Videos and QR Codes in the Library

YouTube in the Library

As technology becomes more and more used within the classroom, students are learning in different ways than the traditional pencil and paper. Students are able to view videos from various sources, create digital projects, and research topics at the tips of their finger tips. 

One popular digital resource is YouTube. Users can watch videos of personal creations, book and movie trailers, or listen to music. These videos can be seen and hear from everyone in every corner of the globe. Videos can be shared with anyone through email and embedded or uploarded to other websites or blogs.

YouTube and the Library

As a resource center, the library offers various formats for students to find information to meet their needs. When needing to reach your entire student population, parents, and surrounding community, YouTube is an ideal way to do so. While students do enjoy posting videos of songs they remade, YouTube can be a digital tool that is access from anywhere. 


I looked into four different school libraries;

1. Norman High School Library,
2. The Unquiet Library,
3. Pikesville High School Library.
4. BB Midle School Library

Each library had something different to offer on YouTube. I looked at what videos they offered that would be helpful to students and which ones the students would enjoy watching. 

Norman High School Library

The video I though would be useful to students was  How to Use EBSCOHost. This video is very informative. It provides students with instructions on how to find needed information for research. Students can watch it over and over without asking questions on how to use the database. Not only does it show them how to find resources, it sets them up to refer to this video as a resource for future research, a refresher on how to used the database. The video tells them that what kind of resources will be available. With numerous search results, the video informs the students about the need to narrow down their dates to assist in finding current and accurate information. This video would be great to have as a go to resource that is always available on the library website. 

Having a video such as this one on our library website would assist students who are not able to seek and ask the librarian in that moment. They can watch the video andbe provided instructions to help them begin their research and can fidn the librarian the next day for further quesitons or concerns. 

Students like to be engaged when viewing a video regarding their academics. Although this video, Tiger Visits the Norman High Library, does not target a specific skill, it does show the students what their library has to offer. At first I thought about my 8^th graders and how they would react to the video. A few would think this was way to elementary, but most of them would like the video. I think this would be a great video for incoming freshman to show them some of what the library has to offer.  It demonstrates for them the routines of visiting the library, from signing in to searching the online catalog to find a book, to all formats of texts (print and digital), critical thinking games and puzzles, and being respectful to those who are working in what I am guessing it the work zone. And lastly checking out behave appropriately in the library. This cute video provides a positive image of what the library should be used for. 

An introductory video would be a great addition to the library website. Incoming students and parents can view the video seing what the libray facility looks like and what it has to offer.  Students from older grades can participate in the video telling the viewer specific information about library itself. A video can also be made to offer policies and procedures for the library.

The Unquiet Library
While researching and finding images for their project, students need to be cautious of finding images that they can use and manipulate. Tilley Tutorial Video Creative Commons 101 for Senior Project video provided useful information that will assist students in theright way to finding their images as well as a basic overview of what Creative Common is. Students are provided guidelines for their project and a description of the 4 types of images. Terms and images are discussed and defined. Using others images as well as using personal images are discussed and how to address citation. Based on questions and concerns from students, further discussions and lessons would be handles accordingly to move forward. 


 A video with such vital information is important for students to view when creating projects. Having such resources available on the library website allows for students to access when on and off campus.  This will help students from plagarising images and information saving them heartache and academic  failures.

As an educator I have to keep in mind that the videos I do find need to provided the needed information, but also be mindful in teh time frame of the video. I do not want something too long that my students will disengage and drift off. One video I thought offered the basic information, but short and to the point was Video Tutorial finding CC Images Using Compfight. I thought this video was useful personally and even more useful for my students when researching images for future projects. If a brief discussion or lesson on copyright or plagiarism is discussed before hand, this may deter students from such fractions. Again, further discussions or lessons can be built based on questions or concerns from this point.

Providing videos on the library website about how to find specific items always assist students. With collaboration with teachers, the librarian can put together or find videos that teachers can promote to their students in assisting in the assignments or projects. 

 

Pikesville High School Library

Similar to the Tiger Visits the Norman High Library, The Panther Library in Action Fall 2013 video provides a basic introduction to the library. As previously stated, this video could be used as an introduction for incoming freshman or possibly at an open house. Students will see that their peers are engaged and interactive with one another, reading materials, and electronic devices. The video even introduces the school librarian so that new students have a face to find with entering the library. The video shows that not only is the facility for reading and researching, but also as a space to facilitate a class in.

A resource that many teachers use to assist in teaching elemnts of a story or any other skill is Flocabulary. One video, Hip Hop Dat at The Panther Library, shows students Skyping with Dillon. They were able to ask questions, hear him freestyle, adn interact with the student body and librarian. 

When using Flocabulary, I tend to hear my students whispering the lyrics for the plot diagram. As our campus moves into its second year of being one to one, my students would enjoy creating short videos demonstrating they understand a concept, skill, or strategy that has been taught. Giving them the digital outlet to create and present ther understanding would make a dignificant impact on their academics.

With videos of contributing producers, such as Dillon from Flocabulary, students see that the library is more than books stacked on shelves. It shows them that the library is so much more. Students see that it can be a place of collaboration with peers, community members, and important people or authors. If studens see that their library is interactive with them and outsiders, they will be more likely to visit and participate in activities.

 

BB Middle School Media

A resource that some teachers use for students to research and formunate citations is NoodleTools. While students are taught to provie the resource information, putting it in the right formate may become confusing. I thought students would this video helpful, especially with more and more digital resources available fo ruse. Mr. Yeargin of BB Middle School put togehter a video, Noodle Tools Creating a Citation using a Database, to help with citations. 

Students will at one point or another complete research during the school year. They need to know how to properly cite their sources. Mr. Yeargin provides visuals for students to review and use when creating their own citations for databases. The walk through video helps those visual learners when navigating through the database. He is able to go back and forth between the database and NoodleTools showing the students how to do this. Students will be able to go back to the video for refreshers at any time for how to cite their resources. The video is long enough to provide enough information for students to complete the task of citations, but not to long before students start losing interests and are not engaged. Again, this is a video that having on the library website would benefit students when not able to make it physically to the library. 

This would be a good lesson on how to cite databases after learning how to do so in order on their own first. If students can create their citations without copy and pasting at first, when the time comes for them to copy and paste for projects, they will be able to check the work and make sure it is correct.

When creating printed citations, students may need a lesson on hoe to do so like any other lesson dealing with citing resources. I thought students would like this video because if offered easy to follow instrucitons. Noodle Tools Creating a Book Citation provides a quick review of book citations. Mr. Yeargin shows students how to import in NoodleTools by using the ISBN from his book on Kenya. He shows them where the ISBN is on the book and how easy it is to use the number to import the information. This saves the students time when creating their citation.

Other videos that would be helpful from this YouTube channel would be  Creating a Website CitationHow to Print/Export Your Works Cited.

Book Trailer

I created a book trailer for a book I just completed for my Multiculture Literature class, Yaqui Delgado Wants To Kick Your Ass by Meg Medina. I have created a blog post of it if you wish to follow up on it here.

"One morning before school, some girl tells Piddy Sanchez that Yaqui Delgado hates her and wants to kick her ass. Piddy doesn’t even know who Yaqui is, never mind what she’s done to piss her off. Word is that Yaqui thinks Piddy is stuck-up, shakes her stuff when she walks, and isn’t Latin enough with her white skin, good grades, and no accent. And Yaqui isn’t kidding around, so Piddy better watch her back. At first Piddy is more concerned with trying to find out more about the father she’s never met and how to balance honors courses with her weekend job at the neighborhood hair salon. But as the harassment escalates, avoiding Yaqui and her gang starts to take over Piddy’s life. Is there any way for Piddy to survive without closing herself off or running away? In an all-too-realistic novel, Meg Medina portrays a sympathetic heroine who is forced to decide who she really is." - Amazon

I also created an Animoto that you can view as well through the QR Code. 

Book Tra

QR Codes

Before this week, I have never used a QR Code. I never really understood them and really didn't take the time to invesitgate what their purpose was. That being said, this week has been interesting and the QR Code is amazing. Why have I not been using this? Once I figured out how to create and use the QR Code, I wanted to go out and scan them. While navigating the internet, I found someways to use the QR Code within in my classroom and in the library.

Some websites that I visited include:

1. Scholastic - Ways to Use QR Codes for Education
2. Nik's Learning Technology Blog: for ELAR Teachers - 20 + Things you can do with QR codes in your school

As I explored through the websites, I found several ideas that I could incorporate into my classroom lessons as well as the library. What activities that are elaborated below all come from the websites listed above. 

Getting to Know Your Peers and Teachers

At the beginning of each year, I like to begin with a scavenger hunt. Yes, many of the students know one another, but they may not know something in particular about their classmates, their teachers, or the campus in general. Why not create a QR Code for students to scan. Students can partner up and participate in a gallery walk. Throughout the gallery walk have QR Codes randomly placed throughout the room or hallway. Each QR Code can have a quesiton that students are to respond to. For example, a quesiton could be, "If you could travel outside of the United States, where would you go and why?" Questions can refer to personal interests and hobbies, they can become more indepth discussion questions that can lead to writing prompts. This is a great idea to get the students up and moving, mingling with one another, learning about one another, and engaged in the activity.

The teacher can even challenge the students to produce a video about themselves using a rubric or guidelines and then create a QR Code. Students would then submit their QR Codes to the teacher who would then create a gallery walk. Students would independently walk the room with their device and headphone in hand, scanning and listening to the class, learning about their peers. Students can be responsible for 1 thing per peer to be held accountable for participating in the gallery walk.

The QR Code could also be used for the teacher to introduce themselves to the students. It can consist of a short video for them to view. Students can watch the video and the class can have a Q and A afterwards. This can be done with any teacher or administrator on campus. Administrators could be invited to participate in the Q and A as well.

Getting the News Out

QR Codes posted throughout the school can offer schedules of school events. They could include athletic events and games, fine arts concerts and competitions, picture day reminders, field trip information, links to the school or community newspaper, holiday events, volunteer hours, or events that happen throughout the district or surrounding communities. 

During open house or curriculum night, brochures can be passed out with QR Codes on them for parents to scan for community services, how to contact the school, handle absences, or  pay fines for their child. It can alsp promote school and district incentive programs. 

Substitutes

Creating a QR Code for students will help when the teacher is out of the classroom. Students can scan the QR Code and view a video that the teacher has create with instructions and any important information. The teacher can load the QR Code to Schoology or any other site they use and students can take it from there. If for some reason, the teacher cannot get to school to leave students directions, this is something that is easy to complete and submit online for their students. 

Note Taking

Taking physical notes can be time consuming. Create a QR Code of the notes, images, inforgraphs and let students scan it and download it to their notes on their devices. Think of the time and paper that you could be saving!

Library

Treasure Hunt - Create a treasure hunt with clues for students to look for throughout the library that lead to another completing a task. This will get students moving throughout the library becoming familiar with the facility and what it offers. 

Magazines & Digital Books - Many libraries offer magazines for both the teachers and students. Many of them also offer QR Codes. Students can scan teh QR Code of magazines and digital books to download material to read at their leisure.

Book Talks - Randomly place QR Codes throughout the library that provide a video, animoto or podcast of a book talk. Students can scan the QR Code and quickly be informed about that book, as well as be given teh information as to where to find it in the library. If they are interested in that particular book they can find it and check it out. If the student is not interested, as least they can refer it to someone who would be. Students can also create book talks through videos or podcast and then create QR Codes to post around the library or turn in to their teachers.

Book Displays - Displays through out the library offer visuals for students to manipulate. Students can scan teh QR Code, listen or watch the video, and flip through the book to see if it is something they would be interested in reading. Again, if it is not something that that student is not interested in, they can refer it to a peer.

Library Catalog and Databases- Information about the online catalog, login information for databases can be a QR Code for students to scan when needing reminders. 

Accelerated Reader - Every year I run into students forgetting their login information. QR Codes can be scanned as reminders for students. They can be attached to the sides of the desktops or downloaded to desktops. 

Cultures, Holidays, Influential People, Campus Faculty and Staff - Post QR Codes thoughout the library that provide facts about different cultures, holidays, and influential people that have had an impact on our nation or world. QR Codes can be posted within the library and/or campus of teachers and staff to celebrate birthdays or accomplishments. Students can scan the QR Codes to learn facts about others. This can become conversation starters that, again, can lead into writing prompts.

Reflection

As I previously stated, I had not been interested in QR Codes before I began this project. Looking back, I am so glad I did this. I have learned and gained so much from this past week creating this post. I originally thouhgt this would be one more thing that needed to be implemented in the classroom, but soon realized that this can enhance my students academics tremendously by allowing them to produce their own materials, showing ME what they have learned and shine in their final products. Many of my students are shy or doubts themselves when beginning something so new as QR Codes, I did. Through these productions, my students will gain self confidence in themselves, as I did. Once I taught myself, went through trial and error, I was thrilled to see my finished product. I felt accomplished and I am now determined to use such technology within my classroom and future library. I cannot wait til I can get my students to engaged and see what creative ideas they can come up with. 

I will definitely create QR Codes for each of my books on this blog to post in my classroom. I like to show my students what I am reading. I have a spot on my chalkboard letting my students see what I am currently reading, what I just finished, and what I plan on reading next.  The QR Codes will soon become its own wall within my classroom.

before this week,