Staying Up to Date

Sandbox 8 – Staying up to date

I have spent a semester trying out new tools online and experimenting with how to use them to make instructional tools for a classroom or library. Now that the semester is drawing to a close, I find myself with a new challenge. Without the pressure of deadlines for assignments, now I need to keep learning and stay proficient with the tools that I am just starting to understand. 

EdTechMagazine says that “research has shown that students at schools with high-quality libraries and certified teacher–librarians are more likely to graduate and perform better on standardized tests.” (Burrough, 2022) So, it is well worth a librarian’s time to keep skills sharp and keep learning to be a high-quality asset to their school. What is the best way to accomplish this? TechRepublic (2022) says to take 15 minutes a day and dedicate it to learning something new. Sarah, on a Hacklibraryschool  blog post,  suggests going over old classwork and staying curious and willing to keep reading about what interests you. (Sarah, 2022)  Szmodis, in another hacklibraryschool blog post, says,  “digital skills often just comes down to how much time you invest in learning new technologies. The more experience you gain, the more easily learning new tools will come!” (Szmodis, 2021) There is so much out there to learn and historically librarians are the ones who are trailblazers in embracing new technologies.  Jennisen Lucas, president of the American Association of School Librarians, says “School librarians have always been at the forefront of technology in our schools. A lot of times, we are the first adopters.” (Lucas, as cited in Burroughs, 2022)

This week’s Sandbox gave me all sorts of tools to explore to keep learning! The links amazed me in a different sort of way than previous Sandboxes. I was amazed at how willing people were to share what they have made with anyone who reads their posts. Here are two articles that inspired me to try something new. I have a Twitter account, but never check it. I spend way too much time on TikTok, but haven’t made it to Librarian TikTok. . . yet!

https://www.smore.com/9t6zp-twitter-for-librarians

Craig et al give an explanation of what Twitter is, directions how to join Twitter,  and suggestions on who to follow. The suggestions of who to follow are broken down into groups for local people, educators, librarians, and school librarians. 

Bogan gives an explanation of what TikTok is. She is very clear that it is not just for teenagers!  She gives reasons why TikTok is a good tool for librarians and gives a long list of suggestions of who to follow. 

The list of webpages this week were so generous and helpful that it made an impression on me about the type of people that go into the field of librarianship. I am so excited that I will be able to be part of this group of talented, productive, cutting edge professionals!

References 

Bogan, K. (2021, October 25). Don’t sush me: Adventures of a 21st century high school librarian. https://dontyoushushme.com/2021/10/25/tiktok-8-ways-libraries-are-using-it/

Burroughs, A. (2022, July 8). Tech-savvy school librarians provide value to modern learners: Librarians’ unique expertise helps schools adopt and integrate technology for teaching and learning. Ed-Tech Focus on K-12. https://edtechmagazine.com/k12/article/2022/07/tech-savvy-school-librarians-provide-value-modern-learners

Craig, P., Madison, A, & Wray, T. (2022) Twitter for librarians. https://www.smore.com/9t6zp-twitter-for-librarians

DeNisco Rayome, A. (2017, September 7). 10 ways that IT pros and developers can keep their tech skills up to date. TechRepublic. https://www.techrepublic.com/article/10-ways-that-it-pros-and-developers-can-keep-their-tech-skills-up-to-date/

Sarah. (2022, June 16) Previously posted on July 28, 2016. Staying sharp during the summer. Hack Library School.   https://hacklibraryschool.com/2022/06/16/staying-sharp-during-the-summer/

Szmodis,  P. (2021, July 27). How to get over technophobia. Hack Library School. https://hacklibraryschool.com/2021/07/27/how-to-get-over-technophobia/ 

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