Thing 6: Curation Tools

I know the incredible role the curation plays in school libraries. 

I see the roles shifting and increasing in importance as there is more "deployment" of resources and less come to the library and get it from the librarian.  

With various models of 1:1 access or increased use of devices in the classrooms and fewer "lab" models, we need to be sure that the resources students and teachers need are IN their hands for school and home.  

So many of the CURATION TOOLS shared here are ideal for middle school and surely can be adapted for younger or older students.   

I'm confident with:

• Symbaloo  (has been less popular as of late--not sure why) 
• Padlet  (quick and easy, some find too "messy") 
• Libguides  (use this and google slides mostly) 
• Slides

and relatively ok with Scoop.It and Pinterest.  I need to revisit EDSHELF & Pinterest as I see others use and find them helpful and I know teachers like Pinterest. Also, I doing more crowdsourcing and sites like Pinterest and Peardeck lend themselves more to that. 

I often build LIBGUIDES in collaboration with my teacher partners.  We post those on Classroom for student access.  Guides include PASSWORDS for off-site use where needed. 

Check out our website (still not in love with layout of my site) to access the many libguides we have used. 

Thing 2: PHOTO FUN!

The motherlode of Resources here thanks to POLLY...cool tools goddess!  

MY GOAL is to follow the guidelines here from the awesome Nikki Robinson to get started with SNAPCHAT in the library.  I'd also like the input from students while I set it up, so I need to set up a "student think thank" to get the ball rolling!   Postings to follow! 

Our @PineGroveLib Instagram feed is here, take a LOOK!  Just started this year, so am slowly growing followers.   

We are always teaching students how to find "legal" images to use:

• Imagequest (subscription) from Britannica
• Creative Commons
• Using "insert" feature on Google selects images that are reusable
• Pics4Learning is decent, too
• Students know to look at "usage rights" 
• We are currently doing a "meme" project for American History.
• I take a TON of pics for use for backgrounds and school projects, too.  

Fun with PHOTOFUNIA  

View from the Pine Grove Library on a winter day!  

Thing 3: Twitter and other Online Communities

You had me at TWITTER!  I have made more CONNECTIONS, gathered more IDEAS, and been more INSPIRED via my network on Twitter than any other network. 

I like the wider audience for insight, ideas, and perspective.  I've expanded from local and librarians to legislators and authors and thought leaders and entrepreneurs.   I add many and drop some but don't ever feel "victim" to Twitter.   It works for my lifestyle and way of thinking.  I use Tweetdeck to manage several feeds and find that useful (necessary) when I join Twitter chats.  

My only complaint with online communities is that I'm getting SO much out of them, sometimes (more often than is likely healthy), it's hard to walk away.   I've grown into a healthy relationship with them and feeling less tethered and equally inspired.

• Twitter is my FAV for learning and sharing on the professional end.  Some personal gets added as well, but it's about a 80/20 split-work/personal.
• We created a hashtag for our school (#esmpgproud) to get the word out about our community under one tag.  
• I like to promote the wide range of what is going on in/through our library to the greater community (reading, tech, leadership, programs, flexible spaces, collaboration) 
• I use Facebook for NYLA-SSL and other library communities. My personal Facebook community is more for sharing of photos, life, upcoming events at school, and general keeping in touch.  
• I've added Instagram (work- @PineGroveLib and personal @kowalski423) to my toolkit and finding it especially helpful for school as I can provide a quick media snapshot of life in and through the library AND many students have started following so I can promote/celebrate via this feed. 
• Next up SNAPCHAT...but I still need to learn more there.
• Also want to better master "stories" as not using those to capacity either (so say my students).  

Just tried a PAPER.LI paper.  Link here!  (did a middle school focus)

Thing 26 NOTETAKING

I'm surrounded by tech at home and at school.  I love it. I use it. I'm a self-directed learner with tech.  BUT, when it comes to lists and my personal calendar I still prefer PAPER.  Yes, PAPER and find joy in little binder clips, gel pens, post it notes, and planners that have happy covers.  

I find I internalize things better when I WRITE them.  

Great NOTETAKING RESOURCES here (thanks again, Polly!) 

I had EVERNOTE for years and decided wasn't getting my money's worth (my issues, not EVERNOTE).

I've dabbled in SKETCHNOTING..love it as it cements my thinking DURING, but don't know if my notes are good for sharing and not pretty enough to post like the professionals.

I need color, bullets, boxes, month at a glance and daily lists.  I tried to go totally to GOOGLE calendar for all...but found I wasn't remembering things!  My brain needs PAPER.  I'm almost NEVER without a pen/paper...for the next BIG IDEA!  

I do like GOOGLE KEEP (especially for the voice record/write features) and am encouraging students to use as well for their to-dos and especially password information (for non google log in resources). 

I have mixed feelings about laptops OPEN or NOT during meetings.  Sometimes it works for me (and others) and other times, I find I'm multitasking to distraction.   For me, it depends on the content, setting, and my role in the meeting.  With students we often request "courtesy close" but sometimes a "watch and do" is more appropriate.   

Thing 25: Student Assessment

Love the amazing number of tools available for formative and summative assessment!  

Many are listed here thanks to the COOL TOOLS class (thanks, Polly, for curation!) 

Many of the teachers I work with use Quizlet, Kahoot, PADLET, EdPuzzle, Google Forms, Flipgrid.

My personal GO TOs are FLIPGRID (for video) and GOOGLE FORMS for other.  As a GAFE school, using Google tools makes great sense--love the collaborative option, exportability to spreadsheet, and ease of creation.   

A couple examples are here:  

iStaff Application
YELP-ish Review for Booktasting event

I'm trying QUICKFIRE through SPIRAL via my iStaff classroom and AnswerGarden with some of my peeps on Facebook.   More details will be updated soon!   

My ANSWERGARDEN: