Library Media Tech Talk

In my many years as a school librarian, I enjoyed helping teachers connect to distant schools and other places using Skype, Google Meet (Google Hangouts at the time), and Zoom. It was always a thrill to see students learn about destinations they may never physically visit through such connections. In this article, I want to share my best practices for setting up the library or classroom for a session. I will also share a few resources for connecting with other schools. I strongly recommend this activity regardless of the time of year. I guarantee you everyone will be engaged! Mystery Skype is a global guessing game that uses webcam conferencing calls to connect the participating schools or individuals. You can use Skype, Google Meet, Zoom, Microsoft Teams, or a similar webcam app. The students do not know the location of the other school, and they must guess where they are by using “yes” or “no” questions only. The goal is to guess the other school's location before they guess your...

As the school year is nearing the last few weeks, things tend to get very busy. Summer is still a ways off, but it is on the horizon. This is a great time to start thinking about how you will end the school year. It is important to search for student feedback so you can get a feel for how the library program served them during the academic year. In this article, I will share two survey templates you can use and/ or edit for your students. One for high school/ middle school and one for elementary. Think about how it will impact students that you are seeking their opinions in a survey. Finally, we will discuss the outcomes and what you can do with them.  My Practice of Using Student Surveys In the past, I have shared reflections about student end-of-year surveys. You can read about one particular instance of that here.  In that example, I shared multiple ways we collected student feedback. We used Google Forms, Padlet, and Flipgrid. I recall Google Forms being my favorite since ...