This is a difficult area for me to do a self-assessment as I am not currently in the classroom, since I am serving as the media specialist. Ideally, I would like to see my position include the aspect of being a tech-trainer/PD resource person for my building.
Having said that, I will rate myself based on my introduction of the library's Destiny Quest circulation system and its user features that allow students to place holds, request friends, recommend books, request titles for purchase, rate and review books, and read summaries when deciding on a book to read.
In the active area, I would rate myself in the adaptation column and even bordering on the infusion column. There are eight computers in the library that are primarily used to take Accelerated Reader tests. Additionally, I have set up a computer dedicated to the use of Destiny Quest. Since they have had instruction on how to access and utilize all the features of Destiny Quest, students are independently using the tools. Destiny is the only tool whereby they can access the library's collection, however, once they access it, they have a choice of which features and tools they want to use such as searching, placing holds, recommending books for purchase, etc. These features are the reason I would rate closer to the infusion column. Students can choose what they want to do, but the tool to do so is limited.
In the collaborative area I would rate myself as being at the adoption level. Again, because I'm not in a teaching position this self-rating is limited to what I have use of in the library. Students are able to collaborate in the form of making book recommendations to friends through the social media feature of Destiny called MyQuest. I could easily move up the scale with this feature by allowing unmoderated comments. However, not wishing to have to monitor the countless, irrelevant conversations (such as "How come you don't talk to me?") I have disabled the feature that allows students to make comments online to each other. This was an area I discussed with the principal since there is the potential for bullying if I don't pre-approve all comments and having to approve every comment could be a time-consuming non-productive part of my day!
In the constructive area I'd rate myself as in the adoption phase as well. I've done a few mini-lessons on using reliable, accurate useful websites for research. However, students are directed to use the Destiny resources for online website searches. This too could border on adaptation since they really do have choice on which sites to use. However, they are limited to the desktop computers so there is not a lot of choice as to the tools they use for research.
In the authentic area I'd have to rate myself as entry level since most of what they do in the library is strictly for educational purposes and research related or, more commonly, for personal reading pleasure.
In the goal-directed area I'll make a stretch and say that I am almost to the adoption phase since students are able to monitor what they've read and what they'd like to read by creating bookshelves online using Destiny "MyShelf" features.
Reasonably, by the end of this grading period I don't see myself progressing. The lab is booked for end-of-year assessment and I have to conduct an inventory as well. Next year will be different as I'll be in a classroom and all of our students will be getting laptops.
In order to make the growth happen I'm planning to integrate some of the tools introduced in this course as well as many of the ones provided by the textbook that we've just adopted. I may use Symbaloo as a homepage for my classroom thus making it simpler for students to access different sites I may use in the classroom.
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