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!
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