Week 5 - Fair use

Fair use was a concept that I had never heard about before taking this class. As an educator, I now see the importance of this doctrine.  There is so much information available to the public especially via the Internet.  It is important to understand the difference between fair use and copyright infringement.  This difference could be huge in an educational setting.  I think that it is difficult to monitor how students and teachers use materials in a library or school. Is it a self responsibility, an administrative responsibility, or a librarian’s responsibility? Ultimately, I believe its the users responsibility.  The following are links to educational websites.  They give the reader more information about fair use and a check list for the type of media being used.

http://www.uwex.edu/ces/copyright/fairuse_checklist.pdf

http://copyright.columbia.edu/copyright/fair-use/fair-use-checklist/

These are good resources for those who are unsure of their rights and responsibilities.  

I also found it interesting that fair use can be an issue with digital libraries.  The following article documents the Google library’s journey of fair use.  It is easy to see the importance of fair use in and out of the educational world.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/09/23/us-google-books-idUSBRE98M19S20130923

Week 4- Information Literacy

After reading through the class material and the class discussions, I realized the importance of teaching both teachers and students how to critically and effectively search for information.  I also feel that it is imperative that they are aware of search engine filters.  This is something that should be addressed in the earlier years of a child's education and continually reinforced and spiraled as he continues his education.  As an educator, I think that there are many ways for students to analyze and evaluate sources from more than one perspective.  I think that we can show students the different search options available on the Internet.  They should be introduced to different databases as well as search engines.  They should also learn to differentiate between primary and secondary sources through guided practice. This may give more value to one source over another.  I also think that as librarians, we need to train and show teachers how to decipher through sources so that they can instill this practice on to their students.  I think that it is a collaborative effort between administrators, librarians, and teachers.  

The following websites give resources on how to teach and support digital literacy…

http://classroom-aid.com/educational-resources/digital-literacy/  (This website should be navigated through to see what would best fit the needs of both a teacher and a student).

http://www.digitalliteracy.gov/

I think some of the most important resources are those that give the user valid search engines to meet his search needs.

Digital literacy awareness is crucial to the success of current students. They must be able to use, evaluate, critique, and analyze different sources.  These skills will help them in real life situations and prepare them for the work force.  These are all skills that future employers search for in applicants.

Week 3: Blogs and Wikis

From the information discussed this week and from my experiences, I think that blogs and wikis are a great resource for both a classroom teacher and a Library Media Specialist.  Not only can a librarian use them to promote and showcase his library, but he can also collaborate with classroom teachers to create meaningful work for students. I think that if used effectively, wikis and blogs can give students the opportunity to work together.  It can teach them many effective skills necessary for real life experiences. Usually wikis work best in a problem-solving environment or something that requires common goals and collaboration (Schroeder, 2008).  I think that it is important to establish the goal of the wiki from the beginning and making it more authentic and relevant to the students.  I also think that students need to be aware that many blogs and wikis can be published to the public.  It is the job of the educator to create awareness of this issue. The safety of the students should be the first thing addressed before a blog or wiki is completed.   Because wikis and blogs can be published, I think that students will be more likely to put effort into the work.  There is a sense of pride when one’s work is published and seen by others.

I also think a librarian can use a blog or wiki as an aid to his or her program.  I would create a site for my library.  There would be links to my favorite books and authors.  This would also leave room for others to post links and comment on the posts.  I think that a lot of monitoring would be necessary in order to prevent inappropriate feedback.  However, it would be worth the time.  I would also use blogs and wikis to promote what is available in terms of technology in the library.  This would provide easy access to students, faculty, staff, administration, and parents.  Lastly, I think that it would be a great way to promote events such as an author’s day or a book fair. 

The blogs and wikis could also be used as an educational tool.  A teacher or librarian could create a webquest.  Students would be able to explore a topic or idea and create a project based on the webquest.  It also gives students the opportunity to explore the web.  Students would then have to compile their best sources to create a final product.  This gives them information seeking skills as well as the skill to evaluate sources.  The following is a link to a webquest that I have made and used in the classroom…

http://amyhleopold.wordpress.com/

I found this webquest to be very useful when implemented. Students were engaged and involved in the learning process.  Students could also create a webquest for others to use as well.  Blogs and wikis are changing the education world.  I think that they are a valuable tool that can increase student success.  Blogs and wikis are not the standard paper and pencil test.  Their creation can also instill important life skills in students such as team work, evaluation, and analysis.   

Schroeder, B. (2008, May 21). 10 best practices for using wikis in education. Retrieved from http://edtechtoday.wordpress.com/2008/05/21/10-best-practices-for-using-wikis-in-education/

Week 2

As a classroom teacher, I see the importance of using technology especially adaptive technology in the classroom.  I have encountered many different learning styles in my seven years of teaching.  For many students, technology is one of the main factors in their success. However, after reading through the class discussion posts and drawing from my own experiences, I have broadened my perspectives.  From my experiences, the library is a place where teachers can bring down students.  If necessary, the Library Media Specialist will teach a lesson.  There are also iPads and laptop carts that teachers can check out.  From what I know and use, that is the extent of the technology that comes and goes through the library.  There is a tech department that deals with the technology in the school.  They install, fix, and give you the technology that you want to use in your classroom. There is also a technology liaison through BOCES that teaches in-service classes on devices such as iPads, different types of software that can be installed on the iPad to enhance education, how to use websites required by the district, and any type of web 2.0.   She also visits the school and classrooms for technological assistance each week. In addition, any classroom teacher can apply to teach an in-service class on technology. Also, the special education teacher works with the classroom teacher to ensure that a student with learning disabilities receives all of his accommodations including that of technology.  I see this as a district and its employees working together to ensure the best education of its students.  Many comments in the class discussion led to the idea that the Library Media Specialist leads the way for accessing technology in the school.  I think that the library is a good starting point and that the LMS plays a large roll in technology.  However, the above examples show that there are other large sources for accessing technology. In addition, from experiences, teaching is a field that requires a large amount of planning.  Although Library Media Specialists can put a live schedule on the Internet, it does not always work with the schedule of a teacher especially when the teacher teachers 3-4 different classes each day.  It can be difficult for each teacher to access the library in a big school when the seating is minimal.  I am pursing a field in Library Science because I believe that there needs to be a shift in how technology is used and accessed throughout the school.  I would like the opportunity to change what I see based on my experiences as a teacher.  I think that working towards becoming a Library Media Specialist will change my perspective, and I will gain new experiences in the education field.  I do think that the library should be the main hub for technology in a school.  As a Library Media Specialist in a school, I think that the opportunities to incorporate technology in the lives of students and teachers are endless especially those that are learning disabled.  In the past, during student teaching, I learned many ideas and strategies.  However, they were all for the ideal classroom setting, the ideal students, and the ideal situations.  They never worked out as expected in real life situations.  I hope to gain strategies that will be practical and useful as I pursue this new career path.  So far from this class, I have been enlightened with great ideas, but question them due to my experiences teaching.  As I continue with this course, I hope that I can put some of these ideas and theories to practice in real life situations and gain new knowledge and experience.