My Top 10 Revisited :)

     Hi!  Welcome Back!  I imagine when I read this blog in it's entirety after this class is finished, I will spruce things up a bit and make it look like a proper blog page.  Until then, however, in my very first blog page, I had to post what I thought were the most important things for teachers to know about technology.  I am here to revisit those 10 items to see if they remain true to me...Corrections and opinions to be made are highlighted in blue/green.


1.  Be open minded and be willing to learn and try new things.         
         Still appropriate!

2.  Have a back up plan.  Hey, you're teachers, you probably already have one!
       Yes, we all know those times when technology isn't working.

3.  Use the technology that is available and find out what works for you and your students.
       Hmmmm, if we could only get all the teachers on board to use the           technology we have.  The teachers are not the ones looking for new technologies to use.

4.  Be prepared to learn with your students, even at the elementary level. 
        Be prepared to learn for the rest of your life, with any grade level.  Period.      
5.  Databases are an invaluable research tool; it shouldn't always be a "Google" search.
         Teachers are still wanting the students to get books for research.  Please see #3...use the technology we have! 
 
6.  Group students together to help each other, not everyone starts in the same place.
          Hopefully teachers are using UDL in the classrooms, with technology, scaffolding and RETELL initiative.
 
7.  Have students share what they already know; whether it's websites, databases or social media.
          Still good!
            
8.  Ask "like-minded" colleagues to share how they use technology in their classrooms.
           Even if it is the same 5 people every time. :) I love collaborating with teachers who are going to school, too.  There are lots of good ideas then.

9.  Use the technology you have to better understand the technology you could be using.  For example, you can "Google" how to set up a blog for a class you are taking... :)
            It's funny, teachers will ask someone else how to figure out a tech problem, but don't search the internet for problem solving. 

10.  Keep in good contact with your Librarian and IT department, they are using technology every day and have great suggestions for implementing technology in your classroom. 
        Hopefully this will always be the case! 



      It has been my experience that teachers who teach in middle school or high school are more tech savvy than those who teach in elementary school.  I'm sure it's because the older grades use it more and teachers want to be ahead of the curve.  While elementary students are still learning the basics, newer teachers come from college quite adept at using technology.  It is fascinating to see them using white boards, Apple TV and iPads in their classrooms, instead of the overhead projectors and cassette players.  This, of course, is just my humble opinion.  Thanks for stopping by!  





 



 

For the Love of Destiny

Welcome back to my blog!!  This week, the riveting subject is "My Love of Destiny."

     I was going to interview myself (ha!) but I decided to chat with a colleague of mine who uses Destiny as well.  Her name is Roberta Barricelli and she has been a librarian for several years, in a middle school, an elementary school and a teen librarian in the public library.  She is well versed in Destiny, but has also used Winnebago/Sagebrush before they were sold to Follett.  If I remember correctly, we both used the OPAC Winnebago system in our first year as elementary library media specialists.  I honestly can’t recall anything about it.  It was all new to me then, so I thought it was great that the card catalog system was automated in all our schools that year.  I am a proponent of Destiny, having used it for the last seventeen years, but I don’t have much to compare it to.  The public library uses the Evergreen OPAC, and it is easy enough to search for a book using it.  I don’t have any in-depth “librarian” experience with it. 

     The pros of Destiny, in no particular order:

• Destiny is part of the Follett Corporation, which includes integrations with Titlewave Bookstore, TitleWise for collection analysis, X2,  Aspen (Student Information System) and WebPath Express (for a larger fee,) making it a convenient all inclusive system.

• TitleWave ordering is easy and saves booklists until you are ready to order.

• Can set up parameters for class lists for overdue reports and saves them to be used quickly throughout the year.

• Catalog is online, usable everywhere.

• Books that are processed from Follett look neat and professional.

• Easy to navigate while creating patron reports, patron updates, call number changes, patron barcodes, etc.

• Destiny Quest shows images in catalog search, which is easier for younger students to search.

• Ease of using patron checkout history, to find books for other students (Can I have the book that Casey had last month?)

• TitlePeek is a fantastic visual advantage for searching for books.

• Easy to upload new books from Follett or any company.

     The cons of Destiny:

• Cost is more expensive than other OPAC systems.

• Once the younger students get used to Destiny Quest, they don’t want to use the regular catalog search page.  (See next “con”.)

• Destiny catalog search has to have exact spelling, which can be quite frustrating for students.

     Overall we are both quite pleased with Destiny, and any shortcomings of Destiny may actually contribute to user error.  I use destiny for hours a day, but I use it for the same tasks.  Anything that I think Destiny can’t do is something I probably haven’t learned yet… ;)

Assistive Technology

   Hello fellow library enthusiasts!  Welcome back to the most up-to-the-minute, exciting library news!!  Or, at least my views on Assistive Technology...

     I found doing research for this subject just fascinating.  I had already taken the Sheltered English Instruction course for ELL students last year and this assistive technology assignment is another step in diversified learning.  Inclusivity is an important part of fostering a love of learning and enhancing each student’s well-being.  Teaching UDL benefits every child in the classroom, whether that student has physical special needs, an IEP, is an ELL student or has a learning disability. 

     After talking with the technology supervisors and computer lab teachers, I learned that we have several examples of assistive technologies in our school district.  There are large screen monitors for the students’ computers with magnifying capabilities for better visuals.  In addition, they are larger keyboards for easier key recognition.  Some of these monitors are touch screen for easier manipulation compared to the mouse, for students who are lacking in fine motor skills.

     Another great addition to our assistive technologies toolbox is the adaptive plug-in for the transmitters used by our hearing impaired students.  These plug-ins allowed our students to hear clearly directly into the earpiece of their transmitters.  A wire runs from the output speaker jack into their transmitter box, eliminating the need for headphones.  The computer lab also added the app Speak It from the Apple Store.  This text to speech app reads books, articles, documents, etc.  This app is perfect for students who are hearing impaired or who are below level readers.

     In the library, we have audio books with corresponding text, giving every child an opportunity to read different/harder levels of books.  I have recently put color coded stickers on easy reader books for ease of identification for non-readers, ELL students or any other child.  Although stickers are not technology, it still assists the learning process.  We use TumbleBooks in the library, which animates a book and highlights the text as the story is being read.  Every student cheers when we put TumbleBooks up on the projector.  We are also incredibly fortunate to have 30 iPads to use just in the library.  There are almost 50 apps for students to choose from, including author websites, Destiny catalog, math games, weather, drawing, American states and many others.  Students can pick the apps that most appeal to them and their abilities.  Students perform at their own pace, giving them confidence and motivation to master basic levels and move on to more complex levels of learning.  These iPads create a level playing field for all students, as they are using them independently and/or quietly at their table.  Students at this age are incredibly fast learners and master these apps quickly. 

     Making sure that our libraries are updated with the best assistive technologies will continue to expand the learning possibilities of every student.  Librarians should be aware of the technologies that are available and where to get those materials.  We should continue to advocate for our libraries and our students by communicating what is available to use in the library; if no one knows what is there, it won’t be used.  Lastly, librarians should be in good communication with the special education teachers to keep informed of what the students are already using and try to supplement their libraries accordingly. 

Online Social Networking and Gaming

Welcome back to insightful thoughts!  Here we go:

     
     After all the extensive reading on gaming, once again, I have been humbled into admitting that because I was not a gamer, I did not allow any gaming systems in my house when my children were growing up. I considered it all mind rot and my motto was “Get a book!” I can’t be too apologetic; my children are excellent readers and still continue to read for pleasure and information as adults. We had plenty of computers in the house and they could play educational games from a CD. They had exposure to gaming systems at their friends’ houses and that was fine with me. However, after reading the positive aspects of gaming, I clearly missed the boat on this one. UDL is such a large component of how we teach now, and gaming is a part of that. Elkins states “Learners develop skills in both formal and informal learning environments.” (Moline 2010). Technology is here to stay, and, of course, librarians have found a way to incorporate all aspects of it in the library.

      I certainly love the idea of gaming in the library; if not at the elementary level, at least the middle and high school level. In one of my pre-practicum classes, I observed a middle school in Billerica, Ma with a fantastic LMS, Mary Melaugh. She was at school 90 minutes early every day so the students could play in a gaming club. Minecraft was huge at the time and the library was packed every morning. It also attracted other students to meet there as well. She didn’t allow gaming during school hours, just those early morning times and the students took advantage of that. Mary knew that while the students loved the Minecraft club, she was also helping then foster a love of differentiated learning and community. She is a soft spoken, sweet and very well-liked teacher. I created many new “centers” at my library after seeing how diversified her library was.

      I spent some time polling adults and students about their gaming use, and I was surprised at what I heard. A lot of my colleagues play games. Did I just expect all teachers and administrators to go home to read or do a puzzle? After a long day of teaching, they relax with games like Solitaire, Mahjong, Candy Crush, Moxie and Sudoku; just to name a few. I also started with some “brain games” and I have really enjoyed them. Contrary to my “limited” belief from my earlier days, it is not mind rot. It is engaging, challenging and completely different from anything that I do during the day. Games can reinforce critical-thinking and problem-solving skills, while others are based on quick eye-hand coordination or spatial reasoning skills. Sorry to Casey, David and Brette for not allowing them in our home when you were children! I think my “mother of the year” trophy just got smaller.

      When speaking to twenty-somethings about their gaming habits (my son and his friends,) they would play at night with each other online. These competitions are ongoing as well as the trash talking and bragging rights. Some are high school friends and some are college friends, but it is just one more way for these guys to stay connected while they live in different states. They get introduced (virtually) to other gamers and the circle grows. I was not surprised at the number of elementary students who play games using technology. More of the elementary students play with family members at home. It seems that almost all families have some sort of portable technology for their children to use, and in most cases, students have their own device. In my elementary school, more boys played than girls, and boys typically played longer than their female counterparts. Minecraft was the most popular gamed played. Some students said their parents limited their time while gaming, while a smaller percentage had no limitations. I’m not sure if it’s safe to say that I think some limitations should be placed on younger students; I have been wrong before…

      I had not even realized the fact that having gaming in the library serves a population that may not have a chance to be a part of the gaming community. Elkins says that “More importantly, providing gaming in the library program is a way to help socioeconomically disadvantaged children who may not have the same opportunities as more affluent students to develop 21st-century literacies.” This is not a small thing. We want all our students to be information literate, good global citizens and life-long learners, and without access to technology, it is a huge deficit for these children. Our public library has at least a dozen computers for the adults downstairs, but only 2 iPads and 4 computers for children to use in the children’s room. That is not nearly enough, but the children take turns playing games on them. We are lucky enough to have 30 iPads at the Center School Library. I maintain them and use them with each class at least once a month and the older grades use them more than that. They are loaded with games, author websites, the library catalog, Britannica Elementary, the weather, a calculator, Brain Pop, etc. The students love iPad days more than anything else. It feels like “down” time to them, but all the while they are learning.

      I know that almost of the middle schoolers and up have social media accounts, but I think they are huge pitfalls when it comes to younger students. Almost all of my students (K-4) do not use social media yet. There are a few who will tell me that they have a Facebook account, I remind them that are not 13 yet and they are violating Facebook’s terms of use policy. Such a killjoy, aren’t I? I feel like falls along the same lines as copyright infringement and plagiarism. Aren’t we supposed to teach them to be good digital citizens? Following the rules of age restrictions is simply being a good user of social media. Also, if they are not aware of or practicing online safety, the internet can be a scary place. When I asked my students about being safe online, most said their parents had talked to them about it. My colleague in the computer lab, Ms. Lamson, teaches a whole unit on online safety, so it is reinforced at school too. The maturity level in elementary students just isn’t suitable for social media (Yes, that is a generalization, but I am sticking by it.) The psychological implications will have a lasting effect especially if these children are using it in a negative manner. I won’t even address the subject of the sketchy adults who are using in a negative manner.

      I am a huge proponent for social media. I have Facebook and Pinterest accounts and I am beginning with Twitter. It doesn’t sound like much, but I’m taking baby steps. The reason I like social media so much I that I am a terrible “keep in touch” kind of girl. Facebook allows me to stay current in my family and friends lives, watch their beautiful kids growing up, look at their vacation photos and send messages of happiness and love. Pinterest allows me to create boards of beautiful and interesting things that I will never make. What more can I ask of a free service? Admittedly, I post a LOT of Patriots messages and even more library pictures and memes on Facebook. I have reminded my own children that you shouldn’t put anything on Facebook that you wouldn’t want Grandi to read, (Grandi is my mother and our moral compass.) They, in turn, like to remind me that she doesn’t even have a Facebook account. Alas, that is not the point. I’m hoping that older students understand that potential colleges and universities can look up their Facebook page. Potential employers can do the same thing. People have lost their jobs because of things they have posted online. Once any information or picture is posted, there is a footprint of it in cyber world, even if students delete it. According to the PEW report “88% of teen social media users believe people share too much information about themselves on social media.” Lenhart, pg 6. That is a staggering percent of users posting inappropriate material online with no way to undo it. There, of course, have been many hard lessons learned in a very public forum. While I can only be grateful to have grown up in a time where there were no cell phones or social media, we need to protect our children and students, sometimes from themselves.

 Reference articles:

Aaron, Elkins. "Let's Play!" Knowledge Quest Summer Learning 43.5 (2015): 58-63. Print.

 Lenhart, A., Smith, A.., Anderson, M., Duggan, M., Perrin, A., “Teens, Technology and Friendships.” Pew Research Center, August, 2015.