Reflecting on Digital Technology

Wow! What a semester to be enrolled in Digital Technology for the School Librarian. To have our semester end abruptly due to the shutdown of campuses and initiate remote learning for our students, this was certainly a class with benefits! Each module offered material and information that was immediately applicable to share with students and teachers. There were many things that our district already had in place but to be able to offer additional resources and opportunities to integrate with those platforms was extremely valuable.

THE Blog:

I actually created this blog years ago to show the work for my students when I was teaching ELA. However, I hadn't really updated it until I began the program at SHSU and it was required for a few of the courses. This is my statement of commitment to update once or twice per month as I move into my third year as a school librarian. There are so many technology platforms to review, books to encourage readers, and library information to send to staff, that I think the blog would be a great place to keep it. Blogger has been really easy to use and as I dig more into the settings, I know that I will find out better ways to use it and personalize the pages.

Blog Readers:

This was entirely new for me! Blog readers and subscribing to blogs with Feedly. Out of the reviewed blog readers, this is the one that I found most user friendly. I see it as a "Pinterest Board" of blogs. Once you find the blogs you want to read, you subscribe and only have to visit the blog reader instead of having multiple emails or tabs updating when a blog has been posted.

Facebook, Instagram & Twitter:

Not that I'm happy to say it, but this was the most comfortable area for me. I spend entirely too much time on social media!!! However, using these platforms to advocate for the school library made me feel like I was working instead of wasting time. I think I will always favor Twitter over all other social media platforms but it was good to create an Instagram and Facebook for the library to reach the diverse backgrounds of the learning community.

Infographics:

This is another application that I have some experience but certainly not an expert. I really enjoy making infographics and find them easy to read. I also think they are great visual tools for students. They take more time than some of the other applications but I think they have value to meet the needs of diverse learners. I think they look "easy" to read because of the variety of elements and design but they pack a big punch when it comes to delivering information. I personally like to use Canva but there are so many options out there that are user-friendly.

Screencasts:

I started creating screencasts last August when our campus started limiting staff meetings. I began creating short videos for PD that our teachers could refer to when needing help with our grading program, teacher website creation, and other technology platforms. I created a YouTube channel to house these videos so teachers could easily find them and use them when needed. When we didn't return to the campus after spring break, screencasts became the area that I spent the majority of my time. I created them for students to see how to check out ebooks and use the online databases and I made them for teachers to understand how to work with our online learning platform, Canvas. I recently listened to a podcast about how to make screencasts better, and will begin implementing those strategies for future videos.

YouTube, Animoto, and QR Codes:

I am familiar with YouTube and have a channel that I upload for BBJH Technology but I need to spend some time learning how to edit those videos. I LOVE Animoto for creating book trailers--I really want to make more for the summer to encourage my readers. And, QR codes are a great tool to get information into the hands of my teachers and students quickly. I like that you can scan the code and it is saved to your device so that you can return to review the material. Such an easy concept!

Cartoons & Comics:

I have to say that this was probably the MOST FUN! After looking through all of the sites and playing with the features, I immediately posted the websites and information to my Canvas page for my students to begin creating. What a great way to show creativity and share knowledge. I have always liked Storyboard but thought that the other sites were great. I ended up purchasing a yearly subscription to Fotojet because of the picture collages they make. I look forward to spending more time here and will definitely incorporate it with updating this blog!! 

Podcasts:

Podcasts have been great for me as a listener and I've only dabbled a couple of times on making them. They are still an area that is challenging but I am committed to keeping up with finding and creating interesting podcasts that will engage my learning community. I thought that Podbean was the most user-friendly for a beginner but would really like to learn more about Garage Band and all of the features available.

Storyboard Answers:

Using Storyboard, I answer some of the questions to sum up my experiences with Digital Technology! (I meant to supersize it so it can go off the page because the text was too small to read.)

And if you are a speed-reader...enjoy this fun download of the Storyboard story!😏

It has been quite the semester of new experiences and unknowns...but with those challenges I have acquired a new perspective and growth in digital technology. I still have a few more weeks with my students to implement these applications and learn from my community. 

Universal Design for Learning

Universal Design for Learning is the concept that educators improve and elevate learning for all people in the learning community. UDL is never a finalized product--educators continuously and consistently revise and revamp instruction by looking at all domains to ensure ALL learners have opportunities AND access to meaningful learning. And what better time to consider this research since we are in a global pandemic and the majority of schools in the US have instituted remote learning. No longer are the buildings open, but school has not closed. Educators have been instantly immersed into conversations and construction of online lessons but the access for these lessons are not on the same level for all of our learners. This is where the conversations for UDL need to begin happening. I am fortunate that I work for a district that began this conversation years ago and we are taking the steps to level learning. The following video is a quick overview for UDL.

As a district we are currently providing resources and materials for all members of our learning community by providing Snap&Read and Co:Writer- two product resources from Don Johnston Human Learning Tools. Every student can download these two Google extensions by using their school email that provides them free access. Snap&Read is a reading tool for Google Chrome, ipad, etc that can read both accessible and inaccessible text aloud, level vocabulary and use Google translate for all documents. In addition, it provides study and organization tools and can be used on Google docs, word documents, .pdfs and live websites. Co:Writer uses word prediction, translation support and speech recognition to encourage stress-free writing. The implementation of these tools meet the ACCESS guidelines set forth by the UDL model by recruiting interest for means of engagement, representing multiple means for perception and providing means of action and expression through the use of assisting technologies. 

Since the shutdown of school buildings, educators have been instating options for expression and communication by using multiple media tools for communication, construction and composition. This has been mostly through trial-and-error, but with the forced online format, it is allowing educators and the leaders of the school to determine where we are failing our learning community. We should be encouraged to add and try new options so that we can understand how our students need us to communicate with them to support their learning.

An area of UDL that I would like to explore is the use of rubrics for setting expectations. Getting away from traditional grading has always been a goal of mine, especially at the junior high level, and instead provide feedback through peer and teacher review. This is not a popular idea for many educators since it takes away the "punishment" for not doing well on an assignment. It also takes away the "reward" for a student who is motivated by A's. This is the conversation that I believe should be happening when we consider the UDL guidelines and how we can use flexible grouping and collaborative groups to optimize the needs of all learners. Students are coming into the academic setting with different backgrounds. As educators we cannot equalize the playing field in our students lives, but we can provide balance of access and learning opportunities in a structured setting.  

UDL & ASSESSMENT

Looking at grading guidelines with knowledge of UDL will require research and challenging conversations with school leaders. I anticipate there would be strong opposition to removing traditional grading and would likely only be considered where gpa is not a determining factor for class rank. Removing traditional grading at the 8th grade level and below would not affect a students future "grade," however, removing traditional grading from the high school level (9-12) would affect class rank, scholarship, and college applications. The idea would require collaboration with many members of the learning community and a look into model schools. UDL has published information with assessment in mind at UDL On Campus. Implementing rubrics will require thinking and planning ahead for educators to really understand the learning target for each lesson or activity. Robert Marzano has published a book titled Transforming Classroom Grading that clarifies how to use a rubric-based approach to assessment and reporting. 

My personal goal is to continue to gain understanding and use the UDL guidelines as we move into the future of academics and how that allows everyone in the learning community opportunities for enhanced learning experiences.


Sources

CAST (2018). Universal design for learning guidelines version 2.2 [graphic organizer]. Wakefield, MA: Author.

The UDL Guidelines. (2018, August 31). Retrieved April 28, 2020, from http://udlguidelines.cast.org/

What is Universal Design for Learning (UDL)? (2017, November 2). Retrieved April 27, 2020, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGQ_7K35ysA

Creative Commons

Creative Commons is a nonprofit organization with a mission to build accessible knowledge and culture at the global level. If you visit their website, you will see that now, during a global pandemic, is an important time to provide unrestricted access to scientific research and educational materials. If you have never heard of Creative Commons, please view the Creative Commons infographic that Emily and I put together to inform you of their 1.6 billion works that are available to explore. You can also follow them on Twitter @creativecommons to stay informed of the latest information for #openaccess.

Podcasts

Podcasts are a great way to reach a large audience and make an impact in the school library. Creating podcasts takes time and can be somewhat intimidating when you first begin. However, with practice and familiarity the advantages far outweigh the obstacles. Three applications that can help you create your podcasts are highlighted below.

Anchor

Anchor makes it easy to get started with your first podcast. It offers unlimited free hosting and covers all FAQ's about making a podcast along with tips and tricks for planning, producing and publishing podcasts. The phone app is simple to use with 5 easy steps that guide you through the podcast experience. You will be able to edit, split into segments and add background music. You can podcast with friends or have guest speakers. Anchor will also help distribute the podcast with Apple and Spotify if you don't want to distribute it manually. Requesting sponsorships is another feature that is easily activated.

Podbean

Podbean is another platform that you can get start podcasting for free. Although, if you want more than 5 hours of storage and 100GB of bandwidth, you will need to opt for a paid plan ranging from $9 to $99 per month. The most popular plan being $29 per month with tons of features. It's easy to use from laptop or smartphone and once published, the podcast is available on Amazon Alexa. With scheduled publishing and audiograms to share on social media, Podbean seems to have everything needed for a school librarian to begin podcasting immediately.This podcast about collaboration in the school library was created with my class colleague, Emily, using Podbean.

Collaboration in the Library by Emily & Kara

GarageBand

GarageBand is an application for making music or podcasts with all the tools you will ever need to create and enhance professional sounding podcasts. Buzzsprout offers this tutorial to get started by creating a template and covers recording, editing and exporting your podcast. GarageBand is free and there are tons of videos and articles walking you through the features that are available on this platform. 



Be sure to check out this link to hear Book Riot's recommendations for 13 Must-Hear podcasts for librarians. Knowledge Quest also has recommendations for these podcasts created BY and FOR school librarians. The School Library Journal wrote an article in 2018 encouraging school librarians to create podcasts and help students create them, as well. This informative write-up outlines tips and tricks for getting started immediately and the benefits of podcasts-both creating and listening.

Cartoons & Comics

I love reading comics! And, with graphic novels as popular as they are, I know that my junior high students like reading them, too! I also like the ability to design within a site and easily see changes. Here are four sites that give you the ability to make your own comics along with making design changes seamlessly, and then share them with your students. 

Pixton

The first site that I tried was called Pixton. It was my first time to use the site or create a comic strip and I must say that it was very simple. Many features were free, but if you want to get into creating lots of movements, facial expressions and a change of scenery, then you will have to purchase a plan. Plans begin at $9.99 per month and go up to $99 per year. The best part is that all plans include unlimited student enrollment.

Make Beliefs Comix

The second site I visited was Make Beliefs Comix. This site seemed a little dated with less features than the first site. I had a little trouble getting started, but once I explored the site a little more I realized it wasn't very difficult. Obviously, my state of mind at the time was expressed in the comic strip. This site is not just for creating comic strips, but you can also create greeting cards, ebooks and more. There are options for lesson plans, help in special needs, and for students whose first language is not English. 

FotoJet

My first impression with FotoJet is that the interface reminded me of the Canva platform. Since I use Canva on a regular basis, it was immediately familiar. I chose one of the collage templates to get started. It's easy to choose a photo that is available within the platform, or you can upload a photo from your computer. The other option is to import a Facebook photo. I chose to use the available photos in the platform since most junior high students do not have a Facebook account. Downloading the project is free but to be able to save your work or access better features, the user will have to purchase a plan at $40 per year if billed annually. I went ahead and purchased a year subscription to continue making more of these. My daughter is really missing volleyball right now so I chose to create a collage using her pictures. I could imagine that students (and teachers) would enjoy making these to highlight moments. This was a fun site to explore. 

Storyboard That

The last site that I used to create a comic strip was StoryboardThat. I remember using this site when I previously taught 7th grade ELA and I wanted to create a comic for Edgar Allan Poe's The Tell-Tale Heart. The site has plans from $9.99 per month to a yearly plan for $96. This site was probably the easiest to figure out without a tutorial. All features are simple to find, add, and edit. This would be my favorite site but with a free plan, the user is limited to only two storyboards per week. 

All in all, I really enjoyed creating the comics on each site and it gives me a new way to reach students that I normally would not have used. I can't wait to see what the students will be creating when I share these sites with them.

I plan on spending some time in the next few days making comic strips to share with students and teachers on my Canvas page. We all need to smile during this time of uncertainty and I also want to pass on the quality of the sites. I will ask my students to share with me their creations so that I can post on the school website. I think this would be a great way to see our students publish their work and feel a sense of accomplishment. I also think teachers will find it an enjoyable site to use for creative lessons. 

Videos & QR Codes in the Library

YouTube

YouTube is one of the most popular platforms in the United States. I wrote a previous blog post and uploaded an infographic with support for this statement. YouTube is extremely popular in digital education. Users can choose to create channels and upload videos that will be helpful to viewers. Viewers can subscribe to these channels and get automatic updates when videos have been added. YouTube is a great benefit to the school library. 

The Norman High School Library:

This video would be helpful for students learning how to navigate the NHS library online. 

And students would enjoy seeing their mascot tour the physical spaces of the library.

The Unquiet Library

The Unquiet Library has been uploading videos for 11 years. They have 158 subscribers. Over 300 students have found this video extremely helpful. 

And with over 1,000 views, students have enjoyed this video.

Pikesville High School Library

This video with a group of high school seniors performing a skit and dance has the most views.

And this video would be most helpful for students who need help with registering for classes. 

BBMS Media

This video from BBMS Media will help students with citation tools.

The BBMS Media site has a variety of student produced videos to encourage returning overdue books. This video with over 3000 views seems to be the most liked video on the channel. 

YouTube may sometimes be blocked by the technology filters. However, you have the ability to embed the videos in Canvas and allow students to see them, as needed. This will prevent the ads and suggested videos from coming up when students are logging into YouTube to see your video. 

I currently have a YouTube channel BBJH Technology that allows students and teachers to find help with library services and technology platforms. 

Animoto & QR Codes

From the critically acclaimed author of Allegedly, Tiffany D. Jackson, comes a gripping new novel perfect for fans of E. Lockhart and Gillian Flynn about the mystery of one teenage girl's disappearance and the traumatic effects of the truth.

Monday Charles is missing, and only Claudia seems to notice. Claudia and Monday have always been inseparable - more sisters than friends. So when Monday doesn't turn up for the first day of school, Claudia's worried.

When she doesn't show for the second day, or second week, Claudia knows that something is wrong. Monday wouldn't just leave her to endure tests and bullies alone. Not after last year's rumors and not with her grades on the line. Now, Claudia needs her best - and only - friend more than ever. But Monday's mother refuses to give Claudia a straight answer, and Monday's sister April is even less help.

As Claudia digs deeper into her friend's disappearance, she discovers that no one seems to remember the last time they saw Monday. How can a teenage girl just vanish without anyone noticing that she's gone?

©2018 Tiffany D. Jackson (P)2018 HarperCollins Publishers

Using Animoto, I created a book trailer for Monday's Not Coming by Tiffany D. Jackson. Animoto is user-friendly and a great site to create projects for use in the world of digital education. I also used a QR generator to create a QR code for an easy way to access websites that you want to share. QR codes can be used to give students access to book trailers, YouTube videos, book summaries, and more. Scan the QR code below to see the book trailer. 

An incredible influencer in the area of digital education, Kathy Schrock shares her suggestions for using QR codes in the classroom. Just click on this link https://www.schrockguide.net/qr-codes-in-the-classroom.html to read her blog and begin using QR codes with your students.