LSSL 5391 Final Reflection

Honestly, I came into this course feeling pretty confident about technology. As the course went on, I became more familiar with different tools that I had only thought about using before such as with the various infographic makers and cartoon/comic creators. Practicing with the different screencast software helped inform my screencast decisions a little better. Tracking everything on a blog was helpful, as well as reading other blogs. I enjoyed branching out a little more and learning.

The YouTube video is what intimidated me the most. I’m self-conscious about everything, and I talked A LOT. I can’t seem to help myself, verbally or written for that matter. I thought we would be adding to a FlipGrid. This idea I didn’t mind as much because it’s a closed platform for only the users with the codes. To have it on YouTube scared me a tad. But I understand the reasoning behind it. Creating a channel for students to reference, for your library or classroom, isn’t a bad idea. As a classroom teacher, you can post video lessons for students to refer back to or create playlists for them to watch at a later time.

Practicing creating an infographic was one of my least favorite activities. I have a hard time condensing information, so it was a struggle for me to not write a paper!

Speaking of papers, I appreciated all of the practice writing an APA style paper. If you had asked me at the time, I would have groaned and whined about having to find sources and whatnot since it’s a technology driven class. However, as librarians we are focused on data and may have our works published. It’s important to write to format and the best way to do that is by practicing the expectation.

One thing I think needs to be addressed more is Chrome extensions. Yes, many teachers and librarians are aware of them, but many are not. Maybe a blog post about some of our favorite extensions? For example, there’s an extension called OttoBib Generator that I use for citing books when I have the ISBN number. It was a lifesaver during the Children’s Lit and YA Lit courses. And I recently learned about Sir-Links-a-Lot. When you’re creating a Google type document, you can create a link with the extension that will ask students automatically to make a copy before they start trying to type on it or make it a PDF. I just learned that Bit.ly was an extension as well, so I need to get on adding that. Only a suggestion.

My Digital Storytelling portion comes in the form of StoryJumper. This is a program that I have used before. One of my few complaints about it is that it constantly asks if you want to publish the book you have created. However, it is easy to Share or Embed to a blog or website. It is also quite easy to use. The user is provided different scene options or they can upload their own. The user can also create their own avatars (which is honestly my favorite part about any program like this)! If a prop is not available, the user can upload a picture and decide to use it as a prop or a scene. The program is student friendly - I used it last year with my 6th grade writing students.

P.S. If you enjoyed using Screencastify, here is a code to get the subscription version free for a year! CAST_COVID

Read this book made on StoryJumper

Universal Design for Learning

In order to meet the needs of a diverse learning population, teachers need to be flexible and aware of student needs. This often presents itself in the form of differentiation. A fancier name for differentiation is Universal Design for Learning (UDL). UDL is “an approach to curriculum that minimizes barriers and maximizes learning for all students” (CAST, 2010).

Every teacher, whether they are aware of it or not, implements some format of a UDL when lesson planning. A lesson plan incorporates the WHAT, HOW, and WHY of a lesson. What students need to learn, how they will learn it, and why it’s important for them to learn. There are three brain networks that process this information. The guidelines for UDL presented focus on Representation (WHAT), Engagement (WHY), and Action and Expression (HOW).


Which am I using?
I honestly don’t believe it’s possible to incorporate everything in the guidelines, but a teacher can get close. As I went through the guidelines, I admit to feeling inadequate compared to the amount of information provided.

One area I felt confident in is the Representation portion, specifically 3.2 Highlight patterns, critical features, big ideas, and relationships and 3.4 Maximize transfer and generalization.


Which could I add right now?
Distance learning makes implementing some aspects of UDL more difficult than usual. Right now I can implement 6.2 Support planning and strategy development. In order to assist students, I have added checklists for each week to help organize their day. This week I modeled a think-aloud using a poem and my document camera.I embeded the video on my Canvas page for students to view. I’ve also added an area for students to “stop and think” and “show and explain their work” at the end of the week and at the beginning and end of each week.


Which looks great but I might need help to implement?
Next year, I’d like to work more on 6.4 Enhance capacity for monitoring progress, but I feel like I’d need help with this. In theory, I’d like to give my students more opportunity in the classroom to self-reflect and see their progress. I tend to speed past the finished assignment and don’t give them enough time to self-reflect or even discuss their self-reflection. I’d like for students to visually see their own data - grades on tests, reviews, etc. that are color coded, and improvement in their writing with portfolios, what have you.


Tools for UDL
Amanda Murphy an article at EdTech magazine with four steps to begin implementing UDL in classrooms with purpose. First, she suggests beginning with small and achievable student goals. Second, create a flexible classroom with furniture and digital tools. One suggestion is for students to work with headphones on to help eliminate distractions. Third, choose technologies, materials and methods thoughtfully. After deciding on a classroom goal, teachers can then work on planning what materials would work best. Lastly, Murphy says to give lots of feedback to establish deeper learning. Students giving feedback to each other helps provide more learning on a deeper level.

Assuming that students have device and Internet access, having an area such as Canvas, Schoology, or Google Classroom to upload extra copies, think aloud videos, links to text-to-speech applications, etc. would help with implementing UDL. Canvas has an Immersive Reader function that helps with text-to-speech. Transcripts to videos can be uploaded or the teacher can upload a Symbaloo for students to use with important links.




References
CAST. (2010, January 6). UDL at a glance [Video]. YouTube.
         https://youtu.be/bDvKnY0g6e4

Murphy, A. (2017, October 26). Embracing the UDL classroom: 4 steps to a more flexible
         education. Edtech Magazine. https://bit.ly/35lMEW3

Robinson, D. E. 1. derobins@towson. ed. (2017). Universal design for learning and school
         libraries. Knowledge Quest, 46(1), 56–61.

Podcasts

I adore audiobooks. They are the best way for me to get my reading done a lot of the time. I’m one of those people that can multitask while they listen. And I’ve gotten to the point where I can speed up the sound.

But I can’t do podcasts.

I know! It’s so weird! You’d think with my love of audiobooks, I’d be down with podcasts. But I’m not. When I was working on my undergraduate degree, I would listen to Jenna & Julien’s podcast because their banter kept me awake (I had to drive a lot). My husband listen/watches to a few comedian podcasts - Joe Rogan, Your Mom’s House, and a couple of others. Brandon Sanderson has a writing podcast with a couple of others that discuss writing techniques that is really interesting. A lot of these podcasts have video version on YouTube. If that’s the case, I feel the need to watch it instead of just listen. While I’m good at wasting time, I don’t want to spend an hour plus watching podcasts, you know. So unless we are on a road trip and my husband puts it on, I’m not listening to podcasts very often.

On the other hand, I totally see the appeal of podcasts and using them in the classroom. I’ve wanted to assign a podcast to students because it promotes listening, speaking, and writing, but I haven’t had the chance yet. My teammates don’t seem comfortable with the idea. I teach PreAP/GT and my teammate that also teaches GT doesn’t seem as interested in it. Hopefully next year I can give it a go. One thing I like about podcasts for students is that they don’t have to show their faces. A lot of students are self-conscious but with podcasts, they only need to worry about their voices versus their voice and appearance.

Audioboom

Didn’t get far with Audioboom since they wanted me to sign up for a subscription before
uploading my first episode. Based on first impressions, this platform is for those serious in becoming content creators. Your podcast will be distributed to multiple different listening platforms in order to gain a larger audience. You can even go in and adjust which platforms it is sent to. An option to upload a podcast is available, but it requests a link instead of a file which I thought was odd. It might have been because I don’t have a subscription. There might be more features with a paid subscription, but unfortunately I won’t be finding out any time soon.

Anchor.fm

I have used this before for other courses in this program. I haven’t quite uploaded anything from it because I found the app to be troublesome. However, using it in the browser window was much easier. One thing I like about Anchor is the ability to add transition music. There are several options to choose from where you can plug in transition music as you are recording or after. I uploaded the podcast Megan created, added the music, and then published. It was quite easy to do!

Podbean

In the past I have uploaded and turned all my podcasts assignments into Podbean. I have found it to be the most user friendly. The user is not required to sign up for a subscription, but there is a premium they could pay for if they wanted to. You are able to easily access your analytics to see how many times your episodes have been viewed. This gives you data to use in the future for what is working and what isn’t.

The profile page shows your analytics, podcasts you follow, and any live shows people might be putting on. It also allows people to comment on your podcast. This could be good because you can get to know your audience, but it could also be bad because of trolls.

Conclusion

You can find podcasts by searching through Spotify, YouTube, or there is an app my husband used to use call Podcast Addict. Podcasts tend to be split categorized. When I did the Middle School Magic, I heard about a new podcast that could be used in a middle school classroom that has to do with the quarantine. It’s called Aidan Tyler, Quaran-teen and they have new episodes every Tuesday. Here is the link: https://www.juniorlibraryguild.com/quaran-teen

I prefer filming on my own and then uploading my file onto Anchor.fm or Podbean. These two platforms are easiest. To make your podcast a little more lively, Anchor.fm might be a better choice because it allows you to add music and provides a selection. Podbean helps give you data on your podcasts and views, and it allows people to comment on your videos. I think it also depends on what other equipment you have at home. For example, my husband has a lot of production software and equipment. He helped me edit one of my past podcasts (I have a habit of umming a lot!) and could provide music for me if he had enough notice. He also has a microphone that could help with the sound.

Partner Assignment

Megan W. and I worked on this assignment and created a podcast based on audiobooks. I typed up a script, Megan made edits and recorded, and I added music on Anchor.fm. I’ve embeded both the Podbean and Anchor.fm version from my own accounts. The references for the assignment are below.

References

Cahill, M. & Moore, J. (2017, March 1). A sound history. Children & Libraries: The Journal of the
Association for Library Service to Children, 15(1), 22–29.

Heid, M. (2018, September 6). Are audiobooks as good for you as reading? Here’s what
experts say. Time.  https://time.com/5388681/audiobooks-reading-books/

Lamb, A. (2018). Listeners’ advisory part 2: connecting audiobooks with today’s readers. Teacher
Librarian, 45(3), 62–65.

Moran, K. (2017, October 26). 7 ways audiobooks benefit students who struggle with reading.

          We Are Teachers. http://bit.ly/2QrR8UZ 

Young, R. (2019). Listen up: best practices for audiobooks in libraries. Reference & User Services
Quarterly, 58(4), 210–214.

Cartoons & Comics

Growing up, I remember my dad always wanted the funnies section of the newspaper. The funnies were the comics. His favorites were Peanuts and Doonesbury. Other than the newspaper, I never really got into comics. I’ve definitely attempted branching out into graphic novels now their popularity is on the rise. I have so many artistic students, that I like to try to add having students draw their own comics when responding to text, summarizing, or for a writing assignment. Students either love it or hate it. Platform such a Pixton, Storyboard That! and Make Beliefs can help those non-artistic students (like myself) create their own comic without having to worry about their artistic ability.

Pixton

I had a love/hate relationship with Pixton. It seems like it’s only worth it if you put some money into it. The limited features on the free access doesn't allow for much. But it does get the user to want to try for more! The fact that you can customize the avatars clothing, hair, their position and more makes it so much fun! But less than 10 backgrounds are included in the free version as well as the limited, yet diverse, characters.

I created my account for education use, so it had me create an avatar. And I love mine so much. I enjoy using my Bitmoji for a lot of things, but I can’t help but use this avatar right now. Another nice thing about Pixton is if you choose to use this for your class, you can send a code out to your students and require them to log in with their school Google accounts. Students will then have to create their own avatars and eventually you will end up with a class photo (how fun!) You can pay a $10 a month subscription fee, getting a new “content pack” to use and build a collection or $24 a month to have access to all content packs. This will allow you and your students to go deeper with their comics. If you’re a teacher that can afford this, it might be worth it because then all of your students can access the content packs you purchase. Students should be able to use it alright, but may become frustrated at the lack of options.

This comic ended up being a commentary on the current situation the world is in. 

Make Beliefs

What I liked about this platform: different languages are provided which is awesome for campuses like ours that are a home base for newcomers. Prompts are provided for students and educators to use to get started. An account is not needed, but if you wanted to keep all of your comics in a space, you could create one. When you click on a character, it will provide different options as far as how the character is orientated.

What I did not care so much for with this platform: I could not, for the life of me, figure out how to add a background to my comic. The character buttons at the bottom confused me a little. They seemed to be advertising something, and I would get out of it only to realize that some characters were offered. The font size doesn’t change when you adjust the dialogue button.

Overall, this is a good platform to use for beginners. There aren’t a lot of options to sift through, but if your idea is simple enough, you can create something fun. Students should be able to use it rather easily.

This comic ended up being one that could be used in a library as a reminder that librarians are there for you and tend to know about upcoming titles that might interest readers. 

Storyboard That!

I’ve used this platform multiple times in the past. It provides a lot more options for backgrounds, characters, and dialogue or narration boxes. With a free account, your comic can only be 6 frames and you can only create two a month. One of the draw-backs to this platform is that you cannot adjust the characters positions. It’s good for summarizing chapters, recreating important scenes, or for a book talk. Students will be able to use it with ease.


For this comic, I decided to turn back to trusty Restart by Gordon Korman. This could be used as a book talk to get students interested.

Conclusion

One way I could use comics is to share funny memes with teachers and admin. Being in education is stressful and sometimes we could all use a laugh. Using comic strips to create memes or as simple reminders can be a fun way to break up those lengthy emails. I could also use it to advertise new and popular books in the library or new programs. If I have student aides, I could ask them to help create comics for the library to bring other students in.

Videos and QR Codes in the Library

YouTube

The NHS Library
I thought the two most helpful videos from Norman High School were How to Use EBSCOHost and Tiger Visits Norman High Library.

The first video is a detailed explanation on how to use the EBSCOHost resource for a research project, specifically a project on social issues. The librarian, Ms. Gilstrap, demonstrated a step-by-step process to finding information. She showed users the different options of types of periodicals to search for, how to narrow down your search with different filters, obtaining an MLA citation and URL link for follow up. This video will be more helpful for students over the CQ Research video because students can access EBSCOHost at home. 

The second video was cleverly done. Not only does it showcase procedures at the library, but it also gives users a visual of the library and its collection. By watching the video, students know where the check in station is, the catalog computer and how to use it, expectations while using the library, the availability of OverDrive for ebooks and audiobooks, and more.

I do think the video students would like more is the Tiger Visits the Norman High Library. One reason is the fact that their school mascot is going around and exploring the library. Another reason is that it provides new students that may be nervous a way to learn the layout of the library and expectations before setting foot on the campus.

theunquietlibrary

There was a lot going on with this particular library YouTube page. The library media center specialists had a lot of student and teacher involvement with their videos, making them more relatable. The sound, however, was not great. The two How-To videos were quite loud.

One of the more helpful videos would have to be The Unquiet Library on Wheels @ The Cafeteria. This was poorly shot, however it has a lot of benefits. The purpose of this video was to show students that a mobile library spot was available for them to turn in books or check them out. You can hear multiple students comment on how cool it is, and one of the students reacts excitedly when she learns she can return her library books. 

The other video was a tie between Why I Love the New Laptops and Student Blogger Discusses Why She Loves Blogging. The laptop video is a student sitting on a couch discussing the new laptops. While the video shows an honest review from a student, it also shows the users different seating options in the library. The second video about blogging is yet another example of an honest review from a student about a service the library (possibly) provides. Students are giving their honest opinions rather than having the librarian share what they think is best.

I’m not sure what video students would like best. I would think the library on wheels one because of the reactions from some of the students.

Pikesvillehslibrary

There was even more going on with this library as far as uploaded content. The production quality in these videos were slightly better than theunquietlibrary’s. There was a lot to mine through but the two videos I chose were Hip Hop Day @ The Panthers Library and PHS Financial Aide Workshop.

Hip Hop Day @ The Panthers Library was made with a program like Animoto - a lot of the videos seem to be in this sort of format, actually. The librarian was able to get a hip hop artist from Flocabulary to Skype with students and talk about the writing process. This video shows images from the event with a video clip here and there. It showcases the different technology that can be used for communication, community engagement, and meets standards.

The other video is lengthy, at 1:29:12. The content in it is extremely important for seniors and other students thinking about college. A Powerpoint presentation is recorded with the voice of the presenters in the library. Since this was film in 2013, the availability of screencasts was most likely not an option. Today, I would imagine this video filmed as a screencast and the slideshow available for students to access whenever. It’s important because the school may be in a low socio-economic area and students may not have been able to attend because of outside responsibilities.

The Hip Hop Day @ The Panthers Library would most likely be more entertaining to students. I also want to mention the AVID Pimp My Binder 2012 video. It was entertaining because it was a skit filmed by students to demonstrate how to best organize a binder.

bbmsmedia

This channel is more current compared to the other three with its most recent video from a year ago. There are numerous videos displayed here. The two I focused on were Luke Skywalker Has Overdue Books and 6th Media Orientation.

This library media center channel is chock full of parodies that relate to overdue library books. The Luke Skywalker one is the most current of all of them with a scene from Star Wars: The Last Jedi dubbed over. I imagine these are sent out as a reminder to turn in overdue library books. 

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The 6th Media Orientation is meant for incoming 6th graders to become more familiar with the library and its procedures before starting school. It also introduces them to the librarian. I imagine everything in the video is reviewed at the beginning of school. Knowing how I am, I would definitely be researching my new school and learning what I can. A 7th and 8th orientation is also provided for returning students as a review.

The parody videos probably entertain students the most because they take popular trends and find creative ways to bend them to fit the library’s needs.

How Will I Use Videos in the Library? 

Each of these channels provided videos for their community that promoted programs or materials the school library provides. When I become a librarian, I want to make sure that my community knows what the library has to offer and how to access it. There will be a How-To playlist showing the ins and outs of the OPAC, databases, and location of library materials. I would want student and teacher involvement in my videos for sure. One thing I would want to do is have students review books or other materials in the library for honest opinions. I would also have videos of different important events such as pep rallies and such for school spirit.

Animoto Book Trailer 

I’ve used Animoto once before in a course when I was getting my bachelor’s degree. We created a book trailer, but at that time voice overs weren’t an option. I’m glad to see that this feature has been added to video making. When we created ours, my husband helped me add audio to the trailer because he’s tech savvy in audio engineering.

Anyways, I decided to do my book trailer on Restart by Gordon Korman. We used this as our read aloud in the fall and our kiddos loved it. The amount of stock images available to use is astonishing and made piecing this video together all the easier. This platform for demonstrating information is quite simple to navigate; I could imagine elementary age children using it with little issues.

"Chase's memory just went out the window.

Chase doesn't remember falling off the roof. He doesn't remember hitting his head. He doesn't, in fact, remember anything. He wakes up in a hospital room and suddenly has to learn his whole life all over again . . . starting with his own name.

He knows he's Chase. But who is Chase? When he gets back to school, he sees that different kids have very different reactions to his return.

Some kids treat him like a hero. Some kids are clearly afraid of him.

One girl in particular is so angry with him that she pours her frozen yogurt on his head the first chance she gets.

Pretty soon, it's not only a question of who Chase is--it's a question of who he was . . . and who he's going to be.

From the #1 bestselling author of Swindle and Slacker, Restart is the spectacular story of a kid with a messy past who has to figure out what it means to get a clean start.

Scan this QR Code in order to watch the Animoto Book Trailer.

QR Codes in the Library

I currently use QR codes all of the time in my classroom. They mostly take students to a Google Form to fill out, but there are many other applications for it. 

One way I’ve seen QR codes used in classrooms on Instagram is a teacher will have a student do a book talk or book review for the title and tape the QR code into the front cover of the book. I like this idea because it shows students sharing their reading with others, and it helps them practice their speaking skills by creating a video. 

The QR code could be used for students to check in and out of the library, for students to easily access the OPAC on their own devices, or to vote for March Madness books. They could be used to pass out surveys, for users to scan to enter material recommendations for the library, My own campus librarian has used QR codes for a lesson on organizational patterns. The codes took students to articles. They could even be used to make bulletin boards more interactive for students or as simple as taking the user to the library website. 

QR codes are an ingeniously quick way to share information to the library community. 

References

Bbmsmedia. (2017, September 30). 6th media orientation [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/0T-QyQMS8H4
bbmsmedia. (2018, May 31). Luke skywalker has overdue books [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/ivht6CPe1Ek
Calypso Gilstrap. (2015, March 12). How to use EBSCOHost [Video]. Youtube. https://youtu.be/BezObVKkqOo
Calypso Gilstrap. (2015, May 4). Tiger visits the norman high library [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/NeUhXLvFAi4
Pikesvillehslibrary. (2012, May 18). AVID pimp my binder 2012 [Video]. Youtube. https://youtu.be/Xg_MQe5zGn4
Pikesvillehslibrary. (2014, May 5). Hip hop day @ the panthers library [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/o3iihdaYAf0
Pikesvillehslibrary. (2013, December 16). PHS financial aide workshop [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/esKCAk_t6v0
thequietlibrary. (2012, September 14). The unquiet library on wheels @ the cafeteria [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/puYlDaLQKVI
thequietlibrary. (2009, October 15). Why I love the new laptops [Video]. Youtube. https://youtu.be/TFrek3UuJrc

Screencasts

During this time of mass distance learning, screencasts are more important than ever. A screencast allows the user to video their computer desktop, browser window and/or web camera to film how-to videos, lessons, demonstrations, etc. There are several options available for your filming needs, most of them filming up to 15 minutes of time for free. Some platforms may put a limit on how many videos you can record on their free version, so make sure you have practiced your video ahead of time.

Snag It

When I watched the video for Snag It, I was immediately sold. Sign me up, please and thank you. But then I realized I might not be able to download it onto my Chromebook which is my working laptop.

Snag It allows users to take screenshots of web pages or a whole screenshot. It allows the user to edit screenshots, create step by step instructions, or add videos to provide feedback or extra instruction. It seems like an easy program to use for education in order to create an image with step by step instructions for the beginning of the school year - signing up for Remind, finding things on Canvas or Blackboard, using FlipGrid, etc. You can tag your videos as a way to keep them organized for later usage.

On the other hand, I can see more technology proficient users not seeing a need for this service. They can take their own screenshots and add information to them as needed. And this service does add a risk of providing false information. The ease of which the video demonstrates adjusting a web page is a little worrisome. Thought it could be useful when teaching lessons on double checking primary sources.

The website provides a free trial for users, and then it costs $49.95 a year, and you can download it on up to two devices. I imagine this being a useful purchase.

Screencast-O-Matic

This is my first time hearing of Screencast-O-Matic. Just yesterday, one of the instructional coaches shared a video made with Screencast-O-Matic demonstrating how to check if a student has been on Canvas.

The free version of Screencast-O-Matic allows for unlimited videos at 15 minutes maximum. Once you’ve finished your video, you can upload it to your Google Drive, YouTube, and Screencast-O-Matic in order to keep track of the videos you have created. I liked having the option on where I wanted my videos sent to.

You can organize your videos into folders. There is a search function just in case you have a lot of videos and haven’t organized them yet. When you want to share the video, it provides a lot of different options. You can send a direct link, create your own link, or it gives the embed code.

Editing and such costs extra, but the pricing isn’t too bad for this service. For $1.65 a month you get unlimited recording times, it will intuitively try to access your video editor on a Mac or PC, provide drawing tools and mouse focus.
 I created one of these back in November showing students how to access Sora using Screencastify. That one was around 7 minutes long. Here is a newer, updated version that runs around 8 minutes long. 

Screencastify

This is the program I have used the most to share with students. The free version allows you to record up to five minutes, though I could have sworn it was fifteen, and in the past it has told me how many videos I had left to make. It allowed for 30 videos in a month, and it has a mouse focus to emphasize areas on your browser. Another downer is that it was hard for me to see my folder of videos on Screencastify. The free version is available for $29 for educators.

This program, along with Screencast-O-Matic and others, has a Chrome Extension. When you are ready to film, just click the extension and it will ask if you want your desktop or browser filmed, your microphone filmed, and/or your webcam. It gives a countdown and begins filming, You can easily pause if you need a moment. When you’re done, you are able to watch it to see if it meets your standards. You can’t really do any editing in the free version of this program. Screencastify automatically makes a file folder on your Google Drive to easily find videos, and it can upload to your YouTube or your Google Classroom. It can generate a QR code and provide the embed information.

 

I created this video today to help show students how to turn in an assignment through Google Forms. Nice, quick and to the point. 

Hippo

One last screencast program I have used in the past is called Hippo. It’s like a mixture of Screencastify and Screencast-O-Matic. With the free version, you can make unlimited videos at 15 minutes maximum. There is a section that provides information for embedding the video. Hippo also creates a folder in your Google Drive to house all of your videos for easy access. A couple of cons with this service is that it does not offer to upload to YouTube, instead offering up Facebook and Twitter. The paid version for personal use only allows you to record up to an hour versus unlimited like other services.

Conclusion

I think I’ll be using Screencast-O-Matic a little more for videos for my classroom. Screencastify is great if you need something short to share with others. And some of these services might be worth paying the annual fee for if you find yourself recording a lot of your lessons.

Infographics: A Digital Representation

Sometimes when people are presented with a block of text, it’s difficult to break it down. A digital representation of the information may help. The attention span of students (and adults) is increasingly lowering. This is partly due to technology and the ability to find or scroll through text or images that aren’t stimulating. Using infographics separates information into colorful images that can help students retain the information. Infographics can also be used for students to demonstrate their understanding of information in any content.


As with almost anything having to relate to technology, there are multiple platforms available to create infographics, posters, and other visual materials. Infogram, Piktochart, and Easel.ly offer templates, graphs and other features to help present data visually for users. All three platforms have a free version for people to use a limited number of resources they provide. A monthly or annual price point is offered that opens more resources for your graphic design needs. They each provide a template to work off of instead of having to begin from scratch.

Infogram

This is the program I ultimately used for this assignment of creating an infographic. I didn’t mean for it to be, but the more I used it, the more comfortable I became.

Notes from using Infogram:

• At first it seems like most things need the upgrade. This particular thought came about when I was browsing through the icons. Only a select amount of icons or graphics are given at a time. When you type in a search, more images appear. You are also able to upload your own graphics.
• If you want an infographic that can be easily printed and turned into a poster for your library or classrooms, this is not the platform to use. Infogram focuses on creating interactive infographics. This allows the user to hover over graphs for more information and embed videos or gifs. 
• You cannot download your image as a PDF or any other file without upgrading, so if you want to show off your infographic, you need to share it or embed it. 
• There are plenty of chart options to input your data into, and they’re pretty easy to navigate.
• The toolbar for fonts, alignment, color scheme, etc. is found on the right side of the screen. There aren’t many font options on the free version. 
• It took me a while to figure out how to delete some of the images used on the template. I ended up having to delete the whole square and recreating it which wasn’t hard to do, just annoying. For example, there was a backpack image I didn’t want to use and realized I couldn’t delete it. A minor annoyance. 
Audiobook Infographic
Infogram

Click here to view my infographic on Infogram.

Piktochart

Notes from using Piktochart:

• You can adjust the color scheme accordingly which makes things easier as far as making sure everything matches. There are some preloaded color schemes or you can make your own.
• When you want to add your own graphic/icon/shape, there is a drop down option that separates the images by topics. A search bar is also provided. The dropdown is nice because you can easily navigate it and find images that match your infographic theme. 
• The toolbar for fonts and other things are easier to access and navigate as they are at the top of the screen, much like using a Google Doc or Microsoft Word. 
• It is easy to delete and edit images and text provided by the template. 
• The graphic design components - graphs to input your data - are not as user friendly. There are three types to choose from and then plenty of templates. No real graphs are available though. This makes Piktochart better to create infographics where bar, column, or circle graphs aren’t needed.

Easel.ly

This platform frustrated me the most, I’ll admit.

Notes form using Easel.ly:

• The templates weren’t very impressive and not a lot in quantity. The site immediately presents you with a blank canvas to work from. If you’re well versed in created infographics, this might be the platform for you.
• The backgrounds help create your own “template”. 
• It doesn’t save automatically! This was probably my biggest issue with this platform. Piktochart and Infogram both automatically saved my progress while I worked on creating an infographic. Maybe I’m just spoiled with Google automatically saving everything, but it was mind blowing to see that I needed to make sure I saved my progress. Especially considering the site timed out on my twice and I had to restart it. 
• While circle graphs are not offered, this platform makes it much easier to import your data and create a visually appealing graphic. It also offers pictograms - my section How Many People Are Reading? Offers an example of a pictogram. 
• A mixed race couple (black man, Asian woman)
• Two elderly couples
• Three men with beards of different races
• A person with short blue hairHowever, they tend to offer only about 10 images on the free version. 
• However, they tend to offer only about 10 images on the free version. 

Conclusion

I most definitely preferred Infogram and Piktochart over Easel.ly for their easier use, though I wouldn’t recommend Picktochart if you need to represent hard data. Another possible option to use is Canva. Like the other options, there are templates available, adding in data charts is relatively easy, and it automatically saves your progress.


The best part about these programs being available is that you don’t need a graphic design degree to present information in a visually appealing way. It’s also a great way for students to demonstrate their understanding of information in class. Timelines, data sets from math or science, whatever your content, infographics work!


References:

Moran, K. (2017, October 26). 7 ways audiobooks benefit students who struggle with reading.
          We Are Teachers. http://bit.ly/2QrR8UZ

Perrin, A. (2019, September 25). One-in-five Americans now listen to audiobooks.
          https://pewrsr.ch/3a5nrAI

PR Newswire. (2020, January 8). Public libraries reach record-high ebook and audiobook usage
          in 2019. PR Newswire US.

Rakuten OverDrive. (2020, January 8). Public libraries reach record-high ebook and audiobook
          usage in 2019. http://bit.ly/3a2Njxk

Rowe, A. (2020, January 9). Public library ebook and audiobook usage rocketed up to 20% in
          2019. Forbes. http://bit.ly/2wauY2N

Yorio, K. (2019, September 27). Audiobooks increase in popularity as science supports their
          value. School Library Journal. http://bit.ly/3bdL1vz

Social Media: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram

Social media presents itself as both a blessing and a curse. It connects people from all over the world and allows them to share experiences and learn they are not alone. But social media can also contribute to Impostor Syndrome - “the idea that you’ve only succeeded due to luck, and not because of your talent or qualifications” (Abrams). Social media has also been considered a factor in the rising numbers of depression. So why use it?

The various platforms allow brands to advertise and people to share skills in ways that have previously been impossible. Educators share classroom tips and tricks, libraries and publishing companies promote new titles to add to classrooms or for read aloud, and, most importantly, teachers cheer each other one or are there to listen when you’ve had a bad day.

The most well known platforms - Facebook, Twitter, Instagram - all have pros and cons if you wish to use them for your library or to promote the goings-on in your classroom. Some are for more visual people while others are for those that don’t mind reading a little bit here and there. As a user of all three platforms in various ways, it was interesting to do a deeper dive. Here are my findings:

Facebook

Facebook, the over-thrower of MySpace, continues to have a rather large user-base. It’s fantastic with getting in touch with old friends or staying caught up in the lives of those that have moved far away. However, it falls flat with younger users. None of my sixth graders have a Facebook or care to get one in the near future. I’ve heard students say, multiple times, that Facebook is for “old people”. Thanks, kid. A lot of companies use Facebook to advertise their products or store, so it would make sense that Facebook could be used to promote a school library.

The first struggle was figuring out where to search between People and Pages. While Pages were recommended to search for, the results were few for actual school libraries. I did take a look at Pasadena High School’s library page, as well as Riverwood Middle School. PHS’s page promoted a DonorsChoose project but other than that, there weren’t a lot of shares or likes throughout the page. They did keep their events updated through.

Next I tried looking at People. This resulted in more options than before. Esparza Elementary School Library used this platform more than a lot of other libraries I found. They took pictures of different events and attempted to do video book talks in 2018 with students, uploading the videos to the Facebook page.

Ultimately, here is my takeaway from using Facebook:

Pros:

• Can keep parents and others in the community up to date on school/library events 
• One stop shop for library information such as address, phone number, hours, etc. 
• One of the most well known social media platforms. 

Cons:

• Not much visible community engagement (likes, shares, posts, etc.)
• Many libraries don’t appear to be updated often. 
• Users need to know the difference between Pages and People. Many libraries operate under either which can be confusing. 
• Usage is declining, especially among younger users which is who the library wants to reach out most to. 

Twitter

Ah, Twitter. Mine was created out of necessity for a college course. It laid dormant until I began teaching and then started using it as an educational tool. I started following other teachers at my campus and other schools. Now I share what I’m doing and follow others to find inspiration.

Jim Lerman (@jimlerman) primarily uses this platform to tweet about interesting articles related to edtech from his RSS feed, Scoop.it. Several of this tweets caught my eye, including this one:

Manage background video and audio with a Google extension

I am definitely one of those people that have too many tabs open at at time. This extension would certainly help when I need to show a video or just stop the music for whatever reason.

Another post he made referred to starting a blog in the classroom. The link took you to a post made by Richard Byrne that included a link to a Google document titled A Mostly Complete Guide to Classroom Blogging. The document gives tips on how to start a blog, what to use, and assignments that could be given through blogging.

Alan November (@globalearner) tweeted about the importance of web literacy. A difference between web literacy and digital literacy exist. If students are unable to use websites to their benefit then what is the point of providing them with technology to use? Many of our students are becoming used to using apps instead of actual websites, and they cannot search because they don’t know how to use keywords. My sixth graders are reaffirming this knowledge by typing full questions onto the database search engine instead of keywords that might help them find what they are looking for.

And Linda W. Braun (@lbraun2000) pointed out in a retweet from Rene Hobbs that only introducing educators to digital apps and tools during a professional development is not digital literary. Educators need to have a guide in what they can accomplish with the different apps or tools presented, whether it is in a step-by-step guide or a video showing content. Some people are uncomfortable with just “messing around” on an app and figuring things out for themselves.

I also took it upon myself to search the hashtag #digiuri because I had no clue what it stood for. The University of Rhode Island offers a summer institute focused on edtech for educators.


Here are my takeaways for Twitter:

• It’s a great way to show off what is happening in your library or classroom
• It connects teachers from all over between being able to retweet, reply, or participate in educator chats that happen at least once a month or so. 
• Librarians and teachers are able to share ideas and try them out in their own classrooms
• It’s easier than ever to stay caught up with authors. Many popular authors use Twitter and share their writing process, good and bad, which can be used to show students that the books in their hands were created by real people. 
• Retweets and replies can be easily lost in the shuffle
• Hashtags help keep thoughts and ideas organized 

Instagram

I adore Instagram. I added it on a whim the summer before I started teaching. It began as an educator account, but I slowly began adding some more personal pictures. Every summer it starts off with my summer reads and then tapers off. I have gotten so many ideas from the people I follow on Instagram. From podcast assignments that I haven’t done, to first day of school and back from break activities, to how I do my pencil check out system and to have a legit doorbell as my attention-getter, I’ve learned so much from Instagram alone.

This past summer, I even created my own Instagram template for students to use as a hyperdoc or to print out and have students fill in. And I’m pretty proud of it. 

To me, Instagram feels like one of the better options to promote the library with. It gives an easy visual for all students between the videos and stories you can post. The school library can have a section for book talks, cool tech tools, and more for students to refer to. On stories there is a voting option that students can interact with. Instagram can also be a place for the school librarian to get ideas for how to organize their library and items to add to their collection.

Follow me @readingthrough6thgrade

Final Thoughts

When I have my own library I plan to advertise with both Twitter and Instagram. My students parents may be more likely to use Twitter, and my students will definitely be more likely to use Instagram. With the administrations permission, I may also use the app Tik Tok to engage my students. Like it or not, Tik Tok has blown up with young adult audiences. If the school library participates in some of the appropriate trends then it may receive a lot of student buy-in. And students can help make videos as well, just as they might do with an Instagram account.





Abrams, A. (2018, June 20). Yes, Impostor Syndrome is Real: Here's How to Deal With It.
Retrieved from https://time.com/5312483/how-to-deal-with-impostor-syndrome/

Blogs and Blog Readers

Blogs have always been such an interesting concept to me. The fact that people have gotten book deals that have translated into film (Julie & Julia by Julie Powell for instance) is mind boggling. They're quite the example of how technology connects people and provides real life experiences. I've tried a time or two to begin my own blog, but I've found that I'm not disciplined enough to continue to post or to get my "brand" out there. RSS Feeders, a way to track blogs or articles, have also never been something I could keep up with. Depending on the type of RSS Feeder you decide to use, you could easily keep up with blogs that you follow.

Blog Readers

The RSS feeder that attracted my attention the most was BlogLovin'. Other than the fact that it is completely free, the description comparing it to Pinterest is what caught my eye. I easily created my account and added the widget to my own blog. Then I started browsing. Once I thought of some blogs I've seen posts of in the past and searched them, it became easier to find more to follow. BlogLovin' allows for users to like posts, add them to your own collections for future access, or share the post through other social media platforms. Not only can you follow blogs of regular people, but companies have their own posts as well. BookRiot, AASL, and others can be found through this feeder. Posts tend to be current versus one of the other feeders I checked out that displayed an article from 2014. 

Another cool feature from BlogLovin' is that you can blog directly from the website! How neat is that?! Unfortunately, it does not have an app to where you can access the information from. 

Flipboard is another type of RSS feeder I came across. I've seen it before, but never actually took the time to check it out. Once you put in your interests, FlipBoard will curate articles for you to check out. You can create your own "Magazines" to return to articles at a later time. Magazines are basically folders. What I liked about this RSS feeder was how it brought together these different articles that were easy to flip through and provided the first few sentences to snag my attention. I've definitely been using it more as it is an easy app to download onto your device.

Blogs to Follow

1. Epic Reads - Learn about the hottest new Young Adult titles with Epic Reads! Quizzes, thematic book lists, and other fun activities are also provided on their website. I followed this blog on BlogLovin' (other other platforms) because I love reading YA and it keeps me up to date. 

2. apileofgoodthings11.tumblr.com - apileofgoodthings is a teen librarian in Texas. She takes in questions and answers them to the best of her ability. In addition to her own personal content, she provides recommendations at the requests of users and reblogs other bookish content. She has also become a personal friend. I followed her because when I first joined Tumblr, I was (and am) pretty involved in the educhum community and she is part of that community of educators. It's important to follow others in the trenches with you. 

3. TheDaringEnglishTeacher - While this is not a librarish book blog, it has been one that I count on for lesson ideas. I catch the majority of her posts through Instagram where she'll describe lessons and provide examples of content she has created/uses. Even though she teaches high school, I find her posts invaluable. 

4. The Hub YALSA - This blog is devoted to different types of reading lists. I followed it because it focuses primarily on YA and I love me some YA. The blog post on January 15th highlights YA Nonfiction titles which is awesome for people like me that a) don't read enough nonfiction and b) don't quite know where to start with nonfiction for my own classroom library. This blog is a great way to stay on top of award-winning and popular titles! 

5. Teen Services Underground - This blog promotes teen services and programs for your library. It provides book talks, different ideas for programming (fandoms, crafts, etc.), booklists and more. I followed it because I follow lots of teachers and other book lovers, but not enough library related content. This will help generate ideas for how to make my future library engaging for both middle and high school levels. 

Tumblr

I have had a Tumblr for years now. I think I started mine in 2013 probably. At the time I had no clue what I was doing, but I did know that I was going to be a teacher eventually. Because I have a lot of content on it that I'm not sure I feel comfortable sharing, I created a new one and reblogged some content. It is through Tumblr that I found the Educhum community, a tight knit group of fellow educators from around the world that support one another. Much of the community has transferred to a closed group on Facebook. I've made a lot of friends through this community and have found it beneficial, especially when I was a first year teacher. On their own, they made a mentorship program for newbie teachers, and before Amazon Wishlists became what they are now, they curated a list to reblog for others to buy for each other. Neil Gaiman even reblogged it one year. WHAT?! 

As of late, I tend to scroll and reblog or queue up posts. "Queue up" means that it will post automatically without me having to schedule it. I currently have it where it will reblog something twice a day. 

Make sure to follow me at readingthrough6thgrade! 

- K   

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