Course Reflection LSSL 5391

Please enjoy this storytelling review of my journey through this course. It was created on bookcreator.com.

"Book Creator is a powerful ebook creation tool. It allows users to embed all kinds of content, from rich multimedia to Google Maps, YouTube videos, PDFs, and more. Try a real-time class collaboration—and be sure to check out AutoDraw, an AI-powered feature that aids artistically challenged users in fashioning drawings to be proud of." (Restifo, 2022)

Click on the photo, or scan the QR code below.

 

https://read.bookcreator.com/ADPq2SsiO7WDus4lqm1Im4BYlik2/epmUEMeLQwyUbQ54u9DlHQ

Throughout this semester I have been introduced to a lot of educational technology. From the first assignment, this course challenged me to push my technology boundaries. As a librarian, this varied exposure to new digital tools will be incredibly valuable. I have learned that I don’t need to be an expert on all of these tools, but I need to be brave enough to explore and learn. Having a basic understanding of what kinds of tools are available, along with a healthy sense of adventure will open doors for all kinds of new opportunities. I look forward to this exploration alongside my students.

We have covered material from blogging and social media, to creative content creation with infographics and cartoons. We created live content with a video editor and learned how to create and produce a podcast. Alongside this creative instruction, we have learned about acceptable use policies, copyright laws, universal design for learning, and ADA compliance.

The most exciting content for me was learning about podcasting. I really enjoyed the process, and I can see many ways that my students can utilize this technology. It would be so exciting for my students to prepare and produce their own book review podcast.

In UDL we learn how important student choice is and how vital it is to have a variety of avenues for expression. Allowing students to use infographics, cartoons, or video creation falls into line with these guidelines. Not to mention, using these tools as a teacher will make my classroom more dynamic and accessible to a greater dynamic of students.

By far the most challenging parts of this course were about policy. I want to be conscientious of school policies involving technology, as well as copyright and fair use laws. It’s essential to know these guidelines for ourselves and as we guide students and colleagues in the digital age.

I really enjoyed this course, and am excited for the practical application of what I have learned.

References

(n.d.). Book Creator - Love Learning - Book Creator app. Retrieved November 20, 2023, from https://bookcreator.com/

Restifo, D. (2022, July 11). Top Tools for Digital Storytelling. Tech & Learning. Retrieved November 20, 2023, from https://www.techlearning.com/tl-advisor-blog/30-sites-and-apps-for-digital-storytelling

Copyright and Fair Use

 

Transformative Use Podcast

In our world of fast-paced media, having an understanding of copyright and fair use is very important. Not only do we keep our library collections within copyright regulations, we are a copyright resource for our staff and students. We decided to make a podcast highlighting transformative use. This is an area of fair use that can be challenging for students who write fanfic, or produce other creative works based on the published works of others. Many cases involving transformative use have gone through our legal system. I learned a lot from this studying the details of a few of these cases. 

I have listed some resources below that helped inform our podcast.

Resources:

https://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/fair-use-what-transformative.html

https://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/fair-use-the-four-factors.html

https://library.jefferson.edu/librarynews/?p=14249

https://www.fairuseweek.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/fair-use-in-a-day-in-the-life-of-a-college-student-infographic-feb2016.pdf

UDL Guidelines

The UDL guidelines are designed to help educators create and utilize a learning environment that benefits each unique learner. The concepts are universal and can be applied to any discipline. There are three main components that encompass the why, what, and how of learning. Each of these three domains has three levels of implementation; access, build, internalize. Finally there is a goal for each component.

As I dig deeper into the UDL guidelines I see that there are things I already do organically in my classroom. There are some things I could easily implement. And there are some that will require some study to utilize.

As an elementary school music teacher, the ‘build’ section of each category is naturally strong. Sustained effort and persistence are hallmarks of music. Continued practice that focuses on accuracy, expression, and presentation are built in expectations. Students learn music notation, hear what it sounds like, and read and play what they see on a daily basis. Language and symbols are presented and expressed in a variety of ways, reaching each unique learner. Expression and communication are addressed in multiple ways from creative works and musical performances, to technology.

There are some UDL principles under ‘Access’ that I could implement right now . For example, under engagement, I could offer more individual choice and autonomy. I could let students choose which part they want to sing or play instead of assigning it to them. When learning new material, they could choose to learn by listening, reading notation, or creating movements to help them remember the rhythms. These choices are easily accessible, require little additional prep, and cost nothing. Providing choice and autonomy might also enhance creativity in student goal setting.

One UDL area that I would like to be stronger in is under executive functions. I would like to learn how to more effectively monitor and assess student progress. It would be beneficial to identify some concrete assessment tools that will provide data and perspective around student success. These suggestions from the UDL website inspired me to consider some new strategies:

- Provide differentiated models of self-assessment strategies (e.g., role-playing, video reviews, peer feedback)

- Use templates that guide self-reflection on quality and completeness

  (Checkpoint 6.4 Enhance Capacity for Monitoring Progress, n.d.)

  

I would also like to observe how other music teachers monitor progress in their classrooms. Reaching out to my very talented colleagues is always an enlightening experience.

Another resource that I looked into was the AEM takeaways website. Their short videos provide a nice summary of UDL guidelines and practical applications. I found their insights succinct and useful. (AEM Center: AEM Takeaways, n.d.)

Overall, I have found the UDL guidelines to be applicable in many diverse educational settings. I am excited to learn more. One thing that stands out in this model is that there are a lot of strategies that are accessible without re-inventing my classroom. I can apply them to established practices in my teaching.

References

AEM Center: AEM Takeaways. (n.d.). National Center on Accessible Educational Materials. Retrieved November 3, 2023, from https://aem.cast.org/get-started/aem-takeaways

Checkpoint 6.4 Enhance capacity for monitoring progress. (n.d.). The UDL Guidelines. Retrieved November 3, 2023, from https://udlguidelines.cast.org/action-expression/executive-functions/monitoring-progress/monitoring-progress

Podcasts

 

The Gray Lady allegedly haunts the Willard Library in Evansville, Indiana.

Please click on the photo above or follow this link, https://najatfgonzalez15.podbean.com/e/haunted-libraries/ to listen to a fun haunted library podcast by Najat, Ashleigh, and myself.

(For fun, you can watch the ghost-cam set up by the Willard Library here.)

Making a podcast was a really fun experiment that I would definitely try again. In the spirit of October, we decided to make our podcast about haunted libraries. It was fun to investigate and research, and I really enjoyed our podcast conversation.

We evaluated three platforms for podcasting: Podbean, Buzzsprout and Anchor. All three seemed simple to use and very similar. We ended up choosing Podbean because the free version was user friendly and easy to navigate. I like that there is a mobile version in addition to the web-based app. We recorded our podcast on Zoom and uploaded the audio to Podbean in a couple of easy steps. It would be fun to enhance the recording with editing and sound effects.

Anchor( now Spotify for Podcasts)
	Pro	Con
Storage	Can upload files up to 250 MB in size.	Use only mp3, m4a, wav and mpg. Wav file longer than 15 minutes may be difficult to work with.
Bandwidth	Unlimited bandwidth limits.
Usability	Top choice for new podcasters. Easy to use ads and listeners to monetize. You can add songs from Spotify. Easy to distribute to most platforms.	Depending on browser being used for solo recordings Chrome has 30 minute limit, Safari has 5 minute limit and mobile app recordings are 2 hours. they require you to manually enable RSS and submit your feed to each directory Subpar recording tools. Only one podcast per account and no tiered access.
Analytics	Can find information on the overview of the podcast (audience size, plays per episode, etc.), audience (geographic location, apps/devices, gender and age), and episode rankings.
Word processing integration	Able to transcribe	Recording has to be less than 1 minute long to transcribe.  Must be on app, not on a web browser, is my understanding
Price	100% free but subscribers can donate $.99, $.4.99 or $9.99.	While it is free for users, Spotify still uses ads to monetize from each podcast.

Buzzsprout
	Pro	Con
Storage	Free plan allows 2 hours of audio storage per month that will be hosted for 90 days.	To keep episodes on the platform for more than 90 days, you have to subscribe.
Bandwidth
Usability	Easiest to use, according to the provided article. Audio is easily uploaded.  Your episodes can be listed in an extensive Podcast directory:	Podcasts cannot be imported until you are on a paid subscription.
Analytics	Easy to understand stats. Graphs are straight forward with simple options for viewing.
Word processing integration	Cohost AI Get episode titles, show notes, chapter markers, full transcript, social posts, and a blog post every time you upload an episode.
Price	Tiered pricing adds features like added storage, subscriber capabilities for monetization, increased tools, and cohost AI. Cost ranged from the free version to $24/month.

Podbean
	Pro	Con
Storage	Podbean’s basic plan is the default free one you get once you sign up for a Podbean account. This plan provides you with the following: Five hours of total storage space Unlimited Audio For the Unlimited Audio Plan, you are required to pay US$9 per month. You get to have the following features: Unlimited storage Unlimited Plus You can also opt for the Unlimited Plus, which costs US$29 each month. It offers you the following capabilities: Unlimited storage Business You can subscribe to a Business Plan, as well, which costs US$99 per month. You get to have the following benefits: Unlimited storage	Basic-promotion of your podcasts won’t be part of this plan Unlimited Audio- You will pay a small fee but you will also get these added features: Podbean mobile app Embeddable players Podcast site RSS feed & iTunes support Ad marketplace Premium sales Unlimited Plus- The fee for this tier is more expensive. This tier does include more features: All features from unlimited audio plus Patron program PodAds dynamic ad insertion Business The most expensive plan. This tier includes every feature from Unlimited Plus and also: Multiple admins Live chat support
Bandwidth	Podbean’s basic plan is the default free one you get once you sign up for a Podbean account. This plan provides you with the following: 100 GB bandwidth per month Unlimited Audio For the Unlimited Audio Plan, you are required to pay US$9 per month. You get to have the following features: Unlimited bandwidth Unlimited Plus You can also opt for the Unlimited Plus, which costs US$29 each month. It offers you the following capabilities: Unlimited bandwidth Business You can subscribe to a Business Plan, as well, which costs US$99 per month. You get to have the following benefits: Unlimited bandwidth	Basic-promotion of your podcasts won’t be part of this plan
Usability	Great for beginners and seasoned podcasters. Was able to create an account easily with a gmail address.
Analytics	Data on downloads, listener demographics, and geographic locations are all analytics tools that this platform offers.
Word processing integration
Price	Free for basic

I thought Podbean was a great platform for our purposes, but the upgraded plans are pretty expensive. Anchor is a great basic option, and is free. As a paid subscriber, Buzzsprout would be a good platform. Their AI cohost feature looks like it would be helpful if I was a frequent podcaster.

There are so many great educational podcasts that could be used in the classroom. A couple of places to look would be:50 Educational Podcasts You Should Check Out, and Elementary Podcasts. 

Making a simple podcast was fun, and I would definitely do it again. My teacher mind is buzzing with ideas of how to incorporate podcasts and the making of podcasts into my classroom.