Dog-eared & Overdue

Author: Kate Gukeisen

  • 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 to an online page with the exact…

  • 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 presentation medium for finished work. Students can…

  • 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 ease of use in creating interactive online…

  • 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    The first time my Vagabond Soldier deployed to Afghanistan, resources about the country were hard to find, out of date, and seemed to reveal little about the true spirit and culture of the Afghan people.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 find stories to share with him that…

  • 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; a blog written by students in which…

  • 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 collaboration with your school librarian. The crosswalk…

  • Informal Leadership

    Last week I had the opportunity to attend a seminar in which we explored concepts of informal leadership, including strategies for problem solving, crisis and conflict management, and building diverse teams. While I consider the relationships built during the week the most valuable “take-away” from the experience, the following take-aways represent the moments from the…

  • Mobile Learning Tools at School

    I am excited about the learning that can happen on mobile devices (mLearning). In this post, I’ve included a few thoughts about using mLearning in schools, as well as a useful chart for choosing appropriate mLearning tools and a brief description of an activity that will engage even our youngest students in meaningful mLearning. There…

  • Our Reading Summer

    “Reading Summer” at our house is that brief time of year when we have the opportunity to read whatever we want, without the distraction of assigned reading. I enjoy reading. I  actually find my textbooks engaging. There is something, though, about having an entire three weeks to binge on my own reading choices that makes…