Max Record Time	180 mins. (Total)	3 Minutes
Automatic QR Code	N	Y	N
Easy Upload	Y	N	N
Choice of Public Vs Private Uploads	Y	N	N
Download Enable Control	Y	N
Sharing Options Via Social Media	Y	Y	Y
Tag Option	Y	Y	Y
Private Sharing	Y	N	N
News Feed (Following Channels)	Y	Y	Y
Phone App Available	Y	Y	Y
Image Options	Y	Y	Y
Trim Capability		Y	N
Other Weaknesses	Not able to upload podcasts from phone apps.	Only able to record from phone or tablet.	Upload videos using other apps or computer software.

After my review of all the sites, I found soucloud to be the best! Different ways to implement podcasts into the classroom would include having students record book talks/reviews, scripts for a drama unit, poems that they're written, and research projects/papers. I would definitely have students record essays that they're written because many times students do not realize the grammar mistakes they've made until they read aloud, so it would force them to go back and edit their papers for grammar.  Traci Gardner also has very helpful lessons for how to use podcasts in the classroom.

Below, there's a podcast that I created using Soundcloud about library leader Carol Kuhlthau.

Cartoons and Comics

Cartoons and Comics

Even as readers get older, they still enjoy books with pictures such as Diary of a Wimpy. As readers' interests in graphic novels continue to increase, we have to start thinking about how we can use this  in the classroom. Making the students the authors and artists of their own comic strips can help struggling students build on important reading skills, engage artistic students, and allow students who may not be great artist to create their own comics. I created three different comic strips using ToonDoo, Pixton, and Makebeliefscomix. Continue reading to see my comments about each site.

ToonDoo

By dwoodard247 | View this Toon at ToonDoo | Create your own Toon

I enjoyed using ToonDoo. It thought it was very simple to use, and I think it would be great for students on an intermediate level who have had some experience with creating comics, but are still getting comfortable with the concept. I was able to to manipulate the characters, choose different props, and there are characters with predetermined facial expressions. 

Pixton

Pixton is probably my favorite website to use for creating comics. Students who are more advanced would enjoy using this website. There are tons of different backgrounds to choose from, you can manipulate the characters in many different ways, change their facial expressions, and add your own images. 

Make Beliefs Comix

Make Beliefs Comix is great for beginners. There aren't a ton of options to overwhelm the user, but there are still enough features to customize the comic to your liking. This would be good for elementary students, special ed, etc. 

How Can You Implement This In The Classroom

Makebeliefscomix.com also gives you some awesome tips on how to incorporate comics in the classroom no matter which subject area you may teach. Click here to view the 25 ways to incorporate comics. I also plan to use comics in the library as ways for students to review books, create comics for their favorite books, have a comic competition, or in the makerspace club! Since I work in middle school, I'll be using Pixtoon or ToonDoo.

Videos and QR Codes in the Library

Videos and QR Codes in the Library

YouTube is one of the most popular sites for video sharing. Many libraries or librarians now have YouTube channels to help them promote their library, help students with tasks, and much more.


For example, when it comes to tackling research projects, many students may forget steps, be absent when information is given, or just need a reminder on how to do certain things. The following video by Calypso Gilstrap from Norman High School is a video that I feel would be helpful for students when learning how to use EBSCOHost. 





But, we also need to incorporate balance, and have videos that students can create themselves, be involved in, and enjoying watching to promote the library. My students love to dance, so I know the following video by BBMSMEDIA would be enjoyable for them.

QR Codes

QR stands for quick response. It's a bar code that is readable by your mobile phone, allowing you to access information immediately without inputting a web address. In a world full of quick information, QR codes can also be used in education. Using Animoto, a video maker website, I was able to create a book trailer and create a QR code which takes you straight to it. Check it out below by scanning the bar code with your QR Reader. QR Reader's are easy and free to download from the majority of cell phones.

The two-time Newbery Honor winner Gary D. Schmidt delivers the shattering story of Joseph, a father at thirteen, who has never seen his daughter, Jupiter. After spending time in a juvenile facility, he’s placed with a foster family on a farm in rural Maine. Here Joseph, damaged and withdrawn, meets twelve-year-old Jack, who narrates the account of the troubled, passionate teen who wants to find his baby at any cost. In this riveting novel, two boys discover the true meaning of family and the sacrifices it requires.

In addition to book trailers, QR codes could be used for several other things in the library such as book reviews, directions, units created for specific teachers or subjects, competitions, catalog access, etc. The possibilities are endless! If there is information that you want students to be able to access quickly, create a QR code for it! I love Tony Vincent's idea of using QR codes as a way to reflect. Reflection Facilitated QR Codes. In what ways have you used QR codes in your classroom or library? Comment below.

Instagram, Vine, and Screencasts

Instagram, Vine, and Screencasts

As technology becomes one of the primary ways to make learning more engaging for students, new apps such as Instagram and Vine that are considered social media may also be helpful in the classroom. 

Instagram 

Previously, I never thought about using Instagram, but thanks to We Are Teachers and their creative lists of ways to use Instagram in the classroom, I'm now thinking of ways to use Instagram in the library. 

I've created an Instagram page for the new school I'll be at for the 2016-17 school year. It's fairly new, but you have to start somewhere! Follow us now @GranthamLMC 

A photo posted by Grantham Academy Library (@granthamlmc) on Jul 5, 2016 at 9:50pm PDT

The perfect bag to carry all your awesome books in! 🎒📚

A photo posted by Grantham Academy Library (@granthamlmc) on Jul 5, 2016 at 11:04pm PDT

Vine

Vine is an app that allows you to share six second videos. Similar to Twitter with it's sharing constraints, it forces you to use the time you have creatively in order to get your point across. Reading Horizons has created a list for 8 Ways You Can Use Vine To Teach Reading Comprehension. 

 Here's my school's official Vine page

 @GranthamLMC and an example of a few Vine videos. 

1. After playing around with Instagram and Vine. These are a few ideas of how you could use these two apps in the library. Keep in mind, Instagram does have a video option that allows you to record for 60 seconds. 

1. Take pictures/videos of events going on in the library. (Book fair, author visits, book club, makerspaces, etc.)
2. Take pictures/videos of new books available, or short excerpts.
3. Take pictures/videos of students using the library. 
4. Post competitions and announcements.
5. Get students involved using a hashtag challenge to promote literacy. 

Screencasts

Screencast allow you to record or take picture images of your computer screen. In the past, I've used Screencast-O-Matic and I love it! This time around, I decided to download Jing to see which one I enjoyed using more. Watch the following two videos that I recorded using two different programs.

Screencast-o-matic

Jing

Click on the following link to watch the video, or scroll to the very bottom of the page.

JING VIDEO

Cons

Screencast-O-Matic

1. Doesn't allow you to capture only a picture.

2. Has preset recording screen dimensions. 

Jing

1. Doesn't allow you to automatically save to YouTube.

2. Doesn't allow you to record the screen and webcam simultaneously.

3. Five minute recording time maximum.

I began with the cons because most of the time that's where the deal breakers outshine the pros.  With Screencast-O-Matic, I like that I can post the videos directly to my YouTube channel, and when I pause I can also go back to specific spots in my recording. While using Jing, I felt rushed to meet the five minute time limit, and I had a lot of trouble accessing the video when saved to my computer. The only features I found more appealing in Jing were the recording screen options and the sun icon to access the program.  Overall, I still prefer to use Screencast-o-matic. I felt like I could do more using the program in comparison to Jing.

Instagram, Vine, and Screencasts

Instagram, Vine, and Screencasts

As technology becomes one of the primary ways to make learning more engaging for students, new apps such as Instagram and Vine that are considered social media may also be helpful in the classroom. 

Instagram 

Previously, I never thought about using Instagram, but thanks to We Are Teachers and their creative lists of ways to use Instagram in the classroom, I'm now thinking of ways to use Instagram in the library. 

I've created an Instagram page for the new school I'll be at for the 2016-17 school year. It's fairly new, but you have to start somewhere! Follow us now @GranthamLMC 

A photo posted by Grantham Academy Library (@granthamlmc) on Jul 5, 2016 at 9:50pm PDT

The perfect bag to carry all your awesome books in! 🎒📚

A photo posted by Grantham Academy Library (@granthamlmc) on Jul 5, 2016 at 11:04pm PDT

Vine

Vine is an app that allows you to share six second videos. Similar to Twitter with it's sharing constraints, it forces you to use the time you have creatively in order to get your point across. Reading Horizons has created a list for 8 Ways You Can Use Vine To Teach Reading Comprehension. 

 Here's my school's official Vine page

 @GranthamLMC and an example of a few Vine videos. 

1. After playing around with Instagram and Vine. These are a few ideas of how you could use these two apps in the library. Keep in mind, Instagram does have a video option that allows you to record for 60 seconds. 

1. Take pictures/videos of events going on in the library. (Book fair, author visits, book club, makerspaces, etc.)
2. Take pictures/videos of new books available, or short excerpts.
3. Take pictures/videos of students using the library. 
4. Post competitions and announcements.
5. Get students involved using a hashtag challenge to promote literacy. 

Screencasts

Screencast allow you to record or take picture images of your computer screen. In the past, I've used Screencast-O-Matic and I love it! This time around, I decided to download Jing to see which one I enjoyed using more. Watch the following two videos that I recorded using two different programs.

Screencast-o-matic

Jing

JING VIDEO

Cons

Screencast-O-Matic

1. Doesn't allow you to capture only a picture.

2. Has preset recording screen dimensions. 

Jing

1. Doesn't allow you to automatically save to YouTube.

2. Doesn't allow you to record the screen and webcam simultaneously.

3. Five minute recording time maximum.

I began with the cons because most of the time that's where the deal breakers outshine the pros.  With Screencast-O-Matic, I like that I can post the videos directly to my YouTube channel, and when I pause I can also go back to specific spots in my recording. While using Jing, I felt rushed to meet the five minute time limit, and I had a lot of trouble accessing the video when saved to my computer.. The only features I found more appealing in Jing were the recording screen options and the sun icon to access the program.  Overall, I still prefer to use Screencast-o-matic. I felt like I could do more using the program in comparison to Jing.

Infographics

Infographics

Infographics are a great way to help students learn information. They are even able to create infographics themselves using sites like http://www.easel.ly/ , http://piktochart.com/ , or http://infogr.am. After reading an article about Lifelong Learning and Technology, I was able to create the following infographics using http://www.easel.ly. Graphics and words unite to convey information to learners.

Blogs and Blog Readers

Blogs and Blog Readers

There is so much information available in today's day and age, so many websites that we love to visit, but there's so much going on in our daily lives. Blog readers make your life much simpler by putting all your favorite blogs in one place. Whew! I'm sure you probably feel a similar sense of relief, as did I when I found out about blog readers, but it's not over yet. With over ten RSS (Really Simple Syndication) apps to choose from, picking the best one for you may be a little tricky.

My Favorite RSS

After searching through the list, and playing around with a few sites I choose feedly.com as my primary RSS. I consider myself tech savvy, but I still enjoy simplicity. I feel that the layout on feedly is easy to understand, the menu on the left side is easy to navigate through, and there's a free version available. In addition, you are able to share things through Facebook, Twitter, send emails, and connect to OneNote, Evernote, or GooglePlus.  One of my favorite features included a save for later tab, so that you could revisit posts that you didn't have time to read at that moment or that you would like to refer to in the future.  

Blogs You Might Want To Follow

After setting up my feedly account. I started added all of the blogs I follow concerning the LMC. These are a few of the blog that I follow. They are not ranked in any specific order. Remember that you can also create other collections to make pages of similar subjects.

#1 A Media Specialist's Guide To The Internet

Julie Greller’s blog contains a plethora of information that isn’t only useful for librarians, but teachers as well. I like the way this blog is organized into categories: grade levels, authors, ESLl, graphics, history, content areas, etc., versus a list of posts separated by dates.

#2 Blue Skunk Blog

Doug Johnson’s most recent posts have explored the five principles of library ethics in an untraditional way. He doesn’t just list the principles, but gives examples, scenarios, and opinions of different things dealing with the principles. His blog is very opinion based, but entertaining and helpful.

#3 The Annoyed Librarian

This is probably one of the most untraditional blogs, but that’s what made it stand out to me. The author, blogs about current events that are happening concerning the library and gives her opinion. For example, people who you the library’s wifi to download pornography, unhappy ALA state chapters, and people who want fines. There are also pages fro reviews, news, events, tech, webcasts, etc.

#4 YALSAblog

What stood out to me the most about the YALSA blog are the posts about Makerspaces. Makerspaces are a bit of a hot topic right now, and everyone wants to know how to run them effectively, and budget accordingly. This blog answers those questions along with any additional questions anyone may have about Makerspaces while giving updates on events and wonderful things that are happening with YALSA and ALA.

#5 BAM Book Reviews

This blog was created by Katie and a co-contributor, Briana. They are both college students that write book reviews. The small summary that is most of the time on the back or inside the cover of the book is provided first and then their reviews follow. Since I will be a middle school librarian, I think that it’s neat that they only review young adult fiction novels. You can also send in a request for books you would like them to review.

Tumblr

Take a break from reading blogs, and follow me on Tumblr! tumblr.com/blog/bookcouchtea

Facebook Pages and Twitter

Facebook & Twitter For Libraries

Instead of calling, sending information in the mail, texting, or emailing, many people have adopted social media as their primary means of communication. Schools, businesses, and artists have Twitter and Facebook pages, but where do school libraries fit in?

Facebook

When searching for school library Facebook pages, I saw many pages that made posts about events/programs at their library and in the community, competitions, research projects, student work, hours of the library, book trailers, books to read for the summer,  and funny memes related to the library or reading. Some posts were highlighted blue with a few likes, but I did not observe hardly any comments, and posts that did have comments did not have very many. The main advantage of school libraries having a Facebook page is that it's another way to communicate information to the students/community, but the disadvantage is that there is wasted time if no one is really looking at the page. Anyone can create a page, but what makes the page successful is the amount of involvement. Nancy Dowd wrote an amazing article concerning libraries and social media. It is definitely worth reading, and she references Columbus Metropolitan Library to show how libraries can manage a successful social media page.

Twitter Tech Leaders

As technology bombards its way into education, leaders emerge showing their support and ideas. What better way to share those ideas than Twitter. Kathy Schrock, Jim Lerman, Gwyneth Jones, Buffy Hamilton, and Linda Braun are just a few who have made a name for themselves in regards to educational technology and share their ideas through Twitter.

After reading Lerman and Jones' tweets, I discovered that they both also have Scoop.it accounts. Scoop.it reminds me a lot of Pinterest. There are ideas and articles that you find of interest to you, and you can share your thoughts on what you've found through multiple channels of social media. Everything that you "scoop" stays on your board, which reflects an online magazine. This article by Stacy Firth goes into much better detail describing Scoop.it.  

Below are my observations of  each of these leaders' Twitter pages.

Jim Lerman- @jimlerman

·        Mainly posts through Scoop.it.

·        Tweets contain information for teachers (Summer Learning, Teacher's Toolbox, Teacher Guide to Twitter, Tools For More Interactive Videos).

Gwyneth Jones- @GwynethJones

·        Some tweets through Scoop.it account.

·        Tweets contain information and events concerning the library she works at, books she's reading, and posts from her blog.

·        She also posts some personal things about Tv shows she's enjoys. I personally think her tweets about The Bachelorette are hilarious and add a personal touch.

Buffy J. Hamilton- @buffyjhamilton

·        Often updates what she's reading via goodreads.com

·        Retweets articles concerning different areas of education. Two of my favorites are about the inquirylearning plan and deepwork.

·        She also tweets a lot of personal things that are sports related. Go Cavs!

Linda Braun- @lbraun2000

·        Since Braun is a Past President of YALSA(Young Adult Library Services Association), most of her tweets involve information and events in relation to YALSA.

·        She also retweets articles that shine light on the good things that teens are involved in, hence the "teen advocate" description on her page.

Kathy Schrock- @kathyschrock

·        Schrock tweets information from several of her websites.

·        Tweets include links to reviews on technology, technology updates, conferences she's attending or speaking at, technology advice, and much more.

·        She shares a lot of her personal discoveries about her own electronic devices along with some personal tweets of family or traveling.

I was surprised at how much information could be shared through a retweet or 140 characters. Twitter serves as an effective way to share your thoughts, ideas, and opinions in a fast paced setting. The content you see is dependent upon who you follow. All of the tech leaders' Twitter pages are so different, yet unique, in their own way and provide tons of valuable information. I won't disclose my favorites or do any rankings. I'll let you do that for yourselves. Happy tweeting! Follow me @DN_Woodard as I break into the world tweeting.

Source For Photo

 Crofts, A. V. (2012). Portland shows their library some love: Social media style. Retrieved June 11, 2016, from http://flipthemedia.com/2012/05/portland-shows-their-library-some-love-social-media-style/