Connecting with ISTE

The technology coordinator at my school has created a digital learning environment for our LS teachers that will guide, (nudge, drag?) us into awareness and implementation of the ISTE standards in our classrooms.  It only makes sense that our first step is to take a look at ourselves and our practices. 

The first standard we are looking at is standard number 5:  Engage in professional growth and leadership.  We discovered our digital learning strengths and weaknesses by completing this short survey from the University of Exeter.  What Type of Digital Learner Are You?  The results are interesting, and look at several different domains within our digital learning profile.  A graphic representation of me is to the left.

As a librarian, I feel as though I have a jump on some of my colleagues.  My profession has been thrust into the digital age as my professional world is experiencing a paradigm shift.  It's not bad or good it's just different.  It does mean that I often feel as though I'm running to catch up with the latest technologies.  I guess it's time to lace up my shoes and start stretching.  This race is never won!

Hunting for Books

Fourth graders are beginning the school year by polishing their searching skills. They need to be able to search for a book on our online card catalog, and then locate the book on the shelf. The iPads proved to be a perfect tool to accomplish this task.

The boys paired up, were given a scavenger book hunt to complete, and used the DestinyQuest app on our iPads to search for books. Because the iPads are a mobile device, the boys were able to take the card catalog to the shelves. No more forgetting the call numbers as they walked into the stacks, and no more writing the call number on scraps of paper.

In addition to being active practice, this book hunt proved to be a lot of fun too.














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Zoobs!

This year I have a bonus period with our first graders, and I am free to craft a new curriculum for (with?) them.  What I'd like to do all year long is explore, experience, and create.  We're starting with Zoobs.  They have been sorting, naming, and discovering how each piece moves and works in relation to each other.  So far they have been making creations of their own design in order to get a feel for the Zoobs, and to develop some background knowledge.  Coming up soon they will be given tasks, and asked to find solutions using the Zoobs.  They typically work in teams, and do a lot of "thinking out loud".  I'm looking forward to a great year with these boys!