MC Web Pages: The Power of the Media Specialist

Ashley Sherman

MEDT 7477

Blog #3- MC Web Pages: The Power of the Media Specialist

The whole point in creating a web page or an entire website is to gain an audience and attempt to appeal to that audience using the best methods possible.  Media specialists need to consider the most effective methods possible to promote the usage and traffic on the media center web page. What information needs to be provided to the patrons? How can I promote a variety of elements that are present on the SLMC web page? There are many factors to consider, and students are not the only user group that needs to be targeted; parents, teachers, and administrators may need to visit the web page for information as well.

First, it is important to ensure the web page is kept as updated as possible. Many times I visit web pages for media centers (or just the entire school), and the web pages are significantly outdated. If the information is current, the visitors or users will know they can continuously check back to the page because it provide them with current information and resources. According to Jurkowski (2010), “The advantage of the library website is the immediacy of updates” (p. 69). Media specialists have the opportunity (and power) to update the users quickly and effectively regarding any changes or updates to the media center or the media program.

The downfall to keeping the media center web page updated (that I’ve found most common) is that the media specialists are not the ones who make the changes or have admin privileges to the web page. Fortunately, there are other FREE resources out there for media specialists. They could simply provide the administrator for the web page or the school page with the direct link to the media center blog, wiki, or other web source. By creating their own space for the media center web page, the media specialist may even have more control over the collaborative efforts with teachers and students. Perhaps the media specialist wants to start a digital book club for avid readers, the media specialist would be able to do this with a wiki where students can comment and interact in a safe, controlled, online environment.

While keeping an updating web page is important, the information and links located on the web page are equally important as well. The media specialist wants to provide their users and web page visitors with the most information and the most useful information as possible without overwhelming the user. Too much information, or disorganized information and details could distract a student searching for the GALILEO password or the list of teacher blogs. Warlick’s article, “Building Web Sites That Work For Your Media Center” (2005), provides advice when constructing the media center web page or web site. Some tips include: indent the content and use headings and subheadings, “keep paragraphs short,” bullet any lists you have, use a variety of fonts-but use the different fonts when needed, add “eye magnets” that capture the user’s attention (p. 14-15). All of these elements will help increase the ease and usability of the media center web page or web source.

Additionally, some elements to avoid on a media center web page include selecting fonts or type that aren’t easy to read. Another mistake to avoid includes not being able to easily navigate through the web site or the web page; there should be a clear area (preferably to one side) that includes the titles of the links or other pages available.

While the physical layout and look of the web page are important, the media specialist needs to ensure the information provided is pertinent and relevant to the users. The students, parents, teachers, or administrators are probably searching for something specific when they visit the page, and the media specialist should ensure they can find whatever they are searching for easily and quickly.

References:

Jurkowski, O. (2010). Technology and the School Library: A Comprehensive Guide for Media Specialists and Other Educators. Lanham: Scarecrow Press, Inc.

Warlick, D. (2005). Building Web Sites That Work For Your Media Center. Knowledge Quest. 33:3, pp. 13-16, January /February 2005. 

Blog 2: Wikis

Blog 2: Wiki wiki what?

by: Casie Jones

Before deciding to pursue a Masters in school media, my knowledge of wikis did not go too far beyond wikipedia and the criminal mishaps of Julian Assange with wikileaks. Teachers and professors of mine had often cringed if any word about wikipedia holding any sort of merit was brought up in class, and the idea of any person young, old, smart, and not so seasoned having the ability to edit something in the public domain was very much so frowned upon. 

Now, I can happily say that I am quickly realizing the many possibilities of wikis when instated properly and maintained thoroughly. 

Wikis in media centers can be both a great idea and a lousy one. After looking at the AHS and DHS wiki sites, I think that wikis are best used as sub pages for the media center simply because of a wikis design. A media center has loads and loads of information to distribute, and the layout of a wiki (at least on wikispaces) can be a little crowded or a bit overwhelming. I definitely believe in the concept of "less is more", so the cleaner the main page, and the more condensed yet concise a webpage can be, I say the better. Since wikis are most well acclaimed for their collaboration abilities, I think that wikis would be best utilized on media center webpages as sub-sites. There could be one on books that includes book reviews and commentary, and provide a great way for students to thoughtfully discuss their opinions and suggestions on popular teen fiction and graphic novels. Within the book wiki there could be pages on manga, action, sci fi, etc. so any student looking for a good book under a particular subject could go and peruse the opinions of his/her peers without taking away from the appeal of the main media center webpage. Separate wikis could be thrown into practically any area of the media center website (favorite research links with opinions and current events, best new websites for student projects with examples, etc.) and if teachers had wikis the media center could keep links of theirs as well.

My apprehensions with wikis lie within the use of them for any length of time, or at least with compounding information. The fifth point stated in the "7 things you should know about wikis" article mentioned that wikis are not the best option when trying to build a somewhat credible platform for ideas on fairly new or evolving ideas. I think this is true, but that maybe the remedy, or at least for a media center, would be to purge or archive all of the information at the end of every school year. Some things will obviously remain the same, seeing that Galileo has continued to be a trusted research link for decades, but if the wiki says that myspace is the best social networking site, then that statement should probably be deleted.

As far as collaboration, wikis are wonderful for group work. As stated above, I believe the "storage cabinet" analogy can be dissolved by simple cleaning and maintenance (although this would definitely become a daunting task if the website had multiple wikis), and that teachers should actively be encouraging students to collaborate using wikis. Sharing options like google drive are great if there is only one presentation being created, or if a final product needs to be viewed by all members, but wikis allow all stages of collaboration to be present. Brainstorming can take place all the way to the actual creation of the project, and can be done so effectively and efficiently. So long as students and teachers are aware of the proper wiki etiquette of saving and drafts, I believe wikis are great tools.

Educause Learning Initiative. (2005, July). 7 things you should know about wikis. Retrieved February 17, 2013, from http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ELI7004.pdf

Blog 2: Wikis

Sabrina Davidson

MEDT 7477

Spring 2013

Wikis can be very helpful in the media center.  Yet, I came across some great advice in my reading of Library 2.0 and beyond (2007): “...wikis are very cool tools, but a library does not need a wiki just because everyone else is getting one...a library might want to determine in what way a wiki is needed...only if a wiki is needed should the library spend the time and energy in starting one” (p. 31).  As with all technology, the possibility exists that it may be an exciting new tool, but it may not serve a desired purpose or answer a specific need.  If the new technology, in this case, the wiki, doesn’t serve a specific purpose, it is likely that it will not be properly maintained and will quickly fall by the wayside.  It is wise as a media specialist to carefully choose the tools that will be useful to patrons and practical to maintain without taking on too many tasks.  

If a media specialist finds that a wiki is necessary and meets a specific need, it can be used in a variety of ways, all of which champion collaboration.  Each use of the wiki discussed in the article 7 things you should know about wikis (2005, July) promote wikis as a tool of collaboration.  From informal school groups to professional collaboration projects, wikis easily allow sharing information in the form of documents, photographs, videos, and more.  With this said, I very much enjoyed the wiki published by Decatur High School Library (2013).  I gleaned many ideas on summer reading titles and assignments from perusing their wiki!  I am always looking for new ways to get students to connect with their reading.  

The main drawback to wikis results from its main strength: user-editing.  Because many users can edit a single wiki, the possibility of biased or inaccurate information exists.  Writers for Educause Learning Initiative (2005, July) acknowledge this possibility; “While, the potential for mischief exists, wikis can be surprisingly robust, open-ended, collaborative group sites.”  For this reason, Fayette County does not allow students to use Wikipedia as a research source.  This limit, in my opinion, does not hinder student-researchers.  Wikipedia can still be a useful resource for finding topical and more reliable sources on a particular topic; the sources listed at the end of articles on Wikipedia are often published by more esteemed organizations.

The most important guideline in creating wikis is to maintain them so that information is accurate.  The Internet is ever-evolving, and links must be regularly checked for dependability.  Any wiki that a media center creates, whether it is to share information with stakeholders or to help student-researchers through a pathfinder, must be periodically examined for weaknesses.  As long as this task is not overlooked, wikis can hold a valuable place in any school library media program.

References:

Courtney, N., ed. (2007). Library 2.0 and beyond: Innovative technologies and tomorrow’s user. Westport, Connecticut: Libraries Unlimited.

Decatur High School Library. (2013). Retrieved February 17, 2013, from http://dhs.wikispaces.com/

Educause Learning Initiative. (2005, July). 7 things you should know about wikis. Retrieved February 17, 2013, from http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ELI7004.pdf

Straight to the PODcasting: Good, Bad and NO Ugly!

Straight to the PODcasting: Good, Bad and NO Ugly!

GOOD: Podcasting is a great way to deliver audio files over the Internet. The term comes from iPod and broadcasting. Podcasting is a free service to use and listen to via a computer or any digital portable audio devices in an MP3 format. The user has control of what and when they listen. Media specialist can make use of podcasting not only as a tool for colleagues but for patrons as well. Students are all ready equipped with devices and technology savvy. So the addition of podcasting is not a draw back but a great portable education tool. 

Free subscriptions are to as many podcasts as you like are possible. Podcast episodes will be forwarded right to your device or computer software. Publishing verbal content to computers and digital devices allows subscribers to learn or listen on the go.  

BAD: The downside of podcasting is slim to none. Good sound quality is necessary since podcasting is an audible tool. First time podcasters may need assistance with getting the right equipment and with the upload process. Subscribers must have a decent amount of bandwidth to download and listen to the podcast. Refrain from uses copyrighted music during podcasts. The good out weighs the bad. Podcasting is here to stay and will only get better.

Loraine Foushee

Blog 1: Podcasting 

Podcasts: Not JUST Audio Files

Ashley Sherman

MEDT 7477

Blog Post #1: Podcasting

At first, I was skeptical how effective and useful podcasts could be in an educational environment; I didn’t know all the possibilities that podcasts have to offer to students, teachers, and media specialists as well as the possible audience members that podcasts can be projected to. 

Podcasting essentially allows students to share their ideas and presentations among other students, teachers, parents, and possibly even the community. By sharing the audio files with an audience beyond the walls of the school, students begin to make see a relation to the “real-world” beyond second, sixth, or twelfth grade. Not only can students record their own audio file to share with others (AKA: a podcast), but they can also listen to other podcasts produced by other students across their school, district, county, state, or even country. Students now have the opportunity to hear and listen to other ideas and presentations that weren’t available to them before the notion of podcasting was introduced. 

In Kristin Fontichiaro’s (2007) article, she tells how in first grade she felt “empowered” and “grown up” when she would tell her stories into a cassette recorder; she even signed off each session as a real reporter would do (School Library Media Activities Monthy, pgs. 22-23). Podcasts can provide students with Fontichiaro’s feelings of empowerment over their own learning in the classroom and beyond. The possible ideas for the incorporation of podcasts in the classroom as well as the media center are endless. 

Some possible ideas for student podcasts include: student interviews with other students or possibly other members of the school community, record students reading their own stories or research findings as if they were news reporters, record student testimonies about a specific class or skill they learned in order to play it at an orientation or open house, and have students record their podcast and incorporate music and sound effects to ensure they can utilize the technology effectively. All of the possibilities for podcasting promote higher-level and critical thinking as well as possible efforts in collaboration and mastering skills for the 21^st century learner. 

Not only can students benefit from the possible uses of podcasts, but teachers, administrators, and media specialists can also incorporate podcasts into their classroom and everyday tasks as well. For example, sometimes teachers are absent or not able to attend professional development sessions. Administrators or media specialists could record these sessions and make them available for those who missed the presentation or if someone needs to refer back to the session, they have the ability to do so through a podcast. Also, Fontichiaro’s article highlights the possible uses of podcasts for students with special needs. If teachers record instructions or a day’s lecture, students can then access the podcast from the class blog or wiki and lesson to it as needed to clear up any questions. Additionally, if students need test or assignment directions read to them, teachers could pre-record this information as needed per a  student’s IEP (Fontichiaro, 2007, p. 22-23). 

Podcasts can serve not as a burden to teachers but as an additional resource to promote student learning as well as the use and incorporation of technologies in the classroom. Podcasts also serve to meet the standards for the 21^st century learner set by the AASL. For example, standard 3.1.4 states that students “Use technology and other information tools to organize and display knowledge and understanding in ways that others can view, use, and assess” (AASL, 2007). Not only are students and teachers creating their podcasts as finished products or part of  larger projects, but they have the opportunity to share their audio files with others within the school community and beyond.

Resources:

American Association of School Librarians. (2007). Standards for the 21^st Century Learners. Retrieved  from http://www.ala.org/aasl/sites/ala.org.aasl/files/content/guidelinesandstandards/learningstand rds/AASL_Learning_Standards_2007.pdf.

Fontichiaro, K. (2007). Podcasting 101. School Library Media Activities Monthly, 23 (7), 22-23.