As the sun sets on the busiest semester of my grad school career I'd like to take a look back at a few of the technical programs that drove me to drink and that actually got me to think about the next school year while on summer vacation. This final blog shall follow in the illustrious foot steps of none other than Mr. Clint Eastwood. I present to you for you amusement and education "The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly."
The Good:
While there are just a plethora of programs that I enjoyed using this semester I must say the learning how to create my own QR codes, Biblionaisum, and Pixton are the programs and applications that I feel will be the most useful for my students and I in the up coming school year. I truly think that incorporating QR codes as an alternative to copies of handouts is a great way to use technology in class as well as save on that precious copy paper. Biblionasium wasn't my personal favorite book community but I think as far as student use this one can't be beat. It is user friendly and has a fun layout. Finally, Pixton gave me ideas for breaking up the constant paper to pen writing assignments in class. I think students can have a lot of fun with this and so can I.
The Bad:
My bad list is pretty short and is mostly for personal reasons. Tumblr is not for me. I felt pressured and just plan didn't like it. It was too in my face for me. LibraryThing was also not for me. I thought the layout was boring and it wasn't what I would call user friendly. Just plain ol' blah.
The Ugly:
There is only ONE program that I would flat out say was ugly: Screenr! This program was awful for me. I had the hardest time using it and felt nothing but defeat, even after I finally was able to use it. Without a doubt this program was U-G-L-Y.
So there it is. My list. But who am I to judge? No one really. These were my findings, you may have other experiences, so I encourage you to get on that wireless mouse and keyboard and explore these programs for yourself. Even one can change your educational career.
Tuesday, June 30, 2015
You like Me- You really like me!
Raine, L. (June 13, 2013). Reinventing of libraries: The keys to the future in 7 questions. Retrieved from http://libraries.pewinternet.org/files/2013/07/6-13-13ReinventinglibrariesWorcester_PDF.pdf
Just when people have started asking that oh so annoying, kick you in the crotch, spit on your neck fantastic question, "Why do we need libraries any more, isn't everything digital now," comes Lee Raines and Reinventing libraries". It may seem like a few slides with nothing but charts and graphs but that presentation can re-affirm any librarian's belief in the power of our job.
91% of people asked say that libraries are important to their community (Raines 6). That's amazing! 9 out of 10 people think libraries are important, and I personally believe that 10th one was just being difficult. According to Raines more people have confidence and importance staked in the library than congress! (Raines 7). Granted that's kind of sad for America- but hooray for the library!
Extra bonus- people trust librarians! 98% say their interactions with librarians are positive! Translation- people like us! Just in case you didn't feel like it today- people like us!
Mining Pew pages 141- 180/ 150 (grad school assignment)
Just when people have started asking that oh so annoying, kick you in the crotch, spit on your neck fantastic question, "Why do we need libraries any more, isn't everything digital now," comes Lee Raines and Reinventing libraries". It may seem like a few slides with nothing but charts and graphs but that presentation can re-affirm any librarian's belief in the power of our job.
91% of people asked say that libraries are important to their community (Raines 6). That's amazing! 9 out of 10 people think libraries are important, and I personally believe that 10th one was just being difficult. According to Raines more people have confidence and importance staked in the library than congress! (Raines 7). Granted that's kind of sad for America- but hooray for the library!
Extra bonus- people trust librarians! 98% say their interactions with librarians are positive! Translation- people like us! Just in case you didn't feel like it today- people like us!
Mining Pew pages 141- 180/ 150 (grad school assignment)
Monday, June 29, 2015
Parents are a Library's greatest ally
Miller, C., Zickhur, K., Rainie, L., Purcell, K. (May 1, 2013). Parents, children, libraries, and reading. Retrieved from http://libraries.pewinternet.org/files/legacy-pdf/PIP_Library_Services_Parents_PDF.pdf
Confession time- I do not like dealing with parents. As a classroom teacher I am usually faced with the question "what are YOU doing wrong?" To which I naturally want to respond, "Me? I let your child stay up until 2 on a school night, I as the teacher did not turn in the student's assignment, I as the teacher chose not to follow the directions that I gave your student numerous times, etc." Not that I am allowed to respond in such a fashion. So you can imagine my surprise when I read Parents, children, libraries, and reading.
According to the findings of Miller, Zickuhr, et al, 94% of parents of children 18 and under feel that the library is important for their children. 84% of those parents say the library is important because it "libraries help inculcate their children’s love of reading and books," (Miller 2). That's fantastic! Just when you had lost all hope for parental involvement. Parents are also more likely to know about the services the library provides and support the implementing of new services. Just when I was focusing on how to notify the students I learn that notifying the parents is the key to my success.
Parents, children, libraries, and reading goes even deeper into what type of parent is the most concerned with library services and technology. their findings indicate that lower income parents are more likely to encourage the use of the library resources. They seem to especially be interested in learning and using eReaders (Miller 8). I honestly would have thought it would have been the exact opposite as I figure the higher income households would have the funds needed to purchase an eReader. Apparently if the library provides it they will come!
Parents, children, libraries, and reading took their research a step farther and asked parents what services the library offers that they would say is very to extremely important for their children and themselves. Granted at this point they are speaking about a public library but I feel that their findings can be applied to the school setting as well. Below are their findings (Miller 50):
(Grad school info- mining pew pages 49-140/ 150).
Confession time- I do not like dealing with parents. As a classroom teacher I am usually faced with the question "what are YOU doing wrong?" To which I naturally want to respond, "Me? I let your child stay up until 2 on a school night, I as the teacher did not turn in the student's assignment, I as the teacher chose not to follow the directions that I gave your student numerous times, etc." Not that I am allowed to respond in such a fashion. So you can imagine my surprise when I read Parents, children, libraries, and reading.
According to the findings of Miller, Zickuhr, et al, 94% of parents of children 18 and under feel that the library is important for their children. 84% of those parents say the library is important because it "libraries help inculcate their children’s love of reading and books," (Miller 2). That's fantastic! Just when you had lost all hope for parental involvement. Parents are also more likely to know about the services the library provides and support the implementing of new services. Just when I was focusing on how to notify the students I learn that notifying the parents is the key to my success.
Parents, children, libraries, and reading goes even deeper into what type of parent is the most concerned with library services and technology. their findings indicate that lower income parents are more likely to encourage the use of the library resources. They seem to especially be interested in learning and using eReaders (Miller 8). I honestly would have thought it would have been the exact opposite as I figure the higher income households would have the funds needed to purchase an eReader. Apparently if the library provides it they will come!
Parents, children, libraries, and reading took their research a step farther and asked parents what services the library offers that they would say is very to extremely important for their children and themselves. Granted at this point they are speaking about a public library but I feel that their findings can be applied to the school setting as well. Below are their findings (Miller 50):
- Eight in ten parents say that borrowing books (83%) and free access to computers and the
- internet (81%) are very important library services.
- Roughly eight in ten (79%) parents say that librarians helping people find the information they need is a very important library service.
- Three quarter of parents say that quiet study spaces for adults and children (78%), providing research resources (77%) and programs and classes for children and teens (76%)are very important.
- Seven in ten (68%) parents say that providing free events and activities, such as classes and
- cultural events for people of all ages or job resources (68%)
- is very important.
- Fewer than half (46%) say that providing free public meeting space is a very important service the library provides the public (although an additional 42% say this is somewhat important)
(Grad school info- mining pew pages 49-140/ 150).
Thursday, June 25, 2015
Climbing "Vines" Instagram-ly
So the past few years I have discovered something about today's kids, especially teen age girls. They LOVE to look at themselves. I myself don't get it- I could look at a lot of things more than me and be really happy about (see previous posts about Chris Evans and Ryan Gosling). But they do for whatever reason. I say as educators we use this to our advantage. Let's take Instagram and Vine and let's us them to our advantage.
Instagram- Turns out I already had an account. Who knew? It had one picture of my husband uploaded from at least a year and a half ago. It now has four. These are just a few pictures that I snapped or uploaded to illustrate. I did use the app Overgram to add text to my pictures. You can't do this in Instagram so do it first then upload. Overgram was also free.
Sorry that one got a little cut off- live, learn, and read Firelight by Sophie Jordan- it's awesome. And of course-A photo posted by @sunnicrumrine on
Vine- What could you do or say in 6 seconds? That's all you get with Vine. 6 seconds to say or show whatever it is you have to say. What a great idea to get kids down to the theme of a story! You have 6 seconds to tell me what this is about- go! Bully! And with that I just came up with warm-up ideas/ exit ticket ideas. Fun stuff! As this was my first foray in to this program I haven't worked out the kinks but here is my son showing off his favorite book.
Screen Casts= Love HATE relationship.
I was really looking forward to learning how to do a screen cast. The professors in my grad school all use them and I kept thinking "how do they do that?" Well now I know. I set out to try a couple of free programs online to figure out which one would be right for me.
With computer usage an everyday occurrence in a lot of classes having step by step directions ready to go just makes sense. Enter screen casts! You get it all- audio and visual. The double whammy of instructing. Plus kids can follow along on their computers while you play the screen cast on the projector and you add in the hands on element. Below are the screen casts I created and teh sites I created them on.
Screenr- This program is the DEVIL! I hope the creator of this program enjoys the depths of Tartarus. I was in tears, nay I was bawling from this program. It was easy to use for certain. You click launch recorder and you're good to go. Unless you have problems with your Java. Then you will have to take a few to figure that out (did that). Then you create a nice little screen cast- free version is no longer than 5 minutes. Then you get the news- only members can download or publish their video. I suppose the rest just sit and stare at their screens after making theirs. So I signed up first through Google. It would never complete my registration. I tried 13 times- that's right 13 confirming emails and still no go. Then I gave Twitter a go. Taking this route took 6 tries but finally I had an account. I can download my video now right? WRONG! "Please confirm your email again" Well, here we go again. I think it took 5 additional tried before it would finally give me an embed code- still no download. So after hours of frustration, no less than 19 emails, many tears, and a glass of wine here it is- as the title says (despite the spelling error that I wouldn't chance it to correct) this was not worth the trouble.
Screencast O Matic- This program was the exact opposite of the one previously mentioned. I had zero problems with this site. I went there, began using the record device immediately and when I was done I was given the option to download my video right away. Like Screenr you have the ability to create a 5 minute screen cast without registering for anything. This site also has a few helpful links. I liked the links for "what teachers are using screen casts for". It obviously gives a few ideas for screen casts in the classroom. I will be using this program again. I will even be using it to re-record the video I made in the other program. Below is my first and only attempt at this site.
With computer usage an everyday occurrence in a lot of classes having step by step directions ready to go just makes sense. Enter screen casts! You get it all- audio and visual. The double whammy of instructing. Plus kids can follow along on their computers while you play the screen cast on the projector and you add in the hands on element. Below are the screen casts I created and teh sites I created them on.
Screenr- This program is the DEVIL! I hope the creator of this program enjoys the depths of Tartarus. I was in tears, nay I was bawling from this program. It was easy to use for certain. You click launch recorder and you're good to go. Unless you have problems with your Java. Then you will have to take a few to figure that out (did that). Then you create a nice little screen cast- free version is no longer than 5 minutes. Then you get the news- only members can download or publish their video. I suppose the rest just sit and stare at their screens after making theirs. So I signed up first through Google. It would never complete my registration. I tried 13 times- that's right 13 confirming emails and still no go. Then I gave Twitter a go. Taking this route took 6 tries but finally I had an account. I can download my video now right? WRONG! "Please confirm your email again" Well, here we go again. I think it took 5 additional tried before it would finally give me an embed code- still no download. So after hours of frustration, no less than 19 emails, many tears, and a glass of wine here it is- as the title says (despite the spelling error that I wouldn't chance it to correct) this was not worth the trouble.
Screencast O Matic- This program was the exact opposite of the one previously mentioned. I had zero problems with this site. I went there, began using the record device immediately and when I was done I was given the option to download my video right away. Like Screenr you have the ability to create a 5 minute screen cast without registering for anything. This site also has a few helpful links. I liked the links for "what teachers are using screen casts for". It obviously gives a few ideas for screen casts in the classroom. I will be using this program again. I will even be using it to re-record the video I made in the other program. Below is my first and only attempt at this site.
Tuesday, June 23, 2015
Comic Chameleon
Disclaimer- I do not read comic books- I say comic books because thanks to Sheldon Cooper I am given to understand comics are located in the "Funnies" section of the newspaper and back when newspapers were delivered and not downloaded I did read comics. The exception is Captain America (obsessed over here).
That being said I have never tried to create my own. Stan Lee achieved the perfect one the first go around. Who knew that you could use them to educate? Not to mention the awesome circulation power of graphic novels. But thanks once more to our pal the internet a new method of creating is upon us! Behold- the comic creating websites (and they're free too!).
I gave three different sites a test drive to figure out how and when I might be able to use my new found technology ace in the hole- I mean can you imagine how cool your principal would think you are if you presented her with student created, educational comic strips? Hello good PDAS. Below you will find my reviews of each site.
Pixton- This site is so fun. It is by far the most sophisticated of the sites I previewed. You can design your own character, select layouts, backgrounds, everything. Plus you can change your character's pose and facial expressions as you go. No other site offered that. Unlike the other sites you could add as many frames as you needed to tell your story. I had a lot of fun with this site. My ELAR kids would eat this up- and I think they will come Halloween when we will be illustrating our own stories rather than just writing them this year! They can design the comic in class before hand and then using either a computer lab or COW (computers on wheels) make and print out their very own comic! Down side- the free version doesn't let you download your comic. But it does offer a deal for educators- I just didn't have time to check it all out. I did snip my from the screen so you could enjoy. P.S. I do kind of look like my character- similar build, hair (yes it's purple for the summer), glasses, etc but I would never wear those clothes.
Comic Book!- This is a totally free site which is great for schools. Its really easy to use. You select your layout, your background, all that jazz. The up side, this site lets you chose whether to make a strip or an entire book- can you cay group project??? You can also upload images to use and this site has tons of clip art. The tools are simple and could be demonstrated in maybe 10 minutes. Drawback- once you select which layout you want there's no adding to it. You can't stick an additional frame in at the end if you need to. It does let you share your comic as well as let others edit it so you have a nice way for people to share a project. You can also down load your final results. However, this site is much more juvenile than Pixton. Old kids might get bored quickly.
See what I mean? I really needed an extra frame to show the librarian getting the book but I couldn't add one- bummer.
Make Beliefs Comic- If you teach elementary level students this is probably the best site for an intro into making comics. There is no registration required so you don't have to stress about 6 year olds not having email addresses. You just go there and get busy. That being said this site is BASIC. What you see is what you get. No fancy uploads, facial expressions or changing poses here. Point and Click. But again for younger kids this works great. For older kids you could always throw this is for a quick warm up if you have the equipment to do so. You can save your comic before leaving the site.
I really wanted to increase the font size without increasing the balloon but didn't figure out how to before I moved on.
That being said I have never tried to create my own. Stan Lee achieved the perfect one the first go around. Who knew that you could use them to educate? Not to mention the awesome circulation power of graphic novels. But thanks once more to our pal the internet a new method of creating is upon us! Behold- the comic creating websites (and they're free too!).
I gave three different sites a test drive to figure out how and when I might be able to use my new found technology ace in the hole- I mean can you imagine how cool your principal would think you are if you presented her with student created, educational comic strips? Hello good PDAS. Below you will find my reviews of each site.
Pixton- This site is so fun. It is by far the most sophisticated of the sites I previewed. You can design your own character, select layouts, backgrounds, everything. Plus you can change your character's pose and facial expressions as you go. No other site offered that. Unlike the other sites you could add as many frames as you needed to tell your story. I had a lot of fun with this site. My ELAR kids would eat this up- and I think they will come Halloween when we will be illustrating our own stories rather than just writing them this year! They can design the comic in class before hand and then using either a computer lab or COW (computers on wheels) make and print out their very own comic! Down side- the free version doesn't let you download your comic. But it does offer a deal for educators- I just didn't have time to check it all out. I did snip my from the screen so you could enjoy. P.S. I do kind of look like my character- similar build, hair (yes it's purple for the summer), glasses, etc but I would never wear those clothes.
Comic Book!- This is a totally free site which is great for schools. Its really easy to use. You select your layout, your background, all that jazz. The up side, this site lets you chose whether to make a strip or an entire book- can you cay group project??? You can also upload images to use and this site has tons of clip art. The tools are simple and could be demonstrated in maybe 10 minutes. Drawback- once you select which layout you want there's no adding to it. You can't stick an additional frame in at the end if you need to. It does let you share your comic as well as let others edit it so you have a nice way for people to share a project. You can also down load your final results. However, this site is much more juvenile than Pixton. Old kids might get bored quickly.
Make Beliefs Comic- If you teach elementary level students this is probably the best site for an intro into making comics. There is no registration required so you don't have to stress about 6 year olds not having email addresses. You just go there and get busy. That being said this site is BASIC. What you see is what you get. No fancy uploads, facial expressions or changing poses here. Point and Click. But again for younger kids this works great. For older kids you could always throw this is for a quick warm up if you have the equipment to do so. You can save your comic before leaving the site.
Booking dot Yeah!- Online book communities
Well, I think I have found yet another online addiction to help ween me off of Pintrest (not where you thought I was going with the whole online addiction thing right?) Online book communities. Hello sites, good bye wallet. These sites are amazing for any lover of books.
Online book communities are sites that you join and then look for books. It sounds like a no brainer when simplified to that degree but its true. You type in what genre, author, subject, or even type of book you are looking for and it can search over 700 different sources to find them for you. You can create book shelves to house your wish list for books, keep track of books you are currently reading (what- you mean everyone isn't currently reading 5 different novels of various age groups?), and list what books you have already read. You can even write and read reviews of the books you have read. I like to find people who have similar tastes as me and read their reviews to help guide in the direction of the shall we say more stellar works of literature. I didn't want to flat out say stay away from bad books because hopefully every book was liked by at least one person.
Behold- the book communities I have recently joined along with a few pics of my shelves on each. Hopefully this can help you find an online book community that's right for you.
Library Things- I did NOT like this site. Sorry to flat out dis a site like that but better to do it like a band aid then pussy foot around the truth. I found it hard to use and the layout was very business like. I had a hard time finding books and authors that I wanted to read and when I wanted to add books to my wish list I tried the "add book" button. This led me to a list of books that matched my search. I could then click on the title and it would add it to my list- sometimes. Other times it made look for the books again. When I went to the list of books they had recommended for me the same thing happened- click on a book, go to search, click on the book. Why couldn't I simply click the "add book" feature? I got frustrated fast. Not to mention one of my favorite authors- Sophie Jordan had several of books listed but only in the German version- um what??? Definitely not the site for me. Here's my book shelves:
Biblionasium- What a fun site! So perfect for school use! This site is so easy to use and completely appeals to the younger user. Books were super easy to find and the shelving process was available on every books- just click Wishlist, I Own it, I have read it , and/ or Its a favorite. You have the option of rating books but it's not required. There is even the option to go straight to Amazon and buy the books. One and only complaint is this, say I look up Harry Potter and I get a list of all the the different Harry Potter Book. I click on Prisoner of Azkaban (obviously the best one) add it to my shelf. If I want to select the rest there is no "back to results" button on site. I used the one on my screen but it didn't always work right away. I still really liked it, I can see myself using this at school as well as with my 5 year old son. A look at my shelf:
Book Like- This is a really good site. It was easy to use, had a nice friendly layout, the books were easy to find. It's your one stop site to find, rate, review books. I have no complaints and was really close to saying "I'm home". There was only one thing that turned me off- the blog. I have a blog- obviously! I don't feel the need to keep adding more and more. My thoughts aren't always gems, they only need to be put out there once. Yet this site forced me to make one before I could look for books. P.S.- mine says that there is nothing there and it will probably stay that way. Here's my book shelf-
End results- Personal use Shelfari
School/ Student Use- Biblionasium
Online book communities are sites that you join and then look for books. It sounds like a no brainer when simplified to that degree but its true. You type in what genre, author, subject, or even type of book you are looking for and it can search over 700 different sources to find them for you. You can create book shelves to house your wish list for books, keep track of books you are currently reading (what- you mean everyone isn't currently reading 5 different novels of various age groups?), and list what books you have already read. You can even write and read reviews of the books you have read. I like to find people who have similar tastes as me and read their reviews to help guide in the direction of the shall we say more stellar works of literature. I didn't want to flat out say stay away from bad books because hopefully every book was liked by at least one person.
Behold- the book communities I have recently joined along with a few pics of my shelves on each. Hopefully this can help you find an online book community that's right for you.
Library Things- I did NOT like this site. Sorry to flat out dis a site like that but better to do it like a band aid then pussy foot around the truth. I found it hard to use and the layout was very business like. I had a hard time finding books and authors that I wanted to read and when I wanted to add books to my wish list I tried the "add book" button. This led me to a list of books that matched my search. I could then click on the title and it would add it to my list- sometimes. Other times it made look for the books again. When I went to the list of books they had recommended for me the same thing happened- click on a book, go to search, click on the book. Why couldn't I simply click the "add book" feature? I got frustrated fast. Not to mention one of my favorite authors- Sophie Jordan had several of books listed but only in the German version- um what??? Definitely not the site for me. Here's my book shelves:
Good Reads- This site was fun to use. It had a nice layout- reminded me of Barnes and Noble's site. The books were easy to find. I searched by author and genre. Again I could shelf books I wanted to read, had read, and were currently reading. The one thing I didn't care too much for was that I had to review 20 books to get the site to recommend some for me to read. I kind of felt a little used, like "we'll withhold our literature unless you do this first." you're a book community- give me my books!!! Here's my book shelf
Biblionasium- What a fun site! So perfect for school use! This site is so easy to use and completely appeals to the younger user. Books were super easy to find and the shelving process was available on every books- just click Wishlist, I Own it, I have read it , and/ or Its a favorite. You have the option of rating books but it's not required. There is even the option to go straight to Amazon and buy the books. One and only complaint is this, say I look up Harry Potter and I get a list of all the the different Harry Potter Book. I click on Prisoner of Azkaban (obviously the best one) add it to my shelf. If I want to select the rest there is no "back to results" button on site. I used the one on my screen but it didn't always work right away. I still really liked it, I can see myself using this at school as well as with my 5 year old son. A look at my shelf:
Book Like- This is a really good site. It was easy to use, had a nice friendly layout, the books were easy to find. It's your one stop site to find, rate, review books. I have no complaints and was really close to saying "I'm home". There was only one thing that turned me off- the blog. I have a blog- obviously! I don't feel the need to keep adding more and more. My thoughts aren't always gems, they only need to be put out there once. Yet this site forced me to make one before I could look for books. P.S.- mine says that there is nothing there and it will probably stay that way. Here's my book shelf-
Shelfari- I LOVE this site! It is my new bestie and we will get tether everyday to discuss our other friends (the books). Who has gotten big, who isn't popular any more, who has been seen where. It will be magic. Take all the great things about the other sites and put them here. Ease of use, large selection, rating system, you name it. Plus it's powered by Amazon- my other BFF. I also preferred their version of the book shelf- one that swiveled as opposed to scrolling down the page. Rating the books was easy cheesy, they use a 5 star rating system and you just click how many stars you'd give it. You can add comments but it's not required. This will be my own personal book community. My shelf:
School/ Student Use- Biblionasium
Saturday, June 20, 2015
Attack of the Pod People- Podcast People!
As educators we are guarenteed to repeat ourselves over and again. Not only that we get tired of saying teh same thing over and over. Especially when reading things aloud to our classes. I myself began reading The Outsiders to my ELAR classes. Before I knew it I had lost my voice before 6th period. Thankful the library had a play away version so my lessons were saved. But what if there isn't an audio version readily available? For you non- English folks how nice would it be if your students could listen to you going over the Pythagorean Theorem step by step from their home while doing homework? Educators could just want to get students' mouths watering with a taste of what's to come. That is where Podcasts come in handy!
For the tech noobs out there a podcast is a short (sometimes not quite so short) audio recording that is then uploaded to a website. After doing a little research here are a very few things I found teachers using podcasts for:
Short (2 minutes or less) book summaries.
Daily Vocabulary
Internet Safety
Step by step instructions- usually dealing with computers
Class routines- thinking of stealing this idea
Learning a new language - will be learning Italian after this post.
Communicate with Parents
School Happenings
Student Projects
There are of course million more ways to use a podcast in class, but I have neither the time nor memory space on my free blog to list the all.
So you want to make your own? Lucky for us there are free programs to do just that. A few are Audio Boom, Sound Cloud, Podomatic, and Garage Band (MAC products only). Excluding Garage Band (I'm a PC), I gave the other three a go.
Here are my findings:
Sound Cloud- Brownie points for this program. When I went to the Explore tab it led me to a place where I could listen to a U2 interview which led to 15 minutes of distraction and bliss. Sweet! But I digress. If you want nothing more than to check out interviews, music, and podcasts of others then Sound Cloud is the place to be. There is a lot to choose from music wise. The selection of podcasts from authors and book talks are also pretty expansive. When you find podcasts you like you can add them to your playlist or even re-post them. When adding your own podcasts you can record one using the site or upload a previously recorded version. Both are easy to do.
Audio Boom- Very similar to Sound Cloud when it comes to finding other pod casts to look for. The search feature is easy enough to use as is the ability to record or upload your own. This site did not allow me to explore it without signing up which was kind of a bummer because if I choose to use a different program it will take me months to remember to unsubscribe. This site does have one feature that I really like- to record or upload your pod cast all you have to do is click on the red circle in the top right hand corner of the home page. So searching needed.
Podomatic- This was far and away the most difficult program to sign up for. I'm not sure why but for some reason it thought I was a robot the first three times I tried to register. Once I was in I could not access the home page. I kept getting the 404 code so I have little to add on this site. I couldn't find a place to record my own podcast but I could upload one easily enough.
Over all creating a podcast is simple enough. One tip- write your script out before hand or you will end up re-recording things over and over again!
I used Audio Boom to create a short book summary over Dorothy Must Die- a New York Times Best Seller for YA. My home room class has a read aloud every Friday and I like to introduce them to new literature. Unfortunately try as I might I cannot get it to embed into my blog. And I tried. Combined my husband tried for more than 3 hours to embed my podcast. It was just not meant to be. But you can hear my podcast by using the link below.
https://audioboom.com/boos/3300134-dorothy-must-die?utm_campaign=detailpage&utm_content=retweet&utm_medium=social&utm_source=googleplus
For the tech noobs out there a podcast is a short (sometimes not quite so short) audio recording that is then uploaded to a website. After doing a little research here are a very few things I found teachers using podcasts for:
Short (2 minutes or less) book summaries.
Daily Vocabulary
Internet Safety
Step by step instructions- usually dealing with computers
Class routines- thinking of stealing this idea
Learning a new language - will be learning Italian after this post.
Communicate with Parents
School Happenings
Student Projects
There are of course million more ways to use a podcast in class, but I have neither the time nor memory space on my free blog to list the all.
So you want to make your own? Lucky for us there are free programs to do just that. A few are Audio Boom, Sound Cloud, Podomatic, and Garage Band (MAC products only). Excluding Garage Band (I'm a PC), I gave the other three a go.
Here are my findings:
Sound Cloud- Brownie points for this program. When I went to the Explore tab it led me to a place where I could listen to a U2 interview which led to 15 minutes of distraction and bliss. Sweet! But I digress. If you want nothing more than to check out interviews, music, and podcasts of others then Sound Cloud is the place to be. There is a lot to choose from music wise. The selection of podcasts from authors and book talks are also pretty expansive. When you find podcasts you like you can add them to your playlist or even re-post them. When adding your own podcasts you can record one using the site or upload a previously recorded version. Both are easy to do.
Audio Boom- Very similar to Sound Cloud when it comes to finding other pod casts to look for. The search feature is easy enough to use as is the ability to record or upload your own. This site did not allow me to explore it without signing up which was kind of a bummer because if I choose to use a different program it will take me months to remember to unsubscribe. This site does have one feature that I really like- to record or upload your pod cast all you have to do is click on the red circle in the top right hand corner of the home page. So searching needed.
Podomatic- This was far and away the most difficult program to sign up for. I'm not sure why but for some reason it thought I was a robot the first three times I tried to register. Once I was in I could not access the home page. I kept getting the 404 code so I have little to add on this site. I couldn't find a place to record my own podcast but I could upload one easily enough.
Over all creating a podcast is simple enough. One tip- write your script out before hand or you will end up re-recording things over and over again!
I used Audio Boom to create a short book summary over Dorothy Must Die- a New York Times Best Seller for YA. My home room class has a read aloud every Friday and I like to introduce them to new literature. Unfortunately try as I might I cannot get it to embed into my blog. And I tried. Combined my husband tried for more than 3 hours to embed my podcast. It was just not meant to be. But you can hear my podcast by using the link below.
https://audioboom.com/boos/3300134-dorothy-must-die?utm_campaign=detailpage&utm_content=retweet&utm_medium=social&utm_source=googleplus
Friday, June 19, 2015
AUP is just PU
When using the school's network one must abide by certain rules and
regulations. I know some are completely addicted to Farm Ville (yes I
know this co-worker) and that you may want to check on your latest eBay
bid but that's what personal devices and home WiFi is for. But with
some people if you don't spell it out for them then they will try to
bend every rule. That's where the acceptable use policy (AUP) comes in
to play.
I took to my school's website to scope out the AUP students receive and I was both impressed and laughed out loud at this document. The link to Pleasanton Junior High's AUP can be found at the bottom of this post. With all things we take the good with the bad.
The good: PJH's AUP (can you say acronym?) is very informative. It is very detailed about who can use the school's network, when they can use it, and what it can be used for. It goes in detail about what offenses, such as hacking and looking at inappropriate materials, will result in suspension or revoking of a student or faculty member's right to use the network. When explaining the use of filters the AUP cites the Children's Internet Protection Act as a way of further solidifying why the school has these filters in place and why users are not to try to go around them via proxies, etc.
The AUP also the contains the usual C.Y.A. (cover your..butt) such as the district cannot be held liable for user's inappropriate use of copyrighted software or electronic communication sources. The AUP explains that in the event of misuse a computer or computer network is damaged the user responsible will be held liable for replacement costs. The district also cannot be held responsible if a user gives out their name and password to another who does harm. Finally there is the consent form that allows parents to consent to their student's use of the district's network. This states that they have read and understood everything in the AUP.
The bad: This AUP is old! The last time it was updated was 2008. So much has changed over the last 7 years that it seems irresponsible to continue to use an outdated policy. Especially since you don't have to start from scratch- just adjust the current one to meet the needs of today. Nowhere in this policy did I see mention BYOD and its effects on the district's network. Social media was not mentioned- unless you consider the small mention to "chatting" as social media. While on that note the AUP says that students are not allowed to use any kind of chat site. The biggest issue there is that we encourage the use of Google drive for group projects which has a chat feature that I love because the kids are chatting online not out loud.
The other major issue I have with this AUP is that it makes no mention of cyber bullying. It does state that "Limited personal use of the system shall be permitted if the use...has no adverse effect on an employee's job performance or on a student's academic performance," (page 3). I suppose you could argue that bullying results in an effect on a student's performance but that is what it would be- an argument. There is no documentation in the AUP to back-up the removal of a user due to cyber bullying.
There are other issues found with the AUP (all jump drives, discs, etc are to be inspected by a staff member before being used: how can you check a jump drive until it is used?) but in the end that would just be nit picking. I'd say this isn't a bad AUP just a very behind the times one.
Pleasanton Junior High AUP
I took to my school's website to scope out the AUP students receive and I was both impressed and laughed out loud at this document. The link to Pleasanton Junior High's AUP can be found at the bottom of this post. With all things we take the good with the bad.
The good: PJH's AUP (can you say acronym?) is very informative. It is very detailed about who can use the school's network, when they can use it, and what it can be used for. It goes in detail about what offenses, such as hacking and looking at inappropriate materials, will result in suspension or revoking of a student or faculty member's right to use the network. When explaining the use of filters the AUP cites the Children's Internet Protection Act as a way of further solidifying why the school has these filters in place and why users are not to try to go around them via proxies, etc.
The AUP also the contains the usual C.Y.A. (cover your..butt) such as the district cannot be held liable for user's inappropriate use of copyrighted software or electronic communication sources. The AUP explains that in the event of misuse a computer or computer network is damaged the user responsible will be held liable for replacement costs. The district also cannot be held responsible if a user gives out their name and password to another who does harm. Finally there is the consent form that allows parents to consent to their student's use of the district's network. This states that they have read and understood everything in the AUP.
The bad: This AUP is old! The last time it was updated was 2008. So much has changed over the last 7 years that it seems irresponsible to continue to use an outdated policy. Especially since you don't have to start from scratch- just adjust the current one to meet the needs of today. Nowhere in this policy did I see mention BYOD and its effects on the district's network. Social media was not mentioned- unless you consider the small mention to "chatting" as social media. While on that note the AUP says that students are not allowed to use any kind of chat site. The biggest issue there is that we encourage the use of Google drive for group projects which has a chat feature that I love because the kids are chatting online not out loud.
The other major issue I have with this AUP is that it makes no mention of cyber bullying. It does state that "Limited personal use of the system shall be permitted if the use...has no adverse effect on an employee's job performance or on a student's academic performance," (page 3). I suppose you could argue that bullying results in an effect on a student's performance but that is what it would be- an argument. There is no documentation in the AUP to back-up the removal of a user due to cyber bullying.
There are other issues found with the AUP (all jump drives, discs, etc are to be inspected by a staff member before being used: how can you check a jump drive until it is used?) but in the end that would just be nit picking. I'd say this isn't a bad AUP just a very behind the times one.
Pleasanton Junior High AUP
Tuesday, June 16, 2015
When words aren't enough say it with technology: YouTube, Animoto, & QR Codes
Sorry guys but this post is going to be short, sweet, and to the point. We all get bored lecturing to kids. You can read until you are blue in the face. Sometimes kids just want to be SHOWN what you are talking about. Luckily online programs don't disappoint.
Animoto- Thanks to their free Educators version you can now create and share videos over rules, routines, and book trailers. Granted when I went from a free trial to the educators version it changed the music I had used for my book trailer to something much faster and more electronic (I have yet to discover how to just turn it off). Still this program was easy to use and I was really pleased with the look of the video. Bonus- when you sign up as an educator your students can sign up too!
I used Animoto to create a book trailer for my favorite fantasy novel Firelight by Sophie Jordan. A bit about the book:
YouTube- I've mentioned this before but from the creator side of it. Now lets examine what YouTube can do for us. As previously stated students like videos that SHOW the rules and routine. The following links will take you to different libraries that have awesome videos to share with patrons.
https://www.youtube.com/user/TheNHSLibrary/videos
Most helpful video- Generating a Reference/ Citation from within an EbscoHost Database. My students are always messing up citation and many of the skills here can be applied to other databases.
The kids will like- Tigerpalooza 2015 Dark Lord Funk. A parody of Uptown Funk based on Lord Voldemort from Harry Potter. I enjoyed it myself.
https://www.youtube.com/user/theunquietlibrary/videos
Most helpful- Finding and Using Wikimedia Commons Images. Finding copyright friendly photos is a bonus!
Kids will like- New arrivals, April 2012. It's an older video but it has music and lots of images
https://www.youtube.com/user/pikesvillehslibrary/videos
Most helpful- Avid 12 9 mix SS 11 19 14- demonstrates Socratic circles/ discussion in action
Kids will like- Back to School Night. It's like a video yearbook. Kids love yearbooks because they like to find pictures of them self and of their friends. Put one of these on loop in the library and watch the kids come trickling in.
https://www.youtube.com/user/bbmsmedia/videos
Most helpful- Books with Strong Female Lead Characters. I know that there are informational videos provided by this library but I found this to be the video that got my gears turningon making book recommendation videos.
Kids will like- A TON OF THEM! I love this library! They have awesome spoofs- Overdue Twilight, fun parodies- Bring them Back (Let it Go). Just a slew of fun library related, student created videos.
Last on on visual list are QR codes- you know those strange black and white boxes you see on flyers. You use an app on your smart phone or tablet and you get information and what not that couldn't fit on a one sheet of paper. As librarians we could use these to promote up coming book releases, book club meetings, author visits, how to use databases, etc.
This QR Code will take you to the book trailer I created for Firelight
Book synopsis retrieved from http://www.amazon.com/Firelight-Sophie-Jordan/dp/0061935093/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1434509811&sr=8-1&keywords=firelight
Animoto link
https://animoto.com/play/yaE5v4RqaMTftxzoV8GBFQ
Animoto- Thanks to their free Educators version you can now create and share videos over rules, routines, and book trailers. Granted when I went from a free trial to the educators version it changed the music I had used for my book trailer to something much faster and more electronic (I have yet to discover how to just turn it off). Still this program was easy to use and I was really pleased with the look of the video. Bonus- when you sign up as an educator your students can sign up too!
I used Animoto to create a book trailer for my favorite fantasy novel Firelight by Sophie Jordan. A bit about the book:
"A hidden truth.
Mortal enemies.
Doomed love.
With her rare ability to breathe fire, Jacinda is special even among the draki—the descendants of dragons who can shift between human and dragon forms. But when Jacinda’s rebelliousness forces her family to flee into the human world, she struggles to adapt, even as her draki spirit fades. The one thing that revives it is the gorgeous, elusive Will, whose family hunts her kind. Jacinda can’t resist getting closer to him, even though she knows she’s risking not only her life but the draki’s most closely guarded secret.
Mythical powers and breathtaking romance ignite in this story of a girl who defies all expectations and whose love crosses an ancient divide."
Mortal enemies.
Doomed love.
With her rare ability to breathe fire, Jacinda is special even among the draki—the descendants of dragons who can shift between human and dragon forms. But when Jacinda’s rebelliousness forces her family to flee into the human world, she struggles to adapt, even as her draki spirit fades. The one thing that revives it is the gorgeous, elusive Will, whose family hunts her kind. Jacinda can’t resist getting closer to him, even though she knows she’s risking not only her life but the draki’s most closely guarded secret.
Mythical powers and breathtaking romance ignite in this story of a girl who defies all expectations and whose love crosses an ancient divide."
YouTube- I've mentioned this before but from the creator side of it. Now lets examine what YouTube can do for us. As previously stated students like videos that SHOW the rules and routine. The following links will take you to different libraries that have awesome videos to share with patrons.
https://www.youtube.com/user/TheNHSLibrary/videos
Most helpful video- Generating a Reference/ Citation from within an EbscoHost Database. My students are always messing up citation and many of the skills here can be applied to other databases.
The kids will like- Tigerpalooza 2015 Dark Lord Funk. A parody of Uptown Funk based on Lord Voldemort from Harry Potter. I enjoyed it myself.
https://www.youtube.com/user/theunquietlibrary/videos
Most helpful- Finding and Using Wikimedia Commons Images. Finding copyright friendly photos is a bonus!
Kids will like- New arrivals, April 2012. It's an older video but it has music and lots of images
https://www.youtube.com/user/pikesvillehslibrary/videos
Most helpful- Avid 12 9 mix SS 11 19 14- demonstrates Socratic circles/ discussion in action
Kids will like- Back to School Night. It's like a video yearbook. Kids love yearbooks because they like to find pictures of them self and of their friends. Put one of these on loop in the library and watch the kids come trickling in.
https://www.youtube.com/user/bbmsmedia/videos
Most helpful- Books with Strong Female Lead Characters. I know that there are informational videos provided by this library but I found this to be the video that got my gears turningon making book recommendation videos.
Kids will like- A TON OF THEM! I love this library! They have awesome spoofs- Overdue Twilight, fun parodies- Bring them Back (Let it Go). Just a slew of fun library related, student created videos.
Last on on visual list are QR codes- you know those strange black and white boxes you see on flyers. You use an app on your smart phone or tablet and you get information and what not that couldn't fit on a one sheet of paper. As librarians we could use these to promote up coming book releases, book club meetings, author visits, how to use databases, etc.
This QR Code will take you to the book trailer I created for Firelight
Book synopsis retrieved from http://www.amazon.com/Firelight-Sophie-Jordan/dp/0061935093/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1434509811&sr=8-1&keywords=firelight
Animoto link
https://animoto.com/play/yaE5v4RqaMTftxzoV8GBFQ
You know that time I found that really great idea...where was that again?
Life is busy. So busy. I have two boys, one 5 one 5 months, grad school, a full time job, a full time husband, and a full time job as maid of honor in some upcoming nuptials. There is no way I am going to remember things like blog addresses. Even for some really good blogs. One maybe, two possibly, three-wait what was that name again? I suppose there must be a ton of people like me because someone some where invented blog readers. Website where you can create one account to keep track of all the blogs you want to follow. In an attempt to organize one aspect of my life I checked out a few online blog readers. Below are my findings.
Tumblr- I did not enjoy Tumblr . I found it pushy and too in my face. upon signing up it immediately pushed me towards following 5 different sites. Yes I could skip this step, and yes I could search for topics I wanted but I felt like it was a used car salesman. Very buy now buy now. I did select my five. I even went ahead and found some pictures of Chris Evans topless to ease the sting. But a girl has her principals and no amount of eye candy will get me to like something I feel forced into. You may look at my Tublr account (and those previously mentioned pictures) by the link below.
Bloglines- something is up with this site because I could never get it to open. I tried my laptop, iPad, Kindle, and smart phone (you'd think with so many gadgets I'd be more in the know). No dice on any of them. Sorry Bloglines- you are the weakest link.
Newsvibe- This reader was ok. I felt more educated reading up on the latest headlines but I kept getting the link for it confused with Vibe magazine, which turned me off pretty quickly. I also didn't like the vibe I got from Newsvibe. It felt very sterile. Too business like for my taste.
Newsblur- I did NOT like the look of this site. I had major flashbacks to large pixels and square lettering. The half pages of blogs vs half page of menus was not for me. I was lost from the moment I clicked "try Newsblur".
Digg Reader- If you are in the market for nice and easy then you might like Digg Reader. This is a pretty straightforward site. You search for a topic or blog and they return with a list of matches. Easy. I myself thought it was a little dull and continued to look for something with a bit more pizazz.
Bloglovin'- I almost fell in love with this site. When I first opened it it reminded me of Pintrest and I am a huge fan of that site! Bloglovin' had the same layout and the same look- lots of pictures with titles and short blurbs under them, very appealing to the eye. However, being as how it was so similar to Pintrest I wanted something new.
Feedly- Behold my new blog reader! I must admit I was slightly put off when it wouldn't let me explore the site without immediately joining, but in the end we became fast friends. I found setting up my own account quick and easy. Once I had it I could search for blogs by the host name or by the web address or simply by subject. And viola! There they all were- my virtual friends that I didn't know I had.
So now that I have my Feedly account I must fill it with worth while blogs and more sweet meat (slang for Chris Evans and Ryan Goslin memes). I did find librarian blogs worth while to add to my ever growing collection. Below are the librarian blogs I recommend following:
https://www.tumblr.com/blog/awesome-scrumrine
Tumblr- I did not enjoy Tumblr . I found it pushy and too in my face. upon signing up it immediately pushed me towards following 5 different sites. Yes I could skip this step, and yes I could search for topics I wanted but I felt like it was a used car salesman. Very buy now buy now. I did select my five. I even went ahead and found some pictures of Chris Evans topless to ease the sting. But a girl has her principals and no amount of eye candy will get me to like something I feel forced into. You may look at my Tublr account (and those previously mentioned pictures) by the link below.
Bloglines- something is up with this site because I could never get it to open. I tried my laptop, iPad, Kindle, and smart phone (you'd think with so many gadgets I'd be more in the know). No dice on any of them. Sorry Bloglines- you are the weakest link.
Newsvibe- This reader was ok. I felt more educated reading up on the latest headlines but I kept getting the link for it confused with Vibe magazine, which turned me off pretty quickly. I also didn't like the vibe I got from Newsvibe. It felt very sterile. Too business like for my taste.
Newsblur- I did NOT like the look of this site. I had major flashbacks to large pixels and square lettering. The half pages of blogs vs half page of menus was not for me. I was lost from the moment I clicked "try Newsblur".
Digg Reader- If you are in the market for nice and easy then you might like Digg Reader. This is a pretty straightforward site. You search for a topic or blog and they return with a list of matches. Easy. I myself thought it was a little dull and continued to look for something with a bit more pizazz.
Bloglovin'- I almost fell in love with this site. When I first opened it it reminded me of Pintrest and I am a huge fan of that site! Bloglovin' had the same layout and the same look- lots of pictures with titles and short blurbs under them, very appealing to the eye. However, being as how it was so similar to Pintrest I wanted something new.
Feedly- Behold my new blog reader! I must admit I was slightly put off when it wouldn't let me explore the site without immediately joining, but in the end we became fast friends. I found setting up my own account quick and easy. Once I had it I could search for blogs by the host name or by the web address or simply by subject. And viola! There they all were- my virtual friends that I didn't know I had.
So now that I have my Feedly account I must fill it with worth while blogs and more sweet meat (slang for Chris Evans and Ryan Goslin memes). I did find librarian blogs worth while to add to my ever growing collection. Below are the librarian blogs I recommend following:
- You Rach You Lose- Has great book synopsizes, excellent information about upcoming bookstore events, and a bonus for me throws in the occasional recipe.
- First Second Books- Graphic Novels for everyone! Enough said
- This is Teen- Nothing but YA book talks, recommendations, first looks at book covers, chats about what people are reading. YA all the time!
- Librarian Problems- This lady is funny! Mostly a bunch of memes about everything a librarin thinks and feels. Read when you need a laugh!
- Annoyed librarian- This woman is my soul mate, I can feel the sarcasm through the computer screen. She posts issues and new ideas in the world of library and gives her own thoughts and feelings on them. Read when you want to be informed but want it straight. Also read where it is ok to laugh out loud!
https://www.tumblr.com/blog/awesome-scrumrine
Saturday, June 13, 2015
Teens & Social Media
Lenhart, A. (2015, April 9). Teens, social media & technology overview 2015. Retrieved from http://www.pewinternet.org/2015/04/09/a-majority-of-american-teens-report-access-to-a-computer-game-console-smartphone-and-a-tablet/
It is obvious by now that teens and social media go together like chicken and waffles. An idea that sounds terrible but in the end tastes pretty good! Just by being in a school environment one can see that most kids are walking around with some sort of electronic device. But I honestly didn't know just how wide spread the "cellpademic" was until I read Lenhart's report Teens, social media & technology overview 2015. A lot of research was done to discover just how many kids have access to electronic devices, what they are used for, and how often they are used.
The run down of their finding is this- nearly three- quarters of all teens have access to a smartphone! That doesn't necessarily mean that they have their own it just means they could get their hands on one if need be. And do you know what they are doing when they do get their hands on them? They are going on Facebook! 71% of all teens that use social media use Facebook. Others use Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter, and Google+. What's more is that 71% of the kids who do use social media use more than one site (Lenhart 2-3).
Want your mind really blown? Teens are online CONSTANTLY!! I'm not talking about the time when they are texting one another or taking a million selfies of themselves (no one is that interesting- they should really stop once and while). According to Lenhart's findings teens 13-17 are going online constantly. 92% of teens report going online daily- with 24% using the internet "almost constantly"! 56% report going online several times a day (did you catch that? That means that the 24% constant users are on there more than "several times a day"). 80% of teens are online most of the day (Lenhart 18).
I know what you're thinking- Why does this matter to me- the school librarian? I'll tell you why this matters. By NOT using social media to help promote your library and spread news about what is happening there literature wise you are loosing the chance to communicate with 92% of all teens ages 13-17 on a DAILY basis. I get it- who wants another job on their already over flowing librarian plate right? And I was one of you. I don't like Twitter. I often find it egotistical, and Facebook? Why bother shifting through all those Disney Dopple Ganger posts? But your students will! They are more likely to read your Facebook status that took you 2 minutes to write than that awesomely detailed newsletter you spent 5 hours formatting last night.
The school I currently work for has a policy against using social media for school related functions. After reading this I cannot believe how many opportunities to get our kids involved they are missing out on. We should be using these social media sites to get them in the library doors and THEN work on getting them to put the phones down.
Report = 48/150 pages read (grad school related info)
It is obvious by now that teens and social media go together like chicken and waffles. An idea that sounds terrible but in the end tastes pretty good! Just by being in a school environment one can see that most kids are walking around with some sort of electronic device. But I honestly didn't know just how wide spread the "cellpademic" was until I read Lenhart's report Teens, social media & technology overview 2015. A lot of research was done to discover just how many kids have access to electronic devices, what they are used for, and how often they are used.
The run down of their finding is this- nearly three- quarters of all teens have access to a smartphone! That doesn't necessarily mean that they have their own it just means they could get their hands on one if need be. And do you know what they are doing when they do get their hands on them? They are going on Facebook! 71% of all teens that use social media use Facebook. Others use Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter, and Google+. What's more is that 71% of the kids who do use social media use more than one site (Lenhart 2-3).
Want your mind really blown? Teens are online CONSTANTLY!! I'm not talking about the time when they are texting one another or taking a million selfies of themselves (no one is that interesting- they should really stop once and while). According to Lenhart's findings teens 13-17 are going online constantly. 92% of teens report going online daily- with 24% using the internet "almost constantly"! 56% report going online several times a day (did you catch that? That means that the 24% constant users are on there more than "several times a day"). 80% of teens are online most of the day (Lenhart 18).
I know what you're thinking- Why does this matter to me- the school librarian? I'll tell you why this matters. By NOT using social media to help promote your library and spread news about what is happening there literature wise you are loosing the chance to communicate with 92% of all teens ages 13-17 on a DAILY basis. I get it- who wants another job on their already over flowing librarian plate right? And I was one of you. I don't like Twitter. I often find it egotistical, and Facebook? Why bother shifting through all those Disney Dopple Ganger posts? But your students will! They are more likely to read your Facebook status that took you 2 minutes to write than that awesomely detailed newsletter you spent 5 hours formatting last night.
The school I currently work for has a policy against using social media for school related functions. After reading this I cannot believe how many opportunities to get our kids involved they are missing out on. We should be using these social media sites to get them in the library doors and THEN work on getting them to put the phones down.
Report = 48/150 pages read (grad school related info)
Saturday, June 6, 2015
Not only Twits Tweet
I admit it- I NEVER wanted to get on Twitter. My opinions were based on E! News updates about what twaddle some Kardashian had posted about their latest wardrobe malfunction- PUH LEASE!
This all changed thanks to an assignment that forced me to participate in a monthly session of Book Talk. This lovely exchange of book ideas occurs on the last Sunday of every month in case your interested. I then began to explore Twitter and found a virtual Utopia of ideas and lessons. I'm huge fan of not re-inventing the wheel and now I have yet another way to avoid doing so. Below are some of my favorite folks to follow and a tweet or two that tickled my fancy.
2. Linda Braun
Jim Lerman @jimlerman
12 minutes ago
This all changed thanks to an assignment that forced me to participate in a monthly session of Book Talk. This lovely exchange of book ideas occurs on the last Sunday of every month in case your interested. I then began to explore Twitter and found a virtual Utopia of ideas and lessons. I'm huge fan of not re-inventing the wheel and now I have yet another way to avoid doing so. Below are some of my favorite folks to follow and a tweet or two that tickled my fancy.
You need educational technology look no further! My favorite from her- video clips ideas!
Just tried recording a Clips video from my iPhone using Reflector 2 on the Mac. Great results! https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B3w3Hl3DL4wfZ3BaTXFBRERidEU/view?usp=sharing …
2. Linda Braun
Need to know the latest technology news? Linda Braun is your gal. How this lady does anything but look for updates I have no idea. Below is a link to her tweet about Marvel getting girls involved- one more reason to love Marvel!
Marvel Seeks Tech-Savvy Girls to Create Something Big from Something Very Small - http://bit.ly/1PTSFyw http://bit.ly/1PTSHpY
3. Tony Vincent
You need educational apps? Go to Tony Vincent! If there is an app out there that can meet your needs Tony can tell you where to find it. Post below is my current study guide!
22 websites & 22 iPad apps that can help students explain their learning: http://tonyv.me/show
#ESU5TF15 #BYOTchat
Watch out ladies and gents- Ms. Hamilton is a sharer! Admittedly there is a lot of personal/ family things on her site but when she does share something library related it makes it all worth it!
Buffy J. Hamilton retweeted Rebecca Kuglitsch
Maybe we as school librarians should take a page from this playbook? @activelearning @mtechman @librarybeth
Buffy J. Hamilton added,
Jim Lerman
How flipped learning works in (and out of) the classroom via @yehuda_peled http://sco.lt/59BK7d
FaceBook & Free Advertisement
To dive deeper into the matter I checked out three different school library Facebook pages, one page for each level: elementary, junior high, and high school. Let's start bottoms up. La Vernia High School Library (name of page as well) uses their page to spread the news about new releases and how the librarian likes them. The page is covered with recommendations by the librarian Ms. Ellis. Not only does it let patrons know what new books are available but also gives a review and plot details.
The library is often saddled with task of informing the community of news and special events. I know at my school the librarian I
Travels with a camera to help update the school website. Splendora junior High Library (name of page as well) uses their page to help spread school news. I found announcements of car rider route changes and congratulations for different group achievements. I love the idea of using a page for these tasks but when that's all it does it appears to lose followers attention. The library has over 80 people who "like" the page but few rarely give a post a thumbs up and I saw absolutely no comments on any of them. SJH needs some publicity!
Last stop was at Lake George Elementary School Library. This place is your one stop shop! I found videos of kids reading, pictures of events in the library, links for fundraisers, etc... What an awesome way to spread the word of just how involved a library can be to the learning environment. All this librarian has to do to campaign for her space is pull up her page. New book links were available as well. This is how Facebook should be used! Way to go LGES!
Wednesday, June 3, 2015
Introduction
Welcome to my blog following the ins and outs of online programs and applications that can and are useful in the classroom and library environment. I am currently a 7th grade JH ELAR teacher and in my 5th semester of grad school at Sam Houston University.
Confession time- I am NOT a techie! I can operate technology with little effort and I catch on quick but this is my first foray in the up and coming stuff so be prepared for many mistakes and possible break downs as I fit with my computer (named Bessie), my iPad (Mildred), and at times my projector (Brad- you love Brad).
Next post coming soon...
Confession time- I am NOT a techie! I can operate technology with little effort and I catch on quick but this is my first foray in the up and coming stuff so be prepared for many mistakes and possible break downs as I fit with my computer (named Bessie), my iPad (Mildred), and at times my projector (Brad- you love Brad).
Next post coming soon...
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