For Modules 6 and 7 we were tasked with exploring some new tools.
Module 6: Supporting Learners through the Library: Digital Literacy
The prompt this week was to build a digital toolkit. We were challenged further to do that with a new tool: Symbaloo. Perhaps not new to all of us, it certainly was to me. Symbaloo seems to be a nice sticky board of tools. Quite easy to use, Symbaloo organizes various web-links into webmixes. I created one for this assignment and it can be accessed through this link! |
| "11 Ways to Use Symbaloo in the Classroom" from the edublogger |
I organized the webmix into three main section: the top left section includes ready to use (or nearly) lesson plans and ideas; the top right area includes various digital tools or apps (probably what this week was meant to focus on but I got distracted...) that could be used to represent student work in a different way. I am new to many of these but am intrigued by Powtoon, Padlet and Smore. Finally, the bottom middle section are various support apps that could be incorporated into a lesson - such as Ted - or as useful resources for students such as Reading Eggs. I still need to explore many of these apps further as some require payment / account creation. For now, at least I am creating a snapshot of tiles to investigate! Let me know if you think I am missing anything important!
Mod 7: Teacher Librarian as Educational Leader
In Module 7 we were given the following prompt: "What do we know about Teacher Librarians as educational Leaders?" We were encouraged to try the tool Padlet; since I was still in the middle of creating my Symbaloo webmix I thought this was the perfect opportunity to investigate a tool further. I also thought the prompt lended itself well to a KWL chart so I chose that format for my Padlet. Check it out below. Overall I found Padlet very simple to use and enjoyed the versatility. The free account allows me to make three separate Padlets. I wonder if I can write over top of them once I am finished? |
| "The Power of Padlet" from edtechteam |
Access through this link!
My ideas here on TLs as Educational Leaders are, I'm sure, the tip of the iceberg. In connecting back to my Essential Question: How to use the Learning Commons as a place to inspire lifelong learning (I'm still working on the phrasing...)? Using and showcasing tools like these is an essential component to inspiring lifelong learning. Yes, inspiring a love of reading is what got me on this track but learning is about more than just reading and sometimes we need neat and innovative ways to share our learning to keep it interesting! I love the idea of holding a Tech-Tip-Tuesday or something of the sort in the Library at noon. On these days a new tool, app, or technology tip would be showcased (hopefully by experts other than myself) and students and staff would have a quick way of getting introduced to new technology and how it works. If other teachers are like myself then they want to learn more tools, figure out how to use them and integrate them - but they lack the time to investigate them properly. Quick introductions such as these could really help!
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