Kate Gukeisen
I am an elementary Teacher Librarian in Northern New York. I love learning, reading, exploring new places, creating and viewing art, hiking (especially in the ADK!), and life in general.
Technology in Schools
“We do everything we can to get tech into the hands of our kids, and then we do everything we can to prevent them from using it.” -Scott McLeod at TEDx Des Moines What do you think? Look for my thoughts on this topic throughout the week.

Podcast for an Elementary School Library Program
Comets in the Spotlight This is my first attempt at creating a podcast–and it was fun! I created this for my Information Technology in Educational Organization class, where we were asked to investigate the technical aspects of creating a podcast and then to reflect on that and think […]

QR Codes? Really? Yes, Really.
QR Codes often get a bad rap, and often for good reason. When I first encountered QR Codes, I downloaded a QR Code Reader app with some excitement and began to scan. I was immediately, and then repeatedly, underwhelmed. It seemed every QR Code I scanned led me […]

Why a Wiki? Content Collaboration in the Middle School
A wiki is a content collaboration tool that enables people to work together remotely to share ideas, develop new understandings, plan and negotiate processes, make decisions, and solve problems. A wiki can serve as a sandbox for collaboration and working together, and it also can serve as a […]

Cool Tool: Glogster
Glogster is a Web 2.0 Tool that makes it easy for librarians, teachers, and students to present media-rich information and links for further exploration about…well, about anything, really. Glogster features a palette of text boxes, frames, and upload and embed options that offer a balance between customization and […]

Children’s Stories & Resources: Afghanistan
The first time my Vagabond Soldier deployed to Afghanistan, resources about the country were hard to find, out of date, and seemed to reveal little about the true spirit and culture of the Afghan people. Even though my son was a baby at the time, I wanted to […]

The Digital Divide & the School Library
Interested in learning more about the Second Level Digital Divide and what a school librarian can do about it? Click the link and read on! Umland_Gukeisen_IST668_DigitalDivide

Library Learning Blogs
Teacher-librarians can use blogs in their school libraries to connect with students and the community, to support learning standards, and to give students a voice in collection and program development. I like the idea of a blog written by the school librarian(s) that promotes library activities and resources; […]

Library Learning Standards
Teachers, Did you know the American Association of School Librarians has learning standards that align with the Common Core learning standards you use in your content area teaching? The AASL Learning Standards & Common Core State Standards Crosswalk contains a number of connections that can provide a basis for […]