Diversity in the Media Center

In my opinion diversity in the media center means providing reading material for all abilities, technology that is readily available and accessible for each student and the media specialists ability to adapt to each learning style. I believe this is important because the media specialist is the first person the classroom teacher will contact for assistance when planning a lesson.

Diversity also means having the knowledge of the commmunity, demographics within the school and being able to accomodate all users of the media center. The media center is the only location in the school where all patrons have one common goal. They are all seeking information in one form or another. This applies to the parents, teachers, staff and the students. The media specialist is expected to be in the position to offer assistance and guidance.

Diversity in the MC ~ Malena

Diversity in schools relates to the cultural background of the students and also their learning styles and abilities. I think that media specialists can support cultural diversity by joining in with world language teachers or social studies and celebrating the various monthly celebrations like Black History, Hispanic Heritage, Native American month, etc. Learning disabilities or special modifications can also be addressed by the media program by providing resources that these students need. For example, the media center could purchase large print books to assist vision impaired students, audiobooks can also be helpful to these students. Text reader programs can also be a great addition to technology in the media center

Technology, Diversity and the media center

Diversity means a couple of things to me. First, diversity can refer to one's cultural or ethnic background. Secondly, diversity can also apply to one's learning style or ability. Both are relevant in regards to considerations in the media center. When I have created assignments for this course that I plan on using in my media center, I try always to think about the diverse learning needs of the students that I serve. As a result, I try to incorporate as many learning styles as possible. Also, I have created assignments that have been differentiated for the various levels. For example, sixth grade students typically need more thorough instructions on how to use OPAC than do the seventh and eighth graders (mostly because the older students have been through the thorough instruction while in sixth grade). Additionally, I try to incorporate various ethnic examples in my instruction. For example, in one recent Powerpoint presentation about the Dewey Decimal Classification System, I used county music and rap music artists, as well as, a Hispanic band to show students where books about music and biographies can be found. When I was teaching from the PPT, I could hear the students whisper to one another in recognition of the artist that they knew and recognized. I think that it made it more relevant and interesting to the students and they knew that I had taken into consideration their diverse backgrounds.
I have not yet created any assignments to teach cultural diversity, but February is coming up soon, and it would be a great opportunity for me to begin thinking about it. Last year, I had a competition in the media center during Black History Month in which students identified famous Black Americans that were pictured on a bulletin board. Even though that competition was not tied to technology, it was still fun for the kids. Unfortunately, we are so tied to teaching for the test and making sure that we cover all the standards, that teaching diversity often falls to the way side. I know that some issues with cultural diversity are included in the standards of Language Arts and Social Studies, I'm just not sure the degree that they are covered.

Tech, Diversity, and Media Center Blogs - Jami

If I have learned only one thing from this course (which I have learned much more…), it is technology is ubiquitous and growing. As such, this is a sheer case of if you can not beat them, join them. Fortunately for me, I have an affinity for technology and anything “new”. It is my opinion “new” means change and change dovetails somewhat seamlessly with diversity. However I must admit, respectfully that is, that being forced to participate in change can often be uncomfortable; almost aggravating. For example it was a long time before I embraced using ATM cards, text messaging, Vista (still do not like it, and most recently blogging. I have the same attitude when it relates to new medications on the market. I am somewhat of a skeptic and reserve the right to analyze, evaluate, and re-evaluate before I “readily” accept.

Do not misunderstand me; I feel technology certainly has its place, particularly in library media programs. Yet, I have a profound appreciation for autonomy and will work to aggressively promote technology in my future library media program, while graciously recognizing diverse learning and educational styles and needs. I do enjoy a good blog every now and then, but am not convinced they are the “wave of the future” or that they will resonate with all. After having completed several of them, I still contend communication can be achieved through other channels more appealing to all; for instance, a simple e-newsletter or webpage. Perhaps my opinion appears jaded by the number of blogs and responses we have had to provide most recently, but I do not think so. I was not necessarily a proponent of blogging before, and my thoughts have not been altered as a result of this course.

What I have learned is there is so much technology available that I was previously unaware of and I am extremely grateful for the exposure. This experience has helped me view diversity from a variety of angles; and this overlaid with technology is in essence, “priceless”!

Digital Storytelling & E-books

I must admit that I was very timid about embracing the digital storytelling assignment. After completing the project I felt much better about the assignment and the results. I still have some issues with it, but overall I am not as apprehensive if asked to help someone. In a nutshell, digital storytelling is very time consuming. It does require some planning and tons of research to complete the project. Once completed this project would be a great tool for teachers and students alike. I believe they would enjoy the outcome despite the time it takes to complete the project. This project could also be used over and over. Each teacher could update the images or text for their project and use this tool as a teaching aid.

Ebooks are wonderful. I would prefer to read a novel in hand, but again if time does not permit an ebook is a great alternative. I have also listened to books on CD/tape and enjoyed it as well. During a long, quiet road trip audio books are hands down the next best thing to a great radio station without trying to locate a signal.

While visiting my mentor I noticed that she had several audio tapes/cd's on hold for students. She stated that there are many students who prefer this method instead of sitting and reading a book. While many media specialists may say that our goal is to increase reading levels, this is a start.

Digital Storytelling~Malena

Two words that come to mind when I think about digital storytelling: Time consuming! There is a lot of editing, searching and selecting that must be done. Having said that, his assignment could not have come at a better for time for me and my department because we are presenting at a conference in 2 weeks and we must bring in podcast/digital stories created by our students. I currently have 4 students creating stories about a typical day in school all in Spanish! It's like a podcast because they are recording their voices and it is a digital story because they are including pictures and clipart to talk about their school day. It is very time consuming for them to work on the stories and create them. We can not use the media center though because none of the computers are capable of burning DVDs. I think that this type of activity is fun to do for the students but the lack of available technology would make many teachers not even want to give it a try.

E books are very convenient especially for those of us who like to read but do not have the time to do so. I however would prefer an audiobook because as I listen to it I can do other things like clean or excercise.

eBooks and digital storytelling

We are currently not using eBooks in the media center, but I plan on ordering some next year. One of the sales reps from Follett told me about it, and also talked to me about the various advantages to owning eBooks. One of my favorite things about eBooks is that they are indestructible, and there is no processing that needs to occur.
I think that media specialists have the role of being teachers to students and faculty when it comes to digital storytelling. No one is using digital storytelling in our school that I am aware of, however, there have been some rumblings and questions here and there that I have heard. I think that students are so technologically tuned that they would love to use digital storytelling, the main deterrent will be teachers. I believe some teachers are reluctant to use new technology unfortunately. I know when I was in the classroom, I barely had time for the bare minimum as far as planning was concerned. Hopefully, I will have more time as a media specialist and can plan and create some lessons for my faculty. Thus far, I've been really busy in my first year, but I expect it to slow down once I learn what I'm doing!

E-Books and Digital Storytelling - Jami

I absolutely LOVE reading! Yet, I never seem to have enough hours in the day to do so. As such, I love the idea of e-books and digital story telling even more.

Having the ability to download virtually any book you can imagine to your cell phone, laptop, or other portable device makes the prospect of reading “on the go” even more titillating because there aren’t any excuses, books are as large or as compact as you choose to make them, and they are easily annotated and book marked! No more do you have to fold down the pages of books, carry a highlighter to note a specific point, or carry large bags to accommodate precious cargo!

Further students are impressed with technology, not large bulky items. Being able to share a classic with them in such a personal or technologically advanced fashion is not only exciting; it’s a must!

I so look forward to introducing the variety of ways reading and learning can transpire to not only students, but faculty and staff as well.

Tech Training ~Malena

I really think that technology training is very important to classroom instruction, but it does not receive the attention and funding that it deserves. Currently, I am working in $62 million brand new school with LCD projector mounts in every single room but no LCD projector attached. Apparently this technology was not included in the budget. I often ask myself why buy and install the mounts? Luckily, I am a world languages teacher and we have language labs and those come with a sound system and an LCD projector that I use every single day. I mean, I love LCD projectors and don't know how I was able to teach without one for 2 years! For the first month of school this year I did not have the projector installed and I felt very ineffective and boring as a teacher. There are some of the other teachers that have been teaching for many years don't even use their projectors because they get nervous when using technology. I have a colleague who doesn't even know how to use power point! This is really hard for me to understand.
The lack of technology training doesn't end with the teachers, because I have some students that have used PowerPoint for the first time in my class. When I was in high school 8 years ago I used power point several times so I don't know how now a days some of my students have not used it, but can navigate MySpace with their eyes closed!
As a media specialist I would definitely stay on top of all emerging technologies because I enjoy it and because I think that teachers and students can really enhance teaching and learning by integrating technology in the classroom.

Training Aid - Jami

If one ever asked me about technological savvy present at my school, I would have to contend it depends on who you talk to and which day of the week. Some of our staff members are extremely adept at leveraging technology in the classroom and around the school to the extent that I have often wondered just “how they do that”.

However, the unfortunate side of this is technology is not pervasive throughout the school. For example, we have been charged with utilizing a new grading and attendance tool which allows parents access to grades real time at anytime. The conundrum for all staff members is the school system rolled the new tool out just one day prior to the first day of school. What does that spell? In one word, chaos. Many people need days; even weeks to ramp up to new technology. The idea that teachers were supposed to get their heads around curriculum facilitated to students, prepare class rooms and lessons tailored towards teaching and learning, and learn new grading software seemed almost comical.

Additionally, as a Business Education instructor in a computer lab, I find it very interesting that some teachers, including myself, have Promethean boards, while others do not. I realize the school and school system is working on a plan to include such technology in every class environment. Yet, I struggle with the notion that perhaps there is inconsistency in instruction as students matriculate from one class to the other. On the flip side, one could contend this inconsistent environment grooms students for a life of flexibility and adaptation. I contend however, it shows the need to invest more.

Finally, in my head I have often played the role of “Superintendent for a Day”, just the same as civilians assume “Principal for a Day”. As Superintendent, I would insist on thorough and timely training for all when introducing system-wide technology enhancements, along with consistency in class rooms throughout each school. I realize this is likely one of the most impractical day dreams I have had, but I have always dreamed big and dared to fail.

Technology Training In Schools

The school system where I am completing my field experience this semester is considered one of the highly technically advanced areas. The technology specialists are outsourced which provides the media specialist some form of relief. During my visits I have experienced teachers who are unwilling to learn the technology in order to teach their classes effectively. On different occassions I have also experienced teachers who were unaware of how to research items in the media center to simple troubleshooting in the classroom. They are very comfortable contacting the media specialist, but at this can be time consuming. The technology specialist is avaiable, but the familiarity lies with the current media specialist. When I approached her about this concern it seems that her "personal" approach is highly favored. The media specialist provides instructions and an introduction to the media center at the beginning of the school. She also offers group training by request throughout the year, if time permits.

Personally, I would provide assistance to the teachers by producing training aids on the most popular requests and individual group sessions if requested for more details and hands-on experience for the beginners. I would also include the teachers in the learning process if I am called to help in a classroom. I believe that all educators should be able to operate the equipment that they are entrusted with in the classroom setting unless other direction is given. This will allow me (media specialist) extra time to complete other projects and provide help to the staff members that actually need the additional assistance.

Technology training-Julie Bigham

The technology skills among the faculty at my school range from the very proficient to the very novice. I have noticed that proficiency is often directly tied to ones age. Younger faculty typically have a greater level of comfort with new technology, most likely as a result of their pedagogy having been completed more recently. At this time, technology courses or staff development is not offered at my school. Faculty can elect to take courses through the county, but I haven't heard many teachers taking the opportunity. I think that one strategy that would work with faculty to support productive staff development is obviously to make the training relevant. I can't tell you how many times I've had to sit through trainings that I felt were unnecessary, and it makes me just totally tune out. Another thing that might work would be to offer training and give PLU's. One problem that I suspect would be encountered is just some people's unwillingness to add something else to their plates. Also, people just don't like to venture outside of their comfort level at times. If I were responsible for technology training, I would just make it available to all teachers. I would likely present it during common planning and only for a few minutes. Or, I would create training aids similar to our recent assignment and post them to the school website for easy access.

TV Broadcasting/Malena

I interviewed Mrs. Bray a media specialist at Carrollton Elementary School. She is responsible for the early morning which runs daily at 7:50am from the media center's video production room. Students are showcased on the morning show and they are third grade students selected by teachers. This elementary only has PK-3rd so the 3rd grade students are the most mature ones and therefore they are responsible for the morning show. Usually the show contains the pledge read by the 3rd grade students, announcements from the principal, and the character education word of the week. Participants are selected by having each third grade teacher choose two students, male and female of different ethnic groups, to participate for the week. At Carrollton Elementary the video distribution equipment is used quite often.
The system is used for broadcast, holiday videos, character ed videos, school produced videos which advertise upcoming events like fundraisers and book fairs.
After viewing gpb.org my favorite section is the Digital Library section which I can now add to my list of resources for the digital storytelling project.

School TV news -Julie Bigham

At South Paulding Middle School, home of the panthers, we have the Panther News Network every day. The Panther News Network, PNN, is organized and run by one of the gifted teachers (she may not be gifted, but the kids in her class are :0). In the morning we have a class period called NBI, or Needs Based Instruction, and this is the time that students work on the broadcast for the next day. The kids for the PNN class are chosen based on their test scores (ITBS and CRCT). Basically, they are kids that are not being remediated in any academic area. About 95% of the students are qualified as gifted. The kids have to go through an audition in the beginning of the year, unless they were members of the crew the previous school year. Crew members must maintain high academic standards in order to remain on the crew. Students are trained in all of the various positions (camera, script, PPT, anchor, etc.) and they work on a rotating schedule. We do not currently have a working video distribution system, however, the teacher that runs PNN is able to pipe out the live broadcast to the various rooms in the building. The only problem right now is that the mobile units are not wired to receive the broadcast, so they miss it. We do play Channel One every morning prior to the PNN broadcast. Teachers at SPMS also use United Streaming often. Classes in the building have mounted projectors that make it very easy to use United Streaming. This year (my first year as the media specialist), I ordered enough LCD projectors for our mobile units, so they can now access United Streaming, as well. Our news broadcast is a combination of power point and live student news broadcast. The morning broadcast begins with a moment of silence and then the Pledge of Allegiance. Next, the broadcasters give any important announcements regarding school events, such as sports, fundraisers, menu for lunch,etc. Occasionally, students will interview members of teams and other students. I think that it is really nice that students are primarily responsible for the creation and execution of the school news.

School TV News, GPB Resources, Video Distribution Logs

TV News, GPB Resources, and Video Distribution Logs are virtually non-existent at my school. What we do have is a broadcasting class that is taught to a select group of students currently part of the Mass Communications academy. That in and of itself is a double-edged sword because on the one hand Mass Communications students are getting exposure to very valuable elements of communication that can lead to broadcasting and other genres I never imagined at that age. However, it also serves as a negative because only those students, accounting for about 20% of the population, are privy to it.

For the remaining 80%, school news may be experienced about once quarterly in the school newspaper or via morning and afternoon announcements. Unfortunately, the latter is a very poor representation of how communications should be facilitated. While I will admit this is my very humble personal opinion, I would be remiss if I did not say that I grit my teeth each time I hear them.

It is amazing...In some ways my school is technologically savvy and in others most antiquated. What we need is balance and a major overhaul. For example, my class and a few others is equipped with promethean boards, yet we do not have TVs, access to GPB or any Video streaming. It is shocking because we are deemed one of the elite schools of Southwest Atlanta.

My hope for my school, especially the students, is as we prepare for renovation, administrators at the local and district level take these fundamental techonological elements under consideration and provide us with tools and equipment to not only experience such niceties, but also take us well into the future of technology.

School TV News

The results for my blog topic are below.

The principal initiates the school news and announcements over the loudspeaker along with a video production by students that is lead by the media specialist. At the end of the school day the principal makes another announcement and dismisses the students and staff for the day. The student news production consists of the pledge, weather, daily lunch menu, word of the day and a segment titled "Today in History". The announcments are all student centered. The criteria selection for the group of nine students is based on their grades, conduct and assertiveness. The students will work together for nine weeks and each person will hold the title of "producer". The producer is the leader for the week and they are able to make the final decisions for the morning productions.

A media room is available to do the recordings and live productions. Each morning the student body will tune into channel 12 to view the morning announcements. The students are also able to view the weather channel during inclement weather conditions, PBS, all of the local channels and special viewings during the holidays. The media specialist, principal and the IT department are the only authorized users of the distribution system. All teachers are required to submit suggestions to the media specialist for consideration.

Each classroom is wired so that all teachers can receive GPB Online Streaming via their laptop computers. This allows the teachers easier access for lesson planning and instruction without leaving the classroom setting.

Social Networking

My only experience with social networking prior to beginning courses at UWG was with MySpace. The only reason that I wanted a MySpace page was so that I could communicate with my step-son (also a subscriber) since he lives in Florida. All was well for a few days until my students "discovered" me. Of course, I had not been savvy enough to know that I should use a pseudonym. I had to close my page becuase of all the "friend" requests from students. I believe I am just too old for this sort of business. My husband, however, participates in a social networking site that is used by his high school classmates. He loves getting reconnected with all his old friends from school.
I can imagine that there could be many vaild uses for social networking in schools like conducting book clubs and debates. Right now, the "Twilight" series by Stephanie Meyers is flying off the shelf. I don't have any copies in the media center and they are on hold about 10 students deep for each book. The first movie comes out later this month. I can imagine that if I started a social networking site devoted to Twilight enthusiasts, it would be a huge hit. I think that some teachers would be excited to use social networking sites to be able to have students connected with others from around the world. However, social networking sites are blocked by my system's internet filter. I don't think that my system would ever "unblock" the sites because of issues with protection.
I personally don't have an issue with social networking sites, I just don't have the time to fool with them right now.

Social Networking and Library Media Specialists

Social networking is a relatively popular tool that is utilized nationally. I find that it is very time consuming and an invasion of privacy for others. I personally pick and choose which networking sites I become involved with. At the present time I am researching LinkedIn. I can't say that I am able to log in regularly so it's not very useful. Facebook is a very popular site that many students use on a daily basis. I don't have any experience using this site, but I understand that it can also cause harm to the individual user. As the reading stated, it was initially used for campus communication only. Now it has grown to include business communication and the general population as a whole.

As a future media specialist social networking would be a great addition to the media center. I could see delegating the maintenance and monitoring to the media clerk and a few responsible teachers who had the additional time on any given day. This would comprise of a team of staff members who would collaborate prior about posting any information and share the duties. MySpace is another popular networing site that is often plagued with negative reactions. I have noticed that the user has to block his personal information in order to guard himself against unwanted "friends". I am not a fan of this site, but if used properly it can be beneficial.

The overall goal of social networking sites are to have fun and enjoy the experience. You have complete control of the personality and the tone of the site. It would be best to showcase students engaged in activities where they are interacting with their peers and teachers. It would also be helpful to use this space to advertise and announce upcoming events and projects that will be conducted in the media center.

Social networking does invite threats, but if maintained properly it can be a very rewarding tool for the media specialist.

Social Networking ~Malena~

I am in favor of social networking sites for classroom use as a way to collaborate and communicate outside of the classroom. I do not really know of any teachers that are using the technology but it is an emerging concept. I think a lot of teachers are not using it because of the negative reputation that sites like MySpace have and because they themselves have never use these sites. I have had a Facebook page since I was an undergrad so I would not be opposed to using one, but MySpace on the other hand is something that I would not use because I too view it as a less reputable social networking site. As it was mentioned in the Library 2.0 text, Facebook first started as an academic social network mostly used by college students. I do not think that many school systems are open to the idea of using social networks for classroom use since these sites are often blocked and filtered. Facebook could be used to create debate groups in a class and post responses to the pro/con groups Wall, write responses to writing prompts using the Notes applications. Another classic use of Facebook in the classroom is to announce events or news taken place in the class or to announce events for extracurricular activities.

Social Networking in Schools - Jami

Though not particularly fond of social networking sites; primarily because I am private and do NOT have TIME, I do feel they can be of value to library media programs.

My first experience using a social networking site was Linked In whereby professionals share where they were schooled, what they are currently doing professionally, and other relevant professional networking tidbits. I believe I signed into the site about 2 years ago and never looked back; just not my thing.

The second social networking site I have participated in was my high school's. This forum gave me the opportunity to catch up on classmates from eons ago as well as share just enough about me to let others know I was alive. The only thing about this one is each time a classmate discovers you are on the site, you receive an email alerting you they have commented. The great thing about this is I know I am loved. The bad thing is you are constantly signing in to respond because you are happy to hear from them and quite frankly, do not want to be rude. Again, it becomes an issue of time.

Okay, enough about me. Relative to library media programs, I can see added benefit so long as they are monitored sites used expressly for library media program promotion. For example, students from one school, school district, or country could share their thoughts on reading selections with other students of the same grouping. In fact, I specifically remember a project completed earlier in my matriculation through this program that called for social networking amongst students in two different countries to discuss Accelerated Reader selections.

I envision the social networking setup as a class facilitated by either the teacher, media specialist, or both. This model would allow students to not only benefit from reading, but also engage in friendships around the globe while learning about other cultures. I would absolutely love to sponsor a partnership between my current students and students in South Africa or some other locale miles and miles away.

Net/net, social networking can be a very viable option to library media program promotion while fostering relationships amongst students, teachers, and staff from cultures around the globe.

Web Pages **Malena**

Some Do’s and Don’ts of Media Center Web Pages
• Do advertise the web page (URL) on the main school web site, newsletters, etc,
• Do not spend your entire budget on the design of the page. Be resourceful and try to use the least expensive editors, programs, etc.
• Do organize the content of the page with the audience in mind
The Jurkowski text cites that 90% of media centers have web pages and I think that is remarkable and it emphasizes the need to maintain a web page. If we are going to be the information and technology specialists of the school, we must have a webpage that shows the skills we possess and this will in turn motivate teachers and students to create pages of their own. The most important element of the webpage is the way the information is arranged. I really liked the North Elementary School media center webpage the best because of the way the information is organized. It will be extremely easy for a young student to find information there. The Creekview HS site had okay organization but it does contain information that will appeal to high school students like the link to the Favorite Web 2.0 tools, the picture slide show, etc. This webpage had a lot of choices and sources of information (blogs, podcasts, video tutorials, etc.) and perhaps they could tone it down a bit. I don’t think that the link to library statistics is necessary to have on a web page, at least not all the time! I am honestly a little jealous of this website because I wonder if I will have the time and commitment to have all the different tools featured on the page, but then again you usually make time for things that you really want to do.

Media Center Web Pages - Jami

Since beginning this program, media center webpages have been quite intriguing to me. Over the past 12 months, I have observed a wide variety of content and target audiences. My exploration has led me to fully endorse web pages while simultaneously hoping media center webpage content can at some point be made uniform and significantly more substantive.

Cursory glances of most webpages reveals basics: school name, media specialists,and mission statements. Depending on the degree to which media specialists care, have administrative rights, and rich programs some web pages are far more robust than others. For example as an Atlanta Public Schools teacher, I have noticed many Clayton County and DeKalb County Schools websites have rich content and a plethora information useful to students, faculty, parents and community. Conversely however, many APS schools have hours of operation, links to other areas of the school website and some Accelerated Reader content.

As we move forward in our media specialists careers and as our profession continues evolving, my hope is consistency is achieved on a district and state level. Further, I am hopeful an interlibrary loan policy can be established across districts so long as policies are established and adhered to from a state perspective.

Media center web pages are useful, can often provide relevant information, and work to enhance the benefits of library media programs. Without them, many programs are virtually nonexistent or obsolete.

Media center webpages

As a first year media specialist, I'm afraid to admit that the web page has taken a backseat to the day to day operation of the media center. In our county, the tech specialist is responsible for maintaining the website. Also, this year, the county sent out a template for all media centers and schools, for that matter, to use. Of course, some things like backgrounds and clip art can be changed according to the school, but the basic design and layout is exactly the same. Therefore, my media center page looks almost exactly like everyone else's. For now, when I have information to add or delete from the web page, I simply email the tech specialist and she handles it. Currently, I have contact information for myself and the clerk, hours of operation, library news, new titles, policies and procedures, and a calendar of events. I think that the information that I have included on my web page is important to the patrons who would look at it. Of course, I could always add more, but for now, I'm doing good to have anything.
One thing that is most important in regards to whether or not I like a site is its usability. If a site is too difficult to maneuver, then I will likely not bother with it. Another issue that causes me not to enjoy a site is if it does not contain pertinent information.
I really like the idea of using wikis as a web page, but I know that I am not comfortable enough with wikis to use them right now. Also, as I mentioned before, we are using a template throughout our county and cannot stray from it.

Media Center Webpage Designs

I am truly fascinated when I view a media centers webpage. I personally enjoy the different options for research, upcoming events, teachers pages, homework helpers and links to various educational websites. I enjoyed viewing the required URL's for this assignment. I find that I can always locate something different or unique on every website. My pet peeves for ANY website personal or professional is a broken link, inappropriate graphics and too much content. I prefer not to have to read a book in order to navigate the site. Sadly, I have found this often and I am sure it can be very frustrating to a parent or visitor who accesses the website for the first time. We want to try to hold their attention for at least 30 seconds.



On the other hand, the webpage does not and more than likely can not begin to feature all of the information that is offered within the four walls of a media center. Our reading indicated that many media specialists are not given full permission to access their webpage in order to update and organize the material. I noticed that Creekview High School in Canton, Georgia has two fulltime media specialists and a media clerk to assist them. This webpage in my opinion is great, but again, it offers too much content (personal opinion). My first reaction was WOW, then lets get down to reading. It seems that they have made a great attempt at providing very detailed information about the programs in the media center. I prefer to draw the visitor to the media center to explore and ask questions. I am not stating that either approach is right or wrong, just a matter of preference. This option works for them.

Wikis- Julie Bigham

I knew nothing about wikis before I started this class. In fact, I had used wikipedia often, but never questioned the name or what it was. After our first assignment using wikis, I tried to think of ways that I could use them in my media center setting. Initially, I thought that it would be neat to use a wiki along with the media center webpage. It is a ton of work, though, and so far, I haven't had time to set one up. Since we are working on pathfinders now, I think that a wiki could be used to allow people to access the pathfinders while in or out of school. Wikis could also be used for collaboration among media specialists from various schools and grades within a district. Currently, the media specialists in my county meet about 4 times per year, but with wikis, we could collaborate throughout the year without meeting face to face. The only issue would be making sure that everyone utilizes the wiki. Depending on the purpose for the wiki, various elements would need to be present in order to ensure that people would use them for collaboration. For example, in this class, holding students responsible for a certain number of postings and then grading those postings is one way to ensure collaboration. Also, having very specific guidelines as to the types of postings is necessary. I think that some people will be reluctant to use wikis because they are uncomfortable with technology, especially anything new.

Wikis

I must admit that I wasn't overly excited about this particular aspect of technology when I first encountered it. I've learned more during our reading assignments and working with wiki's in this class. Honestly, I am not sold at all. I found that this would be more work for the media specialist, plus we would have to continuously monitor and update the content that is posted. I could see this tool acting as a great source for a "few" responsible teachers who were unable to meet on a regular basis to discuss time sensitive topics, but unlimited access would scare me. The reading indicated that wiki's have been utilized since 2000-2001, but it doesn't seem to be a very popular and reliable tool at this time. On the other hand, for those who don't mind reading the postings and utilizing it as a learning tool, this would be a great opportunity to effectively communicate to a larger group of individuals.

Wikis - Jami

Honestly, my thoughts about Wikis are pretty neutral; I could either take or leave them. While I am a huge proponent of technology and innovation in the media center or any medium for that matter, I have been ambivalent about wikis. This is in large part due to the fact that I prefer simplicity and there seems to be too many steps to create or edit them in my opinion. Further, my experiences prior to and during this course are wikis are somewhat arbitrary and unreliable. I have seen literature suggesting wikis be used to keep groups or individuals abreast of information as simplistic as meeting minutes, or as complicated as biographical information on presidential candidates such as John McCain and Barack Obama.

For meeting minutes, I simply prefer email. Why should I go through another portal for something so simple? I do not believe in leveraging technology just because it is new. New doest not always equate to efficient and being a bottom line individual, give me efficiency.

Relative to biographical information, the first time I had the opportunity to explore wikis in-depth, I was gravely disappointed. I had already been cautioned by educators and friends alike that wikis could be modified by ANYONE. That said, I heard them, but did not LISTEN. One day I asked my students to complete a table containing biographical information on each presidential candidate; at that time, there were quite a few. Much to my chagrin, a student raised their hand after seeking information on Barack Obama in Wikipedia to share with me the passage. Drum roll please… It said “Barack is a terrorist and he sucks…” over and over again in all capital letters. While I greatly appreciated the teachable moment, I was gravely disappointed to witness how others leverage technology to degrade others. I do realize this was an isolated incident, but feel very strongly that wikis should be a tool monitored with extensive checks and balances. Some of which include invitation only participation, passwords, and an application process.

Perhaps one day I will absolutely love wikis. However, today my take on it is like some weather forecasts, “fair and partly cloudy”.

Funtimes with WIKIs

In my opinion, wikis are a great tool to communicate amongst department members as explained in the Library 2.0 text regarding the RefWiki from Ohio State University. There are many benefits to this type of wiki like having the information available anywhere and not just at work from Outlook public folders, which by the way I never check. In a K-12 school, the media specialist can advertise programs on the wiki, post training videos or documents. Also, the wiki may be a better idea because is free and you don’t have to depend on website administrators for updates because you can update them yourself. As a media specialist I can see myself creating a wiki where I can post Pathfinders and Webquest for teachers and students to use when creating projects like the Decatur High wiki which I would consider a research guide wiki.

I really don’t see a big problem with a wiki being a “storage cabinet” if the purpose is to have accessibility to important files like Webquests , media center forms, etc. But if the purpose was for collaboration then the following elements must be present:

ü Genuine and strong interest for the topic

ü For a classroom wiki, incentives such as participation grades or extra credit when students contribute information of value

ü For a school media center, teachers must have access and permission to post to the wiki

Lastly, I really tried to think of some drawbacks to wikis for media centers and I really could not think of anything. Please respond to this post with your opinions and any drawbacks that you may know of.

~Malena

Podcasting - Jami

As a future media specialist, I view this as an opportunity to promote teamwork and build relationships with faculty and staff. That said, it would be my absolute pleasure to incorporate one of the cornerstones of my profession, collaboration.

I would immediately tell the instructor how excited I was to be working and learning together and though I know very little about podcasting, I would take the following steps:

1. Leverage my experiences in this class.
2. Research podcast development on the internet and other print resources.
3. Consult technicians in our technology department to dimension the optimal approach.
4. Review my findings to ensure I fully understand.
5. Set up meeting with the instructor to plan podcast develpment targeted to his specific objectives.

While I can not speak for the instructor, I have tremendous respect for those who can admit without reservation their skill set is limited, yet their desire is strong. It is my hope he would feel as I do and appreciate not only my willingness to assist, but also the tenacious spirit with which I addressed his needs. I am confident that through collaboration and research, we can hit a homerun!

Podcasting

A teacher approaches you and asks you if you can help him to start up a podcast for his class (something like Radio WilloWeb). In truth, you may know little about podcasting. So, how do you respond to the teacher? Do you tell him farewell and good luck? Do you tell him you don't know much, but you're willing to find out? What is your role? What are the reasons behind how you choose to respond to this teacher?

I would respond to this teacher by offering to assist them with the research to begin developing a podcast. I am not an expert in this area so we would learn this technology as a team. I would also want to offer a learning session on "How To Podcast" or "Podcasting" to several interested staff members who will utilize the tool for classroom instruction. I would also offer simple step-by-step instructions on the process and links that could help the teachers. This could be an ongoing project that would be available to the teachers so that each user could add links or offer helpful suggestions for others. My mentor was recently given full control of the media center website so she could post helpful information for the parents (bookfairs, AR/RC information) along with a media center calendar of upcoming events. These posts could include many of the students she wants to recognize. I could really see the students enjoying this tool.

Julie Bigham-Podcasting

Even though I've read the required reading for this class and created one podcast/vodcast, I would certainly consider myself a novice. Therefore, I would have to let the teacher know that I know very little about podcasting, but that I'm willing to learn and go through the process with them. Of course, I would have to order the necessary equipment to be able to produce a podcast, and I would have to subscribe to one of the free services. I view my role as the media specialist to be one of support to faculty, students, parents, etc. We have a technology specialist at our school, however, I feel that I should be open to "new" media that presents itself, as well. I would do my very best to help the teacher start podcasting. Fortunately, we have some very helpful technology folks at the central office that have been a huge help to me in the past, I'm sure I could count on them again if I needed to. The reason that I would tell the teacher that I am a novice with podcasting is so that the teacher would not be expecting help at that exact moment. I think if I'm honest with the teacher, he or she would allow me a little time to get the answers they need.

Podcast-Mitchell

As a person who likes and enjoys technology, I would definitely help this teacher start up a podcast, with the emphasis being on start a podcast. I see my role as an instructor who will guide this teacher in creating his first podcast. I would help him download all the necessary software, and let him know about all of the additional things like headset/microphone, etc that will need to be purchased. This teacher would have to know that there is a certain amount of time that has to be devoted to creating and posting the podcasts. If his podcasts become popular and then the teacher and class do not continue to create new podcasts, podfading may occur as stated in the Library 2.0 text. It is imperative that the teacher knows that I am not his podcast coordinator, I am a resource and willing to help him get started. Taking on the instructor role is the best approach because as a media specialist I would have many other instructional and program tasks to do, and can not become the person in charge of all the podcasts. I think that podcasts are tools that all content areas can benefit from and will therefore conduct several in-services or professional seminars about podcasts. These seminars can be in podcast or vodcast format so that teachers can see what the end result would look like.

Testing

This is only a test!!!!

Set up

Hello! I need to set up the blog.