Library Technology

Cricut Machines Here is the link to view the version with captions. For whatever reason, embedding the video in the post would not allow captions.  Captions Link

 AI is a tool that has the potential to make simple tasks easier and streamline the many small tasks teachers and librarians do everyday. In the past year or so, I have gotten better about using AI (mainly ChatGPT) as a tool to use for different things. Outside of work, I have used it to make lists for movies I wanted to watch, or books I wanted to read by a certain author. It makes gathering that data so much more simple and usually requires very little thought about what goes into the question. If it does make a mistake, I just tell it what is wrong, and it fixed it easily. I have experimented around with having it give me lesson ideas but never really went further than that.  When play around with it for this post, I decided to focus on it ability to write. One part of my job as teacher that I absolutely hate doing, is parent communication. I have never liked messaging a parent over anything. Now that I am my schools librarian, i'm sure i'm going to have to do even more, si...

So many people use Google and Google's suite of tools everyday. As a cloud based alternative to Microsoft Office or Apple's iWork suite, it has quickly become a popular way to write, track data, and create presentations. Many college students use this as opposed to other software, since its free and can be accessed from anyway, as long as you have a Google account.  While all of the software features settings and options to increase accessibility for those who need it, one of the most used for accessibility is the voice-to-text feature. This allows the user to click the microphone button, and begin talking. It listens and types out every word you say with fairly high accuracy. You can even find a list of words to say when you want the text to use symbols instead of works (such as saying "exclamation point" and having it place a "!" at the end of a sentence).  An example of what the voice to text feature looks like in practice, with commands on the side. What...

 When I first looked at the list for the various items we could explore for this post, I was very thankful for the work the previous librarian did at my school. She did her best to incorporate steam and technology related activities into her library classes each week, regardless of whether our school had a steam class at the time. One of the things listed, and that we had available at my school, was the Dash and Dot robots. Prior to using them for this post, I had not used them before, but was excited to check them out! About Dash and Dot The Dash and Dot Explorer pack that comes with multiple accessories for both robots.  Dash and Dot are a set of small coding robots that teach simple coding methods through games and activities. Dash is a three-wheeling robot that has a few different attachments for the different activities, like a xylophone, a claw gripper, and a catapult. Dot is a smaller robot that does not move that can have a few smaller accessories of its own.  *No...