Technology

Being a technology leader is a huge job. Hardware and software change often, and Internet sites deluge users with applications and information. How do we as teacher-librarians stay at the forefront of instructional technology in our world? Consider making regular visits to the following sites in your quest to learn about new technology and to help your colleagues see the educational reasons for using the new tools. Start by visiting the techLearning site, [[[|http://www.techlearning.com/,|www.techlearning.com/],]] to stay abreast of current trends and issues. Here you will find a new article daily; a list of hot topics with selected resources; and index tabs for teachers, tech coordinators, and administrators. Clicking on the "Teachers" tab provides a selection of articles, a quick software tip, a web site of the day, a grants database, and other classroom-based information. The "Tech Coordinators" section includes an annotated list of articles, a database of reviews, professional development tips, a technical hint of the day, and a weekly Podcast of instructional ideas. The "Administrators" tab reveals access to the grants database and articles designed to help with the instructional leader role. Set up an e-mail subscription to the news from this well-done site and make your teaching life a little easier. Another must-visit site for solid information on managing an instructional technology program is the Consortium for School Networking, [|http://cosn.org/.] This organization provides excellent tools for examing the total cost of owning technology tools; setting up a student tech support team; and managing Internet access, cyber security, and access to one of the newest initiatives on accessible technology. Although the web site is the portal for the members of the organization, much of the information is readily available to all visitors. Be sure to check out the security and total cost of ownership information as you continue in your technology leadership role. Another useful resource is the Research section of the "Technology and Teaching" page of PBS TeacherSource, [|www.pbs.org/teachersource/teachtech/research.shtm]. The research studies are indexed into 11 categories, including "Leadership and Technology," "Visual Media," and "Student Learning." The "Visual Media" option takes you to a study done for the Corporation of Public Broadcasting on the impact of video on student learning in formal education. "Leadership and Technology" provides a look at trends in 2006 from the State Educational Technology Directors Association, in addition to a look at IBM's Reinventing Education initiative and the National Educational Technology Plan for the U.S. Department of Education. Edutopia, the web site of the George Lucas Educational Foundation, [[[|http://www.edutopia.org/,|www.edutopia.org/],]] opens a wide world of technology uses in education. Here, the professional development tools are exemplary: Technology leaders will find well-crafted video clips of instructional technology being used in classrooms, and educators will find multimedia clips, PowerPoint presentations, and reading materials to help them deliver the content with ease. Each unit is crafted to help educators think about the role that technology plays in instruction and how it can help change their classrooms. Be sure to check out the free electronic newsletters, available on a range of topics. As a technology leader, you might want to brush up on multimedia skills. One place to start is the Welcome to Video Guide, http://pblmm.k12.ca.us/TechHelp/VideoHelp/VideoGuide.html. Designed to help students and educators explore the world of video, this project-based site provides concise understandable information on camera selection, lighting, tripod use, and picture composition. Production, postproduction, and editing information is also included. The site is rounded out with step-by-step activities that students and educators can use as learning activities. A second place to explore the use of digital stories is [|www.digitalstories.org]. This site serves as a publishing point for educational, fictional, or personal digital stories. The site is provided by a school district in Illinois, but it allows Internet submissions. The selected list of resources and tools needed to create digital stories, as well as the examples provided, creates rich options for teacher-librarians who wish to introduce the concept of digital stories to their students. Another instructional tool is Podcasting. The use of this audio and video tool provides project-based learning opportunities for students. Commence your learning by visiting the "Podcasting" section of Learninginhand, by Tony Vincent, [|www.learninginhand.com/podcasting/]. This skillfully crafted site guides visitors through finding and using already developed Podcasts, subscribing to them, understanding the RSS and XML feed options, and setting up the tools to listen to Podcasts. The creation link furnishes understandable directions for both Windows and Macintosh platforms, along with educational reasons for using this technology. The second stop on your journey to learn about Podcasting should be the Education Podcast Network, provided by David Warlick and the Landmark Project, [|http://epnweb.org/.] This site provides an extensive index of options, including curriculum subject areas, grade-level creations, and general education options. In addition, the information on finding a Podcast via the site provides a link to iPodder or Juice. This software is an alternative to using iTunes to subscribe and organize your podcasts, and it is freely available and easy to use. Finally, I want to suggest two blogs that I visit on a regular basis in addition to the number of thought-provoking options available from our fellow teacher-librarians. First is the Committed Sardine Blog, by Ian Jukes, director of the InfoSavvy Group. You can subscribe by visiting http://ianjukes.com/infosavvy/index.php. Here, I find writing that makes me think about new technology, testing, e-learning, trends, and biotech. The second is Moving at the Speed of Creativity, [[[|http://www.speedofcreativity.org/,|www.speedofcreativity.org/],]] by Wesley Fryer, an experienced educator. He provides updated information about technology use in education and other items to make you think, and he has created a wiki on digital literacy. I guarantee that these two options will give you several Aha! moments and help you on your journey as the technology leader in your school and district.

As we begin the school year, you may want to take time to check out the best of information on technology tools, tutorials on using tools and software and other tech-related web sites found in this column. The purpose of this "best of tech" list is to provide you with resources to help broaden your technology facilitation skills. Begin by testing two sites that store your Internet favorites or bookmarks and easily make them available on any computer with Internet access. The first, at http://www.ikeepbookmarks.com/, provides free web-based storage for bookmarks. You have to register and provide a password. Once the account is established you can upload the bookmarks from your current computer or provide a bookmark file from another machine. Uploading is easy with Netscape and Internet Explorer Version 5.0 and higher. This site also allows for individually adding bookmarks and provided a brief description. Editing existing lists is easy and straightforward. BackFlip, at http://www.backflip.com/, also provides free web-based storage for bookmarks. The upload is easy to accomplish and editing the bookmarks/favorites once they are in BackFlip is simple. BackFlip provides a number of other features to customize your Internet surfing. Both sites provide a simple way to store bookmarks/favorites so they will be available from any computer with an Internet connection. However, this method of storing bookmarks/ favorites does take a little longer to use. You must first access the site where your information is stored and then access the web site you want. Think carefully about the extra time required when using this during instructional time. Want to start the year with students developing their own web pages? You can use a number of web development tools such as FrontPage, DreamWeaver or other software. Or you can teach students how to develop pages using HTML with the help of WebMonkeys for Kids, http://hotwired.lycos.com/webmonkey/kids/index.html. The site contains information on lessons, projects and tools, and a playground option that links to a number of entertaining web sites with good features to spark student creativity. The well-developed planning guide provides excellent directions for educators wishing to implement the program in the classroom. This site also works well as a home-learning option. Want some great freeware to use with students this school year? Check out Home Planet, http://www.fourmilab.ch/homeplanet/homeplanet.html. This comprehensive astronomy program provides an earth map, a look at the sky above your location and a telescope window. The sky location can be customized by major city or longitude and latitude. Position and phase data for the sun and moon are also available. This freeware works with Windows 98 and higher. Another good source of freeware programs found via the Web is New Breed Software, http://www.newbreedsoftware.com/. This home of open source programs provides a very useful paint program, Tux Paint, which is much like Kid Pix. Tux Paint is available for Windows, Macintosh and Linux users. Windows and Mac users will also find an elementary math drill and skill option. If you want to learn more about PowerPoint, or are looking for excellent templates for it, check out Microsoft MVP for PowerPoint at http://www.soniacoleman.com/index.htm. Be sure to use Internet Explorer for viewing the tutorials, which provide audio as well as visual information. There are 208 PowerPoint templates available for free download. You will find a number of holiday options as well as some Native American choices. If you are a Microsoft Publisher user, there is a similar site for Publisher at http://www.publishermvps.com/general/index.html. You will find a plethora of tips, add-ins and templates. The inclusion of digital images in our teaching and curriculum is growing at a rapid rate. Olympus has developed a digital literacy curriculum, unveiled at the National Educational Computing Conference in June 2004. Information can be found at http://www.envisionyourworld.com/index.html. More information and tutorials on using digital cameras and digital images can be found at the AGFA web site, http://www.agfanet.com/en/cafe/ photocourse/digicourse/cont_index.php3. This 20-lesson set discusses using a digital camera, using scanners, developing animations and creating movies. Materials are well written and will be useful with upper elementary through high school. Ever wonder what file format or computer lingo the students are talking about? Take a look at the "Every File Format in the World" site, http://whatis.techtarget.com/fileFormatA/0,289933,sid9,00.html. You will find a quick alphabetical listing of all file formats. Many of the listings have links to further information about the file type. Don't overlook the treasure trove of materials available at Jan's Illustrated Computer Literacy 101, http://www.jegsworks.com/Lessons/sitemap.htm. Here you find information about computer basics and superbly written tutorials on using Windows, Word, Excel and the Internet. These are great resources for your colleagues and those students who need to bring tech skills up to level quickly. Another excellent source of online tutorials is LearningElectric.Com, http://www.learningelectric.com/. The site provides several free QuickTime video tutorials on using Office, KidPix Deluxe3, Inspiration, Easy Grade Pro and HTML. The video clips are short. A well-designed index provides access to learning opportunities on the various basic and intermediate features of each piece of software.