Talk about the presentations you saw in this strand this week. Discuss not only the topic but the presentation style as relates to the good and the bad of presentations.
The web conference that we attended this week was very informational. I've watched several of the videos on the k12connection.org website. There were a great many of them that I found interesting and I loved the different styles that the presenters chose. Several of them jumped out at me and have inspired me for my own presentation. I think the ones I took the most away from not only had interesting topics but melded text and audio well.
The first presentation that I found interesting was the session called Blogging with Little People. It integrated an interesting story with fun visuals but with an important topic. This presentation was a little out of the norm compared to the others. It created an introductory story for viewers to move through and then goes into the meat of the presentation. This could be a good way to capture viewers. There were a few cheesy animations and sound effects but that can be forgiven because they content is very well written and described. It discusses how blogging can be used in the classroom with all students.
There is also a very informational conference called How to Create a Wordpress Website in less than 20 Minutes. This presentation used the technique of a voiceover on with screen shots and indicators. The narrator would describe the process of creating the website and then add arrows and highlight parts of the page. This would be great for powerpoint presentations. It used simple instruction slides and made lists. The narration was also very easy to hear and follow.
These are something I would take away and use in my own presentations.
An all encompassing blog about library life and interesting things.
Sunday, December 8, 2013
Google Searching and Podcasts
Podcasts were a big part of my life for several years when I had a long commute and a large library fine. They helped me through those months by accompanying me in the car on my way to anywhere. My favorites were: This American Life, Stuff You Should Know, and Radiolab. Each of these podcasts have things in common; they offer a great story centered around a theme, interesting and educational facts, and a compelling narration. Each week a different topic is discussed and examine through a variety of lenses. What a great way to learn something new! If I could teach students how to use this tool half as well it would be a resounding success.
Podcasting can be a fun tool for both students and educators. This would be a great way for students to create original, meaningful content that also tests their knowledge. Incorporating this into lesson plans could be a simple task for either individual or group projects. Podcasts have a great versatility because they can be used for many different assignments and purposes. Book reports, informational tutorials, journal reflections, and reviews can all be done through podcast and then posted to the schools webpage.
Creating online work, as we've discussed in previous weeks, can be beneficial for several reasons. The first is that it increases the sense of accountability for students. If their work is posted online for anyone to see, they may put more effort into the final product. Greater access to online projects can create 24 hour access to the classroom learning. It also gives students exposure to a different technology that could be useful in the future. This is definitely a tool I will consider using in the library. Hopefully there will be opportunities to collaborate with classroom teachers to create podcast projects.
Searching the internet has always been a tricky thing to teach in libraries. This is on reason that pathfinders have been created, to cut down on endless possibilities and wrong turns. Students need to have the skills to search successfully and evaluate websites for merit. Google is an important force on the internet but it's at the judgement of the teacher how they want to incorporate it into their lessons. A cursory lesson on safety and searching practices should be preformed at a very young age. Online school databases might aid in finding relevant materials that are also safe for students.
Podcasting can be a fun tool for both students and educators. This would be a great way for students to create original, meaningful content that also tests their knowledge. Incorporating this into lesson plans could be a simple task for either individual or group projects. Podcasts have a great versatility because they can be used for many different assignments and purposes. Book reports, informational tutorials, journal reflections, and reviews can all be done through podcast and then posted to the schools webpage.
Creating online work, as we've discussed in previous weeks, can be beneficial for several reasons. The first is that it increases the sense of accountability for students. If their work is posted online for anyone to see, they may put more effort into the final product. Greater access to online projects can create 24 hour access to the classroom learning. It also gives students exposure to a different technology that could be useful in the future. This is definitely a tool I will consider using in the library. Hopefully there will be opportunities to collaborate with classroom teachers to create podcast projects.
Searching the internet has always been a tricky thing to teach in libraries. This is on reason that pathfinders have been created, to cut down on endless possibilities and wrong turns. Students need to have the skills to search successfully and evaluate websites for merit. Google is an important force on the internet but it's at the judgement of the teacher how they want to incorporate it into their lessons. A cursory lesson on safety and searching practices should be preformed at a very young age. Online school databases might aid in finding relevant materials that are also safe for students.
Future of Technology in the Classroom
New technologies are emerging every day. The education community embraces new technologies, sometime very quickly. When thinking about what is coming, and this can only be done in the most abstract way, what considerations do you think need to be taken into account by educators and librarians as they decide whether or not to adopt a new technology.
This week focused a great deal on iPads and their use in the classroom. Tablets are a relatively new technology but they have gained traction and hold in our everyday lives. Touch screens are everywhere and can be seen on computers, phones, televisions, and tablets. Most students are use to this technology and are ready for it to be incorporated into the classroom. I think there are several concerns that teachers and librarians should address before adding such technology to their curriculum and lesson planning. The first would be the longevity of the device, the ability to supply the device to an adequate number of students, and the impact of the device on student learning.
When a new technology is released the knee jerk reaction of many is to go and buy it. We thrive on the new and popular. The question for schools when considering purchasing these items is "How long will this really last?" This question has been asked and answered for desktop computers, televisions, projector screens, and tablets. Will the cost of the item make it work the lifetime of the item? iPads are released every few years but the older models can still work for quite a while. How long would they last in a school environment though? This is something a school should consider heavily before purchasing 300 of them.
And can the school really supply 300 iPads? This is another key question. How many devices would be adequate to serve the population of students in your school? How would they have access to the devices? Does every student get one and if so how do you track their use? Do they get signed out of the library? Can they leave the library? If you can only supply 10, how would this impact curriculum? Most schools can't afford to give each student a tablet. It's important for schools to have an action plan for the devices they can buy, if they are set on it.
The third concern that should be addressed is how the devices would be used in the daily life of a teacher. Is it really beneficial to the curriculum and learning for students? A questionnaire could be sent to teachers discussing how they might use the devices. This could guide purchasing and policies.
From several discussions with school media specialists, many have said there is no budget for such devices and even less demand. This could change rapidly. We never know how the demand will change or how these devices will be used in the future.
This week focused a great deal on iPads and their use in the classroom. Tablets are a relatively new technology but they have gained traction and hold in our everyday lives. Touch screens are everywhere and can be seen on computers, phones, televisions, and tablets. Most students are use to this technology and are ready for it to be incorporated into the classroom. I think there are several concerns that teachers and librarians should address before adding such technology to their curriculum and lesson planning. The first would be the longevity of the device, the ability to supply the device to an adequate number of students, and the impact of the device on student learning.
When a new technology is released the knee jerk reaction of many is to go and buy it. We thrive on the new and popular. The question for schools when considering purchasing these items is "How long will this really last?" This question has been asked and answered for desktop computers, televisions, projector screens, and tablets. Will the cost of the item make it work the lifetime of the item? iPads are released every few years but the older models can still work for quite a while. How long would they last in a school environment though? This is something a school should consider heavily before purchasing 300 of them.
And can the school really supply 300 iPads? This is another key question. How many devices would be adequate to serve the population of students in your school? How would they have access to the devices? Does every student get one and if so how do you track their use? Do they get signed out of the library? Can they leave the library? If you can only supply 10, how would this impact curriculum? Most schools can't afford to give each student a tablet. It's important for schools to have an action plan for the devices they can buy, if they are set on it.
The third concern that should be addressed is how the devices would be used in the daily life of a teacher. Is it really beneficial to the curriculum and learning for students? A questionnaire could be sent to teachers discussing how they might use the devices. This could guide purchasing and policies.
From several discussions with school media specialists, many have said there is no budget for such devices and even less demand. This could change rapidly. We never know how the demand will change or how these devices will be used in the future.
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