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
Saturday, June 20, 2015
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!
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