Welcome to my new blog, History Meets Tech! I thought it best to start off by introducing myself and my purpose for this new blog. To start, I’m Mrs. W-D, affectionately chosen by my students as short for Winter-Davis. I’ve been teaching for 8 years and in that time I have seen a dramatic increase in technology use in the classroom as well as a rise in the selection of tools for teachers to use. One of my first big projects was using iMovie for documentary and newscast projects in an American History classroom. But it wasn’t until my semester long stint as the substitute junior high librarian, aka media specialist, that I got the bug to want to become a Technology and Media Specialist.
I have always loved books and reading. When I was little, I would often play librarian, putting stamped library cards in my story books. While I still love books, the role of librarian has evolved into that of the media specialist. New responsibilities include technology coaching, digital literacy education, and guidance with online research.
Gone are the days of card catalogues and encyclopedia sets. Most students today conduct their research completely online. I see my role as an educator as that of teaching students on how to properly wield technology to meet their needs and to reach their goals. Online databases like Gale and ABC-Clio open students up to a plethora of resources unavailable before the internet. Gale's format is easy to navigate. Students are able to bookmark sources and make notes when signed in using Google. Plus there's one of my personal favorite features, with a click of the button Gale provides the MLA formatted citation for students to copy and paste into their bibliography.
Even though the internet can make research easier, there are still some challenges for which a media specialist needs to prepare. Those challenges are the ones I look forward to writing and developing curriculum around to assist students and teachers. I enjoy research, reading, and creating lesson plans. I'm excited to be on this journey to become a Technology and Media Specialist.
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