Developing World Libraries/Mobile Devices

Being literate opens doors for success in education and life.  Having access to libraries is one of the main keys for literacy development.   Since we live in a global and interconnected world with the advent of technology, it is important to have access to the massive amount of information and reading resources available online. Libraries are no longer confined to 4 walls since the internet allows for 24/7 accessibility to the library catalogue, databases, and e-books.    In fact, the United Nations Human Rights Council mentions that having Internet Access is a basic human right, which can be found at:

Human Rights Council.  (May 16, 2011).  Report of the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, Frank La Rue.  (2011).  United Nations General Assembly Retrieved from

http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/hrcouncil/docs/17session/A.HRC.17.27_en.pdf 

Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications (CRTC) “declares broadband internet access a basic service” as mentioned in the following article:

Kupfer, Matthew. (2016).  CRTC Declares Broadband Internet Access a Basic Services.  CBC.ca.  Retrieved from http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/crtc-internet-essential-service-1.3906664

Value of Mobile Devices for Libraries and Literacy

Mobile devices allows the users to use the internet for their inquiry needs, current information, and social connections. Since a lot of us in Canada are fortunate to have access to libraries and internet, how do we make it equitable for those who do not?  How can libraries provide both print and digital resources to help developing nations as well as impoverished and rural areas both locally and aboard?  The following articles and book discusses how using mobile devices can help increase literacy and global awareness for low-income families in North America and in other countries:

Hardesty, Larry. (2016).  Can Technology Help Teach Literacy in Poor Communities?  MTV News.  Retrieved from http://news.mit.edu/2016/literacy-apps-poor-communities-0426

- a four year study that used tablets with literacy apps to help with reading in “economically disadvantage communities” in Africa and United States

Kist, William.  (2013).  The Global School.  Solution Tree Press.

- using iPads with literacy apps starting in Kindergarten in rural Black River Local School and connecting students half way across the world by learning about Chinese culture and language

- the internet has the power to connect students to the world by using Global Earth, virtual fieldtrips to sites and buildings,  and visiting museum artifacts online

Mueller, Britt & Shamel, Cindy.  (2017) Delivering Library Services and Content Mobile-Savvy Consumers.  Retrieved from https://www.sla.org/learn/information-outlook/delivering-library-services-content-mobile-savvy-consumers/

-This article from Special Library Association discusses the importance of mobile devices for library services and having libraries lead the way.

Who is helping?

It is heartening to see that through my inquiry research that there are many great non-profit organizations and schools working towards providing printed resources to libraries as well as infrastructures and mobile devices that allow for 24/7 access to digital libraries and educational apps for literacy.  These are the many organizations helping  to build libraries, provide digital libraries and literacies, provide infrastructures, and provide mobile devices:

* The Canadian government and tax payers

http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/broadband-internet-access-rural-1.3898358

-The federal government’s Connect to Innovate program is “investing up to $500 million to bring high-speed, broadband internet access to 300 rural and rural remote communities by 2021.”
-This will be beneficial to many Aboriginal communities in the Northern parts of Canada

* Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation

-  https://www.gatesfoundation.org/What-We-Do/Global-Development/Global-Libraries
- "Global Library Overview" and the following is their goal:

Retrieved from https://www.gatesfoundation.org/What-We-Do/Global-Development/Global-Libraries

*First Book Canada

http://www.firstbookcanada.org

-provides books to low income families in Canada

*Free Library

-https://littlefreelibrary.org, 

-a little box that allows children "to take a book and return a book", a simple way to start a library collection and community
-Miranda Nelson's article in the Georgia Straight (2014), "Mapping Vancouver's Neighbourhood Book Exchange" can be retrieved  at
https://www.straight.com/blogra/570356/mapping-vancouvers-neighborhood-book-exchanges

Retrieved from https://littlefreelibrary.org

* Library For All.  

http://www.libraryforall.org

-cloud based digital library program, providing quality books through mobile devices in developing countries

* Libraries without Border

https://www.librarieswithoutborders.org

-"call to action" to provide "books, information, and cultural resources" for “international humanitarian relief” and “to cope with trauma” in areas devastated by natural or human made disasters.
-the following YouTube video below is called "Meet the Ideas Box: A Library/Media Centre ready in 20 minutes" that can be retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9PiL1I1cBJI

* One Laptop Per Child

http://one.laptop.org
-"empower the world's poorest children through education" by using small, low cost, durable laptops

* Rumie
-Retrieved from https://www.rumie.org/about-us/

-Canadian company that offers low cost tablets with interactive digital library and "free digital education" for "underserved communities worldwide" and in Canada
-Learncloud where educators can add programs to it at https://learncloud.rumie.org/search
-The following YouTube video below is retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XEq9oXjcGhA&feature=youtu.be

How can we help?

* have our students be aware of the literacy needs of our communities and other countries so that they can collaborate together an action plan

* donate used mobile devices like tablets and smartphones 

* donate money to non-profit charitable organizations

* donate quality printed resources

* lobby the government for libraries in rural areas, new infractures that will provide internet for all, funding of mobile devices to those in poverty

Professional ICT Needs

In order to collaborate and share ICT development with other teachers and staff at the school, it is important for myself to be comfortable with my own ICT knowledge.  One of the best ways to quickly update my ICT  is to attend workshops and conferences so that I can share my understanding with others.  It is also good for me to practice the ICT and model how it can support the inquiry process, the curriculum, problem solving, critical thinking, reflection, and deeper understanding for the learners.

In my last blog, I mentioned there are many different ways of sharing with educators and professional sharing.  Since my job currently isn’t in the school system, I asked my boys about what ICT is available at their school.  To my surprise, my younger son mentioned that most of the computers at their schools are broken and they no longer have computer lab this year. The school does have iPads and I asked him if they use the iPads for their learning or any particular apps.  He mentioned that he has only used the iPads for taking math contest test in Math Club with another teacher.  The only technology that his teacher uses is the SMARTBoard.

So if I am the TL at his elementary school, I know that the school is at the beginning stages of ICT.  It will take small encouraging steps to move the school community towards 21st century learning and collaboration.  Just as we need to build relationship with our students, it is important to build relationships with each teacher and discuss what their ICT needs are.  Good relationships help to build trust, respect, risk taking, and open communication.

I would work initially with the technology that is available at the school to provide engaging, meaningful, and fun learning experience with the staff.  During the workshops, I would have the staff work in their grade groups collaboratively using different technology and programs as more heads are better than one and they have similar curriculum interests and needs. Another way that I would group the staff is to have different ICT abilities and knowledge within the groups so that those who are more comfortable can be a good resource for those that are less so.

For the SMARTBoard, the following resources have suggestions that can make learning more engaging and meaningful: 

Janelle Cox's article, "Technology in the Classroom:  The Benefits of Smart Boards" which can be found at http://www.teachhub.com/technology-classroom-benefits-smart-boards.  This article mentions that other gadgets beside a computer such as "video cameras, digital cameras, [and] microscope" can be attached to engage learning.

The SMARTboard website has different software and types boards.  There is also a YouTube commercial video on the site.  The website can be found at https://education.smarttech.com/en.

The following YouTube video called "Professional Development with SMART Products" discusses the importance of collaborating and using the Smartboard effectively to benefit students inquiry needs.  The video can be retrieved at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxiW1LXQxpU

For the iPad, the following articles would be helpful for professional ICT needs:

Kathy Schrock's iPads4Teaching website can be found at http://www.ipads4teaching.net/ipads-in-the-classroom.html
This is a really comprehensive resource.  It would be good to try some of the "classroom use" out and share with the school community which ones I think would be most meaningful to use.

Danny Mareco's article, "31 Reasons You Should be Using iPads in the Classroom", can be retrieved at https://www.securedgenetworks.com/blog/31-reasons-you-should-be-using-ipads-in-the-classroom.
He provides good reasons why teachers should be using iPads.

The iPads can be used for research links, taking photos and filming that can be added to create and share new understanding.

Since their are school inquiry research projects such as Science Fairs, Heritage Fairs, Genius Hour and 2 classes that participate in Destination Imagination, I would also provide a workshop on ICT literacy as found on the Manitoba Government site.  It mentions the importance of teachers to have the students learn all the necessary ICT literacy of becoming 21st century digital citizens as show below:

Retrieved from https://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/k12/tech/lict/teachers/index.html

Another workshop that would be beneficial is on the Points of Inquiry.  It is a framework that the students learn to be critical thinkers, be innovative, and reflect on their learning.  There is also "technological tools" to each stage which we can use and learn collaboratively to increase ICT needs and skills.  The following below is a screenshot of what can tools can be used at the beginning of the inquiry process:

Retrieved from http://bctf.ca/bctla/pub/documents/points%20of%20inquiry/pointsofinquiry.pdf

A third workshop that I would like to give is on blogs.  Blogs are multimodal ways of learning and students can reflect on each others learning.  


Within the LC, I would try to ask the administrator and PAC for more funding to purchase Chrome Books so that the students can use them when I collaborate with their teachers or for the Makerspace.  It would also provide access to students who may not have computers or internet at home.  I would also try writing some grants for more money too.  


References:

BC Heritage Fairs.  Retrieved October 20, 2017 from http://bcheritagefairs.ca/about/

Cox, Janelle. Technology in the Classroom.  TeachHub.com.  Retrieved October 20, 2017 from http://www.teachhub.com/technology-classroom-benefits-smart-boards

Destination Imagination: British Columbia.  Retrieved October 20, 2017 from http://destinationimagination.ca

Literacy with ICT for Teachers.  Manitoba.  Retrieved October 20, 2017 from
https://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/k12/tech/lict/teachers/index.html

The Points of Inquiry:  A Framework for Information Literacy in the 21st Century. (2011).

BCTLA Info Task Force.  Retrieved from http://bctf.ca/bctla/pub/documents/Points%20of%20Inquiry/PointsofInquiry.pdf

Mareco, Danny.  (2014).  31 Reasons You Should be Using iPads in the Classroom.  Securedge Networks.  Retrieved from https://www.securedgenetworks.com/blog/31-reasons-you-should-be-using-ipads-in-the-classroom

Science Fair Foundation.  Retrieved October 20, 2017 from http://www.sciencefairs.ca

SMARTClassrooms.  (2015).  Professional Development with SMART Products.  [YouTube].  Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxiW1LXQxpU

ICT Learning and Sharing

Exploring and developing my own ICT skills and pedagogy will be an ongoing process.   It also will depend on the grade and needs of the students as well as resources available at the school and teacher collaborations.  District and school policies will also be a factor.  This process will also require time for synthesis, experimentation, and sharing.   I didn't start using email till my late 20's and I held onto my flip phone for as long as I could before getting an iPhone.  But there is no turning back and nor do I want to.  The future is bright so it is important to lead, learn, and innovate. 

The following are the resources that I would use as a starting point and guide for ICT and shaping my pedagogy:

*BC New Curriculum - https://curriculum.gov.bc.ca

*BC Digital Literacy - https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/education-training/k-12/teach/teaching-tools/digital-literacy

*BCTLA’s Point of Inquiry - http://bctf.ca/bctla/pub/ - Posters shown below and retrieved from http://bctf.ca/bctla/pub/posters/EnglishLetter.pdf and 

 http://bctf.ca/bctla/pub/documents/Points%20of%20Inquiry/PointsPoster.pdf

*BCTLA Website - http://bctf.ca/bctla/index.html#

*BCTF Website on BC’s Education Chanage - https://bctf.ca/IssuesInEducation.aspx?id=38331

*School District and School Websites

*ERAC – BC Digital Classroom - https://bcdc.bcerac.ca

*Follett Titlewave - https://www.titlewave.com/login/

*UBC Courses in TL – continuing to learn so that my students can benefit, bookmarking and keeping a curation of  helpful articles and websites from the courses

*My children (one in elementary school and the other in high school) – They let me know what learning is happening within the schools, among their friends, and mainstream society.  They are fortunate to also have access to resources and are very competent even among their friends.  They are fearless, have more time to fiddle with what they want to learn, and willing to experiment with new hardwares, gadgets, apps, and programs. My son even mentioned that he has hacked into my computer for fun.  Their ICT skills are a lot higher than mine and here is a summary of some of their skills:

·      programming  MODS, video games, robots, flow of electricity, and apps using html, Python, Java, Arduino, Scratch, Code.org, Codeacademy, and RaspberryPi

·      social media using Instagram, Snapchat, Hangout, and Skype

·      office suites (Word, Powerpoint, Excel, Google docs., Google slides, Google drives)

·      videos – iMovie, iStop Motion, YouTube

·      3 D printing – design and angles

·      creating websites using wix

Even though my boys are quite skilled, we discuss about what it means to be digitally responsible, internet safety, credibility of on-line resources, ethical issues, and privacy issues.             

Educators and Professional Sharing

There are so many experts and educators willing to share their knowledge, great ideas, and experiences.  TLs have so many passionate innovators that are leading the way in the 21^st century to have our students be literate and active participants in their learning. There is such a wealth of information readily available and so many helpful teachers that are willing to help.  Some terrific ways to connect, network and collaborate are:

*Asking other TLs – quite helpful and willing to help like my sons’ TLs, TLs at my UBC courses, and the UBC instuctors

*Join the BCTLA - http://bctf.ca/bctla/ and advocate for TLs

 *TL forums such as BCTLA forum - https://it4k12-2017.bcerac.ca, LM-Net - http://www.lm-net.info, creating a chat group with teachers in the UBC course since we have everyone’s email, blogs and social media sites

*Inquiring on-line of best practices – wealth of information to read, ideas to try, and sharing my own ideas.  These are some of the websites that I found interesting:

·      The 20 Digital Skills Every 21^st Century Teacher Should Have -   http://www.educatorstechnology.com/2012/06/33-digital-skills-every-21st-century.html

·      ICT  Skills for Graduate Teachers: Self-Directed Learning  - http://sydney.edu.au/education_social_work/learning_teaching/ict/skills/index.shtml

·      “Why Teachers Need to Improve their ICT Skills” - https://www.ics.ie/news/why-teachers-need-to-improve-their-ict-skills

·      UNESCO ICT Competency Framework for Teachers - http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0021/002134/213475e.pdf

*Videos such as the following "Information and Communication Technology for Education" that is retrieved at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXs5O1yGlg4 from YouTube.

*Professional workshops and conferences – for example, there are two large conferences coming soon with exciting topics which are:

·      BCTLA Superconference - http://bctf.ca/bctla//pub/pd/BCTLAatSuperconference.pdf  which features presentations from Aaron Muller , Moira Ekdahl  and Jennifer Delvecchio who are my UBC instructors, advocates, and at the forefront of education

·      ERAC IT4K12 Conference – Learning Together and Technology -

     https://it4k12-2017.bcerac.ca

Retrieved from https://it4k12-2017.bcerac.ca

Retrieved from http://bctf.ca/bctla//pub/pd/BCTLAatSuperconference.pdf

 *Collaborating and sharing with other teachers in the school and the IT teacher

*Join or create school committees such as those on literacy and technology, provide Pro-D workshops for the school staff

*Evite live guest speakers or via Skpe to to the school for ICT Learning

*Look at other TLs, UBC Instructors and LCs websites, blogs, and Twitter acccounts to see what they are doing with ICT.  It would be good to have my own LC blog and website once back in the school to share with the school community and other teachers.  I also like Hazel Clark Turner’s “LibGuides at North Vancouver School District #44) - http://libguides.sd44.ca/prf.php?account_id=27554.  She gave a presentation this summer and is a great resource.

"Foster Reading Cultures in Schools"

For me, understanding what you read is the key that opens many doors.  I also believe that the more that one reads or being read to, the better reader that they will become.  I believe that it is never too young or late to read to the students.  It is important to make reading fun and motivating.   For my husband and I, we read aloud to our children the minute they were born.  I also encouraged my parents at school to read to their children at home and spend time to go to the library for storytimes and to sign-out books.  

My Guy

My Guys

It is important to foster a culture that values literacy and enthusiasm about reading.  There needs to be many opportunities for diverse reading and writing opportunities in the classroom, learning commons, and the school as a whole. In order to engage and challenge students, they need to have experiences with a variety of different reading strategies, reading resources, and genres of books for them to read.   

Reading in the Classroom

When I taught the primary grades, ESL and LAC, I used many different ways to foster the love of reading and for the students to read for critical meaning,  My students all had different reading needs, learning styles, and interest so diversity of resources and variety of strategies were utilized in my classroom so that they can take ownership in their learning and develop deeper understanding of way they are reading.  Ways that I encouraged and developed skills in reading in my classroom were:    

·        buddy reading with an older age class  (the older students read to them and mentored with classroom projects)

·         buddy reading with a younger age class (they can read and be mentors to younger students)

·         books on tape with headphones  (20 years ago)

·         novel and book study

·         guided reading in large and small groups

·         silent reading

·         teacher reading aloud language rich books with expression

·         used my Scholastic money to buy books as giveaways at the end of the school year

·         Canuck’s Raise a Reader Program (which is now for the community and does not provide resources and incentative materials for the classroom anymore)

·        home reading program (individual reading and having family read with them or to them), reading log

·        reading inventory to evaluate their reading needs

·        extensive classroom library that ranged from picture books to novels, fiction, non-fiction, different themes, magazines,

·        every student read aloud to the class with a book of their choice

·        parents and support staff were encouraged to come in to listen to the students read or read to them

·        modeling reading and thinking aloud strategies about the authors intent,  what the pictures convey, elements of a story, questioning what they are reading,  and their thoughts

·        acting out part of the books, created reading posters

·        brainstorm and predict about a book to build background knowledge and comprehension

·        create their own books individually or in pairs and then put the newly published book into our classroom library to share with others, publish a quarterly classroom newspaper for writing and reading

·        invite parents or grandparents into the classroom to read

·        visit the school library

·         celebrate authors

·        cross curricular activities with books such as art projects or tied them in with Social Studies, Science, music, drama…

·        self select books that challenge them but not frustrate them by using their 5 fingers

·        word wall, vocabulary meaning, and phonics (I volunteered for a couple of years before my work permit with Reading Assist in Delaware to help students individually who struggle with reading by teaching them that letters have sounds that form words, phrases, and sentences with meaning)

School Reading Culture

I think the Learning Common should lead the way for the school reading culture in print and digitally.  School wide reading endeavors fostered by the LC will make reading fun, cool, motivating, and valued.  The Learning Common should be the place where they have the freedom to choose what they would like to read and passionate about.  Such activities could include:

           

·       DEAR (Drop Everything and Read)

Retrieved from http://bctf.ca/bctla/info/advocacy.html

*     Book Contests with entry tickets for students and staff for reading different genres of printed or E-books  (my parents didn’t have a lot of money when I was growing us so we couldn’t afford to buy books but I recalled winning my first book , Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, at a library contest and how much I valued that book and reading)

·        Book Fairs (I chaired my son’s Scholastic Book Fair for 4 years and it was a great way to encourage reading and provided money for the LC and classrooms to purchase more resources.  We had book fair contests for gift certificates and encouraged donations to All for Books that uses the money to give books to communites that need books.  We also had the librarian dressed in pajamas for family reading night and the local fire fighters came in to read in the evenings)

Local firefighters reading to the students at the Book Fair

·         Literature Circles with students and other staff

·        Celebration of authors and themes with books displayed in the library, in a prominent display case, and discussed online

·        LC Blog and/or website that has a literacy presence on-line

 *       Modelling the online library catalogue and how to find literary resources & e-books

·        Public Librarian come by to discuss summer reading programs and activities at the local libraries 

·         Literacy week with special activities like my son’s school in California which had author visits, books for purchase that will be signed and personalized by the visiting artist, family members signing up to read in the classrooms, community readers, Skype sessions with MarkCheverton (Minecraft writer), and dress like your favourite character from literature

For Literacy Week, my son dressed as Buzz and made this Fly Guy hat.

·     

Present

With the growth of information on the internet and new technology, there is so much more that we can do as teachers to continue to foster the culture of reading. There are so many multiliteracies that we need to use and in multimodal ways.

I would still do many of the literacy strategies that I have done in the past but there are so much more available that I can use to engage the students and have them deepen their thinking in the 21^st century.

Once I am back in a LC, I would like to encourage reading and literacy by using quality printed resources as well as digital resources like:

·        iPads – I thought that it was great how in William Kist’s book, The Global School, in which  the Black River Local School District described as being a rural community with “31% categorized as economically disadvantaged” (Kist, 2013) were using iPad apps for digitial literacy and developing global awareness by learning about Chinese culture and language

·        Digital Storytelling – This would be great for students who struggle with writing.  It is also beneficial for students who are more visual and auditory learners.  Students that are more kinestica learners can act out their favourite parts of the book or what they think will happen next.  It also encourages the First Nations oral story traditions.  Here is a link to an article about "Top Tools for Dynamic Storytelling."

·        Blogs – The students can use their private class blog to discuss about a book that they have read.  Videos can be added or personally created.  The class can add their comments and their thoughts.

·       YouTube and other video clips.  There are many videos from the authors of great children’s book.  If the students are interested in Fly Guy who my son and I love, the following video can be shown to them to engage them.  This YouTube video from Scholastic can be retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9yxSOyHfNtc.  After the video and books, they can create their own creative digital or print books called "Mosquito Guy" or "Green Peach Aphids Gal".

·       Skype with book writers and illustrators

·       creating on-line books that can be shared digitally through class sharing sites like Fresh Grades, reading on a private classroom YouTube group,  or online blog.

*   for the classroom, I would use a reading program especially for struggling readers that is catered to their individual needs like Accelerated Reading or Razz Kids

References

Accelerated Reading 360.  Renaissance.  Retrieved October 6, 2017 from https://www.renaissance.com/products/practice/accelerated-reader-360/

All for Books.  Scholastic.  Retrieved October 6, 2017 from http://www.scholastic.com/bookfairs/content/programs/allforbooks

BCTLA DEAR.  Retrieved October 6, 2017 from http://bctf.ca/bctla/info/advocacy.html

Kist, William.  (2013).  The Global School.  Solution Tree Press

Mark Cherverton.  Retrieved October 6, 2017 from http://markcheverton.com

Meet Tedd Arnold. (2017).  Scholastic.  [YouTube].  Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9yxSOyHfNtc

Pappas, Christoforos.  (2013).  How to Use the Blogs in the Classroom.  eLearning Industry.  Retrieved from https://elearningindustry.com/how-to-use-blogs-in-the-classroom


Raise-a-Reader Day. Vancouver Canucks.  Retrieved October 6, 2017 from https://www.nhl.com/canucks/community/raiseareader

Razz Kids. Learning A-Z.  Retrieved October 6, 2017 from https://www.raz-kids.com

Reading Assist Institute.  Retrieved October 6, 2017 from http://www.readingassist.org

Top Tools for Dynamic Digital Storytelling. Common Sense Education.  Retrieved September 23, 2017 from  https://www.commonsense.org/education/top-picks/top-tools-for-dynamic-digital-storytelling

Module 4: Learning from Multi-modal Texts: A Look at New Literacies

How would you approach bridging the gap between print texts primarily used at school and the digital literacies students are inundated with at home (blogs, Snapchat, YouTube, Twitter, video games)? Do you feel that social media apps, such as Snapchat or Twitter can be used constructively in the classroom setting?

I think that as teachers in the 21^st century, it is important for us to bridge the digital gap at school.  BC’s new curriculum focuses on the 21^st century learning and inquiry as mentioned below.

Retrieved from https://curriculum.gov.bc.ca/curriculum-updateson

Thus, it is important to integrate digital literacies from home with print text at school.  By integrating with what the students are interested in and different modes of learning, it will engage the learner more and make learning more meaningful.

Frank Serafini’s article, “Reading Mulitmodal Texts in the 21^st Century” stresses the importance of developing “as many skills and strategies for interpreting visual images and design elements as they develop for making sense of written language.” (Serafini, 2012)  We live in a global world where there is a vast amount of information readily available in different forms at a finger tip.  It requires using many different skills to make sense of it all.  Here is Frank Serafini talking about teaching and students that is retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mBhmkGv17lM:

This YouTube video below is retrieved from Miss Alexis' classroom at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=se3G8LV40gg.  I think the video above is a good visual way to explain multi-modal texts and how we can integrate print with digital literacies to transcend learning.   

The choice of digital literacy has to be critically evaluated by the teacher and what would be beneficial for the students.  Also, it is important to teach our students about internet safety and protect their privacy on-line.  It is also crucial to have the students learn to be critical thinkers and evaluators of on-line resources for credibility and accuracy.

Blogs are a great way to help student writing and reflect about a print text that they just read.  Links and videos can easily be added to blogs to scaffold learning and provide deeper understanding.  They can also read the blogs of their favourite author or inquiry topic in print.  

YouTube is also a great resource to inquire about a particular topics.  Many authors have their own YouTube videos so that can link the print and digital literacies together.  It brings the book to life and adds more meaning by hearing the author read the book or talk about their rationale for writing the book.  For younger students, there is YouTube Kids that has videos that catered to children and are family friendly.  I am also quite a fan of listening and watching TedxTalks on YouTube.   

Video games can also be utilized in the classroom if selected appropriately.  They can use Scratch to make digital stories of the printed resource that they read and also learn to code their own video game.  Minecraft is another creative, innovative, problem solving, and cooperative video game that can link print together.   Students have used it to build collaboratively their own virtual Rome back during the early days of the Roman Republic.  Minecraft also a series of printed books and how to books that can be used together with the video game.  Coding can be learned on Minecraft at https://code.org/minecraft.  They also off an offline version if the user does not have internet.

Retrieved from https://code.org/minecraft

In response to the second question, I did an inquiry search online about social media and school.  I decided to look for both the positive and negatives of using social media.

There are a wealth of information on the internet that offers suggestions on using social media positively such as:

Matt Miller’s article, “15 Ways to Use Snapchat in classes and School” that can be found at http://ditchthattextbook.com/2016/04/11/15-ways-to-use-snapchat-in-classes-and-schools/

Rusul Alruball's article, "An Academic Use for Social Media" that can be found at
https://www.edutopia.org/article/academic-use-social-media

Samantha Miller’s article, “50 Ways to Use Twitter in the Classroom” that can be found at http://www.teachhub.com/50-ways-use-twitter-classroom

Another positive aspect of social media is that it builds connections and the students can learn and follow experts for their inquiry need.  Cath Post has a list of "Twitterpated Kids:  Safe Twitter Feeds for Kids to Follow" that can be found are https://geekdad.com/2014/02/safe-twitter-feeds-for-kids/

There are also negative aspects of social media such as cyberbullying, fake accounts, and links to inappropriate pictures.  The following articles list some pros and cons of social media in schools:

https://www.teachthought.com/technology/6-pros-cons-social-media-classroom/

https://www.schooliseasy.com/2014/02/social-media-in-the-classroom/

Social media can be used constructively in the classroom but there are many factors to be considered and decided as a school community.  Such factors are the needs of the school community (students, teachers, parents, administrators, district), age appropriateness for the learners, school policy, privacy issues, safety issues, teacher's understanding of technology, and equal access.  It is our responsibility to evaluate and select what would be beneficial to our learners and how best to support learning/literacy that will meet their 21st century needs.

If the teacher is going to use social media in the classroom, it is important to keep it a private group and to teach them how to stay safe on social media.  Carleton University offers "10 Tips to Stay Safe on Social Media" that can be found at https://carleton.ca/its/2016/social-media-safety/ and Tanner Higgin's article, "Protecting Student Privacy on Social Media",  that can be found at https://www.edutopia.org/article/protecting-student-privacy-social-media

Essential Questions:

How does a LC lead the way into the 21^st century learning and encourages a participatory school culture so that it is equitable for all and meets all learning needs?  What are the best teaching practices and pedagogy for a LC that integrates multiliteracies and multimodal ways of learning?

References:

5 Pros and Cons of Social Media in the classroom. School is Easy Tutoring.  Retrieved on September 30, 2017 from https://www.schooliseasy.com/2014/02/social-media-in-the-classroom/

10 tips to Stay Safe on Social Media. (2016).  Information Technology Services, Carleton University. Retrieved from https://carleton.ca/its/2016/social-media-safety/

Alruball, Rusul. (2017).  An Academic Use for Social Media.  Edutopia, George Lucas Educational Foundation.  Retrieved from https://www.edutopia.org/article/academic-use-social-media

BC's New Curriculum. Retrieved September 30, 2017 from https://curriculum.gov.bc.ca

Got a Minute: Frank Serafini on Teaching. (2017).  Arizona State University, Tempe Campus. [YouTube].  Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mBhmkGv17lM

Hosler, Aimee. (2013)  6 Pros and Cons of Social Media in the Classroom.  Retrieved from https://www.teachthought.com/technology/6-pros-cons-social-media-classroom/

Higgin, Tanner. (2017).  Protecting Student Privacy on Social Media.  Edutopia, George Lucas Educational Foundation.  Retrieved from https://www.edutopia.org/article/protecting-student-privacy-social-media

  

Miller, Matt. 15 Ways to Use Snapchat in Classes and School.  Ditch that Textbook.  [Blog].  Retrieved September 26, 2017 from http://ditchthattextbook.com/2016/04/11/15-ways-to-use-snapchat-in-classes-and-schools/ 

Miller, Sarah. 50 Ways to Use Twitter in the Classroom.  Teach Hub.com.  Retrieved September 26, 2017 from http://www.teachhub.com/50-ways-use-twitter-classroom

Multimodal Texts. (2014).  Miss Alexis' classroom.  [YouTube]  Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=se3G8LV40gg

Post, Cathe.  (2014) Twittered Kids:  Safe Twitter Feeds for Kids to Follow.  GeekDad.  Retrieved from https://geekdad.com/2014/02/safe-twitter-feeds-for-kids/

Serafini, Frank. (2012).  Reading Multimodal Texts in the 21st Century. Mid-South Education Research Association.  Research in the Schools. Vol. 19, No. 1, 26-32

Serafini, Frank.  Southwest Educational Consultants Inc.  Retrieved September 30, 2017 from http://www.frankserafini.com

YouTube Education.  Retrieved September 30, 2017 from https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3yA8nDwraeOfnYfBWun83g

Youtube Kids.  Retrieved September 30, 2017 from https://kids.youtube.com.