Daley Branham ISCI 761 Blog Summer 2023

    In the library where I currently work, the librarian and I are always looking for makerspaces to have available to students. We have done many different makerspaces and some have worked better than others. The best one we have done is ordering a huge poster that the kids would come in to color during their free time. This was inexpensive and the kids thoroughly enjoyed it. I would say that school librarians are always looking for new ideas that are cost-efficient because you never know whether students are going to participate or not. The blog that I found to be very helpful is Don’t Shush Me! Adventures of a 21st century High School Librarian , by Kelsey Bogan. She wrote a blog Low Tech Makerspace in the H.S. Library gave great insight into finding/creating makerspaces that would enhance the library. She expressed that before entering the library, things were not very vibrant and students were not attending the library for any reason other than for checking ou...

     Cyberbullying is one of the most horrifying things that can happen to a person. Cyberbullying is defined as “repeated aggressive behaviors that are intended to cause harm to a victim with relatively less power to defend themselves” (Faucher, Cassidy, & Jackson, 2015, p. 112).  After watching the videos, my heart just breaks for people who are victims of such behaviors. What stands out to me the most regarding Cyberbullying is how it can ruin a person and cause a person to make a bad decision. Instead of going to someone about it, people are scared of telling because of the continuous backlash they may fear being bullied more. I have not dealt with cyberbullying personally, however, I have seen students in middle school bully and be bullied. I do not allow that to happen in the library and if it does I take the situation straight to the guidance counselor. Students are exposed to social media and technology at such a young age now due to our society and I fee...

    As a profoundly deaf individual who wears bilateral hearing aids, I understand the need for accessibility. Since the age of two, I have worn hearing aids and I am an avid lip reader. Since I began kindergarten, my teachers were asked to wear an amplified microphone that would directly connect to my hearing aid boots and I was able to hear what was being said. To be clear, hearing and understanding was not always equal. However, as I transitioned to larger classrooms, I had to sit in the front of the classroom to be able to see the teacher's lips along with using the microphone. There were many times when teachers had to show educational videos or movies and closed captioning was not available. This was very difficult for me seeing that I solely depended on my vision to read lips. I could not understand the narration often times and I felt very isolated. I had to often times step out of my comfort zone to remind teachers that I needed closed captioning or a transcript ...

     In our district, our students currently use Chromebooks daily in the classroom. During COVID-19, students depended solely on Chromebooks to learn virtually; therefore, students probably prefer having them due to their potential pedagogical functions. Chromebooks are inexpensive and allow the internet to be easily accessible. To use a Chromebook, a Gmail account is required. Students can utilize numerous Web 2.0 tools and essential word-processing functions. Teachers have access to a variety of resources and are able to test the boundaries of eLearning. If students are homebound or out for medical reasons, teachers can post assignments easily and contact students for what needs to be reviewed or completed for class.      Teachers can help provide students with opportunities that may seem impossible. As a media assistant, working in a middle school where students use Chromebook daily, I have learned a great deal about how to help students with Chromebook...