Technology Training in our schools

Technology training changes so much from school to school and system to system. As a media specialist in Portsmouth, Virginia, I was blessed with a strong technology support system. My school had a technology resource teacher (TRT) and a technology specialist. The TRT provided training for teachers, did classes with the teachers, and was always available  for technology support. Our technology specialist made sure all the software is updated running and properly installed. I was very blessed to have the tech team I had and luckily they taught me quite a bit. From speaking with media specialist in Alabama where I currently live, technology is taught very differently. It does seem to fall more on the media specialist to be the technology resource teacher too. That will certainly be a new challenge to tackle but it is doable. I agree with Jurkowski on the importance of knowing what areas your staff needs help with so a comprehensive technology professional development plan can be put into place to help meet those needs.  I think one of the best DO's in technology staff development I learned from my TRT is that after teaching the staff a skill, she would be present the first time the teacher used the technology in class. My TRT helped me to develop and implement a fantastic blogging site for the media center and her being there the first lesson helped me to be comfortable teaching blogging. I would hope to be as good of a support for my teachers as she was to me one day though I know as a media specialist we wear many hats and there often aren't enough hours in the day!

Blog #6 Technology training!

The state of my faculty’s technology skills is probably on a need to know basis in my opinion.  Everyone had to take the Promethean Board training for PLU’s which, I am sure if the training was not mandatory no one would have taken out the time to take all of those modules. We have had some opportunities in school but they are mostly offered county wide or they select who goes where in some instances. Trainings are offered but in-house training is not that popular in my current school. Most things are self-motivated tasks or self-taught technology skills in my school. We have some very talented people in our building but they normally say they learned how to use the devices on their own time or dime.           

Meanwhile, there are several different problems to factor into why technology training is not as popular as it should be, funding, timing, and interest. Even though, most teachers want admit they have fears about technology training taking away from their planning and copying time. They do have to schedule in the time to sit and learn something new, useful, and valuable. However, we also need to plan and prep as much as possible. Staff development is a complicated task when everyone has a fear or no time to just sit still and complete the task. Everyone wants an email, memo, walk-thru training.  I also agree with Jurkowski, time involvement is a big issue for teachers. We are expected to learn new innovative things but how and when? Maybe, like Jurkowski reminds us enthusiasm is contagious, well so is money and if we were paid to train more we might just have a plan. While it sounds exciting to read about how to make the training look great and sound great, there is an underlying fear no one will admit to.

The issue of funding will always be an issue and therefore teachers look the other way unless it’s mandatory. This past year my school purchased document cameras for each and every classroom and the training was optional. Most people asked people who attended the training and there was no need to sit in training when word of mouth worked? I almost forgot about PD360 which is considered technology based lessons and trainings. Well they are beneficial and informative when we have time to sit and watch the videos and modules. Then answer the response questions at the end of each lesson. If I had a DO’s and DON’Ts list it would say, “don’t be afraid of technology!’

IPTV, Coming Soon to a Desktop Near You!

My school is going through a transition period with the video distribution system.  Cobb County recently (as in just last week) announced that we will be switching to digital television in our schools.  We currently have a closed circuit cable system which includes several regular channels as well as separate channels for in-school broadcasts.  We do a morning news program that we run on closed circuit three times a week.  We are also able to play videos or DVDs on closed circuit as requested by teachers.  We’ve had issues with the system because the VCRs have been breaking down and videocassettes have been getting “eaten.”  Just this year we had someone from the county switch out some components so we could continue our broadcasts.  Teachers do not have any control or input regarding the video distribution system besides requesting videos be played for their classes/grades. 

We were told via email that the new system will be available via a desktop shortcut for teachers and administrators to access from their computers.  There will be 6 district-provided digital cable channels:  Cobb edTV, Georgia Public TV, The Weather Channel, Fox News, The History Channel, and The Learning Channel.  The announcement sent a ripple through our district as many people had opinions about the channels that are going to be included.  Needless to say, quite a few of those with opinions are media specialists who would have liked to have some input regarding the channels that were selected. 

According to the announcement, access to IPTV will only be available through a hard-wired computer via a shortcut on the desktop.  Schools will have the option of purchasing additional channels.  We will be able to transition internal school broadcasts and the old system will be fully replaced.  That means no more coaxial cable, a head end unit, or DVD tuners.  While this is very exciting news, it does bring up some concerns.  As with any type of large scale transition, we expect that there could be problems with the new system.  We’ll have to learn how to work the new system and hope that we can have a smooth transition for our news broadcasts.  We were told that the change would happen sometime around Spring Break which is just around the corner.  Hopefully it will not be too painful a change.

I've always found the head end unit to be very intimidating, especially since it reminds me of one of those hulking old computer systems from way back when.  I'm interested to see how the new system will work and what types of accommodations we'll have to make to ensure that the system works for us.  I don't know that we'll be able to play videocassettes on closed circuit once the system is gone.  In that case, we need to get rid of our VHS tapes very soon.  We've got a huge weeding project in progress but have yet to touch the A/V section.  Our teachers may be very unhappy with this change until they get used to it.  I am looking forward to a much simpler interface though.

Social Networking and School Library Media Centers

          Social networking in our schools is going to become more and more prevalent in the upcoming years. I do think there is a place for them. When I was a librarian in Virginia, our school's tech specialist completed a lesson with me on blogs. I would read a book aloud to students and then the students would post responses on the library blog. It was a very cool lesson. I used the blog throughout the year and loved the responses I got from students. I think some of the students felt more comfortable responding online rather than aloud. I got very honest feedback from some students and very silly responses from others! The blog certainly needed to be monitored and comments needed to be addressed to help keep students on track. I could tell getting to do blog responses was something cool and new for the students and they really got into them.
             One of the most important aspects of the blogging lesson though was the added lesson of internet safety which certainly needs to be considered and taught. One of our jobs as educators especially as media specialist is to teach internet safety. The article "Secure Social Networking" by Gail Junion-Metz gives some great sites that are secure for students to use. I am not currently in a school, but in the schools I have taught at in the past most social networking sites were blocked. We could get access to sites for class projects such as the blog but for the most part social networking sites were blocked.
         As long as schools take the proper steps to ensure safety. I think there are many ways to use social networking in our schools!

Blog 5: Video Distribution Systems, Georgia Public Broadcasting Education Resources, School TV News

Information is communicated through a variety of different methods in a school, but some of the most commonly used are as follows: video distribution systems, GA Public Broadcasting Education Resources, and the School TV News. My school currently uses GA Public Broadcasting Resources; specifically Discovery Streaming, and Media Cast on a continual basis. About six years ago, we did utilize a closed circuit cable system that school news would be reported on by students once a week and teachers could show videos using this closed circuit system. This went away though and we have never looked back.

The video distribution systems like GA Public Broadcasting Resources (Discovery Streaming) have so much to offer. Using VHS tapes and DVD’s quickly became resources that were not high in demand due to the vast amount of content found online. Teachers can find resources grouped by grade level, content area, and even professional development materials. All the videos I have ever used in my reading and language arts classes have been valuable additions to my lessons and really helped to emphasize the content being taught. My school does hold a purchasing license that costs $360 per year that enables teachers to show movies outside of these locations. If teachers find a video that they want to purchase, a few TV’s on rolling carts can be used or the media specialist can play the video using the old closed circuit method.

While watching videos and having access to many videos has improved, my school did not keep up with the School TV News. After we switched to the new video distribution systems, school news seemed to fall to the wayside. I miss it and I think the kids do too; or they used to because now those students have moved on to the high school or graduated. I think school news gives students a chance to share information and to be a part of the school community. If you have time, visit the following links to view an elementary school and high school news broadcast. The students report on topics from weather, school functions, and conduct teacher interviews. They use student reporters with well-prepared scripts, popular music, and well-designed and thought out backgrounds for the news reports. I think School TV News is a much better way to share information than simply announcing news over the loudspeaker each day. Students learn about technology and communicating simultaneously. Some may put school news to the side because of time restraints, but with the right students and possible teacher assistance; I’m sure it could be a manageable task.

Elementary: http://schools.hsd.k12.or.us/orenco/Home/tabid/2559/Default.aspx

High: http://www.wyckoffschools.org/eisenhower/etv/index.html#

Social Networking and School Library Media Centers......

What do you think about social networking sites being used in a school setting? Is there a place or role for them?

            Social networking sites should be used in schools as a tool to educate students and help teachers and parents communicate. However, these sites are popular to students who think they cannot function in society today without social networking. The idea of social networking can be frightening for non-users but you have to think of the impact social networking has on students today. Taking into consideration social networking can be dangerous and educational all at the same time is hard to imagine. As listed in the Library 2.0 and Beyond there are several types of notable social network websites which can use as long as the site regulations are followed correctly. The opportunity for libraries is limited in most schools however, Google, is a growing site the SLM could use. Students, SLM, and teachers can share documents as well as group work easily. If a school library uses social networking to promote their website students would probably visit the site more often. The website has to appeal to the students as well as teachers. There is always a role social networking should play in schools as well as society, everything has to be based around the state standards and have effective results. Students can take advantage of social networking if it is not used in a proper fashion for example, cyber bullying. According to Mathews, social networking communities can also foster the spread of rumors and false information. This can be a major issue for teachers and administrators.

            I personally feel any sites approved by my current county are the only sites I would use in a school setting due to the safety of students and major privacy issues. It’s hard to say yes or no when you know the pros and cons of online social networking. The more I read the more I start to think outside the box. I know everything has to be monitored down to the wire. Social networking is just what it says it is a social site for everyone to enjoy. But, it can be a tool to help educate students and communicate with parents. Social networking is very vital for students they just have to be educated on how to use the sites. In order to keep up with the 21^st century demands students and teachers need social networking tools. In Barbara Fiehn’s article she contacted a few school library media specialist to get their views on social networking and they had a common response, of hesitation based on lack of knowledge of how this will really work in their schools.

            Based on my readings social networking and school library media centers have a great deal of negatives and positive impacts to review before they can be implemented in schools safely and properly. If I am trained and I know the sites are safe and the county I work in is backing the sites I am willing to implement them in my classroom.

Media Center Web Pages: To Blog or Not to Blog?

I’ve spent quite a bit of time looking through school websites in search of one thing or another.  As part of the PTA and Foundation at my daughters’ schools, I did a lot of comparing between school programs in my area.  A few years ago many schools in Cobb County had very fancy websites that were unique to the school.  It has only been recently that the schools were required to use the same service for their websites.  If you were to explore different schools in the district today, you would find that there is a uniformity that was not there before.  On the one hand, it is easier to navigate to the various parts of the sites but on the other hand, they don’t always look as “pretty” as they did. 

My current position as the media center paraprofessional at my school has given me the opportunity to learn much more about school websites than I have ever known.  I am one of the two people in our building with access to update the school website.  That has been a very interesting experience for me.  We use Microsoft Web Expression for the website but all of our teachers, including the media specialist, use edublogs for their web pages.  Web Expression has not been the most user-friendly application but I have enjoyed working with edublogs which is super simple.

After reviewing some of the sample media center web pages for this assignment, I have come to the conclusion that blogs are much more effective for communicating with students, staff, parents, and the community.  The “regular” media center web pages are not as attractive as the blogs which are much more customizable.  Both have the capability to add content such as images and videos but the overall design and layout of the blogs that I have seen are much more enjoyable for me to look at.  If you want your users to return to your media center web pages, you need to make sure that the pages have a “hook” for them. 

When comparing the regular web pages to the blogs that I looked at, I knew that for my own media center program I would prefer to have a blog.  Even web pages like “The Unquiet Library” were very plain in comparison to a blog version of a media center web page such as the one at Mt. Bethel Elementary School.  My media specialist created the blog and I help her to update and maintain it.  We try to keep the content as up to date as possible and have something for everyone:  students, teachers, and parents. 

The main school website includes a direct link to the media center blog and teachers are encouraged to include a link on their blogs as well.  The media specialist has been collaborating regularly with the different grade levels and she has created a page for all class projects.  I recently received an email from my daughter’s Target teacher asking me to check the media center blog for updates on their current project.  Other teachers have directed parents to check the media center blog to see the final products of the collaborative projects that their classes recently completed in the media center.  It’s been amazing to see how much the teachers have been promoting the media center blogs.  I think more parents have seen our blog this year than the last few years combined.  Last year the media center web page was static.  The media specialist never updated it and it was generic.  The new web pages/blog is dynamic and always interesting. 

We rely heavily on our blog to communicate with parents.  We know that it’s working because I’ve spoken to many parents who appreciate that we have provided them with a quick and easy tool to communicate what’s going on in the media center.  We have a book club, participated in the Helen Ruffin Reading Bowl, have monthly contests and collaborate with our teachers.  All of this information is readily available on our blog and it’s been great!

The answer to the question, “To Blog or Not to Blog?” is definitely BLOG!

Media Center Web Pages

February 22, 2014

What makes a media center web page one that patrons will access frequently and find exactly what they need?  There are many factors to consider when creating a media center web page, but the most important thing to keep in mind would be your target audience. Elementary, middle school, and high school web pages should all have a different look and feel to meet the needs and interest of the specific audience. The content will also be different among grade levels, but there will be some media center basics that should be consistently found on all web pages.

In my explorations of media center web pages, the first think I notice is how organized the page looks and if it feels overwhelming to the eye. I enjoy web pages that are organized into neat spaces, possibly evenly spaced columns or tables. I also like the fonts and colors to be consistent on the page. When there are a variety of different fonts used or a plethora of different colors; I feel distracted and focus on those factors instead of the content being presented. I also like when the information provided is brief, possibly using bullet points or a list and stays away from lengthy paragraphs. The Milton Middle School media center web page does a nice job of keeping the site clean and well-structured: http://www.milton.k12.wi.us/schools/mms/website/library/MMS_LMC/Welcome.html

If I was going to create my own media center web page, I would try to keep the content streamlined into general basic sections and then subdivide within those main sections. I really like the way Highland Middle School has organized their web page. Visit this link to check it out: http://www.d70schools.org/~hlc/hlc/Highland_Virtual_Learning_Center.html. The site is broken down into the following components: Reading Resources, Research Resources, and About the Learning Center. I think this is a great place to begin and then expand within those three main sections. The Reading Resource section might include items such as: library catalog, reading incentive programs, book fairs & book clubs, award book information, and possible book reviews. The Research Resource section might include: databases, pathfinders, works cited guides, Lib Guides, and copyright info. Finally, the About the Learning Center section would include the basics of how the media center operates. Patrons would be able to find out contact information for the media specialists, hours of operation, the mission statement, policies and procedures, acceptable use policy, and volunteer info. The only major component that I would add to this site would be to have a separate section for teachers to locate resources, share, and collaborate.

One more factor that is vital when constructing a media center web page is to keep students with disabilities in mind. What can you do to make using the web page more accessible for this group of students? Offering textual transcripts for students with hearing difficulties or using fonts and colors that would increase the readability for the visually impaired are two possibilities. It may also be a good idea to think about the parents during construction of a web page. We have to remember that the audience is mostly going to be students, but the student population includes the teachers of these students and the parents as well. The media center web page needs to provide information and assist the patrons in a fluid and reliable manner.

Wikis and the School Media Center

          I fully admit to not being the most technologically savvy person around and because of that I sometimes run the other way rather than embrace new programs and ideas. While I have certainly used wikis for general research purposes, I have never thought of them as something I could actually use in a school media center. In my mind, I was certain wikis would be a project not worth the time and effort. After reading these articles, seeing school media center wikis, and looking at the Cobb County LMC wiki, I admit I was a little hasty in brushing aside wikis.
          On the Vanderbilt University Center for Teaching Wiki, it is pointed out that wikis help to change students from "consumers of knowledge to creators of knowledge." What an incredible statement. As teachers we strive to help our students internalize knowledge and make it their own. We do not want students who can simply recall facts, but students who take the knowledge taught and run with it. Wikis are a great tool to help students do just that. I also love the collaborative nature of wikis. Students being able to brainstorm and collaborate on projects together adds another dimension in the learning process. I truly love the possibilities of wikis in the classroom.
             Now while the ideals of wikis are great, there is certainly the practical aspect to consider. Luckily there are several sites available for wiki newbies to help them get started.  Guides like Google Sites and wikispaces make it much easier to get started. For beginners, it will take time and effort and quite a bit of planning to get started.

Possible wiki uses in a media center or classroom:

• collaborative research project
• a collection of important links and information for a class, school, or school system
• student portfolios
• Student Book Recommendations
• Author Studies
• class projects

I think wikis will take some time and effort to get used to using and developing them, but in the long run wikis can do so much to enhance student learning that it will be worth the extra effort.

Podcasting for Newbies (like me)

I don’t pretend to be very Internet savvy and I have to admit that my children probably know more about podcasting than I do, including my fourth grader.  It has only been recently that I have had much experience with any type of podcasting since I became a media paraprofessional.  However, I have learned a few things that would make podcasting useful in a school library media center. 

There are a variety of ways to incorporate podcasting into a school library media program that would enhance both student and teacher experiences.  Some beginning projects that were suggested by Fontichiaro’s “Podcasting 101” article would be great ideas to try in my school.  In particular, I think creating class CDs, audio tours, interviews, and newscasts would be easy podcasting projects to do. 

My media specialist just finished a project with the third grade called “Where I’m From.”  Each student wrote a poem using a specific format and then they recorded the poems onto the grade level iPads.  The media specialist then posted the poems on the media center blog for each class.  This would be a great project to turn into a class CD with each student’s individual poem.  I think parents would enjoy having a copy of the CD for themselves.  

At my school, we have two book fairs every year, one in the fall, and one in the spring.  Creating an audio tour of the book fair would be a great idea to advertise and market the book fair.  We could have students talk about the theme, the most popular books, teacher wish lists, and contests.  Then the audio tour could be posted to the media center blog, the book fair website, and even the school blog.  I know how important it is to market the book fair so that we can meet our sales goals.  Utilizing audio tours would be something different that students and parents could both enjoy.

I also love the idea of doing podcast interviews.  We could do literature-based interviews where one student is the reporter and the other student is the author, illustrator, or character from the book.  I think this would be a great idea to extend the lesson from reading a class book.  Students could write out scripts and do the recordings themselves.  The media specialist could have the class vote on their favorite interview and post that to the blog.  

We currently do a live morning news show in the media center three times a week.  It can be very hectic in the mornings because we only have a few minutes to rehearse and sometimes our students get nervous, misread the teleprompters, or miss their cues.  Doing a podcast of the news show would be a good alternative, especially for those students who are shy to be on camera or uncomfortable about doing the show live.  

Lastly, my favorite idea is from Nancy Keane who does podcast booktalks.  This is probably the easiest use of podcasting in the media center and one that could potentially be very effective for students.  We always get students who want recommendations for books but we don’t always have time to spend more than a minute with them when the circulation desk is busy.  I would love to have booktalks for the majority of the books in the media center, sorted by genre, and age appropriateness.  I would just send my students to one of the catalog computers, have a link to the booktalk index on the homepage, and tell the students to “browse.”  That is definitely one idea that I can get excited about.

I’m sure there are many other uses for podcasting in the school library media center, even for a complete newbie like myself.

Blog 1: Podcasting

 Podcasting

Have you ever used Podcasting to share information? Have you ever created a Podcast with students in a classroom or media center? If the answer is no then it is definitely an option to consider. This basic but effective way to communicate can be started with little to no equipment or training and the results can be quite memorable. What is Podcasting exactly? In short, it is simply recording an audio file and sharing it with someone. The term Podcast originated from the words iPod and broadcast, but there is no need to worry if you do not own an iPod, iPhone, or iPad; Podcasts can be shared in many more ways than with the technologies provided by Apple. To create a Podcast, first there must be some software and equipment. To begin, a recorder would need to download the free Audacity software and have access to a headset or microphone for the best results. Next, the author can record the audio, and it can then be layered with music or sound effects as needed. After the sound is finalized, the recording can be shared through a variety of methods which include: uploading them to a website, downloading them to an mp3 file, or even burning them to a cd. The process can be completed in just a few steps and the author walks away feeling accomplished and proud of his or her work.

Why would media specialists want to use Podcasting in the media center and why would it be valuable to share this method of communication with students and classroom teachers? Podcasts are another way for students to show what they have learned. They can record information from their content classes and share with teachers, peers, and parents. Schools might want to consider using Podcasts for a “School News” broadcast that could be accessed from the school’s webpage. Recording and sharing information in this fashion will allow those students who stay away from the limelight to have a voice at school. Another great use for Podcasting is to encourage struggling writers to get their ideas down on paper. I currently have a student who cannot get those first sentences started when writing a paragraph or essay. With the Podcast, students can simply speak freely and not have to worry about grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Making teachers aware of the Podcast option will give them a new method for assessing student learning and that will be greatly appreciated. Check out Radio Willow Web from Willowdale Elementary School. They have several Podcast recordings ranging from kindergarten to fifth grade. The recordings are generally around ten minutes long and they demonstrate student mastery of concepts being taught in school. The students also share where they found their information and add in music to give the Podcasts a very professional, newscast feel.

Media specialists might also want to consider using Podcasts for book talks. As new books are added to the collection or teachers request that student read from particular genres, media specialists can record Podcast book talks to promote these titles and upload to the media center webpage. Students and teachers could listen to them in class or from home in preparation of selecting books and materials during an upcoming library visit. To hear some examples of book talk Podcasts, check out Nancy Keane’s Booktalks, Quick and Simple. She does a great job of grabbing the listener’s attention with a catchy hook, providing a brief summary of the title, and giving the author, publisher, and copyright date information all in about a minute. To create a library of book talk Podcasts as she has done would be immensely useful.

Remember, if you are just attempting a Podcast for the first time, you do not need all the bells and whistles all at once. Just go for the audio first and the rest will come in time. The students will love sharing their ideas and hearing their thoughts come to life. 

Blog 2: wikis

What are your thoughts about using Wikis in the Media Center? How can they be used most effectively? Are there drawbacks to Wikis?

My thoughts about using Wikis in the Media Center are still on the fence because of the drawbacks. Meaning, students can make changes to things they find online and I know they have ways of making the information private for editing by others. In the past I have had so frightening mishaps with Wikipedia and reminding my student that the information might or might not be reliable. This has always been a major research concern for me. I understand the collaboration efforts and how well we are able to collaborate with our peers but we know how to cross-reference and check and recheck information. After reading the “Seven Things you should know about Wikis,” article I was still not moved at all. Sarah’s scenario was a great example; remember when she inadvertently wiped out someone else’s contribution? Sarah was also impressed with how easy it was to edit her teams work. It’s an iffy situation I feel needs more data and research for me to jump on the bandwagon. I like Google for some reason; it’s like I feel safe and secure even though, I know it’s the internet.

When a community of users can edit information I don’t feel safe with the website. While reading Library 2.0 text I was surprised to read again how you don’t have to have any specialized web authoring software or advance HTML coding skills. I also read the community has to be strong and continually working to maintain the website. Unlike the past where individuals could make changes. I know it was created in 2001 and it is 2014 now and things have changed. I see we are using Wikis now for our classes and I think I am seeing the changes but I could see some of the past classes assignments this summer when I logged on early. I did not know what I was reading but I could see others post. I had access to the class so I guess I should have been able to read them, I guess. I might need more experience with the site before I keep running. The library manager who sets up their page will have access to the site and I feel this is wonderful. I just think Wiki has received a bad reputation from the past. Page 32 of Library 2.0 text was still causing me to think twice, according to Boeninger, many wiki administrators are still hesitant about opening a wiki up to the community. But on the other hand the reading goes on to say creators should not worry too much about the structure and content of the wiki. I think there should be a built in filtering system, I am not afraid of something new but I am afraid of something changing without my permission.

As you perused the Wikis in the readings above, did you find uses you thought particularly strong? Particularly weak? I did not find the uses I read particularly strong at all I was still searching for some reassurance about Wikis because of the past experiences me and my students have had.

 While Wikis are touted as collaborative tools, many seem to be passive "storage cabinets." What elements need to be present to move them toward being active spaces for collaboration?

            I really do not seem to be passive about Wikis being a storage cabinet, but more of a site which needs more filtering and a sense of security. I would use this to collaborate because I too, but I need more research on why this website is secure and   reliable. I think Wikipedia gave Wikis a bad rep. I think is a good option for librarians who are not afraid of inappropriate content being posted or changed.