end of the semester wrap up

Here we are at the end of the semester...Wow. This class has definately been an adventure. What I have walked away with is immeasureable. Technology is really changing. What I new growing up is not the same by a long shot. The programs we have been taught have opened my eyes greatly to what we have acheived.
Each assignment we have had to complete has added greatly to my resume. It is wonderful to have ann opportunity to experiment with all that we have.

copyright and librarians

Simpsons chapters this week were very interesting. I feel that librarians should not be the ones in charge of copyright issues entirerly, it should be a shared responsability with administration. I believe this way for one reason and that is that teachers and educators share the need to know the rules of copyright and they do make alot of mistakes which cause trouble with the copyright laws. This can cause trouble for the school financially. The best thing educators can do is if they are unsure they should find the answer out definitively by asking. By asking this takes the responsibility from there shoulders.
I also believe that copyright laws are put into place to protect but it can be very difficult finding the correct way to persue copyright safety when you have to fumble through so many different rules and regulations.
On to writing a new resume!

e-Books

The topic of this weeks discussion being e-books brings many questions to light for me. First I wonder if doing away with textbooks in lue of ebooks is such a great idea. I like that you can access textbooks quickly using ebooks but I am still in favor a picking up a book to find information. I also wonder if constantly using a computer screen for reading really helps eyesight. I also have noticed by using a kindle ebook that the screen is very small.
I wonder if ebooks will be more or less expensive than textbooks? I think that the price of textbooks is becoming more and more expensive so if ebooks can be a cheaper alternative I am definately in favor of that.
As for ebooks in a classroom setting I like the idea of them for reference materials because they cut down on shelf space needed in the library. As for using them in an elementary school I think that they are alittle advanced. Although I like the idea of the creativity that can be used to create ebooks as way of exploring a unit or lesson. In attending the online conference I discovered that creating ebooks can be quite easy and fun and that the students enjoy doing this type of work. It also makes for a nice alternative for parents to follow what there children are up to at school.
All in all I like the idea of ebooks. We will see if they take off after they work out the problems they have with there hardware. On to next week.

my tool belt

In week 10 of my class I am finding that my tool belt is growing regularly. Everyday I find that I have the opportunity to learn new tools and envision which ones I find useful in my ideal library and technology center. As for Digo I am excited to be able to have such an easy way of keeping track of web sites that I wish to refer to on a day to day basis. Being able to share with groups is another positive. Would I recommend Digo?, sure I would. Each new tool is a valuable addition to anyones tool belt for the professional world.
I don't neccessarily believe that every tool such as Wiki's are meant for every area of education but by taking a course like this it allows one to be able to experience and experiment with new technologies being developed. Wiki's are great for upper education but I do not believe I would use them at an elementary level due to there complexity.
In becoming a librarian I do believe that it is important to become familar with new technology. I think it would be wonderful to be able to keep up to date with online courses such as this one. Keeping in touch with growing demand for change in education can be difficult but with aides like this one it makes it much more fun.
What can I say about blogging.. Well it is obvious that I really like blogging. It's a great way to express creativity..
On to next week!!

online conference

Ok so I attended 6 sessions of an online conference this week. I thought the conference was very informative and well presented. The first conference keynote presentation I attended was entitled the Wizard of Apps. I believe that the presentation was very interesting and well organized. The idea to set the presentation to the tune of the Wizard of Oz was unique and quirky. This also caught my eye and my interest. The information presented was also well thought out. I guess I am not as creative as some folks when developing something like this. I have not figured out what made her come up with the idea but it was ingenious to enlist the schools theatre group. I discovered that when listening to song and dance it can make any topic fun to participate in.
The next presentation I attended was one on writing e-books. What a wonderful way of getting students involved in researching topics such as Ancient Greece. I always knew this exsisted but never understood how easy and interactive this could really be. I also agree that this is a wonderful way for parents to see how their children are working and what they are learning. I really do think that this also keeps attention and creative flowing. Would I ever use this in my classroom..Absolutley.
These were my favorite of the presentations I attended and I look forward to more in the future.

PowerPoint Presentations

Powerpoint presentations are very useful in a wide variety of arenas. When starting to use powerpoint it is very easy to become confused and agitated but as you navigate the program it becomes much easier and even fun to become creative. I am in agreement that when creating a powerpoint you should be aware of your audience. Obviously you are not going to put childish images into a professional staff development presentation. But for student this would an ok idea in order to hold their attention. Unfortunately I have been subjected to some pp presentations that could use some serious TLC. I thin power points are a great way to show information to students and it is even fun at the higher levels to have the students assist you in creating your presentation. I am a great fan of power point presenting but I think you really have to be somewhat computer savyy in oder to have fun using it.

blogs or wikis

week 7 already. On to blogs or wikis. Well as I sit here blogging I can see a difference between blogging and wikis. I do have to admit that I like blogging a bit better. Even though I feel more information can be laid out on a wiki. As I read through the many articles and chapters by Richardson I found myself developing a liking for both pieces of technology. When i have my own School library media center i feel that I will using blogging to keep students informed of what is happening in the library, however I will keep a wiki tio provide quick access to information relevant to school projects such as databases. Choosing between the both is very challenging that is why I feel incorporating both is benefitial.
As for collabortive projects in a graduate study class. I have mixed emotions. I clearly understand that group work is important but I feel that most of us already understand this and know how to be an active member of a group. The project assigned was interesting but most of us seemed to be coming up with the same ideas.
So on to week 8....

Copyrights and Safety

Wow on to week 6 already. Copyright is a very important serious issue. How do we go about following all the rules and regulations? Who knows where to begin. It is my belief that students should be taught on a situation by situation basis such as writing papers or doing research projects. I think that as a School Librarian it is part of our job to make sure that students and faculty can come to us with any concerns or questions. I think it is important that faculty should be trained as well. Well it is nice to have Simpsons book on hand it seems that Copyright Laws. I wonder if anyone else is having a problem with being able to show a movie to a class. I work in a Nursing Home and we often show movies as an activity. But the question remains are we really able to show these movies or does it reflect and infringement on copyright issues? There are many thoughts on this issue. I think it is important to follow copyright laws and we obviously do not want to get our schools or adminstration in trouble because the fines can be very steep. I know myself I will be able to make knowing copyright laws at the top of my list.
On to Safety...another important issue. I think knowing Internet Safety is very intrical in being a successful school librarian. Students need to be reminded not to put information on the net that they do not want to be shared. The Internet can be a very powerful tool but has its downfalls such as myspace and facebook. Used correctly these tools can be fun ways to keep in contact with friends and family, however used incorrectly students can put themselves at risk. So as School Librarians we need to teach these.

Search Tools

Hi everyone welcome to week 5. Moving right along to search tools. Search tools are a very important part of reseach which need to be taught and redefined at an early age. When being taught how to use these devices teachers and librarians should be very clear in making sure that their target audience are aware of the many possiblities provided for them. It is also very important to make it very clear that your sources be reliable and that is why I prefer databases to search engines although I do realize that they are not always avaialble, If I had to choose my favorite search engine I would probably choose Google for its wide variety of capabilities. I am not as fond of Bing and Yahoo. As for databases I prefer Infotrac to Proquest for Highschools and Public Libraries. For elementary students I prefer Searchasaurus and Worldbook Kids. Teachers also need training in these databases in oder to be able to serve their students better. In the last few weeks I been observing in school libraries and have found that many different schools have different views on the subject of searching. Smallwood elementary prefers to teach Google for searching whereas Herbert Hoover Elementary prefers Database searching. Amherst Highschool looks very fondly on databases as well such as Infotrac. I know when I have my own library I will make sure that I make as many possibilities available as I physically can.

Information Literacy

Wow, where to begin. Ok so this week we covered a large amount of information. But what I found as most informative was the Webquest on Information Literacy. I really like the idea that students need to be informed on the correct usage of technology. It is not so important to know how to send an e-mail or create a webpage as it is to know the function of how to perform these tasks. Although I believe that I could be a strong advocate for Information Literacy I believe there needs to be a strong collabortaive effort between librarians and staff in order to fully provide students the capabilities to success. Although I realize that getting staff to become less reluctant and take a leap may take alot of time and effort. Bloom also had a lot of information to think about. It is really surprising how much technology has developed since I was even in high school,(graduated in 1997). Simpson and Richardson both in chapters 3 were also very informative. I have never been very technical which is why I support teaching students and staff current updates in technology because bwhen facing the job force these skills can provide the capabilities to exceed. All right enough for now, on to next week.

Assistive Technology

This week I found that creating my Newsletter was very informative. I knew of many options for Assistive Devices in Technology but was surprised at what I was able to find for Motor Coordination. I think that both School Libraries and Public Libraries should both have availabilities for this technology. I have noticed while working in an elementary school that more and more students are challenged in some way. Special education classes could benefit highly from assistive technology in many ways. It is very interesting that some schools are fortunate to have the availability of funds to provide these devices whereas others do not. Budgets definately play a significant role in what is made available but I think that schools have to be more proactive in seeking out other means for funding such as Grants. On to next week.

richardson and simpson chapters 2

Wow, I was a little surprised by both these chapters this week. First to Richardson, Weblogs. This is my first time using a blog and I am finding that I really enjoy this. What I did not realize is how many functions a blog can serve especially in Education. I am now clearly understanding what a wonderful tool this can be for both teachers and students, although I do wonder about editing their content. For teachers I feel blogs are a wonderful opportunity to stay connected with fellow teachers and to share ideas. For students I feel that blogging can serve two purposes, educating and socializing and I feel there is a divided line between both. I think it is important if a teacher is going to use a blog in their classroom that the students be taught the proper way utilize them to their highest potential. Ok enough about blogging now on to Simpson. I do have to admit that all the copyright issues and laws disscussed in the first two chapters make one a little nervous about accidently violating them. Although Simpson does outline the laws clearly. I think it is important for an educator to understand basic copyright laws and to abide to them as best as possible. The penalties one might face were much steeper then I expected and the infringements were surprising because I never knew there were three different classifications. As I go through both books I cannot help but thinking what am I getting myself into. Technology has changed so much although I am finding new things daily and find it very interesting. Ok now on to chapters 3 and much more learing to do.

First thoughts of the week

I am very excited to be embarking on a journey through technology although I have to admit that at first the tasks ahead seemed daunting. The thought of joining a Wiki or developing a Blog made me think that there must be a whole world of technolgy and endless possibilities. When first answering my invite into the class Wiki I discovered that on some computers you cannot access the EasyEdit Button. I tried to use my Mini Dell Inspirion but found it does not appear, so I moved to my desktop and had no problem creating my profile. I also found it very easy to create a Blog..no problems there. I found that the attachments posted at the bottom of the weekly assignment page were extremely helpful in creating the requirements for the class. I am slowly becoming more comfortable with the Wiki although I am still trying to figure out how to find my classmates. This I am sure will come in time. As I cracked open the textbooks I found myself becoming very interested in the Read/Write Web. I have now conquered the first chapters in both books. I also found myself learning extensively about copyrighting..Until Next Week...

Hello and Welcome to my blog

Hi everyone in Lis 568! I am looking forward to working with everyone! Hope everyone had a restful break....