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Blog 5: Virtual and Augmented Reality

Virtual and Augmented reality technology has made incredible advances in the last few years.  It is no longer technology that is only available in expensive gaming systems.  It can now be used and utilized on any smartphone and in a variety of ways.  Today's librarians need to educated themselves on this technology and find ways to incorporate it into their space. As a high school librarian there are a few ways that it could be helpful to focus on the VR and AR technology.  One way would be to get students familiar and interested in how the technology works through gaming.  Pokemon Go is a game that has been around for the last few years that incorporates AR in a fun way.  This summer, a similar game launched called Harry Potter Wizards Unite.  This game was made by the same group that developed Pokemon Go in conjunction with Warner Brothers Games and other developers.  In this game you are a wizard and you are fighting to keep magic a secret from the wider (muggle) world. Where
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Blog 4: Cyberbullying

Cyberbullying is a hot topic in today's schools.  However, it is one that does not have any easy solutions as to how to stop students who are doing it or how to better protect victims.  In many instances teachers and administrators can hit walls when trying to deal with this issue as much of this bullying happens away from school.  It opens questions about what is and isn't within their investigative arena, will parents be cooperative in turning over their child's devices in investigations or will they defend their child (either because they are positive they are not the bully, or because they don't feel the school will protect their child who is the victim), and when do school personnel involve police in these issues. Too often, all involved are left unsatisfied with how accusations of cyberbulling have been handled by school officials, including school staff themselves. So where does that leave us?  How do we do better? Many will argue that that one of the main ways
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Blog 3: Digital Tools for Adaptive Technology

As librarians and future librarians, our roles and duties are varied and seemingly endless.  However, this challenge is an exciting one, and why many of are eager to enter and stay in this field. One area that we must champion in our schools is not only Universal Design in our library space itself, but to help provide resources, or possibly even provide education and training on Adaptive Technologies for students that we serve in our building.  "As educators, we must often find creative, alternative means of satisfying established standards and criteria for student learning, and of making them achievable for our diverse learners" (Copeland 2011). These adaptive technologies may not necessarily be designed with students with differently abled students in mind, however they can be used and adjusted and work will all of our student population. One such program that could be highlighted for staff is called Edji.  This is a great program as it would work for students in a variet
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Blog 2: Blogshare - Classroom Podcasts

Blogshare - Classroom Podcasts Technology is a big part of education today.  However, how effectively or to what extent technology is truly being integrated into daily classroom instruction is another matter entirely.  Many educators feel overwhelmed when it comes to incorporating technology into classroom instruction due to many factors.  They are often given many new initiatives at a time, inadequate training, different principals will emphasize different programs or areas of technology and sometimes it can be difficult to know where or what to focus on.  Many teachers simply lack the adequate knowledge and training and therefore lack the confidence to introduce certain tech into their classrooms and lesson plans. This is where "teacher librarians can act as agents of change to support, encourage, assist, and facilitate the adoption of technologies into daily practice" (Johnson 2012). As librarians and media specialists, we can step forward as leaders in our buildings t
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Blog 1: Intellectual Freedom

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In the library field, librarians have traditionally been champions of intellectual freedom. As future school librarians, it is essential that we remember this is equally essential in our area of service as well. This can feel a bit dicey at times, as it is only appropriate when working with youth to be aware of what is age appropriate and this is something that teachers and administrators often have to consider and discuss when purchasing whole class texts.  However, in the library, students need to have the freedom of inquiry, to ask any question, to research any topic, to check out any book.  As librarians "we need to educate superintendents [and principals] about the role of the First Amendment in education and the principle of intellectual freedom" (Adams, 2016). If we will do this, we will be more likely to have their support if there are issues or challenges. One of the areas where students in school libraries are regularly denied intellectual freedom is in the over-f
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