AT Tasks Week 5--Part One

What one thing did you learn, and what will you do differently as a result?

One thing I learned is that school library media specialists, as the technology "go-to" person for technology needs in a school environment. As Odin Jurkowski (2006) mentions, the school librarian provides "direct support in the education of training of how to use technologies regardless of where they are housed or used" (p. 109). Because of this, it would not make sense for librarians to be disconnected from the use, training, selection, and monitoring of AT. To be honest, I didn't really place AT and the school librarian in the same setting. In the school environments where I've worked, there was always a separation of these two entities. However, this separation directly contradicts our duty as librarians which is to provide means of information access to all users (regardless of age, race, sex, disability, etc). After completing this module, I really believe that school librarians should have an immensely active role in the selection, evaluation, monitoring, and general handling of AT tools.

Do you plan to recommend this tutorial? If so, please elaborate.

Yes, I would recommend this tutorial. Even as a former special education teacher, with a good deal of background information regarding AT uses and implementation. Taking this tutorial was a good refresher for me. Likewise, this tutorial emphasized ways that school librarians (which I am on my way to becoming) can be involved in AT. I really think, as Odin Jurkowski (2006) mentions, that considering low-tech solutions such as pencil grips, large-print books, or even simple Windows accommodations (I didn't even know these existed until taking this tutorial!) can really go a long way in meeting the educational needs of a variety of users.

Do you plan to read or recommend some of the Recommended Reading books or add them to your collection?

In fact, I have read some of the books mentioned on the LibraryThing list. I really enjoyed reading the Joey Pigza books, Al Capone Does My Shirts, Freak the Mighty (and Max the Mighty), Flowers for Algernon, and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. In fact, our school library owns many of the books mentioned on this list, which I think is great.

Will you link our LibraryThing list to your blog?

Yes, I will add the LibraryThing list to my blog.

AT Tasks Week 4--Part Two

I did not realize that an Independent Living Center was so close to me. The nearest Independent Living Center is located at the Camden City Independent Living Center, in Camden, NJ. After some research, I found that the Center offers a variety of program services including "Empowering Students from Student to Adult Life" and "Transition Resource Guide". With the goal of "Promoting Self Advocacy", I was also interested to know that over 50% of the governing board of directors for this facility also are people with disabilities. It seems as though the "Four Core" system is the most inclusive. Here, people with disabilities are able to receive counseling services, learn advocacy skills, can attend support groups, address educational needs, computer and job skills training, etc. Overall, the center truly seems like a valuable resource for people with disabilities. Especially people that are out of school and needing assistance with everyday living activities. I almost wish my brother-in-law, as a person with disabilities, could take advantage of such opportunities offered at this institution.

(from: http://camdencityilc.org/)

Below are the list of websites that I found to be particularly useful or helpful in working with students and providing information to colleagues:

http://www.abledata.com/abledata.cfm
This site indicates it offers "objective" information on assistive technology and equipment and boasts a searchable database of over 35,000 products, although no products are available for purchase on the site, just info about the product. A wealth of information on products and potential uses of AT.

http://www.cast.org/index.html
I liked that this site focuses on Universal Design for Learning, and works to "expand learning opportunities for all individuals, especially those with disabilities". There is a wealth of information especially for professional development, which I think could be especially useful for educators, colleagues, administrators, etc.

http://www.fctd.info/
The Family Center on Technology and Disability also provided an immense amount of information regarding resources for assistive technology. I especially thought the fact sheets were helpful introductory pieces of information. Users can also search for organizations in their area, read past newsletters, join online discussions, use the AT Glossary, etc. A particularly valuable resource for people "new" to AT as well as parents of students with disabilities.

http://www.ablepeoplefoundation.org/
The Able Project otherwise known as Able People Foundation was another excellent resource. I really liked that this site included information on local and national events, products (according to various categories), an assortment of videos, a special "Classifieds" section for purchasing various tech and mobility tools, as well as a section devoted to research/articles. A wealth of information and a great resource tool for people with disabilities.

http://codi.buffalo.edu/assistiv.htm
This site, operated by the University of Buffalo, is really a series of links, broken up by various types/forms of Assistive Technology. Also, you can also use the sidebar to navigate through other areas of interest for people with disabilities including Employment, Gov't Docs, Mobility, Legal Issues, etc. Likewise, the Center for Assistive Technology at the University of Buffalo, conducts research, provides access to professional development information for educators, offers client assessment and training services, as well as "disseminates" information about AT and its devices. An excellent tool for colleagues, students, parents, or anyone looking for more information about the implementation of AT.

I feel like I know where to direct people now when they ask questions or want to know more about using AT in the classroom, everyday life, etc! :)

AT Tasks Week 4--Part One

Although I'm not in a school environment, when I was a 6th grade middle school teacher, a college professor of mine invited a young boy with ADHD to visit our grad class and speak about his disability. I'll never forget that experience, because I was so impressed with how honestly and openly the young boy spoke about his experiences. The boy's mother also came with him, and spoke more about her son afterwards. One thing that really stood out for me was that the boy really understood his limitations in the classroom and felt fine speaking about them. He also conveyed what he knew he could do academically and how his teachers helped him do that. He seemed confident that while his disability made certain things harder for him and he struggled sometimes, he still really looked forward to going to school and was excited for the new school year to come. I was really impressed by the detailed sharing of the boy and also by the determination of the boy's mother. She really emphasized the huge role teachers, faculty, and staff played in helping her son and how important it was to have people that believed in and supported him! This success story is one I'll never forget! It really showed how people could work together to help students, especially students with disabilities. And, it really made me think about what's important as a special education teacher (and now as a future librarian)--the needs of students (users).

Taking the quiz was pretty straight-forward for me. It brought back memories of my "Introduction to working with students with Disabilities" course at San Diego State when I was earning my Level 1 Special Education credential. Despite the fact that was over 4 years ago, I couldn't help but think this quiz was a good refresher. I think sometimes people can overlook the small way they do things or the language they use and without knowing it, are truly being offensive to people with disabilities. The first thing I learned in my credential program was the proper way to describe people with ______ disabilities. I've always thought this description makes sense, however, in listening to the conversation of others, this isn't always the case. My brother-in-law is a person with a speech and language impairment as well as person with autism and I have heard some of the things other kids used to say to tease him. It really breaks my heart. I don't think parents are well enough aware to educate their own kids that people with disabilities should not be the subject of ridicule and teasing, that they are kids with fragile self esteem levels who just want to belong, like anyone else. Speaking from my husband's experiences, this really does so much damage to a young child and if anything, publicizing the correct way to interact with people with disabilities perhaps will prevent this from happening in the future.

I really liked the "Ten Commandments of Communicating with People with Disabilities". I think everyone should have access to these reminders! To me, this is simply treating a person with a disability in the same fashion as someone else (with a few slight changes). Certainly listening attentively, offering to shake hands when introduced, and looking at someone on eye level are simple common courtesy gestures that I would extend to any new acquaintance. Not performing these just because someone has a disability that makes it harder would be an insult.

AT Tasks Week 3--Software Part 2

As I'm having a little difficulty with copying/pasting my rubric, the areas of comparison that I identified are:

Software, Company, Costs, Features, Pros, Cons, Training Required for Teachers/Staff, Training Required for Students?, Ease of Usage, and Types of Students who will Benefit.

Below I will compare the software mentioned in this module:
Software: Kurzweil 3000
Company: Kurzweil Educational Systems, Inc
Pricing: (different pricing for Mac/Windows), (Windows) Single learning station=$395
Color Learning Pack-5 (includes 1 Prof. color and 4 work stations)=~$2,695
Features: can access any print information regardless of environment (including class curriculum/web info); study skills practice; decoding help to improve reading fluency and comprehension; talking word processor helps revising/editing of written work; boasts help with independent study skills/test taking
Pros: built in online access to tools/groups/reference info; built in dictionary/bilingual dictionary! options for reading speed/voice; includes reading support tools; can create customized word lists; Internet access readily connected;
word prediction software
Cons: lots of advanced features/settings; lots of sophisticated features can be overwhelming; degree of student control and amount of choices can be distracting
Training Required for Teachers/Staff: Training required; advanced training for features also may be necessary
Training Required for Students: Significant training/guided practice needed to use all features
Ease of Usage: Moderately easy, with training; advanced features may make software more difficult to use
Types of students who will use it: LD students (dysgraphic/dyslexic), ESL/ELL, any student below grade level in reading/writing
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Software: Inspiration
Company: Inspiration Software, Inc.
Costs: Inspiration 8 Single License and upgrade to 9--$69.00
Features: students create visual diagrams, concepts, maps, to illustrate/comphrehend complex ideas; use images to express ideas/illustrate relationships between concepts; transfer ideas to writing words/sentences, use of Dictionary and Word Guide; spell checker
Pros: useful for brainstorming/organizing ideas for writing; can export to word processor; helpful for visual learners; helpful for teachers/planning lessons using Template Wizard
Cons: training necessary to use tools; may not be as helpful for students who are not visual learners; can be distracting to some students
Training Required for Teachers/Staff?--Yes, training required, especially to use advanced features
Training Required for Students?--Yes, and guided practice to ensure learning goals are met
Ease of Usage--Relatively easy with training/guidance
Types of Students who will Benefit---LD (dysgraphic/dyslexic), ESL/ELL, any student below grade level/difficulty with writing; especially helpful for visual learners

I'm not completely sure if I'm supposed to compare each piece of software mentioned in this module...

AT Tasks Week 3--Software Part 1

Wow! I really enjoyed learning about Dragon NaturallySpeaking Preferred 9.5 and Kurzweil 3000! While I'm pretty familiar with word prediction software, I never really considered using NaturallySpeaking or Kurzweil before, but I can definitely see the practicality in using the software with the students I had who suffered from dysgraphia. He was a very slow typer, and while we continued to set goals to improve his typing skills, now I can see how he might have benefited from using either of these particular software tools. While it does seem that a student would have to undergo some training with this (how to change font, new line, new paragraph, full-stop, etc), I do think the benefits outweigh the costs (in this particular student's case).

Ways to implement AT into the school library media center? I was really shocked that Microsoft has so many simple AT modifications built into computer operating systems (without having to purchase any additional software!). I didn't realize that it was possible (with Windows Vista) to change settings like font, images, or even use the Microsoft Magnifier. These simple accommodations go a long way for users with disabilities, without incurring the high costs associated with more expensive software (it's nice that you technically already paid for the features, when you selected the operating system). I was also surprised the learn that Windows Vista includes Windows Speech Recognition, which allows you to interact with your computer via voice! So awesome! I really think it's important to publicize that these tools are in place in your school library media center. Without knowing it, very useful AT tools are actually already available to students, they just don't know they're there!

AT Tasks Week 2--Part Two

Below is my hardware needs assessment:

I am basing this hardware needs assessment off the Middle School that I worked at as a special education teacher for 2 years. The population of students that I targeting with this assessment are a group of special education students that are currently in general education classes but have learning disabilities that prevent them from successfully accessing the general education curriculum (especially in the areas of reading and writing, where many students are functioning well below grade level). While each piece of hardware recommended here is targeted primarily towards a specific type of disability, but each device can be tailored to meet other students individual needs as well (some tools focus more on output, or communicative efforts while others focus on comprehension and understanding). When selecting these pieces, I had a group of students in mind: two students who suffer primarily from dysgraphia as well as dyslexia, and had significant trouble with writing by hand (issues with fine motor skills) and well as spelling difficulties; and additional students who have significant difficulties with reading comprehension. I really feel this learning disabled group is a good group to choose for these hardware pieces because this equipment greatly increases their abilities to successfully access the general education curriculum.
I also feel this is an appropriate group to choose because I believe it is a group that is underserviced (many of these students seem to “fall through the cracks”), as well as a group where many students are currently in general education classes, and need additional help in order to be successful. In addition, many of the hardware tools that I have selected would also be helpful for general education students (as well as ELL or ESL) that are significantly below grade level in reading and writing. I truly believe that by selecting tools that target these needs, I would be working towards my goal of creating a community devoted to life-long learning, which is a goal this school targets.

The 2 tools I chose to focus on include one for reading and one for writing (and both are used in the gen education classroom setting, not just the library media center):

Hardware Selection Tool #1: Neo2 by AlphaSmart
http://www.renlearn.com/neo/NEO2/specialneeds/default.aspx
This tool costs—$199
-Targets—improving writing ability/communication
-Reduces time/effort in composing written assignments
-Helps students “keep pace” with their peers in the gen. ed class setting
-Sticky Keys allow for combo keystrokes without pressing keys simultaneously
-Multiple font sizes allow for any vision difficulties
-*Optional—can add on great software like CoWriter (an excellent word prediction tool) and Text2Speech which allows for students to listen to text as they write!)
The availability of this tool is very good. The training involved with this tool is rather minimal. Clear, concise instructions accompany purchase and very little advanced software is needed. Overall, this tool is feasible because of its high use and functionality. More expensive, less durable portable laptops and computers might seem more fancy, but the Neo AlphaSmart is extremely durable and portable. A student could easily travel with the Neo and it’s even feasible to fit inside backpacks!


Hardware Selection Tool #2: Reading Pen (Wizcom Technologies)
http://www.infogrip.com/product_view.asp?RecordNumber=628&sbcolor=%23FF9999&option=communication&subcategory=&CatTxt=&optiontxt=Communication
This tool costs—$279-ish
-Targets—improve reading comprehension
-Improves decoding
-Aids in the reading comprehension process
-Replaces the constant having to look words up in a portable dictionary
-Allows students to scan a word that they come across in reading, hear the word aloud, and also get a dictionary definition
The availability of this tool is quite good. The training involved with this tool is minimal.
Overall, this tool is feasible because it is easily transportable and useful in classroom and home settings (if possible). Also, students can, with permission from their teachers, come and “check” the pen out, similar to checking another library item out, to use it for classroom, project, or home (depending) assignments. While this tool is a little pricy, the benefits for students with reading comprehension is high. When used correctly, the pen can significantly help students improve their vocabulary, decoding skills, and word recall. Not to mention, the increase in motivation these students will encounter when using this pen—previously reading was a frustrating and hard task, now the reading pen makes that process easier, as well as fun and interesting!

I answered the below questions in selecting the above tools.
From http://www.iltech.org/deciding_right.asp,
1). Why do you want to use technology?
-increase productivity at school; handle better written assignments while still working the gen ed classroom setting; increase word recognition
2). For what activities will you be using technology?
-notetaking, writing assignments, test taking; reading classroom texts, reading leisure texts
3). How are you completing these activities now?
Dysgraphia students—dictating to aide/special education teacher; modified assignment length; opportunity to provide verbal responses
Reading—reading but at much slower pace/speed; much of word comprehension is lost in attempt to keep up with pace of gen. ed class
4). Consider your daily routine. When and how often would you use technology throughout a typical day?
AlphaSmart—2-4 hrs depending on class assignments/notetaking obligations
Reading Pen—everyday when reading in class/independent reading
5). What goals do you plan on achieving by using technology?
AlphaSmart—better able to time prioritize assignments, complete in timely fashion
Reading Pen—word recall, word recognition, improve reading abilities/vocab
6). Consider where, as in what environment you'll be using technology.
Classroom, home
7). Are these environments accessible for technology?
All are easily transmittable, compact, and
8). Picture yourself using technology to complete your activities in your environment(s).
The ability to use these tools in the general education classroom setting allows students (in their least restrictive environment) to successfully access gen ed curriculum. They are accessing information, along with their peers, just using additional tools to help them along.

Continuing on with Week 2 Tasks...
I really liked viewing the IntelliKeys overlays were particularly attractive simply because they offer such versatility and adaptability. Given the fact they are not permanent fixtures, students with varying disabilities can use a variety of computers. They are not stuck with just one specific computer they use day after day. I really liked the fact that colors and font size are targeted by this hardware and can see the practical usage of the keyboard by a variety of students. The InfoGrip website has been a particular favorite of mine and I think the BigKeys keyboard mentioned on the site can be useful for a variety of students. I liked that the size of the keyboards came in large and XL and that there was a choice in using black'n'white or colored keys.

In terms of my thoughts of different kinds of hardware, I really think this module of activities has made me ponder the many different uses for this type of AT. I've always leaned more towards software AT from my experiences as a special education teacher (and many of my students seemed to benefit more from software than hardware), but I think this module has shown me that there are options for higher incidence disabilities, especially such that can be very productive in the school setting. Also, this exposure to various forms of hardware has shown me that as a school librarian, I need to be aware of the various types and options of AT hardware so that I can help students in their information needs. I really think taking an active part in this arena is necessary for the school librarian, and one that I did not realize played such a big role in helping students access information.

AT Tasks Week 2--Part One

There's a lot to this post, so I organized according to the questions for Module 2

1). In the school I worked in, I think there are a variety of tools that could be helpful for students with disabilities. I particularly think that reading and writing tools are helpful for many students, not just students with disabilities. These include:
-Talking Word Processor (simply the fact that words/sentences can be read back to students especially helps students with learning disabilites
-Reading software (especially those that focus on word recognition skills, phonics, and the sounding-out of words)
-Vision Aids--not expensive but possibly very helpful are magnifying glasses (I also think that computer monitor magnifying aids are useful, too).
-Keyboards--here's where I can really see my school benefit (I really liked one-handed keyboards and enlarged print keyboards)
-Laptops (and increased # of this mobile carts would benefit both special education students and gen. ed students as well)
-SmartBoards--such an awesome tool, really helpful for visual learners.

2) Here's how I think AT could help in each hypothetical situation:
a. Situation--A student with learning disablities, particularly writing, consistently has errors (spelling, mechanics, proofreading) with his papers. Solution--try using the read aloud Word Processor where the student can "hear" his work read back to him. Hopefully, this ability will help him in the editing/revising phase of his papers and he can improve upon his ability to communicate his thoughts clearly.

b. Situation--Student with a vision impairment has trouble seeing the keyboard when typing classroom assignments. Solution--Low budget fix would be the attachment of larger print letter overlays on the existing keyboards. More expensive suggestions might include larger print keyboards such as "Keys-U-See" or perhaps "Bigs Keys Plus" an even larger font printed keyboard for those with vision impairments.

c. Situation--Student with autism as well as dysgraphia struggles with completing written assignments in class. Solution--perhaps consider the accommodation of dictation to another teacher or aide, shortened assignments. Also, allow student to provide verbal responses or use an AlphaSmart to compose written assignments, then connect AlphaSmart to computer for printing capabilities.

For the remainder of this module, I'll break up the activities in the next post.

AT Tasks Week 1

I was really interested to see what this module of learning included. "Assistive technology" can mean many different things to many different people and having a background as a Special Education teacher, I know the many ways that I used AT differed from other SPED (Special Education) teachers at my school site. The students I taught many had learning disabilities as well as autism and emotional disturbances. Indeed, while many of the students I worked with, were also in regular general education classes, I also had some experience working with students with CP, blindness, and Down's Syndrome. Needless to say, after teaching special education for 3 years, this is a topic close to my heart!

I really liked the way that the National Blind Federation (in "Tips for Teachers") focused on the many ways that students (blind students in this case), can learn using their other senses. Mainly tactile approaches to learning (which certainly many students who aren't blind certainly respond well to), as well as utilizing hearing and listening skills. I especially liked the "Phases of the Moon" activity posted by Noreen Grice, where students learn the various phases of the moon using physical students as planets/the moon, and jingle bells to simulate the "movement". Again, not only blind students can benefit and learn from an activity like this. I really think that appealing to a variety of learning styles is key with all students, and especially key with students who have disabilities. As a special education teacher, I was pretty experienced with selecting accommodations for students to help them access the general education curriculum similar to any other student in the school. Math aids, enlarged print, audio recordings, testing aids (such as reading of test items and marking test booklet for students), are all ways in which blind students can learn the same information as general ed. students. In addition, I would introduce activities to blind students in the following ways:

1) Setting high expectations for student learning (in my experience, setting the bar high for what students can achieve, while taking into consideration the limits of one's disability is key)

2) Use a variety of instructional approaches, appealing to a variety of learning styles

3) Utilize partner situations. (Many of my special ed students had a "study buddy" or someone that could help them in certain classroom learning situations).

Also, I really enjoyed reading some suggestions for employers in helping people with disabilities (particularly learning disabilities) from JAN. Many of these I have used in my own classroom situations. Some of the best practices I read included:

-Reading aloud of items (as well as test by teacher/aide)
-Providing larger print
-Allow dictionaries for spelling
-Smaller group testing situations, opportunity for clarification and questions
-Allow for proofreading
-Extended time on assignments/test
-Use of specialized software when applicable (KidSpiration/Inspiration)
-Verbal response/answer/dictation rather than written
-Use of checklists
-**Most important: Positive and immediate feedback (so crucial in correcting behaviors and imitating or modeling correct, or desired behaviors).

Thing #23--This is it!

I can't believe the journey is coming to an end! Oh the many things I've learned and experienced (not the mention the joys of this online diary :)!). There are a couple of highlights for me, but first answers to a few questions...

My favorite exercises involved using a variety of user-created in a variety of ways. I really enjoyed exploring Flickr and learning about the very neat different image generators (of course the ability to embed iamges and other user-created content was an added bonus). I also really enjoyed using the wiki. I really think wikis can do wonders for collaborative work and I plan on incorporating them in the library environment where I will eventually work (right now my office is singing the praises of Microsoft SharePoint, which I feel I have a basic understanding and can apply a lot of the same tools/techniques as an online wiki).

I really liked the format of the Classroom Learning 2.0. I think that my professor (and I'm not kissing up here), was ingenious for including these weekly activities as part of our weekly "homework" assignments. The process certainly changed or altered my overall learning goals. I've always considered myself to be on the up-and-up with regards to technology. Since I come from a younger (somewhat) generation than the "typical" librarian, I thought I knew soooo much already about technology that I didn't have to push my self to learn more. What I did discover is that EVERYBODY can learn more. Often we get ourselves in these "comfort zones", these areas where we feel we know more than everyone else, so why push further? Well, this class (and Classroom Learning 2.0) has shown me that there is ALWAYS more to learn. I've learned so much from this experience, and I know I will always have more to learn from others experiences as well. I'm excited for my life-long learning journey to continue!

One thing that surprised me was that I found out how much I love blogging. Not that I have really that many important and interesting things to share with the world, but just the practice in itself was fun and I can definitely see myself keeping up the library blog where I work. Whether it's blogging about books, new services of the library, or publicizing the great reference services, blogging was such a great experience and one that I will continue in the future!

One thing I think this program could improve upon is the PR aspect. I've never come across the program in all of my readings, online searching, etc. I wish that more people (esp. teachers and librarians) knew about it! While word of mouth is good, I think additional publicizing would help attract more willing participants!

One word about Classroom Learning 2.0--ESSENTIAL!

Thing #21--Podcasts

I have been waiting for more information on Podcasts. I actually was hoping for more practice on just exactly how we can set up our own podcasts (in the form of specific directions), because I really see myself using this technical application in the library where I will eventually work. I know many school library media specialists that currently incorporate podcasts (especially with regards to book talks) in daily library activities (a few I know have these podcasts available on the school library's website). I think the notion of recording a podcast with a weekly "library tip" or library update is a great idea, and one that can be useful in many settings. Especially allowing students (like we did for this activity) to set up RSS feeds for blog reader accounts really ensures that the library is a part of the student's daily life (school and social!). I really like this idea and think that it can be used in a variety of educational ways.

Book talks podcasts seem especially popular. Also, having "guest appearances" (such as authors!?) would really seem to draw in listeners (imagine having someone like Sharon Creech or Stephenie Myer on?--now, THAT would be cool!). Also, in the school library setting, involving students in the recording and producing (as well as guest appearing) really seems to go a long way in making the school library media center, a "happening" place to be!

I selected 2 podcasts that I enjoy--Library Geeks (where librarian and geeks, "geek" about librarians) and Book Voyages (reviews of children's books from a school librarian's perspective). Both interesting, fun, and a lot of info to learn!

http://geeks.onebiglibrary.net/feed.xml
http://feeds.feedburner.com/BookVoyages

After reading the Courtney chapter on podcasting (Chapter 4), I felt a little bit more comfortable with "Getting Started" with podcasts. I thought the list of equipment necessary including microphones, recording/editing software, RSS feed, and servers for hosting audio files was quite comprehensive. I can definitely see using podcasts with teens and young kids with story time.

Thing #22--E-books

After visiting the World ebook Fair site I was amazed by the scope of information on ebooks the site provides. I did not realize the sheer amount of materials that this site encompasses. I was amazed by the ability to search in a variety of languages for a variety of material, many global in nature. I enjoyed browsing the collections of edocuments available but found it difficult to access the information because when I clicked on the link provided, it appeared to be broken. Also, it does not seem that this site includes much popular ebook info. For example, I searched (unsuccessfully) for a few titles from my days as a middle school teacher and came up empty-handed. Likewise, searching for books like Twilight proved fruitless. Many of the ebooks available here seemed to provide more of a global perspective (as well as books on local, state, and federal government policy), while very important, is not so much suited for a school library environment. I think that the World ebook Fair site can definitely be a valuable resource to consult for specific documents (as well as refer library patrons to), but I don't see the practical aspect on a daily basis for many library environments. I am also interested to learn more about what the $8.95 subscription fee per year actually gets libraries. The site information on this topic seemed a little vague.

After checking my local library's ebook and audio collection (I actually went with my husband today, who checked out an audio book solely because the hard copy wasn't available), I'm continually surprised that more people do not make use of audiobooks, books on CD, or ebooks. Maybe I'm just a library traditionalist and it's hard for me to break free from the thought of traditional reading, but it really seems like audiobooks and ebooks should be more popular than they truly are (perhaps this is just my humble opinion and not based on fact). My local public library has a huge collection of audiobooks and ebooks. Patrons are able to check out up to 8 audiobooks at a time and with a simple download of software, they are a few clicks away from having an electronic or audio book within their fingertips! I'm glad this task required us to learn more about this service because it really forced me to spend time researching my own public library's ebook and audiobook process. In fact, I even downloaded "The Friday Nigh Knitting Club" for my 45 minute train commute into the city of Philadelphia! I can't wait!

Thing #20--The Joys of YouTube

Oh, YouTube, how I love thee!! It is true, ever since I began using Youtube about a year ago, I sing it's praises! I really think YouTube is a great invention and can be applied to the library setting in most inventive and interesting ways. Last Christmas, I used the site to upload a video my husband and I took of our furkids (a.k.a. labrador retrievers) "opening" up their presents from my in-laws. I think the fact that we live 3,000 miles away from anyone we really know (and love for that matter) has prompted us to use technology in a variety of ways (we are big fans of Skype and use it on a daily basis as well).

I think what I like most about YouTube is the variety of material you find on the site. I've been successful with finding the most interesting presentations and videos that certainly work to enhance my classroom and work-based projects. Just last week, I discovered a great "mockumentary" on the issue of paper in office settings that worked perfectly for a presentation I gave to my entire department. Likewise, the ability to embed presentations and videos into various formats (like blogs, MySpace, Facebook, Twitter) really speaks to the adaptability of the videos made available on the site. I could definitely see myself using YouTube by posting informational videos on my library's website (Google makes some really good instructional, step-by-step, easy-to-understand videos using a variety of Google tools); livening up staff presentations (like I do now); or possibly helping with specific instructional units (such as how to use Dewey Decimal or the Library catalog). The possibilities are endless!

Here's the video that I wanted to use for my presentation on Document Imaging (it suits my sarcastic sense of humor):



My one beef with YouTube is the ability to "borrow" videos for presentation type of situations. What I mean is that I wanted to download this particular video and embed the video into my presentation so that when I clicked through my presentation, the video would automatically begin/play/end on it's own. I believe due to issues with copyright, I couldn't figure out a way to make this work. After a little online research, I located a couple of software programs that claimed to be able to download YouTube videos, but I was a little suspicious (and wanted to avoid infringing on any copyright issues).

Thing #19--Library Thing

I've used LibraryThing before in the past to read reviews on various library materials, but I never knew the capabilities of the site and the social networking aspect of it. I really enjoyed using LibraryThing, especially the ability to essentially create "lists" (Reader's Advisory at it's best, if you ask me), and pull categorical information directly from sites like the Library of Congress (LOC) and Amazon (the LOC is a more credible cataloging source in my opinion, I was actually interested to see Amazon as a possible cataloging option). I really got a lot out of reading the LibraryThing blog, where librarians provided information on just how exactly they used the site for practical library purposes. I think that the social aspect in being able to connect with other users that have selected a book for the same or similar reasons really goes a long way in keeping librarians connected, and on common ground. I also could see using LibraryThing for personalized lists, appealing to specific readers, such as "YA Summer Reads--Mystery" or "In's and Out's of Healthcare--Non-fiction". With this tool, it really seems like librarians can anticipate the needs/wants of readers and then compile lists (using other LibraryThing users as well) to come up with electronic reading lists (very similar to Reader's Advisory). I like it!

For the LibraryThing assignment to accompany our Rollyo lists and Sandbox lesson plans, I came up with a list of 5 books related to my lesson topic of endangered species. Because I am not currently in a school library situation, I went to the good 'ole fashioned public library and checked out some books that I thought would go well with this assignment. Because this assignment is aimed at high school students, I opted to include mature or adult reading level reference and non-fiction books. Much of the juvenile and young adult books on this subject matter seemed much too simple for advanced high school readers. Thus, these books are mature in language and content. I was concerned that some of the books I selected seemed out-of-date (one book was published in the early 1990's), however, the scope and nature of the content fit perfectly with the research students would be required to do. Also, I really thought about what books would supplement the webquest and work to enhance/compliment the knowledge of the students. On a side note, with the wealth of information I found at the library, I thought of additional ways to expand upon my webquest to meet the needs of more advanced, independent learners (such as future research topics, independent work, etc).

Here is my list (it was hard to narrow it to 5 as I had more than enough for a lengthy list):

http://www.librarything.com/catalog/erin.anderson52

Thing 18--Imported from Zoho Writer!!!

Sunday, October 25, 2009

 

I thought I would import my Blog posting for Thing #18, Week 18 while using Zoho Writer.  I must say that much of my experience has been using Google Docs (which I am a big fan of), but I am amazed by my options in using Zoho Writer.  I like that I have the ability to share my documents via email as well as posting to my blog.  I think the ability to create work and then publish that work in a online diary is very exciting!  I am a little confused on the process involved in creating "tags".  I do see there is a separate "Tag Folder", but I'm not exactly sure how the tags can be applied in this sense? 

 

I really like that collaboration on documents is pretty easy and straight-forward.  I like that you can see contextual comments, and that multiple editions can be made to documents by collaborators.  Just by simple practicing, I noticed that Zoho has additional Mail, Chats, Notebook, Planner and Meeting sections, so this site seems to function in many different environments, for a variety of different usages (which I like).  Overall, an interesting site!  (One again, that I did not know existed!).  I can definitely see the practicality in incorporating this into library settings.  Just the ability alone in itself to provide one, central place where multiple users can collaborate truly helps save time and effort in constantly loading and uploading the most recent edition of a particular document.  I remember when I was teaching 6th grade, we put on a 6th grade "Italian Night" to raise money for one of our field trips.  Long story short, we were constantly soliciting businesses to donate $$, door prizes, or food to help support our evening.  I can't tell you HOW MANY TIMES I had to make changes to our on-going list and then email it to everyone in our department (I could easily have used that time to find more donors!).  How frustrating!  But a site like Zoho Writer (as well as Google Docs) works really well to show people that collaboration can be an easier process.  Just taking the time to set-up the collaboration can be the toughest part.  I'm excited to share these tools with my colleagues in the school environment, I think they can go a long way in helping cooperative teaching!

Thing 17--Sandbox Wiki

After visiting the California Classroom Curriculum Connections wiki, I wasn't quite sure if our new entry was supposed to be our webquest or if we were simply supposed to "play around" in adding entries to one of the topics covered in the last 9 weeks. I did upload my webquest which can be found here (in the Sandbox)...

Help! Save Endangered Species

I also commented on another's entry, with regards to Rollyo (a consistently GREAT idea, but most frustrating tool to use).

Again, I've said this in a previous post, but the ability to collaborate using wikis seems to save both time and effort and increase efficiency from all aspects. As with any newer technology, there will certainly be a significant learning curve (esp. with those staff/teachers/students) who may never have used a wiki before, but the benefits of using this technology greatly outweigh the costs.

Thing #16--The Great Thing About Wikis...

I really thought the "Library Success: A Best Practices Wiki" was especially informative. It was nice to see a large group of a variety of librarian "best practices" all located in one easy-to-find spot. I've found that I come across a lot of really helpful, ingenious, and great ideas in my school readings, but often lack one central, specific spot to turn to for great ways to incorporate technology in the library setting. I also thought it was great to include an RSS feed from this site so that you can get breaking updates as they occur (and reminders to keep focused on the many different ways librarians can utilize technology). Everything from information on upcoming conferences, tips for Reader's Advisory, and ways to upkeep professional organizations as well as collaborate with other information professionals was all a click away. I bookmarked this wiki site and I know that I will continually reference it in the future. A great find!

I also see the advantages of using wikis in the collaborative format between teachers and librarians. I thought that the teacherlibrarianwiki was an especially creative way to publicize some important issues such featuring copyright laws, social bookmarking sites, and various reading booklists for faculty and staff within a school library media center. I like that teachers can take an active role in using wikis not just for sources of information from the librarian, but also to provide feedback on policies, procedures, and practices (and request a librarian assistance in cross-curriculum planning, etc). Similarly, I was impressed by the individual teachers who have set up wikis as part of their learning process in classes. I definitely think wikis serve as an excellent instructional tool, especially when it comes to requiring participation from users (students and other teachers). (I wish my AP History teacher used a wiki...how much time would have been saved on group collaborative projects!).

Also, as mentioned in the readings, I can definitely see using wikis in the library staffing sense. In fact, I see wikis possibly replacing (if not reducing) the length and number of necessary staff meetings! Using wikis in the workplace would save the tedious time and effort involved in constantly emailing updated attachments. Instead, staff members could visit a workplace wiki to edit, change, delete specific work-related documents, or possibly even check for workplace updates and scheduling announcements. I hope the library where I eventually work use a wiki! Forget the doughnuts and coffee (although I'll miss that), could wikis replace the traditional staff meeting? Now that might be nice...

All in all...
(from Flickr:lordtedbear)

Thing #15--Library 2.0 and Beyond!

From Wendy Schultz's "To a Temporary Place in Time", the idea of libraries as "conversations" rather than just collections of books and documents really hit home for me (Schultz, 2006). As did the notion that libraries are not in communities, but rather are communities! This couldn't be closer to the truth in my opinion. For centuries, people have valued the ability to access stored information (and to preserve their own individual histories). I see librarians as the link between people and knowledge. As users embark upon their own individual journeys of life-long learning, I see librarians as the helpful guides along the way--those figures who provide clues, hints, or directions in keeping users on the right information path. Indeed, as librarians we are responsible for helping people find the information they need and desire. This wouldn't be possible in today's world without the assistance of technology, and Library 2.0 is the vehicle for making these important connections. Connecting to people millions of miles away, in different countries, different time zones, from different cultures, would not be accomplished easily without the benefits of using information technology. To me, the library is more than just a foundation of walls, or a storehouse for physical books. Like Schultz indicates, libraries are "everywhere, barrier-free, and participatory" (Schultz, 2006). Through the use of Library 2.0, librarians are breaking free from the physical constraints of connecting users to information, and instead are able to work towards building a truly inter-connected global community, founded upon a common desire for information and knowledge.

Week 14--Technorati

While I enjoyed using Technorati (and I even learned a little bit about Twitterati!), I prefer using Google Blog Search. For some reason, I really liked the easy-to-use interface that Google Blogs presents, especially compared with Technorati. While Courtney indicates that Technorati tracks over "55 million blogs as well as 11 million tags attached to images on Flickr and blog posts", I still think that Google Blog search is a more user friendly application and has a easier to use interface. When I use Technorati, I get distracted by the amount of viable searches, as well as the many different ways users can search for a particular blog. I was not surprised that searching for "Classroom learning 2.0" returned different results from "School Library 2.0", despite the fact that the concepts are seemingly similar. All in all, I enjoyed learning about tagging and the many different ways that libraries can incorporate tagging in helping library users. I do foresee some difficulty in persuading users to consider the advantages in some of these applications (especially with the less tech-savy patrons), however, the relative ease of usage does seem to present significant advantages for people. I can definitely see librarians using the features of tagging not just in the professional and personal sense, but also in helping patrons with day-to-day information quests. Certainly the fact that there seems to be a "spirit of sharing and community" in utilizing user-based tagging sites (as mentioned by Courtney), not to mention the low costs involved, it may just take some persuading and convincing to get users to try various tagging tools. I definitely will add the use of these applications to my librarian repertoire and consider the advantages of these in the future!

It's funny that the Courtney text mention the development of Penn Tags, a tagging system used by the University of Pennsylvania that allows users to bookmark/tag books, websites, library cataloging records, etc. I actually work at Penn and while I've heard of the term Penn Tags before, I was confused on just exactly what the tool was. The description provided by Courtney was sufficient enough to intrigue my interest and I assure you, I'll be checking Penn Tags out very soon!

Thing #13--Delicious!

I like Courtney's definition of tagging and the indication that sites like del.icio.us focus on their attention on "organizing data" (Courtney, 2007, p. 92). The ability for users to classify their own or other people's data in a way that makes their own web activities more simple and straight-forward seems like an innovative and interesting idea. I really like that with del.icio.us, you can access your bookmarks from any computer, ensuring that you are not tied solely to your home or personal computer.

I could see the application of Delicious for research assistance, although I somewhat am a little skeptical of the credibility of websites. Can sites be bookmarked on Delicious with a specific tag, despite the fact the site could be bogus or not credible? I do see the easy availability of accessing bookmarks from any remote location (for personal, business, or school purposes). I did read a good article, (located through a tag search for "bookmarking" from Library Journal that highlighted the many different ways that libraries can take advantage of social bookmarking sites. I thought the "task tagging" where essentially bookmark bundles could be created targeting a specific audience. Essentially, librarians (reference librarians) could help patrons with long/short term research projects by locating specific, authoritative sites and bookmarking them for patron usage. I also read a little about Library Thing.com, which I have used briefly in the past and am interested in learning more about (I also believe we have a project coming up that utilizes LibraryThing?).

Thing #12--Rollyo

Again, a common theme of this blog is trying new things! This week I tried using Rollyo, (a website I grudgingly admit I'd never even heard of before :(). I was impressed by the user friendly interface and the way that I can create a search tool to search my favorite library-related websites.

I created a searchbox for my favorite collection development related sites (or recommendations for future YA library center purchases). I included sites like the YSLA website, School Library Journal, Amazon, etc.

In addition to personal usage (I can see myself using Rolloyo to create my own personal news related websites), I can definitely see myself recommending using the site to library users as well. I think the site streamlines and makes searching sites pretty simple and straightforward. However, I do think that some of my own personal habits when it comes to searching are turning towards my trusty Google homepage and then navigating from there. I do think it is beneficial from a collaboration perspective to create common educational or professional development-related searchboxes and then share with colleagues. That being said...here's a link to my Rollyo searchbox...

Also, here's my lesson plan-specific created Rollyo search focusing on Biology/Life Sciences, ecology, and endangered species:

http://rollyo.com/eloether/endangered_species/

Thing #11--2.0 Award Winner(s) and Ning

In terms of Award Winning Websites, I happen to love Google Docs (Collaborative Writing and Word Processing). My husband first introduced me to the application created by Google so that we could collaborate on the the simplest things--grocery lists, birthday invites, joint letters, etc. It was great! The ability to make changes, additions, and deletions to one single document rather than having to constantly attach and re-attach the most updated versions to emails was a huge stress-free time-saver. I also like the fact that I can access my work from anywhere. I often will save copies of my class papers to Google Docs so that I can work on it from work, home, school, whatever and whenever. I don't have to worry about the hassle of a flashdrive or (like I said earlier) constantly having to email myself new, updated attachments. I'm not exactly sure the ways different ways that Google Docs applies to visual literacy, but I do know that the application also enables people to share presentations. Certainly the ability to collaborate on a class PowerPoint presentation would have been helpful in some of my other classes. Certainly Google Docs allows users to create images (text or Presentation format) and can also assist in various uses as well as comprehension. I can definitely see the benefit in using Google Docs in the workplace. Certainly from collaborating on schedules, cataloging, staff meetings, library policy changes, etc. Also, I can see myself recommending Google Docs to library patrons, especially those interested in accessing their work from anywhere.

I found a great YouTube video on the simple way to use Google Docs. It can be located from: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRqUE6IHTEA#watch-main-area. I believe this video was produced by the Google Channel.

I will try and paste it here...




On a side note, I joined the Library 2.0 site and am looking forward to meeting other librarian professionals, learning more about Library 2.0 applications and "real" life usage of these tools, and joining groups featuring some of my specific topics of interest. I really think that Ning works especially well for librarians seeking to continue professional development. As librarians, we're devoted to life-long learning, and learning from our peers is an excellent way to understand what works, and what doesn't work in various library settings.

I'm also a big fan of learning how librarians came to the profession. I've found so many unique experiences from varying perspectives, and learning about the many different ways in which we all chose this information profession is quite fascinating!

Thing #10--Online Image Generators

I created this image using ImageChef.com. Although I frequently use images from various places online (I tend to stick to sites like Creative Commons, where I can "borrow" images without abusing copyright laws), the sites mentioned for this activity were completely new to me (other than Big Huge Labs, which I used to create my very rudimentary librarian trading card that I soon new to re-vamp). I really liked creating the Comic Strip using the Comic Strip Generator (I think this is a very neat way to publicize a library's activities and announcements on a library homepage or library blog). Especially since I am not the most creatively artistic person in the world (although sometimes I can be rather witty), simply supplying the words or phrases for comic strips (and not having to worry about the illustrations) is a lot of fun! I have certainly seen students using this site, but did not realize what they were really creating.

I also think ImageChef was pretty easy to navigate and equally fun to use. I can definitely see myself creating fun logos and signs (perhaps publicizing the library's rules or policies and procedures) and using the helpful ImageChef to liven up my messages. All in all, a fun and interesting experience! Check it out at: http://cdn-img1.imagechef.com/w/090926/anme2d6ad901b448a50.gif

Thing #9--Technorati and Google Blogs

I really liked using Technorati and Google Blogs to search for library and classroom related blogs to add to my growing number of RSS feeds in Google Reader. After trying unsuccessfully to locate Feedster (I think they've since taken down the site!?), I stumbled my way over to Technorati. I just think the interface of this site is so user-friendly and I particularly like the way you can search for different subject-based blogs according to various categories. I also liked the "Top 100 Blogs" and I found a few interesting personal blogs that I subscribed to. I think that it's great that Technorati includes video links as well as "Twittorati" that incorporates tweets from some of the most popular bloggers. Talk about about a great social networking connection combo!

I also am a big fan of a standard Google Blogs search. Again, I sing the praises of Google, but it is an entity that truly provides answers to many of online needs! After doing simple searches for "school library learning 2.0" and "Classroom Learning 2.0”, I found some blogs that I was particularly interested in following (I believe even a fellow classmate's blog was retrieved when searching for "Classroom Learning 2.0". Again, I'm excited that I will be receiving important updates from my list of "must have" sites and looking forward to continuing to learn about the potential of RSS feeds in libraries.

On a side note, I tried a Wordle with the text above...here's what I created: