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!
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ReplyDeleteI agree, and I think that the media center webpage should accommodate the needs of teachers, parents, and students.
ReplyDeleteTeachers are inclined to use the website to learn about the library's resources and build curriculum activities. Parents can learn about library activities and the media staff. Students can also use the website to complete school assignments, essays, and Reading Counts activities.
I suggest that it is fundamental for the media specialist to design an interactive website. It can improve students' ability to learn and can also inform teachers, parents, and students that the media center is an innovative tool for students' learning.
I also insist that including photographs of library activities, hyperlinks to learning websites, and other subject area resources can motivate students to use internet tools and the library to improve their information literacy skills.
I think that your interpreation about interacting with learners efficiently and effectively is correct. I allege that an effective media specialist must use the website to engage with students in school and outside the classroom. I would also suggest that adding a blog would be an internet tool that would encourage the media specialist to interact with students.
As I just went to document that I had posted and found that it did not post, I have to come back and say that simplicity is the key. I like categories for teachers, parents and students. I especially like grade level links. I also think that high school pages can be much more involved than elementary pages. I prefer the Horizon Middle School pages to the high school because it is more clear-cut. Parents at my school know social media and email, but they lack the ability to navigate much more. If we could simplify it and give them what they need to help their students, we would be doing a great job.
ReplyDeleteI always say that people over estimate what others know. We make far too many assumptions. Add a Dewey how-to-find-a-book slide show. Add homework help links. Add school internet safety tips and how to search safely. We also need to explain online how to access and use the school database. Parents are embarrassed to come and ask. We can provide and teach these things via our internet resources.
I also think that we should provide students, parents, and teachers information about what resources are available within the community. Many parents don't know what the local library offers. We should encourage those connections as well as college library information. We can offer field trip destinations (those free and for fees) to encourage parents to build that background of experience needed for learning and reading. School sites have the opportunity to reach so many people if only we step up and provide it.
It is exciting to think of what we do. We need to build and develop that excitement by keeping our photos up to date. Keep our calendar and events current and changing. We should have access to the media center to help parents and staff. As tools change, we should adapt and provide resouces to best use them and grow ourselves. Our excitement will spill over to our patrons.
The best website is a helpful one and when referring to our students' needs, help in understanding their media program and all that comes along with having those resources is key. Teaching them how to look for books using the Dewey system is one way. Teaching them the correct way to conduct a search is something that all grade levels should be taught. Making it appealing and easy to remember is the hard part, but it does not have to be. Cater to your audience. Availability raises the appeal. If your students and teachers feel that things are easier to access through the resources the site provides, they are sure to return. Just something to keep in mind. Great post!
ReplyDeleteI love your line “one of my goals is to find ways to efficiently and effectively communicate all that our media program offers”. Many media specialists I have talked to struggle with this. Sometimes the hardest part of our job can be getting students through the door willingly. If we use the technology available to us and develop a website that attracts their attention maybe we can connect with them. Often, technology is the best place to start with kids!
ReplyDeleteI visited both the Creekview website and the Horizon website. Both sites had some really good ideas. I especially liked the way the Horizon site is presented. The layout is colorful and the artwork is eye-catching. And I agree that the website should have “something for everyone”. This site has tabs making this information easy to locate: teachers, parents, student resources, bibliography help, and more. I also believe that the format should be age appropriate. For example, you wouldn’t want to use artwork and cartoons designed for young students on a high school site. You also wouldn’t want to use high school level grammar and information on an elementary site. The presentation of the material should appeal to the age level you are dealing with.
The reminder to keep our sites up to date is an important one. I have been browsing the internet and visiting school/media center websites and found some that had not been updated in quite awhile. If you do not update pictures and information on a regular basis the students may find little interest in the site.