Blog Post 4: Technology Leadership Role of School Librarians

A 21st-century school looks and sounds much different than a school of the past. In a 21st-century school there may still be students working in desks and teachers in the classroom, but the focus and tools may be different. Working and thinking independently are still valued skills, but in today’s schools so are working and collaborating with a team. Since students are surrounded by technology, it is important that schools channel the student interest into productive uses. These skills will help students be productive members of our increasingly socially-connected and technology-driven society (Smaldino, Lowther, & Russell, 2012).

According to Smaldino et al., there are many benefits to using technology in schools. Computer software programs can allow students to experience how something works instead of merely being told. Other types of software can promote creativity by giving students drawing tools with special effects or by allowing students to manipulate digital photos. Technology gives students greater access to content area experts either online or through distance-learning opportunities. Smaldino et al. also discussed other benefits of technology that are very important for 21st-century learners including providing students with opportunities to improve their skills in critical thinking, problem solving, and collaborating along with opportunities to increase their curiosity, use their imagination and develop new ideas.

According to the Standards for the 21st-Century Learner (American Association of School Librarians, 2007), it is important for students to use their curiosity to discover reliable information that will allow them to problem solve and increase their understanding. It is also important for students to be able to use the information that they have found and evaluated to make decisions or draw conclusions. Students also need to be guided through the process of connecting their knowledge to new situations and using their knowledge to develop new understandings. Since a goal of schools is to prepare students to be members of our society, it is important for students to be able to share their knowledge with others and to interact in an ethical manner. Another standard is for students to follow paths that will allow them to continue to better themselves by learning about topics that are of interest to them.

The school librarian plays an important role in developing the 21st-century learners, in part by using technology as a tool. Valenza (2010) discusses the various ways that school librarians must be involved in this process. They should be an expert user and sharer of web tools and searches to ensure access to a wide variety of information sources while maintaining a professional and dynamic web and school presence. Librarians should work to reduce the digital divide for those with limited access or tools by providing resources in a variety of formats for those with need, while being available inside and outside the classroom.They can promote responsible student collaboration and publication across social networks using a variety of cutting edge tools. Librarians should encourage students to create an academic footprint that utilizes proper etiquette, while promoting online citation resources, creative commons licensing and fair use practices. School librarians should also be leaders within their school and community to look for ways to capitalize on student interest in mobile devices by using them within the classroom or library according to guidelines and norms that they have helped shape and develop.

School librarians should be leaders within the school to show teachers and students new tools and technologies so that they can continue to develop skills that will be needed in the 21st-century society. When technology is utilized well, students have greater opportunities to think critically about material and develop deeper understandings. School librarians can also help students to use technology not only for academics, but also to find and fuel their passions.

References:

American Association of School Librarians. (2007). Standards for the 21st-century learner. Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/aasl/standards-guidelines/learning-standards.

Smaldino, S. E., Lowther, D. L., & Russell, J. D. (2012). Instructional technology and media for learning (10th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.

Valenza, J. (2010, December 3). A revised manifesto. Retrieved from http://blogs.slj.com/neverendingsearch/2010/12/03/a-revised-manifesto/

Blog Post 3: Technology Implementation Strategies

            Technology can be used to help students master common core standards. The question then becomes, what are the best ways to integrate technology in order to maximize student learning. According to Holzweiss (2014), it is important for librarians to provide students with opportunities to use technology in a variety of ways that will allow students to develop problem solving and critical thinking skills. The ultimate goal is for students to be able to apply the critical thinking and problem solving skills to different situations throughout their lives and as part of future careers no matter the technology that is being used.  

            Holzweiss also emphasizes the importance of using a variety of assessment forms that meet the standards. Librarians can act as facilitators to provide students with learning and assessment opportunities that are rich with information as part of a dynamic learning environment. Authentic assessments work well with project-based learning opportunities that work well with the integration of technology.

            According to Holzweiss, finding the right technologies that can seamlessly integrated is an important aspect of planning. Some teachers will not be confident about working with technology and this is where collaboration becomes even more valuable. Librarians can help teachers determine which technology tools will work best to meet various standards or objectives. Librarians can also co-teach lessons involving the technology to help the lessons run more smoothly. Co-teaching also allows teachers to become familiar with student use of the technology in a safer environment that will hopefully encourage further use of the tools. Librarians can also work with teachers to create extension activities that allow students to apply technology that they have learned.

            One strategy that Holtzweiss mentioned is to find innovative ways to use web tools that you are already using. I have used interactive whiteboards in the past, but this year I will be looking for more innovative ways to use them. The priority will be to use the interactive whiteboards for student-led strategies. I would like to find some games that can be used to help students master material while also increasing motivation.

            Another strategy that I will implement from the Holzweiss article is using technology to assess student learning. With Educreations, students will be able to explain how they are solving problems. Educreations can easily be used in a math classroom because students do not need to master any equation editor software. Having students submit solutions to problems that includes their thought process is a great tool to assess how much the students understand about the methods being used.

References:

HOLZWEISS, K. (2014). Using tech tools for learning with standards. School Library Monthly, 30(4), 13-17.

Blog Post 2: Handheld Devices

Are preschool students too young to use iPads in the classroom? Beschorner and Hutchison (2013) show that in at least one case study iPads can be used as a literacy teaching tool. Below are three examples from the study that show how the iPads were seen to increase literacy skills in two preschool classes studied.

The iPads helped students develop an awareness of print. The students were able to recognize the symbols and images that represented various apps. Students could switch between apps without needing assistance. They were also able to work independently to purposefully search for specific apps that they had previously worked with. They were able to understand that the symbol on the PBS Kids app was the same symbol that they recognized from the PBS Kids television programming.

The iPads also supported the students’ emerging writing skills. Many preschoolers consider themselves writers and enjoyed using the technology to doodle letters and pictures. Apps such as Doddle Buddy, allow students to draw pictures as well as letters. Some students used the iPads to write their names. For those that could not yet form letters, use of the on-screen keyboard allowed students type letters to go with their pictures. The portability of the iPads allowed students to move around and copy words that were printed around the room.

iPads can also show connections between reading, writing, listening and speaking in a way beyond the traditional listening center. Students are able to use apps that read books aloud to students, with many of these apps highlighting the words as they are read. Other apps allow students to record themselves reading the stories. This allows the students to demonstrate their understanding of the story development. With apps such as Storykit, students are able to draw pictures, type words, insert photos and record audio. Students can create their own stories or retell familiar stories.

iPads in the library should be a natural extension from the classroom as we service the same digital natives. There are many ways that the iPads can be used in the library for productivity, but it is important to see that they can be used to advance each student’s educational goals. Programs can be personalized depending on each student’s readiness level. Early elementary students could participate in a scavenger hunt around the library. By labeling various common items around the library. Students could be armed with an iPad with pictures of these items. As students locate each item, they could copy the word representing each item. Students who cannot yet form letters could use an on-screen keyboard. Other students may choose to write the letters with their fingers. Extensions could be made depending on the student’s age and ability. Students could be asked to draw a picture or write a word that rhymes with each of the words in the scavenger hunt. This is an example of a simple use of the iPads that requires minimal preparation and allows the students to move around while increasing literacy skills.

References:

Beschorner, B. & Hutchison, A. (2013). iPads as a literacy teaching tool in early childhood. International Journal of Education in Mathematics, Science and Technology, 1(1), 16-24. 

Class Projects

Blog Post 1: Technology Strengths and Weakness

Based on the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) Standards for Teachers (2008), I feel that I do a good job of facilitating student creativity and learning once I have seen how a resource can be used. I need to continue to improve my design and development of digital age learning experiences. I need to facilitate more opportunities for students to work collaboratively using technology resources to solve authentic problems. Within the classroom, I differentiate learning experiences based on students’ abilities and previous knowledge, but I need to build on that and differentiate using different digital resources. I regularly demonstrate my fluency in technology systems and my leadership within the school. Students see teachers coming to me with questions about how to use or how to implement the technologies that we have for the classroom. I am a member of multiple technology committees on my campus and within my district. This allows me to learn about emerging technologies and be a part of the decision making processes.

As an educator, I plan to encourage students to take risks with their thinking and give them opportunities to solve real-world problems using digital tools.  I plan to work together with my colleagues on campus and across the globe to find innovative ways for students to construct knowledge using the technology resources that are available. I will work collaboratively with parents and support staff to help support student success in the classroom. I will model proper digital etiquette and responsible social interactions when using technology.

In order to overcome my weaknesses, I need to take more risks when it comes to trying new activities within the classroom. I need to put in the time needed to design lessons that will use technology to increase student motivation and conceptual understanding. I need to find more opportunities for students to solve authentic problems, building on the content knowledge that they already possess. There are many things that I would like to learn in order to improve my instructional strategies. I would like to learn about more ways to encourage student reflection and planning during the creative process. I would like to learn more about copyright and intellectual property laws in order to model and teach these to my students. I would like to learn more about various educational apps and software packages that work best for students of different ages. I would like to learn how to create web quests and design websites. I have much to learn, but with dedication, I will be able to meet the standards set forth by the ISTE Standards for Teachers.

Reference:

International Society for Technology in Education. (2008). ISTE standards for teachers. Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/standards/standards-for-teachers.