Now that I am solidly in my "middle" agehood, there are moments when it comes home to me how fast the world is changing. Reading and researching about digital storytelling and ebooks really brought this home to me. As the University of Houston website explains, "Digital Storytelling is the practice of using computer-based tools to tell stories." It's a new world out there! As a SLMC, I will be thrilled to share this new strategies with teachers. Digital storytelling has a number of applications in the classroom. It can used to great effect as a lesson hook or anticipatory set. For example, I shared the Great Depression storyboard example with my daughter who is a HS History teacher. She then showed the video clip to her students. They absolutely loved it. She said that a few girls even started to cry. And we know that if we can engage emotions, we've got em! Not only can teachers use digital storytelling, having students produce their own as a performance assessment is a fantastic idea. Digital storytelling appeals to all learning modalities and most certainly will capture the interest of all students. It was the reading on ebooks that really got me to consider how fast our culture is changing and being changed by technology. My personal experience so far has been audiobooks on CD and downloads from iTunes. I have not yet made the jump to a Nook or Kindle as I am loathe to give up physical experience of reading. However, as Christopher Harris points out in his article, "A Souped-up Picture Book: What Apple's iPad might mean for libraries", children today aren't as disposed to physical connection of reading as I am. Harris makes the interesting point that children today are bilingual. That is that they are fluent in both print and digital resources. Just think about the American home today and the number of technological interactions that are taking place. Our clocks, ovens, TVs, thermostats, cars, and just about everything else is digital. So the question must be asked, as SLMS how can we accommodate this new reality? Why with ebooks, of course! SLMS are currently using digital resources through their use of online reference materials. Besides the use of online reference materials, I am not aware of the use of ebooks in schools within my area. I do know that at least one local high school has purchased three ipads for students use. After talking with this SLMS, it seems that students aren't using the iPads for reading ebooks but rather are using them as a means to get on the internet for social networking. For that reason, I think that the Kindle or Nook would be a better vehicle for encouraging the reading of ebooks. I was so happy to learn about Project Gutenberg. First I thought it was an entirely appropriate title and a newly found vast resource for the school media center.
Angela, I agree that getting students engaged emotionally through digital stories is a great way to increase the desire to learn. I also believe that students will enjoy the creative aspect of creating a digital story. Students who have a knack for technology will love the challenge. This resource is a great way to culminate a unit, giving the teacher insight as to whether students have mastered standards. I know that digital stories might be just the hook needed to make students curious about the theme or subject the teacher is introducing.
Ebooks are here to stay and will be the future resources selected for media centers. I love to hold "paper" books and enjoy passing them along to friends and family. It feels right using them in my home or media center as interior design. After reading a blog by Doug Johnson, I was made even more aware of what the future of media centers will look like. It will be even more necessary for media specialists to use good interpersonal skills in the media center to create welcoming environments for patrons to read, learn, and socialize. Patrons will stay in their classrooms to read ebooks if the media center does not remain the hub of the school. The future holds many drastic changes for media specialists. I agree with you that using iPads to read ebooks is probably not the best choice.
That is an interesting point you bring up about the iPad vs. Kindle or Nook. I had not thought about that, but it is a real concern that many students are reluctant readers and if they are given an opportunity to check Facebook instead of read they are going to take it. I also see the flip side of that argument, though. With all the budget constraints, you want to purchase technology tools that get the most bang for the buck. An iPad has many functions and features, where the Kindle only has one. I guess as a LMS, you would have to weight the pros and cons and determine what would work best for your individual school.
Interesting comment about the ipad. Experiences like that, having to police the use and misuse, is exactly one of the reasons that teachers are reluctant and sometimes negative about embracing new technical tools for instruction. Although you can't blame them with the ridiculous load classroom teachers are carrying, we have to find a way to merge technology into the classroom. I think this is where the SLMS comes into play. If we can continuously support classroom teachers by exploring options and providing ideas for integrating new tech tools, maybe more teachers will become supportive of giving things a try.
Now that I am solidly in my "middle" agehood, there are moments when it comes home to me how fast the world is changing. Reading and researching about digital storytelling and ebooks really brought this home to me. As the University of Houston website explains, "Digital Storytelling is the practice of using computer-based tools to tell stories." It's a new world out there!
ReplyDeleteAs a SLMC, I will be thrilled to share this new strategies with teachers. Digital storytelling has a number of applications in the classroom. It can used to great effect as a lesson hook or anticipatory set. For example, I shared the Great Depression storyboard example with my daughter who is a HS History teacher. She then showed the video clip to her students. They absolutely loved it. She said that a few girls even started to cry. And we know that if we can engage emotions, we've got em!
Not only can teachers use digital storytelling, having students produce their own as a performance assessment is a fantastic idea. Digital storytelling appeals to all learning modalities and most certainly will capture the interest of all students.
It was the reading on ebooks that really got me to consider how fast our culture is changing and being changed by technology. My personal experience so far has been audiobooks on CD and downloads from iTunes. I have not yet made the jump to a Nook or Kindle as I am loathe to give up physical experience of reading. However, as Christopher Harris points out in his article, "A Souped-up Picture Book: What Apple's iPad might mean for libraries", children today aren't as disposed to physical connection of reading as I am. Harris makes the interesting point that children today are bilingual. That is that they are fluent in both print and digital resources. Just think about the American home today and the number of technological interactions that are taking place. Our clocks, ovens, TVs, thermostats, cars, and just about everything else is digital. So the question must be asked, as SLMS how can we accommodate this new reality? Why with ebooks, of course!
SLMS are currently using digital resources through their use of online reference materials. Besides the use of online reference materials, I am not aware of the use of ebooks in schools within my area. I do know that at least one local high school has purchased three ipads for students use. After talking with this SLMS, it seems that students aren't using the iPads for reading ebooks but rather are using them as a means to get on the internet for social networking. For that reason, I think that the Kindle or Nook would be a better vehicle for encouraging the reading of ebooks.
I was so happy to learn about Project Gutenberg. First I thought it was an entirely appropriate title and a newly found vast resource for the school media center.
Angela, I agree that getting students engaged emotionally through digital stories is a great way to increase the desire to learn. I also believe that students will enjoy the creative aspect of creating a digital story. Students who have a knack for technology will love the challenge. This resource is a great way to culminate a unit, giving the teacher insight as to whether students have mastered standards. I know that digital stories might be just the hook needed to make students curious about the theme or subject the teacher is introducing.
ReplyDeleteEbooks are here to stay and will be the future resources selected for media centers. I love to hold "paper" books and enjoy passing them along to friends and family. It feels right using them in my home or media center as interior design. After reading a blog by Doug Johnson, I was made even more aware of what the future of media centers will look like. It will be even more necessary for media specialists to use good interpersonal skills in the media center to create welcoming environments for patrons to read, learn, and socialize. Patrons will stay in their classrooms to read ebooks if the media center does not remain the hub of the school. The future holds many drastic changes for media specialists. I agree with you that using iPads to read ebooks is probably not the best choice.
That is an interesting point you bring up about the iPad vs. Kindle or Nook. I had not thought about that, but it is a real concern that many students are reluctant readers and if they are given an opportunity to check Facebook instead of read they are going to take it. I also see the flip side of that argument, though. With all the budget constraints, you want to purchase technology tools that get the most bang for the buck. An iPad has many functions and features, where the Kindle only has one. I guess as a LMS, you would have to weight the pros and cons and determine what would work best for your individual school.
ReplyDeleteInteresting comment about the ipad. Experiences like that, having to police the use and misuse, is exactly one of the reasons that teachers are reluctant and sometimes negative about embracing new technical tools for instruction. Although you can't blame them with the ridiculous load classroom teachers are carrying, we have to find a way to merge technology into the classroom. I think this is where the SLMS comes into play. If we can continuously support classroom teachers by exploring options and providing ideas for integrating new tech tools, maybe more teachers will become supportive of giving things a try.
ReplyDelete