Blog Post #4- Final post

Librarians and Technology

         The 21^st-century learner has very different needs and goals in education than those of learners even ten short years ago.  This change has occurred, in large part, because of the advances in technology and the ways we access and use information.  The AASL’s Standards for the 21st-Century Learner (2007) detail these changes while giving guidelines for schools to use to help make sure these new needs are met.  It is critical to the future success of students and the continuation of a capable workforce that technology be implemented and taught responsibly in schools today.  The five common beliefs and four goals that the AASL proposes that schools and school librarians should have for students all revolve around the ways they use and apply technology to create and communicate knowledge (Johnston, 2013).  The AASL organizes the information in this publication in a clear, concise and easy to read and understand format without getting lost in the enormity of the subject.  Within each of the four goals, the AASL details the critical skills, attitudes, responsibilities and self-assessments students must learn to be a successful citizen and learner. 

         The most important component of success for the AASL’s plan is clearly the great need for empowered and knowledgeable teachers and librarians to embrace and implement these standards.  Johnston (2012) tells us that school librarians should work with students AND their teachers to develop theses skills.  Teacher librarians “…have a vital role to play in making certain that students develop the 21^st century skills that will enable them to use technology as a tool for learning and for participating in a digital culture” (p. 18).  The biggest factor she found that enabled librarians to act as leaders in this capacity was support.  Support is needed from principals, district administrators, fellow librarians, professional organizations and the teachers and technologists in their schools (Johnston, 2012).  Her research proves that a community with common goals working together can accomplish great things! 

         The school librarian should be the glue for this diverse group.  Librarians are in a unique position.  This “integration of technology into the curricular areas [is ] where school librarians, based on their knowledge of pedagogical principles and school curriculum, technology expertise, and collaborative experience, can serve as leaders and valuable assets to their schools” (Johnston, 2013, p. 71).  Librarians have the best of both worlds- the knowledge of the big picture and the experience in the trenches- and are invaluable to a school’s technological plan.  As such, they should be a vital and easily utilized information source for new tools of ALL kinds as well as hardware/software tricks and fixes for staff.  They should be the hunter and gatherers of information and trends that teachers need in order to keep students engaged.  What librarians do is important!  Their work will help to create technologically ethical and literate citizens who have a high capacity for learning and working in this new age.

References

American Association of School Librarians (AASL). (2007). Standards for the 21st-century learner. Chicago, IL:     

        American Library Association. Retrieved from   

  http://www.ala.org/aasl/sites/ala.org.aasl/files/content/guidelinesandstandards/learningstandards/AASL_Learnin   

         g_Standards_2007.pdf          

Johnston, M. (2012). Connecting Teacher Librarians For Technology Integration Leadership. School Libraries 

        Worldwide, 18(1), 18-33.  Retrieved from http://libproxy.library.unt.edu:2062/login.aspx?  

         direct=true&db=lls&AN=70862329&scope=site

Johnston, M. P. (2013). School librarian + technology specialist. Knowledge Quest, 42(1), 70-75. Retrieved from 

         http://libproxy.library.unt.edu:2062/login.aspx?direct=true&db=tfh&AN=90230631&scope=site

Blog Post #3- 

Technology in School Libraries

     Technology is an imperative part of instruction in today's school library and classroom.  I read an article written by Khalida Mashriqi entitled Implementing Technology and Gaming Lessons in a School Library.  There were three main points that I gleaned from this article:

•      It is important for school librarians to teach kids to use technology the right way.  "Using technology is like breathing for many students" (Mashriqi, 2011, p. 26) but they don't always know the etiquette and safety rules that go along with life online.  
•      One of the main responsibilities of a school librarian is to promote literacy and a love of reading.  Using technology is a great way to help achieve this goal.  There are many websites, games and online books and tools that enhance what a librarian already does.
•      Technology allows librarians and teachers alike to differentiate lessons so that they are appropriate for students of all achievement levels. 

This article gives me some ideas for ways I could include technology in my future library.  I could:

• Help the students record and edit videos showing the different procedures necessary to keep the library running smoothly.  That video could be shown at the beginning of each year and whenever refreshers are needed.  It would also be helpful to have as new students enroll and need to catch up on procedural knowledge.  
• Use technology to help me differentiate lessons for the students in my library.  I could create scavenger hunts and online games at different levels to meet the needs of the group.  

I look forward to learning even more about incorporating technology into the library.  I know that this article only scratches the surface of this vast and ever-changing topic.

Reference

 

Mashriqi, K. (2011). Implementing technology and gaming lessons in a school library. Knowledge 
      Quest, 40(1), 24-28. Retrieved from http://libproxy.library.unt.edu:/login.aspx?direct=true&          
      db=tfh&AN=66835817&scope=site

Blog post #2- Handheld Devices

     Handheld devices are becoming more and more popular with the general public and are now solidly making their way into mainstream educational settings.  These devices come in several different forms; iPods, smart phones, and iPads or tablets. I read an interesting article about the use of handheld wireless computers (the author uses this term to refer to all forms of these handheld devices) in an educational setting, and am going to share the key points with you.  The author, Hani Morgan, discusses the advantages and disadvantages to the widespread use of these devices in schools.  

Advantages

• It is imperative that students are taught to become digitally literate.  Hani (2010) says that "allowing students to develop skills to access and learn from the increasing number of digital literacies through handheld computers is one way to accomplish this goal" (p. 140).
• The lower cost of these devices can more readily allow each child to have access. 
• They can allow teachers and students to increase communication and sharing of documents and therefore enhance the quality of written work (Hani, 2010).
• The use of these devices promotes "green" technology that can save tremendous amounts of paper.

Disadvantages

• Handheld wireless computers have potential for abuse- cheating and cyber-bullying, specifically.
• Children can be exposed to advertisements and inappropriate content, if proper precautions aren't taken.

Longevity

• Unlike other types of technology in which enthusiasm can often wane over time, Hani says that research is showing that "motivation to use handheld computers increased with time" (p. 141).
• When schools are able to provide or support each child having one of these devices, computing with them and using them in lessons will become routine.  

     There are so many ways that a librarian could use these devices- I get excited just thinking of them!  Here are a few of the things I hope to implement:

-I plan to have a training video available for new students who enroll after all of my library trainings have been done.  It can show them how to check books in and out, examples of good library behavior, what special programs are available and how they work, etc.  They could view it after scanning a QR code in the library with any of the available devices.
-I could also have students and teachers use video to share their favorite books or to share their review of a recently read book.   I would love to show one each week on the video announcements, but also have them available to view in the library when a student needs a recommendation for what to read next.

-I would love to have older students create audio recording of picture books that younger students could listen to on iPods.    

I could go on and on about this topic.  I believe these devices are the way of the future in education and also in library services.  The possibilities are endless!

References

Morgan, H. (2010). Using handheld wireless technologies in school: Advantageous or disadvantageous? Childhood Education, 87(2), 139-142. Retrieved from http://libproxy.library.unt.edu:2055/docview/845517114?accountid=7113

Blog post #1: Technology strengths and weaknesses

       The International Society for Technology in Education’s NETS for teachers are a resource that all teachers should know about and have access to.  The ISTE (2012) wrote the NETS to be, “…the standards for evaluating the skills and knowledge educators need to teach, work, and learn in an increasingly connected global and digital society” (“Digital age teaching” section).  Any teacher who follows these standards will have the most engaged, creative, tech-savvy classroom full of students in her school! 

         My strongest technology strengths, in relation to the NETS, would be “model digital citizenship and responsibility” and “engage in professional growth and leadership” (ISTE second page, parts 4 and 5).  I like to think of myself as a good digital citizen, and try to teach and model those things to my students.  Through technology initiatives in my district and on my campus, as well as the work I am doing in my Master’s program, I feel I am engaging in professional growth daily.  My position as a Language Acquisition Specialist puts me in a position of leadership and modeling for the teachers on my campus, which has been an experience of growth for me. 

         My weakest NETS technology areas would be those related to facilitating, designing and modeling digital age lessons and experiences for students.  I have been out of the classroom for seven years now, and feel a bit out of touch when it comes to some of the newer technology and how it relates to the daily classroom experience. 

         I think I am lucky that my strengths and weaknesses compliment each other.  I feel I can use my strengths to help mitigate my weaknesses.  As I grow professionally and model what I learn for teachers, I will be more prepared and able to translate that to creating lessons and classroom use.  The key is finding opportunities to practice the things that I learn, I will have to seek them out and make them happen. 

         Learning about technology isn’t something I worry about.  The nature of my professional life as well as my student life will give me opportunities to keep abreast of the latest and greatest available in the technological world.  The part that I will have to learn about is the application of these things into the real-life classroom.  That is the part that I feel I need the most help with.  I will have to purposely seek out opportunities to practice these things and see how they fit in- or even lead- daily instruction.

References

ISTE (2012). NETS- Advancing digital age teaching.  Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/standards/nets-for-teachers

ISTE (2008). ISTE NETS-T: Advancing digital age teaching.  Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/docs/pdfs/nets-t-standards.pdf?sfvrsn=2

Tracy 's Class Project links