Linda getting with IT

  Hey, Readers! This is the third in a four-part series focusing on school librarians. Three years ago, the American Library Association published its shared foundations in the National School Library Standards for Learners, School Librarians, and School Libraries (2018). The handbook focuses on six foundations that “dynamically combine to allow school librarians and learners to personalize their growth” (American Association of School Librarians (AASL, 2018, p. 16.) The six foundations are as follows (p. 16):  Inquire Include Collaborate Curate Explore Engage I was privileged to sit down with two librarians who each discussed two of the foundations at length. Our conversations were enlightening and inspiring to me as a pre-service librarian. I know they will help others, too, in their quest to marry theory with practice. This conversation is a follow up to installments #1(Inquire) & #2 (Curate). Next up is a conversation that I had with Kim B., who is an amazing high scho...

  Hey, Readers! This is the second in a four-part series focusing on school librarians. Three years ago, the American Library Association published its shared foundations in the National School Library Standards for Learners, School Librarians, and School Libraries (2018). The handbook focuses on six foundations that “dynamically combine to allow school librarians and learners to personalize their growth” (American Association of School Librarians (AASL, 2018, p. 16.) The six foundations are as follows (p. 16):  Inquire Include Collaborate Curate Explore Engage I was privileged to sit down with two librarians who each discussed two of the foundations at length. Our conversations were enlightening and inspiring to me as a pre-service librarian. I know they will help others, too, in their quest to marry theory with practice. This conversation is a follow up to installment #1 on the foundation Inquire that I had with Leigh J., who is a fabulous middle school librarian in South Ca...

  Hey, Readers! This is the first in a four-part series focusing on school librarians. Three years ago, the American Library Association published its shared foundations in the National School Library Standards for Learners, School Librarians, and School Libraries (2018). The handbook focuses on six foundations that “dynamically combine to allow school librarians and learners to personalize their growth” (American Association of School Librarians (AASL, 2018, p. 16.) The six foundations are as follows (p. 16):  Inquire Include Collaborate Curate Explore Engage I was privileged to sit down with two librarians who each discussed two of the foundations at length. Our conversations were enlightening and inspiring to me as a pre-service librarian. I know they will help others, too, in their quest to marry theory with practice. First up is a conversation I had with Leigh J., who is a fabulous middle school librarian in South Carolina. Leigh has extensive experience with inquiry-base...

While these have been some of the most interesting weeks of my life (literally, who would have thought everything could change so suddenly in light of our health, jobs, and education), I can also say that SLIS 761 has been a little slice of grounding in the shifting sand. Although this blog is “My Biggest Takeaway” I actually have two.          First, I have learned that my love of edtech in the classroom is going to be a large benefit when I work in a library. So many of the tools we learned (and blogged about) are just plain good for teaching. If any class has reminded me that librarians are teachers, it is this one. From standards, to literacy, to technology tools, edtech helps learners succeed. It allows greater equity for students with disabilities, it allows for greater independence and differentiation for all, and it facilitates creativity in new and exciting ways. In short, technology tools are game-changers in libraries and classroom...

As Augmented and Virtual Reality tools have hit the market, education may never be the same. Old, static pictures on a page can now become almost-living things, as students are able to peer inside the chambers of a human heart for science curriculum or take a tour of Paris from their French classrooms. The possibilities are endless for a richer, more nuanced, and more lifelike learning experience than ever before. Entering the mix for art is Tilt Brush , a program by Google that works with virtual reality headsets (Vive, Oculus Rift and Quest, Windows Mixed Reality, and Valve Index) that allows students to create and view their art from all angles. The possibilities for understanding form, lines, and color in a lifelike virtual reality make an entire classroom a canvas for creation. To use Tilt Brush, simply purchase the program ($20) and load into a virtual reality headset. From there, use the controls to access the palette and begin painting! Tilt Brush’s website offers...