A Standard of Diversity

When I think about diversity, the effect it has on many topics is the first thing that comes to mind. Therefore, the best place to learn and reflect on diversity seems to be the media center. As a media specialist, we have a lot of power to influence the culture of the school by the materials we select. I think it would be great to say that everyone in this position would make materials selections based on developing a culturally diverse collection, but I am sure this is not the case. I think that many media specialists make selections based on their current student population, which is good in some respects. At least you know that students will be interested in using the collection you are developing. However, like most adults, students don’t know what they don’t know. So, if the media specialist does not provide information that the students can learn from and create new experiences with, they are doing a disservice to their students.

If I had to define diversity to a first grade student I would say that diversity means “differences “. Although most people think of diversity as something bad or something that can be boxed up into a term, it means so many more things that than. I think that the world can be viewed from more perspectives than just age, culture, gender, language and race. A person who is short might have a different experience in life than someone who is average height or tall. The numbers of simple differences that exist represent the number of ways a media collection should be diversified. The expression “something for everyone” comes to mind when I think of diversity, again, in this light we must also make sure that no matter who comes in or what they want to experience, we should try to have something for everyone.

Diversity and the Media Center

It is the responsibility of the media specialist to make sure that the media center serves ALL students and this would include all populations: boys and girls, special needs students of all abilities, all students whether English is their primary language or not, and all races. One of the best things about this program for me personally is to discover that this is a responsibility to be taken very seriously. Even a powerpoint presentation that you will show to students needs to represent all populations. Books that are ordered need to show the diverse population at the school---there should be something for everyone!

One of the classes that I have this semester is the Exceptional Child course. I am taking this course at Kennesaw State and my teacher has a background teaching in elementary and middle school as a special education teacher. This class has been so enlightening. Let’s face it, whether you are going to be a general classroom teacher or a media specialist, you will be having contact with every type of child. I have learned how important it is to do lessons for a wide range of learning styles. The media center is a wonderful place to promote different teaching methods where all students will benefit. During a field experience for this class, I got to see how the inclusion classroom works and how different teachers handle co-teaching with a special educator. Some of these students use the Alpha Smart hand held computer for typing in answers and printing out class work. Some of them need to be constantly challenged in order to stay on task. I think that as a media specialist, we are in a very good position to offer options to teachers to help all students—collaboration techniques, help with understanding how technology can benefit some of their students, giving support to the regular AND the inclusion classroom teachers.

At my mentor’s media center, there is a very small area designed to help students with ESL issues. I think this is also something that we can promote more at the media center. I believe that all students need to learn and be very functional in English, but the fact remains that many of our students will come ill-prepared to do all work and reading in English. I like the idea of having an area of simple books and Spanish language books; I even like the idea of promoting technology tools that can help these students online.

We wear many hats as media specialists. I think we all should be vigilant in looking at the media center as a place that welcomes and serves ALL populations.

Digital Books

I attended a class at the technology conference this year that presented digital storytelling. I think that students can really benefit from this type of technology. A personal narrative in this form would get the students not only fully involved but also interested in the product that they produce. This is a good way to get reluctant writers to begin to gain some confidence. Digital storytelling also presents a great avenue to bring history to life. Presenting different people in history through digital storytelling helps to bring those characters to life. Students begin to understand their lives through the technology.
We do not have any ebooks at our school library other then the resources that are available through galileo. I am very interested in ebooks and think that they are a great resource for students to have along with their normal print books. I do plan to begin the first steps next year to purchase some ebooks. Some of the teachers are a little wary of this resource, but I think if I take it slow and integrate a few with success they will come around.

Digital Books and ebooks

Before taking this class I did not know anything about digital story telling. I was not sure how this new technology could be used in the classroom. The University of Houston website had some great suggestions that would work really well with students. I think they would especially enjoy creating a personal narrative. Students love to talk about themselves, and digital story telling would be a very creative outlet. Another suggested use that I liked were the historical stories. History is one of my favorite subjects to teach, but elementary students find it difficult to relate to something that happened a long time ago. Creating a digital story or listening to one created by the teacher would help to bring history to life for the students.

Ebooks was another topic that I knew very little about. I was amazed to see all the free books available through Project Gutenberg and International Children's Digial Library. Teachers and students could find many uses for ebooks. Many students would rather read a book on the computer instead of the traditional print version. Ebooks also give students and teachers access to books that are not available in the school library. They are also available 24/7 through the Internet.

My media center does not have ebooks. The only ebook sources we have available would be the reference books available through Galileo.

Leave the TECH with the TECHIES, HOLD hands with the REST

Although I am not a part of staff currently, my experience in two different schools gives me a lot of insight into how each of the faculties responded differently to technology. The faculty’s response and comfort level with technology has affected the implementation of technology in the classroom and the level of independent learning opportunities for the individual staff members. The first school I worked in was a high school with more than 60% at retirement age. Most of the staff members at the school did not check their e-mail because they didn’t want to “fool with that”. Needless to say, any online or independent training would be a waste of time to develop unless there were plans to work the staff members who felt uncomfortable using a computer. The extremely unstable internet connection at that school was no help either.

The second school I worked in had a much ore technically savvy faculty. Many teachers incorporated technology into their lessons on a regular basis. In fact, the PTA purchased a MAC lab for the school to encourage creative technology use in the teachers and students learning experience.

In observing the differences between both faculties, I understand that each professional development activity should be developed with the actual users in mind. If others are like me, and I suspect many are, they don’t need or want to be spoon fed technological information. They want to be told what to do and left to do it on their own. In fact, they would prefer an e-mail to a meeting with those same instructions. I remember leaving some faculty meetings where my colleagues clearly stated, “Could that just have been sent in an e-mail?”, whereas; the other faculty members had no complaints because there was no break from the norm. As I read the chapters and contemplated the content of this message, I wonder if there is any way to make everyone happy.

If I were developing a tech related staff development, I would consider the following things:

1) Complexity of the material

2) (Tech) learning styles of the participants

3) Time of day that the training is offered

4) Facilities available

Things I would try to do:

1) Offer it in a couple of sessions, Beginning and Intermediate skills – to cut down on frustration between those that need extra help and those that do not

2) Prepare a detailed, well designed handout that participants can refer to after the training (Given out after the training)

3) Encourage all participants to be patient with one another

Things I would try to avoid:

1) Whole faculty instruction

2) Assuming that people know their comfort level with technology

3) Calling on people who are not obviously comfortable with technology

Following these steps would guarantee that all faculty members had a training that best uses their time. When people know you are not going to waste their time, they are more likely to be willing participants.

Technology Training and Know-How

At the schools where I have done the majority of my field experiences, I can honestly say that the LMS does not do a good or adequate job of training the faculty or promoting technology use. At the middle school, in particular, I am not really sure that the LMS considers this part of her job. There is a technology specialist that is on campus 3 days per week and this person handles responses to problems with technology that is in the classroom. There is also a county level person whose job it is to train faculty on NEW technologies that are being brought in to the schools (either updating older technology or purchase of new items such as Promethium Boards). The LMS DOES put instruction materials on all of the equipment so that teachers will know the basics when they check something out. She also posts signs for some of the larger equipment (poster maker, laminators). I have only seen the county level training and there are no trainings available on the website. As far as I know, there is no blog, wiki or separate webpage. There is a podcast section on the main website and the last one was done in 06-07…pretty pitiful!

I believe that the LMS has a responsibility to all of the shareholders to educate on current technology---how it is used, how it can be used to benefit instruction, safety issues, ethical issues, and proper use of these technologies. I think the LMS should be on the cutting edge of technology advances and how these advances can be used to excite our students about education. In order to do this, I would say that a big job that we have is promoting technology in the media center. If we use the different types of technology, then we can be the best advocates of their use to teachers. Also, we should try to find guinea pigs that will try things….there are always people that love to use technology in the school. Get them on board and use them to promote new things or try new things in the classroom. I believe that using technology can be intimidating for teachers…they think it is extra work. Show how to use things easily…don’t get bogged down in instructions. Have a show and tell, or a Tech Tuesday or a Tech Tip of the Week online….anything to build excitement for and use of great technologies. Most importantly, I think the LMS should have a plan and keep up the enthusiasm for new ways of learning and teaching.

DO use technologies that you want to promote to shareholders.
DO keep the instructions easy, bulleted, and visual.
DO keep a record of people that try new things….use them to promote for you.
DO sell your ideas to faculty. Know your students and faculty and what they are interested in.
DO set goals for yourself…and your media center (4 new podcast users this year J)
DO be an optimist!
DON’T underestimate how difficult it will be to sell some teachers on the use of technology.
DON’T get discouraged if teachers don’t show immediate enthusiasm.
DON’T teach technologies that you don’t really believe are great and can be helpful.
DON’T underestimate your ability to make a huge difference in your school!

School TV News

My school's video distribution system is a closed circuit cable system. One of my responsibilities this year as media specialist is to set up the closed circuit so that we will have a morning news program running every morning by next school year, so this is a topic that I have already researched. Earlier this year, the music teacher/technology specialist from another school came to my school one day and taught me how to set up a live broadcast with my system. With his help I was able to broadcast the school's spelling bee live.

I have also visited another school in the county and learned how they run their closed circuit news program. Their system is newer than mine and the technology better. The media specialist has one computer with two monitors that display the teleprompter information. She uses a program called EZprompter. I talked with another mediat specialist who also uses this program. She says it is easy to use and not too expensive.

All the schools I talked with have one newscast each morning where students say the pledge and announcements. It lasts about 5 minutes or less (usually). Schools chose their students differently. One school used ASP students as their newscasts (4th and 5th graders). One school had 4th and 5th grade students try out. The middle school media specialist used a questionnaire for potential student helpers (upcoming 8th graders only). Then each of the student candidates had to have a questionnaire filled out by a teacher. The teacher reference had to answer questions about grades, behavior, attendance, etc. The middle school also had a rotation schedule for student helpers. They worked alternate weeks.

The channel we use for closed circuit broadcasts at my school is 6. We use channel 4 for closed circuit videos. The middle school has 3 or 4 closed circuit channels (I don't remember the channel numbers). The teachers at my school have no control over the closed circuit channels from their classroom (except to turn off the TV).

Two of the schools created a rolling powerpoint of announcements that played during the school day. Other events are occasionally broadcast (such as the spelling bee).

GPB

We have United Streaming at my school. It is one of my duties to train and help teachers with it. Unfortnately, I only had a short (30 minute) training session on it a few years ago. If I have questions about it, I usually e-mail another media specialist.

I liked the Teachers' Domain resources. It was great to have the elements of each subject divided and resources for each of those elements. For example--math was divided into Numbers and Operations, Algebra, geometry, measurement, etc. Then Numbers and Operations was divided further into Counting, Decimals, fractions, etc. These divisions are similar to the divisions we have for the Georgia Performance Standards. It is easy for teachers to locate the resources they need.