Blog Post 4: Technology Leadership Role of School Librarians

     More and more, librarians are the technology liaison on the school campus. This means the librarian needs to know how to fix the computer monitor if it suddenly goes blank and how to help the Language Arts teacher integrate technology into her lesson plans. In order to help librarians and teachers with the task of integrating technology into the classroom and effectively teaching it to students, the American Association of School Libraries (AASL) developed the “Standards for the 21st-Century Learner” (2011) as a guide for educators to navigate this new technological world. With nine foundational common beliefs and four standards, this guideline is supposed to instruct librarians and teachers as they navigate the world of teaching technology. These standards remind educators that technology is a beneficial tool to edify the curriculum and the students, not merely an educational outcome. 

      In his article, 9 Wrong and 8 Right Ways Students Should Use Technology, J. Dunn (2013) claims, “technology is a tool in the classroom and not meant to be the focus of attention. It’s meant to enable, not overwhelm. It’s meant to enhance learning, not box it in.” He makes a valid point that educators should be teaching students how to find answers, how to make a difference, how to change minds. The tools used to reach these goals have become more technological in the past few years, but the purpose of teaching is still the same: to educate children. With the world of Web 2.0, integrating technology into the classroom, or the library, is easier than ever. There seems to be a technology tool for every aspect of teaching. 

      While the AASL standards are a guideline for librarians to follow, Berger and Trexler (2010) list some action steps for librarians to follow: 
      1. Articulate a clear vision of technology, curriculum integration, and the use of Web 2.0 tools. 
      2. Revisit information literacy skills curriculum, especially in light of the new AASL “Standards for            the 21st-Century Learner.” 
      3. Keep teachers and administrators informed on the latest tools and best practices in the use and integration of Web 2.0 tools. 
      4. Support professional development in twenty-first-century skills for teachers, administrators, and parents. 
      5. Increase personal Web 2.0 literacy- Embrace emerging technologies! (p. 17, 18) 

      Using technology is more than using a device. It is carrying out a lesson plan in a new format, with the end goal still being the education of the student. Several technology tools include blogs, slide show websites, modified search engines, and simple web page building programs. Along with teaching students about technology comes the responsibility to teach them to use it wisely. And along with teaching students responsibility, teachers and librarians must use technology responsibly. Having students sit in front of a computer everyday in order to play word games is not the best, nor the most responsible, use of technology.

References 

 American Association of School Libraries (2011). Standards for the 21st-century learner. Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/aasl/standards-guidelines/learning-standards 

Berger, P., & Trexler, S. (2010). Choosing web 2.0 tools for learning and teaching in a digital world. Santa Barbara, CA: Libraries Unlimited. 

Dunn, J. (2013). 9 wrong and 8 right ways students should use technology. Retrieved from http://edudemic.com/2013/07/9-wrong-and-8-right-ways-students-should-use- technology/

Blog Post 3: Technology Implementation Strategies

Blog Post # 3 

Travis’s Excellent (eReader) Adventure 

by Travis Jonker 

    Jonker and a colleague applied for a grant from their district that would allow them to purchase eReaders, warranties, cases, and ebooks. Their grant was approved and Jonker decided to implement the new eReader program with the fifth and six grade campus. 

3 key points from the article: 

1.   Do your research on eReaders. 
 Jonker recommends several articles and websites that discuss eReader school programs, eBooks, and tablets. 

2.  Permission and Accessibility 
 Parents, of course, need to be aware of the eReader program and Jonker says permission slips should be signed by both the parent/guardian and the student. His school allowed students to take the tablets home, but were required to charge them at school during the day. Also, he mentions allowing teachers to check out the eReaders. 

3.  eBooks
 Decisions must be made on which eBooks to offer and how to get them on the devices. Due to Digital Rights Management, it’s not as easy as one would expect to load eBooks to a device. Jonker offers three options: load all the books onto each tablet (which is what his school did), offer different books on each device, allow students to choose the eBook then the librarian downloads it to the device. He also points out that librarians should consider giving the option to check out public library books on the device. 


Strategies I will use: 

1.  I would like to try using iPads and picture books. Digital picture books are full of sounds and movement and I think letting the students experience it for themselves would be huge in getting them more excited about books and reading. 

2.  I’d like to be able to communicate with parents more effectively. 
 https://www.remind101.com is a good place to start. I’m sure I’d have to have district approval to use this. It allows teachers to text parents without revealing any phone numbers. 

 References 

Jonker, Travis (2012). Travis's Excellent Adventure; or 'How to Launch a Thriving Ereader Program in a Rapidly Changing World'. School Library Journal, 58 (9). Retrieved from http://www.slj.com

Embedded Class Projects

Embedded Class Projects

• Strategies Professional Development Presentation and Handout

• Copyright Lesson Plan Presentation and Materials

Groups 4's Copyright Lesson Plan

Members of Group 4:

Patricia Becht

Elizabeth Carrillo

Allison Fitzgerald

Emily King

Melissa Surratt

• Search Engine

Here is the custom Google Search Engine I created for this class:

Try our slideshow maker at Animoto.


VoiceThread Presentation

Class Projects