Videos and QR Codes In The Library

This year, Fort Bend ISD lifted the ban on access to YouTube in the classrooms. Now with an administrator's permission, teachers can show YouTube videos for educational purposes. Google recently started a YouTube for Schools, which offer schools the ability to choose the videos they want, get rid of all the comments and link the videos only to other related educational videos. The program gives schools the ability to allow access to the YouTube EDU educational library which only has specific videos within its own network while blocking the general site (NY Times 2012). How librarians and educators use YouTube? YouTube can be used to teach a lesson, promote new books or events, and to share something amusing. YouTube can also be a great way for students to create class projects. 

Strom, S. (2012) YouTube subtracts racy and raucous to add a teaching tool. New York Times. Retrieved from http:/www.nytimes.com/2012/03/10/education/youtube-finds-a-way-off-schools-banned-list.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

Take a look below at the following libraries and how they use YouTube to be both helpful and appealing to their students.

Norman High Library

https://www.youtube.com/user/TheNHSLibrary/videos

Norman High created this insightful video all about the library for staff and students. The video introduces the faces behind the library, the hours of operation, the purpose of the library, what the library has to offer, and the library policies.

 

A quick humorous video showcasing what the library has to offer from computers to reference materials. It shows that the library is more than just a place to read and find books, but also an exciting place to go to for all your research and technology needs.




 
The Unquiet Library
https:/www.youtube.com/user/theunquietlibrary/videos

 A short and easy to follow video that shows students how to embed a Prezi presentation in Wikispace in which students use as an online portfolio. This video is very informative for students, but for adults as well who are not familiar with embedding and coding.

 

Who says the library is a useless and boring place to go? These students show otherwise. This video shows several clips of students and how they use the library for reading, studying and researching. 

Pikesville High School Library
https://www.youtube.com/user/pikesvillehslibrary/videos

In this video, the librarian and counselor linked up together to present a video on how to apply for scholarships and financial aid for college. This video is for parents and students who could not attend or just wanted to review any information.

 In celebration of Black History Month, students learned about the history of hip hop and compared it to Shakespeare's writing. They also were able to listen to spoken word poetry from such artist as Alicia Keys and the late Tupac Shakur. I wished my library in high school was this entertaining!

 
BBMS Media Center
https://www.youtube.com/user/bbmsmedia/videos

This librarian presented a lesson through YouTube to explain the importance of citing your work and to show students how to cite using the MLA format.
 

This librarian had students create a rendition of Carly Ray Jespen's song Call Me, Maybe called Return Them, Maybe to encourage students to return their overdue library books. The lyrics were catchy. I'm pretty sure the students were singing the tune whenever a library book was overdue. 

 

Animoto and QR Codes

 Animoto is a great way to add photos and video clips and compile them into one to create a short video. There are different style options to choose from. Music can also be added to go along with your video. Below I created a book trailer for The Day the Crayons Quit using Animoto. 

The link to any URL can be stored as a QR Code and then embedded into a website or printed out onto flyers, newsletters and other printed items. Last, you will need to download a QR code app to your phone or tablet to scan which will then take you directly to your site. 

Poor Duncan just wants to color. But when he opens his box of crayons, he finds only letters, all saying the same thing: His crayons have had enough! They quit! Beige Crayon is tired of playing second fiddle to Brown Crayon. Black wants to be used for more than just outlining. Blue needs a break from coloring all those bodies of water. And Orange and Yellow are no longer speaking—each believes he is the true color of the sun.

What can Duncan possibly do to appease all of the crayons and get them back to doing what they do best?

Kids will be imagining their own humorous conversations with crayons and coloring a blue streak after sharing laughs with Drew Daywalt and New York Times bestseller Oliver Jeffers. This story is perfect as a back-to-school gift, for all budding artists, for fans of humorous books such as Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus by Mo Willems and The True Story of the Three Little Pigs by Jon Sciezka and Lane Smith, and for fans of Oliver Jeffers' Stuck, The Incredible Book Eating Boy, Lost and Found, and This Moose Belongs to Me.

Review from Amazon.com

 

Scan the QR code below to take you to a book trailer created through Animoto.