Library Apps

 

Cool apps for library or classroom use

Checkology: A great tool for students to learn about how to distinguish legitimate sources from less reliable ones. The app includes several mini-lessons that can be used in the classroom or library for teaching about everything from misinformation to understanding bias.

Fabulingua: A tool for language teachers and students that can be used in the classroom by engaging kids with lively, interactive stories in other languages to help them learn news words, language, and ways of speaking.

Nearpod: Great app to make lessons more engaging and interactive. Allows teachers to create slide-based lessons with interactive features (images, audio, video, checks for understanding, written feedback, etc.), and can be especially useful for remote learning.

Google Translate: Awesome tool for ESL students for translating class readings into native language to check understanding, and to get their meaning across when writing in English. Also useful in Foreign language classes for translation practice.

Google Read and Write: Excellent tool for accommodations for ESL and students with disabilities. This app is easily added into Google docs, and allows students to dictate their words into a microphone (speech-to-text), and also have text read to them (text-to-speech).

Flipgrid: This app can be used in classroom to allow students and teachers to create videos for a variety of lesson functions, such as: demonstrating understanding, watching a lecture, recalling facts or details about text, etc. Very interactive and engaging for students, also promotes agency and collaboration.

Kahoot: Great tool for teachers or librarians to create high-interest "quizzes" on any topic, or modify pre-existing ones to suit your learning needs. Graphics, images, audio and video can be added.

Rewordify: Nice app for differentiating text. Can be used by teachers or librarians to modify a difficult text into simpler language (for ESL or students with disabilities). Only for informational texts.

Exploring Technology for the Library and Classroom

In light of the abundance of web resources, tools and apps available for teachers and librarians, I've decided to highlight a few excellent instructional resources that I've found to be very user-friendly and helpful. Obviously this is a limited list, mainly because I wanted to focus on quality rather than quantity, and find things that would be helpful for my instructional practice and that of my colleagues. Here are a few gems, and they're all FREE:

Wonder Stories: leveled text with standards-based questions to engage reluctant readers and keep track of their progress. Stories are interactive, and student progress is monitored to give teachers useful and ongoing data.

Hippocampus: Video and mini-lesson resources for a wide range of subjects and sub-topics. There are specific and engaging instructional videos to supplement your lessons and can be easily used for self-directed learning/remote learning.

Bookshare: A massive selection of audio books, free for students with disabilities and their teachers to help provide access to a rich variety of texts. Great way to differentiate instruction for students with disabilities.

Readworks: A huge selection of both fiction and informational texts from a wide range of subject areas, organized by reading level and into thematic groups. each text can be leveled depending on student lexile, and student progress is monitored as they go.

iCivics: Developed by former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, iCivics is an excellent learning platform which teaches students about U.S. History and Civics using a video game platform. Very engaging and also great way to enhance literary skills and critical thinking skills.

Arbor Scientific  Excellent range of science materials, short videos and mini-lessons on a variety of scientific topics to support classroom instruction. Also links to various science blogs.

Thoughts on Olsen's "Top 10 Things Every Teacher Should Know About Technology"

 

                                                                        

On her Classroom 2.0 blog, K. Olsen invites educators to list their "Top 10 Things Every Teacher Should Know About Technology", in an effort to prepare useful professional development materials. Several educators responded, and one thing that struck me was how many folks spoke about the need for teachers to use new technology as an opportunity for collaboration and exploration with their students. The idea that we can learn both from and alongside our students may be a foreign concept to some educators, but if we shift the narrative a bit, it can be one of the best, more powerful ways to humanize ourselves to our students, and empower them as both learners and collaborators. 

Similarly, several commenters reflected on the need for educators to embrace the idea of experimentation and exploration as gateways to learning to navigate otherwise intimidating technologies. If we approach tech as a challenging exploration, rather than being intimidated by it, we can open ourselves up to new and engaging formats for teaching and learning. Given the time constraints and overwhelming expectations teachers already face, it would be wise for administrators to facilitate professional development opportunities and dedicate time for these endeavors. 

Here are the top 10 things I think every teacher should know about technology:

1. Have a growth mindset. Be willing to try new things and learn from your colleagues! Be willing to explore and push out of your comfort zone.

2. Use your schools IT person as a resource, and if you don't have one, find a student or colleague who can fill that role.

3. Get the students involved! They often know more than you, and it's great practice to solicit their feedback.

4. Do your research. Be on the lookout for what's new and exciting in educational technology.

5. Get to know your OPACS, your MARCs, your Libguides, etc. And learn how to develop your own website, in case there is nobody to help you.

6. Attend professional development about technology whenever possible.

7. Try things out yourself, don't expect to have your kids use an app or tech tool that you haven't even tried.

8. Have a back-up plan! Think printed images, read-alouds, paper copies...just in case.

9. Get to know Google, because it's a main source for the fundamentals.

10. Be patient with yourself...it's okay to not know everything, all the time!