ICTs - Connecting People All Over The World

A fun example demonstrating how ICTs connect people all over the world.

Dragon Quest

 

In many cultures around the world there have been stories about dragons. They may be described in many different ways however one of the common themes are their large reptilian bodies and their feathered or scalded skin. Much of the time these dragons breathe fire, can fly and guard something of value such as knowledge or treasure - having supernatural strength and powers. With dragons previously being one of the most popular trends in children's books, I decided to use dragons as the focus of one of the displays in the library and ran a competition which provided the students with the opportunity to explore various types of dragon based literature. Overall the display was a great success having engaged and exposed a large cohort of students to a fantasy genre they may not have thought of reading before. What is even more pleasing, is that the lovely dragon which was created for the display in still in place keeping watch over the upper campus library to this day.

ZooBurst – Augmented Reality for Books!

ZooBurst image from:  http://cf.zooburst.com/images/ZooBurst_StoryCode_LittleRedRidingHood.pdf

ZooBurst is an augmented reality program that creates dynamic pop up books on your computer screen using a webcam and an internet connection. For those who are unfamiliar with the concept of augmented reality a simple explanation for this is that is a view of a physical, real world environment whose elements are augmented by computer-generated sensory input such as sound, video, graphics or GPS data.

The ZooBurst book builder allows narration, images, animations, and speech balloons to be added to a story. Once created these books can be viewed using an online viewer or embedded in a website. Due to the simplicity of its interface this program would be most beneficial for primary age students to use in order to create and illustrate their own stories.

The advantage of using augmented reality in education is that it provides students with more effective ways to tell stories, deliver presentations, write reports, express complex ideas and access content. For teachers the benefit of using a program such as ZooBurst is that it gives students the chance to practice digital story telling by becoming creators of content and it is also a great way for students to engage with text.

Are you ready to incorporate one of the most creative, engaging experiences imaginable in your classroom?

To view this story book:

1. Install the free ZooBurst iPad app from the iTunes app store.
2. Launch the app and tap the “Story Code button”.
3. Point the device at the story code when prompted.

The iCentre: The School Library of The Future

Google Glass image from: http://www.teachthought.com/technology/how-schools-can-respond-to-the-age-of-information/



In Postman’s “Five things we need to know about technological change” (1998), he asks the reader to consider that technological change is not additive but instead ecological – that is to say that a new medium does not add something but instead changes everything, and this prompted me to consider what the advances in technological change would mean in the school library.

Before continuing, let me just say that I believe that the school library will never disappear rather, it will blossom into something exciting and new in response to information demands of today’s digital natives. I believe one of the most obvious trends will be the fast paced integration of technology which will see literature brought the masses using a variety of new mediums and fingertip access to information.

Which brings me to the next point; I believe that the school library will become more of a community space or iCentre for students - it will become the information-technology learning hub, a high end multimedia production facility and the technology engine of a networked school.

The school library of the future will be a flexible learning space designed on fluid design principles, which will look different on a daily basis. It will support connectivity, collaboration, critical engagement and creativity, construction and consolidation. The pedagogical fusion within the school library will be obvious; it will be about integrating and aligning information technology, people and instruction.

And with this change, so too will the role of the teacher-librarian change. Teacher librarians will be looked to, to become the information and learning leaders of the school – where the role of information technology specialist and curriculum specialist will combine in order to consolidate support across the school community.

Change is inevitable and schools libraries and librarians need to adapt in order to better meet the needs of their students, what do you want your school library to look like in the future?

References

Heick, T. (2013). 12 Things Digital Natives Want From A Library. Retreived March 11, 2013 from http://www.teachthought.com/technology/12-things-digital-natives-want-from-a-library/

Postman, N. (1998). Five Things We Need to Know About Technological Change. Retreived March 11, 2013 from http://www.lorien.nsw.edu.au/joomla/images/ReferenceMaterial/neil%20postman,%20five%20things%20we%20need%20to%20know%20about%20technological%20change.pdf

How Will You Teach Me?

 

Students live in a technologically driven world with ICTs playing a pivotal role in their everyday lives. Providing a rich and engaging learning environment that allow students to inquire, create and communicate with ICTs, and to use ICTs safely and responsibly should remain at the forefront of curriculum delivery and pedagogical practices within the classroom. I hope you enjoy this little YouTube clip I created that examines these elements.



Would You Like A Blind Date With A Book?

 

"The love of books is the root of all happiness" - Anon

 

The magic of books can be tremendously powerful in the lives of children. However many educators struggle with finding ways to expose students to the wealth of genres available to read. With this in mind, the upper campus library decided to undertake a "Blind Date With A Book" display. With each book wrapped in brown paper like a present - so as not to reveal the content, students were encouraged to borrow these books and report on whether they enjoyed them - committing to reading at least 30 pages in order to make this decision. This display not only provide opportunities for students to explore genre's that they may have not thought of reading before, but brought a little bit of light and fun to the library. Judged as being an overwhelming success amongst teachers and children, this display took very little time to organize and will certainly be worth repeating in the future.



Welcome

Hi my name is Linda Cahill and I have created the blog Apples for Educators in order to discuss ALL matter of things relating to ICTs and pedagogy. From my very early childhood when I would sit in front of my teddies and tell them a story, through to my teenage years when you could always be guaranteed to find me with my head in a book, I have always known that I have wanted to teach. With a love of literacy and a passion for teaching children how to read, in 2010 I set about realising my dream of becoming a teacher by enrolling in a Bachelor of Education course through the University of Southern Queensland and in 2011, commenced working with struggling readers at a local school. I continued to do this and also work in the classroom as a teacher aide until the end of 2012 and in 2013 I was offered the opportunity to work in the school library. I can honestly say that teaching is my calling as I enjoy just about every minute of my job which allows me to inspire students love for learning in a environment which nurtures each child's spirit. I hope you enjoy reading about my personal learning journey!