Monday, August 23, 2021
Thursday, May 6, 2021
Final Reflections
Of all the courses I have taken, this course is by far my favorite. I was already comfortable with technology and incorporated it into my library lessons weekly, but this course allowed me to take it a step further. This class allowed me to view and use some of the programs and applications that I learned in ways that I would not have thought of. I also like the fact that I could see my peer's ideas on how they would use the application in their classroom/library. Librarians are huge support that can offer students and teachers information on new technology that they can use in the classroom, library, or home. Here are some of my thoughts of the course's tools we have practiced with:
Which digital tools excited me the most?
I was most excited to work with social media. I have only a Twitter account for social media for my library, but I want to extend that and have a library page on Facebook and Instagram. I was excited to see different librarian's social media accounts and how they post information for their community to see. It gave me ideas on what I should post about on my social media accounts.
What digital tool was difficult to use?
The digital tool that was difficult for me to use was the infographic assignment. I never made an infographic before and was glad to work with three different platforms/sites to investigate which one I would create an infographic with. At first, I thought I loved working with Piktochart, but then I worked with Easel.ly, and that one fit me best. If I had just been given a single platform to work with, I would not have been able to find the platform that worked for ME.
Which one (in your opinion) will most benefit students?
All the assignments were informative, but I believe that the YouTube, Animoto, and QR codes will be the most beneficial in my role as an information literacy specialist "librarian." I enjoyed seeing the different videos other librarians and library patrons had put together to share with their viewers. I feel like all three aspects would work on my campus to take technology to the next level. I believe QR codes will be highly successful on my campus because I'll create quick links for students to access different materials, videos, book talks, websites, and even forms to be completed. My campus is a 1:1 campus with Ipads, and I feel QR codes will be beneficial since I teach primary students(age 4-5-year-olds). Having QR codes in different areas of the campus will allow students to access what those QR codes link to. I believe that once teachers see the benefits of using YouTube, Animoto, and QR codes, they too will use them in their lessons and classrooms,
I created a short summary of my final reflection using book creator. Check it out!!!
Book Creator: Final Reflection
Wednesday, May 5, 2021
Universal Design for Learning
What is Universal Design for Learning?
Universal Design for Learning is creating a curriculum that supports and challenges ALL students. As educators, we must realize that students learn in various ways and be given choices when showing that they comprehend the material. As a new school librarian, I need to keep Universal Design for Learning in mind when planning out my library program so all students can feel welcomed and comfortable when visiting and using our available resources. Universal Design for Learning may seem like a daunting task, but it will benefit our students in the long run.
Which of these guidelines is I already using?
- Checkpoint 2.5- Illustrate through multiple media: Instead of depending on just text to get messages across, I like to include various digital visuals for further understanding. These visuals usually include posters, infographics, diagrams, and videos.
- Checkpoint 3.1- Activate or supply background knowledge: Activating prior knowledge in students is a critical piece of teaching that must be done. As teachers, we must see what students know about a concept or topic to further build upon it. A KWL chart is a good way to see what students know about a topic beforehand. You can even conduct a poll or a survey to see what prior knowledge the students know.
- Checkpoint 6.1- Guide appropriate goal-setting: At my campus, we must have our goals and objectives posted in our classroom for students and staff members to refer to at any time. Before we begin our lessons, we always make sure we start off our lesson by making sure we state our goals and objectives first, and we always make sure we repeat them throughout our lesson to make sure the students understand what they are learning.
- Checkpoint 8.3- Foster Collaboration and Community: I believe that cooperative learning is a big part of teaching. Students should have the opportunity to work in groups because it encourages them to problem solve and think critically. I love seeing my students collaborate with one another. When they all work together as a community, it makes me realize that they understand the topic.
- Checkpoint 9.3 - Develop self-assessment and reflection: On my campus, we display our classroom schedules, I can chart and behavior charts. Students have the opportunity to move them throughout the day as they master certain concepts. Student's work is displayed around the classroom and on bulletin boards around the campus. Students really take ownership of the work that they complete in the classroom.
- Checkpoint 1.1- Offer ways of customizing the display of information: As an educator, I try my best to present information in various formats, but I know that I need to slow down my talking when presenting the information. I find myself trying to speak too fast to cover all the material within the time constraints. I need to remember to take it slow so that all students can understand the lessons.
- Checkpoint 7.1- Optimize individual choice and autonomy: A big part of Universal Design for Learning is providing students with choice, and I believe I could start to implement this checkpoint now. I have participated in many choice board professional development courses, and I can immediately incorporate choice boards. As educators, we need to challenge students and letting them choose how to display their learning, and a choice board is a great way to do it. Having choice boards would be a great addition to my teaching practice, and now that we are also doing virtual classes, this would work perfectly.
- Checkpoint 5.3- Build fluencies with graduated levels of support for practice and performance: I would need guidance on how to differentiate lessons and scaffold activities for various learning styles. I think I could work on this guideline with the help of an instructional coach or skills specialist to better understand all learners.
- Checkpoint 9.1- Promote expectations and beliefs that optimize motivation: I would need help implementing this checkpoint. I would love to focus on this guideline as it promotes self-motivation, helps with outbursts and frustration, and develops coping skills. To be open and willing to learn, they need to first learn how to handle their emotions and be motivated to learn.
Friday, April 23, 2021
Podcast
I am a huge fan of podcasts! Podcasting is a great way to listen to various topics that interest you and share about topics you know. Podcasts are not only radio show topics but can also include cooking, crafting, religion, education, and favorite television shows. If something interests you, there is most likely a podcast for you to listen to. Librarians and teachers can use podcasts for simple things such as book talks, interviews about book-related topics, and book club discussions. You can create a podcast on just about anything. The possibilities are endless.
There are several options when it comes to creating your own podcast. I chose to take a closer look at Podbean, Buzzsprout, and Anchor. Each of these podcasts has its pros and cons, and I'd love to share my experiences with you.
Podbean is the podcast hosting service that I have used for past assignments. It is free to use but does offer an unlimited audio version for $9 a month, unlimited plus for $29 a month, and business for $99 a month. You can sign in using your Google sign-in. It is definitely great for beginners and those just starting to use podcasts. Podbean has been great for introducing me to the basics of the podcast; the recording, loading, and publishing are easy and quick to create and share. You can even publish a podcast from your phone/mobile device. It does have a drawback, such as there isn't an option to edit within Podbean. I would recommend Podbean to anyone that is just getting started with podcasts.
I have never heard of Buzzsprout podcasting until it was listed as a podcasting tool to research. It consists of a free plan for podcast hosting. Users can get up to 2 hours of audio for free, but there are also upgrades that you can pay for $12 a month for 3 hours of audio per month, $18 a month for up to 6 hours of audio, $24 for up to 12 hours of audio each month. Episodes can be easily created and available to many different places. Buzzsprout also helps with the transition to get podcasts on iTunes or Spotify. One drawback is that after 90 days with the free version Buzzsprout deletes your files.
My group decided to use Anchor as our podcast hosting service. Anchor is free to use and is easy to login in using your Google sign-in. You can access Anchor through the web/browser version, android, and iOs platforms. Anchor is an all-in-one platform that you can create, distribute, monetize your podcast from any device, and collaborate or have guest speakers join easily. There are several ways to create your podcast; you can record it on the app or choose an audio file from your library. You can edit within the app and include interludes, sounds, songs, and even voice messages. Anchor is my favorite podcast hosting service out of the other two.
My Recommendation
I enjoyed using Anchor as my podcast hosting service. I can work on something from my desktop, and the app version will update immediately. The connectivity between the browser/web version and the app is great. I was able to take my m4a file, and drag/drop when on the web version or click the file on the mobile version. I like that I can edit in Anchor and put multiple files together to make one final podcast.
Our Podcast!
My group chose to create our podcast using Anchor. The episode covers two literary leaders in the library world; Jennifer LaBoon and Dr. Arnulfo Trejo. The different segments were recorded by Margarita Castillo and me (Lorina Ramirez).
Click this link to listen to our podcast!
Podcast in the library
- You can create a podcast to share tips and tricks about digital technology apps with faculty!
- You can create a podcast where students give book recommendations/ reviews.
-You can create a podcast on how to use the library databases.
-You can even have students create a podcast about their favorite authors.
How to find an educational podcast
To find podcasts for you to listen to, first think about your interest in regards to librarianship. Look at publishers, organizations you belong to, and authors. This will help you get started at looking for podcasts that will interest you.
Here are some podcasts to check out!
- American Library Association
- Librarian Influencers
- Library Leadership
- Circulating Ideas
- Cyberpunk Librarian
Saturday, April 17, 2021
Cartoons and Comics
I truly enjoy reading cartoons and comics as an adult. Graphic Novels' popularity is on the rise, and it would be crazy not to take advantage and apply this in the classrooms. Comics are so much fun to use in the classroom and library! I truly enjoyed trying out these various digital technology applications to create comics. They each have their own pros and cons, and I'd love to share what I learned and created.
Check out these comic makers:
FotoJet took me a while to get the hang of. I liked that I was able to log in using my google sign-in. You can get an upgraded membership for $6.99 a month, or you can save a little money by signing up for an annual membership fee of $39.99. The layout is a lot like using Canva. Once I started playing around with various templates and got a feel for the features, it started getting easier to use. Fotojet has a limited amount of templates and focuses primarily on photographs. I searched their images to find the ones that I can use. You can upload your own photos to personalize your comic.
I believe FotoJet will allow students to explore their creativity, and I would definitely try to challenge them to brainstorm their comic first. Once they have a general idea of what they want, I would have them take their own pictures to create the comic's storyline. Fotojet was easy to save and was done in one easy click.
MakeBeliefsComix was my least favorite of the three. You don't have to sign up for an account, and I could log in using my Google sign-in. There are no upgrades that you can purchase because it is a free application. It was limited, and I felt like I didn't have much freedom to create a great comic. With MakeBeliefsCoxic, students will not be able to use their own original work. There are a few characters to select from, and they each only have a few poses to choose from. The images look old and outdated. The dialogue bubbles can't be moved, but objects and words can be added, which makes up for the dialogue bubbles not being able to be moved. You can print, share, save and email your comic. I emailed my completed comic and saved it to my desktop, and uploaded it to my blog. It wasn't a quick one-step process.
- Try to be creative and fun by adding a comic that you created into an email. It can be fun and have information about what you are doing in the classroom.
- Come join my professional development and learn how to make a comic.
- You can incorporate comics into your lesson plans. You can even collaborate and co-teach with the teacher on how to digitally create comics.
- Have students plan and create a comic based on a story that you read.
- Instead of having students write a boring paper, challenge them to bring their paper to life by making a comic.
Saturday, April 10, 2021
Videos and QR codes in the Library
YouTube has become one of the most used forms of social media for kids and adults. Librarians and teachers can create YouTube channels to model library activities and teach lessons. Students love using YouTube! It’s also a way to transform students into creators.
Check out some of these amazing libraries' YouTube videos that help students highlight the fun learning and activities in the library.
Which video is the most helpful for students?
Norman Public Schools Celebrates Your Freedom to Read. This video was helpful because it was interesting and very educational when discussing your freedom to read whatever you want. After all, librarians must be biased regarding selecting materials they provide and must abide by all patrons' privacy rights.
Which is the video that the students would like the best?
Tiger Visits the Norman High Library. I am the librarian at a Primary campus, and I can only imagine how excited my students would be if they were to spot our mascot roaming the halls. I feel it is entertaining to watch no matter what age you are.
Which video is the most helpful for students?
Tutorial Video for Tillery: Powerpoint "How To" Basics. Students will find this video helpful because it gives them a step-by-step tutorial on creating a PowerPoint for their research.
Which is the video that the students would like the best?
Video Tutorial: Finding CC Images Using Compfight. Students would like this tutorial the best because it gives them tools to find free images to use when creating presentations to use in class.
Which video is the most helpful for students?
2014-15 Course Advisement. This course advisement video is most helpful to students because it is important information that all high school students need to know.
Which is the video that the students would like the best?
Senior Party in the Library. Students would like Senior Party in the Library because students would LOVE to stand on tables and dance to celebrate being a Senior. It gives the other grades something to look forward to.
Which video is the most helpful for students?
eResources @ BBMS. Students will appreciate this helpful video that shows them all about the eResources available to them through a single portal.
Belle-Beauty & the Beast-Overdue Library Book Parody. Students will get a kick out of this creative Belle-Beauty & the Beast video about overdue Library books. I loved watching all of the library book prodigies.
I truly enjoyed watching all the book Parodies from BBMSMEDIA. Here are two of my favorites:
My Plan to use YouTube in the Library:
- Book trailers
- Teaching library procedures
- Screencasting to highlight online resources
- Showing the amazing things that are happening in the library
Cooney, C. (1990). The Face on the Milk Carton.Bantam Doubleday Dell Book
QR Codes scannable codes that direct the user to information selected by the QR code maker. They are being used all over the place, including schools, to share things from websites, forms, documents, images, and even videos on the web. Research some ways libraries are using QR codes. Most smartphones come with an integrated QR code reader in their camera without having to download any additional apps or software. QR codes can be generated with different free sites, I like using https://www.qr-code-generator.com/ because it allows me to enter a large range of items to create the QR code for; from URL, Text, email, SMS, Twitter, Facebook, PDF, MP3, coupons, surveys, and even images to link to the QR code.
I have used QR codes in the classroom to teach letters, colors, shapes, recording myself teaching a lesson, and reading books. I plan on using QR codes in the library so students can roam around and scan QR codes to find books they want and to also place around the campus so the teachers know what is happening in the library.
Since my campus is currently a 1:1 district with Ipads I believe QR codes will be extremely useful. Having QR codes with information, tutorials, and newsletters will allow me to share even more with my patrons.
Ways to use QR codes in the Library:
- Students can watch book trailers.
- Students can watch the author talk about the books.
- The librarian can make videos about how to navigate around the library.
- Students can watch check-out procedures.
- The librarian can make scavenger hunts around the library to find materials.
Thursday, April 1, 2021
Screencast
I had never heard of or used a screencast before I started my master's degree. My instructors were using a screencast to introduce the course to us and explain how to complete assignments. A screencast is a video that is made that shows the viewer the screen that the creator is looking at while also narrating. The video does not only have to consist of the computer screen. Users can also turn on their webcam, so their audience can actually see them as they speak through the video. I was handed a curveball last year in March when I had to learn how to use a screencast due to COVID-19. I remember freaking out and wondering how I was going to teach online, and then I remember that my professors do this all the time using screencasts. I have found that screencast videos are a great way for people to share instructional videos with others and it delivers step-by-step instructions to their students without physically being in the same room.
I decided to compare three screencasts since I have personally worked with two out of the three. Screencastify, Screencast-o-Matic, and Jing.
Screencasify was the first screencast that I worked with because it was one that a professor was using. I thought it looked easy to use. It was very easy to work with. Users just need to make an account and download the Google Chrome extension for it. I like it because since I am always signed into my Google account, all of my screencasts automatically upload to my Google Drive. There are other download options available as well, such as YouTube, email, and embed a code. The only thing that I do not enjoy about the free version of screencastify is that it only allows you to record five minutes. You can upgrade to an unlimited package for $49 a year that allows an unlimited amount of minutes to record and unlimited edits. You can make all sorts of videos using screencastify such as: how to login to the online OPAC, how to send an email, how to check-in and out books online, and how to show students to login to clever using their clever badge.
Here is a screencastify that I made at the beginning of the year to show teachers how to login to our school's OPAC Destiny.
Screencast-o-Matic is another handy tool to have in your toolbox for virtual learning. It offers three different versions a free version, a deluxe version, and a premier version. For the free version, you can record up to fifteen minutes. You can also fix the width of the screen you want to record. You are able to upload your Screencast-o-Matic video to YouTube or download it as a file. You also have the option to add closed captions and/or music. If you are looking for more features, you can pay for the deluxe version, which is $1.65 a month, or the premier version, which is $4.00 a month, and both of those options give you more features greenscreen filters, editing options, and sound effects. Screencast-o-Matic can be used to show teachers and students how to login to their email accounts, how to search for books on the online OPAC, and how to login to Schoology.
Here is a screencast-o-Matic that I made to show my campus how to access Ebooks using the online OPAC Destiny.
- How to login to the online catalog (OPAC)
- How to find research databases
- How to check-in and out books online
- How to use our learning links
- How to send an Email
- How to share a document
- Go over math problems
- Modeling reading strategies
- How to login to Schoology
- How to upload things into Schoology
Saturday, March 27, 2021
Infographics
Infographics
- Easel.ly is easy to set up and can be accessed through your Google account. It provides blank templates to choose from. Users can choose from categories like resumes, timelines, comparisons, holidays, etc. When creating a new infographic, templates can be easily dragged and dropped into a blank infographic. There are not many backgrounds to choose from unless you upgrade to Go Pro. The pricing is as follows students $2, individuals $4, and a business $5. Users can add shapes, media, lines, text, graphs/charts, and a grid to align. The infographic can be downloaded to a PDF and shared. I like that the infographic can be resized and can be accessed using an Ipad. All of the examples are very eye-catching and would definitely get the attention of teens and adults.
- Piktochart is an easy-to-use infographics creator that provides the user with step-by-step instructions on creating, managing and sharing their designs. You can log in by using your Google email. You do have to answer some quick questions about how you will be using Piktochart for. Piktochart has a limited selection of templates and graphics to choose from in the free version. You can purchase Piktochart PRO with an annual fee of $39.99. Users can choose templates and easily change text, pictures, and upload images. I liked that it had PDF download capabilities, charts can be created and inserted, data can be plugged in or imported, use icons to portray data, and the infographic can be shared and embedded.
- Infogram has fewer options than Easel.ly and Piktochart. You can log in using your Google email for quick login. You do have to answer some questions before you can use Infogram. There are not many free templates to choose from. Infogram has a flow chart, step-by-step chart, and a timeline template available. Any infographic created with the basic account will be public on the web with no privacy controls. You get up to 10 free graphics per project. I liked the autosave feature, but it is kind of difficult to maneuver. If you want to purchase Infogram Pro, you will pay $19 a month. This will give you more features to use, such as up to 100 projects, 100+ templates, privacy controls, and advanced imaging features. It is not available to use on mobile devices.
Easel.ly.
Saturday, February 20, 2021
Instagram, Facebook pages and Groups, and Twitter
Hello All!
I am going to be exploring three different social media sites: Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter, and how they can enhance library services. Social Media has been beneficial to me on my campus. It allows me to make connections beyond the campus and district to learn from and share information and ideas with others. Not only do I learn a vast amount of information it also allows me to share my ideas with others and help them.
Facebook is a social media platform that allows users to share images and text with others. Facebook is available as an Android app, iOS app and can also be used on the web. There are a lot of library and librarian pages on Facebook, some are listed as "Pages" and some as "Groups." When I was searching through the pages and groups I noticed many promoting reading challenges, book fairs, book talks, and book giveaways. Viewing these posts gave me great ideas on what I would post if I were to create a Facebook page for my campus' library.
The advantages I found for using Facebook is that it allows me to have interactions with other librarians. My campus library does not have a Facebook account, but our school district does have a district-wide Facebook account. On our district account, you can see what is happening at other campuses, upcoming events, and it allows the district to collaborate with the community members.
The disadvantages I found for using Facebook is that there are not a lot of comments left on the pages and groups and they are not being updated. It may be that the librarians that have Facebook pages don't have the additional support to help keep their page updated. It also seems that more adults are using Facebook than students/teenagers.
My overall, view on having a Facebook page is that it can help librarians advocate for their library and showcase all the amazing things that are not seen. Librarians can use Facebook to collaborate with other librarians not only in their community but around the world to share ideas.
Here are some examples of Facebook usage:
Twitter allows users to share tiny bits of written information with others. When you are writing information you are limited to a certain amount of characters in a Tweet and put to 4 images to share with your followers. My school campus library has a Twitter account and its post includes special events happening in the library, things happening on campus, student work, and makerspace ideas. Follow my campus' Twitter account: @rinamarie0
Using Twitter allows users to share ideas in a quick concise matter. Everybody loves information that is quick and to the point. There are many professionals, authors, and publishers on Twitter that you can learn a plethora amount of information from. It amazes me how educational leaders are willing to share their ideas with fellow community members. I also enjoy sharing pictures of things that I do in the library with my students and with teachers and tagging those in the picture. I get so happy when another librarian, author, or community member retweets one of my tweets. I find that even my student's parents are tweeting things from home because we have students that are virtual. I love using Twitter and find it easier to use out of Instagram, and Facebook.
Here are some wonderful resources that I found on Twitter:
Dr. Karin Perry @kperry
Dr.Terry Lesesne @professornana
