Thank you! This was a wonderful experience to work in this way and also to try out a variety of new tools and begin to plan how to use them more in my school, library and life! Today I attended a PD committee meeting at school and praised the course - and now will run a couple of sessions for staff on some of the tools during this term.
So, once again - thanks - I gained so much from all this.
Cheers!!
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
#22 Ebooks and #23 Audio Books
The library I work in has a large audio book collection and at this stage only a small e-book collection but I know that will only grow!
I think audio books are great - as you said in your introduction for ESL students (of which we have a large proporation in one of the schools I work) and also for the Adult literacy students too. They especially like it when they can read the book and listen to it at the same time.
Our distance education students really like them too - they tell us they listen in the car when travelling, when crutching/shearing/branding etc sheep/cattle etc.
Some students who have learning difficulties, eg those with dyslexia also like to use them as they find it easier to hear the whole story and keep up with the class if required than struggle through trying to read it themselves (and they tell me they often spend so much time on words they lose meaning).
I am sure E-books will have appeal for similar reasons. And the students who have iPhones, iPods and soon iPads too will want to use them! Our students are often keen to do what they can using online tools so will try the e-books too. So, they will want to see them used in classrooms.
I am still trying to work out how we will manage e-books on a wider scale as a library,eg, will students/clients supply their own 'readers', subscritions for titles - how long will they last etc.
I now read much more online so am sure I will soon be reading with a reader - but only for some purposes. The good old book will still be used by me and I am sure others for a while - the 'reader' at this stage doesn't have the recreational feel about it!
So, the future - at least in the short term will be a mixture of both, I think.
I think audio books are great - as you said in your introduction for ESL students (of which we have a large proporation in one of the schools I work) and also for the Adult literacy students too. They especially like it when they can read the book and listen to it at the same time.
Our distance education students really like them too - they tell us they listen in the car when travelling, when crutching/shearing/branding etc sheep/cattle etc.
Some students who have learning difficulties, eg those with dyslexia also like to use them as they find it easier to hear the whole story and keep up with the class if required than struggle through trying to read it themselves (and they tell me they often spend so much time on words they lose meaning).
I am sure E-books will have appeal for similar reasons. And the students who have iPhones, iPods and soon iPads too will want to use them! Our students are often keen to do what they can using online tools so will try the e-books too. So, they will want to see them used in classrooms.
I am still trying to work out how we will manage e-books on a wider scale as a library,eg, will students/clients supply their own 'readers', subscritions for titles - how long will they last etc.
I now read much more online so am sure I will soon be reading with a reader - but only for some purposes. The good old book will still be used by me and I am sure others for a while - the 'reader' at this stage doesn't have the recreational feel about it!
So, the future - at least in the short term will be a mixture of both, I think.
Monday, April 26, 2010
#21 Online video
There are some fantastic resources available on You Tube and Teacher Tube. I am fortunate we can use them easily in the 2 schools I work in but I know there are frustrations for some staff in some schools where You Tube is 'blocked'
There is a great one called Dewey Rap that we have used at school and at a workshop.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?V=NHiUQb5xg7a
I have tried a few ways to embed this follwoing the directions but have stalled on a particular step so will come back to this.
There are an amazing array of videos and often you either stumble across one when looking for something else or get informed about it from others - eg listservs, facebook and twitter or just general staffroom chatter!
There is a great one called Dewey Rap that we have used at school and at a workshop.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?V=NHiUQb5xg7a
I have tried a few ways to embed this follwoing the directions but have stalled on a particular step so will come back to this.
There are an amazing array of videos and often you either stumble across one when looking for something else or get informed about it from others - eg listservs, facebook and twitter or just general staffroom chatter!
#20 Podcasts
I found the articles and links useful. I have used Podcasts and made a couple (using Audacity) for school but would like to expand on my knowledge and skills and the information for the course was helpful.
I have used podcasts from a variety of sources of book reviews to enthuse students to read. I have also encouraged them to find one if they are looking for more information on their book. Often too, there are podcats of interviews with authors etc.
The ABC ones are particularly useful for senior school students as they can often find ones on current topics and get ideas/opinions etc to work with.
As students often prefer 'active learning' the podcasts can assist with this.
So, now off to get more podcasts into units of work and also checking out some for the types of topics I know will be sought for soon!
I have used podcasts from a variety of sources of book reviews to enthuse students to read. I have also encouraged them to find one if they are looking for more information on their book. Often too, there are podcats of interviews with authors etc.
The ABC ones are particularly useful for senior school students as they can often find ones on current topics and get ideas/opinions etc to work with.
As students often prefer 'active learning' the podcasts can assist with this.
So, now off to get more podcasts into units of work and also checking out some for the types of topics I know will be sought for soon!
#19 Rollyo
A new one for me. But thought it was great and a simple way to search through a variety of websites for topics/themes/ideas etc.
I can see plenty of uses for suing it, eg, with senior students doing particular research topics they could add a varity of websites and then search for keywords etc.
I set up one called school libraries and added some websites. I then did a broad search, literacy and found many articles/matches from the ones I had added. I then searched using the keyword e-books and came up with less (but was as I expected). Even this simple example would be a very useful example to help teach keyword searching (and being smart with what keywords chosen).
Rollyo rocks!
I can see plenty of uses for suing it, eg, with senior students doing particular research topics they could add a varity of websites and then search for keywords etc.
I set up one called school libraries and added some websites. I then did a broad search, literacy and found many articles/matches from the ones I had added. I then searched using the keyword e-books and came up with less (but was as I expected). Even this simple example would be a very useful example to help teach keyword searching (and being smart with what keywords chosen).
Rollyo rocks!
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
#18 Wikis
The comment wikis are websites with an edit button explained wikis best to me.
I have used a few and read many more as I have been working.
In schools it is often a bit tricky to find ones to use that aren't "blocked" - but this is geting better.
My main play with wikis at the moment is working with a group of teachers putting a policy together. We decided to use a wiki so we could see what edits/changes we are making.
Again - the Common Craft video helped introduce us to the world of wikis in a way that makes it so easy to understand
As wikis become more common in Learner Management Systems used in schools (eg Moodle) their potential for engaging students in their learning will grow.
My aim now is to set up a wiki with the library staff I work with and then add one to our website for comments etc about the library
I have used a few and read many more as I have been working.
In schools it is often a bit tricky to find ones to use that aren't "blocked" - but this is geting better.
My main play with wikis at the moment is working with a group of teachers putting a policy together. We decided to use a wiki so we could see what edits/changes we are making.
Again - the Common Craft video helped introduce us to the world of wikis in a way that makes it so easy to understand
As wikis become more common in Learner Management Systems used in schools (eg Moodle) their potential for engaging students in their learning will grow.
My aim now is to set up a wiki with the library staff I work with and then add one to our website for comments etc about the library
#17 Delicious
What a great thing Delicious is!
I have been using it for a while - but there are always new things to learn with it!
I have used it at work with particular teachers to put together a list of resources that will be useful for their students to check out. With a bit of PD the staff are also happy to add to the list and add tags etc - this takes a bit more and some only add the tag for the particular topic etc we have chosen. So, the potential for research can be as a basic tool with a list of sites etc to a much more complex version.
Students like it as they are used to using Bookmarks/Fabvourites etc and everyone likes the fact that you can access it on any computer and anywhere!
I have been using it for a while - but there are always new things to learn with it!
I have used it at work with particular teachers to put together a list of resources that will be useful for their students to check out. With a bit of PD the staff are also happy to add to the list and add tags etc - this takes a bit more and some only add the tag for the particular topic etc we have chosen. So, the potential for research can be as a basic tool with a list of sites etc to a much more complex version.
Students like it as they are used to using Bookmarks/Fabvourites etc and everyone likes the fact that you can access it on any computer and anywhere!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
