Being supportive and encouraging will lead students to engage.

 

AASL Shared Foundations Blog Series – Engage

This blog is the fourth in a series of blogs that discuss a variety of the shared foundations that SC librarians find are important in their school libraries.  

This librarian is Kathryn.  She is the librarian at a middle school that serves 800 students.  This school is located in a small town and the majority of the students are from low income households.  Creating programs to promote reading and also provide personal experiences for those student to relate to.

Annually the school promotes the One School, One Book project that strives to engage students to read with peers, family members and staff.  The school strives to choose a book that will appeal to most students.  The book must also be supported by the teaching staff, so that they will support the program and encourage students to participate. 

There is a service project that is related to the book and the students to become engaged in their community.  By engaging students in the community they can learn and share ideas with those around them.  The 2019 book was Restart by Gordon Korman; the 2020 book is the Miscalculations of Lightning Girl by Stacy McAnulty.  The main character in the book was middle school aged became a math genius after being hit by lightning.  She originally was home-schooled but then was made by her grandmother to attend middle school for one year. 

As the students and staff prepared for the community service project they decided to incorporate collecting donations for the local community animal shelter.  Classroom teachers engaged students in projects in their classrooms to promote the book.  The ELA classes researched dog breeds and made a flyer for an imaginary dog that needs to be adopted.  The science and social studies classes learned about lightning.  Math classes created a Fibonacci spiral and learned about the Golden ratio. 

Some challenges that the Kathryn faced while planning and coordinating this project was the impact that could be made on virtual students.  Many teachers were reluctant to add research and collaboration of the book project at this time.  Also, virtual students struggle to complete required assignments and adding a reading project made this effort concerning to teachers.  However, the resolution was to just encourage the participation of all students in this diverse learning community of Camden Middle School.   One Book, One School is designed to encourage all staff, families and students to take time to read together.  Being supportive and encouraging will lead students to engage. 

Creative Collaborations in the Library

 

AASL Shared Foundations Blog Series – Collaborate

This blog is the third in a series of blogs that discuss a variety of the shared foundations that SC librarians find are important in their school libraries.  

This librarian is Kristi.  She is the librarian at a 600 student elementary school.  Her library is an integral part of her school.  She works diligently to provide opportunities to challenge learners and partner with other educators to scaffold learning.  A few of those lessons are weather with second grade students and a science ecosystem web quest with fifth grade students.

The weather unit combines a read aloud of the book, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, discussion about the types of severe weather, and research using online websites.  The students are given a graphic organizer to provide scaffolding when working in small groups to document their research about a specific severe weather.  The summation of this collaborate lesson is for students to be filmed being a meteorologist and giving a weather report.  They worked in groups to provide peer editing of their weather report according to standards created by Kristi and the classroom teacher. 

This fifth grade web quest collaboration incorporated the librarian’s domains of leading inquiry-based learning opportunities and demonstrating the idea that information is a shared resource.  The use of the SC Discus website to research the information requires students to access the shared resources provided to SC students for research.  This project included 10 tasks for students to complete while working in pairs.  Students were required to use multi-medias to complete the tasks.  The entire activities were standard-based according to SC science standards for fifth grade. 

The challenge Kristi finds in is scheduling time with teachers to collaborate.  The typical librarian’s schedule is based on a related arts schedule for the school.  This leaves very little time for the librarian to meet with teachers to develop and implement a collaborative lesson. Kristi provides opportunities for student collaboration in the library as often possible during lesson time.  This allows learners to work productively and learn to understand diverse perspectives during their own inquiry process.  

Creating a Global Learning Environment

 

This blog is the second in a series of blogs that discuss a variety of the shared foundations that SC librarians find are important in their school libraries.  

This librarian is Jennifer.  She is the librarian at a 600 student elementary school.  The school has a very diverse population.  One of those populations is bilingual Spanish students.  The shared foundation of include is very important to her in creating a library collection and environment of diversity and inclusion for all students.  Finding resources for these students are important and constant.  The limited selections of fiction and nonfiction books that would appeal to those ESOL students, but also reflect their culture in the characters is important. 

Some of the resources that she has included in her collection allow for Spanish translation to benefit the students and parents of the students.  Recently the community of Jackson Elementary, Jennifer’s school, and Camden Elementary to meet with ESOL parents.  The event was called Elevate and it provided read a-louds for the students and resources for parents. 

Challenges in the library program are establish opportunities for students to excel while learning a new language.  As this group of our community continues to grow, so should this part of the library collection.  Online resources have also been chosen so that they can have translation options.  The Google technology platform used by the school district allows for translation of documents by teachers and students. 

The library is committed to sharing resources with teachers.  Grade levels that collaborate on a regular basis is first and fourth grades.  Weekly, Jennifer will curate resources designed around themes being covered in the classrooms.  Teachers will use these print resources and website recommendations in the classroom.  The use of the library is still limited due to social distancing restrictions, but Jennifer coordinated these requests whenever the need arises.  By understanding and empathizing with the needs of the classroom teacher and students, Jennifer creates the environment of a global learning community in the school.   

 

Curated Resources a Win-Win for everyone

 

AASL Shared Foundations Blog Series – Curate

This blog is the first in a series of blogs that discuss a variety of the shared foundations that SC librarians find are important in their school libraries.  

This first librarian is Bambi Ferrer.  Her school is located in rural Kershaw County.  This high school is currently in under construction due to a tornado destroying the school in February, 2020.   One of her roles as librarian of the school is to curate a new collection physically and virtually.   With the loss of the physical library, it became important to Bambi to have resources digitally for students and teachers.  She curated sites that they both could use that were available by way of the school website. 

This platform was created using Google Sites and were very easy to navigate and visually appealing. 

During her process of curating these resources she wanted to provide ways to challenge her learners, provide appropriate resources and tools for them to use, and reach a variety of audiences.  These audiences included students, parents, and teachers.  Some of the sites include Tutor.com, SC Discus resources, SORA eBooks, virtual field trips all over the world, and games to enjoy. 

These resources were created so that she could collaborate with teachers, while not having a physical library.  The virtual resources were utilized by students for class research projects.  Courses that she assisted were science, history and English classes.  Recently she created a choice board for a history teacher.  It allowed the students to digitally navigate some topics for an American Revolution project. 

Challenges in her curation efforts are finding time to curate and update the selections on a regular basis; vet the resources to be appropriate for student use; and planning time with teachers.  Kershaw County has a very progressive technology plan to provide hardware and software for students and staff of the high quality.  They have a strict district procedure for software approval and teacher are to have any new resources approved by the district technology department.  This can slow down the process of providing new resources to staff and students.  The final challenge is getting teachers to take time to collaborate.  Teaching time is critical these days.  Having teachers give up critical time in their schedule to utilize the curated resources is a struggle but in the end will be a win-win for the teachers and the students.  

Keep the Technology moving!!

Biggest takeaway from this semester…to keep moving.  This class has allowed me time to study the new stuff.  New technology, new digital apps and websites, new communications (like podcasts and Marco Polo), and just staying up to date.  I feel that any professional can get complacent and comfortable.  We can get comfortable in what worked in the past and stay the course.  This course allowed us students/librarians time to see what is new.  Then figure out how to use if for the advantage of our patrons. 

Don’t even get me started on looking at other ways librarians or schools are doing things. Wow!!! Some of the libraries and librarians out in the world are killing it.  We get to learn all kinds of new technology from others, but if we don’t use it what is the purpose of learning?  You must learn and pass it along to others.  The course requirements through the assignments and blogging have given us (the students) confidence to pass things along.  We are now official bloggers.  We have been on other websites and know what good looks like and how to make that happen in our libraries, physically and virtually. 

I hope not to ever get complacent.  Even once we don’t have to take classes, we must keep reading School Library Journal and other websites.  Stay aware of the important librarians of the day by following social media and award winners.  Take more classes at USC.  This semester has been full of webinars and zoom sessions with professionals across the world.  I am grateful that we had the time to watch and listen.  We must always try to be a student of our profession and make sure to continue to search for the new stuff.  

But I guess since this class was called “Information Technology in the School Library Program” then goal attained.  I am so amazed that this is the last blog for the class.  It has gone by way too quickly.  I know it will not be my last blog.  New goals to make and classes to take. 

Thanks Dr. Green and your assistants (if any) for the great semester.  Thanks to all the students in the class for fabulous comments and insights.  I look to see you again in another SLIS class.  

Resources:

Digital Computer image: https://www.dreamstime.com/digital-library-online-education-concept-laptop-computer-colorful-books-d-rendering-digital-library-online-education-image125338333

Is that real or Virtual Reality?

Currently one of the middle school standards is to study World War II.  Therefore, the Diary of Anne Frank is often read and studied in seventh or eighth grade.  When I worked at a local middle school, the eighth grade ELA teacher had the students read the book.  They were immersed in the world of Anne Frank.  That included learning about the Holocaust, concentration camps, and the Nazi’s.  The library carried many non-fiction books that would supplement their research and described the Annex in detail with many photos.  This unit was usually something that the students always remembered during their time in middle school.

My oldest son had an internship at The Anne Frank Museum in Amsterdam.  His office was across from the back of the Annex.  He looked at that building every day.  The museum, which encompasses most of the city block of buildings includes the original Anne Frank office/annex.  Millions of people from all over the world visit this museum.  

(Video of the visitors to the Anne Frank Museum)

In 2018, Oculus Quest came up with a Virtual Reality (VR)  tour of the Anne Frank Annex.  The museum loaned one to my son to try and see if it was realistic enough.   So of course, he brought it home for me to try.    In the article by Bruce Massis, Using Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality in the Library, states that these technologies strive to completely simulate an immersive sensory experience using sight and hearing that is indistinguishable from real (Massis, 2016).  That is absolutely how I felt when experiencing the Anne Frank VR Tour. This is the video from the team that made the VR version for the Oculus Quest, but the older version is the Oculus Rift.  Both items can be purchased through Oculus.com or Amazon.com.  The cost for Oculus Quest and accessories on Amazon.com is $602.00.  

(VR Experience team making the Anne Frank video)

This VR experience is so realistic that I could see dust floating the air of the attic, and hear sounds of the house creaking.  I was amazed.  It brought tears to my eyes and a smile on my face.  This would have been so impactful for students to see.  Not everyone can go to Amsterdam, but how can we bring these to our students. 

Currently, the largest hurdle for public school students to have access to these tools is cost.  Budgets don’t allow for equipment for a class of students to each have a $300.00 – $400.00 headset.   However, the most closely related technology that is available is the Google App called Google Expedition.  This app allows students to experience virtual field trips from around the world by using cellphones or Apple devices from the school.  Our school district has a traveling box of Cellphones that are charged and used just for this activity.  You just need to go to the App store and download the app of your phone to try this out for yourself.  

 

(Google Expedition App Virtual Reality Trailer)

(Google Expedition App Augmented Reality Trailer)

Even as exciting as the many Virtual Reality (VR) options on the App, there is also Augmented Reality (AR) choices.  Being about to teach and then show a student a 3-D model of DNA, the heart, or a coral reef, is something they will always remember.   I felt like a kid watching these items myself.  Technology tools only continue to improve and having the AR and VR options make it a “reality”. 

Resources:

Massis, B. (2016). Using virtual and augmented reality in the library. New Library World, Vol. 16(11/12), 796-799. https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/NLW-08-2015-0054/full/html

What are we making today?

This is the best question to ask students when they enter your library.  Many libraries today make many things including items for the community, projects for class, creative thinkers projects and readers of tomorrow.  We really can do it all in a library, you just have to think outside of the box.  When students are checking out a book, they are making their own choices.  We, the librarians, don't pick their book for them.  In a makerspace this is the same concept.  This "lets them know that they are their own agents, responsible for determining for themselves the path of their own making and learning" (Angevine & Weisgrau, 2015).

There are so many great libraries that have created wonderful makerspaces.  Her are a few that I find inspiring.  

Gina Seymour of Islip High School, NY, created a makerspace that allowed students to help the community.  They created dog toys, items for the homeless shelter and dresses for girls in Uganda.  Seymour recently inspired many librarians in South Carolina when she was the Keynote Speaker at the 2020 SC Association of School Librarians (SCASL) Conference this past March.  

Islip High School Library Guide

The University of South Carolina, Rhodos Fellows program at the South Quad Residence Hall created an amazing “garage” out of an old dark study space.  This took over 2 years to develop by researching many other university makerspaces and training the students to help others.  This residence hall is primarily for freshman at USC and is a special place to develop our creative thinkers of the future.

Rhodos Makerspace Video

Rhodos Ribbon Cutting Video

Jackson Elementary School, Camden, SC is located in Kershaw County.  They have around 600 students in this school from K-Fifth grade.  I really like how the librarian designed and organized the makerspace.  Every space is designed to challenge the student and includes ideas and directions for a student to work independently.  To me this is a great place to start for any small library with a small budget.   

So how do we begin?

There are some great tools that I have included to get your started. 

Makerspace Playbook School Edition

Digital Curation: A Makerspace Guide

But the best thing is to just get started.  We can make students a place that doesn’t judge or grade them. We just want to “encourage hands-on, collaborative learning, sharing and creating” (Jones, 2016).

So I ask you again…What are we making today?

Angevine, C., & Weisgrau, J. (2015, September 24). Situating makerspaces in schools. Retrieved from hybridpedagogy.org: https://hybridpedagogy.org/situating-makerspaces-in-schools/

Jones, K. (2016, March 21). Digital curation: A makerspace guide. Retrieved from Evernote : https://www.evernote.com/shard/s210/client/snv?noteGuid=243a99ba-a99a-4afb-8a7e-92f19ec7853e&noteKey=b65a5cb0af531c79582b3035157c220a&sn=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.evernote.com%2Fshard%2Fs210%2Fsh%2F243a99ba-a99a-4afb-8a7e-92f19ec7853e%2Fb65a5cb0af531c79582b303515

Keeping our Students Safe from Cyberbullying

Who would have thought that only a month ago, I was planning the spring book fair, field trips, ordering books for library reading time?  But now due to the COVID-19 outbreak, I am collecting resources for online learning for students and teachers, updating the website with new resources, and creating fun activities promote reading online for students in my elementary school.  Change is scary for teachers and students.  There are so many unknowns for everyone during this time. The “show must go on” and educating our students is one of our top priorities.  However, with the extended time that students are now online, the possibility of cyberbullying become more prevalent. 

Since students are now online due to e-learning and social media or gaming more than ever, cyberbullying is most likely to increase (Hinduja, 2019).  The trend of cyberbullying has been on the rise for years.  We adults all know how to define a bully.  It someone that can verbally, physically or relationally causing someone harm repeatedly because they feel that they have power over that person (Faucher, Cassidy, & Jackson, 2015). 

 (Patchin, 2019)

This chart might show the trend of twelve-year old student through seventeen-year old students but the results show their response to the question of a “lifetime of cyberbullying”.  This is a sad trend that a twelve-year old student has had enough activity to answer this question.  But many younger students don’t understand why a friend is being mean to them.  Even more importantly, those students don’t know what to do about it. 

In a classroom or school setting the teacher can separate students to diffuse a situation.  But students are now isolated and without the parent being aware of this activity, students could be bullied.  Some suggestions from the website Cyberbullying.org are for teachers to do the following.

Keep in touch with all of your students on a regular basis.

Remind them that you are there for them and if they need something to not hesitate to ask.

Keep especially in tough with those students that you know need the connection, the encouraging words.

Remain in contact with parents regarding classwork and how the student is coping.

These connections might allow a student to confide in your about a situation that is happening.  To make sure that students understand that you are supportive and understanding during this stressful time.  Parents are a huge factor in this conversation.  They must be aware of what their students are doing online, while parents are also working from home in many situations. Even though many students will not tell their parent if they are being cyberbullied. An article on the website, Healthychildren.org includes many tips to cope with the “new normal” at many current homes in the U.S. 

Keeping a routine is very important.  Including the student in the creation of the schedule is very important.  Limiting screen time for games, learning and social interaction should still be enforced.  And parents should know what their students are doing online.  Make sure to watch for signs of cyberbullying where the student is a victim or aggressor according to Cyberbullying.org.

Some signs of a victim of cyberbullying are a student:

Stopping the use of their device or being jumpy when on the device.

Appearing angry or depressed after going online

Loss of appetite

Making passing statements about the “meaningless of life”

Some signs of being an aggressor of cyberbullying:

Hiding the device when a parent is near.

Getting upset if they can’t use their device.

Having multiple online accounts.

Being overly concerned with popularity or being in the right crowd.

Demonstrating increased insensitivity or callousness towards peers.

During this time of social distancing that we are all working from home, we must do what we can to make the experience for our students a good one.  This means academically, socially, and emotionally.  Be diligent to look out for signs of cyberbullying in your school students or at-home students. 

Faucher, C., Cassidy, W., & Jackson, M. (2015). From the sandbox to the inbox: Comparing the acts, impacts, and solutions of bullying in K-12, higher education, and the workplace. Journal of Education and Training Studies. 3(6), 111-125.

Hinduja, S. (2019, March 16). Coronavirus, online learning, social isolation, and cyberbullying: how to support our students. Retrieved from Cyberbullying Research Center: https://cyberbullying.org/coronavirus-online-learning-social-isolation-cyberbullying

Patchin, J. (2019, March 19). School bullying rates increase by 35% from 20016-2019. Retrieved from Cyberbullying research center: https://cyberbullying.org/school-bullying-rates-increase-by-35-from-2016-to-2019

Never Fear ... Kahoot! is Here

Never Fear … Kahoot! Is Here

Hear ye! Hear ye! You will never be alone again. 

We’ve all had that moment when there is 15 minutes left in library time or in class and the kids are all asking “What are we doing now Mrs. Gibson?” Never fear…Kahoot! is here. 

So many of us have seen this tool, used this tool, or played this tool.  But while you have been away struggling to reinforce standards in creative ways, they have been adding to their database.  There are over 307,063 pre-made game choices when searching just “Library”.  Under “Library Skills” there are 11,766 game choices.  You can even review the questions ahead of time and level the skill by grade levels 1 – 12.  But you can also create your own game, as my former librarian who taught AP Computer Science did just last year to prepare her students for the AP exam.  This game can be played for any subject in K-12 schools and even prepare students for some standardized testing. 

And guess what?   KIDS LOVE THIS GAME!!!  They love to compete against each other, love to get the questions right, and don’t forget to have some prizes ready at all times.  This can be done in team or as individual player mode.  We are a one-to-one device school district, so all students have their devices when they come for classes in the library so options are flexible. 

Here is a quick video to introduce or help you remember Kahoot!

To get things started all you do is sign up for the free website at www.kahoot.com

1.  Choose whether you would like to “create” or “play an existing game” by going to the Discover tab on the Kahoot! banner. 

There are endless choices for student engagement.  As the Future Ready Librarian framework recommends we use “digital resources and tools” with our students.  Then also with the recommendation of “empowering students as creators”, you could have students help create the quizzes by each making up a test question for the class to use in a Kahoot! session. 

2.  Choose the quiz to be given and students are directed on their devices to log in to the quiz.

 3.  Show the game on a large screen that all students can see.  They will only have the answer choices on their device.  The teacher or student helper will be manually moving the questions after answers are tallied and results shown for each student or team. 

4.  The final results of the session are shown on the main screen and it’s as if the Olympics have come to town.  I recommend letting the students come up front for their accolades.

 

Side note:  The images you are seeing is the demo game that I myself played as “Sam” (in honor of Dr. Seuss week).  I played the general knowledge demo and truly missed every question.  Don’t judge me.  However, like any typical student I was ready to take on that demo and win the next round.  (Sadly, it would not let me.) 

In an article by Sherlock Licorish et al, their research showed that the use of educational games as learning tools helped to support the development of cognitive, motivational, emotional and the social outlook of students.  You can read the article below in the resource section of this blog.

Please enjoy the resources below that include articles and videos to help you understand Kahoot! a little better.  Happy games to you all!

Resources

Kahoot! Around the World video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZvikyjgA1U&feature=youtu.be

Future Ready Librarians infographics:

Future Ready Librarians webpage for extra information.

Article by Sherlock Licorish et al. Students’ Perception of Kahoot!’s Influence on Teaching and Learning (2018):

Student's Perception of Kahoot!'s Influence on Teaching and Learning

5 Minute Guide to Kahoot! video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pAfnia7-rMk&t=23s