Final Reflection

Now that we are winding down to the end, I would like to share my thoughts and opinions on my experience with technology. Technology has advanced in such a way, that it is a necessity in today’s society. It is used for multiple purposes in every aspect of our lives. It is a must that we keep up with the latest technology in order to stay ahead. 

I can honestly say that this has been the best class I have taken so far. I have learned about so many new technology apps and websites and how to revamp the way I use old technology to incorporate in the classroom and share with my colleagues. 

Learning how to create a blog was very useful. I have not personally seen a teacher or librarian that has used a blog to share information with their students. I plan to create a blog especially for our school library to keep students updated about school events, book trailers and reviews, and even book contest such as the Blue Bonnett Award. I plan to use Animoto to create book trailers or to feature new books from the library on the website. I feel as though I will be using Animoto quite often. I will also have students create their own Animoto as a technology project. I would like to use QR Codes to incorporate a book scavenger hunt and get the kids excited about reading. YouTube and Podcast will be a wonderful tool for me use in order to relate a message or information while students are away from the library.  A form of technology that we did not use, but I plan to use with the local high school librarian is Skype. We discussed having the older kids read to the younger kids through Skype or video conferencing. 

Screenr was probably the most difficult to use because I ran into a lot of security issues, which I am pretty sure will be the same at school. I also plan on not using Instagram of Vine for the simple fact that I teach elementary students and the majority of parents may not agree with them having an account.

I feel as though all of the tools we have used will be beneficial in its own way. I believe creating a blog for the library will be both beneficial for students and staff. The blog will be used for not only learning about new things, but also sharing thoughts and opinions in which everyone can benefit from. 

This class has made me excited for the new school year and I can’t wait to practice what I have learned.

Mobile Connections to Libraries

Duggan, M., Raine, L. & Zickuhr, K. (2012) Mobile Connections to Libraries. Retrieved from http://libraries.pewinternet.org/2012/12/31/mobile-connections-to-libraries/

In this day and age, many of us need quick and easy access to information via the internet. We often at times use our mobile devices to find directions to a location, hours of operations and much more. However, many of us do not use our mobile devices to connect with our local library. Only 13% of people ages 16 and older have visited library websites or accessed library service by mobile devices. Even though the numbers have doubled since 2009, the numbers are still quite surprising. Only 25% of all Americans 16 and over have visited a library website in the past year. People who are most likely to visit a library website are parents of minors, women, those with college educations, those under age 50, and people living in households earning $75,000 or more. 

I feel as though the lack of promotion as to what libraries have to offer online has hindered people from visiting the site more often. It was not until last year that I discovered that I could place a book on hold, search for books at other branches and have them sent to the library near home and renew books online. If public libraries collaborate with school libraries and the community to promote what they have to offer online, more people would go to the site for resource and information.

154/150

Older Adults and Technology Use

Smith, A. (2014) Older Adults and Technology Use. Retreived from http://www.pewinternet.org/2014/04/03/older-adults-and-technology-use/

Senior citizens are the last group to adopt the use of technology, but they continue to make strives. The Pew Research Center conducted a study on technology use between senior citizens and the rest of the population. Two different senior citizen groups were studied. The first group consist of the more highly educated or more affluent seniors and the second group was older and less affluent with significant challenges with health or disability. Between those two groups, the affluent seniors saw the benefits of online platforms and had more access to technology. It seems as though high educated seniors are more acceptable to change and are willing to keep up with society. 

The research shows that more than half of older adults (65 or older) were internet users. Today, over half of all seniors go online and 47% say they have a high-speed broadband connection at home. Despite these gains, seniors continue to lag behind their younger counterparts when it comes to tech adoption. They often face a number of hurdles to adopting new technology. The first being physical challenges. Many seniors report having physical conditions and health issues, making it difficult for them to use technology. Some are skeptical about the benefits of technology and they often have difficulties learning to use new technology. 

In conclusion, the study shows that the more educated a senior citizen is, the more likely she or he is willing to use new technology. 

142/150