Sandbox #8 Technology Learning Continued

It’s my first semester of graduate school. I was accepted and jumped in right away, I was pretty blind, and not necessarily ready for the leap.  I enrolled in two courses for the summer semester thinking that I would have more time to devote to my schooling when the high school I work in was not in session. This is true, but I forgot about being mom, taking vacations, and just needing some down time. I enrolled in LIBS 602, Production of Instructional Materials, on the recommendation of my advisor. I hadn’t even looked at the course description, to say I was surprised at the digital aspect of the course would be an understatement.  I was a “technophob” Szmodis (2021).  My learning curve was steep, but with time, I became more confident. I often asked my teenage son for help, even today, I asked him for help with a simple hanging indent, and he just came over and did it for me…. I had to say, ok, thanks, but can you please show me and explain to me what you did so I can do it for myself next time.  I am becoming more confident everyday with the digital world.  This course has inspired me to create a webpage and a blog for our school library, use QR codes throughout the library, request that the Help Desk, the school’s IT department, be moved into the “media center”. This way our Library is actually a media center. I am also thinking about other ways to have the students help me incorporate technology into our high school library. The student library aides must have ideas, and want to do more that shelve books and sit for the next 30 minutes of class!

In order to do the above projects for our high school library, I will need to keep up with my digital learning.  The resources we have been provided with will be extremely helpful, I have book marked many of them.  I also have so many resources at my fingertips using social media, what a great tool to keep up with other librarians, ask for help from other librarians and reach the teenagers at the school I work in, DeWitt (2019). Although it seems they all use snapchat more than any of the other social media websites, one more platform to learn. 

Another way to keep up with my digital learning is just to use it! Co-create content for teachers to use, find out what platforms teachers in my building are using and learn how to utilize those platforms to work with students that are coming into the library for help. As Heitman says (as cited in Burroughs, 2022) “That’s one of the hallmarks of the library role today: We are co-teachers, co-partners, collaborators with teachers to help students be more successful.”  I am looking forward to using my toolbox, the tools I have gained this summer and the ones yet to be discovered. Cheers to continued learning.

References:

Burroughs, A. (2022,July 8). Tech-Savvy school librarians provide value to modern learners. EdTech Focus on K-12. https://edtechmagazine.com/k12/article/2022/07/tech-savvy-school-librarians-provide-value-modern-learners

DeWitt, M. (2019, March 21). The benefits of library Twitter. ACRLog Blogging by and for academic and research librarians. https://acrlog.org/2019/03/22/cheers-to-library-twitter/

Piacquadio, A. (2020, March 10). Man in pink long sleeve shirt doing research. [Photograph]. Pexel. Retrieved from https://www.pexels.com/photo/man-in-pink-long-sleeve-shirt-doing-research-3966555/ CC Zero

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