I for one have not fallen victim to the phenomenon of social networking. I know so many people who are completely addicted to facebook, twitter, and others. I do not see how this sort of social network system could have academic relevance for students. I have only seen them used for personal use. Besides, these sites are filtered on the school network system.
Now social networking systems like ikeepbookmarks, flickr, wikis, and blogs could have a rightful place in education. These social networking systems can be used to enhance the educational experience. Flickr and other photo social networking systems can be used to create class yearbooks and other school related activities. Wikis and blogs can be used to upload assignments and projects. Ikeepbookmarks, library thing, and delicious can be used as reading and website guides for students that can direct them to resources that are related to the curriculum being studied.
I only think social networking systems where teachers directly create and monitor student activity should be allowed in schools. A lot of people think we should just teach students how to use the sites responsibly. Let’s face it…a lot of kids in school today can’t be trusted on the “honor system”. Well at least not the ones at my school. They require constant supervision and redirection. Unfortunately, we would be responsible for anything inappropriate students might use these resources for and I am not willing to take on that monster.
Overall I think social networking systems are great for our society, but should be carefully chosen and monitored when used in schools. Families sholuld decide whether or not students can participate in those sites that have more personal purposes like twitter and facebook.
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Social Networking Within Schools
I must admit that I have mixed feelings on the use of social networks within the school. I understand the importance of being able to communicate with students and the appeal that it may have with young people, but I am still on the fence as to whether it is appropriate for younger students. We have had several incidences at my school, which have involved social networks. Administrators and law enforcement became involved, and in the end, things that students had posted led to big problems for those students and their parents.
I am very familiar with social networking and have been using it for several years. I have used it for everything from organizing a class reunion to communicating with parents of different sports teams that I have coached. That being said, I have also seen firsthand some things that students have posted and I am just not sure that I am ready to open up that can of worms.
I can see social networking being used with older students, such as high school aged students. In fact, I know of several teachers at a local high school that use social networking for connecting with members of different school sponsored clubs and organizations. They also use this tool to promote these activities to interested parties. From what I have seen, these groups have really benefitted from using social networking.
I think that my reluctance to use social networking in the school comes from being a parent of younger children. I do want my kids to be equipped with the skills that they need to excel, but I don’t think that I am ready for them to become part of a social network quite yet. I don’t think that I am alone in this thinking. So, how could I use social networking in my school, knowing that there are students whose parents do not want them becoming part of a social network? I am not sure what the answer is, but I realize that I am only scratching the surface and that I need to do a lot more research on this topic.
I am very familiar with social networking and have been using it for several years. I have used it for everything from organizing a class reunion to communicating with parents of different sports teams that I have coached. That being said, I have also seen firsthand some things that students have posted and I am just not sure that I am ready to open up that can of worms.
I can see social networking being used with older students, such as high school aged students. In fact, I know of several teachers at a local high school that use social networking for connecting with members of different school sponsored clubs and organizations. They also use this tool to promote these activities to interested parties. From what I have seen, these groups have really benefitted from using social networking.
I think that my reluctance to use social networking in the school comes from being a parent of younger children. I do want my kids to be equipped with the skills that they need to excel, but I don’t think that I am ready for them to become part of a social network quite yet. I don’t think that I am alone in this thinking. So, how could I use social networking in my school, knowing that there are students whose parents do not want them becoming part of a social network? I am not sure what the answer is, but I realize that I am only scratching the surface and that I need to do a lot more research on this topic.
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Media Center Webpages...A Valuable Resource
Media Center WebPages are important to the overall function of the media center. It is a place where patrons can go to locate pertinent information related to the media center like policies and procedures, program events, and OPAC. The media center at my current school does not have a webpage. I think it would be a valuable resource for the teachers at my school if we did have one. I was reading the blog of Traci Williams about her media center webpage and liked her idea about scheduling media center time. This is something I would like to have implemented at my school. We often run into the same problems she mentioned like teachers forgetting when they are scheduled to come at my school. An online calendar gives all parties easy access to the schedule.
Another problem we have at my school is just time…period. We have several reform models going on in the building which make it nearly impossible to get good, quality media center time. If OPAC, media center program events, and other resources were centrally located on a webpage, teachers and students could access the information from their classrooms or home. In essence, the media center would still be able to be used without patrons physically being there.
Now that I think about it…Having a media center webpage would be very helpful in respect to media center usage period. If patrons don’t have time to go to the media center, they could get most of the information they need from a well organized webpage. For instance, there could be a needs assessment link available on the webpage. Teachers could go there to request resource information or technology assistance from any where in at school or at home instead of having to physically come to the media center to fill out a form. Previously created resources like wikis, powepoints, and flipcharts for our school wide units in Social Studies and Science could also be assessable through the webpage. Teachers could also request materials found through searches for on OPAC. I could gather those materials and send teachers an alert when they are ready for pickup. A media center webpage could help busy teachers utilize media center resources.
The possibilities of webpages are endless. It really makes media center resources accessible to all patrons at any given time. I really hope my media specialist begins to take the time to bring the technological services offered in our media center up to the 21st Century.
Another problem we have at my school is just time…period. We have several reform models going on in the building which make it nearly impossible to get good, quality media center time. If OPAC, media center program events, and other resources were centrally located on a webpage, teachers and students could access the information from their classrooms or home. In essence, the media center would still be able to be used without patrons physically being there.
Now that I think about it…Having a media center webpage would be very helpful in respect to media center usage period. If patrons don’t have time to go to the media center, they could get most of the information they need from a well organized webpage. For instance, there could be a needs assessment link available on the webpage. Teachers could go there to request resource information or technology assistance from any where in at school or at home instead of having to physically come to the media center to fill out a form. Previously created resources like wikis, powepoints, and flipcharts for our school wide units in Social Studies and Science could also be assessable through the webpage. Teachers could also request materials found through searches for on OPAC. I could gather those materials and send teachers an alert when they are ready for pickup. A media center webpage could help busy teachers utilize media center resources.
The possibilities of webpages are endless. It really makes media center resources accessible to all patrons at any given time. I really hope my media specialist begins to take the time to bring the technological services offered in our media center up to the 21st Century.
Media Center Webpages
As a classroom teacher, I use my webpage as an additional means of communication with my parents, students, fellow teachers, and even administrators. I am able to post my daily schedule, our weekly newsletter, our activity schedule, online curriculum resources, and so much more. Although my webpage is not a means of two-way communication, I am able to provide useful information to anyone who might be interested in my classroom. For a media specialist, a webpage can also be a great way to communicate with your all of your stakeholders—students, parents, teachers, administrators, and other educational partners within the community.
The options for what you can post on your website are virtually endless.
- First and foremost, attractive, attention-grabbing format and graphics (not too busy, but not boring either)
-
- The
- Contact information for the media specialist and the media clerk
- Brief bio sketch of media center staff
- Welcome letter from media center staff
- Media center hours
- Media center rules and policies for use
- Calendar of media center events (program dates, book fairs, special dates such as author birthdays and anniversaries)
- Highlight on media center volunteers
- Link to the school’s OPAC
- Subpages or links for all media center programs, with guidelines and standards included
- Links to online research for teachers, students, and parents
- Curriculum resource links for teachers, parents, and students
- Links to free educational websites, including educational games
- List of most popular books in the media center
- Suggested reading lists by reading level and genre
- Online book club including a blog for sharing perspectives on book club selections
- Link to the local public library
- Links to educational partners’ websites
What a great way to promote your media center. “If you build it, they will come.”
No matter what you choose to include on your media center webpage, updating the information on a regular basis is a must. You don’t want to have a first-time visitor (or any visitor, for that matter) to be frustrated by incorrect or outdated information. You will also want to check links to outside websites periodically. Following a broken link can also be maddening for users.
In the end, have fun and be creative!
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Wiki What?
What in the world is a wiki? I had no clue what a wiki was until last semester. I had used Wikipedia (www.wikipedia.org) many times before to gather quick facts, but I had no idea what a wiki really was or how it worked. Honestly—and unfortunately—until recently, I did not know what the term Web 2.0 meant.
So, imagine a website where the content can be created, edited, and accessed by many different users without the need for any special components (hardware, software, or other programs) other than a computer and Internet access. What an ingenious idea! But I have a question: With my very limited knowledge of and experience with wikis, how do I introduce and promote the use of wikis to the teachers and students within my school?
Library 2.0 and Beyond: Innovative Technologies and Tomorrow’s User suggests that wikis can be used as a tool for internal communication, institutional collaboration, and research guides or pathfinders. I think I understand the basic concept of each of these applications, but I know that I don’t completely comprehend all of the possible uses for the school media center. Until recently, the only wikis I have had any experience with are Wikipedia, this wiki for MEDT 6467, and one used by previous classmates to present a research project.
So now I pose two questions: Is there anyone else who shares my self-proclaimed Web 2.0 trepidation? If so, I would love to hear from you, sharing your own thoughts, apprehensions, and anxieties about using these emerging technologies, especially the wiki. If you happen to be one of those virtual technology geniuses, what encouragement and direction can you offer for those of us lost somewhere in between the actual and the virtual?
Courtney, N. (Ed.). (2007). Libraries 2.0 and Beyond: Innovative Technologies and Tomorrow's User.
The Wonderful World of Wikis
I thought that I had tapped the resources of the Wiki by creating a class page for students and parents this year. But after reading about the way that Wikis can be used, I find that I am only scratching the surface of this amazing tool. The word “wiki” is not an acronym. It is a Hawaiian word meaning “quick”. The name has now entered the Internet lexicon, along with other Web-based terms such as blogs and podcasts. The Wiki was begun by computer programmers so that they could create a knowledge base and collaborate efficiently on projects. Wikipedia has made them very popular sources of information from world-wide populations. The Wiki provides the community or school with a meeting place to exchange and compile information. It differs from a traditional website where the designer controls all the content and the communication is one way. There are concerns that information can be deleted or added erroneously. In actuality this happens very seldom. There are a host of Wikis on many areas of interest—see the Wiki Index at http://www.wikiindex.com Wikis have become mini libraries of information and a way for all people to share their personal experiences and knowledge. They encourage collaboration, open communication, and creativity in designing dynamic content.
Wikis have enormous potential for supporting media specialist/teacher collaboration. Librarians use it to create and maintain research guides—subject guides or pathfinders. Keyword searching can take users to related resources (databases and catalogs). Good organization is essential to creating a dynamic Wiki. Librarians must take opportunity to promote the Wiki well in order for people to get used to using the new technology. There are excellent Wikis online that contain banks of web sites on academic subjects, homework help, research databases, college and career information, links to activities and events at the high school, and cultural and commemorative resources. Some librarians put their own tech tips on the home page of the Wikis so that students have no trouble using the databases provided. Other librarians link the Wiki to their Google library, OPAC, and blogs to bring the media center to everyone’s computer!
There are so many applications for classroom and media center use of Wikis! Many are being used are to set up a place to generate ideas and collaboration for Science Fair Projects. This allows everyone a place to meet and discuss even though they may be separated by distance or scheduling constraints. The Wiki serves to document the discussion and provide links to the resources that are found. Another application that is very relevant to teacher needs is found in creating a Student Portfolio Wiki. In this way, all teachers who work with the same students have access to and a place to share their own information on the student. Another idea was for professionals to keep a Wiki to organize their own resources and documents for their classroom, college course, or media center. Literature Circle Wikis are another idea for the teacher. The pages of the Wiki can be designated books that the students are reading. Discussion can be facilitated and document through the Wiki format. Amy Bowllan (School Library Journal) describes how she could not find online resources for the book that she was reading with her class. So she created a Wiki where she and the students could create their own resources. The students gathered web links for the setting of the story (Kenya), found recipes for foods from the area, posted them and made them to bring in to the classroom to share. Of course this would be a fabulous way to incorporate writing (blogging) about the theme or setting.
The best idea that I found for Wikis is to use it to collaborate with other teachers. I team teach with another teacher and we each have created our own Wikis this year as communication tools. It would be great to combine the two to make it easier for the students and parents of both classes to find our resources and communicate with each other. We could also share in the work of organizing and maintaining our Wiki. The applications of this tool go on and on!
Wikis have enormous potential for supporting media specialist/teacher collaboration. Librarians use it to create and maintain research guides—subject guides or pathfinders. Keyword searching can take users to related resources (databases and catalogs). Good organization is essential to creating a dynamic Wiki. Librarians must take opportunity to promote the Wiki well in order for people to get used to using the new technology. There are excellent Wikis online that contain banks of web sites on academic subjects, homework help, research databases, college and career information, links to activities and events at the high school, and cultural and commemorative resources. Some librarians put their own tech tips on the home page of the Wikis so that students have no trouble using the databases provided. Other librarians link the Wiki to their Google library, OPAC, and blogs to bring the media center to everyone’s computer!
There are so many applications for classroom and media center use of Wikis! Many are being used are to set up a place to generate ideas and collaboration for Science Fair Projects. This allows everyone a place to meet and discuss even though they may be separated by distance or scheduling constraints. The Wiki serves to document the discussion and provide links to the resources that are found. Another application that is very relevant to teacher needs is found in creating a Student Portfolio Wiki. In this way, all teachers who work with the same students have access to and a place to share their own information on the student. Another idea was for professionals to keep a Wiki to organize their own resources and documents for their classroom, college course, or media center. Literature Circle Wikis are another idea for the teacher. The pages of the Wiki can be designated books that the students are reading. Discussion can be facilitated and document through the Wiki format. Amy Bowllan (School Library Journal) describes how she could not find online resources for the book that she was reading with her class. So she created a Wiki where she and the students could create their own resources. The students gathered web links for the setting of the story (Kenya), found recipes for foods from the area, posted them and made them to bring in to the classroom to share. Of course this would be a fabulous way to incorporate writing (blogging) about the theme or setting.
The best idea that I found for Wikis is to use it to collaborate with other teachers. I team teach with another teacher and we each have created our own Wikis this year as communication tools. It would be great to combine the two to make it easier for the students and parents of both classes to find our resources and communicate with each other. We could also share in the work of organizing and maintaining our Wiki. The applications of this tool go on and on!
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Podcasting
So, the podcast that we created at the beginning of this class was the first one I had ever done. I found it to be a very useful and pretty easy way to get information to people who you don't have a lot of direct contact with. After looking at the others podcasts, I started to see the potential of this for a media specialist. Being one of the technology "experts" in the school, the media specialist is a very sought after person when anything goes wrong with computers, overheads, projectors, interactive boards, etc. It would be very easy and very beneficial to have podcasts that can be accessed when problems arise. For instance, if the bulb in the overhead projector blows, the teacher can access the podcast created by the media specialist with step-by-step instructions and illustrations on how to replace it. Podcasting would be a perfect way to troubleshoot in situations like this.
As a media specialist, I also feel that it is my job to educate and encourage teachers to use podcasting. I could offer training sessions after school for teachers to come to. Hey, I could even make a podcast about podcasting that they could refer to whenever they needed to! :) It would be very beneficial for teachers because as an elementary school teacher, I know how many questions I get every week about homework, spelling words, assessments, etc. I am required to send out a weekly newsletter about the coming week. I think it would be more beneficial to post a weekly podcast about the upcoming week. I could explain in more detail everything that will be happening in our class for the week, and parents would be able to access it whenever they needed it.
We are becoming more and more technologically savvy these days. It is very important for our students to be learning about and using many types of technology in order to prepare them for their future. Podcasting would be an easy and exciting technology for them to use. Instead of doing a project and presenting them to the class, they could create a podcast. They would be able to share what they learned with not only those students in their class, but others who might be interested in their project. Not only would they be learning about whatever subject their project covered, but they would also be learning a new technology to use in the future.
Podcasts can be beneficial to every person in the school. As a media specialist, it will be my job to make sure that people learn about podcasts. Promoting this and other technologies will make it easier for those that don't really get exposed to technology to keep up with the new technologies that come around. Also, by knowing about and promoting technologies such as podcasts, you are making yourself an invaluable resource to everyone in the school!!!
As a media specialist, I also feel that it is my job to educate and encourage teachers to use podcasting. I could offer training sessions after school for teachers to come to. Hey, I could even make a podcast about podcasting that they could refer to whenever they needed to! :) It would be very beneficial for teachers because as an elementary school teacher, I know how many questions I get every week about homework, spelling words, assessments, etc. I am required to send out a weekly newsletter about the coming week. I think it would be more beneficial to post a weekly podcast about the upcoming week. I could explain in more detail everything that will be happening in our class for the week, and parents would be able to access it whenever they needed it.
We are becoming more and more technologically savvy these days. It is very important for our students to be learning about and using many types of technology in order to prepare them for their future. Podcasting would be an easy and exciting technology for them to use. Instead of doing a project and presenting them to the class, they could create a podcast. They would be able to share what they learned with not only those students in their class, but others who might be interested in their project. Not only would they be learning about whatever subject their project covered, but they would also be learning a new technology to use in the future.
Podcasts can be beneficial to every person in the school. As a media specialist, it will be my job to make sure that people learn about podcasts. Promoting this and other technologies will make it easier for those that don't really get exposed to technology to keep up with the new technologies that come around. Also, by knowing about and promoting technologies such as podcasts, you are making yourself an invaluable resource to everyone in the school!!!
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