When I think of diversity, I think of differences among people. The differences are very much varied. Some differences could be ethnic backgrounds, age, special needs, and even economic classes among students. When the word "diversity" comes up in Education, a person can interpret the word in many different ways. The media center should be a place that serves the needs of all their students, no matter what their "difference" may be. I believe the media specialist should be open to having different resources for all types of students, and not have personal bias in their media center collection. The media center should be a place a students can go and not feel out of place.
Technology is a great way to motivate students. Usually no matter what the "differences" are among students they all feel as though technology is exciting to use. Technology can be used to support diversity for all students. If the media center is stocked with a variety of different resources for everyone, it will provide a vast amount of knowledge for all students. Some students may not have had much exposure to different types of information. Technology can reach many different groups of students.
While completing some of my field experience hours I have noticed that Central Elementary has a collection of some books that are written in Spanish. The media center houses many different types of books that contain different cultural and religious topics for students.
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Sunday, April 18, 2010
eBook of the Month: Just a few short Clicks away
• Just in time for Earth Day, is NetLibrary’s eBook of the Month, Mallory Goes Green!
Written by Laurie Friedman, Illustrated by Jennifer Kalis, April 2010
Before you spend those hard fought for dollars on eBooks, click on over to GALILEO and access your NetLibrary. Net Library provides access to an eContent collection. eContent is the digital version of books, journals, and database content. You can access your library’s eContent 24 hours a days, seven days a week. Within the UWG NetLibrary there are currently 27,441 eResources available. For the bi-lingual or foreign languages, they have English, French, and Spanish versions in addition to several others in Dutch, Japanese, Chinese, etc; Both fiction and non-fiction, accessible on-line and downloadable (MP3 and WMA). Additionally there are extra resources and Teachers’ help from links provided to the Publisher Web site, Teacher Resources and fun activities, Author’s blog, and this month “Mallory McDonald on Facebook”. Just like other great databases within GALILEO, there are both the Basic Search and Advance Search engines and the ability to create a free account for logging your eResource selections, bookmarks, favorites and manage your notes.
I went to the Rising Starr Middle School Galileo NetLibrary site and found 3,457 eResources available at that level.
So bookmark a few, write some notes and send some links to your teachers. Give them easy access to already available eResources and make them your allies on your crusade to bring eResources into the forefront. Don’t forget to post the monthly eBooks to your Media Center webpage and add it to your daily announcements. ‘One small click for man, one giant nanosecond for mankind.’
Written by Laurie Friedman, Illustrated by Jennifer Kalis, April 2010
Before you spend those hard fought for dollars on eBooks, click on over to GALILEO and access your NetLibrary. Net Library provides access to an eContent collection. eContent is the digital version of books, journals, and database content. You can access your library’s eContent 24 hours a days, seven days a week. Within the UWG NetLibrary there are currently 27,441 eResources available. For the bi-lingual or foreign languages, they have English, French, and Spanish versions in addition to several others in Dutch, Japanese, Chinese, etc; Both fiction and non-fiction, accessible on-line and downloadable (MP3 and WMA). Additionally there are extra resources and Teachers’ help from links provided to the Publisher Web site, Teacher Resources and fun activities, Author’s blog, and this month “Mallory McDonald on Facebook”. Just like other great databases within GALILEO, there are both the Basic Search and Advance Search engines and the ability to create a free account for logging your eResource selections, bookmarks, favorites and manage your notes.
I went to the Rising Starr Middle School Galileo NetLibrary site and found 3,457 eResources available at that level.
So bookmark a few, write some notes and send some links to your teachers. Give them easy access to already available eResources and make them your allies on your crusade to bring eResources into the forefront. Don’t forget to post the monthly eBooks to your Media Center webpage and add it to your daily announcements. ‘One small click for man, one giant nanosecond for mankind.’
Monday, April 12, 2010
Technology Training -Who has the time?
How many of you are so busy that when the pop-up offers you a chance to explore now, you close the box and tell yourself “later”? How many of you raise your hand when you hear the question, "Can someone explain how I...." about a software application? And how many of you wish you could do something more efficiently and effectively with less time? I suspect we all do or have done these at one time or the other. We are so busy these days that just the thought of planning and scheduling technology training is daunting. But broken into small bytes of data, the training will become effortless and effective.
First, know where you need to start. Survey what they need, how they need it, and when do they need it. Don’t train the world, convert your neighbors. Start close to home and like a good neighbor, the word will spread. Keep it simple. Simple goes farther. While there maybe 6 different ways to use the new scanner, they only need to know one of them. So pick the method that is the simplest and produces the best results. Such as, “Push the scan button”. Hit them where they are, don’t take up their time. Start their day with a ‘Tech Tip’. It can be delivered by email, comes regularly, and they can store it in an email folder for when they need it. Make it worthwhile for them, make them responsible. Check up on them and don’t fail to congratulate even the smallest achievements, publicly, and by name. No shotgun, “Atta-boys”.
Take your small bytes and consolidate them in a file and soon you’ll have to upgrade your flash drive! One person, one new skill, one step to success, one byte at a time.
First, know where you need to start. Survey what they need, how they need it, and when do they need it. Don’t train the world, convert your neighbors. Start close to home and like a good neighbor, the word will spread. Keep it simple. Simple goes farther. While there maybe 6 different ways to use the new scanner, they only need to know one of them. So pick the method that is the simplest and produces the best results. Such as, “Push the scan button”. Hit them where they are, don’t take up their time. Start their day with a ‘Tech Tip’. It can be delivered by email, comes regularly, and they can store it in an email folder for when they need it. Make it worthwhile for them, make them responsible. Check up on them and don’t fail to congratulate even the smallest achievements, publicly, and by name. No shotgun, “Atta-boys”.
Take your small bytes and consolidate them in a file and soon you’ll have to upgrade your flash drive! One person, one new skill, one step to success, one byte at a time.
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Technology and the Information Specialist
In the reading for this week, this quote appeared, “Keeping knowledge and information to ourselves isn’t productive and doesn’t serve our students well” (Jurkowski, 2006). As I have been doing my volunteer hours and learning from the media specialist, I have had many a teacher approach me and ask why information appears to be “secret”. I have come to realize that some school media specialists are not always the most forthright in the dissemination of information. It is not that they are keeping it from others, it is simply not in their thoughts to share. This can also be the case with technology training.
This year, for the first time, there was a series of classes offered for PLUs that covered either reading instruction, math instruction, or technology training. Teachers signed up for any or all of them, depending upon their needs. The media specialist was somewhat perplexed that her class was not as well attended as the others and I truly believe it was due to her not surveying teachers in advance of the class. The class was a basic overview of what the school has to offer technologically and most teachers were already aware of the offerings so they did not attend. That being said, the class would be a good fit at a school with many new teachers. This year, since so many were returning, was probably not the best year to attempt a class like that.
When I am a media specialist, I hope to offer technology classes that teachers will want to attend. Doing the in-service modules in Instructional Design and the Tech Tip in this class really opened my eyes to how these can be done so that teachers can complete them on their own time. One of the nicest things about these modules is that they can be completed at any time, at a teacher’s convenience and they lead to further questioning. For face to face versions, I would hope to be able to talk with various grade level or subject level teachers and figure out a time that works for us all during the school day to go over new items.
One media specialist I know has a monthly coffee where she introduces new materials and technologies to teachers. They can come during their lunch time or during planning. It seems to work well for that school and is something I would like to implement.
As for do’s and don’ts, my list is quite simple:
*DO make yourself available for questions and ideas for tech trainings
*DO learn the new technology as soon as it hits the door of the school
*Do use your resources well. If there are teachers who know how to do something, have them teach a class!
*DON'T be afraid to learn something new!
Reference
Jurkowski, O. (2006). Technology and the school library. Lanham, MD: The Scarecrow Press, Inc.
This year, for the first time, there was a series of classes offered for PLUs that covered either reading instruction, math instruction, or technology training. Teachers signed up for any or all of them, depending upon their needs. The media specialist was somewhat perplexed that her class was not as well attended as the others and I truly believe it was due to her not surveying teachers in advance of the class. The class was a basic overview of what the school has to offer technologically and most teachers were already aware of the offerings so they did not attend. That being said, the class would be a good fit at a school with many new teachers. This year, since so many were returning, was probably not the best year to attempt a class like that.
When I am a media specialist, I hope to offer technology classes that teachers will want to attend. Doing the in-service modules in Instructional Design and the Tech Tip in this class really opened my eyes to how these can be done so that teachers can complete them on their own time. One of the nicest things about these modules is that they can be completed at any time, at a teacher’s convenience and they lead to further questioning. For face to face versions, I would hope to be able to talk with various grade level or subject level teachers and figure out a time that works for us all during the school day to go over new items.
One media specialist I know has a monthly coffee where she introduces new materials and technologies to teachers. They can come during their lunch time or during planning. It seems to work well for that school and is something I would like to implement.
As for do’s and don’ts, my list is quite simple:
*DO make yourself available for questions and ideas for tech trainings
*DO learn the new technology as soon as it hits the door of the school
*Do use your resources well. If there are teachers who know how to do something, have them teach a class!
*DON'T be afraid to learn something new!
Reference
Jurkowski, O. (2006). Technology and the school library. Lanham, MD: The Scarecrow Press, Inc.
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Video Distribution/GPB Resources
We have a video distribution system that is run solely by the school media specialist and the media parapro. I have been taught how to run it, but am the only person outside the two of them that have that capacity. I was taught after the media specialist was absent one day and the administrators needed to show a video school-wide and did not know what to do with the system. We watch the school news on the closed-circuit system each morning. Last year the PE teacher used the closed-circuit system to have students stretch and do yoga prior to starting the CRCT each day. Teachers are not allowed to use this system at all. The media center staff is told what time and what video they would like to watch, they set an alarm clock and put it in. Occasionally, a conflict arises when more than one grade level wants to see something, but those days are few and far between. While I originally was appalled at how the system is run, it seems to work for the teachers in my building and the media center staff.
Within the last month, all classrooms were given new video projectors, screens and DVD/VCRs, courtesy of SPLOST, which Cobb County citizens vote on each year. SmartBoards will be added to the classrooms this summer, replacing the new screens that just went up. While I LOVE the idea of the SmartBoards, the cost of the screens followed by removal/replacement seems silly, when there is such a budget crisis. Adding the projectors seems to have sparked an interest to use GPB education in many of the teachers.
Until recently, the only teacher I have seen use the Digital Video Streaming was the Target teacher. She uses it religiously each week to show students something new and exciting. I get as eager to learn as the students do when it appears. I have viewed a few videos and used a small portion of the site, but to see what all is available is amazing. “The tip of the iceberg” is how it was presented to us this week in our class notes, and I agree completely. The A to Z listing of available videos had me deciding which I would watch first and it was a tough choice. I could, and have, looked here for hours! From Suze Orman to Wayne Dyer to a group of eighth graders learning about engineering, the choices are almost endless. Students can learn almost anything they want to learn and teachers can do the same. Digital video streaming, as well, is great. I am in the process of teaching the kindergarten team with whom I work to use this with their students. There are videos on birds’ nests for students, a video on how children learn to read and write, and many other educational resources. The fact that this is all free to us is terrific. Why every classroom does not use it is beyond me.
One of my many, current ideas is to get the media specialist to teach teachers all about the resources or allow me to put together an instructional video on how to use it and why they should. I have talked with a few grade levels about what GPS they like to use with video and am in the beginning stages of working on this.
With the budget in its current shape, we can use all the free resources we have. Some are good, some are better, but GPB Education is one of the best!
Within the last month, all classrooms were given new video projectors, screens and DVD/VCRs, courtesy of SPLOST, which Cobb County citizens vote on each year. SmartBoards will be added to the classrooms this summer, replacing the new screens that just went up. While I LOVE the idea of the SmartBoards, the cost of the screens followed by removal/replacement seems silly, when there is such a budget crisis. Adding the projectors seems to have sparked an interest to use GPB education in many of the teachers.
Until recently, the only teacher I have seen use the Digital Video Streaming was the Target teacher. She uses it religiously each week to show students something new and exciting. I get as eager to learn as the students do when it appears. I have viewed a few videos and used a small portion of the site, but to see what all is available is amazing. “The tip of the iceberg” is how it was presented to us this week in our class notes, and I agree completely. The A to Z listing of available videos had me deciding which I would watch first and it was a tough choice. I could, and have, looked here for hours! From Suze Orman to Wayne Dyer to a group of eighth graders learning about engineering, the choices are almost endless. Students can learn almost anything they want to learn and teachers can do the same. Digital video streaming, as well, is great. I am in the process of teaching the kindergarten team with whom I work to use this with their students. There are videos on birds’ nests for students, a video on how children learn to read and write, and many other educational resources. The fact that this is all free to us is terrific. Why every classroom does not use it is beyond me.
One of my many, current ideas is to get the media specialist to teach teachers all about the resources or allow me to put together an instructional video on how to use it and why they should. I have talked with a few grade levels about what GPS they like to use with video and am in the beginning stages of working on this.
With the budget in its current shape, we can use all the free resources we have. Some are good, some are better, but GPB Education is one of the best!
Friday, March 26, 2010
Social Networking...Friend or Foe?
Social networking..it’s the phrase we’ve all come to know. Had it been mentioned five years ago, no one would have known exactly what was meant. I have managed to make it thus far without joining Facebook® or any variety thereof. The majority of the teachers I am with daily have a Facebook® account. They all talk each day about what they have posted and what other teachers have posted. Honestly, I am not interesting enough to have that sort of page about me; nor I do not want to know that much detail about another’s life . At times the level of impropriety amazes me. When our principal had to tell a teacher to remove a specific posting, I became conscious that my apprehension to join in has been based on that fear. However, I am realizing as I read that a social networking tool could be good for school and for a media center. The realization then sets in that I do not have to have a personal site; I could use one only with educational purposes in mind.
Reading Alex Ragone’s blog on social networking further secures my ideas that educational social networking is a good idea, but that policies covering their use should also be in place. While students do not always intentionally “friend” teachers outside of the work realm, teachers need to be aware of the potential problems this could create and abide by the rules in place.
After considering what is entailed in setting up this sort of network, I see that wikispaces are a social networking site that students can access. This is available at my school! I have talked with several teachers about setting up a book club for our own pleasure reading and they are all for it. Figuring that this would reflect the setting up of a student book club, my plan is to proceed and see what we get. Teachers can be involved in the first round; we can then set it up for students with some ground rules provided at that start.
In the elementary school where I currently work, there is a team for the Helen Ruffin Reading Bowl. While I do think that elementary students should not be on a social networking site, one could be used for middle to high school students to allow for discussion of books outside of the book club meetings. If started and mediated by the media specialist, the control would not be an issue. The issue of bad postings would be gone as the media specialist sees all postings before they appear to the public. Students can read each other’s thoughts and perhaps have a conversation with someone they would not have access to on a daily basis; an older student or student in another school perhaps. The thoughts of this sort of “book club” are exciting to me and to many students with whom I have spoken.
Additionally, I can see a media specialist setting up a networking site to allow for voting for Georgia Book Awards winners, for requesting favorite materials or collaboration with other media specialists. To increase pleasure reading in students is one of my goals. Setting up a place where students and teachers alike can go and discuss books they have read is exciting! In my mind, the ideas for this type of networking are endless.
Having thought about this for the week, I can honestly say that my thoughts on social networking are shifting. I still don’t have much desire(or time!) for Facebook®, but do realize its value and place. Used properly, even the most social of networks can have a place in an educational setting.
Reading Alex Ragone’s blog on social networking further secures my ideas that educational social networking is a good idea, but that policies covering their use should also be in place. While students do not always intentionally “friend” teachers outside of the work realm, teachers need to be aware of the potential problems this could create and abide by the rules in place.
After considering what is entailed in setting up this sort of network, I see that wikispaces are a social networking site that students can access. This is available at my school! I have talked with several teachers about setting up a book club for our own pleasure reading and they are all for it. Figuring that this would reflect the setting up of a student book club, my plan is to proceed and see what we get. Teachers can be involved in the first round; we can then set it up for students with some ground rules provided at that start.
In the elementary school where I currently work, there is a team for the Helen Ruffin Reading Bowl. While I do think that elementary students should not be on a social networking site, one could be used for middle to high school students to allow for discussion of books outside of the book club meetings. If started and mediated by the media specialist, the control would not be an issue. The issue of bad postings would be gone as the media specialist sees all postings before they appear to the public. Students can read each other’s thoughts and perhaps have a conversation with someone they would not have access to on a daily basis; an older student or student in another school perhaps. The thoughts of this sort of “book club” are exciting to me and to many students with whom I have spoken.
Additionally, I can see a media specialist setting up a networking site to allow for voting for Georgia Book Awards winners, for requesting favorite materials or collaboration with other media specialists. To increase pleasure reading in students is one of my goals. Setting up a place where students and teachers alike can go and discuss books they have read is exciting! In my mind, the ideas for this type of networking are endless.
Having thought about this for the week, I can honestly say that my thoughts on social networking are shifting. I still don’t have much desire(or time!) for Facebook®, but do realize its value and place. Used properly, even the most social of networks can have a place in an educational setting.
Monday, March 22, 2010
The Simplicity of School TV News!
After viewing the two TV newscasts posted in CourseDen this week, I was extremely impressed with the talent of both newscasts. Both give great ideas on how to complete an impressive newscast to present to your school.
I talked with the media specialist, Mrs. Conner, at Central Elementary. Their school TV news is done every morning when the bell rings at 7:50am. A camera is set up in the conference room of the school. A select group of six students, fifth graders, who are doubled up to run the show. Students take turns running things behind the camera for a week, such as the camera, lights, and music, then they would have two weeks off. Mrs. Conner is the assistant director/producer. The Quest teacher has another group of six students who also rotate and these students are in front of the camera. Under the Quest teacher's direction the student's make the announcements, read the lunch menu, read the math word of the day lesson, read the character word of the day lesson, and read a Spanish word of the day lesson. The math, character, and Spanish word of the day lessons consist of reading the word, giving the defintion, and giving and example of the word. Sometimes, but not often, a live interview may be conducted with guests to Central Elementary or small groups of student's who have done something on behalf of the school. This might include All County Chorus Winners, Academic Team members who had won a meet, Drug Awareness Poster Winners, and any other special programs.
When the news begins at 7:50am a previously recorded tape of the students asking everyone to stand for the pledge of the allegiance and moment of silence comes on. On Monday's only, a recording of the Star Spangled Banner, but the other four days of the week the news goes to live feed, using one camera, one monitor, one light, and one CD player. The camera fades in with the students reading the days announcements, moving right into the word of the day lessons, then an ending moment where students say goodbye as music fades in, and then the screen fades to black. The actual newscast usually takes about five minutes, but prior to the newscasts it takes about ten minutes to get ready.
Students are selected by teacher recommendations. Since Mrs. Conner only knows students through the media center, she likes to have teachers inputs on if the student can be reliable when it comes to attendance, and if they can be reliable with the equipment. The Quest teacher selects the students by whose dialect can be understood, who can stay on task, and if the students can be reliable with their attendance.
The problems faced with the newscasts mainly consist of problems with the equipment since it is rather old. Most days the equipment works fine. Mrs. Conner hesitates when sending equipment off to be repaired, as it might take a month or two for the equipment to return. Another big issue with newscasts is the cable system. If the cable system goes out, it could take days or weeks for the county maintenance workers to fix the problem. If things can not be fixed into proper working order students may read the days announcements over the intercom. The only problem with reading the announcements over the intercom is that the "behind the scenes" students do not have a job to complete.
I talked with the media specialist, Mrs. Conner, at Central Elementary. Their school TV news is done every morning when the bell rings at 7:50am. A camera is set up in the conference room of the school. A select group of six students, fifth graders, who are doubled up to run the show. Students take turns running things behind the camera for a week, such as the camera, lights, and music, then they would have two weeks off. Mrs. Conner is the assistant director/producer. The Quest teacher has another group of six students who also rotate and these students are in front of the camera. Under the Quest teacher's direction the student's make the announcements, read the lunch menu, read the math word of the day lesson, read the character word of the day lesson, and read a Spanish word of the day lesson. The math, character, and Spanish word of the day lessons consist of reading the word, giving the defintion, and giving and example of the word. Sometimes, but not often, a live interview may be conducted with guests to Central Elementary or small groups of student's who have done something on behalf of the school. This might include All County Chorus Winners, Academic Team members who had won a meet, Drug Awareness Poster Winners, and any other special programs.
When the news begins at 7:50am a previously recorded tape of the students asking everyone to stand for the pledge of the allegiance and moment of silence comes on. On Monday's only, a recording of the Star Spangled Banner, but the other four days of the week the news goes to live feed, using one camera, one monitor, one light, and one CD player. The camera fades in with the students reading the days announcements, moving right into the word of the day lessons, then an ending moment where students say goodbye as music fades in, and then the screen fades to black. The actual newscast usually takes about five minutes, but prior to the newscasts it takes about ten minutes to get ready.
Students are selected by teacher recommendations. Since Mrs. Conner only knows students through the media center, she likes to have teachers inputs on if the student can be reliable when it comes to attendance, and if they can be reliable with the equipment. The Quest teacher selects the students by whose dialect can be understood, who can stay on task, and if the students can be reliable with their attendance.
The problems faced with the newscasts mainly consist of problems with the equipment since it is rather old. Most days the equipment works fine. Mrs. Conner hesitates when sending equipment off to be repaired, as it might take a month or two for the equipment to return. Another big issue with newscasts is the cable system. If the cable system goes out, it could take days or weeks for the county maintenance workers to fix the problem. If things can not be fixed into proper working order students may read the days announcements over the intercom. The only problem with reading the announcements over the intercom is that the "behind the scenes" students do not have a job to complete.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
