By: Livia Dremin
I added a Wikipedia gadget to the blog because I love Wikipedia. When I am researching a topic I tend to use Wikipedia as a jumping off point. I use sources cited at the bottom of the page to further expand my research. I believe that many people would benefit from a link being conveniently located on this page. It may save them time opening a new webpage. If all else, it'll be good publicity for Wikipedia.
By: Livia Dremin
The idea of bringing
creativity and learning into a library is not new, but the implementation of
makerspaces in a library is relatively recent. Makerspaces, which are “collaborative
workspaces stocked with materials and tools for creating, building, designing,
and learning, are becoming more and more common in schools and, in particular,
in school libraries.” (Megan Blakemore) It may seem like an easy task to pick a
section of the library to place some building materials and then call it a day.
Many librarians “jumped on the makerspace bandwagon, purchasing makerspace-y
things and then wondering in dismay why the initial bubbling of excitement quickly
fell flat.” (Nikki Robertson) The design of the makerspace needs to be
carefully thought out by choosing what you would like to put in the space and
how students can benefit from it.
A novel idea would be to involve the teachers in the development of the makerspace and see what they would like to accomplish from its implementation. One set of teachers wanted to “raise test scores through activities in the makerspace that require students to critically read, interpret directions, and problem-solve for the purpose of using and operating items in the makerspace.” (Sheila Baker) Attempting to be inclusive of all students is crucial in the building of a makerspace. Only choosing to put art supplies into the makerspace would benefit a limited number of students who enjoy creating art, while adding model building and electronic STEM kits alongside the art supplies would reach a broader audience.
Works Cited:
Sheila
F Baker, and Bonnie Alexander. “A MAJOR MAKING UNDERTAKING: A NEW LIBRARIAN
TRANSFORMS A MIDDLE SCHOOL LIBRARY INTO A MAKERSPACE ALIGNED TO HIGH SCHOOL
CAREER ENDORSEMENTS.” Knowledge Quest, vol. 46, no. 5, American Library
Association, 2018, pp. 64–69.
Blakemore,
Megan. “Problem Scoping: Design Thinking & Close Reading: Makerspaces in
the School Library.” Knowledge Quest, vol. 46, no. 4, American Library
Association, 2018, pp. 66–69.
Makerspace.
Accessed 24 May 2022. https://i.pinimg.com/originals/1f/74/72/1f7472c909c78d6cc82c43c5a5162db6.jpg
Nikki D Robertson. “Expanding School Library Collections: The Makerspace Edition.” Knowledge Quest, vol. 48, no. 2, American Library Association, 2019, pp. 8–14.
Cloud computing has grown in popularity over the years with
many people using some form of “cloud” in their everyday lives, such as Google
Drive or Apple’s iCloud.
“The
term cloud computing describes the software applications or other resources
that exist online and are available to multiple users via the Internet, rather
than being installed on a particular user’s local computer. Users can access
these applications from any computer with a high-speed Internet connection
while having no other connection to the hardware that holds the source software.”
Library
databases, which were once only accessible from school computers, can now be
accessed from their home computer using their institutional log-in. Since some
schools have adopted the Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) method, using cloud
services is logical because the students can conduct research from their homes.
Cloud computing also holds many benefits for the libraries that use the service.
It makes sense to use a cloud
service in the library world because it is both cost effective and space saving.
Servers would need to be erected in libraries to store all the information held
from patron accounts, library records, ebooks, and databases.
“As budgets continue to tighten, libraries are
increasingly considering moving more operations to cloud computing
environments. In such a model, many libraries share a pool of computing
resources that are accessible over the network. Because the cost is shared
widely, the cost per institution can be lower.” (Anthony S. Chow)
Many schools have server rooms dedicated to storing their sensitive information, but space may be limited. Allowing libraries to use clouds to share the load of their not-so-sensitive information is a modern marvel. Students will gain access to their school files and databases from anywhere they have an internet connection, and that kind of progress should be embraced.
Works Cited:
Behrend,
Tara S., et al. “Cloud Computing Adoption and Usage in Community Colleges.” Behaviour
& Information Technology, vol. 30, no. 2, Taylor & Francis, 2011, pp.
231–40, https://doi.org/10.1080/0144929X.2010.489118.
Chow,
Anthony S., and Timothy. Bucknall. Library Technology and User Services :
Planning, Integration, and Usability Engineering. Chandos Publishing, 2012.
The Scientific World. 8 March 2021. Accessed 24 May 2022. https://www.scientificworldinfo.com/2021/03/application-of-cloud-computing-in-libraries.html
By: Livia Dremin
Librarians are in a constant search for knowledge and
have been known to rapidly evolve with new technology. “Librarians will
continue to share, showcase, and demonstrate new tools to those in the learning
community through strategic programming, instructional collaboration, and
effective modeling.” (Wendy Stephens) It is a librarian’s job to make sure that
everyone can access knowledge in whatever form they desire. The war on
libraries, and school funding in general, is a direct attack on student growth
and the future knowledge our students will possess. A library without a
librarian is just a room filled with information that can’t be shared.
Teachers are offering
their students access to ebooks and assistive devices, which is an incredible
feat. “Teachers in many schools are using technology to support different
learning styles and engage all learners, offering developmentally appropriate
learning experiences through a variety of media.” (Stephen Abram) However, in
order to accommodate all student’s needs, those databases need to be renewed
and devices need to be serviced by someone. If school librarian and library
media technicians are let go, that responsibility will fall onto the IT
department whose knowledge of children’s books may not be as extensive as
students would like. If parents want their children to have access to
databases, learning devices, textbooks, and recreational reading books for
their English courses, libraries and their support staff need to exist.
Works Cited:
Abram, Stephen. “The Future of School Libraries: Can School Boards
Get on Board? At the End of April 2009, the Ontario Public School Boards’
Association Released a Discussion Paper. The Point of This Document Was for
School Trustees to Engage the Public in My Province in a Meaningful, Focused
Discussion About Classrooms of the 21st Century.” Multimedia &
Internet@schools, vol. 16, no. 4, Information Today, Inc, 2009, p. 12–.
Stephens, Wendy. “For Every Learner, the Time: The Future of
School Libraries.” Young Adult Library Services, vol. 12, no. 1, American
Library Association, 2013, p. 4–.
Save the Libraries. Accessed 24 May 2024. http://www.savethelibraries.com/
By: Livia Dremin
Today, facts are at our fingertips with the internet in many peoples pockets. If access to knowledge is that easy, why shouldn't students have that access at school? The Bring Your Own Device model is a relatively new method that allows students to work from a laptop, cell phone, or tablet at school that is either their personal device or a loan from the school. Aside from the general concerns that come with students using devices at school, such as they will be distracted in the classroom or find ways around banned or restricted sites, “Gadgets Go to School: The Benefits and Risks of BYOD” sheds light on some of the benefits of students bringing their own devices or borrowing them from the school. Students can use their devices to for research, “participate in audience response systems,” “assignments can be stored in the cloud”, and games can be used to teach physics and math. (Patricia Bruder) Students would not be limited to conducting research at school, they would be able to do so at home, especially if the school district offers hotspots to students who do not have internet access at home.
Before mobile devices existed, students have been learning the traditional way from printed books and their teachers’ lectures. In “BYOD or not: A Comparison of Two Assessment Strategies for Student Learning,” students who just recently started with the BYOD model appeared to underperform in their work while traditional learners excelled. However, “the BYOD approach demonstrated a valuable benefit on the students' long-term transfer of learning” and students “exhibited a steady growth on learning outcomes and subsequently scored higher on the learning retention segment of the study.” (Pao-Nan Chou) It seems that if students stick with the BYOD model they will excel past traditional learners because of the benefits of BYOD. While the traditional way has strong roots in many peoples learning history, using the BYOD method also has its benefits.
Works Cited:
Bruder, Patricia. “Gadgets Go to School: The
Benefits and Risks of BYOD.” The Education Digest, vol. 80, no. 3, Prakken Publications, Inc, 2014, p. 15–.
Chou, Pao-Nan, et al. “BYOD or Not: A Comparison
of Two Assessment Strategies for Student Learning.” Computers in Human Behavior, vol. 74, Elsevier Ltd, 2017, pp. 63–71,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2017.04.024.
Tan, Samuel. "Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) in Schools –
Considerations." Colour My Learning. Accessed 24 May
2022. https://i7a3x6u3.stackpathcdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/BringYourOwnDeviceToSchool21.jpg.
I chose to add the "Translate Gadget" to our blog. Having grown up speaking multiple languages I recognize how important it is to be able to offer some form of "translation" of our blog posts. In offering the translation gadget you can broaden your reach and increase your followers as you are opening the doors for people who speak a different language to also have the opportunity to follow your blog.
The other gadget I chose was a "Text Gadget". In her I simply posted a "welcome message" with contact information for is the follower would like for us as blog administrators to cover a certain topic, we can look into that.
For the Radio Gadget I would have liked to include, I would have chosen classical background music as I always find that relaxing to have playing in any kind of setting. It gives the follower a sense of "calmness" and "enjoyment" while browsing and reading our blog. As I mentioned I was not able to add it due to the site being offline at the time I tried to access it.
Gadgets are such a great addition to add to your blog. I learned something new again today! Hope you did too!
Cloud computing may sound like some techno-buzzword, but what it offers is of great interest to the library community. Cloud computing refers to computer hardware and/or software services that are provided by an outside company which requires only an internet connection to access (Jayakanth). In a world of constantly changing technology, it is often hard for businesses and institutions like libraries to keep up with the demand for better server infrastructure. If library services like OPACs and ILSs can be outsourced to a company (Jayakanth), the pressure is taken off the library to account and budget for future technology obsolescence (Breeding). Libraries utilizing cloud computing also don’t need to worry about having as much IT staff/support to maintain locally operated servers/devices (Jayakanth).
Cloud computing opens the door to possibilities that were either impossible or impractical to implement on the local level. Services like eBook and eAudiobook collections are immensely possible in the world of libraries and are a form of cloud computing (Scardilli). Check any local library and you’ll most likely see online learning resources like Coursera, Great Courses, or Skillshare. Cloud computing is a boon to libraries and the communities they serve as it increases accessibility to electronic services and resources.
Jayakanth, Ananda T. Byrappa, and Filbert Minj. “Migration of a Research Library's ICT-Based Services to a Cloud Platform.” Information Technology and Libraries, 41.4, Mar. 2022:1-2. Academic Search Complete, Web. 29 Apr. 2022.
Breeding, Marshall. “Preparing for the Future: Implementing Enduring Technology Strategies.” Computers in Libraries, 41.8, Sept. 2021:10. Academic Search Complete, Web. 29 Apr. 2022.
Scardilli, Brandi. “What’s New With Public Library Ebook Vendors.” Information Today, 39.2, Mar. 2022: 23. Academic Search Complete, Web. 29 Apr. 2022.
