Tech reflection--final

I am listing the writings we designed in class. These are all tools for communication. The computer is a tool to make these things. Used wisely and with the right training it can be helpful. I will admit I have an "addiction" to e-mail and can spend hours staring at a screen. This is not the computer's fault. It's an issue of me needing to balance my time. Every tool is good when used with balance.

Newsletter ideas

For my monthly newsletter at Lake Superior Information-Media Ceter (IMC) I am going to write about the success of game night, which took place on Tuesday (18th.) and announce multicultural book month. We will focus on ways different cultures give thanks.
My second article will highlight available databases and other research tools.
The third article dicusses the upcoming harvest/winter feast. It will be school-wide.

media center brochure

I am going to make a brochure with information about the media center. It will include details about the upcoming game day with more descriptions of some of "our" new computer games. Ideas will be based off an article for Instructional Design Class on some ways video games help children. I will have a "Why We Are Doing This" section, for those who think they are a mindless waste of time. I think this would be a K-8 event in an elementary media center open to other local schools

New Poster

I am creating a poster to advertise Game Day in the Media Center. Studies have shown that educational games can help students. It will encourage reluctant students to come to the library. Watch for it online!

Staff development

My staff development presentation is on voice recognition software. In the PowerPoint I have listed how to use the software, from set up to printing a finished product. I also tell how it is useful for teachers and students to have as a resource in the library or computer lab. At the very end there is reference to the web site where I bought this product that I personally use. The students who are in class got to experience a short demo with the digital recorder.

media center site

Here is my very own website for a media center. Someday it will be real. Enjoy.
http://students.css.edu/jhagstro/index.html

questions

What was the MS comparing in the first interview question (blogosphere article) MS blogging vs. common blogging for fun? What/ who is the "generalist biblioblog"?
It is important for teachers to understand policies for Internet safety/changing filter settings, etc. How does a person find this out once w/in the school?
I feel "behind the times" in the Internet tech area, so "podcasts and blogs gave me good new info.

BLOGS in the classroom

"Collaborative Literacy" gives many good ideas of how blogs can be used in the classroom. One is the 3rd grade project about endangered species and teasing. This helps kids because they can connect with others online and see other viewpoints. Blogs have also been used by teacher/librarians and students to post book reviews and attract people to the media center website. These benefits exist only when online activities are done safely.

The downfall of blogging is that people that students are visiting on the internet could be made up. Writers of blogs may say they are any age, any gender from anywhere in the world. This Fake ID potentially dangerous to students, who can be stalked or taken advantage of.

Media specialists and other teachers need to follow district or school policies about filters and restrict access to students within the school and/or students from a specific class, as in the Talkback Project. It is necessary to keep kids safe while making learning fun.

blogging for the media center

blogging is a fun, useful way to connect students in the media center. It makes doing assignments fun since most students, espcially MS and HS like to spend time with cell phones, laptops, ipods, etc. It brings current-day technology into the classroom and prepares kids to use it in the real world.--opinion