Thing # 7 - Video Resources (11.5 More Things)

Wow! So many resources for finding videos! Most people know about You Tube and Teacher Tube, etc., and Hulu is being advertised on TV, but it's good to know about the others.

I embedded a video from hulu, which is just a funny Sesame Street skit of Grover in the library. Believe it or not, middle school kids are nostalgic about their favorite elementary books and TV shows, so I thought this would be a good video to show during orientation to remind them about the library. While I am not a stereotypical "shushing" librarian, I could use it to talk about what is and isn't appropriate in the library. See below.



Our 8th graders study the Holocaust every spring and our school holds a special assembly with guess speaker Walter Kase, one of the few remaining Holocaust survivors. It is a really moving time for our students, and I often see students in the library afterwards looking up things online about Walter Kase. Some teachers also bring their classes to the library for Holocaust/World War II research, so I thought a video of another Holocaust survivor (like the following I got from blinkx) would be good to show. I did not see a way to embed this video, so I created a link below.

Holocaust Survivor

Finally, the Twilight saga is still all the rave, so I used Google Video Search to find an interview with Stephenie Meyer. Even if you can't physically bring an author into your school for a visit, you can always show a video of author interviews.



Now I am curios to see if I can embed videos into flip charts, which I plan to make for library orientation this year...

Thing # 6 - iTouch Apps (11.5 More Things)

This "thing" really set me back because I do not have an iTouch or an iPhone (although all my students do -- and one of them has been trying to talk me into getting one for a year). A friend of mine recently got an iPhone so I went to her house and she showed me how to download apps. It was all done from her iPhone (not the iTunes store online) so she lent me the iTouch that came with her Mac and I took it home to learn how to download apps on that, although I was required to pay a $10.00 fee to update my iTunes software. It is amazing how fast and easy it is to do! However, had I not already had experience with my iPod Nano, it would have been a much longer learning process. I downloaded Wikipanion, which is essentially Wikipedia for the iTouch, Facebook, Did You Know,? which provides random facts for the day, and Spanish Tudor. There are SOOOOOO many educational apps that can be used in the library or classroom. I have to admit, I wasn't sold on iTouches being useful in the library until using one. Students can use iTouches to do research on anything (just like a computer). They can download apps like Wikipanion, or go to the SBISD online databases (I just searched for a book in my library...). As far as using the iTouches by multiple students, they can view videos on things like Teacher Tube (or download an app like Poptig to view educaitonal videos), create a photostory, use Facebook for a project (as mentioned in one of my earlier blogs), type assignments, take notes, listen to audio books (by downloading apps such as Bookshelf, or Classics, etc.). The sky is the limit. If they had the latest iPhone they could even take videos and pictures for their projects. It's going to be a while before I return my friend's iTouch because I have more exploring to do. And if you've read my latest Facebook status, you will see that this has now convinced me to get an iPhone. I love my Blackberry, but I am behind the curve and seem to be missing out!

Thing #5 - Microblogging (11.5 More Things)

I have been on Facebook for several months now (after avoiding it for some time) and became very addicted early on. It's been really fun to reconnect with people I haven't seen in years (especially high school friends) and it's funny to see that most of them are generally still the same. It kind of feels like a virtual sense of what heaven might be like. You join Facebook (or enter the "pearly gates") and everyone who is already there from every walk of life embraces you. And I love it because all your contacts are right there, so you know that even if somebody moves you'll still have access to them on FB. Who needs Christmas cards anymore? And while I really don't need to know what Michael Yee is doing every two minutes of his life (that can get annoying), I do think microblogging can make you feel closer to people in general.


I just signed up for Twitter so I do not have as much experience with it, but I am excited to follow a bunch of celebrities. I am always reading in magazines that John Mayer Twittered "this," or Jessica Simpson Twittered "that," so it will be interesting to see if I am receiving the same "tweets" I read about.


While these microblogging sites are great, there can also be some negative things about them. For example, I know of couples who have fought about Facebook because the fear of not knowing who their spouse might be "reconnecting" with is concerning. And let's face it, the online love connection thing is alive and well!!! These mediums can also be a means for Internet bullying (I read that Lindsay Lohan got snubbed by Justin Timberlake recently so she Twittered a lie about seeing him cheating on his girlfriend). And online communication can often result in misunderstandings, as it's hard to always portray one's tone in their comments (which can ultimately change the meaning of something said).


As far as educational uses go, you can certainly use either of these mediums for collaboration between students or colleagues, and I have heard of teachers having students create Facebook profiles for fictional or historical characters for a project (and I think she had them make comments like the characters would have done). Groups can also be set up on FB as a means for discussing specific things (my church community group has a group set up on FB). I think back-channeling is a great tool if used in the right setting. I doubt many middle school students are going to pay much attention to a speaker if they have a phone in hand. However, when a Holocaust survivor came to speak at our school, it would have been useful for students to be able to back-channel questions for him to answer.


I think Twitter is more for the famed, as celebrities are the ones who are going to have the followers. For example, I am following Lance Armstrong and he is "Twittering" a play by play of what is going on at the Tour de France right now, which is way cool if you are into that. You can also follow the NBA and such to learn about the latest and greatest goings on before it hits the newsstands. And Twitter certainly played a large role in the last presidential election... But for the average person, I think Facebook makes more sense.

Thing #4 - Video Hosting/You Tube (11.5 More Things)

Wow, that was easy to do! I uploaded a video that one of my students (Meredith Miller) created in Photo Story about a career in acting. I was a little wary to upload it without her permission, but I figured I could always delete it. I use this video all the time to show students and teachers how to create a Photo Story, and she is very proud of the exposure she receives with that so I didn't think she would mind. I first uploaded her video to You Tube, but used the private setting. I tried to search for it using the tags I added but couldn't find it. Then I realized it was probably because I didn't list the people who were allowed to view it. I mean, the whole point of posting to You Tube is for the whole world to see your video, so I deleted it from You Tube and uploaded it to Teacher Tube instead (which I was going to try anyway). There are countless educational benefits and uses for uploading videos to Teacher Tube (how-to's, book trailers, etc.), but my biggest concern (especially when it comes to uploading student projects) is accuracy. Just like with a website, teachers need to be mindful about evaluating the videos they find on Teacher Tube before showing them to their students. Currently I am really into book trailers, and while some of the ones I've found on You Tube are fantastic, others are poorly done (or I couldn't find any for certain titles at all). I look forward to the opportunity to try to make and post some book trailers myself! I also uploaded to You Tube a video I made a while back that represents my husband's favorite things. Overall I think You Tube is more user friendly than Teacher Tube. And while I appreciate Teacher Tube reviewing the videos before posting them (I assume for appropriateness), having to wait 24 hours for your video to post is kind of frustrating in this "immediate gratification" kind of world we're living in. By the way, I didn't see a URL for my student's video, but you can search for it on Teacher Tube using the tag "Hollywood." The title is Meredith Miller Photo Story.

Thing #3 - Like Skype (11.5 More Things)

Skype reminds me a lot of how I received my degree in graduate school -- interactive video. It can definitely be used in classrooms or libraries for collaboration, distant learning, or perhaps to interview someone for a project. The article about the teacher who used it with her class to debate and collaborate with a class from another country was really cool. I also thought it was neat to see the video where a Skype kiosk station was set up in a college library for students to ask a reference question. However, while this technology is a really neat thing (I love the Oreo commercial where the dad is out of town on business and "Skypes" his son so they can share an Oreo together), and there are many great uses (I think about people in the military who might use it to call and/or see their families from Iraq), it seems like too much of a production to set up for ordinary use. I tried downloading Skype on my SBISD laptop and I couldn't do it. Then I tried logging in with the home login, but couldn't get the login to work. Then you have to coordinate with whoever your conferencing or calling to make sure they have an account. I even read on the page that Skype encourages you to send people a thank you gift after inviting them to join. And then even the college librarian on the video mentioned above admitted that the students rarely used the Skype option they had set up. I messed around with EvaPhone and PokeTalk to try to make a local call, and then just got frustrated. I most likely will not revisit Skype or the like under normal circumstances. The video conferencing is amazing, but as far as making a phone call (or texting) goes, a cell phone works for me.

Thing #2 - Image Generators 2 (11.5 More Things)

Wordle is way cool! I really had fun with this, and of course had to checkout every single font and play with the colors. I did one based on Barry's suggestion of listing every word that describes what our job as a librarian entails. I really do plan to print this out (poster size) and hang it on my office door. And I liked how you could change the layout of the words (horizontal, vertical, half & half, etc.) and if you like the horizontal layout, but you don't care for how the words are ordered, I found that if you change it to another layout (say vertical) and then change it back to horizontal, the words are in different spots, so you can mess with it and choose one where the important words are emphasised. I also plugged in my family blog website and almost started crying to see all the words that represent my family's life (Mia, soccer, Mimi, etc.). Amazing tool! Love it. A student could use this tool to summarize what was learned in a research project such as the Holocaust. Or, as mentioned copy and paste a paper that was written and it would be a great way to present the information (or could be used as a help tool when presenting a paper or book report to the class.

Wordsift is really amazing too! As far as school goes it can be used in the same manner as Wordle, bu via a projector so students can use the hotlinks. Again it would be perfect to present what was learned in something like a Holocaust project, as students could be linked to pictures and such as the person is presenting. The downfall would be all the hotlinks that come up for words that have nothing to do with content of the paper...

Glogster is really neat. I do think there is a different (better) kind of thinking going on by doing an online poster vs. a cardboard poster because there are so many different variables associated with Glogster (text, pictures, music, podcasting, videos, etc.). A lot more information can be imparted! And of course the kids are going to be more excited to do Glogster because they are technologically wired.

Bookr is neat. It could be used instead of a PowerPoint or Photostory to present a project. It does have its creative limitations though -- no sound, no changing colors or fonts, etc. However, the simplicity could be ideal for younger kids. And I like how you can easily email it to someone (a teacher). Unfortunately, I published my lame trial bookr project on the bookr site... enjoy!

Click this link to see my Wordle poster...

title="Wordle: Libraries2"> src="http://www.wordle.net/thumb/wrdl/1028447/Libraries2"
alt="Wordle: Libraries2"
style="padding:4px;border:1px solid #ddd">

Thing #1 - Registration (11.5 More Things)

Just as technology doesn't replace the need for libraries, technology will never replace the need for teachers. The role of a teacher always has and will be that of a facilitator -- someone to point students in the right direction. In fact, technology enhances the need for both libraries and teachers, as they all go hand in hand. The information age is ever changing and can be very confusing. Libraries organize this information and teachers/librarians are there to impart it. I always said that I miss being in school because it kept me up on the ever changing technology. After graduate school in 2000 I would hear about things and not know what people were talking about. I haven't felt that way since I began working in SBISD because we have such an awesome library director who facilitates our continuous learning. Regarding the video, I think the role of the student is accurate (I am one), and the video is right on. And yes, a librarian can and SHOULD play the role of the teacher depicted in the video.