LET’S GET ‘it’ STARTED. . . DiGitAL StORYtELLiNG

Due to me working at a credit recovery alternative program where students have not been successful in the traditional setting, Digital Storytelling (DS) would be ideal for engaging students in any curriculum as it goes along with Phillip Schlechty’s Working on the Work (WOW) that is practiced in many school districts. Not only can teachers and media specialist use Digital Storytelling as a way to introduce lessons but also as a choice for students to research and turn in their assignments. Media specialists can help students and teachers with using the technology, understanding copyright laws, and finding resources. “As they create their stories, students gain a greater understanding of online resources and increase their media and visual literacy skills” (Borneman and Gibson, 2011, ¶ 1).

Researching for this original blog post has allowed me to come across some invaluable information that I would like to share with others who cannot grasp the concept of DS; and have not started or are having difficulty getting started working on our lesson plan, resource kit, video, and storyboard that is due shortly after Thanksgiving. I am having problems deciding on one topic so I am considering revamping another teacher’s lesson (with her permission) to help her students become more committed and engaged using Web 2.0 tools. After I finish, I can give the final product to her to use as an example with future students.

To start you must decide what standard or topic you are going to use to design your lesson; gather your resources (video, audio, images, etc.); write a script and storyboard; and decide what applications and format you want to use. When you switch roles, “as the school librarian you could help students sort through choices, apply the technology wisely, and ensure their stories are told clearly” (Borneman and Gibson, 2011, ¶ 10).

I found several websites with sample storyboards and grading rubrics for digital storytelling. The majority of the rubrics include the same seven elements: Point of View, Dramatic question, Script, Audio, Emotional content, Images/Video, Economy, and Pacing. “Students can also constructively critique projects created by other students. It is important that the content, rather than the technology, be the primary focus for the scoring guide” (Borneman and Gibson, 2011, ¶ 12). Sample rubrics and links to storyboards are available in one printable document at http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ELI08167B.pdf along with a wealth of other tips and resources by Dr. Gail Matthews-DeNatale.

Borneman and Gibson (2011) suggests Aviary, Audacity, Garageband, iMovie, Movie Maker, Photostory, and Voice Thread as applications for digital storytelling. “Technology alone doesn’t tell the stories for the students, but it can provide a way for students to engage others on many different levels. Through the use of these digital tools, students can easily craft polished and enduring stories that can be shared with others far beyond the typical classroom setting. Instead of the teacher as an audience of one, the entire world is now a potential audience for student work” (¶ 13).

Similar information can be found at The University of Houston’s Educational Uses of Digital Storytelling site (http://digitalstorytelling.coe.uh.edu) which was a part of our reading for this assignment. The site has links to public domain websites, a step-by-step approach to creating a digital story, examples, software, and a plethora of information to help teachers and students tell the best story they can. In addition, there is information on the definition and history of Copyright; copyright law of special interest to researchers; information to help understand how to use information on the Internet without getting sued; the Creative Commons movement making media easier to use; and tutorials on finding, copying, and using Multimedia that is on the Internet.

If you find resources not in the public domain, the biggest thing to remember is to ask yourself the following questions to see how they fair on the Four Factor test when it comes to Educational Fair Use:

1.      What is the purpose of using the resource?

2.      How and why is the resource being used?

3.      How much of the resource will be used?

4.      What effect would this use have on the value of the resource?

Now you (I meant we) should have enough information to ‘GET STARTED’ working smarter not harder!

PS: I have not started myself.;)

References

Borneman, D. & Gibson, K. (2011, April). Cross curricular: Digital storytelling: Meeting standards across the curriculum in a WWII/Holocaust unit. Retrieved from http://www.schoollibrarymonthly.com/curriculum/BornemanGibson2011-v27n7p16.html

Matthews-DeNatale, G. (2008). Digital storytelling: Tips and resources. Retrieved from http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ELI08167B.pdf

The University of Houston. (2011) The educational uses of digital storytelling. Retrieved from http://digitalstorytelling.coe.uh.edu/copyright.html

Digital Storytelling

When I was a Journalism major at Auburn University I had the chance to take a video production class. The course was extremely popular so it was only open to Communication students and it was only offered at 7:00 a.m. We met in a studio that had massive amounts of cumbersome equipment and for our final assignment we had to write, edit and produce our very own commercial. The video game, Super Mario Brothers for Nintendo, was popular at this time and I had a roommate that was obsessed with playing it. I decided to make my commercial about a fictional recovery center for those struggling with gaming addiction. I spent many hours hand drawing and coloring the graphics which I then carefully glued to black poster board. I also took pictures of my brother-in-law, with the look of a rabid addict, glued to the gaming system. I can actually remember taking the film to the drugstore and dropping it off to get developed. Overall my project turned out pretty well and I remember thinking it was extremely professional even though I had a couple of issues with camera control and some problems with panning. I was awarded an A for my efforts and I got a copy of the commercial on a VHS tape which, of course, I have since lost. I imagine this is just as well because I am now certain that anything that featured pictures developed at the drugstore and hand drawn graphics could only be viewed as amusing at best.

Digital storytelling is today’s version of my video production class. The big difference, of course, is the technology. Where my class was only open to a handful of students, digital storytelling is available to anyone with access to a computer and the internet. And, there are many different ways to utilize digital storytelling in the classroom. I personally love the idea of using it to tell the story of a famous historical figure or event. Ideas for digital storytelling across the curriculum are numerous. Students can tell their personal stories or do a video on the books that have influenced them. They could do a video about the history of their own community or create something about their community leaders. Science classes could make videos on important discoveries and how they have impacted us. Digital storytelling could even be used in math class where students could make a video about how they use math in everyday life or show different ways to solve complex problems. Ideas for digital storytelling are really only limited to our own imaginations. (Ormiston, M., n.d.)

John Orech offers some great advice for creating digital stories in his article, “Tips for Digital Storytelling”, in Educator’s Ezine. 

• Encourage students to realize that they do have something to say when they are developing a story topic

• When writing the story remember to show don’t tell.

• When selecting images remember that quality is more important than quantity.

• Make sure that pictures and images are large enough –they should be at least 640x480 pixels.

• Utilize a storyboard when planning.

• Go slowly when speaking any parts for a voice over.

• Choose music carefully – a well selected piece can dramatically alter the feel of the finished product.

•  Remember that with visual effects less is sometimes more. Transitions between images help with the telling of the story and slow movement with pans and zooms work best so the audience does not become easily distracted.

•  Students work hard on these projects and they should be showcased accordingly. It is a good idea to present the stories so the whole class can view them.                    (Orech, J., 2007)

There are many different options for producing a digital story. One that many students will have access to is Windows Live Movie Maker. Go to http://www.microsoft.com/education/en-us/teachers/how-to/Pages/tell-story.aspx to watch a quick video for using this application. Make sure and scroll down the page as this link also has some great written directions. Finally, Microsoft Education has several guides to for digital storytelling in the classroom including a rubric for grading and a couple of templates for storyboards. Go to http://www.microsoft.com/education/en-us/teachers/guides/Pages/digital_storytelling.aspx for these resources. 

Good luck and happy story telling!

References

Orech, J. (2007, November 1). Tips for Digital Storytelling. Educator's Ezine.. Retrieved November 15, 2011, from http://www.techlearning.com/article/tips-for-digital-story-telling/44668

Ormiston, M. (n.d.). Digital Storytelling Resources for Teachers. TechTeachers. Retrieved November 15, 2011, from http://techteachers.com/digitalstorytelling.htm

Blog 6: Technology training

Many teachers in my school district cringe at the thought of technology training. Whether it is their lack or time, interest, or knowledge, teachers are often hesitant when required to attend technology training. Too many times, mandatory training is irrelevant to teacher practice or worse, the training is necessary, but inadequate. In the past three years, we have had three different student information systems. Each change lacked adequate and timely training. Unfortunately, this is the situation of many teachers across the country.

So, how can we ensure that our technology training is pertinent? Perhaps we should illicit our faculty and staff, and even ourselves, as trainers. Who better to know and understand our technology needs than we, ourselves? Though this suggestion sounds ideal, it takes a significant amount of effort for those planning and delivering such trainings.

Some important points to remember when planning technology training include content, delivery, and continued support. It is imperative that available training opportunities meet specific educational needs. You may wish to poll educators in your building seeking their opinions and interests regarding staff development topics. It is vital to address current needs which may include topics such as using digital cameras, evaluating Web sources, using Accelerated Reader, and locating and using new Web-based technologies.

When considering the design of the training, the most important thing is to keep it simple and easy to follow. You want your content to be pertinent and interesting. And, possibly even more important, you want to keep interest and learning alive. Support for participants should be made available beyond the initial technology training delivery.

Technology Training

Close to the end of last school year, my principal started our school’s Instructional Design Team. This is considered the umbrella where all of the school district’s initiatives (Working on the Work, Engagement Centered Schools, Standards Based Classrooms, and I wonder if all the other duties and responsibilities as assigned by the principal or designee) fall under. I was appointed the leader of the team and am working closely with my principal and other team members to develop a plan focusing on helping all teachers at my school incorporate harmonious instruction in their classrooms. Shortly after my appointment, I took the Instructional Design course at UWG where I worked on a yearlong agenda assignment in regards to integrating information literacy into the teachers’ curriculums at my school. All of our students have to complete Senior Projects where they must produce a MLA paper and actual product. Therefore, I created a module project that will help all teachers with the school’s OPAC, evaluating online resources, GALILEO, plagiarism/copyrights, MLA (citations), researching/writing, incorporating charts and data, presentation guidelines, public speaking, and Web 2.0 tools that can be later taught to the students in their classrooms. For the most part, the majority of the teachers at my school have some type of technology experience due to our students receiving some instruction via the computer on NovaNet. Sometimes teachers come to me because they forgot how to do certain features in Microsoft Word or Excel because they do not use the feature often. Just like any other school, our teachers probably range from beginners to experts in their own rights. Most teachers know the very basics of Microsoft Word, email, and how to add attachments but the teachers need to know what the library has to offer and about technologies around the school (Jurkowski, 2010, p. 162).

Not only would I talk with people outside of your school who work with technology integration, but I would also employ the expertise of my co-workers to help with presenting/developing modules for In-Service/Professional Development. I feel that reaching out to them will let them know that I know that they are good at what they do and I want to work with them. In addition, I feel that the others involved will be more receptive if they were getting their information from an expert instead of an ‘excellent researcher’. Time, energy, resistance, constantly changing technology, and cost issues are problems/barriers that need to be overcome to have productive technology staff development (Jurkowski, 2010, p. 163).

Our school district provides technology training for employees across the district. We have to view course offerings and register online over the WAN via EmployeeNet. Sometimes when a new piece of software is being introduced across the district, either our school’s Instructional Technology Specialist will have trainings at our school on our planning periods for small groups or at faculty meetings for the entire faculty and staff. Also, when we started using our new grade book and attendance software at the beginning of this school year the teacher who helps with FTE, scheduling, etc. re-delivered what she was taught this summer. We had this training during our Pre-Planning days; received instructional materials and handouts; and had to sign off that we participated. As the Design Team leader, I have created and emailed quarterly Design Tips newsletters that are shared, discussed, and implemented by the faculty and staff about Language of the Standards, Word Walls, Essential Questions; Peer Focus Walks; and Openings, Closings, and Work Sessions based on Standards-Based classrooms. Some of the information is related to technology and some not.

“There are several different ways to reach teachers. The most effective in terms of reaching the greatest number of people at a single time is simply the traditional large-group session. However, don’t let that stop you from working with smaller groups or even one-on-one. Furthermore, informal instruction, which can be offered on the fly, is often overlooked but should be included in your record keeping” (Jurkowski, 2010, p. 165).

According to Jurkowski (2010), “time and money spent on programs that faculty and staff consider a waste of time won’t boost morale and will only make future development endeavors more difficult to accept” (p. 162) therefore it is important to assess yourself and the audience; analyze the learner; select your instructional objectives; provide incentives for those attending, if you can; plan materials and activities that are related to the audience and objectives; utilize guided practice; try to involve small groups rather than large ones; and evaluate the in-service (p. 166).

References

Jurkowski, O. L. (2010). Technology and the school library: A comprehensive guide for media specialists and other educators. Lanham, MD: Scarecrow Press, Inc.

Last year, while driving to school one morning, my kids surprised me by having a heated debate on a current event. I can’t remember the exact topic but I do remember being impressed with their depth of knowledge. While I have seen them both glued to the television on numerous occasions CNN and FOX News have never made their list of favorite channels. I was curious about where they got their information. It turns out their middle school broadcasts Channel One every morning before the daily announcements.
                                                                                                                                             Channel One News is a Peabody Award winning news show aimed specifically at teens. According to the website their “mission is to inform, educate and inspire by making news relevant and engaging for young people and sparking discussion around the important issues impacting youth today.” The 12-minute news broadcast, delivered daily, features unbiased news and other information. It is broadcasted to nearly six million students in close to 8,000 middle and high schools across the country. Hallmarks of the show are young reporters that cover the news from a teen perspective in a fast-paced modern style. In addition to the news show Channel One also has an award winning website. The website, www.channelone.com, has a lot of great features including some excellent resources for teachers (Channel One, 2011). Below is a video of a recent clip from Channel One News.

In addition to broadcasting Channel One News, most of the schools in Troup County also produce and air their own news programs using their video distribution systems. When my daughter Bailey was in fifth grade she surprised me by announcing that she wanted to try out for the elementary school broadcast team. Bailey, who is by no means a wallflower, had also never struck me as the type who would be a natural in front of the camera. Fortunately she proved me wrong. That fifth grade audition and subsequent placement on the Franklin Forest Elementary School Broadcast Team turned out to be an amazing experience. In fact, Bailey enjoyed it so much that she continued her career in middle school where she worked on Gardner Newman News for the entire time she was a student there. At Hollis Hand Elementary they also broadcast the Annual Spelling Bee, a variety of school performances and the occasional message from the principal.

In addition to broadcasting school produced clips and shows the Media Specialist can run educational videos and DVDs at the teacher’s request directly into the classroom. At Hollis Hand they have three dedicated channels for this purpose so in theory three different programs can be distributed at once, although this rarely happens. Usually an entire grade level wants one video played at the same time. At Hollis Hand they utilize videos from Georgia Public Broadcasting and Discovery Learning is the main source of teacher’s videos. The media specialist noted, however, that as technology has improved over the years, the requests she gets for showing videos through the video distribution system has actually decreased. This is because it is now so easy for teachers to stream the videos from their personal classroom computer and show them from their Smartboard or television. 

According to their website, GPB Education “is Georgia’s digital media content provider for the classroom offering locally produced, Georgia-specific content and digital streaming services across all subject areas to teachers and students. All GPB Education content is correlated to Georgia Performance Standards and aligned with Common Core Standards as adopted and implemented.” They offer numerous educational programs including

·         Chemistry & Physics

·         Count on it!

·         Dinoventures

·         And more 
(GPB Education, 2011)

The website for GPB Education, http://www.gpb.org/education, is quite impressive. There is
a new free digital library that features over 14,000 resources. These resources can be
searched by grade level, subject area, media type, resource type, and even language. Other
nice features of the website include Monthly Resources, where materials have been
compiled based on themes and topics that occur in that month. For example, April includes
National Poetry Month, National Child Abuse Prevention Month and Earth Day. There are
also a wide variety of archived webinars as well as additional resources for parents and adult
learners (GPB Education, 2011).

Getting students interested and excited about learning is a major accomplishment. With
resources like Channel One and GPB Education this is easier than ever before.

References:

Channel One News. (July 20, 2010). Who Are We? Retrieved November 2, 2011 from http://www.channelone.com/about/

Channel One News. (n.d.). Immigration Laws Affecting Farms. Retrieved November 2, 2011 from http://www.channelone.com/video/immigration-laws-affecting-farms/#ooid=Rlb294MjoEajYni5TADvk8VnDnt-X9Uw

GPB Education. (2011). About GPB Education. Retrieved November 2, 2011 from http://www.gpb.org/education/about

GPB Education. (2011). Monthly Resources. Retrieved November 2, 2011 from http://www.gpb.org/education/monthly-resources 

GPB Resources and Video Distribution Systems

Image retrieved from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1092198/Young-gifted-lost-40-years-Bernard-Braden-remarkable-record-Sixties.html

              

     Kennesaw Elementary School utilizes a video distribution system for the school’s electronic bulletin board, television stations, and videos. In the past, a school news program was also distributed in this manner. The distribution system is currently in working order. The media specialist is in charge of the distribution system and teacher requests are directed to her. Cobb County School District has pre-set the television station channels, but the media specialist is knowledgeable about how to modify the channels if needed. The school uses a digital system which runs video through the classroom VCR’s to the LCD projectors. Television monitors, although no longer needed, remain in the classrooms because it costs $85. per television for the labor to remove them. Previously, videos and cable segments were sent from equipment in the media center to classrooms, but now the classrooms use Georgia Public Broadcasting’s (GPB) partner Discovery Education Streaming. Media center staff once had to turn on videos for teachers who requested them to be sent to their classrooms at a certain day and time, but now teachers can access videos on demand in their own classrooms with a free password and username. GPB offers free webinars on how to use Discovery Education, formerly known as United Streaming. The resource offers a digital streaming service including over 9,000 videos and other multimedia content available online for teacher use (GPB Education, 2011). Gone are the days of pushing that t.v. and video cart from classroom to classroom!

                Kennesaw Elementary and Cobb County School District also reap the benefits of the GPB education website, which offers Georgia education news, instructional videos, and a plethora of educational resources. Rather than give a broad overview of the site, today I’d like to focus on three specific resources available on the site: “Financial Football,” “This Day in Georgia History,” and “Georgia WWII Veteran’s Oral History Project.”

                One excellent resource is “financial football” a financial literacy video game with professional graphics and exciting sports-themed intro. Players customize the game by selecting their home and opposing football team, age level and game length. In between action packed ball plays, players answer questions such as “What is a finance charge?” and “Money markets and cd’s are what kind of investment?” For someone who could not care less about football, I must admit the game sounds of referee whistles blowing, crowds shouting and bodies crunching are very exciting. If the New Media Consortium Horizon Report for 2011 is correct, game-based learning will be huge in the next 2-3 years, and this one has good appeal and is an excellent example of combining learning with gaming.

                The GPB education site also provides “This Day in Georgia History”, featuring biographies of three famous Georgians that change daily. Today Juliette Gordon Lowe, founder of the girl Scouts, Duane Almann, band leader, and Von Gammon, UGA football player are featured. Clicking the link below the famous Georgian’s photo to “learn more” brings students a professional video and sets the subject in historical context on the Georgia History Timeline. Resources for additional learning include vocabulary words from the video, classroom activities, and links to other articles and suggested readings. For Duane Almann, brief pieces of music play in the background while commentator Stan Deaton of the Georgia Historical Society speaks about his contribution to Southern Rock music. Teachers can use the video, audio, or text only version of the biography. Students could create their own visuals to play during the audio only version, or design a short skit.

                Another excellent digital tool is the Georgia WWII Veteran’s Oral History Project. Personal narratives, letters and photos are easily accessible for students. One veteran is James Sedlack, Technical Sergeant in the Army Air Corp, who shares his story of a Romanian noblewoman (one of the king of Romania’s relatives) giving him musical instruments and caring for a wounded soldier on her estate. Photos of veterans as young men and women during the war, and at the time of their interview are included as well. The project includes interviews with Holocaust survivors and should be used with sensitivity. A warning on the introduction video cautions users about graphic images & discussions. Not many World War II veterans are still alive or healthy enough to share their feelings and stories in person in the classroom.  This tool is powerful because it preserves voices which might otherwise be lost and makes them accessible to anyone wanting to learn from personal accounts of those who were there.

                The latest offering on the site is the PBS LearningMedia virtual library, recently mentioned  in a School Library Journal article. It provides “instant access to thousands of classroom-ready, digital resources including videos and interactives perfect for the Interactive Whiteboard, plus audio and photos, and even in-depth lesson plans” (PBS Learning Media, 2011). It includes subject areas such as the arts, science, social studies, mathematics, and health. In sum, this free GPB website is a fine example of technology used to engage students in learning and has many valuable resources for teachers and students. Peace out.

References:

GPB Education. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.gpb.org/readingrainbow/term?     page=698
New Media Consortium. (2011). NMC Horizon Report: 2011 K-12 Edition. Austin, TX. Retrieved from http://www.nmc.org/pdf/2011-Horizon-Report-K12.pdf

PBS LearningMedia (2011). Retrieved from http://gpb.pbslearningmedia.org/

School Library Journal Staff. (2011, October 11). PBS launches free online resource to help boost student achievement. School Library Journal. Retrieved from http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/slj/home/892349-312/pbs_launches_free_online_resource.html.csp

Flower image retrieved from http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk46/sherig9/flower-2.jpg

Blog 4: Social Networking

A lot of times when people think of social networking, they automatically think of MySpace and FaceBook. The reality is that social networking encompasses many different activities and applications. While MySpace and Facebook are ways to network socially on the web, so are sites like Delicious, LibraryThing, a plethora of 2.0 web applications, and many others. Considering the wide range of social networking applications and uses, it is not surprising that the number of schools reporting to use social networking applications is increasing. As reported by the American Library Association, (http://www.ala.org/ala/newspresscenter/news/pressreleases2008/jun2008/AASLsurvey.cfm) some preliminary findings state that 53% of schools use some sort of collaborative tools to assist in instruction. 50% of schools report the use of the intranet, 41% of schools report the use of podcasts, 29% of schools report the use of instructional blogs, and between 15% and 20% of schools report the use of online instruction and social bookmarking.

Considering the fact that the popularity of social networking is, in fact, growing, we must consider the safety or our students and patrons as they access this information through the internet. The School Library Journal offers some insight and information about how to keep teens safe while joining in on online conversation (http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/article/CA6574015.html?industryid=47060).

• One site, Connect Safely, was created especially for adults by Anne Collier and Larry Magid. It provides awareness and education, plus it is available in Spanish!




• Get Net Wise – Social Networking Sites offers some great tools for parents of student that engage in social networking. There is even a section titled “Resources for Parents.” The helpful site features some how to tutorials for Facebook, MySpace, and Xanga.




• NSTeens – Post-to-be Private has a great online video to help teach teens about online privacy issues.




• Social Networking Basics is a fantastic site for both adults and teens who may not have any previous experience with social networking.




• StaySafe.org for Teenagers is an important site to assist teenagers in learning to protect themselves from spammers and hackers.




• TeacherLibrarianNing is a superb blog community designed for school library media specialists.
  
  
  As educators we must consider the implications and possibilities of incorporating social networking. The research suggests that it’s coming! What we do with it is up to us.
  
  References:
  
  http://teacherlibrarian.ning.com/
  
  http://www.ala.org/ala/newspress/news/pressreleases2008/june2008/AASLsurvey.cfm
  
  http://www.mmischools.com/Articles/ReadArticle.aspx?ArticleID=59618
  
  http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/article/CA6574015.html?industryid=47060

The Skinny on Media Center Web Pages

Librarians have embraced web pages as a means to reach beyond bookshelves to wherever their students access the Internet. Jurkowski found that 87% of librarians responding to his survey on LM_Net have a website for their library (2010). For a librarian setting up a new web page, the main question to keep in mind is, “Does this information/link/image/web page support my students’ learning?”

Tips for Media Center Web Pages:

·         Free software (Nvu & Mozilla SeaMonkey) for web page creation (Jurkowski, 2010)

·         Keep it current

·         Present unbiased comments and balanced materials

·         Double-check accuracy of your information

·         List page’s author and whom to contact for assistance (webmaster’s email)

·         Let students and other end-users test it for ease of use, etc. and use their feedback for improvements

·         Use a simple design

·         Ensure it can be used by low-vision and hearing-impaired students

Uses for Media Center Web Pages:

·         Promote your library media center – e.g. links to state representatives, school board members; book fairs, library events

·         Advertise new materials – upload an image of that newest, hottest graphic novel to bring students in

·         Promote, organize, and provide discussion space for book clubs

·         Offer professional development models for teachers

·         Post summer reading lists and have a summer reading giveaway (Stephens & Franklin, 2007)

·         Provide links to subscription databases, government websites, and GALILEO (Georgia only)

·         Provide catalog access, ability to place holds, view student’s account

·         Imbed child-friendly search engine or links to these

·         Post library media center policies such as IUP and library use agreement

You can add so much more, but remember to keep in mind your original question, "Does this support my students' learning?" You can find the current weather on a billion other websites. Stick to what matters.

Resources:

www.mozilla.com

www.nvu.com

www.seamonkey-project.org

http://www.bwscampus.com/upper/library/index.aspx - example of a good library media center webpage


References:
Jurkowski, O. L. (2010). Technology and the school library: A comprehensive guide for media specialists and other educators. Lanham, MD: Scarecrow Press, Inc.

Stephens, C. G. & Franklin, P. (2007). Library 101: A handbook for the school library media specialist. Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited.

To be or not to be...A School Library Website?

I work at an alternative school that is possibly in the ten percent of media centers not having a website. Currently, we have links to Reference, Career, and Test Prep materials on our Destiny (OPAC) homepage. But providing a list of links is not enough (Jurkowski, 2010, p. 70). Does having web presence mean that our school's media center has a website or not? Due to time and money, the media specialist is using the resources that she has to the best of her ability. Our media specialist is also the reading teacher and has to teach classes just as the other teachers and has students working on NovaNet (an online instruction program) as well. This is only the school's second year having a media specialist. Plus, she has a lot of hats to wear and has some additional duties, too.

I am going to suggest that students at our school take this on to give back to the school. Our students are required to complete a senior project for their English IV class and this would be a great assignment for someone who does not know what to do and has some experience with technology. They can start it off as a blog or Wiki since our school district has specific software that they would like for us to use and only our webmaster for our school's website has been trained to use it. Or they can create a website for the media center using free sites as some other schools in the district. The student will also need a mentor so the webmaster could work with the student and make sure that the Wiki, blog, or free website is linked to our school's webpage just as Destiny currently is.

To start, the media specialist in a similar situation needs to work with the person on what features and links he or she wants to include on the Wiki, blog, or website and how it should be designed. Our school serves many grade levels and those users will have to be kept in mind. Also, with me being the parent of a child with a disability I would want to make sure that all students are able to use the website according to their abilities. For example, alternate text and textual transcripts can be included for the visually or hearing impaired (Jurkowski, 2010, p. 73).

Once the person knows what to include then he or she should look around at other media center websites within and outside of the district using the following questions that Pat Franklin developed to help her high school students with media literacy when evaluating Web sites (Stephens and Franklin, 2007, p. 105):

• URL of Web Page _____________________
• Name of Web Page ____________________
• Is the title of he page indicative of the content? Yes/No
• Is the information useful for your purpose? Yes/No
• Is the purpose of the page indicated on the home page? Yes/No
• Did the information lead you to other sources that might be helpful? Yes/No
• Is the information current? Yes/No
• Does the up-to-date information matter for your purpose? Yes/No
• Does the information appear biased? Yes/No
• Does the information contradict something you found elsewhere? Yes/No
• Did the pictures enhance the content? Yes/No
• Who created the page? ____________________
• The author is affiliated with what organization? ___________________
• What is the domain of this page? ____________________
• Are you positive the information is true? Yes/No
• How can you prove it? ____________________
• Write one fact you found on this Web page: ___________________

After the evaluation of other websites and features and links are decided, then the student can work on and show the media specialist what he or she developed. Any media specialist going this route will definitely have no question whether or not it has a school library with a Web 2.0 website.


References
Jurkowski, O. L. (2010). Technology and the school library: A comprehensive guide for media specialists and other educators. Lanham, MD: Scarecrow Press, Inc.

Stephens, C. G. & Franklin, P. (2007). Library 101: A handbook for the school library media specialist. Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited.

Media Center Web Pages

Back in the dark ages, right after I got my first job out of college, I had my first opportunity to see the internet. I worked for a large real estate firm in Atlanta doing corporate marketing. At that time we were considered fairly tech savvy, although we still had to hand paste our logo onto all our marketing materials to get them ready for the printer. One girl in the office was lucky enough to have internet access because she had to submit the classified ads to the newspaper each week. I can still hear her computer as the slow sound of dial-up filled the room. One day our boss was not in so we all crowded into her cubicle so we could see what all the fuss with the internet was about. As I studied my first webpage I could not help but feel, how can I put this nicely, profoundly disappointed. That was it? That was the internet. It seemed like nothing more than a giant ad for companies with the resources to market themselves. Of course, we didn’t have much time to “surf the net” to see what all was available. And back then webpages and graphics were nothing like they are today. It would be like comparing the first Atari home video games (remember Pong?) to a Nintendo Xbox 360 or a Sony PlayStation.

I am quite simply amazed at the changes that the last 18 years have brought in terms of technology. (I am also amazed that I have been out of college for 18 years but that is another story!) Now virtually every business, politician, organization and event has their own website and school media centers are no different. In fact, our textbook, Technology in the School Library, states that close to 90 percent of school media centers have websites and, because of new options and technologies, this number is expected to be close to 100 percent in the next few years (Jurkowski, 2010).

The question then becomes not should the school media center have a website, but how can the school media center website be the best it can be and best serve the students and staff?

Content, obviously, is extremely important. In fact, it was listed in almost everything I read about effective website design. Many different elements can be included in a good media center webpage. It is important to post the basics like hours of operation and contact information. I personally think it is a good idea to include an e-mail address and phone number in a prominent spot. I get extremely frustrated when I cannot find the contact information on a website since that is often the initial reason I go to a site. Other ideas for content include pathfinders, books and reading promotions, presentations, speeches, instructions and blogs. School Library Websites, http://schoollibrarywebsites.wikispaces.com/, is a great wiki with a lot of ideas for content. Not only does it give a lot of links to established sites (some good, some bad) but it provides numerous links to different ideas. One suggestion I loved was “Book Trailers.” Similar to movie trailers these short films would be great to place on your homepage to pique reader interest. See a sample below.

Other tips for designing an effective webpage include making sure you keep your audience in mind. A site aimed at a third grader will need to be different than one aimed at a high school student. Schools that have a large range of ages can use a common home page with links to different areas for different ages (Jurkowski, 2010). Simplify, simplify, simplify. If a page has too many elements it becomes distracting rather than helpful. It is also a good idea to visually highlight important information (like e-mail address and phone numbers!) Make sure and limit your color palette and pay attention to readability when selecting colors. Red and blue mixed together are difficult to read and red and green are impossible for someone who is color blind. Color should always be used judiciously (IJ design, 2011). Finally, it is a good idea to keep pages short, satisfy user’s needs immediately (avoid lots of clicks to get to something simple), make sure your page is easy to navigate and check the usability of your webpage by testing and retesting (Diane, 2010).

References

Diane, L. (December 8, 2010). Top 10 Web Design Tips and Tricks | TechnoZeast. TechnoZeast | The Technology Blog. Retrieved October 17, 2011, from http://www.technozeast.com/top-10-web-design-tips-and-tricks.html

Jurkowski, O. (2010). Technology and the school Library (Revised Edition ed.). Lanham: Scarecrow Press, Inc.

Top 10 web design tips - IJDesign. (n.d.). Green Web Design - IJDesign in Denver, Colorado. Retrieved October 17, 2011, from http://www.ijdesign.com/Top-10-Web-Design-Tips.html

Image courtesy of TechnoZeast.