Post #10 My Biggest Takeaway

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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 classrooms. As such, librarians should be advocates for makerspaces, augmented and virtual reality tools, and all aspects of digital media that help good learners become great.

         Second, I have learned that blogging is a really effective teaching and learning tool. Truthfully, this medium has always been a bit frightening for this English teacher. Closed chatrooms, blackboard discussions, and walled gardens are oh-so-much safer, but they lack the authenticity of a blog that is out there in the big, wide world. Knowing that my words would be read by a larger audience made me care more, and waiting for the comments to come in was an added bonus. I loved the interaction, and missed it when it was absent. That being said, I will definitely be instituting blogging in my classroom next year, and in my future library. Come to think of it, few of the school librarians I have met have a blog. This needs to change. It is a really great venue to showcase what is going on in our spaces.

         As my last parting gift, I am linking to a few of my favorite podcasts that will help librarians and students make sense of the world at this present moment. I’ll say farewell for now, but this definitely isn’t goodbye forever.


Science (Good for information literacy):
Science VS- Lately centered on the pandemic, but before, a myriad of topics from a science perspective.
Coronavirus Daily- Short, 12-20 min updates on all things Covid-19

Library (Good for literacy in general, especially book lovers):
The Librarian is In

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