Adventures of the School Library Trainee

[schoollibrarytrainee]

Final Reflection Blog

Now that you have finished the course, what is your stance on your role as an educator of Digital and Media Literacy? Haws this changed from the beginning of the course?

Since I have finished the course, I feel as though it is more imperative than ever I need to make sure my students can navigate a digital world by possessing both digital and media literacy.  Before I took the class, I had a feeling younger kids were becoming more and more exposed to the internet. However, I did not know about how it was impacting the school experience and how they use and interact with technology on a daily basis. Since technology is so integrated into our daily lives, I feel as though my role as a digital and media literacy educator is vital to my future career as a librarian. In a school setting, the librarian is at the forefront of digital literacy, whether that includes teaching the teachers how to use new programs or helping the students think about the information they receive daily.

How can you continue to grow as an educator of media and digital literacy?

The best way to grow as an educator in this field is to connect with others in the field and see how they make digital literacy work in their school.  Even though what works for one professional may not work for another, it is important to make connections in the field and gain new perspectives. This way, instead of just buying into the latest and greatest of school technology,

Overall, what will you take away from this course?

I feel as though I have a lot of resources I can use to help my students understand digital literacy. I also feel as though I have a better understanding of Digital and Media Literacy, which is an important skill to have as a librarian and general media consumer. With the assignments I’ve done in this course, I feel much more confident in my understanding of Digital Literacy as both a consumer and an educator.

[schoollibrarytrainee]

Final Reflection Blog

Now that you have finished the course, what is your stance on your role as an educator of Digital and Media Literacy? Haws this changed from the beginning of the course?

Since I have finished the course, I feel as though it is more imperative than ever I need to make sure my students can navigate a digital world by possessing both digital and media literacy.  Before I took the class, I had a feeling younger kids were becoming more and more exposed to the internet. However, I did not know about how it was impacting the school experience and how they use and interact with technology on a daily basis. Since technology is so integrated into our daily lives, I feel as though my role as a digital and media literacy educator is vital to my future career as a librarian. In a school setting, the librarian is at the forefront of digital literacy, whether that includes teaching the teachers how to use new programs or helping the students think about the information they receive daily.

 How can you continue to grow as an educator of media and digital literacy?

The best way to grow as an educator in this field is to connect with others in the field and see how they make digital literacy work in their school.  Even though what works for one professional may not work for another, it is important to make connections in the field and gain new perspectives. This way, instead of just buying into the latest and greatest of school technology,

Overall, what will you take away from this course?

I feel as though I have a lot of resources I can use to help my students understand digital literacy. I also feel as though I have a better understanding of Digital and Media Literacy, which is an important skill to have as a librarian and general media consumer. With the assignments I’ve done in this course, I feel much more confident in my understanding of Digital Literacy as both a consumer and an educator.

[libraryadvocates]

What Netflix And Net Neutrality Could Mean For So-Slow Internet In Small-Town Kansas

Ashley Leal parks in front of the Plains, Kansas, Community Library. It’s about to close, but she doesn’t care. She pulls out her blue laptop.

“I’m … using the Wi-Fi,” Leal says with a laugh.

Her home internet was so slow, she came to the library parking lot. Cars often idle there in the evening while their drivers tap into a plodding, but treasured, link to the internet.

“I’m just thankful that we have somewhere to go,” Leal says.

It’s the only free internet in this small western Kansas town. For many people, it’s the only internet, period. Surprisingly, part of the problem and the solution, for rural areas may lie in Netflix traffic.

The more remote you are, the more critical the connection to the rest of the world. But the Federal Communications Commission says while 10 percent of Americans had no access to broadband in 2016, that number was nearly 40 percent in rural areas.

[schoollibrarytrainee]

Mid Term Reflection

1) What is something new or interesting you have learned from this course? 

One of the most important things I feel I’ve learned from this course is how to organize and coordinate a lesson plan. Since this will be a big part of my new career, I am glad I had the opportunity to see a template and complete a thorough lesson plan.  Through discussion groups, I have learned from my peers as well and am able to see software and programs I can use in the future as well.  Most specifically, I’ve enjoyed reading more about digital literacy and am reassured to know that digital literacy intervention is proven to be effective in easing fear in students (Moore 2013). When we live in a world with a twenty-four hour news cycle, it can get overwhelming, especially for kids.  By knowing how to properly intervene and give kids the tools to process information they receive, we are closer to enabling critical thinking in a world of immediate reaction.

2)  How can you apply what you have been doing to what you do daily?

At my current job, I am an Accounts Payable Processor for a defense company in Wood Dale. Since we have a number of government based clients, it is incredibly important to be scrupulous of the information we come across, whether it be in e-mail or what we read online, especially given the rise in cyber crime.  I remember recently I got a suspicious e-mail claiming it was from our CFO and he wanted to talk to me.  The e-mail address was external.  Since this was a red flag, I deleted the e-mail.  Digital literacy, and the ability to teach others to understand digital literacy, is an important skill both in and out of the classroom. I look forward to learning more as the semester goes on.  Digital Literacy is critical not only in assessing information we receive, but the communication we come across as well.  In today’s age, understanding digital literacy is imperative in order to be successful.

3) What would you like to add to the course? 

I’d like to hear more about Ivonne’s experience with technology in the classroom and what tools she likes to use in her class.  I like the discussion aspect in order to learn from other students in the class and would like to see more pre-set lessons with recording as well. The recorded lesson allows me to pause, rewind, and take notes as well.  Overall though, I feel this has been a great course and I am looking forward to what is next.

                                                          Works Cited 

1. Moore, D. C. (2013). Bringing the World to School: Integrating News and Media Literacy in Elementary Classrooms. Journal of Media Literacy Edcuation, 5(1), 326-336. Retrieved from http://digitalcommons.uri.edu/jmle/

[schoollibrarytrainee]

Mid Term Reflection

1) What is something new or interesting you have learned from this course? 

One of the most important things I feel I’ve learned from this course is how to organize and coordinate a lesson plan. Since this will be a big part of my new career, I am glad I had the opportunity to see a template and complete a thorough lesson plan.  Through discussion groups, I have learned from my peers as well and am able to see software and programs I can use in the future as well.  Most specifically, I’ve enjoyed reading more about digital literacy and am reassured to know that digital literacy intervention is proven to be effective in easing fear in students (Moore 2013). When we live in a world with a twenty-four hour news cycle, it can get overwhelming, especially for kids.  By knowing how to properly intervene and give kids the tools to process information they receive, we are closer to enabling critical thinking in a world of immediate reaction.

2)  How can you apply what you have been doing to what you do daily?

At my current job, I am an Accounts Payable Processor for a defense company in Wood Dale. Since we have a number of government based clients, it is incredibly important to be scrupulous of the information we come across, whether it be in e-mail or what we read online, especially given the rise in cyber crime.  I remember recently I got a suspicious e-mail claiming it was from our CFO and he wanted to talk to me.  The e-mail address was external.  Since this was a red flag, I deleted the e-mail.  Digital literacy, and the ability to teach others to understand digital literacy, is an important skill both in and out of the classroom. I look forward to learning more as the semester goes on.  Digital Literacy is critical not only in assessing information we receive, but the communication we come across as well.  In today’s age, understanding digital literacy is imperative in order to be successful.

3) What would you like to add to the course? 

I’d like to hear more about Ivonne’s experience with technology in the classroom and what tools she likes to use in her class.  I like the discussion aspect in order to learn from other students in the class and would like to see more pre-set lessons with recording as well. The recorded lesson allows me to pause, rewind, and take notes as well.  Overall though, I feel this has been a great course and I am looking forward to what is next.

                                                          Works Cited 

1. Moore, D. C. (2013). Bringing the World to School: Integrating News and Media Literacy in Elementary Classrooms. Journal of Media Literacy Edcuation, 5(1), 326-336. Retrieved from http://digitalcommons.uri.edu/jmle/

[schoollibrarytrainee]

Why Digital Literacy?

With the word “fake news” being thrown around left and right, it is important for a librarian to step in as the voice of reason.   We ultimately chose digital literacy as our topic since it is increasingly easier to spread false information, which can distort facts.  Teaching literacy at a middle school level was important as well so the students know how to spot faulty stories and sources when they do research in the future.  As a group, we are all busy with end of the semester projects, but we found time to create a Google Slide show and make everything work. Since I am new to lesson planning and teaching in general, I was definitely nervous.   However, working with my group helped ease any nerves I had.  With our input, one group member who was an educator helped a lot with the lesson plan with regards to the format, matching of standards, and general content. Another member helped edit the wording in the lesson plan and both helped me add content to our presentation slides.  I gathered true and questionable articles for the class to assess and chose to open with a story about the fictional Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus.  After going on a little, I would pause and ask if they thought the octopus was real.  With the story in mind, I thought it would be a good introduction to thinking critically about the information you see and receive on a regular basis.  I felt as though the students were engaged during our presentation.

The most difficult part of designing this lesson was trying to figure out how to combine elements of technology, such as the Google Slides, and physical work for students. Ultimately, Kim came up with a worksheet to guide questioning and I decided to give students access to the articles we selected so everyone could be on the same page. The easiest part of formatting was using Google Doc as our presentation tool since it would be appealing for the students to look at and I felt as though it was the most simple to use with regards to editing and sharing.  As this was my first time teaching a lesson,  I am proud of myself, but I know I can improve before I become a librarian.

[schoollibrarytrainee]

Why Digital Literacy?

With the word “fake news” being thrown around left and right, it is important for a librarian to step in as the voice of reason.   We ultimately chose digital literacy as our topic since it is increasingly easier to spread false information, which can distort facts.  Teaching literacy at a middle school level was important as well so the students know how to spot faulty stories and sources when they do research in the future.  As a group, we are all busy with end of the semester projects, but we found time to create a Google Slide show and make everything work. Since I am new to lesson planning and teaching in general, I was definitely nervous.   However, working with my group helped ease any nerves I had.  With our input, one group member who was an educator helped a lot with the lesson plan with regards to the format, matching of standards, and general content. Another member helped edit the wording in the lesson plan and both helped me add content to our presentation slides.  I gathered true and questionable articles for the class to assess and chose to open with a story about the fictional Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus.  After going on a little, I would pause and ask if they thought the octopus was real.  With the story in mind, I thought it would be a good introduction to thinking critically about the information you see and receive on a regular basis.  I felt as though the students were engaged during our presentation.

The most difficult part of designing this lesson was trying to figure out how to combine elements of technology, such as the Google Slides, and physical work for students. Ultimately, Kim came up with a worksheet to guide questioning and I decided to give students access to the articles we selected so everyone could be on the same page. The easiest part of formatting was using Google Doc as our presentation tool since it would be appealing for the students to look at and I felt as though it was the most simple to use with regards to editing and sharing.  As this was my first time teaching a lesson,  I am proud of myself, but I know I can improve before I become a librarian.

[schoollibrarytrainee]

Aspiring Librarian vs. Livebinders- Round One!

Sometimes you have to use a difficult program to figure out what you like best. I got to experience this first-hand with LiveBinders. At first, everything was going well, I was able to find good sources and got them into the binder. When I went to look at it, after eighty edits according LiveBinders, everything was well placed. Finding quality sources for my audience proved to be challenging, especially since I wanted to make sure I was curating my sources as opposed to dumping. I initially tried to use the National Geographic Kids web page about oceans as a source, but when I tested the link, it would not follow to the website. 

With that, I sought out to find different sources which would be just as good. As I continued to add links and titles into my binder, I felt accomplished. Then, it all changed when I wanted to try and add pictures to my binder. Adding one picture moved the text down out of the text box, messing up the format of the binder. Even worse, when I would add a picture underneath my text, the same picture would populate again at the bottom of the page. This time, the text box would not allow me to edit and delete the other picture. I ultimately decided to get rid of the picture between the text and leave the picture on the bottom, since I had trouble deleting it. Although LiveBinders was difficult for me the first time around, I do see how it can be valuable for a professional learning network. With all the sources in one place and easy access, it can make collaboration between teachers and librarians much easier than relying on a constant thread of e-mails. 

Here is my work below! 

http://www.livebinders.com/play/play/2361452#

[schoollibrarytrainee]

Aspiring Librarian vs. Livebinders- Round One!

Sometimes you have to use a difficult program to figure out what you like best. I got to experience this first-hand with LiveBinders. At first, everything was going well, I was able to find good sources and got them into the binder. When I went to look at it, after eighty edits according LiveBinders, everything was well placed. Finding quality sources for my audience proved to be challenging, especially since I wanted to make sure I was curating my sources as opposed to dumping. I initially tried to use the National Geographic Kids web page about oceans as a source, but when I tested the link, it would not follow to the website. 

With that, I sought out to find different sources which would be just as good. As I continued to add links and titles into my binder, I felt accomplished. Then, it all changed when I wanted to try and add pictures to my binder. Adding one picture moved the text down out of the text box, messing up the format of the binder. Even worse, when I would add a picture underneath my text, the same picture would populate again at the bottom of the page. This time, the text box would not allow me to edit and delete the other picture. I ultimately decided to get rid of the picture between the text and leave the picture on the bottom, since I had trouble deleting it. Although LiveBinders was difficult for me the first time around, I do see how it can be valuable for a professional learning network. With all the sources in one place and easy access, it can make collaboration between teachers and librarians much easier than relying on a constant thread of e-mails. 

Here is my work below! 

http://www.livebinders.com/play/play/2361452#

[schoollibrarytrainee]

Database Tutorial Reflection

Ever since I found out we were doing a database tutorial, I was excited to show how to use the databases from a public library web page. Since libraries are incorporating more technology in every day patron use, I thought giving patrons an instructional video on using the databases would be helpful. Even if patrons cannot get to the library- or it is closed when they are doing research, they will be able to see the instructional video and access the information they need. I figured using a Screen Cast O-Matic would be the best way to showcase a tutorial. As I am a visual learner, I find it helpful to be able to see where I can find the links on the website.  This way, as a patron works on their computer they can follow the instructions based on what they see in the video so the screens can match up. 

I ended up doing a few takes in order to make the tutorial more concise and less confusing for the patron watching the video. I speak quickly, I wanted to make sure my speech was a little slower in order to improve understanding. My final take ended up being concise and clear after I took some takes to figure out how to go about explaining the database use. 

Teaching others how to create tutorials would be useful and helpful ; especially as a future librarian. I would encourage my trainees to do the Screen- Cast-O-Matic. Not only is it free, but it allows the trainer to show the trainee exactly what is going on in their screen and can provide the most accurate portrayal of database use. Pace of speech and showing materials is another aspect necessary to emphasize when showing others how to do a tutorial. If the trainer goes over something too quickly, the trainees can easily get lost. After putting together a tutorial, I feel much more confident in my ability to make online tutorials in the future. 

http://youtu.be/leSzLO2pBTA?hd=1

[schoollibrarytrainee]

Database Tutorial Reflection

Ever since I found out we were doing a database tutorial, I was excited to show how to use the databases from a public library web page. Since libraries are incorporating more technology in every day patron use, I thought giving patrons an instructional video on using the databases would be helpful. Even if patrons cannot get to the library- or it is closed when they are doing research, they will be able to see the instructional video and access the information they need. I figured using a Screen Cast O-Matic would be the best way to showcase a tutorial. As I am a visual learner, I find it helpful to be able to see where I can find the links on the website.  This way, as a patron works on their computer they can follow the instructions based on what they see in the video so the screens can match up. 

I ended up doing a few takes in order to make the tutorial more concise and less confusing for the patron watching the video. I speak quickly, I wanted to make sure my speech was a little slower in order to improve understanding. My final take ended up being concise and clear after I took some takes to figure out how to go about explaining the database use. 

Teaching others how to create tutorials would be useful and helpful ; especially as a future librarian. I would encourage my trainees to do the Screen- Cast-O-Matic. Not only is it free, but it allows the trainer to show the trainee exactly what is going on in their screen and can provide the most accurate portrayal of database use. Pace of speech and showing materials is another aspect necessary to emphasize when showing others how to do a tutorial. If the trainer goes over something too quickly, the trainees can easily get lost. After putting together a tutorial, I feel much more confident in my ability to make online tutorials in the future. 

http://youtu.be/leSzLO2pBTA?hd=1

[schoollibrarytrainee]

Storyboarding, Book Talk, and WeVideo- Oh My!

I had the utter misfortune of becoming sick as we worked on our project. With that aside, it was an absolute treat to work with my group in our Google Doc we used to get ideas for our storyboard and keep in touch.  We agreed to do the book talks as well; which was new to me. However, when I looked up some book talk videos on YouTube, I found that it would be something I could do and would enjoy.

When using WeVideo, I found it would be a great marketing tool for the library. The software can be used for book trailers for new books released and as a way to promote events on the library web page as well. With our evolving technology, it is important to be familiar with programs that will reach and engage patrons. More specific to the project, I found myself looking for pictures which would relate to my book, Because of Winn-Dixie, and draw in new readers as well. There was also a consideration of how much to share about the book without giving away important plot details. Ultimately, when gathering materials for my talk, I needed to consider which images would be appealing in a digital medium and would peak reader interest the most. 

However, I feel as though it will take a while to get over the learning curve with using WeVideo. In my group project, we struggled with syncing the audio and pictures. We also needed to make sure our talks didn’t overlap or intersect- which provide to be more difficult than we thought. We stayed a half hour after class to make sure our project was at it’s best and able to turn in. It was a long night, but I am grateful to have the familiarity of WeVideo so using it in the future does not catch me off guard. 

Even though I am generally new to librarianship and a lot of the terms that may come with it, I feel as though it is important to be familiar with giving a book talk; as hopefully it will not be my last!

[schoollibrarytrainee]

Storyboarding, Book Talk, and WeVideo- Oh My!

I had the utter misfortune of becoming sick as we worked on our project. With that aside, it was an absolute treat to work with my group in our Google Doc we used to get ideas for our storyboard and keep in touch.  We agreed to do the book talks as well; which was new to me. However, when I looked up some book talk videos on YouTube, I found that it would be something I could do and would enjoy.

When using WeVideo, I found it would be a great marketing tool for the library. The software can be used for book trailers for new books released and as a way to promote events on the library web page as well. With our evolving technology, it is important to be familiar with programs that will reach and engage patrons. More specific to the project, I found myself looking for pictures which would relate to my book, Because of Winn-Dixie, and draw in new readers as well. There was also a consideration of how much to share about the book without giving away important plot details. Ultimately, when gathering materials for my talk, I needed to consider which images would be appealing in a digital medium and would peak reader interest the most. 

However, I feel as though it will take a while to get over the learning curve with using WeVideo. In my group project, we struggled with syncing the audio and pictures. We also needed to make sure our talks didn’t overlap or intersect- which provide to be more difficult than we thought. We stayed a half hour after class to make sure our project was at it’s best and able to turn in. It was a long night, but I am grateful to have the familiarity of WeVideo so using it in the future does not catch me off guard. 

Even though I am generally new to librarianship and a lot of the terms that may come with it, I feel as though it is important to be familiar with giving a book talk; as hopefully it will not be my last!

[schoollibrarytrainee]

Drowned City Trailer- Kizoa

[schoollibrarytrainee]

Drowned City Trailer- Animoto

[schoollibrarytrainee]

My First Dive into Book Trailers

As I am not super familiar with video editing, this initial assignment was pretty daunting. But as soon as I got to work, Overall, I thought Animoto was and excellent program to use! I have absolutely no video or photo editing experience, except maybe cropping, but the user friendly set up made for a positive experience.  When I had to put in my pictures, all I needed to do was upload and move them into the place I wanted them to appear in the video. After looking at one of the final products, I realized some of the pictures were not placed in a way I liked, so I moved it around and it was fixed right away.  This may be a common problem, but I had trouble finding a simple background fitting for a book such as Drowned City by Don Brown. Deciding on a theme took a while since I thought “New Baby” and “First Day of School”  would not fit with a non-fiction work capturing the tragedy of Hurricane Katrina and the resilience of the surviving a natural disaster.  I ultimately decided a clean background would do the job, giving the focus to photos of the devastation and later echoing the sentiment of the Katrina survivors learning how to swim through difficult times, literally and figuratively.  

Kizoa, on the other hand, has been a different story. During one of my first attempts to add my pictures, it made all the other pictures I had gathered into a collage! I was having NONE of that, so I decided to try and get rid of the picture so I could create a proper book trailer. It would not let me get rid of my picture, so I started once again. Similar to Animoto, it took a while to find a theme which would match the tone of the book. Adding text in Kizoa was a bit more of a challenge as well. When I wanted to add text to my slides, it would not always let me edit them. There was also not an option to simply add text to a black slide.  I had to find a picture of a background I thought would fit and then add the text as I did with the previous slides. While it was slightly inconvenient, I do see the need for consistency in slide editing. 

While I am still new to trailer creating and have a long way to improve, I’m glad I’ve had the opportunity to test out these different programs! Check out the trailers I’ve made below! 

[schoollibrarytrainee]

Canva Reflection

The journey through Canva and this flyer assignment has been a fun and challenging adventure. As graphic design is not my forte, this assignment made me a little nervous at first. After playing around in both Canva and Smore, I realized I had an easier time maneuvering Canva and inserting pictures as well. When I made my first attempts at putting my flyer together, my pictures would not load into the Canva system, creating minor frustration for me. After I restarted my computer, the pictures I could upload were working just fine. My first draft I was excited about would be pretty simple and I thought it would get the point across just fine. It would be a censored mark, say find out why underneath and the information about Banned Books Week. When I showed my fiance my work, since he has a background in graphic design, he said I could do better. After a second glance and looking at other promotional flyers for Banned Books Week, I realized my first product looked like something in MS Paint. 

I wanted to add more images, but make sure it didn’t look too busy. I ended up looking at book covers in fair use images and chose two of the most popular titles among young adult readers: The Hunger Games and The Perks of Being a Wallflower. I wasn’t too happy I couldn’t find the original book cover in fair use but decided the book cover based on the movie poster would have to do. After realizing the beige and black line background I originally used didn’t match well with the new pictures, I changed it to a  gray and white background to create more cohesion with the new images. As I examined my work further, the black font which initially contrasted well with the beige background and the red censored sign; did not seem right with the new pictures. I changed it to a white font in order to match the general gray and white color scheme ; as well as the white font in The Hunger Games title and Sam’s white top on the Perks cover. Something as small as changing the font made a big difference in my flyer’s appearance. 

The next, and probably most important, aspect of the flyer was wording and spaces. Since I had we’re with the banned below the pictures, I didn’t want to put Banned Books week to close to those words. With the lines as a part of the background, I also wanted to put the words as close to between the lines as I could, creating a cleaner image. With the white font, having words directly on the line would also make the words harder to read. With this in mind, I made sure the words were as close to the grey in the background as possible, leading up to a finished product. 

Graphic design still continues to be a murky area for me, but I am glad I had the opportunity to use Canva to try and make things a little clearer for myself.