Final Reflection

I have enjoyed learning new technology resources that I can share with others. My goal in the library is to serve our digital natives and provide engaging resources they can benefit from. I also want to help encourage teachers to step out of their comfort zone and implement new technology in their classrooms.
The technology I enjoyed the most were the RSS Readers, infographics, screencasts, Animoto and podcasts. I love searching for new ideas and the RSS Readers, especially Digg Reader will definitely help me to organize and search the blogs I currently follow. Screencasts will be especially helpful when providing tutorials. Students will also benefit from this as well because students learn from each other as well. I love Animoto because it allows you to be creative when sharing information and it is set to music. I'm excited to create booktalks and share Animoto with students so they can create their own as well. I would also like to showcase library activities and share the learning that goes on. Students will also like podcasts and comics. I think podcasts will give them another outlet to share what they have learned or create a project and report on it without having to stand out in public and speak. Creating comics would also be beneficial to students to be able to share in a fun way. I have a lot of students who love reading graphic novels so this might be right up their alley to be able to create their own comic.
One thing about learning something new, there is a process and sometimes you don't catch on right away and that's okay. Initially I had a tough time with infographics and trying to figure out how to share the information but when I got over the fear of trying something new, the possibilities are endless!

Clark vs. Kozma Media Debate

The Clark vs. Kozma media debate focuses on media and whether it affects the learning process or is media just the vehicle for instruction. I agree with Kozma’s argument on how certain media can help achieve certain learning goals. It would depend on the type of media that is presented. I think I am more drawn to Kozma’s argument because of the question of how media affects learning. I agree it is important to take a deeper look into exploring the relationship between the two. I believe learning can occur in different ways and it does not come from just direct instruction. The way our technologies are advancing, media is influencing our students lives and we have to adjust our teaching practices accordingly. Our 21^st century students are digital natives and they do not learn in the same way and we need various methods to engage children in their learning. This reminds me of my daughter and her struggles in math and how her teacher has recognized that it’s going to take more to engage her so that she gains true understanding. I do believe media, in addition to her teacher’s instruction has helped her to become more successful in math. 

Podcasts

Podcasts are digital audio files that are available to downloaded to a computer or mobile device.  I began listening to podcasts when I had to create my own for an assignment last year. I have a podcast app on my phone and I listen to TED Radio Hour and Geek Fit. I explored three podcasts: Sound Cloud, Audioboom and Podomatic. With Audioboom and Sound Cloud, you have the option to upload an audio file or you can record directly from the site. I only saw the option to upload your audio file to Podomatic. You would just have to record your file and then upload that file to Podomatic.

I liked Sound Cloud the best. I signed up quickly using my google sign in and recorded directly from the site. Time is always a factor in the classroom and students would be able to create their podcast in a timely manner. Podcasts would be an excellent tool to use in the classroom/library to help motivate and engage students in their learning. Podcasts can be used to share new and upcoming books and offer technology tips. Students can use podcasts in the classroom/library to conduct interviews and create oral reports. Teachers can record lessons as a reference for future use. I found a blog on We Are Teachers and it has possible podcasting projects that can be done in the classroom, for example, creating a current events news cast and recording a podcast to send to another classroom in another state or country.

I thought it would be a good idea to share with students how you can share important facts about a topic that they have learned using one of the online databases.

Cartoons and Comics

I am exploring several different comic strip sites that can be used in the library and classroom.   Below you will find examples of comics that I created. I used the following sites: Toondo, Pixton, Make Belief Comics and Tellagami.

TOONDO

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

-          It was very easy to sign up. I had to look around for a few minutes to see how to get started, but once I found the "Create" option.  I was ready to go! Once you choose your layout, you can click, drag and arrange however you like. Toondo has a lot of fun characters and backgrounds to choose from. I think students would be able to use this site with no problems.

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- PIXTON

The message box popped from Clive the creator popped up quickly that helped me to get started. I still had a hard time but once I found the “create” section, I was able to choose my layout and setting, After that, I was ready to create. It took me a little longer but once I played around, Pixton had a lot of options to choose from to help create an engaging comic. I also liked the beginning and advanced options. I think students are much more computer savvy that I am so I believe they could navigate through this website with no problem.

MAKE BELIEFS COMIX

There is no registration necessary for this site. Make sure you select the box you want to work in, otherwise you will add/delete objects to the wrong box. It took me some time and frustration to figure this out. You have to scroll through the different pictures to find the one you like. I liked the others better because you can see all your options. But there were a lot of fun characters to choose from. Your comics are not saved to this site, so you have to make sure you either print, save to a disk or email. I think if students already have there comic planned out, they can create easily through this site.

TELLAGAMI

Click here for my GAMI!

Tellagami is a little different because it allows you to create a narrated animation. I created a "Gami" using the book "The Adventures of Beekle". This sit was very easy to navigate through. You are able to choose your character, emotion and background. The options are limited, but they do get the job done. Then you add a 30 second narration. You can also add text. Once you decide on those options, you are ready to share! You can share by Facebook, Twitter, email or sms/text. This would be fun and easy for students to use. The added bonus is that they can record their own voice.

Cartoons and comics definitely have a place in the library! I would use them to create book talks for upcoming books. They can also be used to help promote library events. Students can also be given a chance to collaborate with others and create together. They can create their own book recommendations on books they think others should read. I am excited about providing teachers and students various means to motivate and enhance literacy learning.

Videos and QR Codes in the Library

I explored Youtube videos, Animoto and QR codes. I am familiar with all three but this was my first time actually creating my own booktrailer using Animoto and generating a QR code for you to view it. This was fun and exciting because I have more ideas to help with my library to get the school community excited about what's happening in the library. For example, sharing new and upcoming books or sharing information that students need to know about research.

YouTube

NHS Library
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PjpxzgZQkZM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eEEvnsuHQZ0

The first video shares how to access the library website. It gives step by step directions and highlights special features to make it easy to search around. I also shared a fun video that students would love because of the upbeat music and it was about the Harry Potter Series.

The Unquiet Library
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-XIMgryIYEo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_5t11aMd5Q

This library shared a lot of tutorial videos that will be helpful to students. I chose one that showed students how to locate copyright friendly photos. I also shared another video of a student sharing how she created mind maps.

Pikesville HS Library
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2z35rOwbLk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cwoklsadBc4

I saw videos of teachers sharing information about their specific classes they taught. It would be helpful for students to know that information and match a name with a face for the class they will be taking. The students would also love watching videos shared by other students giving information on how to prepare for college.

BBMSMedia
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ps8TUylUepQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4jo1RLPoD6s

The first video I chose shares information about how to cite information and that would be helpful for students especially as they learn about how to research. Students would also love the parody's for overdue books. I thought that was a fun way to share with others that it's time to look for those overdue books and turn them in.

Animoto

Animoto is a service that allows you to create a slideshow using pictures and video clips. Animoto was very user-friendly and it had a brief tutorial before you got started creating your own. When you are ready to create, choose a video style and there are several free options to choose from. You can also pick from a selected list to play a song during your slideshow. From there you add pictures or videos you download. There is also an option to add text to your pictures/videos. Make sure your slideshow is in the order you want it played. You can preview your video and then share it for others to view!  I created a book trailer about the book The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate. I chose this book because I did a book study with some of my students using this book. This would have been an excellent activity for my students to create a book trailer to share with other students to read.
                                        Scan the QR code below to view my book trailer.

Ivan is an easygoing gorilla. Living at the Exit 8 Big Top Mall and Video Arcade, he has grown accustomed to humans watching him through the glass walls of his domain. He rarely misses his life in the jungle. In fact, he hardly ever thinks about it at all.
Instead, Ivan thinks about TV shows he’s seen and about his friends Stella, an elderly elephant, and Bob, a stray dog. But mostly Ivan thinks about art and how to capture the taste of a mango or the sound of leaves with color and a well-placed line.
Then he meets Ruby, a baby elephant taken from her family, and she makes Ivan see their home—and his own art—through new eyes. When Ruby arrives, change comes with her, and it’s up to Ivan to make it a change for the better.
Katherine Applegate blends humor and poignancy to create Ivan’s unforgettable first-person narration in a story of friendship, art, and hope.

QR Codes

QR code is short for Quick Response code and this code can store a lot of information that can be pulled up using a tablet or cell phone. I chose the QR Code Generator QR Stuff to share my book trailer that is found above. It was very easy! My code was generated in 4 steps using this site. QR codes can definitely be used in the library!  As I researched more about the use of QR codes in the library, I found a Wiki called Library Success that listed a lot of additional great ideas. Here are a few ideas that I liked: use codes to direct patrons to contest information, use codes on bookmarks that highlight popular authors/books, post codes on bookshelves, posters and other print media to share book talks to help peak interest of books that are available and posting codes on popular books to recommend further reading.

Instagram, Vine, and Screencasts

 Instagram and Vine are two social media sites that allow you to share online with others through pictures and videos. On Instagram, you can post pictures and also share short clips of video. On Vine, you create short videos that loop. Instagram and Vine can both be used in the classroom and library. The We are Teachers blog post shares some very interesting ways that Instagram can be used. For example, showcase student work, share reading recommendations, and document student progress. I am very familiar with Instagram and have used it for personal use for years now.  I have a bookfair coming up so I think I will use this as a way to promote my event. I used Instagram to create a public service announcement to share with my students about getting a public library card. The picture shows my daughter when she received her library card. I also shared my enthusiasm of new books arriving in the library which happens to be my first official library purchase!

This was my first experience with Vine and I loved it! It allows you to be more creative since you only have about 6 seconds to share through video.  Vine can be used in the classroom to document your experiences with a project and also create fun book trailers. I used Vine to share Dr. Seuss books and show the book check out process.

Screencasts are digital recordings that show what is happening on a computer screen that you want others to view. In the world of education, students and teachers can use screencasts to share information. They can present content material to also be viewed at a later time for review. It can also be beneficial in a flipped classroom where students listen to a screencast at home for homework and then use class time to do further research or collaboration on difficult tasks.  I used Screencast-o-matic to share with patrons how to access the library catalog and ebooks. I would definitely suggest using this particular screencast because it was very user-friendly and I didn’t have to download anything. 

A photo posted by Stacey Royal (@sdroyal) on Mar 9, 2016 at 6:33pm PST

This is my first year as a librarian and this has been an overwhelming yet exciting year for me!

A photo posted by Stacey Royal (@sdroyal) on Mar 9, 2016 at 6:05pm PST

A photo posted by Stacey Royal (@sdroyal) on Mar 11, 2016 at 8:34am PST

Infographics

Infographics help to create a visual representation of real information. I am new to the world of infographics but I can see it useful for sharing data easier. There are three sites that you can use to create one. I looked at Piktochart, Easel.ly and Infogr.am. I decided to use Piktochart to show data from the Pew Research Center about social media usage. I chose this one because of the variety of themes/templates and the variety of icons and images. I think the hardest thing was deciding on a template because I wasn't comfortable venturing on my own and starting from scratch. I was able to navigate pretty easily through the site. I showed some statistics of the trends of different demographic groups, but I think I went a little crazy with the colors of the different graphs. I think next time I will try and stick with the same color scheme so that it will blend together. Below you will find my Piktochart infographic.

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Blogs and Blog Readers

Blogs can communicate a lot of information for different reasons. It can help showcase your knowledge/expertise on a particular subject. It also allows others to view and provide timely feedback. Blog readers help keep up with your blogs in one location so you don’t have to continue searching in a lot of locations. I will be exploring blog readers and blogs to help find what fits best with my needs. 

The blog “The 10 Best Feed Reader Apps for RSS, News, andMore” was very helpful in narrowing down the different types out there. I was a little overwhelmed with the amount of RSS Feeds that are available so I started with the ones that were free. I chose Digg because it was easy for me to navigate. I get easily frustrated when I get to a site and I cannot figure out how to use it within the first 5 minutes. I have a lot of patience but for some reason, when I’m on a website, the clock starts ticking! I searched using school library blogs and there were a lot to choose from. When I click on a blog, it doesn’t add it immediately unless I choose the option. Through the search option, I was able to see the current blog titles and the dates it was written. If I’m still not sure, I can click on the blog title and I’m able to see the entire blog. At this time, I just want to read current blogs. I’m also looking for titles of interest that will help me to be a better librarian. For me personally, I want to learn more about topics like makerspaces, book talks, library lessons and being more creative with library displays. 

My Digg Reader Page 

Below are the blogs I chose to follow using the Digg Reader:

http://www.talesfromaloudlibrarian.com/

Tales from a Loud Librarian blog gives insight from a real librarian and what she is doing in her library. I chose this one because I am interested in makerspaces and it provided pictures of students in action.

http://doug-johnson.squarespace.com/

The Blue Skunk Blog provides some interesting topics about library issues. I found one about helping kids to research by focusing on their personal interests.

http://greatkidbooks.blogspot.com/

Great Kid Book Blog helps you to find some good book choices for kids ages 4-14. I am always looking for books to share with my students.

http://www.libraries.wright.edu/noshelfrequired/

No Shelf Required Blog shares information about news and issues that focus on ebooks. I chose this one because of the recent blog about the Open ebooks initiative led by President Obama. I am also currently encouraging students and teachers to access the ebooks we have available in our catalog.

http://schoollibrarydisplays.blogspot.com/

Library Displays blog helps to share some creative ideas about displays. This blog helps inspire me to help add a more positive atmosphere to the library.

Facebook and Twitter

Facebook and Twitter are two forms of social media that is used to communicate and share information with different people from all over the world. I am connected to Facebook and Twitter but I’ve always been partial to Facebook because I like reading funny stories my friends share and connecting with people I haven’t seen in years. I found my 6^th grade pen pal on Facebook! Twitter only allows so many characters so you have to get right to the point. My first experience with Twitter was pretty frustrating. I typed a message and couldn’t figure out why it wouldn’t send. I finally figured out that I had written too many words. J But I must admit that I am accessing Twitter more often because I see the benefits of networking with like-minded credible people who are willing to share.

I read “Social Media in Secondary School Settings” and I definitely agree with the concern of privacy and sharing personal information online especially as it relates to students. They are not always aware or vigilant when it comes to inviting “friends” to their page. Everyone does not have your best interest at heart and will take advantage of your trust. But, when used the correct way, students can use social media in a positive way in an educational environment to enhance their learning.

Facebook allows for libraries to provide a view of what’s going on in there.  I visited Roosevelt-Wilson Library and it shared updates on current events, shared information about the public library and how students who have a library card can access e-books at home. It showcased special programs like dogs coming to visit while students read to them. You also have to be creative in how you share information to get others to notice. Moore Elementary Library encouraged readers to “pop in” and check out a good book because of National Popcorn Day! Facebook is a good way to connect with people in real time. You can also follow groups that can be of interest to the library and repost information relevant to your library. It is an excellent way to promote good things that are happening and share it with parents, students and other stakeholders. The down side to that is everyone does not have access which limits who is able to view your page.

I explored Twitter, I saw that each leader of educational technology are all active users. This definitely shows their passion and commitment to share important information and it allows us to keep up with what’s trending. There are also a lot of personal touches where they will respond or retweet to questions asked of them. Some of the tweets that got my attention were Kathy Schrock @kathyschrock and providing information on infographics and Jim Lerman @jimlerman sharing activities for kids to learn coding and how to animate your classroom. The Daring Librarian @GwynethJones tweeted about makerspaces and shared a link to Flickr showcasing pictures. This is something that I would definitely incorporate in the library and also share with teachers.

Facebook - Roosevelt-Wilson School Library

Facebook - Moore Elementary Library

Kathy Schrock - @kathyschrock

Jim Lerman @jimlerman

Bloom, Schrock, Prensky

For this assignment, I read information about Bloom's Digital Taxonomy and viewed Kathy Schrock's Guide to Everything. I also viewed a presentation on Digital Natives by Marc Prensky.
We live in a digital age and technology is used a lot in the classroom now. We have to be mindful that our 21st century students needs are very different.

Bloom's Digital Taxonomy addresses the stages of how digital tools can be used to perform specific thinking skills. I noticed that one difference with this taxonomy and the original is that there is no particular order that you have to start with. There is a shift in how students are learning. In past years Bloom's taxonomy was a helpful way to show the cognitive domains to help an educator teach higher order thinking and I remember as a teacher utilizing those same skills. Kathy Schrock's website shares the cognitive process arranged in different views. I like the various views because it shows that there is no specific way, it all depends on the learner. It also shows specific apps that can be used to help learn about different tools to help support a specific process. For example, I think having a Storytelling app would be useful in the library because it engages a student on the "Creating" level of Bloom's Digital A storytelling app would help a child learn and explore the different elements of storytelling. It gives them a chance to create their own story.

Marc Prensky describes a digital native as someone who grew up knowing nothing but technology. Educators can no longer teach the same way they did in the past. I think Bloom and Prensky have the same idea that the students have changed and how we deliver instruction needs to change as well. Our mindsets have to shift and adapt to what works best for the students. We have to learn ways to understand our students and keep them engaged. Our students are more engaged in games, blogging, and other online activities. We have to translate that into the classroom. I definitely agree with the gamification of learning. I think Beloit College's Mindset List was very interesting and an eye opener for me because sometimes you don't think about others and their perceptions of things. I've caught myself saying, "Well I learned it this way, it should be fine for others and I turned out okay." But we live in a different world now. For example, I have learned a lot from digital natives about the uses of social media.

All of this information is important to a librarian because we have a responsibility to help teach 21st century skills to our 21st century learners so they can be successful. It is also important to help guide and share information with educators who may still have a 20th century mindset. But in order for that to happen we have to have a growth mindset and be open to learn as well so that we are sharing relevant information.