Look what’s new and helpful for you!  To help students readily access credible sources, we are creating libguides (research pathfinders) for your classes.  If you sign up in the library, assign an outside project, or utilize the computer lab, we can create guides that are specific to your assignment.

Examples:

Culture & Food of China http://libguides.bvwlmc.com/culinary_arts

Systems/Utopia http://libguides.bvwlmc.com/utopia

AP U.S. History http://libguides.bvwlmc.com/orlowski

For more libguides that the librarians created, go to libguides.bvwlmc.com.  Please send us an email or stop by to let us know if you would like a libguide created for your classes.

With new 2.0 tools, there are new ways to visualize text that can possibly enhance understanding and engage students.

Tagcrowd and Wordle provide visual representations of words. 

How can it be used?  Go to SIRS Researcher, Election 2008, and copy-paste the text of the two candidates.  Wordle or Tagcrowd will provide visual representations of the topics or keywords the candidates emphasized.  Want to see the bias of an author?  Copy-paste the text from a journal article into Tagcrowd and again, you can visualize the important concepts stressed by the author. 

Tagcrowd and Wordle can work with any text document accessible through you computer including Word, Powerpoint, and Internet Explorer. 

How-To Video 

iGoogle:  personalized home page with immediate access to your favorite resources

Google recently launched iGoogle.  iGoogle allows users to set up a page with “widget or gadgets” sitting on the page that directly link to favorite sources.  These gadgets deliver content directly to the page.  For example, add a weather gadget and each time you open your iGoogle page, you will see the current weather and three day forecast.

In addition, content from your favorite news sources will be delivered to the page.  Other gadgets include, interactive to-do list, calendar, online dictionary, and word of the day.

How can this be used with students?  Students can create individual iGoogle pages linking to content helpful for your class.  This page can become a meaningful information source for students. 

In addition, you can create a gadget so that your information is “pushed” to the students’ iGoogle pages.
For more information about creating a gadget, see the library newsletter blog (bvwlibrary.edublogs.org). 

iGoogle Gadgets for West:

BVW Passwords:  list of passwords for all library databases

BVW One-Liners:  first lines of books in the library, updated each day

Helpful Resources:  Links to all library databases

To access the gadgets, go to the LMC web page.

Podcasting:  (iPOD broadCAST) “An audio broadcast that has been converted to an MP3 file or other audio file format for playback in a digital music player or computer.” (PC Magazine) 

An iPod is not required to listen or create podcasts!   

Podcasts can easily be found on iTunes or Educational Podcast Network (http://www.epnweb.org/). 

Once you determine a file you would like to try, click on the file and your computer should begin playing.   Common podcasts include NPR This I Believe, National Geographic, and Yogamazing. 

Many educators are utilizing podcasts to go beyond the traditional classroom setting and share with a world-wide audience. 

Students can create a recorded version of their presentation or record a script from a writing assignment.   

Teachers are also creating podcasts to distribute homework, lectures, and school announcements. 

To create podcasts or to have your students create podcasts, see the library media specialists for assistance.   

Podcast Resources: 

Quick/Easy Podcast Creation

How-To

Examples
Grammar Girl’s Quick & Dirty Tips for Better Writing Podcast

Biology @ WHS