Whew, what a semester! I will not lie or sugar coat it....this has been a tough semester for me! It was just a combination of things: changing schools and teaching positions, not getting started off on the right foot with grad work, and a large load of grad classwork. I overcame my struggles and dug deep inside to power through it all. Looking back, I learned so much in a short period of time and was exposed to so many different wonderful things that I never had (or forced) the time to do on my own.
This class has forced me to leave my comfort zone and try new things. I opened so many new accounts this semester I had to write down all the passwords because I couldn't remember them! Twitter and Instagram were totally new platforms for me. I now understand both of them, but still feel that what I can do in both separately, I can do in one platform on Facebook. Therefore, I am still searching for answers on that one.
As a reader, the thing that I am most excited about are the Online Book Communities! I did not even know that these existed. Now I can keep track of all my books in one online location.
As a teacher and librarian, I am so excited about podcasts and screencasts! I have already used both in my classroom. Actually, podcasting has SAVED my life the last couple of weeks! I have one student in my class who has oral administration for everything and it is so difficult to do with 19 other children in the room. I always felt like I was not monitoring the other students like I should because I was stuck in a corner, quietly reading so know one else would hear. After learning to make a podcast, I now record all of my tests ahead of time and let the student listen to it has he is testing using headphones. He has complete control and is able to pause it between questions. It has worked beautifully! Thank you for that! I am able to give everyone my attention now that I can podcast!
The most difficult assignment for me was cartoons and comics. You are probably wondering why because it sounds so easy. I just couldn't get my creative juices flowing to come up with material to use. It took me forever and I finally resorted to using nothing educational: a joke my son loves to tell and a personal experience. I will have to work more on using these and how to use them in the classroom. Students would love to create them, even if it's just teaching a concept. I will probably start there.
I really think that screencasts will be the most beneficial to students. Not only can teachers and librarians use this as a teaching tool, but kids can create their own too! They say that you don't truly understand a concept until you can teach it to someone else. What a great way to practice that!
Although this was my most difficult semester of grad school, it was also the most knowledge that I have gained. I will be able to use so many of these technology venues in so many different ways. I can't wait for summer to come where I can really have time to "play" with each of them more in depth and call them my own!
Now, off to podcast for our reading test tomorrow! Thanks for a great semester and valuable tools to use!
Thursday, December 3, 2015
Teens, Technology and Friendships
Lenhart, A., Smith, A., Anderson, M., Duggan, M., & Perrin, A. (2015, August 6). Teens, Technology and Friendships. Retrieved November 30, 2015, from http://www.pewinternet.org/files/2015/08/Teens-and-Friendships-FINAL2.pdf
What an interesting read on teens and their online friendships! The data was collected using on-line and some in-person surveys of teens, ages 13-17. It was conducted between 2014 and 2015.
I anticipated the results to be a bit higher than they showed. 57% of the teens surveyed said they had met at least one new friend online through social media or gaming. Boys were more likely to have met someone new online than girls. Social media sites, such as Facebook, continues to be the most popular place to meet new friends, with gaming not too far behind.
One thing that shocked me was the percentage of teens that actually talk on the phone to keep in touch with their closest friends, a mere 13%! Verbal communication is becoming a long lost art and that makes me a little sad. I enjoy and even look forward to my daily talks with my best friend. It's just not the same as texting.
Girls are more likely to communicate by texting and using social platforms, where boys prefer to chat over gaming. Boys did have a large number of online only friends that they have only "met" while gaming. This is alarming, as you know nothing about the people on the other end of the gaming console. I personally know someone who's teenage "met" someone online, whom he thought was a girl. They began sharing inappropriate information and the other person ended up being an older man. Thank goodness the teen confided to his parents and they were able to talk to the police. This is a scary world we live in!
Although I am not a huge fan of gaming, 59% of boys do communicate using microphones and actual talking. This means that they are having actual conversations, not just texting. On the flip side, I have heard some of the conversations when my husband has played with random people and you NEVER know what they may say! This was before he invested in an actual headset with headphones, not just a microphone that played back through the receiver.
Social media is playing a crucial role on teens and friendships. The study shows that most teens feel better connected through use of social media, but have also been hurt through it. They receive support during difficult times in their lives or have seen events that they didn't get an invite too. None of those statistics are shocking to me, as an adult I feel the same way.
76 pages (160/150)
I anticipated the results to be a bit higher than they showed. 57% of the teens surveyed said they had met at least one new friend online through social media or gaming. Boys were more likely to have met someone new online than girls. Social media sites, such as Facebook, continues to be the most popular place to meet new friends, with gaming not too far behind.
One thing that shocked me was the percentage of teens that actually talk on the phone to keep in touch with their closest friends, a mere 13%! Verbal communication is becoming a long lost art and that makes me a little sad. I enjoy and even look forward to my daily talks with my best friend. It's just not the same as texting.
Girls are more likely to communicate by texting and using social platforms, where boys prefer to chat over gaming. Boys did have a large number of online only friends that they have only "met" while gaming. This is alarming, as you know nothing about the people on the other end of the gaming console. I personally know someone who's teenage "met" someone online, whom he thought was a girl. They began sharing inappropriate information and the other person ended up being an older man. Thank goodness the teen confided to his parents and they were able to talk to the police. This is a scary world we live in!
Although I am not a huge fan of gaming, 59% of boys do communicate using microphones and actual talking. This means that they are having actual conversations, not just texting. On the flip side, I have heard some of the conversations when my husband has played with random people and you NEVER know what they may say! This was before he invested in an actual headset with headphones, not just a microphone that played back through the receiver.
Social media is playing a crucial role on teens and friendships. The study shows that most teens feel better connected through use of social media, but have also been hurt through it. They receive support during difficult times in their lives or have seen events that they didn't get an invite too. None of those statistics are shocking to me, as an adult I feel the same way.
76 pages (160/150)
Wednesday, December 2, 2015
Teens, Social Media and Technology Overview 2015
Lenhart, A. (2015, April 9). Teens, Social Media & Technology Overview 2015. Retrieved November 30, 2015, from http://www.pewinternet.org/files/2015/04/PI_TeensandTech_Update2015_0409151.pdf
This article discusses how smart phones are shifting communication among teens. The data was collected online from 1060 teens and their parent or guardian.
I personally teeter in the middle of fence regarding smart phones. Yes, it is wonderful to have direct, anytime access to information. However, it does hinder our communication skills among each other and can interfere with family time.
I remember back to when I first got a smart phone. No, I was not a teen, but I was excited and seemed to use it constantly. My husband, who did not have a smart phone would poke fun at me for "being on the phone all the time." After he got his own smart phone, he understood just how addicting it could be, and not so much in a positive way. I see this trend with teens and this research does back that up with data and their usage of smart phones.
The studies showed that the teen African American population owned the highest percentage of smart phones, with 85%. The household income did drive the percentage of smart phone owners, but not as much as you would expect. 61% of households with an income of less that $30,000 had smart phones, where as, 78% with an income greater than $75,000. I would have expected the discrepancy to be a bit larger.
87% of teens have or have access to desktop or laptop computers. 81% of teens have or have access to gaming consoles or devices, with 91% of boys owning their own. This was not a shocking total for me, as boys tend to gravitate towards gaming.
Out of the teens surveyed, most had or had access to several different technology devices.
Mobile access to the Internet from a smart phone topped the charts with 91% of teens. Texting through messenger or through a message app is very popular, with the average teen sending or receiving 30 day. I thought this statistic would have been much higher than 30.
Facebook continues to be the top choice for social media platforms among teens. I thought with all of the other platforms, it would not have been the top choice, but it prevails over Instagram and Twitter.
Overall, the data did not surprise me too much, as I do have preteens in my house. I often say, they know more about technology than I do! Honestly it scares me somewhat because of what all they have access and exposure to due to the number of mobile devices and Internet access.
48 pages (84/150)
Monday, November 16, 2015
Instagram and Vine
Instagram, what a cool app! It is one that I have not really played with much until this week. Here are some of my photos that I have posted! I have used it for personal use so far, but plan to start using it for educational use.
Of course, I have to support my Texans for game day!
We are leaving soon for our Disney Cruise and couldn't be more excited! I made these door hangers using my Cricut!
This is one way I could see it being used in the classroom....posting pictures of anchor charts for parents to be able to help their child with homework! Other ways include posting pictures of happenings throughout the day, capturing memories, or anything that you need a picture of to share!
I used Twitter's video app, Vine to create this short clip with Tellagami. The disadvantage is that it has to be very short. It does allow you to cut the video though. Students could also use this to practice vocabulary, make quick book summaries, or act out a scene from a book.
If you are looking for ideas on how to use Instagram in your classroom, look no further! This website has so many great ideas from field trips to student progress. Check them out!
If you are interested in using Vine in your classroom, check this and this out. They have some pretty cool ideas on how to incorporate them.
For me personally, Vine has too much going on. I have a hard time focusing with so much movement on the page. It is not something that I will probably use, but am sure that it works great for others. Instagram, on the other hand, I enjoyed and think it would be cool to use in the classroom to get a home to school connection.
Of course, I have to support my Texans for game day!
We are leaving soon for our Disney Cruise and couldn't be more excited! I made these door hangers using my Cricut!
This is one way I could see it being used in the classroom....posting pictures of anchor charts for parents to be able to help their child with homework! Other ways include posting pictures of happenings throughout the day, capturing memories, or anything that you need a picture of to share!
I used Twitter's video app, Vine to create this short clip with Tellagami. The disadvantage is that it has to be very short. It does allow you to cut the video though. Students could also use this to practice vocabulary, make quick book summaries, or act out a scene from a book.
If you are looking for ideas on how to use Instagram in your classroom, look no further! This website has so many great ideas from field trips to student progress. Check them out!
If you are interested in using Vine in your classroom, check this and this out. They have some pretty cool ideas on how to incorporate them.
For me personally, Vine has too much going on. I have a hard time focusing with so much movement on the page. It is not something that I will probably use, but am sure that it works great for others. Instagram, on the other hand, I enjoyed and think it would be cool to use in the classroom to get a home to school connection.
Thursday, November 12, 2015
Screencasts
Screencasts allow you to capture video of your computer screen while narrating what you are doing. I had so much fun with this assignment! I recorded over and over again until I finally decided that I am not an actress and it would never be what I considered "perfect". I am an everyday teacher, just trying to spread some wealth of knowledge, hoping to reach someone. And in order to do that, I just need to get the point across, not necessarily perfectly.
I looked at three different screencast websites. Here is my take on each of them:
1. Screencast-o-matic
This site does not require you to login or create an account to get started. Literally, you can click a button and work away! They offer a great demo video that walks you through the steps quickly. You begin by dragging the screen to the area that you want recorded. Then, you simply press record and it starts your countdown. You are able to have full control of whatever you are doing at that point and show your viewers anything you want. You are able to pause and restart your screencast and save as a video file, which is great! Screencast-o-matic allows you 15 minutes of recorded screencast time. It was super easy and I highly recommend using this site!
Check this one out that I made on how to search our school database, Destiny Quest.
2. Screenr
I tried to use this site, but unfortunately they retired the site on November 11th due to Java Script issues.
3. Jing
Jing was also a quick download and then it puts a little ball at the top of your screen for you to easily manipulate the screencast. When you first begin, there is a interactive step by step tutorial for how to use Jing and the features. It was easy to follow and great that it was interactive. Just like Screencast-o-matic, you begin with drawing your screen area that you want to be viewed. You can capture an image or a video with an easy click. This site was also super easy to use.
Here is a screencast that I made using Jing to teach students about PebbleGo
Honestly, it is hard for me to choose which one is my favorite, as they were both very easy to use and manipulate. I am going to go with Screencast-o-matic because you can access it easily and begin right away. Students would be able to do this with little to no instruction to create their own screencasts.
Happy Screencasting!
I looked at three different screencast websites. Here is my take on each of them:
1. Screencast-o-matic
This site does not require you to login or create an account to get started. Literally, you can click a button and work away! They offer a great demo video that walks you through the steps quickly. You begin by dragging the screen to the area that you want recorded. Then, you simply press record and it starts your countdown. You are able to have full control of whatever you are doing at that point and show your viewers anything you want. You are able to pause and restart your screencast and save as a video file, which is great! Screencast-o-matic allows you 15 minutes of recorded screencast time. It was super easy and I highly recommend using this site!
Check this one out that I made on how to search our school database, Destiny Quest.
2. Screenr
I tried to use this site, but unfortunately they retired the site on November 11th due to Java Script issues.
3. Jing
Jing was also a quick download and then it puts a little ball at the top of your screen for you to easily manipulate the screencast. When you first begin, there is a interactive step by step tutorial for how to use Jing and the features. It was easy to follow and great that it was interactive. Just like Screencast-o-matic, you begin with drawing your screen area that you want to be viewed. You can capture an image or a video with an easy click. This site was also super easy to use.
Here is a screencast that I made using Jing to teach students about PebbleGo
Honestly, it is hard for me to choose which one is my favorite, as they were both very easy to use and manipulate. I am going to go with Screencast-o-matic because you can access it easily and begin right away. Students would be able to do this with little to no instruction to create their own screencasts.
Happy Screencasting!
Friday, November 6, 2015
Cartoons and Comics
Cartoons and comics has never been something that has interested me much. They are cute to look at, but I always feel as though they are so busy. That being said, this was a hard task for me to come up with something to put in my cartoon strip or comic. I explored three different sites that allow you to create your own. Here are my thoughts about each of them:
1. ToonDoo
This is a joke that my son always tells. He got it off the walls of one of our favorite breakfast restaurants and it cracks him up every time!
You do have to sign up for an account and can save your creations on site. ToonDoo offers several layouts (number of stripes), characters, backgrounds, props, or you can upload your own. It is easy to use, but does take awhile to load, and I even did it from different locations to see if that made a difference. Students would love the look of the interface, as it is appealing and easy to navigate. You are able to save to a file or email your toon to yourself, making it easy to use it.
2. Pixton
This toon was from a personal experience. As I was searching through the backgrounds, I saw this beautiful ski/snow scene and thought it was perfect! We went skiing 2 years ago and my husband fell, tearing is AC Joint in his shoulder. Of course at the time it was not funny, but now we laugh about it. He thought this was a good poke at him!
For this site, you also have to sign up for an account. They have different types of accounts: personal, educational, and business. The account is free, but you do not get access to everything. That is the one thing I did not like, you cannot save it to a file without being a paid customer. You are able to choose from different formats: comic strips, story boards, graphic novel, poster, or photo story, so that is an advantage for this site. There are many colorful backgrounds to choose from and you have the choice of using one, two or three characters. It too was easy to use, but I prefer to be able to download my toons. I could not get anything to work and ended up taking a picture with my phone to get it up on the blog. I am sure there must be an easier way, but technology was not being my friend today for some reason.
3. Make Beliefs Comix
1. ToonDoo
This is a joke that my son always tells. He got it off the walls of one of our favorite breakfast restaurants and it cracks him up every time!
You do have to sign up for an account and can save your creations on site. ToonDoo offers several layouts (number of stripes), characters, backgrounds, props, or you can upload your own. It is easy to use, but does take awhile to load, and I even did it from different locations to see if that made a difference. Students would love the look of the interface, as it is appealing and easy to navigate. You are able to save to a file or email your toon to yourself, making it easy to use it.
2. Pixton
This toon was from a personal experience. As I was searching through the backgrounds, I saw this beautiful ski/snow scene and thought it was perfect! We went skiing 2 years ago and my husband fell, tearing is AC Joint in his shoulder. Of course at the time it was not funny, but now we laugh about it. He thought this was a good poke at him!
For this site, you also have to sign up for an account. They have different types of accounts: personal, educational, and business. The account is free, but you do not get access to everything. That is the one thing I did not like, you cannot save it to a file without being a paid customer. You are able to choose from different formats: comic strips, story boards, graphic novel, poster, or photo story, so that is an advantage for this site. There are many colorful backgrounds to choose from and you have the choice of using one, two or three characters. It too was easy to use, but I prefer to be able to download my toons. I could not get anything to work and ended up taking a picture with my phone to get it up on the blog. I am sure there must be an easier way, but technology was not being my friend today for some reason.
3. Make Beliefs Comix
No funny story behind this one. I just thought this little baby was cute and I love Christmas time!
The great thing about this site is that it does not require you to sign up for an account. You can get started right away making your comic. They offer some choice, but not as many as the other two sites. You also cannot upload your own image, from what I could tell. I did like that you could create color or black and white comics. You are able to print and download the file to use it freely as you wish. Each panel offers advice and tips on how to create your comic strip, which is a nice feature to have to cut back on some time trying to figure things out. There is also a great tool for educators on how to use it in your classroom. This would be easy for students to use, but they are limited in options.
I love the idea of using these in the classroom! The first idea on Make Beliefs Comix's site suggest using it to create an autobiography for the beginning of the year. I definitely plan to do that next year if I am still in the classroom. I plan to test it out this year at some point! This could be great for teaching summary and letting them create a strip for the beginning, middle and end of a story or passage. I would prefer to use ToonDoo because it seems a little easier to navigate and there are many choices for the students. It was also extremely easy to save and share.
Another cool app that I used this week is Tellagami. You can upload your own photos or choose from their backgrounds and then record your voice. The character then moves its mouth, as if they were speaking, repeating whatever you recorded. I have used this app before in my class and the kids love it! It is great for explaining things or giving book talks/reviews. Really, the possiblities are endless.
Check out the Tellagami that I made for Alligator Baby by Robert Munsch, one of my very favorite children's authors!
Friday, October 30, 2015
Online Book Communites
Online book communities is now one of my favorite things. It is a place to track your reading, including what you want to read. I was fortunate enough to explore 5 different sites that offer a range of options. They were all good sites, but there were special features that I liked more than others. As always, ease of use is a must for me, a mommy to twins with little to know free time. As you read my opinions, please keep in mind that I teach at an elementary and my heart belongs there. I like to say that I see everything through the eyes of my little people that I teach everyday. Do not let that sway you if your heart belongs in secondary. Some of these are great for you too!
1. Good Reads
I like the look of the interface for this site. It is very easy to add books to your shelves. Not only can you add it, but you can instantly choose which shelf to put it in without having to go to a separate page. Another feature that I like is that it offers suggestions when typing. This is a great feature that can cut some time off searching for things. It does allow you to import books from other web pages or files, which is a great idea when changing communities. That way you don't have to redo everything you've already done. The one thing I did not like was that it was difficult to find my friends. It wants you to connect with Facebook, email or Twitter. Personally, I don't like to interconnect my accounts and wish the search feature would be a little more user friendly. This is a great site to use for high school or adults. I do not think it appropriate for early teenagers and elementary aged children.
Here is what it looks like if you are interested.
This particular is very buy and not as appealing to me. However, you can add books to your shelves very quickly and import other lists you may have from Amazon, Goodreads, etc. Some advantages include the tabs that are located across the top of the page. One tab, Local, allows you to see local venues and libraries. You can also find special local events by date, such as author visits or classes offered at the library. The Groups tab offers many suggestions for thousands of groups. Some of the ones I liked were Read Young Adults and 1001 Books Before You Die. A definite disadvantage is that it does not offer suggestions when typing. That is a feature that I miss dearly. I would recommend this site to older teenagers and adults. I believe it would be a little difficult to navigate around as a young teenager.
3. Shelfari
First of all, how cool and catchy is that name? Shelfari? Powered by Amazon, this is a pretty easy to maneuver site. Because of this, you do not have to create a new username/password. You simply use your Amazon account to login. In a world of one thousand different usernames and passwords, this is definitely an advantage to me! I loved the way the shelves looked and lined up the books. I appreciate this look much more than a boring list of titles. Not sure if it was my Internet connection or the site, but it was extremely slow when I used it, even on different days. Another advantage is the suggested typing, which is a must have to me. It allows you to set goals and collects your reading statistics, which is great idea. I believe that middle school aged and up students could benefit from using this site to track their progress and what they want to read. It is still a little too advanced for elementary aged students.
4. Booklikes
The homepage for Booklikes reminds me a lot of Tumblr. It looks like a blog roll, but you can add your own text, quotes, photos, videos, or URL's. Using this site, it was very easy to add books to my shelves. The one thing that I did not like was that there were no typing suggestions when adding books. The thing I like the most about it is that it puts them into a blog for you. The blog looks awesome with books sitting on the shelves. The blog itself reminds me of the look of Pinterest, with followers and following. The blog is very customizable, allowing you to choose backgrounds, themes, and much more. This site is definitely user friendly and I could see 4th graders on up using it. I might give it a try with own kids. They would definitely love to see their reading progress and timeline on a cool shelf! Do you like the look of this as much as I do? It is still a work in progress, but I am liking it!
5. Biblionasium
As an elementary teacher, I LOVE this site and everything about it! It is a great way to connect with students and parents outside of school. The interface is extremely appealing and easy to use. As a teacher, you can assign required readings, recommendations and your favorites. There is even a tab for Classroom Wish List, which allows parents to purchase books from Amazon, with the click of a button taking you there. Students can review books and write recommendations. This feature makes this site interactive and that is a plus. The resources page is top notch with many suggestions for articles, useful websites, parent connections, and so much more. Some disadvantages are that it does not offer typing suggestions and you are not able to load the shelves as quickly as some of the other sites. It will take some planning time to load your students into the database, but I think it is worth it! You will be able to run reports and see what your students are reading quickly. I wonder if it can somehow "talk" to Accelerated Reader and merge the books that students take comprehension tests on so that they are not having to enter their data twice. That would be the one feature that would make this site extremely valuable in my eyes. Although, not all schools use AR, so I am not sure if it is worth it to the company.
How do you like the look of it? I love the color scheme. It is so inviting for children!
As a teacher, I like Biblionasium the best and will continue to use it. It is very user friendly and pleasing to the eyes. Not only is it a shelf for books, but it is a way to stay connected at home, which is an important part of teaching that many struggle with. As I said before, it will be a little extra work on the front end, but it will produce so much more, making it well worth it. My students will love using this at school and at home. I can see this being something that they get addicted to and their parents telling them over and over again to turn it off. When it comes to educational things, those statements make my heart happy.
As an adult, I will continue to use Booklikes. It is very appealing to me because of the look and blog aspect. I really like how easy you can add books and change the shelf arrangement. I am going to keep working on this site to see if I can get my list somewhat updated. I just hope I make the time to do it.
Did you notice the screenshots with arrows and extra text? That is a new software that I learned called SKITCH. It is a simple download and free. SKITCH allows you to draw out the area you want to take a screenshot of and add text, arrows, highlight, blackout, crop, and add shapes. I can't believe that I have not used this before. I cannot wait to introduce this to my students. The possibilities are endless with this!
Thursday, October 15, 2015
Podcasts
Since being in graduate school I have learned so many new pieces of technology. There are things that I never new really existed. That either makes me really old or not so tech savvy, but I do not feel like either of those things! Technology is constantly changing, therefore, we must be constantly learning, which matches my teaching philosophy perfectly: growing life long learners.
Podcasts are something new to me. I have created one last semester to introduce myself to the class. I thought it was an interesting way to get to know people without "meeting" them face to face. They remind of tv on the radio, from way back before my time. There is not a visual, but rather an audio recording giving you information.
I signed up for Sound Cloud and Podomatic. We did not have a great internet connection and Sound Cloud was the app that was working the best at school. I will never understand how the connection in a school can be so spotty, but it is something we have learned to deal with. It was fairly easy to record and save the Podcast. Then, I was able to log in on the computer, add a picture, and get the link to embed it into Blogger. The process was painless and took no time at all. I think my students could do all of it themselves after some direction.
I chose to record one of my sweet girls giving a book summary/review for one of her favorite books. We had a great time making the recording, and all the other students are very excited to make their own now too. I cannot wait to set this up as one of our reading stations and see what they come up with! I think she will make you want to read this book too. I wish you could have seen her expression as she was talking. She was truly speaking from the heart about this book.
Podcasts are a great tool to use in the classroom and in the library. I definitely plan to let my students use this for book reviews and even to teach each other how to do things, such as the steps to solve a 3 digit addition problem. They could even record themselves reading a picture book and we could share it with our kindergarten buddy class so the students could "listen" to the story when we are not able to be there. In the library, Podcasts would be great for tutorials on how to use databases or find just the right book. I love the idea of interviewing students for book recommendations or for just plain book talks. The possibilities are endless and if you love to talk, but not in front of people, then this is the right choice for you! It really does take the pressure away since people cannot see you. You are able to speak freely and from the heart.
A special thanks to "Brooke" for helping me out with this Podcast, and of course, her mom for giving me permission!
Podcasts are something new to me. I have created one last semester to introduce myself to the class. I thought it was an interesting way to get to know people without "meeting" them face to face. They remind of tv on the radio, from way back before my time. There is not a visual, but rather an audio recording giving you information.
I signed up for Sound Cloud and Podomatic. We did not have a great internet connection and Sound Cloud was the app that was working the best at school. I will never understand how the connection in a school can be so spotty, but it is something we have learned to deal with. It was fairly easy to record and save the Podcast. Then, I was able to log in on the computer, add a picture, and get the link to embed it into Blogger. The process was painless and took no time at all. I think my students could do all of it themselves after some direction.
I chose to record one of my sweet girls giving a book summary/review for one of her favorite books. We had a great time making the recording, and all the other students are very excited to make their own now too. I cannot wait to set this up as one of our reading stations and see what they come up with! I think she will make you want to read this book too. I wish you could have seen her expression as she was talking. She was truly speaking from the heart about this book.
Podcasts are a great tool to use in the classroom and in the library. I definitely plan to let my students use this for book reviews and even to teach each other how to do things, such as the steps to solve a 3 digit addition problem. They could even record themselves reading a picture book and we could share it with our kindergarten buddy class so the students could "listen" to the story when we are not able to be there. In the library, Podcasts would be great for tutorials on how to use databases or find just the right book. I love the idea of interviewing students for book recommendations or for just plain book talks. The possibilities are endless and if you love to talk, but not in front of people, then this is the right choice for you! It really does take the pressure away since people cannot see you. You are able to speak freely and from the heart.
A special thanks to "Brooke" for helping me out with this Podcast, and of course, her mom for giving me permission!
Friday, October 2, 2015
Videos and QR Codes in the Library
YouTube can be a powerful tool, however, being a mother of young children, I am always a little leery of it. Some of the content can be completely unacceptable. Although, once I learned how to turn safe search ON, it is very useful for people of all ages.
Librarians all around the country are using YouTube in many ways to promote the library, teach mini-lessons or to create cute/funny videos about overdue books. Check out some of my favorite videos from different library Channels.
The first channel I looked at was Norman High School Library
One of the most helpful videos I saw was How to use EBSCO Host. The narrator takes you through a step by step process of how to search and narrow your search using this database. She also discusses how to complete the search from home, which is very beneficial to students.
This next video is a student favorite, with more than 1,000 views! It includes students and teachers, dancing and singing The Dark Lord Funk (Uptown Funk tune). It is pretty entertaining and you find yourself singing along with it!
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The second channel I explored was The Unquiet Library, which is administered by Buffy Hamilton, the Library and Media Specialist at Creekview High School.
I chose this first video as the most helpful to students because finding images that are licensed to use is difficult to do. Actually, before my MLS classes, I never thought about it being a copyright issue to use images that I found. This is a great way for students to learn how to find appropriate images.
This next video is a new concept to me and I think it's a great idea! They bring the library to the students, via a cart with wheels, and students can check out books while they eat. This is a great option, as some kids don't like to actually go to the library. In high school, I was one of those kids. For whatever reason, which I think was the scary librarian, I did my best to avoid it. I think students would like this video because it gives them choices and options for checking out books.
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Pikesville High School Library is the third channel I viewed.
The video that I think is most helpful to students is about Course Advisement. It lets students know exactly what they need for the upcoming school year and graduation requirements.
Pikesville High School Library enjoys videoing students while singing and dancing. I think students would enjoy watching this next video because it highlights Hip Hop Day and Black History Month. It looks like they had a lot of fun on this day in the library. Their library is definitely not a "quiet zone" all the time, and that is something that inspires me.
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The last channel is Bonnie Branch Middle School. This is my FAVORITE channel so far! It includes some tutorials, for students and teachers, and many parodies made by students for different reasons, such as overdue books. I found this channel entertaining!
The Online Career Resources video would be the most helpful to students. The librarian walks students through the steps of how to use the online resources that are available when doing research.
I love the Bring Them Back Overdue Library Book Parody. They use the song "Let it go" from Frozen. Primary elementary students would really enjoy this video. What a great way to start a lesson about returning books, especially if it has been an issue in your library.
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Wow, I never knew the possibilities with YouTube and the school library! This was interesting and exciting to research. I cannot wait to try some of these ideas out. I imagine that some of these videos encouraged other students to come to the library, if even just to explore the options to make videos. The first step is to get the students to come! I would love to have students create videos for book reviews/book trailers. As the librarian, I would make mini-lessons for how-to's in the library, directly geared towards helping teachers.
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I have used Animoto several times as a teacher. I usually take our field trip pictures to create videos for my students. It is something that they cherish. The one thing that is a negative for Animoto is that when you sign up for the free educator plan, your video can only be 30 seconds long. That is much time for anything.
I did enjoy creating this book trailer for Shiloh. This is a book that I use yearly with my 3rd grade students.
When Marty Preston comes across a young beagle in the hills behind his home, it's love at first sight—and also big trouble. It turns out the dog, which Marty names Shiloh, belongs to Judd Travers, who drinks too much and has a gun—and abuses his dogs. So when Shiloh runs away from Judd to Marty, Marty just has to hide him and protect him from Judd. But Marty's secret becomes too big for him to keep to himself, and it exposes his entire family to Judd's anger. How far will Marty have to go to make Shiloh his?
View the Book Trailer by scanning the QR Code below! Hope you enjoy it!
With QR codes, the possibilities are endless, whether in a classroom or the library. After some research, I found that many librarians use them for various reasons. These are some of my favorites that I plan to use in my own library:
I love this idea from The Brown Bag Teacher. She created research mats for her 1st graders that were researching Penguins. Each QR code took the students to different websites, that were appropriate, that discussed penguin facts and videos.
The Daring Librarian uses a scavenger hunt for her middle school students. This could easily be adapted for elementary aged students and they would love it! Who doesn't love a good old scavenger hunt?! It is a great way to learn your way around the library. She also created a slideshow with all of her ideas of how she uses QR codes in her library and around the school. Check the slideshow out here.
One idea was to create book trailers for the current Bluebonnet Books. I love this and think that it could really help promote these award winning books.
Teaching like it's 2999 has some great ideas of how to create and display student work in the form of a QR Code. She also uses them to create interactive libraries by genre. These were some new ideas to me, but definitely worth a try!
One last way that I am going to use for sure is to create book trailers, reviews and read alouds with QR codes. They are a great way to get students involved in lessons and motivated to want to learn and do more.
You should try them out. They are so easy to create for everyday use in a school!
Friday, September 25, 2015
Blogs and Blog Readers
Blogs, I love reading them, but find it difficult to update them myself. I started off reading blogs that my friends created and then tried it myself. When Facebook wasn't so popular, I even had a blog for our kindergarten team so that parents could see what was going on at school and be informed.
To be honest, I did not know what a blog reader was before this week! Hopefully I am not the only one that was in the dark. Now that I have explored several, I am very excited to start using them!
I had a difficult time choosing between Bloglovin' and Feedly. I ultimately chose Bloglovin because I liked the simplicity. When making decisions, I always try to choose things that are extremely user-friendly. My take is, if I can't figure it out pretty quickly, then how will my students or parents be able to. Another reason I chose this reader is that you are able to click on a post and it will open a new tab with the entire blog. This is huge for me, as I found many blogs have tabs with other helpful information, such as library centers, authors, etc. Bloglovin' is appealing to the eyes and not overwhelming. The format is easy to use and follow. It does remind me of Facebook, but without all the adds on the sidebars. In the settings, you can choose how often, if any, you want to receive email notification of updated blogs. This has been a great new tool to use!
I chose these blogs to follow for different reasons:
1. The Children's Book Review
This blog is fantastic for book reviews and so much more! The reviews are broken down by extensive categories and age groups. Individual book reviews include author, illustrator, age range, number of pages, publisher, ISBN, What to expect, a summary, and even links to purchase on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Not only can you find reviews, but also Award Winners, Best Seller Lists and my favorite, Author Interviews. How cool is it to hear from an author?! This website is an ALSC Great Web Sites for Kids. I chose to follow this blog because I love reading book reviews before I purchase books!
2. Library Displays
This blog is managed by a librarian in New Zealand. It is composed of library display ideas, specifically ones that promote uncirculated books. The displays are easy to and cost effective to create on a budget. One aspect that I liked is that other librarians may submit their displays to be featured on the blog. A good tool for sharing and collaborating, even world-wide. Professional reading material and useful websites are also included to help readers with their displays. One of the posts featured edible-icing books to use as cake/cupcake toppers. I thought that was a creative idea and want to try that out. I chose this blog so that hopefully one day when I am a librarian I can create some interactive displays that are engaging for all patrons.
3. Mighty Little Librarian
The Mighty Little Librarian is a Middle School librarian from Louisiana. She updates her blog at least once a month with what is happening in her library. From her post, you can tell that she loves her job and her students. The blog is well organized and categorized to make it user friendly. Some of the categories include: library lessons, decorations and displays, library procedures, my ramblings, technology, and many more. The posts are easy to read and relate to, which is always a positive! I enjoyed the post about how she taught (or let the 8th graders teach) library procedures to the 6th and 7th graders. What a fabulous idea! I chose this blog because she seems to be a down to earth person, who also does crafting to make her library intriguing for middle school kids.
4. Katy Elementary Library
I chose to follow this blog because of the school's location. I live near this city and want to be able to see what others in the community are doing in their library. This blog has some valuable links for suggested reading lists, ebooks, apps and author visits. This is something that I admire about some libraries. They try their best to get authors to come visit and that brings reading alive to students. My current elementary doesn't have any author visits and that is something I miss. A nice feature that the blog offers is a comment section, which of course has posted rules and stipulations to follow. The librarian does seem to post a few times a month with what is happening and new in the library. One post I liked was that the students voted for best picture book and chapter book for the year. What a great way to get the kids involved!
5. Karin's Book Nook
Dr. Karin Perry is an assistant professor of Library Science at SHSU. She loves children's and young adult books. This is a great blog with book summaries, her personal reflections, and a star rating. She keeps lists of what she has read, wants to read and is currently reading. Great idea for people who love to read. The list is further broken down into categories, such as bullies, humor, graphic novels and so much more. She has been keeping her list of books she's read since 2008. This blog inspires me to read more. I only wish I could have a few more hours a day! This is a wonderful blog to follow if you are looking for reviews and suggestions for new books. Almost a one-stop shop! I chose to follow and highlight this blog because I have been in a few of Dr. Perry's classes and truly respect her and the passion she has for books and the profession.
I cannot wait to read about some of the other blogs that my colleagues may have chosen to highlight. There are so many wonderful blogs that it is impossible to find and read them all.
Another tool I learned about this week is Tumblr. It seems to be the hippest way to get quick feeds and follow some trendy people. Check out my Tumblr that I started a few days ago. More to come...
Misty Carter's Tumblr
To be honest, I did not know what a blog reader was before this week! Hopefully I am not the only one that was in the dark. Now that I have explored several, I am very excited to start using them!
I had a difficult time choosing between Bloglovin' and Feedly. I ultimately chose Bloglovin because I liked the simplicity. When making decisions, I always try to choose things that are extremely user-friendly. My take is, if I can't figure it out pretty quickly, then how will my students or parents be able to. Another reason I chose this reader is that you are able to click on a post and it will open a new tab with the entire blog. This is huge for me, as I found many blogs have tabs with other helpful information, such as library centers, authors, etc. Bloglovin' is appealing to the eyes and not overwhelming. The format is easy to use and follow. It does remind me of Facebook, but without all the adds on the sidebars. In the settings, you can choose how often, if any, you want to receive email notification of updated blogs. This has been a great new tool to use!
I chose these blogs to follow for different reasons:
1. The Children's Book Review
This blog is fantastic for book reviews and so much more! The reviews are broken down by extensive categories and age groups. Individual book reviews include author, illustrator, age range, number of pages, publisher, ISBN, What to expect, a summary, and even links to purchase on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Not only can you find reviews, but also Award Winners, Best Seller Lists and my favorite, Author Interviews. How cool is it to hear from an author?! This website is an ALSC Great Web Sites for Kids. I chose to follow this blog because I love reading book reviews before I purchase books!
2. Library Displays
This blog is managed by a librarian in New Zealand. It is composed of library display ideas, specifically ones that promote uncirculated books. The displays are easy to and cost effective to create on a budget. One aspect that I liked is that other librarians may submit their displays to be featured on the blog. A good tool for sharing and collaborating, even world-wide. Professional reading material and useful websites are also included to help readers with their displays. One of the posts featured edible-icing books to use as cake/cupcake toppers. I thought that was a creative idea and want to try that out. I chose this blog so that hopefully one day when I am a librarian I can create some interactive displays that are engaging for all patrons.
3. Mighty Little Librarian
The Mighty Little Librarian is a Middle School librarian from Louisiana. She updates her blog at least once a month with what is happening in her library. From her post, you can tell that she loves her job and her students. The blog is well organized and categorized to make it user friendly. Some of the categories include: library lessons, decorations and displays, library procedures, my ramblings, technology, and many more. The posts are easy to read and relate to, which is always a positive! I enjoyed the post about how she taught (or let the 8th graders teach) library procedures to the 6th and 7th graders. What a fabulous idea! I chose this blog because she seems to be a down to earth person, who also does crafting to make her library intriguing for middle school kids.
4. Katy Elementary Library
I chose to follow this blog because of the school's location. I live near this city and want to be able to see what others in the community are doing in their library. This blog has some valuable links for suggested reading lists, ebooks, apps and author visits. This is something that I admire about some libraries. They try their best to get authors to come visit and that brings reading alive to students. My current elementary doesn't have any author visits and that is something I miss. A nice feature that the blog offers is a comment section, which of course has posted rules and stipulations to follow. The librarian does seem to post a few times a month with what is happening and new in the library. One post I liked was that the students voted for best picture book and chapter book for the year. What a great way to get the kids involved!
5. Karin's Book Nook
Dr. Karin Perry is an assistant professor of Library Science at SHSU. She loves children's and young adult books. This is a great blog with book summaries, her personal reflections, and a star rating. She keeps lists of what she has read, wants to read and is currently reading. Great idea for people who love to read. The list is further broken down into categories, such as bullies, humor, graphic novels and so much more. She has been keeping her list of books she's read since 2008. This blog inspires me to read more. I only wish I could have a few more hours a day! This is a wonderful blog to follow if you are looking for reviews and suggestions for new books. Almost a one-stop shop! I chose to follow and highlight this blog because I have been in a few of Dr. Perry's classes and truly respect her and the passion she has for books and the profession.
I cannot wait to read about some of the other blogs that my colleagues may have chosen to highlight. There are so many wonderful blogs that it is impossible to find and read them all.
Another tool I learned about this week is Tumblr. It seems to be the hippest way to get quick feeds and follow some trendy people. Check out my Tumblr that I started a few days ago. More to come...
Misty Carter's Tumblr
Thursday, September 17, 2015
Tech trends and library services in the digital age Infographic
Zickuhr, K. (2013, May 9). Tech trends and library services in the digital age. Retrieved September 13, 2015, from http://www.pewinternet.org/2013/05/10/tech-trends-and-library-services-in-the-digital-age/
Although the data may be a few years old, it shows the growing trend in technology and library services. The data from this research was funded by a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Telephone surveys, in English and Spanish, by American over 16 years of age were used for the research. Some of the findings were expected and some were a little shocking.
In 1995, only 14% of adults used the Internet. That seems quite high to me because I think back to my first memories of the Internet and I had just learned about it in 1998. That percentage grew significantly to 82% in 2012, which is shockingly low to me.
Only 53% of Americans used a public library in the past year (2013). As a learner, teacher, and citizen, the percentage is low. That makes me wonder how public libraries can get more exposure to entice more Americans to use their services. Out of those 53%, only 73% borrowed books, and 50% got help from a librarian. From my own experience, the public librarians are not the friendliest and most approachable people, so I do understand that number being low.
Free access to computers and the Internet was very important to 77% of Americans. I work in a low socioeconomic neighborhood and know that the public library is the only place for some of my students to go to access these services; therefore, yes, it is very important to them. Close behind, at 73%, was using research resources such as free databases.
Quiet study spaces for adults and children were also very important according to 76% of Americans. I can agree with that being correct data at a public library. However, an elementary school library should reflect much different data as we are evolving into maker spaces and not quiet spaces.
The last few slides focus on Libraries' evolving roles. Some of the roles included providing access to information and guidance to use and verify the information.
Check out my info graphic highlighting some of the data that I thought was interesting and how we have evolved from the floppy disk age to the flash drive, digital age. I chose to use piktochart.com to create my info graphic. This webesite was the most user friendly and very visually appealing. It was super easy to create the info graphic, even when changing icons, fonts, etc. The choices for icons were very abundant and made it difficult to chose. Overall, it was very easy to navigate to create a visual to share.
36 presentation pages (36/150)
Saturday, September 5, 2015
Tweet, Tweet, Tweet
Let me start by stating that I did not have a Twitter account before this semester. Funny thing is, both of my classes required it! Two for one deal, I guess! I never understood what it was all about. Now I will be able to explore it and see what all the hype and hashtags really are!
These are a few of the BIGGEST NAMES in Educational Technology Today:
Kathy Schrock @kathyschrock
I chose to highlight this Tweet because to me it says that THE Kathy Schrock is a normal, everyday person and not just a big name guru. I have had the pleasure of reading some of her blogs and websites in the past and she is AMAZING! Maybe so amazing that she is intimidating?! Her Tweets include both educational technology and personal funnies. Apparently she also loves coffee and Starbucks. I love that people can relate to her on an everyday level through Twitter!
Linda Braun @lbraun2000
Linda Braun sticks to educational business on her Twitter page. She Tweets multiple times a day, giving information from scholarships and daily deals to articles about how to create foolproof websites. She is a big fan of STEM learning (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math), re-Tweeting or tagging them in her on Tweets. She tends to use alot of text terms, which I will have to bring myself up2date on!
Tony Vincent @tonyvincent
Tony Vincent Twitter page is FULL of great information daily! He lets you know what apps are great to use and when they are available for FREE download. My favorite thing about his page are his Tip Tuesdays. Every Tuesday he offers some type of technology tip ranging, from how to make your cursor larger to use different key strokes on your computer. I also had a connection with him, as he did Tweet that he had twins, and from the picture, they seem to be boy/girl twins, just like mine!
Buffy Hamilton @buffyjhamilton
Wow, this Twitter page caught me by surprise. I am sure Buffy Hamilton is an excellent teacher and librarian, but quite frankly, I don't want to follow her on Twitter. Most of her Tweets are personal and negative. It sounds as though she has had a rough summer and her father is very sick, which I pray things turn around for both of them. She Tweets multiple times a day, and some of them are relevant to education. I found this one particularly funny, as a mother of a little girl who is scared to get lice!
The Daring Librarian @GwynethJones
A light-hearted, up beat Tweeter, The Daring Librarian is a Pinterest lover. She provides many Pinterest links that she has created for libraries and classrooms. They include the latest technology and how to use it. I definitely plan to follow some of her boards. I thought this Q-Tip was funny!
Jim Lerman @jimlerman
This is a good page to follow for technology tips and free tech for teachers. He Tweets a lot of interesting articles about updates and how to engage learners. I thought this article was interesting because when I was teaching kindergarten a many years ago (when Iphones came out), one of my 5 year olds had one. The interesting thing is: that student qualified for free school lunch, yet had an Iphone. I couldn't even afford and Iphone that year.
Twitter is an interesting tool to use and it is fascinating to see how people are using it, in a positive or negative way. I will follow, however, I will continue to be a silent stalker, much like I am on Facebook. I read what others have to say, but rarely post myself.
These are a few of the BIGGEST NAMES in Educational Technology Today:
Kathy Schrock @kathyschrock
I chose to highlight this Tweet because to me it says that THE Kathy Schrock is a normal, everyday person and not just a big name guru. I have had the pleasure of reading some of her blogs and websites in the past and she is AMAZING! Maybe so amazing that she is intimidating?! Her Tweets include both educational technology and personal funnies. Apparently she also loves coffee and Starbucks. I love that people can relate to her on an everyday level through Twitter!
Have to remember to turn on airplane mode for the Apple watch...although it was not on the list of items read! pic.twitter.com/yc4xTKpBKV
— Kathy Schrock (@kathyschrock) June 10, 2015
Linda Braun @lbraun2000
Linda Braun sticks to educational business on her Twitter page. She Tweets multiple times a day, giving information from scholarships and daily deals to articles about how to create foolproof websites. She is a big fan of STEM learning (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math), re-Tweeting or tagging them in her on Tweets. She tends to use alot of text terms, which I will have to bring myself up2date on!
Data from @leerainie says 2 me libs get out of ur bldgs & serve ppl where they r w/o expecting them 2 come 2 u #steminlib
— Linda W Braun (@lbraun2000) August 21, 2015
Tony Vincent @tonyvincent
Tony Vincent Twitter page is FULL of great information daily! He lets you know what apps are great to use and when they are available for FREE download. My favorite thing about his page are his Tip Tuesdays. Every Tuesday he offers some type of technology tip ranging, from how to make your cursor larger to use different key strokes on your computer. I also had a connection with him, as he did Tweet that he had twins, and from the picture, they seem to be boy/girl twins, just like mine!
Tip Tuesday! Shake your device to straighten all images and text in Pic Collage. Shake again to undo. pic.twitter.com/94yPfaleyj
— Tony Vincent (@tonyvincent) July 28, 2015
Buffy Hamilton @buffyjhamilton
Wow, this Twitter page caught me by surprise. I am sure Buffy Hamilton is an excellent teacher and librarian, but quite frankly, I don't want to follow her on Twitter. Most of her Tweets are personal and negative. It sounds as though she has had a rough summer and her father is very sick, which I pray things turn around for both of them. She Tweets multiple times a day, and some of them are relevant to education. I found this one particularly funny, as a mother of a little girl who is scared to get lice!
Here are the 25 states where mutant head lice were found http://t.co/vGS3jOzsEZ Because you don't have enough to worry about already!
— Buffy J. Hamilton (@buffyjhamilton) August 19, 2015
The Daring Librarian @GwynethJones
A light-hearted, up beat Tweeter, The Daring Librarian is a Pinterest lover. She provides many Pinterest links that she has created for libraries and classrooms. They include the latest technology and how to use it. I definitely plan to follow some of her boards. I thought this Q-Tip was funny!
Q-Tip: Quit Taking It Personally
https://t.co/MtQdiEdiCE
shared to staff by my Asst. P at @hcpss_mhms
— The Daring Librarian (@GwynethJones) August 17, 2015
Jim Lerman @jimlerman
This is a good page to follow for technology tips and free tech for teachers. He Tweets a lot of interesting articles about updates and how to engage learners. I thought this article was interesting because when I was teaching kindergarten a many years ago (when Iphones came out), one of my 5 year olds had one. The interesting thing is: that student qualified for free school lunch, yet had an Iphone. I couldn't even afford and Iphone that year.
21st-Century Migrant Essentials: Food, Shelter, Smartphone^ NY Times ^by Matthew Brunwasser http://t.co/A4jnk7CFYN pic.twitter.com/7IfMaL4IFY
— Jim Lerman (@jimlerman) August 26, 2015
Twitter is an interesting tool to use and it is fascinating to see how people are using it, in a positive or negative way. I will follow, however, I will continue to be a silent stalker, much like I am on Facebook. I read what others have to say, but rarely post myself.
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