Autobiography of a Tech User and Creator

The Beginnings 

This assignment has triggered me to look back into the past and see how technology became a part of my life starting from the first IBM computer my dad bought for me for an incredible amount of money.

This all started back in high school. We bought the computer so that I could complete assignments without having to always go to friend’s house to use their typewriter. Eventually, we had dial-up Internet and started being connected to the world. My sister was still in elementary school and did not need to use it so I had the computer all to myself! During my senior years, I had an ICQ account, which I used to communicate with my friends in school . I also had a web page on Asian Avenue. As embarrassing as it is to admit, Asian Avenue was my first glimpse of html coding. I had to learn the bare minimum in order to make my page a little more personal but I never got passed that since it was too challenging. Blogging did not happen until after starting to teach. I created my first blog fairly recently but I never had the time to keep it running regularly. Blogging is a commitment I am still afraid of.

The email world did start while in high school although it was not the most popular medium. Like I mentioned, ICQ was the way to go! Despite the slow start in emailing, I’m just happy I decided to create usernames that had my name instead of some phrase I would be regretting right about now like my sister’s email, which is lily_loves_blue. She definitely thought it was cool at the time. Actually, I did create lethegreat@gmail.com in my first year of teaching to communicate with my students so I am also guilty of bad usernames. As a toast to this chapter of usernames, here is a clip from Natalie Tran that’s rather funny.

 

 The Journey 

While I was completing my undergrad, my computer was important for typing up lab reports and creating spreadsheets. Technology was there to make life easier. I found articles I needed online since the online journals were available at the time. I used technology in my biochemistry labs when we did PCR and gel electrophoresis. 

courtesy of PlaxcoLab from Flickr

PCR photo courtesy of Epicatt from Flickr

However, the first impact on my life actually happened while I was completing my B.Ed. One of my classes required me to make an iMovie and I had never done anything of the sort at the time. This was my first video creation using iMovie! I had so many aspirations for it afterwards. I even created an iMovie for a staff member leaving my part time work place! I really thought that I’d be able to incorporate movie making with my classes and then I realized that it was not possible to do when students did not have access to this technology readily. So, I had to rethink what was possible and what other uses could I do with technology. Now, with the exposure and learning I have with technology, I use it to find engaging ways for students to learn. I used Prezi to create a presentation on how to research in the library.

Research Resources on Prezi

I created a Twitter account to connect the library to the students more readily. My current collaborative project is to post candid pictures of students reading at the school on the library’s new Tumblr account. With all the workshops I have attended, I agree that the audience of a classroom is no longer good enough for the students. They need more spectators to witness their growth in order for them to grow. This is where technology would be an asset.

The Personal Use

I definitely know that I use my phone a lot less now to talk to people. My sister actually makes fun of me because my group of friends, the Belators, have always used email to coordinate our belated birthday bashes. One time, we were going to have dinner but no one confirmed. Instead of calling each other, I emailed everyone and waited for a response that didn’t come till the following day saying they couldn’t make it. It was ridiculous. Nowadays, I mostly text people if I need something immediately. My sister goes on YouTube a lot. She likes to find interesting channels to watch - whether it be comedy or beauty tips. My brother uses it to play online games like Runescape mostly when he is not doing homework. We all like to use the computer to watch anime and shows together. Home use is more personal where I watch videos and chit chat though it may have work related content sometimes. At work, it’s mainly trying to learn as much as fast as possible so that I can relay it to the staff and students. My job requires the use of computers. I think the majority of my day is spent staring at the screen, whether at home or at work. Considering my position as a teacher and a librarian, I feel that I spend a lot of my time searching for ways to improve or enhance teaching.

 Living and Working in an Online World

For the longest time, I refused to shop online because I was afraid that someone would steal my credit card information and rack up an enormous bill for me. Recently, I have started to do a bit of it as it can be cheaper and more efficient. I love buying shoes online but I fail to get one that fits perfectly. Clothes never seem to fit right either but textbooks and iPhone/iPad accessories are great deals! Finally, I love travelling and I prefer using the internet to find my travel deals first. While in Europe last year, we booked our hotels and plane tickets via the internet. We used Trip Advisor and Hostelworld to make sure our hotels were decent.

 Online banking has done wonders for me. All my bills are paid via the internet. I try to get e-bills for everything so that we can reduce paper waste. It makes my life so much easier. Everything is accessible through my computer.

I still remember receiving my first e-card from my first boyfriend. It was quite adorable and this was back in 2001. I recall making the request that it be resent to me every month so I would not lose it. The card had a song and cute animation. It was interactive.

A few months ago, I sent out my first group invitation to dinner via a text message using this app and it was pretty neat. My friends invite me to birthday bashes using Facebook now and it just makes things a lot easier when I can see who is going and who is not! My first phone was a Nokia, which I got when I entered university. To me, at the time, it was the best thing ever with its basic functions.

Courtesy of BridgeToWorld.com

Courtesy of justin.winchester from Flickr

Now I have an iPhone. When I didn’t have it, it didn’t seem like such a big deal but now that I do, I can’t go back. When I can access the cloud any time and search about anything, there is no turning back. It is impossible to lose this tool that grants me unlimited knowledge! It’s part of my daily life.

Reading & Literacy in an Online World 

Pop culture does impact my literacy! While playing all those video games growing up, I learned a lot of interesting vocabulary that I would not have otherwise. Final Fantasy (FF) introduced me to Shiva, Odin and many other mythical creatures. I went on to research about these legends as they were interesting. The Final Fantasy series have improved immensely over the years. I played FF VII and I thought the graphics at the time were incredible. Now, the graphics are even more amazing. Technology has gone a long way to make even things like video games more realistic.

 

My family loved to watch Chinese TV drama shows and I would spend hours watching them with them. From these shows, my spoken Cantonese and understanding of the language is quite proficient. My love for French compelled me to always look for new songs and then go to YouTube to watch the videos and find some connections I could use in my classes. I have always loved reading books. It was the reason I became a library volunteer when I was younger and why I want to be a teacher librarian now.

Everything about reading a book feels right. Two years ago, I received a Kindle for Christmas and I thought that I wouldn’t like it but it turns out that I do! I still prefer an actual book over the ebook but it is so convenient and it isn’t all that bad.

Courtesy of RachelC from Flickr

Courtesy of Chapters

With an ebook, I can read my YA books without feeling too guilty about it. I actually prefer etextbooks over print text books because I can access them anytime I want. It makes it easy to do readings anywhere. Finally, all this technology has made life easier for me. It has changed the way I do things and how I teach. Like my iPhone, there is no way I am going backwards! I'm going to end this with my vision of the future care of Corning:

Socially Networked Classroom Discussion

On page 8, Kist describes 5 characteristics that are essential for a classroom to be a 'new literacies classroom'. I would suggest that these characteristics can also be applied to libraries. Think about Kist's characteristics and post 5-8 characteristics of a 21st century school library, based on your current understandings. In your group, compare and contrast the lists that each person has presented.

For each of the characteristics Kirst presented, I found a comparable aspect in the library! Based on what I do in my library, this is how I see the 21st century school library:

In a 21st century school library, the teacher-librarian work with teachers to create projects and activities that incorporate web 2.0 tools so that students have different options to express themselves. This is similar to the “multiple forms of representation” that Kirst describes in the first characteristic.

The library offers many different ways to access information thus allowing students the flexibility from choosing books to reading articles online. Today, there are online databases, video streaming, and many credible website to choose in addition to print materials. There are also options to find experts and interview them via Skype, E-mail and other social media. It is through the library that the students are exposed to this wealth of resources and learn how to use it responsibly.

The T-L uses different mediums to model, teach and learn with the students. This shows the students a concrete example of a particular tool and also attempts to teach the students its uses. Then when the students try the tool or symbol system, they are also teaching the teacher. It is a dynamic environment where the learner and the teacher are interchangeable. I begin by teaching but end with learning myself!

The projects and activities that take place in the library have both a collaborative and individual aspects. Teamwork is encouraged and there is also time for individual work.

The library is a place where students can take their work and take it to the next level of their own comfort level and creativity.

In Chapter 5, Kist talks about the role of games and gaming in schools. In your group, please discuss the following questions (as posed by Kist on page 112): Can participating in games be a legitimate activity in schools [and libraries]? Can you think of a time when you learned something either about yourself or about the world by playing a game?

I certainly believe that games are a legitimate activity in schools and libraries! Even in class, we create games for learning purposes. I always played games with my students in French and Sciences and I know that it makes it engaging and fun. I believe it has a place in the library as well especially during out of class time. Students do need some down time to relax as the rest of us. 

There is the perception that they aren’t learning from games like World of Warcraft but that is probably because we never played it. Online games now are very social and entertaining. There are goals to them and reading and writing are actually involved! I recall learning lots of new vocabulary from playing RPG (Role Playing Games) when I was younger and some of it prompted me to learn more about certain topics like mythological creatures and legends like Odin and Shiva. Obviously, in excess, it is not good but that goes for everything...

In the Forward to the book, Kylene Beers suggests that William Kist consistently "asks us to consider what happens when our classrooms become as big as the world?...[Or alternatively], what happens when our classrooms do not become as big as the world?" Consider your reading and understanding of this book and think about how you would answer these questions. Share your responses with the group.

I think that if our classrooms do not become as big as the world, we are not doing our job to prepare them for the future. Regardless of where we like it or not, technology has brought the world into our hands. It would be a shame if we did not show our students the proper ways to interact with this world using the medium that they use and access everyday.

This week, I had Grade 8 orientations in the library and I noticed that a lot of the students did not know how to use the computers very well. They had difficulty logging in and they couldn’t type properly. I was shocked. Some of them did not know what a URL or a browser were! A lot of jobs today require computer skills. It is almost expected. If these students do not know how to use a computer effectively, they have a long way to go to succeed. Am I worrying too much? Perhaps they all have iPads so they no longer need a computer. But then, it is still much easier to type with an actual keyboard...I am worried for these Grade 8’s.

Introduction

Hi everyone, This is my Xtranormal Introduction for LIBE 477:


Introduction for LIBE 477
by: lethegreat

Also, as promised, a photo of me! This was taken at the Smorgasburg flea market in New York City this August. I was having a fish taco at the time. I'm quite keen on these fish tacos...Want them ALL the time. Anyway, enjoy!

The process of setting up this blog was fairly easy as I have had the opportunity to use Blogger regularly. The TL at my school set up the school library website using Blogger so when I took over her maternity leave, I was responsible for updating the blog. In the beginning, it was a little daunting having to figure out what all those tools were and how to use them. However, I noticed this summer that I have become much more comfortable with this process. I also tried Wordpress this summer and I just felt that Blogger was easier to use and it had features I liked. I could change the layout, the colours, the font and add pages, widgets and all sorts of gadgets easily. Parts of the blog that I don't like can be removed such as time stamping and comments for my library blog.

I would recommend Blogger just because it is quite intuitive and it keeps all the different blogs I have organized. It even has a stats page to let me see how often I get hits!