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Mardy McGaw -- Info Librarian
Access to information is just the beginning. Learning how to use the resources and constructing projects to showcase your talents is the key of your life long quest for knowledge. Technology can help to open the doors to information. Web 2.0 tools enable 21st Century Students to become producers of content. Engaging students in productive reading and setting an example for reading fosters an environment for life long learning and literacy. Collaborative teaching is the most effective way to integrate the research processes with curriculum and PSSA standards. Share the knowledge!
Millersville University BS in Education with Library Science Certification K-12
Drexel University MS in Library and Information Science
Philadelphia University Certification as an Instructional Technology Specialist and
a Master of Science in Instructional Design and Technology
ePortfolio by Mardy McGaw for Philadelphia University
Portfolio Projects by Info Librarian
Weebly: IDT 770 ISD Instructional Design Model
Weebly: IDT 688 Networking Network Design Proposal
Weebly: IDT 688 Networking SIF Presentation
Weebly: IDT 688 Networking Smart Library
Weebly: IDT 676 Online Change RFP Innovations CES
Weebly: IDT 676 Online Change Access PA Database
Weebly: IDT 621 Technology Plan Purple Pride
Collaborative Documents with Google docs
This is a great tool for people to share documents without the limitations of platforms or software. You only need to know a collaborators email address to share the document. They will need to create a google document account to edit the shared information. You can create a word processing, a spreadsheet, a presentation or a form. Several people (up to 10) can edit the document at the same time with few errors. It is a timesaver when holding meetings with a group. You can post the agenda... invite everyone and then anyone in the group can take notes or edit the notes as they are posted.
Google Docs
Google Docs allows you to create word processing docs, spreadsheets, and presentations. All of these can be stored on the Google Server! You can access them from the web. Even better you can share them with friends and collaborated on the document!
Google Apps for Education
Web Page Creation Tools
Google Sites
Google Sites has a Wikispaces feel with widget tools and easy website creations features without HTML coding. It is easy to use and you can have a website up in a matter of minutes!!
Had you used Jot Spot for a collaborative project? Well those sites have moved to Google Sites!
It looks like Google is moving its website creation into this product!!!
check out my latest new trial site... Technology Tools for CV
Google Page Creator
Is in the Google Labs which means it is beta. Google has moved their focus of Web Page development tools to Google Sites.
These are my two example of Google Sites:
Kids with Hidden Diablities in your Classroom Project for Legal Issues IDT 683
ePortfolio Mardy McGaw my final phase for my Ph
Weebly
Weebly has been my Web Development Tool of choice for several projects for my graduate work. Because it is easy to use and it is pretty. Yes I said pretty! I can make my information look sharp and attention getting. The only problem I have is the slow response time during development. But I love the results and it is FREE!
Ok here is a free tool I now pay for because when you love it you should support it. First I paid for my domain name. Not something I recommend for everyone but I have become known as Infolibrarian. I also will be adding the PRO support soon and will let you know what you get for your $$.
WebNode
Webnode is another Widget Web Site development tool. It look much like Weebly and I will be testing it out soon.
There are many styles of page designs to choose from and it is also FREE!
Wikis
Wikis are areas that members can view and edit. This creates online areas for collaboration. You can use a Wikispace for a website but the true beauty of a wiki is allowing others to add their thoughts, ideas and information on your page. More than a just a blog comment, your members can add content.
Wikispaces
Infolibrarian at Wikispaces is an example of another wiki site tool.
CV CFF Wikispaces is my current project to share new tools with my High School Staff! I have an imaged site on our School Districts Private Label TOO!
McGaw Wikispaces a slideshare flash/Powerpoint project on chapter seven of Diffusion of Innovations by Everett Rodgers for IDT 676
Infolibrarian at Wikispaces
Wikispaces also offers Private Labeling with allows for inhouse administration of the wikispaces. This can be helpful to school districts looking to create student user accounts inhouse. This is a for fee service but something that can be used for an entire school district and maybe well worth the cost.
Social Bookmarking Tools
Furl
My Furl Bookmarks all the websites I love and have used as a graduate student, as a librarian and as a parent! Subject Searchable!
I loved using Furl but the other teachers in my district were using Del.icio.us so I switched. Fortunately there were tools on the websites to help with the transition
del.icio.us
Why should we use these "social tools?"
These tools for me originally provided a means to access the hundreds of bookmarks I had in my Favorites folder from any computer that I was using. Well then I wanted to share my bookmarks with other people too! All of these tools allow me to share my bookmarks with my social circle of educators. It is a time saver for them because they can search my links, look at my tags or share bookmarks with me.
Diigo
Social bookmarking in a collaborative environment. You can highlight text on the page and add annotations to provoke discussion. Sticky notes can be placed on pages and then shared with others. Diigo adds a whole new layer to the bookmark arena. Now you can belong to groups of educators who also bookmark and share their tagged sites with others. What makes it better than Google is the search results are likely to be more relevant to my needs because of who is in my social circle... educators!!!
Social Networking Tools
Twitter Grader
Making social connections. This is another social tool that can be tailored to your circle of educator friends. I have made friends and followers from around the world. I can't tell you how much this has helped connect me with other like minded persons.
Web Browsers - Let them do the work for you!
Flock -- my favorite Web Browser
This browser tool makes the browser work for you! It is a news reader, a blog reader, a media reader, a friend network tool. Finally a tool that does some of the work for me. It helps manage the information I want into a format I can enjoy reviewing
Blog Tools
WordPress
Infolibrarian I LOVE IT Blog
This is where I share with the world the Tools I LOVE!
Infolibrarian at CV
This is my current Blog Tool and highlights my Technology Integration and Curriculum Highlights of my work at Conestoga Valley!
BlogLines
Blog Lines is just one of many blog news aggregators available to you. It is simple and straightforward
My Bloglines-- RSS feed reader
RSS Feeds/ News Aggregators
Really Simple Syndication is used to keep track of new posts to your favorite websites or web blogs. When the author posts new material your RSS feed will keep track of the post and alert you to the new material.
iGoogle
iGoogle is an option found at the top of the Google Search page. You can create a homepage that you can access from anywhere. What I LOVE about IT is that it serves the function of my News Aggregator or RSS in widgets. I LOVE IT
iTunes for podcast subscriptions
iTunes is a powerful tool for subscribing to podcasts. It required a download. It is free. It works for both PC and MAC.
It is also helpful when creating podcasting material to upload.
Networking Badges
Discovery Education
Click on the Star Badge
United Streaming Video Content for your lessons and technology integration. Join the DEN ....Discovery Educator Network!
PSLA Ning - Librarians Network. Click on the PSLA Badge
Moodle Courses Developed and created by Info Librarian
Europe Today Research Project
Conestoga Valley Middle School Library
Conestoga Valley Induction Training Manual
LLAPA Lancaster Lebanon Access PA Group
Podcasting Tools
Podcasting for CV an interview with Patty McClune
Conestoga Valley School District Podcast Server Interview with Patty McClune the High School Librarian and Library Department Coordinator click on library.mp3 to link.
Podcasting with my Kindergartener at Podbean
benpodcast.podbean.com My 5 year old son enjoys podcasting so take a listen to his favorite topics!
School Adventures for Ben is my blog about Ben's School Activities.
Citation Tools and Surveys and Rubrics OH MY...
*Easy Bib Don't waste another minute working on a Bibliography format USE EASY BIB! for MLA or APA!!
*Citation Machine or try this citation tool... Free, Always Free!
BibMe is a tool to help you fill in the blanks for your bibliography. Go ahead try it! Fast, free and fun...
*Noodle Bib Express is the free section of Noodle Tools
*Survey Monkey Great Tool for creating survey's - 10 question survey's are hosted for free!!
*RubiStar This tool will take the pain out of rubric creation. And it is just one of the many tools offered by 4teachers.org
Photo Tools
Picasa
I love creating photo albums to share with my family. I have used them in my websites too! Another cool tool from Google
Picnik
Photo Editing the easy way. You can edit your pictures on this site. Resize, Crop, Red Eye, Effects you will not believe all of this is for FREE. You can do five at a time for free! If you fall IN LOVE with it... and you just might, you can join for a low price. Enjoy...
Flickr
What can you say but COOL. Pictures on a Website! I need that tool! They have all kinds of widgets to place in your blog site too.
Animoto
This video production tool enables your to upload your photos and set them to music in a Creative Commons forum. Some of the music choices are free and other have a small fee requirement. This enables creative expression while still maintaning artistic integrity.
Other Stuff
Bravehost: Bravehost website
Shutterfly and Hallmark site
SlideShare put those PowerPoints on your website. LOVE IT!!
LSTA Grant Project with Lancaster Lebanon School Librarians workspace Digital Literacy Jot Spot.