What's new, what's hot and what's not in Education Technology including Google Game, web based tools, wikis, blogs in schools and more from School Library Journal
MA School Library Transforms into New Learning Commons By Debra Lau Whelan - 12/10/2008
Before there was the enormous LCD TV, coffeehouse, and scattered comfy couches, the library at Chelmsford High School in Massachusetts was a run down mess. The bright yellow paint was peeling. The furniture was outdated. The carpet was frayed—and everyone kept tripping over the duct tape that helped to keep it down. More
Mind the Time: Apps for Managing a Busy Schedule By Steve Hargadon - 06/01/2009
Web-based telephony, desktop video conferencing, and other digital tools make it easy to connect with people in real time. Virtual meetings have become standard fare, and the once arcane task of calculating time zones is now regularly performed in classrooms, where students and teachers collaborate with distant peers or welcome guest experts from around the globe.
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The Truth About eBooks By Christopher Harris - 06/01/2009
Hold on tight, because I’m going to cover all the sensational statements made about eBooks in the following sentence. Print is dead and there will be no more books in our libraries within five years, which is a real shame because our eyes will suffer from straining to make out the miniscule print of an eBook as we try to manage the unwieldy device while settling into bed for a good read.
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SLJ Reviews the Amazon Kindle 2 Ebook Reader By Jeffrey Hastings - 06/01/2009
Remember how the original Apple iPod suddenly made the MP3 player a must-have for music fans back in 2001? The Amazon Kindle 2 just might be the device that finally has ebook readership exploding in similar atomic fashion. While the first incarnation was undeniably impressive, the original Kindle was still a bit rough around the edges.
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Social Media Specialists?: The use—or nonuse—of social tools sparks Twitterstorm By Lauren Barack - 06/01/2009
A recent firestorm on Twitter involved media specialists and education technology experts who considered whether librarians who don’t engage in social media are jeopardizing their careers not to mention student learning. “Can a media specialist do their job now if they are not also a social media specialist? I’m not sure,” Karl Fisch (on Twitter: karlfisch), director of ...
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Site of the Month: Facebook Book Clubs By Debra Lau Whelan - 06/01/2009
bit.ly/42jjOe What better way to get kids talking about books than on one of their favorite pastimes—Facebook. A recent application on the social networking site, Book Clubs offers students a free and convenient place to share ideas about books, authors, and related interests. With it, Facebook members can create or join a reading group devoted to any category, region, interest, or author.
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You Are There: No budget for travel? Try video chat. By Eric Langhorst - 06/01/2009
It was the sort of exchange that could only happen on a field trip. One of my students, noticing the unusual bow attached to Alexander Hamilton’s ponytail, asked our guide about the odd accessory. “That’s a bag wig,” replied Eli Lesser, director of education at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia.
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The Buzz: Tools, Trends, and Gizmos 06/01/2009
Monopoly, Now Customized Monopoly has spun off multiple editions dedicated to cities and sports franchises, not to mention all the niche topics known to man—from cat lovers to Nascar. Now, the classic board game can really be tailored to your interests—using your photos. With Photo-opoly, simply add your pics to the game’s standard real estate spots.
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BookExpo America 2009: SLJ's Day of Dialog School Library Journal held a Day of Dialog in conjunction with the annual BookExpo America on May 28, 2009 at the Brooklyn Public Library. Full story: bit.ly/1a0G7o
2008 National Book Awards Nominees in the young people's literature category graced the red carpet on Awards night Nov. 20, 2008.
The Buzz Nov. 2008 So the economy’s gone south, you still need your gadgets.
Ironhand: The Stoneheart Trilogy, Book 2 (unabr.). 8 CDs. 9:38 hrs. Scholastic Audio. 2008. ISBN 978-0-545-03320-6. $79.95. Gr 5-9–Charlie Fletcher’s sequel (2008) to Stoneheart (2007, both Hyperion) is another fast-paced saga of warring statues in an alternate London.
Barbara Genco (right), Brooklyn Public Library's coordinator of special projects and strategic planning, interviewed Pulitzer Prize-winner Jane Smiley, who's making her children's book debut this fall with The Georges and the Jewels (Knopf), at SLJ's Day of Dialog on May 28. Read the guidelines for submitting your photos to SLJ.com.
The 2008 Periodicals Information Directory is now available. Click here!
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