Copyright in the Classroom

By: Beth Holcomb

The media specialist must assist students with writing essays, collaborate with teachers to build classroom assignments, and educate these individuals about the library's resources. The media specialist must be informed about the current copyright law and fair use rights to have the skills to educate students and teachers how they can use the library tools. I think that I had numerous misinterpretations about the copyright law and the fair use provision; however, the Fair Use article written by the Center for Social Media: http://mediaeducationlab.com/sites/mediaeducationlab.com/files/CodeofBestPracticesinFairUse_0.pdf improved by knowledge of copyright in the classroom.

I made the incorrect assumption that there were comprehensive policies that summarized what was categorized as fair use. I learned that no more than ten percent of a text could be copied, five photographs could be used from a single artist, and three poems could be copied that were written by a single author. Although many schools use these policies, fair use neglects to include individual standards that mandate the number of pages or works that can be copied by teachers. Individuals can use copyrighted material if it creates social or cultural benefits larger than the financial expenses it creates on the copyright owner. The policy also implies that students and teachers must use an appropriate amount of the work to achieve the fair use provision. I think that this interpretation of fair use provides teachers and students with the opportunity to use more copyrighted works; however, I also argue that it creates issues for individuals regulating the use of copyrighted works. The policy neglects to include comprehensive rules; therefore, individuals are inclined to disagree about what behaviors are endorsed by fair use and what activities infringe on the First Amendment rights of the artist or author.

I think that the media specialist must be educated about copyright law and the fair use policy. I also insist that providing teachers with workshops to inform these individuals how the law can affect their classroom is an effective strategy for promoting appropriate activities and obeying the policies. These workshops will educate teachers about what information can be used in the classroom.

I also assert that the media specialist could distribute a handout about copyright law to teachers with other curriculum resources, and this tactic could provide fundamental standards for copyright in the classroom. The media specialist should also obey the copyright law in building assignments and designing activities. The teachers are inclined to see this behavior; therefore, they would likely use these techniques and collaborate with the media specialist to promote copyright in the classroom.

Video Distribution Systems & Georgia Public Broadcasting Resources

By: Katie Mitchell

At Carrollton Junior High School, the closed circuit cable system is being replaced by Safari Montage, a digital distribution system that provides video on demand. This is the case for all schools within the Carrollton City School System. Every teacher has access to the features of Safari Montage with their login information. Teachers can log in to show videos and video clips to their classes for specific lessons and activities.

At CJHS, teachers can access any resources available through GPB United Streaming. Teachers have access to 9 different channels along with the CJHS production channel. Morning announcements and school news are taped every afternoon and then broadcast every morning at 8:20. This broadcast is the only thing CJHS actually distributes over their video distribution system. Other than this, the system is used as a resource within each classroom according to what the teacher wants to use for class. 

The GPB Education site is an excellent resource for learning. It offers resources for teachers, students, and families. Safari Montage is also an excellent tool for video distribution within a school. Using Safari Montage, teachers have access to a vast number of video clips for use within their instruction.   

Video Distribution and GPB

My school has a video distribution system. It works well for the most part. We show the daily Channel One News using this system each morning at the beginning of homeroom. Immediately following the news, we send a live broadcast of our daily announcements to all classrooms each morning. We have four teams of three students (2 anchors and a camera operator) that alternate on a weekly basis to present the announcements. An administrator, usually our principal, is also present to help with announcements. A few weeks ago, we also used this distribution system to show a special video featuring our cafeteria staff as “School Breakfast Detectives”. Each day, students were given new clues to solve mysteries related to School Breakfast Week. Occasionally, we also show Channel One Connections videos or other approved videos in order for multiple classrooms to view them simultaneously.

Our system does use Discovery Streaming, but I didn’t know that it was available through GPB. This in itself is an amazing resource. Teachers have access to so many videos, and they do not have to purchase them. There are a ton of other resources available free on the GPB Education website. The only other resource that I know teachers in my school have actually used is Georgia Stories. Our eighth grade social studies teachers have used this to some degree. GPB Education also offers a program called Science Central, including modules entitled Chemistry & Physics, Climate, Nature, Georgia Outdoors, and NOVA. I’m not aware of any of our teachers who use these. After taking a closer look, the Chemistry & Physics module would obviously be a good resource for our eighth grade physical science classes, and the information and units about the scientific method could be used in 6th-8th grades. They also have a program called Irasshai that teaches Japanese to students. They also offer give access to a television series called Road Trip that teaches students about the benefits of Georgia’s technical colleges. Another great resource offered by GPB is Teachers’ Domain. It offers a large variety of digital media that can be used in the classroom or for professional development. Some of these include lesson plans, videos, and handouts.

I plan to create some new links on our media center website to lead teachers to these valuable resources. I may also try to feature a new one each month during the school year. I enjoy assisting teachers by providing them with good leads for relevant resources like these.

Social Networking Websites in the Classroom:

By: Beth Holcomb

Social networking websites are internet tools that allow learners to use podcasts, tags, blogs, wikis, glogster, Flicker, and other online resources to improve their knowledge of the curriculum. These social networking websites can allow teachers to use podcasts in the classroom. The media specialist can include a blog on the library's website, and students can collaborate and make class wikis. Students can learn from the online interaction with others and post their work to allow other individuals to see their assignments.

These websites also promote information literacy skills. The students learn about potential computer resources and improve their knowledge of the internet. The teacher can use these websites to teach students how to analyze the information on the internet and use resources that include correct content. The teacher can also use social networking websites to post assignment requirements, build curriculum activities, and interact with students.

Many teachers argue that social networking websites should be allowed in the classroom; however, there are inadequacies with these resources. Schools must promote student safety. Students can learn fundamental curriculum information on these internet tools; however, other individuals can post obscene information or text that could be inappropriate for minors. The schools' internet filters often filter these tools to reduce the probability that students see this adult information. The teacher cannot regulate what other learners write on these websites; therefore, students can quickly see inappropriate information while trying to complete curriculum assignments.

I think that the use of these websites should be impacted by the grade range and learning aptitudes of the students. A high school teacher could allow students to collaborate in groups and create a class wiki on the foreign policy of Richard Nixon. These students would have the opportunity to use the social networking websites and customize their page. These students are inclined to have more knowledge of the internet and the ability to use information literacy skills than elementary school children. An elementary school teacher could use a podcast on George Washington to teach students about this subject. The elementary school students would not have the freedom to use the internet as individuals; however, the teacher could use this social networking resource to improve the classroom activity. The teacher would regulate what the elementary school students would see and reduce the potential for inappropriate information. I imply that the teacher can build curriculum activities and customize the use of social networking websites using the grade of the students.

I also would encourage teachers, parents, and students to use the Social Networking Basics website www.ikeepsafe.org/PRC/videotutorials/myspace/index.html to learn about how to use social networking websites and protect students on the internet.

I think that social networking websites can improve the design of classroom activities and can be used to motivate students. Students can learn from the posts of other classmates, customize wikis, and use social networking websites to learn about curriculum subjects; however, I think that teachers should check the websites often and interpret if they are appropriate for the classroom.

Media Center Web Pages

By:  Katie Mitchell

There are so many ways in which a media center web page can act as an invaluable resource for the students, faculty, staff, parents, and community members it serves. The media center website should be a hub of communication for any and all school information and events. It should also serve as a resource that reaches beyond the school by including community events and information. 

Basic information, such as media specialist contact information, media center hours, and basic policies & procedures should be included on the media center’s main website. Links to more of the school’s related sites, such as the school’s home page and the school system’s home page, should also be included. A link to the school’s and/or media center’s complete policies & procedures handbook(s) should be included, as should a link to the library’s catalog. 

Links to other internet sites and educational resources are very important to include on a media center web page. These resources can include databases (i.e., GALILEO), various search engines, reading program sites (i.e., Accelerated Reader), general educational sites (i.e., Starfall, Eduscapes), social networking sites (i.e., Facebook, Twitter, YouTube), and much more.

Links to school forms can be included, such as newsletters (for certain grade levels or subject areas), or permission slips (for school events/class field trips). Class information can also be shared via class wikis on the media center site.  

   

Links to community resources could also be included on the media center web page. This could include links to local institutions (especially places where students will be taking field trips), such as zoos, museums, etc. Links to local businesses or organizations could also be included.

Not only is content of the web site important, but I also think it is very important to consider the average age of the student population when designing a media center web page. The layout of the page should be user-friendly, and the site format to achieve this will vary greatly depending on the students’ age groups. A bright and attractive yet simple page would probably suit a younger audience, whereas a more compartmentalized and well-organized site might work best for older students.

            The bottom line is that there are many different ways to organize a media center web page, and many things to consider regarding what content to include on the site. As long as the site is suited to the age of the student body and includes essential, useful, and interesting content, the media center web page will most likely be a great resource.

From Websites to "Wow"-sites!

After clicking through lots of media center websites, I suddenly threw on the brakes and basically spent an hour hanging out at Creekview High School’s “Unquiet Library”. At first glance, I thought it was rather understated. I noticed that their website was powered by Google Sites. Then, I began clicking through the links, and I was totally wowed. Creekview uses a service called LibGuides, by Springshare, to manage and present much of their website content. This product really helps to show off Creekview’s amazing media program. (http://theunquietlibrary.libguides.com/index.php)

Naturally, I was impressed with the media program that is evidently thriving at Creekview, but I was also inspired as I considered how a website can become a “wow-site”. As a new media specialist I am constantly – and simultaneously – learning, planning, serving, and evaluating. I love something about each “hat” that I wear as a media specialist. One of my goals is to find ways to efficiently and effectively communicate all that our media program offers. Whatever resources we offer, whether they are human, print, or electronic, we need to creatively feature these and make them available in fresh and accessible ways. I believe a well-designed and well-maintained website can be the ideal tool to accomplish this.

A website should make sense to its visitors. There should be something there for everyone: students, teachers, parents, and community members. It is important that a website be kept current and that all information on it should be useful to someone (no filler). Information and links should be arranged logically and in an easy-to-read (nutshell) format. Here’s a link to Horizon Middle School’s (Aurora, CO) website, one that seems to meet these criteria. (http://hcms.ccsd.libguides.com/content.php?pid=39680&sid=291078)

I ended up checking out the Springshare vendor website and watched their intro video (http://www.springshare.com/libguides/school/) to learn more about how LibGuides works. It is designed with digital natives in mind. The platform easily allows you to embed videos, blogs, photos, and a multitude of other web-based tools. Check it out, and get excited!