Southwest Enchanted Forest of Knowledge

Southwest Enchanted Forest of Knowledge

Thursday, April 29, 2010

Blog 5 SLIS 5720

Blog 5

What specific plans do you have for implementing technolgoy in an educational setting as a result of what you have learned in 5720?

I plan on teaching teachers about blogs and how to create their own blog. I would create a blog for a student book club for elementary school students so, they could discuss books they read at the media center as well as offer suggestions of books that I should buy. I would like to show teachers how to tag their favorite webssites using Delicious. Delicious would help teachers because they can tag websites they would like to show students for science and social studies projects. I would develop a Wiki for teachers and faculty to ask library and non-library questions that would be helpful in the school environment. The Wiki would be a great place to collaborate with teachers about books and materials for research projects without coming to the media center becaue of time constraits. I would show teachers how to do presentations using Slideshare instead of powerpoint. I would give students and teachers orientation of the media center using Slideshare. I plan on using the tools that I have learned in this class and expanding upon the technology by taking more classes.

Friday, April 2, 2010

Blog 4 The Job of Organizing

Blog 4 SLIS 5720

The Job of Organizing

Organizing books and materials used to be in the domain of professionally trained catalogers and indexers. Now, through Web 2.0, it is in the hands of everyday “folk”. What are the implications of this trend for librarians? Also, for additional food for thought, go to your Delicious site and examine your list of tags. In your opinion, are these tags more or less helpful than traditional subject headings?

Organizing books used to be in the hands of trained catalogers and indexers but, with trained librarians on Web 2.0 I don’t think it is in the hands of everyday “folk.” Librarians and teachers can be trained on Web 2.0 tools for LibraryThing, and Delicious. Librarians and teachers can catalog and index their own books and tag their own websites. Least we know that librarians and teachers are trained on Web 2.0. Now, everyday “folk” trying to catalog and index with Web 2.0 should be a concern because unless trained they don’t know what they are doing. But, I guess it is giving everyone the experience of cataloging like in LibraryThing and tagging websites like delicious. I personally think my tags are much more user friendly than subject headings. I feel that I can look to the right and pick the tag and find the subject that I am looking for.

Sunday, March 28, 2010

Blog 3 "The Machine Is Us/ing Us"

Blog 3 SLIS 5720

“The Machine is Us/Using US”

I have learned that Web 2.0 is a web based technology that does not require you to buy applications but, encourage interactions on web sites. The use of Web 2.0 tools like blogs, Facebook, Myspace, Wikipedia, del.icio.us, and Flickr all require interaction and collaboration and social interaction on the web. Facebook and Myspace we can interact socially with other people. Wikipedia anyone can add current information and content. Del.icio.us you can tag your favorite websites and others can see the tags. Flickr you can tag your photographs on the web. Through watching the video and the readings, I feel we are users of the web and the web is using us for social interaction. Professor Wesch was showing us in the video the many ways that we can use Web 2.0 in the social interaction process. Professor Wesch I feel titled the video “The Machine is Us/Using Us,” because we are using the machine (computer) and the computer is using us for social interaction and interaction with one another. Web 2.0 requires interaction and we are required to interact with it. If we don’t have any social interaction then we would not have any Web 2.0 tools to use or interact with socially.

Saturday, March 6, 2010

BLOG 2 HANDHELD DEVICES

Blog 2 SLIS 5720

Handheld Devices


Your technology director has given you a budget of $ 10,000 for the purchase of handheld devices in your library. Using the prices in Chapter 5 of Courtney as a general guideline, what would you purchase and why? Your grade for this blog will be based on your justifications for what you purchase and your creative ideas for how to use the handheld in the library, whether by students, faculty, and/or staff. A line-item budget is not necessary. However, it is important that this entry is written in narrative paragraph style (e.g., not a list).

If my technology director has given me a budget of $ 10,000, I will collaborate with teachers to find out what their needs would be along with the students. I would get the best and newest technology and read reviews. Since the list is outdated in the Chapter 5 of Courtney, I look up prices from the Apple website store and others. I would purchase ten iPod Nano’s 16 GB at $ 179.00 the total cost would be $ 1790.00. iPod Nano’s have a built in video camera to video tape class presentations which include audio and built in speaker for play backs. Students and teachers can use these iPods to download podcast to listen to presidential debates and current news events for assignments. I would buy eight iPad’s by Apple the cost would be $ 499.00 a piece. The total price would be $ 3992.00. Students and teachers would be able to use the iBook app and download required reading and download current newspapers for research, maps for geography presentations. Students and teachers will be able to surf the web and send e-mails. Students can look at educational videos and download educational games

I would expose students and teachers to Amazon’s Kindle e-reader. I would buy seven Kindle devices at $ 259.00. The total would be $ 1813.00. Students and teachers would be able to download 1,500 books. Books for students required reading, magazines articles for reports and newspaper articles. The Kindle also has a text-to speech feature in which books, newspapers and magazines can be read aloud. This would help for students with developmental disabilities and special needs students immensely. The $3,000 dollars that I have left I would use for buying books and materials for the e-readers, educational apps for the iPod Nano and iPad and any fees associated with the handheld devices. I decided to use these particular handheld devices because they are new and cutting edge for students and teachers.

Monday, February 1, 2010

BLOG 1 INDIVIDUAL TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT

Blog 1 SLIS 5720

As an educator, what are your present strengths and weaknesses in technology? How do you plan to use your strengths? How do you plan to address the weaknesses?


I am currently not working as an educator, but taught, kindergarten, first and second grade before going back to school to become a librarian. I currently work as a librarian at the Atlanta-Fulton Public library where I am manager of the children’s department. I am currently working on my certification to become a school library media specialist. My present strengths are, I am knowledgeable about getting our computers in the children’s department working if they crash, or helping patrons who do not know how to save information. I am good at using different applications and troubleshooting problems. I am proficient at using Microsoft word, internet, and electronic resources to help students do their homework assignments. I teach students and their parents how to use technology in the library.

My current weaknesses are that I am not good at PowerPoint. I have not used PowerPoint very often. I have not used technology in the classroom or written a lesson plan in a long time. I’m not familiar with integrating a lesson with technology. In SLIS 5001, I became familiar with web 2.0 tools, but I don’t know the technical aspects of using the tools. I plan on using my strengths as a school library media specialist to introduce students to computers and basic technology applications for example, internet, word electronic resources (databases), and excel. I can show students how to do research using electronic resources (databases), and how to locate books and other materials using the OPAC (Online Public Access Catalog) I plan to attend workshops and technology classes for my technology weaknesses. This class SLIS 5720 will be a starting point for me to learn more about technology in the school media center and the classroom. Georgia’s Professional Standards Commission requires that all school media specialist take a computer/technology competency course for all K-12 staff which emphasizes the creation of technology-integrated lessons. This class is an additional class besides SLIS 5720. I must take this course prior to applying for certification. As a school library media specialist, it is my responsibility to keep up with the latest technology and get the necessary training and skills for students to positive and productive learners of information.