Final Reflection

Final Reflection-Digital Technology for School Librarians

This semester I took 3 classes, and this was the class that I was worried about the most.  The new technology and the quick turnaround made me nervous.  However, it turned out that I loved the class, and I was always sharing my new learning with my colleagues at school.  

For this class and another class, I started Facebook and Twitter accounts.  I will continue to use Facebook to follow what Dr. Lesesne and Dr. Perry are reading each month.  I don't think Facebook really helps a library.  Twitter is wonderful for educational purposes.  In Dr. Lesesne's class, I had my first live Twitter chat.  It was a great experience.  I also like following authors and librarians to get new ideas.  For information ethics, I learned that if there might not be so many problems on an elementary campus, but if I move to a high school campus I might see problems with students trying to "hack" and cause harm to computers.  During our educational technology assignment, I learned more about makerspaces.  I hope that the library that I get a job at will have a makerspace!  Students have access to film-making, arts and crafts, coding, robots, and Legos. I enjoyed doing Flipagram.  I made two quick videos.  I did one to follow our class meeting on how to walk correctly in the hallway and another as a motivational tool for the STAAR test.  Next, I would like to use it to do selfies about what books students are reading.  It is so easy to do, and I love that you can add music.  I felt like a "rockstar" when I made a screencast.  I had never seen these until last semester.  I couldn't believe, that I could actually make one without any tears being shed!  I think that when I am a librarian, I will use these to teach my staff new technology.  It is a time-saver and then teachers can review them as necessary.  I was very excited learning about QR codes.  I think that my library should use them on their Horned Toad Tale books.  They would have book trailers on each code.  I can't wait to try this when I'm a librarian.  I think kids and teachers will be clicking on everything and it will really create excitement about reading. Once again, I felt like a "rockstar" when I made a book trailer using Animoto.  I had seen so many of these book trailers on YouTube, and I couldn't believe how easy they are to make.  I think that students would be excited to make a trailer and share with their class and/or other classes.  This is what makes kids want to read books! I also like making comics.  Comics is not my style, but I was happily surprised with all of the different types of lesson ideas that the sites already had programmed.  I used MakeBeliefComix with my fifth graders.  They wrote about themselves and wrote narratives.  Next, we are going to use the comics during our Multi-sensory grammar lessons.  I didn't like making the podcasts personally, but it is an activity that students will enjoy.  I think podcasts are great educational tools for all subject areas.

The lesson that I felt most uncomfortable about and I feel that I did not do very well was infographics.  When I saw everybody's product and read their comments, I felt that I must have been the only one who struggled with this.  It made me feel inadequate.  

In the article that we were given "Food for Thought," I would have to remember that I serve a community with over 60% of students who are economically disadvantaged.  I have a library budget of $2200.  My students love to come to the library, and I have to do everything I can to encourage them to read and make reading progress.  My students might not have home computers like other students in wealthier parts of our school district, but they have phones.  I can teach them how to use a phone to help them use technology.  I need to work collaboratively with the teachers, so they know the new technology.  Our whole school is being remodeled this summer.  We are getting new paint, carpet, shelving, and furniture.  This fall will be a perfect time to welcome the families into the library.  They need to know the importance of reading every day at home.  If they have time during the week, they can volunteer.  We can have translators to make sure everyone feels welcome and validated.