This is the Big One!

At the culmination of our #ed584 course, we were asked to create a digital story which we could use in our current or future classrooms. We were also asked to attempt to learn how to juggle, and document our journey as well. In the name of efficiency, and because I had a lightning bolt idea for an awesome story, I chose to combine these two projects into one, seamless story. And like Redd Foxx's eponymous character from TV's "Sanford & Son," this project truly became "the Big One!"

For my digital story project, I made a video showcasing my SHS Connect group of Grade 11 students (that's a 20-minute, twice weekly advisory/enrichment/homeroom period, to you), as they attempted to open up and share a bit about themselves while also filming me attempting to learn how to juggle. My students and I filmed and took still images using an iPad, while I used a Blue Snowflake USB microphone and Windows Movie Maker 2012 to narrate and edit my video project, finally uploading the film to YouTube.

The film can be both appropriate, thoughtful and reflective at times in the way it documents my juggling journey while also allowing students the opportunity to share in this experience and tell a bit about themselves as well. Other times, it can seem pretty silly, and possibly "inappropriate;" however, that's what SHS Connect is supposed to be -- an informal, loosely structured time and space to connect students with one another, and to a teacher they might not otherwise ever interact with outside of their scheduled classes. Although I'd love to share the video publicly, some of my students who appear in the video do not have permission to have their names, likeness or work appear in public forums. The law is the law, I suppose.

I think the final product turned out really well, in my unbiased opinion! :)

Honestly, I wanted to see what editing a several minutes-long documentary film would be like using Movie Maker, which many of our students option to use for their own film projects at school. I would probably include more still images and try different transitions and filters in any future iterations of the video.

Windows Movie Maker is a relatively simple video editing program available to all students in our school, so it would certainly benefit them in any digital storytelling or documentary film-related work they're required to do for their classes. Heck, it would even be cool to make a video resume, or projects for family and friends. Unfortunately, not only is the program outdated by several years, but it's also available only to users on our networked PCs at school. At a time when more and more iPads and Chromebooks are being added to our building, it will make it more difficult to support students' use of this technology when Windows-based devices are limited or in high demand. Scheduling PC lab space for classes, or suggesting alternative video-editing options for other devices, such as iMovie (Macbooks, iPads) or YouTube (Chromebooks) could be viable ways to overcome these impediments.

I thought this was a very challenging, yet worthwhile, project, as it allowed me to try a new technology and share a story of my students that they were actually involved in making along with me. We learned a lot about one another, which is one of the goals of SHS Connect. Too bad I haven't yet learned how to juggle!

Dicey Research? Try CARRDSS!

Check out my first attempt to make an RSA-style video; not too shabby! Big shoutout to teacher-librarian maven Joyce Valenza for the inspirational CARRDSS method for evaluating online sources of informational research, as well as the collective support of my #ed584 colleagues. About three hours of frustration, many huffs of dizzying, dry-erase markers, several palmfuls of Sour Patch Kids and a little bit of luck went into making this short, speedy, and hopefully, useful video.

Please to enjoy, and thanks for leaving any feedback for me below! 

What Little Birdies Tell Me

Although I've only recently started using Twitter for professional purposes, I've been a user since mid-2009 and have always recognized it's value as a news service tailored to my individual interests. Initially, I was overwhelmed by the number of posts flowing into my timeline, feeling compelled to read each one and explore every link in an attempt to "stay caught up." After drinking from the fire hose for a few weeks, I became more selective about what I read and what I might use in my everyday life.

Below are some great resources and tweets I've recently plucked from my Twitter feed. My best advice to you, like the proverbial grizzly bear faced with a barrage of leaping salmon, is once you get one that matters to you, step out of the stream and enjoy; enough is a feast:

My #STEM STEAM #STEMx page https://t.co/UANhosI3Qr #4thchat pic.twitter.com/XtSmdwtUmt

— Jerry Blumengarten (@cybraryman1) February 2, 2016

Say what you will about Jerry Blumengarten's website or in your face profile images, but I turn to the Cybraryman when I'm searching for relevant library, technology or current events topics to write about and promote in my library. This installment on STEM, STEAM, STREAM and STEMx was rife with inspirational resources for my collaborative STEAM research project with a 5th grade music class, 11th and 12th grade Earth Science students and some Art kids from my high school.

5 Free Tools for Creating Whiteboard Videos https://t.co/4CnbZ1Vspd

— Richard Byrne (@rmbyrne) February 5, 2016

I always enjoy Richard Byrne's FreeTech4Teachers blog, but particularly liked this post about digital tools useful for creating whiteboard videos. We'll be expected to make our own RSA/Commoncraft-style videos soon. This could come in handy if my next grad class meeting gets snowed out and I'm forced to ditch my shower board and dry-erase markers for my iPad instead!

Bloom’s, SAMR, and Beyond: A Practical Guide for Tech Integration. ASCD Express: https://t.co/X6gL2k12Eq

— Kathy Schrock (@kathyschrock) January 28, 2016

Kathy Schrock is a renowned ed tech leader and as an educator with a penchant for research and inquiry, she's been a go-to resource for much of the information literacy, instructional resources and strategies used in my library lesson planning. After recently discovering the SAMR model in grad class, the concepts of how to truly enhance and transform learning with technology has woven its way into my thinking and discussions with teachers and students. Responsible tech integration, carefully supported with purpose and meaning, is the key to unlocking a lot of potential learning opportunities for kids to showcase their talents.

I believe that librarians must become the technology leaders in our school! #tlchat

— Elissa Malespina (@elissamalespina) April 30, 2014

Ok, so this may not qualify as an article, but I certainly find it to be a thought-provoking tweet. After a brief back-and-forth on Twitter and Skype call with my grad class, I immediately considered New Jersey-based "work in progress" teacher-librarian, Elissa Malespina, to be an integral member of my Twitter PLN. This tweet was particularly thought-provoking for me, because in spite of all the professional literature I've read and librarian/ed tech conferences I've attended, I've never really paid much attention to leadership. I've always felt that title was reserved for 092s (that's a school administrator, to you) and Board of Education employees. I realize that in my role as a librarian, I'm primed to become a grassroots leader for technology in my own school; raising the ed tech flag high and blaring its horn for all to see and hear. Inspiring stuff, huh? :)

Web 2.0 Toolapalooza

Welcome to my first Web 2.0 Toolapalooza! Sometimes, educators struggle with finding the right way to present information or make something using a new technology tool. I know this is often the case for me. So, below are several attempts to create some useful, interesting, or just plain fun tech resources to use in the classroom or library:

Vocaroo: http://vocaroo.com/i/s16jQwnFWRam

Ideal for students (or teachers) who have trouble with public speaking. You could use this to practice a presentation, listen to yourself making a speech or record something to present to an audience. This simple, web-based recording tool allows you to record and share a link of yourself saying what you need to say. A perfect solution for students presenting to their peers, teachers making recordings for their kids, or pre-recording some info you've been asked to share at that dreaded faculty meeting next week (eep!). Bet you never thought the Gettysburg Address could sound so silky smooth!

Powtoon: https://www.powtoon.com/online-presentation/dyafrOumcpn/welcome-to-the-library/

PowToon describes itself as a "minimalist, user friendly and intuitive presentation software that allows someone with no technical or design skills to create engaging professional “look and feel” animated presentations." The web-based service also has an education label designed to allow teachers and students to create content that is "visually engaging, captivating and fun to make." I find it hard to disagree with them. I mean, check out the wicked fun and welcoming library PowToon linked above. Kinda makes you wanna check us out, right? :)

Zaption: http://zapt.io/tmjk6ysu

This video creation tool would be great for flipping content and saving instructional time. If you've been flipping your classroom, or just single lessons, it's a pretty easy way to add assessments, or in my case, simple accountability, to instructional videos to help students with research or use instructional technology. The sample above is a flipped lesson on how students can use Wikispaces to create and share content with the classmates by building a class wiki; like Wikipedia!

Sock Puppets: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bsDOXg-wkHM

Ok, this tool might seem relegated to the elementary scene, but this tool is plain, old-fashioned fun, just re-imagined! The premise is simple: pick out some sock puppets, create a setting with props and start recording voices for your characters as they deliver your message while moving around on stage. Created with Sock Puppets for iPhone and iPad, this scene depicts myself and my librarian colleague, Mrs. Dion (thanks for lending your voice in the Zaption video above!), talking about "genrefying" the high school fiction collection. Talk about taking something fairly mechanical and boring in process and explaining it in a fun way. Think of all the ways you could deliver info to your students!

Now that I've shared a little about what I've done with web 2.0 tools, I'm hoping you'll share some of your ideas, too! What's your favorite Web 2.0 tool to use with students?