The Scanner SIGMS Newsletter Volume 4, Number 1
Winter Issue December 2012
Tools of the Trade SIGMS provides a support network to school library media specialists and others in leadership positions who are working to promote the use of instructional technologies to enhance student learning. It provides a forum to consider and explore ways in which to best use existing and emerging technologies to improve and enhance teaching and instruction, student learning and management, helping students and teachers become competent, critical and ethical users of information. This newsletter is one way media specialists can share their knowledge with one another and anyone interested in instructional technologies. This issue introduces four tools of the trade used by media specialists.
In this issue: Message from SIGMS President
2
Message from SIGMS PD Chair
4
TRAILS: Tool for Real- 6 time Assessment of Information Literacy Skills Twitter: A Tale of a Reluctant Tweeter
8
Voicethread: Creating Digital Stories Just Got Easier
10
QR Poetry Book: Interactive Poetry
12
Message From SIGMS President Maureen Sanders Brunner SIGMS President
Let’s face it; ’tis the season of stress for most K-12 During this time of year, it is difficult to consider faculty. I recall my years as a school librarian,
those things for which we are thankful, at least in
trying to balance the extra job responsibilities and
our professional lives. Thankfully, working with
family commitments that the end of the semester
all of the wonderful SIGMS volunteers throughout
and the holidays would bring. About this time, all
the months of November and December have given
of my fall ordering
me many reasons to be
would be arriving in
thankful for being a part
boxes, ready for
of this profession and this
processing, shelving, and
organization. Here are
marketing. My fellow
just a few reasons I am
teachers would need
thankful for the people
help teaching and
and resources of ISTE
assessing final research
SIGMS.
projects. Students would
First of all, I am thankful
be clamoring for extra
for all of the ISTE
library time to work on
staffers, educational
their finals. And my administrators would
Image from Microsoft Office online
leaders, and volunteers, who have been working
need budget figures for the next fiscal round of
with the SIGMS leadership team to plan an
professional development requests and technology
exciting and educational ISTE 2013 experiment,
purchases. On top of that, every week or weekend
including our ISTE liaison, Colleen Kimball. It is
seemed to be filled with important holiday events
hard to believe that in this busy and stressful time,
sponsored by athletic teams or extracurricular clubs!
there are so many professionals willing and able to dedicate their time and talent toward preparing for
an event that is more than six months away!
quality yet free webinars for our members. I
Needless to say, I can’t wait to share our plans
am also thankful for our volunteer presenters,
with you in the next issue of The Scanner.
without whom this service would not be
Secondly, and speaking of The Scanner, I am
possible. One of our latest webinars, ‘Wikis in
thankful for Jenn Hanson, our SIGMS
Education,’ was delivered using a new webinar
communications chair; Shelley Friesen, our
resource and was considered a great success!
new The Scanner editor; and all of the volunteers who serve on the newsletter
Look in this issue for the up and coming webinars and ways to access archives.
committee and
And last but not least,
submit articles for
I am thankful for
publication.
Tiffany Whitehead,
Everyone has worked
our SIGMS President-
very hard to keep this
elect. Besides being a
resource alive,
source of inspiration
effective, and
and creative thinking
relevant for our
in our conference
members. In this
planning sessions,
issue, I hope you
Tiffany will be
benefit from the
spending a lot of time
knowledge and
this holiday season
expertise that these
gearing up for our
folks have shared with us. If you do find
SIGMS Technology Innovation 2013 Awards.
something particularly helpful, please be sure to Tiffany has prepared an informational page in send the newsletter folks and the author a quick this issue that explains more about this award “Thank You!”
and the award application process.
Thirdly, I am thankful for Jenifer Gossman, our On behalf of your SIGMS leadership team, I SIGMS Professional Development chair, for
wish you all Happy Holidays, and a New Year
ensuring that SIGMS continues to provide
full of hope and joy!
Update on SIGMS Professional Development Opportunities Jenifer Grossman SIGMS Professional Development Chair
Professional development has changed a great deal
In the past we have used Blackboard Elluminate for
over the last five to ten years. Educators and
our webinar series. This year we are trying a new
business professionals lead very busy lives and
application (a neat Web 2.0 tool) called
attending workshops and conferences is getting
AnyMeeting.
harder and harder. SIGMS recognizes the need to provide free online professional development for our community. We produce a monthly series featuring a 30- or 60-minute webinar that focuses on using technology tools in education. Some tools are available to the public for free, but other applications require purchasing.
On November 20th we produced the webinar, “Wikis in Education� presented by Stephanie
Every other month SIGMS teams up with SIGLIt to Sandifer. produce the 1 Tool at a Time webinar series. This series focuses on Web 2.0 tools and how they can be put to use with curriculum and professional development. You can listen to the archived session for this webinar and many others by visiting our SIGMS Wiki or following this link: http://www.anymeeting.com/ISTESIGMS
Use this link to find out about upcoming webinars as well.
*Images found at ISTE sites
Upcoming webinars: In January our 1 Tool at a Time webinar will be
In February we will hear from the leaders at Skype
about the SCAN tool.
in Education.
Attendees will explore the SCAN tool, a simple Web 2.0 discussion tool that guides students to think critically about tough issues. Authentic topics provide great opportunities for reading informational text, writing argumentatively across Please check our SIGMS wiki on a regular basis disciplines and collaborating to solve problems.
for upcoming sessions.
The SCAN tool provides free scenarios, resources
http://sigms.iste.wikispaces.net/
and a critical thinking strategy that applies across all disciplines. It’s simple for teachers as no student registration or emails are necessary.
You can also check our AnyMeeting page for scheduled sessions. http://www.anymeeting.com/ISTESIG
Presenter info: Sandra Wozniak uses her experience from 33 years in the middle school classroom to write engaging and authentic curriculum. A Google Certified Teacher, blogger and digital immigrant, she works with districts, teachers and students to integrate simple technology and critical thinking skills to teach kids how to think, not what to think.
TRAILS: Tool for Real-time Assessment of Information Literacy Skills Leslie Sutherlin South Dearborn Community School Corporation Aurora, IN
Do you need a tool that can gauge student knowledge of Common Core Information Literacy Skills? Are teacher evaluations requiring you to show more accountability? TRAILS (http://www.trails-9.org/), a project of Kent State University Libraries, may be the right FREE tool for you. The web-based tool can be utilized by teachers or school librarians
logging in allows one to review the various assessments. There are assessments for third,
to provide a method to determine which skills
sixth, ninth and twelfth grades, but the variety
students need to learn—the perfect way to
is what really makes this tool shine. One can
assist those teachers who must now address
give the assessment in a single sit-down
Common Core information literacy skills. Essentially, this site allows teachers to configure assessment to their needs. They adjust their account settings to their preferences and design what works best for
session or assign shorter more specific assessments, such as topic development or source evaluation. TRAILS provides reports on class success, as well as individual student outcomes, both of
them. For example, teachers can set the
which can be shared with students,
program so that students take the assessment
administrators, or teachers. Once registered
all at once, or students can be asked to
with TRAILS, teachers are provided with
complete the examination as an assignment at
student account codes that each student will
home. TRAILS can be used as a collaborative
enter to complete the assessment. That code
exploration or as a larger group project.
will help track each student’s progress,
The site provides sample items to visitors, but Image found at trails-9.org
especially useful if the teacher would like to do pre- and post-analysis.
By logging in, a teacher will have access to
TRAILS is a cooperative joint venture between
great resources, including the TRAILS wiki.
Kent State University Libraries, IMLS and
At this site, instructors will find excellent
ILILE; their support allows this project to be
assistance in implementing TRAILS into their
used by school librarians and teachers at no
program. Others have shared their experiences cost. or provided lesson plans. One of the best features of TRAILS is that it
Leslie Sutherlin is the 2013 president of
provides both AASL and Common Core
Association of Indiana School Library
standards on the assessments. Each question
Educators. She teaches at South Dearborn
shares the relevant standard information,
Community Schools in Aurora, Indiana.
making it easy to document what is being covered.
Twitter: A Tale of a Reluctant Tweeter Wendy Dickerson Glen Oaks Elementary School McKinney, TX Facebook and Edmodo and Twitter, oh my.
store. I just could not see the educational value in
I now know how Dorothy felt when she said, “I
this particular tool.
don’t think we’re in Kansas anymore.”
So just like the wild things in Where the Wild
I am a library media specialist (LMS) at an
Things Are by Maurice Sendak, I roared my terrible
elementary school in Texas. My role includes much roar and gnashed my terrible teeth and rolled my terrible eyes and showed my terrible claws. Then I more than providing typical library services; I am more of a teacher librarian and technology
did what I always do when an expectation comes
integrator. I serve on the
forth; I followed the rules.
administrative team at my school and
I set up a Twitter account and began to
have often been a trainer, where other
learn the difference between at
LMSs and I have received program
symbols (@) and hashtags (#). I
training at the district office that we in
started to follow other professionals in
turn teach to our staffs.
my district and began to branch out
I am expected to be a technology leader on my
beyond that to other professionals in
campus, and I love what I do. Then, this fall, it was the education world. Slowly, over the course of several weeks, I began to see that Twitter does have all seriously compromised when the expectation its place in the world of education. that we would start tweeting at least three times a week was set forth.
A few weeks ago, our LMS group was asked to put
Twitter – not this girl – no way, no how. Anything
together presentations to introduce our district principals to the educational value of using Twitter
but Twitter! I do not care what you had for breakfast or that you found the shirt you just had to have on sale at the right time or that you are currently at the grocery
*Image found at Twitter.com
for teacher professional development as well as a classroom teaching tool.
We presented many ideas about how Twitter could everything I do, but I can say that I am embracing be used. One was to connect with authors or other
the possibilities of what Twitter can offer and I am
experts in fields of study. Even the youngest
making sure that I spend a little time every few
learners could participate by being the “Tweeter of days checking my Twitter feed. the Day” for the class or all students could write
One final tip for those new to Twitter is to find a
tweets on paper and post the one chosen as best.
service or app that helps organize your twitter
Teachers can post assignments, respond to
account. I happen to use Tweetdeck, which
questions and take students on virtual field trips
organizes my Twitter feed and common hashtag
using Twitter. The possibilities are endless.
searches into columns, making everything easier to
Twitter is becoming a truly reliable resource as
follow. I know there are other apps that offer
indicated by Alexis Madrigal’s quote featured in
similar features.
Forbes Magazine last January, “The bottom line is So from this once-reluctant Tweeter, all I can say simple: articles that many people tweeted about is “Come on in; the water’s fine.” Happy were 11 times more likely to be highly cited than
Tweeting!
those who few people tweeted about.” Read the entire Forbes article on-line. I can’t say that I hop on Twitter every day or that it has become so seamless that it is ingrained into
NOTE OF CAUTION Free online tools are also accessed by people who may post inappropriate things. Please make sure you are comfortable with the content of any site you plan to use with students. SIGMS Newsletter Committee
Image by suzievesper on Flickr.com
Voicethread: Creating Digital Stories Just Got Easier! Cynthia Fordham Ravenscroft School Raleigh, NC When it comes to web tools, where do you start?
Voicethread education account. For a school
Even though there are many other digital choices,
subscription, the cost is not much more than a
Voicethread is still a reliable and permanent part of dollar per account, which is a bargain considering my digital toolbelt. Voicethread is a web tool that
the mobile device capabilities, technical support,
allows for collaboration, encourages
tutorials and idea forums galore!
communication,
You don’t have to be
sparks creativity,
tech savvy to use
builds digital
Voicethread. You just
citizenship, provides a
have to be someone
forum to use research
who can take pictures
and other information;
with a digital camera
and, of course, there
or know the basics of
are many
a program such as
opportunities to use critical thinking skills.
PowerPoint. Voicethread is an online slideshow
Wow! If Voicethread can do all that, it must be
that can be narrated and easily shared. And, like
pretty complicated. Guess what? It’s not. I’ve
any kind of slideshow, you have to add stuff or
been using Voicethread for more than five years
content. What kind of stuff can you make with
now, and with almost 700 Voicethread creations
Voicethread? Well, just a few examples are …
under my belt, I can truly say it’s one of my best tools. I began with one free Voicethread account, later upgraded to an educator free account, did a $10 upgrade for unlimited Voicethread space, and currently, am using our school’s subscription. Every student and teacher on our campus has a *Images found at Voicethread.com
Explain a lesson (http://voicethread.com/ share/695706/ Excel Graphs) Create and share digital stories (http:// voicethread.com/share/3736588/ ) 1st grade, Lillian-The Great Cook) Student Biographies (http://voicethread.com/ share/1906390/ My Sentence - Biography 4th)
Capture and share the morning announcements (http:// ravenscroft.ed.voicethread.com/share/3736964/ 5th grade Announcements) Inform others about Hedgehogs (http:// ravenscroft.ed.voicethread.com/share/854227/ Kindergarten-Hedgie the Hedgehog) Make a digital story - biographies - 2nd grade ( http://ravenscroft.ed.voicethread.com/ share/3070113/ 2nd grade Time Machine) Character education slideshow for your division (http://ravenscroft.ed.voicethread.com/ share/587883/ Walk the Talk - Lower School) Anaylze a book (http:// ravenscroft.ed.voicethread.com/share/2662093/ 5th grade Group Book Talk)
With Voicethread, teachers and students can experience a variety of digital learning skills such as: using a webcam using a microphone creating content in many file formats and
media formats designing images and illustrations evaluating content analyzing information making decisions creating and managing groups for project
management participating as a group making an identity embedding into a blog linking pages in the Voicethread to other
related content Voicethread continues to be one of my best “Tools of the Trade.” It’s simple, and you can use it tomorrow. To learn more about Voicethread, visit ed.voicethread: http:// ravenscroft.ed.voicethread.com/about/features/
Cynthia Fordham Technology and Digital Learning Specialist Ravenscroft School Raleigh, NC cfordham@ravenscroft.org
QR Code Poetry Book: Interactive Poetry Tonya Hinkebein Burks/McKinney ISD McKinney, TX
Imagine a class poetry book that starts out on
Although most devices can install a QR scanner,
paper and transports readers to the web through an some sites mentioned in this article require Flash interactive element, or how about a student’s
to view, so students using iPhones, iPods or iPads
poetry book that becomes an
will be able to scan the code,
online poster and part of an
but not view the finished
ongoing portfolio? By using
product to which it links.
QR (Quick Response) codes
Another note of caution is to
and free Web 2.0 tools, this
be sure the sites your students
type of poetry book becomes
will be using have
a reality.
appropriate content. Free
QR codes are barcodes that
online sites are freely used!
are two-dimensional. The
Using a Web 2.0 tool such as
extra dimension allows for a
Voki.com, students can type
lot of information to be stored
a poem, pick an avatar,
in the code. QR codes can be
choose a voice, and select a
scanned using a free app
setting that matches the
installed on a mobile device.
poem. Once the Voki is
A code can be created on a number of websites for published, the student may use the URL to create a free; http://qrcode.kaywa.com/ is a popular one.
QR code that points the reader to his or her poem.
There are other sites such as http://www.the-
Poetry Anthologies of student work can be
qrcode-generator.com/. The code can then be
compiled using hard copies of QR codes or by
printed and posted on a classroom wall or in a
collecting and arranging codes into a Glogster—an
hallway display. They can even be embedded in a
interactive, online poster.
website. *Images supplied by author
Other useful online sites:
add their own voice using a
imagechef.com (no log in required) has a few
microphone
options for students to create a word
storybird.com (requires log in; teachers can
shape mosaic poem or a fun note
create safe student accounts without
poem
email) offers a book-like experience.
spiderscribe.net (requires a log in with email)
Students pick out a page design and
and bubbl.us (no log in required) both
illustrations to go along with the poem
allow students to create different
that is written
graphic organizers, such as a bubble
One of the advantages of creating a class or
map and flow chart to generate poems student poetry book using Web 2.0 tools and blabberize.com (requires a log in; site may
QR codes is that it allows for differentiation
contain mature content) allows
based on student needs. Using a Web 2.0 tool
students to upload a picture and
that provides appropriate levels of challenge
record
and different
the poem
paths for
and
students to make
making
sense of the
the
concepts and
picture
skills offers great learning
read it
experiences and
voki.com (no
connections.
log in required for basic use; teachers can
Let’s face it; students are easily excited about
create safe student accounts) students
social media and being heard. Creating an
can type a poem, pick an avatar,
online interactive poetry anthology with Web
choose a voice, and select a setting
2.0 tools and QR codes is a great way to meet
that matches the poem or they may
the needs of students and allow their voices to be heard.
Find us on-line: sigms.iste.wikispaces.net/
Do you have something to share? Would you like to write an article for the newsletter?
SIGMS Newsletter Committee Shelley Friesen Katie Kotynski Larnette Snow Mary Carole Strother Karen Webb Jacqueline Liesch Elaine Lawrence Jane Gorman
Enter your proposal in the Google form: http://goo.gl/rdC4m
Only accepted proposals will be contacted. Submit as many proposals as you wish, but be prepared to write them all!
Next Edition:
Email SIGMS newsletter: sigms.newsletter@gmail.com
Spring Issue: March 2013 Teaching and Learning
SIGMS Executive Committee Members
Maureen Sanders Brunner President Ball State University Muncie, Indiana maureenbrunner@me.com
Jenifer Gossman Professional Development Chair eLearning Coach, EVSC Evansville, IN jgossman123@gmail.com
Tiffany Whitehead President-Elect Central Community Schools Baton Rouge, LA twhitehead@centralcss.org
Lisa Perez Member at Large & Past-Chair Chicago Public Schools Dept of Libraries leperez1@cps.k12.il.us
Jennifer Hanson Communications Chair Primary Source Watertown, MA jennhanson9@gmail.com