Technology Top Ten

My top ten things teachers need to know in order to teach effectively in today’s technology environment:

1.    Be flexible, have an open mind about technology and a new way to do things in your classroom.

2.    Change is never easy but computers and the internet and technology tools are not going away…try enriching your classroom content with technology.

3.    Technology is more than word processing, drill and practice, and Google searches. Technology can and should be used to inform and inspire students and help them collaborate and create.

4.    Collaborate with the library teacher and/or the technology specialist. You don’t have to do integrate technology alone.

5.    Technology is nothing to be afraid of…… be prepared to not know everything and know where to go for technology assistance to ask for help if you need it.

6.    Plan for glitches, they happen. Have a backup plan.

7.    You do not need to be an expert in technology when using it in the class room. You do not need to be “smarter” than your students, sometimes your students will know more than you do and sometimes you will be learning together.

8.    Technology in the classroom supports project based learning, students take on an active role in their learning.

9.    Take classes, workshops and professional development to further your knowledge of technology use in the classroom.

10. Don’t be so focused on learning how to use a technology tool that you lose sight of why you should be using it. Incorporate technology into the classroom to engage today’s digital native students in learning with a positive outcome of improved student achievement.

As the end of LBS 850 approaches and I review the Technology Top Ten I listed at the beginning of the course I have decided to leave them all on my list!   After using and becoming more familiar with Web 2.0 tools I realize their potential to engage students in the classroom.  I have highlighted the following three points to explain how my perceptions and attitude about technology especially in the classroom can lead to improved student achievement.

# 3 

Technology is more than word processing, drill and practice, and Google searches. Technology can and should be used to inform and inspire students and help them collaborate and create.

# 8

Technology in the classroom supports project based learning, students take on an active role in their learning.

# 10

 Don’t be so focused on learning how to use a technology tool that you lose sight of why you should be using it. Incorporate technology into the classroom to engage today’s digital native students in learning with a positive outcome of improved student achievement.

Online Public Access Catalog ...OPAC

Destiny by Follett is what is currently used in my Middle School Library and the other three libraries in the district. I like the system and think it serves the library well. I am comfortable with the system and through my interview with the District’s Lead Librarian, I became aware of additional features and strengths of Destiny along with the reasons the district purchased the program five years ago.

 Destiny is web-based so it can be used from any Internet connected computer, allowing students and staff access from the library, the classroom and from home. It can also search for materials in the Middle School library as well as all other libraries in the district, increasing the amount of material available to patrons.

The system allows users to search for materials in a variety of ways including:  a basic search, a power search, a visual search (particularly nice in younger grades and with ELL students) and my favorite, a “did you mean search”.  Destiny is image-rich, with the purchase of an additional feature, pictures of book covers are displayed in a search list and clicking on the book cover (Title Peek) allows the reader to explore book pages and read reviews. To help with the selection of a book from a search list Destiny displays valuable information, such as the copies available in the collection, a description of the book and the books reading and interested level.   Destiny also makes suggestions of other subjects that are related to a book selected and a direct link takes the reader to a new list of material options.  

Patron records follow students in Destiny as they progress from school to school within the district. This feature eliminates the need to enter student information into the school OPAC as they move on through their school years in the district.

Service is an important consideration when maintaining and operating a school library. OPAC. Follett provides strong, efficient and flexible support for Destiny Library Manager.  It is available through email and on the web.  In addition, live customer service is available through phone service to help subscribers with problems and issues.

Barcodes, spine labels can be created in Destiny and MARC records can be downloaded.  Many types of reports can be created, including circulation statistics, overdue materials and the age of specific areas of the collection.

Internet Safety Sites

There are many resources available to help educate and empower parents, children , educators, and community members about the important issue of internet safety.  Here are a few:

Overall internet safety:

http://www.netsmartz.org/

Created by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children this site provides information on all internet safety topics. Information is provided for parents, educators, teens, tweens, young children and law enforcement.  Appealing graphics for students, includes real-life videos.  Tips and conversations starters for parents and educators

http://www.wiredsafety.org/youth.html

This is an all around good site for internet safety resources.  It provides information and lesson suggestions for teachers and librarians (with a good section on cyber safety through information literacy).  There are also links for parents that are available in both English and Spanish. It is also a good resource for students of all ages.

http://www.commonsense.com/internet-safety-tips/

This is an internet survival guide for parents created by common sense media.  It provides  good information for parents  to help children be safe and smart when  using the internet.

http://ikeepsafe.org/PRC/

This site is full of information for parents, kids and educators on all aspects of internet safety.  It includes videos & tutorials, lessons and activities.  Good resource.

Cyber-bullying:

http://www.athinline.org/

This site is for students and addresses online/digital bullying.  Information, videos, blogs, to help educate students about and speak out against cyber-bullying.

http://stopcyberbullying.org/index2.html

This site is focused toward students.  Provides students with definitions, strategies and legal considerations related to cyber-bullying.

http://www.cyberbullying.us/

This site provides information about how to work toward eliminating online social cruelty among students. Statistics and education resources are provided.  The Focus of this site is toward teachers of grades 6-12 students. Includes a link to a review of state bullying laws.

http://www.stopbullyingnow.hrsa.gov/index.html

This site on all types of bullying provides information for kids, teens, parents, educators and community members about cyber-bullying.  Covers what is cyber- bullying, recognize the signs and how to get help.

Professional Development

I created an interactive professional development on the topic of web 2.0 tools in the classroom. The target audience is teachers with limited knowledge and experience with web 2.0 in the classroom.   The professional development is created on a wiki.  The teachers can “get their feet wet” during the scheduled professional development session and then use the wiki as a reference as they begin to become more familiar with the tools and integrate them into their own classroom curriculum.

Here is the introduction Voki on the first page of my professional development wiki:

My Top Five

    Here are my top five tools:
      Wikis and Blogs are the Web 2.0 tools that all classrooms need to provide a space for students to collaborate. Both are easy to create, use and edit.
     The social bookmarking site Delicious where you can bookmark any web page for further reference and find it when you need it by using tags. Best of all the bookmarks can be retrieved from any where not just the computer where you bookmarked it.   It is simple keeps things organized and eliminates all those sticky notes, scraps of paper with URL’s written on them!

      The audio and visual aspect of Animoto and Voki are very appealing in the classroom.  Animoto can be used to create photo and video slide shows with text and music.  The tool is a good way to get students actively interested in learning.  Voki can be used to create a speaking avatar, it is fun, stimulating and engaging for students when used integrated into classroom lessons.  

Both tools allow students to work and be creative. Both tools are a natural fit for project based learning. Both tools also have the ability to be embedded in a wiki or blog (and other social network tools) to be shared.

     Bubbl.Us, the mind mapping/,brain storming and organizing tool that can be used in the classroom individually or collaboratively by students and teachers. As a tool, it creates colorful maps that can be shared or embedded in a blog or wiki, the maps can also be printed out. The collaborative piece allows students to work together and network.

eReader

     I do not own an ereader but I was able to play with a co-worker’s kindle for a day. I am the one who has always resisted ereaders… “ I like the feel of a book in my hands”, “I like shelves filled with all kinds of books ”, “ I like to be able to recommend and share my copy of a book with a friend that I have read and loved”, etc. etc. 

     Well, I still feel all those things after playing with a kindle. But, my exposure has brought to light some of the positive attributes of the ereader and I realize that there is a place for ereaders in addition to books!

     There are many convience features of the ereader such as increasing the font size, and lighting the page that are quite nice. The battery life of the reader is quite long too, unlike a laptop or smart phone so the user is not always frantically looking for a power source.

     I can see the advantages of ereaders in education.  Textbooks downloaded to them saves
money for districts and heavy backpacks loaded with textbooks for students.  Using the
technology may also get some students excited about reading.

    Personally, I will continue to read books but, I do believe that there will continue to be a
gradual shift toward ereaders and I will more than likely be part of that shift.

Social Networking

I actually signed up for facebook for the first time this week. As I began to play around with it I realized that there is much more to facebook than my original thought of it being a place to find and keep up with friends and family. Yet I have come to learn that it is much more than that. Among other things, it is a way to advocate for and learn about issues of interest and a way for businesses to market themselves. I do have to say there is one negative side however, it can consume a lot of your time if you let it.