Capstone Things 15-21

Capstone Things 15-21

In evaluating what is the most impactful tools I discovered, rediscovered and worked towards mastering all of them are measure against my strengths as a digital age educator.  As a Media Specialist I approached this experience with two goals in mind. 1. What skills can I learn and tools can I master to enhance my educational leadership position with my teaching staff .   2.  Of these tools and skills which ones can I use in teaching information literacy to students.    This approach is slightly different than most classroom teachers who would tend to focus on their curricular needs and adaptability of tools to those needs.  The focus by definition is narrower than what a school librarian focus has to be.  Like a classroom teacher I have to evaluate what I need and what I can use to teach a certain curriculum.  Unlike the classroom teacher I also have to have a more universal perspective.   I cannot dismiss or discard a digital tool or technique because it does not easily replace what I am already using in training students as information seekers, evaluators and users.  What may not work well for me in a library setting may well be the perfect tool for a classroom teacher.  Since I service both groups I must retain at least a working familiarity with as many digital age tools as possible.

The applications of the visual digital assists Thing 20 and Thing 21 lend themselves easily to Marzano’s  stance on non-linguistic representations in the classroom.  Graphic organizers help students visualize relationship between concepts with imagery.   Screen casting uses imagery and motion to tie in what a student is hearing.   Both are very useful in teaching sequence.  In the library accessing information and resources is often done in a certain sequence.  Some of this is due to local restraints of network access but a lot of it is due to the sequential nature in approaching an informational need.  Students must identify the need first but then they have select the best tool for the job.  In years prior libraries used signage to direct patrons to printed material in books, magazines and newspapers.  The 21^st century library has a myriad of digital resources and signage is not what is needed.  A guided approach to opening and searching resources makes sure that the student instinct to stampede directly to the first available thing that looks like it might be useful can be abated.  The instant assumption that Google will provide is difficult to counteract.  Instruction from me needs to be augmented by digital assists that can be student assessed without further coaching if necessary. 

The most transformational  teaching tool, for me,  of the final seven is screen casting.  I foresee using it for instruction of library skills, reference and research skills and for reinforcement of these skills available to students and staff 24/7.  This is not to take away from the value of the things like RSS feeds and visual learning enhancements presented in the other modules.  And, of course, I came to 21 Things well versed in Research and Reference tools as presented in Thing 17.  Screen casting fits very nicely into the need I have to provide instruction even when I am not there to accomplish it in person.  I can post screen casts on the library webpage and link them to teacher’s pages.   There are three main areas which I will create screen casts for:  1. Follett Destiny OPAC – our library management program.  The screen casts will cover both book searches and circulation commands.   2.  Database selection and usage for both MEL.org and for our subscription databases.  3.  Online citation tools like BIBME and Easybib.  This will align with ISTE standards  2. A, 2. B, 2.C, 3. C, 3. D.

At each juncture throughout the 21 things course I evaluated resources with an eye towards what I could share and teach to staff members in my school.  This is an alignment issue that is localized and dependent on my relationship with staff members and an assessment of what they are currently doing and what they are capable of doing.    Some of this can be immediate and flow from me to them as an invitation to investigate a new tool.  Others are to be stockpiled and filed away and used at opportune times when a need is expressed.  Leading staff is not always like teaching students.  Their tolerance for and interest in new tools is predicated on what they can possibly fit into their busy schedule.  With that in mind I can’t say that there is one specific thing in Things 15-21 that I will use with them without fail.  I will pick my time and find something that will work on a case by case basis.