Final Reflection

So in reflection of the technology introduced this semester- some new and others were a bit of review, I believe I learned a lot about what is out there for both my students and myself.  I know there is still so many technology tools for me to learn and I sometimes feel like they change in popularity so fast that I can't keep up. But one thing is for sure.... technology is here to stay. 

Most Exciting

Their were a few different technology tools that I found to be the very exciting and I couldn't wait to play around with them. The first I would say is Infographics. I love the different templates and ways to share information with others using pictures and graphs. I have decided that I would share my monthly and yearly data with my administration by making infographics. There are so many different posters I can make to promote the library or research or lessons... the list goes on.  The next tool I loved was making screencasts.  This one I think has been the most beneficial for me as a learner in my classes. So I can't wait to use it with the teachers and students on campus to show step by step processes.  The last one I really liked playing with was Animoto. I found this exciting because I know my students are going to love creating these. 

Most Difficult/Frustrating
Can you say Podcasts? I know most people just love them, but as someone who is hearing impaired it is difficult and overwhelming. I can create podcasts no problem but I did struggle with being able to post them once they were recorded. Since I am such a visual person, I see more benefit in using screencasts or other tools that can show and tell at the same time. 

Most Beneficial to Students

The technology tools that I think are going to be the most beneficial for my students are probably the cartoons/comics. They will love creating these and it takes some critical thinking to be able to create the picture and text so that a reader can infer what is going on in the cartoon. The other is QR codes. These can be incorporated into all subject areas and contents. It is another fun way to include technology into the teachers or my lessons that enhances the learning by letting the students be independent. 

Other Tech
I will continue to use Twitter to share what is happening in our library, but I plan on sharing it with parents at the beginning of the year so we have more followers. I won't use facebook for the library because our district blocks it. I already had a blog reader using Bloglovin'  but need to find more time to read it and follow up on ideas that I like.  

Media is the Message

I was a bit confused when I started thinking about the statement that Medium is the Message. I had to read several articles to get a better understanding about the differences of opinions. After much searching and reading, I finally decided that I agree more with Kozma and McLuhan. Richard Clark says that technology doesn't influence one's learning, which I disagree with. But he also states that technology isn't something that will "save" education and it isn't the only thing we should rely on, which I do agree with. Jason Gross really helped explain Marshall McLuhan's view much more clearly.The point that struck me the most was  Marshall McLuhan thoughts that the medium through which something is shared plays a vital role in the way it is perceived (Gross, 2011).  

Our students have been born and raised in a digital world. They don't know any different. So technology is a natural extension of who they are and how they communicate. So if we want our students to be engaged, we need to use a medium that will keep them focused and interested- which is using technology and media. At the same time, we need to make sure that we are not using the technology to drive the instruction or curriculum. So many campuses and/or districts are rolling our new apps or programs and expect the teachers to use these in the classroom. Therefore, the teacher then plan their lessons around the technology rather than building their lessons on what the students should be learning. It seems that teachers are "using technology just for the sake of 'using it" which equates to a huge waste of instructional time that could be dedicated to deep meaningful learning" (Sheninger, 2016). It is our jobs as librarians and Tech specialists to make sure that our teachers are planning lessons that are based on student learning and guide them to find the correct medium to help enhance the learning and supports their learning goals. 

I started teaching when we used overhead projectors with vis-a-vis pens. I was one of hte teachers who helped pilot using projectors and document cameras. Once I started using those- I don't know how I ever taught without them. I used them to enhance my teaching. Today, technology needs to be completely integrated into all curriculum. We, as librarians, can help the teachers to integrate technology so that it becomes seamless and routine, as well as supports their curriculum goals. We also need to teacher our students how to use technology to enhance their learning (Sheninger, 2016). In the library we can help reinforce this by teaching apps or different programs so that students can choose what best fits their needs in showcasing their learning. 

To support this vision of technology integration, librarians can also play an integral role by working closely with the school's technology specialist, being the go-to person for information literacy and educational technology needs, provide technology training for teachers, and staff to help prepare our students so that they can succeed, as well as serving on planning committees for technology integration. 

Some districts and/or schools may find obstacles standing in their way such as inadequate funding to support the total integration of technology. They may not be able to fund the equipment and devices needed, possible database subscriptions, etc.  Another thing that is needed is training for technology specialists and librarians so that they may in turn train their teachers and staff. And lastly, some districts are cutting librarian positions which also hinders the adoption of technology in education. 


Sources:

E. (2016, April 25). Why Pedagogy First, Tech Second Stance is Key to the Future. Retrieved April 18, 2017, 
     from http://www.edtechmagazine.com/k12/article/2016/04/why-pedagogy-first-tech-second-stance-key-
     future

Gross, J. (2017, January 07). The Medium Is The Message- Smashing Magazine. Retrieved April 18, 2017, from
          http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2011/07/the-medium-is-the-message/


International Society for Technology in Education ISTE Media Specilists SIG Executive Advocacy Committee. 

         (n.d.). The role of school librarians in promoting the use of educational technologies. Retrieved from 

          http://www.iste.org/docs/pdfs/the-role-of-school-librarians-in-promoting-the-use-of-educational-

          technologies_9-10.pdf?sfvrsn=2

Podcasts

I am not a fan of podcasts. It is because I have a hearing impairment. Anytime things are audio based- I freak out. I know I won't be able to hear and understand what is being said. It takes time to process what I am hearing, so to follow a podcast, I have to listen to it over and over and over again. It's frustrating and overwhelming. I have always been a visual learner even before I started losing my hearing, so I always choose something that has video or closed captions. 

When I started doing this assignment, it made me start thinking about my students and how they learn. I do have several students with hearing impairments, who wear hearing aids- so I've always tried to make my lessons accessible and easy for them. But I am sure I have students who are more of an audio learner. Although I have tried to make sure I have a variety of learning styles in my lessons: visual, audio, movement, etc. I have never really thought about the audio learners. 

Since I'm not really into listening to podcasts, all of this was very new to me. I made a podcast in another class, but I couldn't remember how I did it. So I felt like I was doing this for the first time.  I looked at and tried out several different programs: AudioBoom, PodOmatic, and Soundcloud. At first, I couldn't remember if you could record in the different apps and programs or if you had to just upload.  Each of the programs were easy to use and publish podcasts, once I figured out the recording/uploading of the files. 

AudioBoom

I liked that you can record your podcast in AudioBoom. The podcasts are in categories such as business, comedy, entertainment, etc. You can also use the search button at the top to search for topics you are interested in hearing. You can follow certain people, create playlists, and even personalize your radio, which is a mix of your followed podcasts. I signed up for a free account on my iphone. I did not find a place that offered upgrades, but I was pretty satisfied with what is offered. I was able to easily record a podcast of a read-aloud of a picture book. But... once I published it, I couldn't find it. I finally found it in my profile- which seemed a little strange. Overall, it was really easy to create and publish a podcast using AudioBoom. 

PodOmatic

With PodOmatic, you can find what's trending now, create a list to people to follow, as well as create a playlist. They offer a free basic account, which is what I signed up for. They also offer an upgrade which gives you more bandwidth and larger storage among other perks. This one seemed the easiest to me to publish a podcast. Although I had to record the audio using my voice recorder and save it, I like how it walks you through each step of posting and publishing your podcast. I also like that you can add pictures to your podcast. I did mine on our Spring Book Fair with a few book talks. 

My Podcast



SoundCloud

SoundCloud also lets you create playlists, follow others, see the most recent podcasts you have listened to, as well as posts your "likes". You have the basic option or you can upgrade for about $10.00 a month, which allows you to listen offline and has no ads. You can record in Soundcloud but I couldn't get it to work with my Flash Player. I had to upload a file, which was easy enough. 

I think if I were to create podcasts for my students or teachers, I would choose either PodOmatic or SoundCloud because they can be used on the computer. AudioBoom is an app that is on my phone and iPad, which I think I would use more for informal use. 

I can see the benefit for using podcasts in education and have several ideas on how they can be used in the library.

Podcasts in the library:

• Book talks of Award winning books
• Students can share book recommendations
• Share new books that have arrived in the library
• Share what is happening in the library
• Promote the library (such as the Book Fair)
• Students can make up alternate endings for stories or books
• Share opinions about current events

There are actually endless ideas on how to use of podcasts in the classroom or library. I am sure students can come up with some unique ideas we haven't even thought of. 

Cartoons and Comics

When I think of cartoons or comics- I think of funny sayings or jokes. I am not a funny person and I have a hard time telling jokes. So I was in a panic when I had to come up with three different cartoons/comics.  After stressing for awhile, I decided to use Knock Knock jokes and after doing a few - I felt much more comfortable and tried to bring out with some mommy humor and a book summary. 


ToonDoo










The first site I tried was Toondoo. It was pretty easy. You could choose from several layouts with a different number of panels/boxes. There are many choices to choose from in characters, backgrounds, props, speech bubbles, etc. It was also pretty self explanatory when navigating and creating a cartoon.  I kept playing with different backgrounds and different characters in different positions before settling on my alien/monsters. It took me a little while and clicking different things to figure out how to save, but once I found it- under the START HERE tab, it was really easy.  I think students would really enjoy this site.

Pixton

The next site I tried out was pixton.com. I think this site was the hardest to navigate. It also seemed that I was limited on characters. There were a ton of backgrounds to choose from. But I loved being able to choose aliens or monsters in Toondoo, that I felt cheated in pixton. I also had a hard time copying my comic into my blog- which just irritated me. After several tries, I just had to copy it into Publisher and save it as a picture. Even emailing it to myself only gave me a link rather than the actual picture. I think students may enjoy the different backgrounds and picking different poses for the characters but I was not a fan.


MakeBeliefsComixs

The last site I went to was makebeliefscomix.com. This site was also pretty easy to create comic strips. You had several panels to choose from, as well as characters, backgrounds, word bubbles, words and objects. I made two different cartoons with makebeliefscomix. I first tried making a summary of one of my son's picture books and then come up with the funny mommy one.  Even though there are several options to choose from, you are somewhat limited choices to put into the comic. I do think it is really easy to navigate and create comics. Students would find this really easy as a beginner.



Overall, if I were to go back and make more comics, I believe I would choose ToonDoo. Mostly because it was easy to use and it had a far amount of choices to choose from. Here are a few ideas of how comics can be used in the library...

• retelling/summarizing a story or book
• creating book reviews 
• Possibly have kids create comics on how things are done in the library to share with incoming students
• Promoting the upcoming book fair

Videos and QR Codes in the Library

YouTube

YouTube… it’s been around a while. There’s a bit of everything for everyone. It’s a great place to find videos on how to do something. So when I was asked to visit some Library channels to look at some of their videos- my first thought was directions and/or help videos. So the first channel I looked at was Norman High Library’s. The video I thought would be most helpful for kids was “Getting started with the NHS library website”. It shows users how to get to the website and navigate their site using a screencast. The second video is one that I thought students would probably like the most which was a video called “Tiger visits the Norman High Library”.  This video shows their school mascot roaming around showing all the different things one can do in the library.  It is a fun video that students would enjoy.

The second channel I visited was The Unquiet Library.  This channel has a ton of videos!  There are how to videos, teacher reflections, student reflections, and even gaming.   The video that I think students would find the most helpful would probably be any of the how to videos, especially the one on how to find Creative Commons images using different sites.  There were several videos on how to use Easy Bib to cite different types of media.  The video I think students would like the most is the video about student opinions of What Makes a Library- A Library.  It was interesting to hear about the different student perspectives on why they like the library.

Another channel I visited was the Pikesville High School Library’s channel. They had about 60 videos to including tutorials, how to access district databases and more.  The videos I thought were the most helpful were the course descriptions- I couldn’t just pick one.  The videos were from four years ago, but I am assuming that maybe the teachers are still there and the course content hasn’t changed. I think it could help students decide which courses to choose for the upcoming school year. I think the video that students would like the best is the Senior Party in the Library.  It was nice to see the students showing their pennants for their upcoming colleges.

The final channel I watched was BBMS Media.  BBMS has fun, student made videos. There are videos with games such as Family Feud and puzzles, etc. There were parody videos as well. I hate that I am picking a video that is about testing, but I think the most “helpful” videos are the ones about goal setting for their math and reading MAP tests. I think most of BBMS videos are for fun and it is hard to pick just one that students would like the best.  I think the one that stood out the most to me was Nick’s director videos, where there is a weekly question that students answer. I like the one that asks what is their favorite part of Thanksgiving. I like that they ask each grade level for answers and tally them.  

I’ve been trying to think of how I could use YouTube in my elementary library. I think my kids would get a kick out of making and watching videos similar to those from BBMS. They would love to be able to share their opinion on weekly questions or play games similar to Family Feud and/or the funny challenges. I’ll have to think about how to incorporate this into our week to show on Friday morning announcements. Another idea is to showcase new books that we have in the library in a short video or make a book trailer for a new book to show with announcements. 

Animoto and QR Codes

Next I played around with Animoto and made a book trailer on a book I just finished recently, The Beauty of Darkness by Mary E. Pearson. It is the third book in her Remnant Chronicles. I've really enjoyed all three books. Synopsis taken from amazon.com. 

Lia has survived Venda- but so has a great evil bent on the destruction of Morrighan. And only Lia can stop it.

With war on the horizon, Lia has no choice but to assume her role as First Daughter, as soldier- as leader. While she struggles to reach Morrighan and warn them, she finds herself at cross-purposes with Rafe adn suspicious of Kaden, who has hunted her down.

In this heart-stopping conclusion to the Remnant Chronicles trilogy that started with The Kiss of Deception and The Heart of Betrayal, traitors must be rooted out, sacrifices must be made, and impossible odds must be overcome as the future of every kingdom hangs in the balance. New Your Times-bestselling author Mary E. Pearson's combination of intrigue, suspense, romance, and action makes this a riveting YA page-turner for teens.

You can view my book trailer at either of the following:

The Beauty of Darkness

or



I have several ideas for using QR codes in the library. One is to use QR codes for different authors and what they wrote with a short biography placed along the shelves where those particular books are shelved. Another idea is to do QR codes with information about the library such as genres or the layout to use during library orientation. There was a lesson that I came across after Black History month that I may try next year, which included QR codes with information about different famous black Americans. There is probably an endless amount of ideas on how to use QR codes; librarians and teachers are constantly coming up with new ideas. 

Screencasts, Instagram, and Flipagram

Instagram

It has taken me while to get on board with Instagram. Instagram is a photo sharing app that lets you share your pictures or videos publicly or with your followers, as well as through social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter.  I have had an account for a few years, but I have never really used it. Now that I was assigned to see how it could be used in the classroom, I’ll think about using it but don’t really see the point when I already use Twitter. I also played around with text on the photos. I added AutoCap so I could add text. It had a lot of different fonts and colors to choose from. You could even add speech bubbles.  I did have a hard time figuring out how to get them into Instagram. It just seems too much work, instead I’ll stick to the regular captions.

There are several uses that I can share with my teachers to use it in their classrooms:

• To showcase student work
• To highlight a student of the week
• Review content taught in class
• Have an online discussion using visuals
• Use it to encourage their students

I have thought of some uses for the library as well:

• Share book recommendations
• Share new books that have come in to the library
• Show students reading
• Showcase what is happening in the library

Verdict: Using Instagram is another way to stay connected with students and parents, but I will probably stick with Twitter.

Here is are a few of my Instagram posts.

Flipagram

I really like Flipagram. It is really easy to use and you can also send it directly to your social media such as Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, etc.  I had actually never heard of it, but after playing with it, I think I may be hooked. It is another fun way to take your photos and combine them into a presentation with music or audio. I also had some problems with trying to add captions to the photos, but I think with a bit more practice, I’ll figure it out.

Some fun things students can do with Flipagram in the classroom or library:

• To show or promote what is happening in the classroom
• Share field trip photos
• Plan a story
• Summarize or retell a story
• Show steps in a process

Here is my sample of a flipagram that I made using pictures from our Dr. Seuss Day.

https://flipagram.com/f/15KfX0tCa5g/embed

Verdict: I really like this and can't wait to use with my students.


Screencasts

In several of my classes, my professors have used screencasts to introduce information or the syllabus to the class. I actually enjoy following along. A good screencast can go step by step in a process to show the user how to do something. I decided to try  out Screencast-o-matic and found it really easy to use. I watched a few of the tutorials to get myself started and just jumped right in. I played around with the recorder before actually making my own complete screencast. I think this is something I will continue to use as professional development for the teachers on my campus, whether sharing our school databases or other new programs our district wants us to roll out. 

Teachingbooks.net Screencast

Overall, I really like screencast-o-matic and Flipagram. I couldn't pick a favorite because I would be using them for different things. I can use the Flipagram with my kids in the library, but will use Screencasts for my teachers to teach professional development. I  could possibly use screencasts for my elementary kids but they need to be able to practice each step as it's shared with them. So I am not sure they are ready for that yet. I'll keep playing with it and as i get better at it, I may find uses for my students.

INFOGRAPHICS

I think I’m going to love infographics! I have been doing something similar using Microsoft Publisher and Word. Using a program that has everything right there to use as well as templates will be awesome! I played around with three different sites to see which one I liked the best: easel.ly, piktochart, and infogr.am. All three do what you need but some are better than the others.

Easel.ly

The first site I gave the once over was easel.ly (https://easel.ly). When you first get to the easel.ly site, you are greeted with a ton of infographic templates to choose from.  I was excited because they were so creative and I could just plug my information in and WHAM- I have a great infographic. The thing I did not like about it was that with the free version, you are very limited on the graphics and icons you can you. To be able to choose the ones I wanted, I would have had to pay to upgrade.   If you want to pay, Infogr.am is the cheapest of the sites to choose from at $36 dollars or $3 per month. Once you go Pro, you get a ton of templates, 50 fonts to choose from, design help, and you can upload your own fonts and company logos. Since I don’t make infographics very often, I would probably just stick with the freebie.

Piktochart

The second site I visited was piktochart (piktochart.com).  Piktochart was easy to use and has many free and premium templates.  You can filter the templates out to just see the free ones.  There are 10 free templates to choose from or an option to create your own. They aren’t as creative as easel.ly, but there are hundreds of icons and photos to choose from as well as many fonts that you don’t have to pay for.  I made a piktochart for this assignment and felt like there wasn’t anything I needed to do that I couldn’t as a free member.  To upgrade, it’s called Leveling Up and it would cost about $39.00 dollars a year- not that much more than easel.ly.   Some pluses to “Leveling Up” are the amount of storage space you get: 400 MB of storage with an unlimited amount of image and file uploads.  Also you can download the piktocharts in high-resolution or as a pdf.

 Infogr.am

The last site I reviewed was infogr.am (https://infogr.am).  In my opinion, it is very  similar to the other two, but the free templates are very plain. You would have to be creative to make it eye catching or colorful. It was easy to use, once you realize how to navigate the site and the information. They have many types of charts to choose from, but not many photos or icons, which was a turn off to me.   

The free version of infogr.am is extremely simple and basic.  There are a lot added if you decide to go with a paid membership, but they are also the most expensive of all three sites – $19 per month for a pro membership and $67 a month for a business membership.  Both of these upgrades provide pdf and printing options, privacy capabilities, multiple user collaboration, unlimited icons, more themes and templates as well as more storage space.  Since I like doing things free- I didn’t care for this site very much. It didn’t offer enough things that I’d like to use on my pages.

Overall, I really like easel.ly and piktochart and will continue to use them on a free account. I made an inforgraphic with piktochart using data from article I found on the Pew Research Center website (http://www.pewresearch.org/).

Barthel, M., Mitchell, A., & Holcomb, J. (2016, December 15). Many Americans Believe Fake News Is Sowing Confusion. Retrieved March 1, 2017, from http://www.journalism.org/2016/12/15/many-americans-believe-fake-news-is-sowing-confusion/