Here are some of my favorite links concerning iPads:
OK, so how can this be used with students? And what's the value?
Expand upon learning, point of view, perspective. For instance, I just read an amazing book, State of Wonder by Ann Patchett. The story itself was compelling, but what made it especially rich was the sub-text, the underpinnings of the story. One theme deals with the ethics of medical research. Another has the reader question whether anyone's life has more value than another's. A student could be asked to take a position and share a succinct opinion based on research, and link that opinion to sources found on the Internet.
I recently went to the Museum of Modern Art and the entire exhibit (Talk to Me: Design and the Communication between People and Objects) was extended through the use of QR codes. Each display was accompanied by a strange little icon. A quick scan of that icon on a smart phone offered additional insight into a particular display.
The Daring Librarian has an example of a scavenger hunt embellished through the use of QR codes:
1. Welcome back! 2. Elementary Social Studies Digital Resources 3. Summer reading program 4. Follett 5. Common Core Standards 6. Online Databases 7. Staff Development for November 8. Websites of Note:
1. Visual Thesaurus training Access: log onto your eChalk account. Click on My Account/Applications. From this point, you can log on without entering a username and password. http://uniondale.visualthesaurus.com/
2. Summer Reading incentive baskets and flyers ready for pick-up.
3. Articles sent: Cyberbullying, LUCY, a New Path to Diversity, The Role of School Librarians inPromoting the Use of Educational Technologies, What's New in Math Oriented Picture Books, Signs of a Welcoming Library, Tween Girls Want Chick Lit, Too, Primary Civil War Resources
1. Purchase orders due by April 1 2. 2011-2012 budget update 3. Requests for staff development--let me know if you have any special needs or requests so I can plan. Feedback indicated that some of you would like to deliver staff development. If so, share with me particulars of what you are willing to do. 4. LITE Bytes article--showcase an aspect of this year's library program. 5. Summer reading--Consensus was to do the baskets once again. 6. Self-evaluation tool follow-up--Pick one area of the self-evaluation tool that you would like to improve and make plans for that to happen. 7. Multimedia report--In the Y drive, there's a folder in Librarians/District called Multimedia Reports. Inside that folder, you'll see a document called Multimedia Report Ingredients. Use that as your template. Rename the file and save it to the folder I created within the Multimedia Reports folder named for your building. Save a few pictures of students that show them engaged in the library. Websites of Note:
1. Netbook use procedures 2. Wiki Project from LRMS Library 3. Document Camera 4. School Library Media Program Evaluations 5. Videoconference sharing 6. Follett eShelf
1. Staff Development Day, January 31, 2011 Videoconferencing at BOCES all day unless you're an eChalk site manager in which case please attend site manager training in room 309 at the high school from 12:30-3:00. 2. Collection development presentation to PTA Council Curriculum Committee 3. State Education Department School Library Media Program Evaluation 4. Kindles in the high school library 5. Global Village at Uniondale Public Library, Sunday, January 23, 2 pm 6. Library websites
I read with dismay Marc Bernstein’s recommendations regarding steps our schools should take in these trying budgetary times (Newsday, November 23, 2010). His comments suggesting that having a professional librarian in our high schools and a minimum number of books is antiquated shows a lack of understanding of the pivotal role school library professionals play in our schools. In fact, I believe that schools at all levels should have libraries that boast an extensive variety of resources and reading materials as well as a professional librarian whose responsibilities are so varied that any compiled list doesn’t do justice to the reality of the myriad professional activities that fill the librarian’s day.
Professional librarians across all levels support classroom initiatives to increase student achievement by providing to students a rich, varied and challenging collection of resources. Instruction delivered by school librarians promotes literacy, critical thinking, and develops ways in which research process activities may be utilized to foster intellectual growth and greater success with assessments. Certainly the number of resources a library holds is not as critical as the backbone of instruction that bolsters the use of these materials.
Professional school librarians develop an understanding of the curriculum and collaborate with teachers to ascertain what our young people need to know. They evaluate and select books and resources that are most appropriate to their assignments and interests. Librarians teach students the strategies they need in order to use these materials most effectively. Librarians entice students to take a break from their everyday activities to delve into the world of literature by carefully selecting and promoting titles that appeal to varied interests and reading abilities. Librarians teach students and teachers how to integrate technology to best advantage to invigorate teaching and learning. Librarians prepare students to take advantage of the complex libraries they will encounter in post-secondary educational settings.
In an environment where 21st century skills are touted, we must recognize that a student’s academic achievement extends beyond the classrooms into libraries, that equity of access is every student’s right, and learning how to be an effective library user translates into gaining the skills to be truly information literate and taking one’s place on the path to lifelong learning. Districts should be encouraged to nurture a program that places the library at center stage in a child’s educational journey. Budgetary support for our libraries and the professionals who run them must continue even in challenging economic times.
Suggested steps for using multimedia resources for curriculum development and reporting:
1. Retrieve the Multimedia Reports document from the Y drive and save it to your own folder with a different name. 2. Make your word list to feature highlights from your program. 3. Decide which statistics you will use from Follett and sketch out how this will look in your final product. 3. Create a Wordle or Tagxedo (see description below). 4. If you haven't already done so, create a Glogster account and make a poster to use in your report. 5. Go to your Animoto account and create your movie.
If time permits, other web 2.0 sites to visit and consider:
1. Embedit.in.com shows documents on your website. It allows you to upload documents to their site and use a player to read the document even if you don't have the software.
2. Scribblar Online interactive whiteboard for those of you who don't have one. Link to the url rather than embed. Give everyone moderator privileges. Free collaborative tool.
3. Docsteach.org From National Archives 3000 documents, images and maps Search by era, drill down by skill Creates url Can e-mail activity results to teachers
4. Hippocampus.org Comprehensive Can be complete online course Course and textbook tab--video and text Can set up classes
5. History Pin http://www.historypin.com/ Connect history to people Photo database connected to Google maps Upload old photos; can add stories
Set up classroom gmail account Some teachers find it to be an issue when students need to put in their email address when entering a site. This is often more of a problem when working with elementary children. However, Gmail has an interesting way around this. Set up a gmail account for your school or class. Your students can use the email to enter the sites. 2. To do this, just add a + sign and the students first name (or classroom number or any other name shortcut that indicates which student is using this) after your gmail address. (your address+student1@gmail.com) An example of this: techsummit@gmail.com Then Johnny can use: techsummit+johnny@gmail.com techsummit+keri@gmail.com
The children can’t send or receive email. If someone uses techsummit+keri@gmail.com to send a message to Keri, it will end up in the techsummit email box, where the teacher can moderate.
Note: When setting up a school-use gmail account for yourself, remember that students (and possibly parents) will see and use your email name, so choose wisely! Avoid account usernames that would be inappropriate. http://mail.google.com Student Naming Suggestions Use first name followed by last initial Use initials only Use 1st 3 letters of the first name and first three of the last name
6. Kwout Embed section of website; includes original url at bottom
7. Sweet Search Search engine for students Collection of educational websites similar to Nettrekker which you all should be using! Gives you option to look at results from Google Can put search widget on home page
3. Staff Development Day, November 2, 8:00-3:00 Using Multimedia Resources for Curriculum Development and Reporting ActivInspire, Glogster, Web 2.0 Tools Please take and save photos to use for report.
4. Budget—Status and Preparations Consider any equipment or extraordinary needs for budget development.
5. Department Meeting with Public Librarians—12/15/2010
3. Department meetings, 2010-2011 All meetings will be held on Wednesday afternoons after school in the high school library, unless otherwise indicated.
September 15, 2010
October 20, 2010
November 2, 2010 (Staff Development Day)
December 15, 2010—joint meeting with the public librarians
Six librarians from various library types share reflections about professional library work with the hope that doing so will improve library communities. Check it out:
This site is devoted to efforts to facilitate information fluency, "...the ability to find, evaluate and use digital information effectively, efficiently and ethically." It includes many helpful resources and tutorials that have an audio feature.
