LSSL 5391 Final Reflection

Final Reflection

At the start of this course, I was very nervous because I didn't know if I would be able to keep up with all the technology that encompassed this course. I was pleasantly surprised that I was not only able to get the hang of the technology tools of this course, but I was excited and eager to learn more about them. I was so proud of the projects that I had created in this course that I often found myself showing my co-workers and telling them all about the technology tools that we were using.

The technology tools that were most exciting for me were Animoto and QR Codes. I was in shock to see how easy Animoto made it to put a quick video together with music, pictures, and text descriptions. I really think this tool is useful not only for teachers, but for students to use for presentation purposes. I also really enjoyed making QR codes. QR Code Generator made it easy to create a QR code for my book trailer that I made. QR codes allow the process of accessing desired information to be quick and effective. 

The technology tools that were most difficult for me were the comic tools: Toondoo, Pixton, and Make Beliefs Comix. I was really excited to create these, but I was disappointed with how confusing and complicated each of these tools were. I know students would love to create comic strips, I just wish these tools made it easier for users to utilize.

The technology tools that I feel are most beneficial for students are screencasts, and YouTube videos. These videos provide students with information that they can visually see. The great thing about these videos is that students can go back and watch these videos as many times as they want and can rewind, if needed. Students can also use these tools to be creative and develop their own videos for presentation purposes. 

Overall, I learned so much in this course this semester. This course allowed me to feel more comfortable with technology and not be so scared to try new tools. I feel eager and excited to know that I can use any of these tools now, and in the future as a librarian. 

Here is my Animoto video of my final reflection of LSSL 5391.

Podcasts

Podcasts

Podcasts are an innovative tool that teachers can use to create engaging content on topics learned in class. Students are able to listen to podcasts at any time and any location. If students are struggling with a concept, they can go back and listen to the podcast as many times as needed. Podcasts can also be used by students. Students can create podcasts to present information learned in class.

Podbean

I have used Podbean multiple times throughout my graduate school career. Podbean has always made it easy to upload my podcast to my channel. I always liked how Podbean resembles a social media website. Podbean allows each user to choose their profile picture for their channel along with a cover header that is displayed at the top of the page. Each time you are uploading a podcast, you are given the option to choose a picture and add a description. Podbean requires you to create an account, and allows you to have 5 hours worth of content, unless you upgrade. 

Click here to listen to my podcast that I uploaded through Podbean.

Soundcloud

Since I have only used Podbean to upload my podcasts, I decided to try other Podcasting programs. I created an account with Soundcloud because I know it is widely used. To my surprise, uploading a video is simple and quick with Soundcloud. Soundcloud has a modern layout that contains large buttons with descriptions to make it easy to navigate around the website. The only downfall is that Soundcloud only allows you to have up to 3 hours of content on the free plan. 

Audioboom

I created an account with Audioboom and enjoyed that the website was vibrant in color with large and easy to read text. I searched for quite some time for a place that I could upload my podcast without having to pay for it, and then realized that this wasn't an option. You must pay $9.99 per month in order to upload your podcasts to this program. 

Overall, I think podcasts are a great way to incorporate technology into your lessons. I think they put a fun twist on student learning that students would appreciate. Podbean and Soundcloud were both great programs to use to upload your podcasts. Sadly, I did not get to try Audioboom, since there was not a free plan available. 

Cartoons and Comics

Cartoons and Comics

Comics are a fun way to deliver information through images and text. They can be incorporated into classroom instruction to make learning more enjoyable for students. I think comic strips put a fun spin on reading text from a book. An educator is more likely to keep the attention of their students through comic strips than through reading text from a book or article. 

I explored three different websites and created a comic strip on each of them. The programs I used were Pixton, Toondoo, and Make Beliefs Comix. I had never created a comic strip before so it was fun being able to learn and be creative while trying each program out.

Here is the comic strip I created with Toondoo:

This comic strip was my first comic strip I have ever created. Since this was my first, I was a little overwhelmed with the amount of buttons and icons that this program contained. I couldn't help but think that if I was this overwhelmed, how would the students feel? After playing around with it for a little while, I finally became more comfortable with creating my cartoon. I like the various options of characters that it provides, along with several expressions for each. The amount of icons this program had made it hard to see where the save button was. When I found it, I noticed that you had to hover over the icon to read that it was save button. You must create an account to use this program.

Here is the comic strip I made with Pixton:

I enjoyed using this program because I felt like it was more modern and life-like looking. You are able to create your own avatar, which is neat. This program is clear and easy to use with large buttons and colorful features. The only downfall about this website is that is contains limited options for users with the free version. You can only create 2 characters to use in your comic strips and there are only four backgrounds to choose from. This program allows you to easily download and save your cartoon, with a large button that said "download." This program requires you to create an account.

Here is the comic strip I made with Make Beliefs Comix:

This program does not require you to create an account. I really liked all the fun character options that this program offered. I can see students having fun creating comics with this website. The only downfall about this website was that you had to press a button before moving items around or increasing/decreasing the size. This program was a little bit harder to save my comic strip. The only way to save your image is by clicking the "save image to disk" which allows you to download the image to your computer. 

Comic strips can be incorporated into the classroom in many different ways. Comic strips can be used for: delivering information, presenting information learned, or just as a fun icebreaker. Teachers and students can create comics to make learning more entertaining and effective. 

Videos and QR Codes in the Library

Videos and QR Codes in the Library

Creating videos for the library can be used for many purposes. Videos can be used to showcase all that the library has to offer, a tutorial on a particular website or application, a book trailer, and more. Videos are an effective way to promote your library and its resources to the community.

I plan to make a YouTube channel for my library that has both informational and recreational videos. I want to create videos that are fun and inviting for the library, but also have videos that students can utilize when accessing library resources. 

I took a look at several library YouTube channels to get ideas on videos to create for the library. For each YouTube channel that I visited I selected a most helpful and most enjoyable video. The videos I selected and the channels I visited are shown below.

I visited the YouTube channel of Norman High Library first. This channel contained great informational videos that show students how to use several library websites and resources. 

Most helpful for students:

This video was a screencast showing students how to access and utilize EBSOHost. I think this video provides great information for users on how to effectively find articles for research purposes. 

Most enjoyable for Students:

This video is fun and engaging for students to watch. In this video, the school mascot explores the library and showcases all that it has to offer.

The Unquiet Library YouTube channel contains instructional videos, student perspective videos, and more. 

Most helpful for students:

This video is a screencast on how to effectively locate images on Wikimedia Commons that are copyright friendly. This is a great resource for students to use when searching for pictures to add to their assignment without worrying about copyright infringement. 

Most enjoyable for students:

This video has over 1,000 views. I think getting a student’s perspective on library resources is a great idea. 

Pikesville High School library has a Youtube channel that contains videos mostly made by students or teachers. There are a couple of videos on this channel that show students having fun in the library. 

Most helpful for students:

This video encourages students to fill out their FAFSA. The video shows the importance of filling out a FAFSA application and is also entertaining to watch.

Most enjoyable for students:

In this video students are dancing and having fun to a popular song in the library. This video is perfect for showing students that the library isn't such a scary place.

I also watched several videos from the BBMS Library YouTube channel. I thought the channel was filled with entertaining and engaging videos. The channel had various parody music videos on popular songs, videos on puzzles, and library commercials. The videos do a great job in promoting the library as they set an inviting atmosphere for students. 

Most helpful for Students:

This video explains how and when to create annotated citations for an assignment. This video contains great information that students can refer to for assistance. 

Most enjoyable for students:

I think students would enjoy this video because it is based on a popular song and catchy to listen to. 

Some districts may have YouTube blocked due to inappropriate content and advertisements. If a district has YouTube blocked, SchoolTube is a great alternative. SchoolTube ensures that all content is safe for classroom purposes. This website allows users to upload videos, share lessons, watch educational videos, and more. 

I made a book trailer for the book The Fault in our Stars using Animoto. This was my first time creating a book trailer and using Animoto, so I was a little nervous. To my surprise, Animoto made it so easy to create my book trailer the way I wanted. I am excited to keep exploring this program and all it has to offer.

 Publisher’s Synopsis:

Despite the tumor-shrinking medical miracle that has bought her a few years, Hazel has never been anything but terminal, her final chapter inscribed upon diagnosis. But when a gorgeous plot twist named Augustus Waters suddenly appears at Cancer Kid Support Group, Hazel's story is about to be completely rewritten.

Insightful, bold, irreverent, and raw, The Fault in Our Stars is award-winning author John Green's most ambitious and heartbreaking work yet, brilliantly exploring the funny, thrilling, and tragic business of being alive and in love.

Here is a QR code that I created for my Animoto book trailer. Iphones and some android devices allow you to scan the QR code using just the camera. If this does not work, you can use a QR reader.  

QR codes make it easy to access videos and websites efficiently. As a math teacher, I print out QR codes for my students to cut and paste into their interactive notebook. Students scan these QR codes to watch the videos we create on the concepts we cover. Most students are able to scan the QR codes with their phone to access the material desired. QR codes allow users to access content quickly and effectively to enhance student learning.

Screencasts

Screencasts

Screencasts are recordings of a computer screen, usually with a voice narration. They are often used for tutorials on different websites, applications, and more. I had never made a screencast before, and was excited to give them a try.

I used two different screencasting programs to make my videos. The first screencast I made was with the program called Screencast-o-matic. I have seen many of my professors use this program and was excited to be able to use it. Screencast-o-matic was simple, straightforward, and easy to use. I liked the large buttons and the option to record using the screen only, webcam only, or both. Once recording, you are able to pause your video and even view a playback of the content you have recorded so far. If you are not satisfied with your video, there is a trash can that allows you to delete the video and retry. The program made it easy to save the recording to my computer once finished.

I decided to make a screencast on how to access and utilize our school library catalog. Here is the video I made using Screencast-o-matic:

For my next video, I decided to try a different screencasting program called Snag-it. This one was not as straightforward as Screencast-o-matic. For this program, you have to draw out, using the cursor, the area of the page that you want to be screen recorded. This is a nice option if you would only like a certain part of your screen to be recorded. The only thing that I disliked that each time I wanted to start a new video, I had to redraw that portion of the screen that I wanted. This program also did not allow me view a playback of the content I had just recorded when paused like Screen-o-matic did. 

I decided to make a video on how to use Brittanica School. Here is the video I made with Snag-it:

I enjoyed making these screencasts, and was pleasantly surprised with how easy and fun they are to make. I think they can are a great tool to use when trying demonstrate how to use a certain digital website or application. I'm excited to keep using screencasts now and in my future as a librarian. 

Infographics

Infographics 

Infographics are a visual image that are used to represent data, mostly through charts and diagrams. They make viewing and understanding data easier as they are modern, clear, and effective.

I explored 3 different websites that are used to create infographics, Easelly, Piktochart, and Infogram. I attempted to create an infographic on every single one of these resources to see which one I preferred. I ultimately decided to use Picktochart to create my visual. I thought it was the easiest to use after playing around with all three. I opted out of using one of Piktochart's many suggested templates. I decided to start from scratch and customize my own infographic. The one I created is shown below:

Here are my thoughts on each resource:

Easelly

Overall Easelly was user-friendly and simple to create an infographic. I liked how you can click on each tab and drag down whichever tool you need onto your canvas. I thought the charts offered were a bit limited. I would have preferred a wider selection to represent my data. Also, I was a little overwhelmed when first creating an account with Easelly. They had many suggested infographics all clumped together each with large amount of statistical data and images. 

Infogram

I liked that Infogram had many features to pick from when creating your infographic. I also enjoyed the option of being able to easily add a Youtube video to my infographic. Inserting a map into your visual is also an option for this resource, although the only free maps that are available are the world map or the United States map. The icons on this resource are small, and don't contain a description of what each one is used for, unless you hover over them. Infogram had the most modern feel to it, and was easy to use. 

Piktochart

I decided to use Piktochart to create my infographic because of how clear and simple it was to use. This resource contains large icons, each with a description of what they are used for. Piktochart made it easy to create my infographic from scratch. It was simple to design my visual the way I wanted it from the colors to the graphs. I look forward to exploring this resource more. 

References

Perrin, A. (2018). Nearly one-in-five Americans now listen to audiobooks. Retrieved from https://pewresearch-org-preprod.go-vip.co/fact-tank/2018/03/08/nearly-one-in-five-americans-now-listen-to-audiobooks/ 

Social Media & The Library

Social Media & The Library 

I have always been a big user of social media ever since I was in high school. I love the idea of sharing pictures, thoughts, good/bad experiences, and more. I think it’s a great way to communicate, build relationships, and keep in touch with people that you don’t see on a regular basis. I have also noticed that social media has become an outlet for businesses to market and promote their brand. A librarian can use this same method to promote their school library to the community.

Facebook:

Libraries can create pages through Facebook to market and promote their library. The creator of a Facebook page can post: photos, videos, and events. Users are also able to post reviews on the Facebook page with their likes/dislikes. Libraries can use Facebook pages to draw attention to their library by informing the community of the fun, educational, and interactive activities that the library hosts.

Pasadena High School Library was one of the first school library Facebook pages I found. Their library Facebook page was filled with photos about events that the library puts on such as, Name that Book Competition, Literacy Night, and Slime and STEM Fun. The page consists of interactive photos of students at these events, and flyers on events that are coming up. My favorite part about the page was an article posted of students playing giant games, such as: Chess, Connect Four, and Jenga. The article was captioned, “Pasadena High School library has giant chess pieces, noisy kids, and nobody saying Shh!’’ Pasadena High School library has done a great job in using the Facebook page to make sure their library looks fun and inviting to all learners.

Creating a Facebook page for your school library has its advantages and disadvantages. An advantage of using Facebook is to promote and market your library. Seeing the Pasadena High School Library page makes me want to visit their library myself. A disadvantage of using Facebook is that not many students have it. Promoting your library through Facebook would most likely reach more adults than students.

Twitter:

Twitter is another great social media platform to promote a school library. I enjoy using twitter because tweets are short and to the point. Tweets has a 280-character limit per tweet, so users are forced to get their message across with a short statement. Tweets can also consist of pictures, videos, and links to websites. Users can also use tweets to take a poll, which can be beneficial when trying to decide what users prefer in the library. Lastly, Twitter allows users to reach their desired audience with the use of hashtags.

I followed a few of the biggest names in educational technology to see what interests them and to get some ideas for the future. Here are some of the tweets that I liked and found useful.

Kathy Schrock (@kathyschrock) discusses the importance of student collaboration in her tweet about learning centers.

Jim Lerman (@jimlerman) suggests more than 30 education technology websites of various content areas for educators.

Gwyneth Jones (@GwynethJones) provides her followers with a fun and interactive back to school library activity.

A few advantages of creating a twitter account for your school library would be that it’s user-friendly, and you’re able to provide links to other websites. You can also retweet tweets onto your page, and you are able to reach a certain audience with the use of hashtags. A disadvantage of using twitter to promote your library would be the limit of characters per tweet.

Instagram:

Instagram is my favorite social media platform. I love that Instagram is all about photos and visual sharing. I think that creating an Instagram account for the school library is a great idea. Instagram will allow librarians to post eye-catching photos and videos to promote and market the school library.

Here are some ideas on how you can use Instagram for your school library:

·      Post eye-catching and engaging photos

·      Create Instagram stories to inform people of what activities and events the library has to offer

·      Use a suggestion box through Instagram stories for users to make suggestions of what they would like to see in the library

·      Use the poll feature on Instagram stories to allow users to help you make a decision for the library.

·      Create a countdown for events happening in the library

·      Use hashtags to target your desired audience

As you can see Instagram has a lot to offer for its users. Instagram is one of the most popular social media applications, as it’s a simplified version of Facebook. Instagram has many features that allows you to grab the attention of your target audience, all while still being easy to use. A disadvantage of Instagram is that it can only be accessed on an iPhone or Android app.

Overall, the thought of using social media to promote the library excites me. I look forward to creating my own social media accounts for my library one day to display all that my library has to offer.