Technology Leadership Blog #3

 I am technophobic. The first step is admitting it. But as an MLIS student, with librarianship heading towards encompassing the role of technology leadership, I need to be proactive about learning the skills needed to fill the role. Luckily, a combination of research skills and curiosity will drive me to learn what I do not know. 


This assignment proved to be a great first step in the right direction. First of all, in reading other librarians’ blogs, I learned that I am not alone in my technophobia, but these other librarians overcame it and so can I. Steven Bell at EdSurge recommends making it a goal to look into 3 to 5 edtech resources a month, first taking a cursory glance and then diving deeper if it looks promising (2018). Through his article, I was introduced to VoiceThread. VoiceThread has been around for a while, but surprisingly, I have never seen it used. One of its greatest assets is its ease of use and library of tutorials on the website. There are several applications of VoiceThread, the simplest being as an updated PowerPoint with capabilities for collaboration like Google Docs. The slides can be pictures or videos with overlaid voiceovers, text, or videos of the teacher explaining the content. The students are also able to comment or ask questions on the slide and those comments can either be visible to the whole class or the teacher only, depending on the settings.


Sarah Gonser in an Edutopia blog makes the point that when participation grades are at stake, it is vital that students have differentiated opportunities to participate (2021). Something like VoiceThread would allow students who are anxious about speaking aloud in class the opportunity to text their comments onto the presentation. Also, with the options for text or audio, it could appeal to audio and visual learners. 


I’ve learned to love technology for this reason: that it allows learners to interact with content in a way that is beneficial to them. In this light, I am excited to pursue the knowledge that will make me a technology leader in the school as it is a way to advocate individualized learning.


Here is the link for quick stats to introduce teachers to the new technology:


https://www.canva.com/design/DAFMiRLxoLc/cTxqPK0aXN-aVRdHp8WP5g/view?utm_content=DAFMiRLxoLc&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link&utm_source=publishsharelink

Bell, S. (2018, December 27). 5 Ways to Become a ‘Full-Stack’ Librarian. EdSurge. Retrieved September 16, 2022, from https://www.edsurge.com/news/2016-01-21-5-ways-to-become-a-full-stack-librarian


            Gonser, s. (2021, May 28). Is Class Participation Too Arbitrary to Grade Fairly? Edutopia.                 Retrieved September 15, 2022, from https://www.edutopia.org/article/class-participation-   too-arbitrary-grade-fairly

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