Food for Thought and Reflection

Technology is intertwined through many aspects of education for both student and educator use. With many districts putting quite a bit of their resources online, it is critical that librarians are at the forefront of how technology is used in order to guide teachers and students to the correct resources in the most efficient way. This semester, I used a wide variety of applications and software to develop tools that can be used to educate and engage students in the library.

After using many types of applications and software, I have learned that there are a multitude of tools available for any project or lesson. Of the projects used, my two favorite and most useful experiences were when creating infographics and screencasts. These were both tasks that I have needed before but not known how to create. The infographics were a little time consuming, but they pay off with the value of putting the most important information in the most concise way. The program I used to create infographics with the most success was called Piktochart (www.piktochart.com). The other tool I used with the most success created screencasts to teach or share ideas through computer screen recording. I fully intend to use this tool in the library to show the ways to access resources online. I had seen these videos online when trying to troubleshoot computer issues of my own but had not considered how to create one for the library or teaching. I used the program Screen-O-Matic to show how students could use the online library catalog to search for materials. It was incredibly simple and did not take long to navigate. Other programs like Jing were available to use for the same purpose, but there were not enough benefits to make one site much better than another.

Some software and applications that I used were not as simple to use or might be difficult to incorporate in the library. The Vine application is not being used anymore since it was discontinued. There are many apps that accomplish the same goal, so it lost its significance in the digital world. Podcasts are interesting, but I feel that they are more difficult to promote in the library. When listening is required, students may be less likely to access it on a regular basis. I feel that blogs are probably easier for students to access since they can be used anywhere technology is available.

After reading an excerpt from For the Love by Jen Hatmaker, she describes church mission work, which can easily be transferred to the world of technology and the users of it. This analogy is mind-blowing when people who use educational technology are compared to people with are hesitant about technology use. They absolutely have parallel similarities and differences when compared. I believe that the people being served or benefiting from educational technology is the community of staff, students, and families. Just like a mission trip, the librarian's job is to provide tailored instruction or assistance to accomplish the goal or mission that has been presented. In this case, using technology to become independent, critical-thinkers and problem-solvers is definitely the mission of the library. The experience of working with many types of software and applications to produce educational tools and resources has given me tons of ideas to use in the library. I look forward to the continued experience with new tools and plan to continue following educational blogs, feed readers, and podcasts in order to stay current with technology trends in education.

Adapted from Hatmaker, J. (2015). For the love: Fighting for grace in a world of impossible standards. Nashville, TN: Nelson Books. 

Media (is) the Message

The Great Media Debate was originally sparked by the research of Marshall McLuhan in 1964. The debate took place in 1994, which was 30 years after the original statements were made. It was pretty incredible that a man in the 1960s was thinking in such an innovative way that he was considering the media and technology before it even reached the peak of popularity. The two men in this debate were Richard Clark and Robert Kozma, who were both professors. Richard Clark believed that learning is not influenced by media, but it is instead affected by the method in which information is delivered. Robert Kozma believed that when media is used carefully and intentionally, it can provide more meaningful information.

When first looking at this debate (or really the original thoughts of Marshall McLuhan from 1964), I felt like it was important to define the word media before making a conclusion. Media is defined by the Oxford Dictionary (2016), media is defined as "the main means of mass communication (broadcasting, publishing, and the Internet) regarded collectively". Considering all forms of mass communication, I felt that I sided more with Robert Kozma because I believe that when there is purpose and meaning behind the media chosen to go with the material, it will be more effective for students. Media, especially apps and software, is not a "one-size-fits-all" category. The learning goals must be established before the specific media is chosen to present or research information. When I think of media, I automatically think of commercials. When companies brainstorm how they will advertise a new product, I believe media type is absolutely considered when deciding which route to take. Just as businesses want to sell their product, teachers and librarians want to give new knowledge and skills to students.

Designing lessons for students should definitely be planned with the type of media in mind. When considering the 21st-century skills students need, the use of technology may not always be the way to present information. Effective lessons can be planned with the use of paper media like articles and newsletters depending on the material being used.

Sources:

Media - definition of media in English. (2016). Retrieved November 15, 2016, from 

         https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/media 

The media debate. (2012, August 30). Retrieved November 15, 2016, from          

         http://edutechwiki.unige.ch/en/The_media_debate 

Podcasts

This week, I did some experimenting with different podcast websites and was surprised with my findings. Podcasts can be used for a plethora of purposes in the library, classroom, and school setting. I had a hard time finding one idea that I liked best since there were so many different options for creating a Podcast. I created several but then would see an idea that I liked even better and would change direction. Overall, creating a podcast was pretty simple, but I am sure there are tons more options if you are willing to pay for a membership with a hosting site since the free options were limited on size, time, and format.

The first site that I tried to use for podcast creation was SoundCloud, but I did not end up using it because of their membership. They offer a free trial but you still have to put in payment information and remember to cancel the membership within 30 days. I never remember to cancel, so I chose to find another option when creating my podcast.

On PodOmatic, their free option did not require any payment information, but I could not figure out how to actually record on this website. There was an option to add files but not one to record directly from the site. I used the app QuickVoice to record my voice and then uploaded it to the PodOmatic website. I loved their site and the embed player looked really great, but I could not get it to play once posted on my blog. It was extremely frustrating. I went with this website anyway because of their embed player layout. It looked much nicer than the other sites.

The third podcast website I tried out was PodBean. They were listed as one of the top results when I completed a Google search of best podcast websites. I didn't find much of a difference between PodOmatic and PodBean since their sites were very similar. The only downside was that the picture I chose to represent my episode was not the correct file format, so I chose a smaller picture. I created the same podcast episode on both PodBean and PodOmatic, but went with PodOmatic because their embed player looked much nicer. Unfortunately, I could not get either player to work when copied into Blogger. I am interested to see if there is a website that is all-in-one with recording and publishing because the only way I could do this for free was by using separate sites for each. I definitely think there are unlimited options with podcasts, and I plan to use them with students throughout this year to try out some of the ways I've read about during this exploration!

The podcast below is the one I created using the voice recording app called QuickVoice and the podcast publishing site called PodOmatic. I chose to create a podcast about the upcoming library events for December since I felt that parents and students could both listen to it. I felt that this was a great place to start but am very interested in creating podcasts with book discussions because that was going to be my next choice if I were stepping out of my comfort zone! Below my podcast are links to the websites I have used above. Thanks for reading!

(Excuse my voice! I've had a cold and just got my voice back this morning!)

The embed player was not working on my computer, but I put it below anyway with high hopes. Here's the link to the podcast just in case.

https://www.podomatic.com/podcasts/kgc01422394/episodes/2016-11-13T17_15_37-08_00




Websites from Post:

PodOmatic:
https://www.podomatic.com

PodBean:
https://www.podbean.com

SoundCloud:
https://soundcloud.com

QuickVoice (App Store Only)
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/quickvoice-recorder/id284675296?mt=8

Cartoons and Comics

This week, I looked at some different sites where users can create cartoons or comics in a pretty simple way! Kids love toonbooks and comics, so I knew it would be a good skill to learn in order to reach students. While it is not something I have ever been a fan of even as a child, comics do present information in an easy-to-read and straight-to-the-point approach. I used three different sites to create the comics and have posted a few examples below.

After creating a budget proposal in one of my other classes, I chose to create a comic that went with that. My proposal suggested getting iPads for students to check out and take home since the school where I work is very low-income and resources are scarce for students outside of school. If the proposal were approved, I would print this comic to display in the library or post it to social media to advertise the new option for checking out the iPads. This comic was created using www.toondoo.com and was very simple to design. I like how easy this website was to navigate, but the characters and themes took a little while to load. I found a place to save the comic, but it did not have the option for saving it straight to your computer. I eventually just took a snippet of the comic so that it could be copied into this blog post.

When looking at the ways that educators can use cartoons or comics in their classroom or library (Zimmerman, 2016), I loved the idea of using comics for students who are learning English as a second language. I thought that one option would be to print out a comic with blank speech bubbles for students to practice writing conversations between characters. At first, I was really excited about using www.MakeBeliefsComix.com but felt really limited with the options. I was instantly excited about using their animated characters but then realized it was only a couple which had this capability. The backgrounds were really limited and most were in black-and-white. I preferred the speech bubbles on ToonDoo because they allowed for adjusting the speech bubble's size whereas this website did not. The comic was much easier to save, but I preferred ToonDoo after using both.

The last toon site that I used was called Pixton. It was instantly engaging because it offered a quick tutorial after logging in for the first time. The user-friendly format made this site very appealing to educators because it even had the option for creating comics for lessons plans or for student use. Pixton was my favorite site to use by far. I enjoyed being able to move the arms, adjust facial expressions, and even change the skin tones of my cartoons! The options were very open-ended and cartoons were fun to create. For saving the comic, there were many options to post to social media, save as an embed link, and share via email. When I tried to download the comic as a picture, it required a premium account. It would be simple to use the snipping tool or a screenshot if needed. I used the embed link to post the comic below.

TooDoo:
www.toondoo.com

Pixton:
www.pixton.com

Make Belief Comix:
www.makebeliefcomix.com

Using Comics in Education:
http://www.makebeliefscomix.com/How-to-Play/Educators/

You Tube, Animoto, and QR Codes

Hi there! Today, I will be looking over and reviewing a few different uses for technology in the library. First, YouTube is used in education for teaching lessons, recording learning experiences, and guiding students through activities. In the library, there are many procedures and tools that can be explained through YouTube. After looking over a few channels by schools, I have listed the most helpful and enjoyable videos for students on each of the channels.

The Norman High Library
Most Helpful: Getting Started with the NHS Library Website
Most Enjoyed by Students: Tiger Visits the Norman High Library

The Unquiet Library
Most Helpful: AP Exam Study Book Suggestion
Most Enjoyed by Students: The Students Become the Teachers

Pikesville High School Library
Most Helpful: Pikesville High School FAFSA
Most Enjoyed by Students: The Panther Library Shakes

BBMS Media
Most Helpful: Bring Them Back Overdue Book Parody
Most Enjoyed by Students: Dr. Katherine and the Book Hoarder

When looking at each channel, I sorted by most popular videos within each channel to see which videos students watched more often. Using that information and considering the content of the video, I made the list above based on these criteria.

Another tool used in the library is Animoto which allows users to create videos using pictures and text. I have created the book trailer below, but there are many options for using it in the library.




QR Codes create a unique code to scan linking users to a site or program quickly. They can be used for scavenger hunts, research sources, and linking directions or videos throughout the library. I look forward to using them frequently, especially for directions or tutorials for library services. It would be simple to create cards with QR codes with links to screencasts or videos to guide students through library procedures and resources. Below is a QR code to link to the above Animoto book trailer. It was simple to create using the website QR Code Generator (www.qr-code-generator.com).

Instagram, Vine, and Screencasts

          While I have seen Vine videos and used Instagram for social and personal reasons, I have never considered using them for educational purposes. After looking at the links provided, I was surprised with the possibilities. It took me an extremely long time to figure out how to insert the embed link into the Blogger page, but I was successful after many tutorials. (Too bad the Instagram picture is huge though!)

          When considering how to use Vine, I was surprised with how simple it was to create a video that was only six seconds yet it included the information I needed. I thought about the new books I just received from Scholastic and how they often go unnoticed if they aren't featured properly. A Vine video is perfect for this! It took several attempts to get the timing and video to look like I wanted, but I was happy with it in the end.

           For the screencasts, I used both Jing and Screencast-O-Matic. Both were extremely simple to use and did not take long to download at all. I felt that I like the user-friendly layout and was surprised with the simplicity to navigate. I had always wondered what people used to create tutorials online! I am thrilled to know how to use this function and could find it extremely helpful when explaining information or technology to teachers, parents, substitutes, etc. I used the Jing program to create a tutorial for finding the online library catalog for the district where I work. I used Screencast-O-Matic for creating a Popplet using the website rather than the app. After using both programs, I really and truly could not decide which one would be my favorite since they were so similar. I could not get the Jing video to convert to a video file, so I wasn't able to put it on the Blogger after many attempts and uploads. The Screen-O-Matic is my favorite program simply because of how quickly it uploaded to my blog.

A photo posted by Kaylin Chaudron (@mrschaudronlooksatbooks) on Oct 23, 2016 at 3:13pm PDT

 

Sources:

Instagram. (n.d.). Retrieved October 23, 2016, from https://www.instagram.com/

Screencast-O-Matic. (n.d.). Retrieved October 20, 2016, from http://screencast-o-matic.com/

Vine. (n.d.). Retrieved October 23, 2016, from https://vine.co/

Infographics

Infographics are extremely popular across the internet for sharing statistics, charts, and information in a visually-appealing format. I had always been curious about how they were created when seeing one on Pinterest or social media. When creating the infographic, I chose to use the information from the report called Parents, Teens, and Digital Monitoring by Monica Anderson. Most of the report contained statistics that were surprisingly high for what I expected. After watching several different videos on how to create the infographic, I was impressed with how simple it was to design one using Piktochart. 

I tried to create the infographic online using Easel.ly and Infogr.am, but their layouts that were available for free were not as appealing for the information I needed to include. Pie charts, bar graphs, and maps were not suitable for the research findings in the report. Easel.ly had a design that I liked, but the site took a long time to load and was glitchy when trying to click on the different blocks. For what I needed, Piktochart worked really well to present the information. I feel that I could have created the infographic just off of their guided steps while designing it for the first time. The page had tips and guides to walk you through the process. I look forward to using infographics for my students and in the library now that I know how simple they can be to create.