Staying Current

According to Sarah (2022), "One of the most important aspects of library school and, in the future as we pursue work in the information profession, is staying up-to-date on what’s going on in the world, especially with regards to technology, literature, and world events" (para. 1). Indeed, staying current is necessary in my current position as a classroom teacher, so I can imagine it will be just as important (if not more so) to stay current in a librarian role, especially in a school library. According to Burroughs (2022), "With the increase in educational technology, many librarians spend much of their time addressing one of the core challenges of modern education: integrating technology into pedagogy in ways that fundamentally elevate learning" (para. 5). LIBS 602 introduced me to a lot of new (and some already familiar) tools that I can use to stay current on technology trends and news so that I can continue to integrate technology into my teaching.

One tool that I already knew about but had never explored before taking LIBS 602 was podcasts. I think these will definitely be one of the ways that I stay current on technology trends. I love to listen in the car while I'm driving. I'm a fan of maximizing time, so if I have to be in the car driving anyways, I might as well make the most of it by listening to a podcast! One example of a podcast that will help me stay current is American Libraries Dewey Decibel Podcast. There are also interesting blogs that would be helpful for staying up to date on technology in addition to podcasts. I love to read, so these are convenient to pull on my phone during downtime. According to Rayome (2017), "It may sound simple, but reading technology news and blogs every day is one of the best ways to keep up to date on the latest trends and skills needed in tech" (Section 7). One example of a blog I'd be interesting in reading more is tech4schoollibrarians.com. There's also websites that offer videos and resources, like www.freetech4teachers.com and ditchthattextbook.com.

Lastly, I'll be sure to simply look around online. For example, I found this website, ywp.nanowrimo.org that helps students write a "novel" in 30 days. This would be a great tech resource in the classroom, and I found it when looking for middle school appropriate podcasts. You never know what you'll find online! There's always more new, exciting resources to try out. Now, if I only I had the time to try them all!

References:

Burroughs, A. (2022). Librarians’ unique expertise helps schools adopt and integrate technology f Tech Republic. learning. Ed Tech. https://edtechmagazine.com/k12/article/2022/07/tech-savvy-school-librarians-provide-value-modern-learners

Raymone, A. D. (2017). 10 ways that IT pros and developers can keep their tech skills up to date. TechRepublic. https://www.techrepublic.com/article/10-ways-that-it-pros-and-developers-can-keep-their-tech-skills-up-to-date

Sarah. (2022). Staying sharp during the summer. Hack Library School. https://hacklibraryschool.com/2022/06/16/staying-sharp-during-the-summer