YouTube in the Classroom Poster

YouTube in the Classroom

A Professional Development Opportunity

April 19, 2012

3:30-4:30pm

Make your lessons more relevant to students’ everyday lives.

-Learn to integrate YouTube into your classroom instruction.

-Ideas on student projects using YouTube

-We will practice searching for videos, creating playlists and more.

Sign up for this workshop in the library today!

YouTube in the Classroom

YouTube in the Classroom

Rationale

            YouTube is a free online resource that can greatly enhance classroom lessons and student learning.  The goal of this professional development workshop is to give teachers the tools to effectively find videos that will be useful in classroom instruction and enable them to successfully navigate the site and save videos.  Students will benefit from this with lessons that are more interesting, engaging and relevant to their everyday lives.  Once teachers start using YouTube, students will be given more opportunities to use this resource creatively for projects and classroom work.

Workshop Agenda

3:30-3:45  Sign in and log onto computers

3:45-4:00 Presentation

4:00-4:30 Activity 1- Creating Playlists on YouTube

4:30-4:45 Activity 2 – YouTube in the Classroom & Discussion

4:45-5:00 Evaluations

Activity 1-

Divide teachers into small groups of three or four and give them an assigned topic.  Each group will be tasked with creating a playlist of relevant videos on their topic, to be shared with the rest of the class.  Possibly divide teachers according to discipline – English, Math, Science, Social Studies

Topic Ideas:

·      Protests and the Civil Rights Movement

·      Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet

·      Geometry

·      Chemical Reactions

Activity 2-

Teachers will brainstorm ideas on ways that they could incorporate YouTube into a lesson.  Volunteers will share their ideas and discuss.

Professional Development Evaluation Sheet

Workshop Title:                                                                        Name of Presenter:

Date:

What were your expectations of this professional development workshop?

How strongly do you feel this workshop met your expectations?

6                        5                        4                        3                        2                        1

Strongly agree ß----------------------------------------------------à Strongly Disagree

What suggestions would you make to improve this workshop?

Other Comments?

References

Dunn, J. (2011). The teacher’s guide to using YouTube in the classroom. Edudemic.

            Retrieved from http://edudemic.com/2011/09/youtube-in-classroom/

(2010). TeacherTube. Retrieved from http://teachertube.com/.

(2012). YouTube. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/

What I Learned & Sources

Developing a Final Product- What I Learned

            The first, and most important, consideration when choosing which e-reader is the best fit for a school library media center is what purpose(s) the e-reader will play.  Each e-reader has qualities that make it good or bad for any situation so it is important that the librarian understand exactly what she will be expecting of the e-reader.  Once the purpose of the e-reader in the library media center is determined, the librarian can proceed to researching the various e-readers and deciding which is the best fit.

            Perhaps on of the most important questions the librarian will need to ask is whether the e-reader will be solely for reading or if it will perform other functions as well.  Most of the basic Nook, Kindle and Sony e-readers are intended just for reading books and have the e-ink screen that is easier on the eyes thant the color LCD screens.  If the librarian plans on purchasing more than one devise, the Nook is probably the more practical choice.  The Kindle only allows books to be downloaded onto one device while Nooks can be grouped so that a book can be downloaded onto six devices.  Since Nook is a part of Barnes and Noble, the librarian will also have access to support from an actual store and its employees where Kindle cannot offer that.

If, on the other hand, the librarian is interested in a more versatile device, a tablet may be the answer.  The iPad is probably the tablet with the most flexibility.  It has a wide variety of classroom functions that can be applied to a library setting and also allows for free Kindle and Nook apps that make it useful as an e-reader as well.  It offers textbooks that come with videos and interactive features that make classroom learning more hands-on.  For a library that may not have a computer for every student, an iPad can be useful for doing research, emailing, creating documents and presentations as well as finding books.

Another important thing to consider is whether or not the librarian will be interested in taking advantage of e-book lending libraries.  Nook is compatible with many more file formats than Kindle is so it allows for lending.  Kindle devices are compatible only with lending libraries that offer Kindle specific files, so they are much more limited.  If the librarian is going to be loaning the e-readers themselves out to students, the battery life is going to be a fairly important consideration unless she is also willing to send the charger with the student.  All the basic e-readers have very long battery lives, plenty for a two-week checkout period.  The tablets tend to need charging more frequently.

Again, the most important consideration in choosing an e-reader is purpose.  Every librarian is going to have different priorities so it is impossible to come up with one definitive answer as the best e-reader.  Each librarian needs to determine for him/herself what are the most important features and decide from there what e-reader is the best fit for their library.

References

 (2012) Apple in education. Apple Inc. Retrieved from

            http://www.apple.com/education/ipad/

Barack, L. (2010, May 1 ). Is the iPad fit for school?. School Library Journal. Retrieved

            from http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/article/CA6727279.html?q=ipad

Barack, L. (2011).  The Kindles are coming: eReaders and tablets are springing

            up in schools- and librarians are leading the way. School Library Journal,

Retrieved from http://www.libraryjournal.com/slj/home/889110-
312/the_kindles__are_coming.html.csp

Casida, F. (2011, April 24). Nook vs. Kindle: some new thoughts. Retrieved

from http://pixelatedlibrarian.blogspot.com/2011/04/nook-vs-kindle-some-new-thoughts.html

Falcone, J.P. (2011.) Kindle vs. Nook vs. iPad: Which e-book reader should you

buy?. Retrieved from http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-20009738-1/kindle-vs-nook-vs-ipad-which-e-book-reader-should-you-buy/

(2011). Kindle Touch vs Nook Touch vs Kobo Touch eReader Comparison.

            Retrieved from http://ereadercomparisonchart.org/

 Marlowe, S. (2009). eBook file formats. Scott Marlowe: Fantasy Author and Blogger.

            http://www.scottmarlowe.com/post/E-Book-File-Formats.aspx 

(2011.) "SchoolLibJournal's Channel - YouTube." YouTube. School Library Journal,

Web. 28 Jan. 2012. <http://www.youtube.com/user/SchoolLibJournal?blend=8>.

Sprague, W. (2012, January 25). Personal Communication.

Final Reflections

A family friend died of cancer a couple weeks ago and then I caught a nasty flu bug so I have not been keeping up with this blog as I should.  On a more positive note, here are my reflections on the research process:

How should school library media specialists determine which e-reader is the best fit for their library media center?

Selecting a Topic-

Since e-readers are becoming so popular, I was interested in looking at them for my inquiry project.  At first, I assumed that I would simply do some research to compare the pros and cons of various e-readers.  From there, I would determine which was the best for a school library setting and then I would be done.  Of course nothing is ever that easy, and this project was no exception.  I quickly realized that I could compare memory space, screen type, size, etc. for months but that would not bet me anywhere.  All of that information would be useful eventually, but I needed more direction first.

Luckily for me, my mother is a school library media specialist and had recently added five Nook Simple Touch readers to her collection.  I sat down with her and we had a discussion about how she chose which type of device to buy for her library.  It was this discussion that got me thinking about the purpose of e-readers and I started doing some research with that in mind.  I was then that I found a great blog on that very topic which really helped me to cement my topic choice. 

           

Finding Information

            More and more questions came up as I started to do my research.  Some of the things that came up during research process are:

·      Does the librarian want the e-readers to be for more than just reading? (magazines, internet, email, Facebook, etc)

·      Are the e-readers solely for reading?

·      How many will the LMS purchase? Will each student have one or will there be only a few on loan to students?

·      Will the LMS buy books for pleasure reading or required books for class?

·      Does the LMS want the e-reader to be compatible with Overdrive and other e-book lending libraries?

This was the first time I had ever used the bookmarking site Delicious for researching and I found it to be very useful.  Before too long, I was faced with a similar problem as when I was selecting a topic.  I had a wealth of information at my fingertips and I needed to determine what would be the most useful and relevant.

Using Information

            At this point, I decided to take a hands-on look at how a couple of different devices are being put to use in a real school library.  Shortly after my last post I was able to get my hands on both a Nook and an iPad to play with and compare the two.  The Nooks have been VERY popular among the students with a long waiting list so I was lucky I happened to be working in the school when a student returned one.  As for the iPads, they are not being used as e-readers very much but did have the free Kindle app so I was able to download a free book and compare the app with the Nooks.   According to the librarian, she is only just starting to use the iPads in a research project she does with her 6^th grade Library Skills classes.  Since there is not enough iPads for every student they are not being used for textbooks, although that is something the school is looking into for the future.

            After talking to the library media specialist and some of her students, I realized that (at least for the purposed of that library) the Nook Simple Touch really is the best choice.   In a different library, where e-readers are being used with a slightly different purpose, this might not be the case and another e-reader would be more appropriate.

Tablet vs. eReader

Lately I have been thinking a lot about the merits of purchasing tablets as opposed to e-readers.  Many of tablets such as the iPad or the Kindle Fire seem to offer everything that the basic e-readers do and more.  The iPad has apps available for both Kindle and Nook books and can be an amazing classroom resource.  After looking at the Apple website, I am excited about all the different things available on the iPad.

As I said before though, a lot is dependent upon what purpose the e-reader will be serving in the library.  Some people do not enjoy using the tablets for reading and would much prefer a reader with the e-ink screen.

Fortunately, the school I work for has a lot of iPads as well as five Nooks so I can check them out firsthand.  I have been trying to find the time to sit down with both devices to compare them.  If only the students didn't always have the Nooks checked out... (not really! I think it's great that they are so popular!)

Research Question

It took me a few days to get to this point, but I think I have pretty much decided on the direction of my research.  I don't think I have got the wording of my topic question exactly as I want it, but my topic question is as follows.

How should school library media specialists determine which e-reader is the best fit for their library media center?

Using Information- Concept Map

Here is the link to my concept map:

https://bubbl.us/?h=ce029/1870e2/848mraxtybrbI

I am not sure if I was successful in making it public for viewing, so I am also including it as an image.

Finding Information Cont.

After a discouraging start to my inquiry, I took a day or so off to think about my next approach.  I knew I was going to have to look at the topic a little differently but was not sure where to go from there.  I am very fortunate in that my mother is the LMS in the school where I work.  She just bought five Nooks for her library so I decided to talk things over with her.  After I got through explaining my frustration, my mom said she had a similar experience when trying to choose what e-readers to purchase.  She dealt with this by coming up with a list of things she was looking for in an e-reader and then bought the option that most closely fit this list.  What she ended up purchasing was the Nook Simple Touch.

Interviewing my mom gave me something to think about and I felt like I had a little more direction than when I started researching.  I was ready to start looking for information again.

At this point, I decided to try using the bookmarking site Delicious to find some information on e-readers in school libraries.  I stumbled upon a blog that was really helpful in reforming my topic question.The creator of the blog brought up the question "What is the purpose for the eReader or mobile device in my library, classroom, or school?" Reading this blog made me think that my research question should have less to do with specific products and more to do with how to choose an e-reader.  How the e-reader will be used and its purpose in the library should be taken into account.

From there, I was able to find a website that gave me some good ideas on different questions to be asked when trying to decide on an e-reader.The website is not geared towards schools or school libraries but many of the topics would be applicable.  For instance, librarians will need to decide whether they want the devices to be solely for reading or if they want students to have additional features like games and internet.

I also looked at a few articles from the School Library Journal and found a series of e-reader reviews in the form of YouTube Videos that were really interesting.

Inquiry Assignment- Selecting a Topic & Finding Information

Using the I-Search model, I explored the use of e-readers in school library media centers.  As often happens, my topic question changed and developed throughout the research process.  This is my first experience doing a project of this nature and I have never put so much thought into the actual process of doing research.  It was interesting to see how much my ideas, and even my topic, changed from beginning to end.

Step 1- Selecting a Topic
I just bought my own e-reader (a Kindle) so I thought it would be interesting to do a little research on using e-readers in school libraries.  I initially thought it would be a fairly simple process to go through the qualities of each e-reader and find one that would be the best fit for a school environment.  I did not realize how many options there are today so I began by browsing the internet for some basic information on e-readers.

Step 2- Finding Information
Thinking this was going to be a really easy project with a definitive answer as my end result, I began to do some research on different types of e-readers.  I started with a basic Google search for websites comparing the merits of different e-readers:
http://ereadercomparisonchart.org/
I quickly got frustrated and a little overwhelmed with facts about screen size, storage size, battery life, etc.  This was all useful information for someone shopping for an e-reader... but I got stuck.  I had all of this information and I didn't really know what to do with it.

LIS 568- Inquiry Assignment

Four Tasks of I-Search

I-Search is a process that includes four general steps:

• Selecting a topic - exploring interests, discussing ideas, browsing resources
  
• Finding information - generating questions, exploring resources
  
• Using information - taking notes, analyzing materials
  
• Developing a final product - developing communications, sharing experiences

For my inquiry assignment, I chose to use the I-Search model.  Of the four models to choose from, this seemed like the most straightforward and the model which best fits my practices.  Some of the other models had so many steps that they seemed repetitive.

I chose to look at different e-readers and their use in school libraries for my topic.

Which e-reader would be the best for use in the school library setting?

Overall, I really enjoyed this project!  I feel that I have a familiarity with a much wider range of resources now than when I started.  I am already thinking of ways I can implement some of these tools in my own library someday.  My favorite part was probably the last assignment in which we got to explore some Web 2.0 tools of our choosing.  I liked having the freedom to explore the various websites and choosing the ones that interest me.  I also thought the tagging assignment was interesting.  Browsing through a couple of the stacks left me wanting more, and I will most likely continue to use this site, even if only for entertainment.

I was surprised to find that a lot of the Web 2.0 tools were things I already use.  Websites like Youtube and Wikipedia that I use on a regular basis are now something I am thinking about from the perspective of a librarian. 

I do wish that we had had more opportunity to discuss this assignment in class but I understand that we have a lot of material to cover during class time.

Exploring Web 2.0 Further

Let me just say that Pandora is one of the greatest inventions ever!  As I type this, I am listening to a station of Billie Holiday, Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald.  My music tastes are wide ranging and eclectic so I love being able to make a different station for every mood.  It is a great way to find new artists and explore a genre without having to purchase a lot of music only to find I don't particularly care for it after all.

Google Earth is not only fun to play with, it can also be very useful.  This is not really library related, but I volunteer for an animal rescue and Google Earth comes in handy when screening applicants.  Unfortunately, people are not always honest so I can use Google Earth to make sure they actually do have the fenced in yard or acreage that they claim.  That is just one practical application of this service.

I was not familiar with Google Book Search until very recently, but I am quickly becoming a big fan.  I was shocked by how many books were available.  They are easy to browse by topic as well.  For example, I am interested in the Social Sciences so I can click that category to find a whole list of books that might interest me.  I can read an excerpt to decide if I might be interested in purchasing that particular book.  I can also create my own library of books I've read, my favorites, books I would like to read and books I am currently reading.  I could get carried away with this application, particularly when creating my "To Read" list!

Library 2.0 to Moi

The most important aspect of Library 2.0 is the user.  Everything needs to be designed and implemented with the user's wants and needs in mind.  In his article "Into a new world of librarianship", Michael Stephens said, "User-centered libraries break down barriers and allow users access wherever they are: home, work, commuting, school, or at the library.  This involves users from the get go in planning and launching services based on their needs."  This idea that libraries need to reach the user no matter where they happen to be is repeated over and over again in all the articles.  I believe that easy accessibility is essential in today's society where people are used to having information instantly at their fingertips.  One way that libraries can make sure this goal is achieved is to make users part of the planning process right from the beginning.

There are so many Web 2.0 tools that can be applied to a library setting.  It is important for librarians today to embrace the popular trends in technology rather than just sticking out heads in the sand and giving up.  Libraries have definitely changed in recent decades, and they are not going to stop anytime soon.  Library 2.0 is one awesome way that libraries can not only maintain relevance in today's society but maintain the goals of librarianship as well.  Library 2.0 is all about the sharing of resources and information; what's not to like about that?

Zotero!!!

I was really excited to get started with my Zotero library.  This was in part because I like the name so much but also because it seems like a cool idea.  Firefox is the internet browser I use, so I managed to avoid some of the issues that classmates had when they tried to set up their Zotero libraries with other browsers.  I looked at a couple tutorials and everything seemed very straightforward.  I even found an article in School Library Journal about technology used in preventing plagiarism and added it to my library. 

Things for a little more confusing when I tried to add an article from an online database.  I think I managed to do it correctly though!  I also changed my settings so that my profile is public, so hopefully this link will work!
https://www.zotero.org/johanna414/items

Tagging Experience

I had never even heard of Del.icio.us until this assignment.  After some exploration, I can see how it could be a very useful tool in libraries when used correctly.  It is a great way of finding information on a subject you are interested, just by seeing what other people have tagged.  Something that has been tagged by many readers is more than likely worth looking at yourself.  It has something called "Stacks," which is a collection of related links.  I can see myself spending hours browsing through stacks on assorted subjects which may or may not be a good thing (this seems like a great distraction from homework!). 

YouTube and the Library

While exploring YouTube, I found a really cute video that explains some of the different types of materials available in public libraries.

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/3PWq_6s-lJY" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

The Wizard of Oz spoof makes fun out of what could be a very boring video.  I loved the part where the Wicked Witch is peering over the bookshelves!
YouTube is a very useful tool these days.  I don't know of any young people these days who are not familiar with YouTube.  Because I am a school library concentration, my instinct is to apply this to a school library setting.  A library media specialist could make fun videos like the one above to explain some of the services and materials available in the library.  Making a YouTube video could even be part of a school research project, something a media specialist could be involved with.  Students would enjoy the process of making a video and posting it to a public location, where they could show it off to their friends and family.

Exploring Podcasts

I have some familiarity with podcasts since I listen to a lot of music.  I like a few bands that regularly put out free podcasts of unreleased materials or concert recordings.  Using podcasts for anything other than as another source of music had never really occurred to me.

In my search for a podcast that would suit the purposes of this class, I came across one that I found really interesting.  It is basically a collection of interviews with comic book fans.  They interview people with really extensive collections and others involved in the world of comics.  What really caught my attention though, was a focus on comic book libraries.  There were several really cool interviews with librarians who worked collecting comic books.  After listening to a couple episodes, I sent the information to a few friends who are also interested in comics.

Exploring Flickr

As part of this week's assignment, I created a Flickr account.  The process of creating an account and uploading pictures was fairly easy but I ran into a few problems in finding photos to upload.  I did not have any library related pictures and didn't feel comfortable taking pictures of my public library.  I improvised instead and took some pictures in my own home.  I only posted three photographs so far: one of a bookshelf in my living room, one of a stack of my favorite books and one of my cat curled up with a book of Wonder Woman comics.  They don't exactly fit the assignment, but were the best I could do at the present.

And for those of you just dying to see my cat reading comics, here is a link to my Flickr page:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/67528727@N05/6148818102/in/photostream/

Learning 2.0 and 7 1/2 Habits

The 7 1/2 Habits of Highly Successful Lifelong Learners presentation gave me an interesting way to look at my goals in this class and in the LIS program as a whole.  One of the Habits mentioned was "Teach/Mentor Others."  This is probably the one which would come most easily to me.  I enjoy working with other people and teaching.  I do a lot of crafts, such as knitting and quilting, and whenever I learn something new I am eager to teach others.  This is a trait that may be useful as a Library and Information Specialist, especially since I have a concentration in school libraries. 
The habit which I may struggle with the most is "Use Technology to Your Advantage."  I have never had a particularly strong interest in computers.  I tend to see them as something I have to use to complete a task and rarely think about how they work or why.  I'll freely admit that using new technology can make things easier, but I have not often found myself wanting to learn how to use them.  Hopefully this class will help my change my ways and I will become more comfortable with the use of computers!