Jun 10, 2015 - bibliography of apps that would assist librarians in the efficiency and pro- ... Weather, calculator, compass, and translator tools are among the.
Public Services Quarterly
ISSN: 1522-8959 (Print) 1522-9114 (Online) Journal homepage: http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/wpsq20
Educational Technology for the Global Village: Worldwide Innovation and Best Practices by Les Lloyd Anne Driscoll To cite this article: Anne Driscoll (2015) Educational Technology for the Global Village: Worldwide Innovation and Best Practices by Les Lloyd, Public Services Quarterly, 11:2, 125-126, DOI: 10.1080/15228959.2015.1054718 To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/15228959.2015.1054718
Published online: 10 Jun 2015.
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Date: 30 September 2015, At: 08:12
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bibliography of apps that would assist librarians in the efficiency and productivity of their jobs and services. All of the apps featured in this book are free to download and use. Chapter 1 is a short description of apps, how to stay current regarding apps, and resources for staying current. Chapter 2 provides information on utility apps for library services, which allow for quick access and views of information. Weather, calculator, compass, and translator tools are among the topics included in this chapter. Apps such as PayPal, Shazam, XE Currency, and Dropbox are featured and described. Chapter 3 focuses on augmented reality apps for library services, which are more immersive and have their origins in gaming. These immersive apps are not very complicated and are centered around navigation and wayfinding. Google Sky Map, Layar Reality Browser, RedLaser, and WorldLens Lite are apps that are described in this chapter. Chapter 4 features productivity apps for library services and is the largest chapter in terms of content. Apps that are task-oriented, such as BBC News, Bible, Evernote, GasBuddy, Kayak, and Pulse, are some of the apps appearing in this chapter. Chapter 5 provides information on social media apps for library services. Bump, Path, SCVNGR, and Tweetdeck are discussed, along with the more familiar Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest, among others. Each app description includes what it does, a use case, what you should know=more information about how it works, apps like this to look out for in the future or how the next iteration might work, and the website consulted. A picture of how the app looks on a mobile device is also provided. This is a beginner’s guide for librarians to the app marketplace; the author provides only a cursory and short index, but the apps listed alphabetically in each chapter makes the book very user friendly. Bradford Lee Eden, PhD Dean of Library Services Valparaiso University Valparaiso, IN, USA
EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY FOR THE GLOBAL VILLAGE: WORLDWIDE INNOVATION AND BEST PRACTICES. Lloyd, Les. Medford, NJ: Information Today, 2014, 204 pp., $39.50, ISBN 9781573874816. Educational Technology for the Global Village: Worldwide Innovation and Best Practices maps the projects of 12 educators’ use of instructional technology to enhance student and global learning. The purpose of this book is to serve as a framework that other educators can follow, adapt, and use in their own global education efforts. These educators attempted to bridge the access to technology gap between developed countries and parts of Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean by using mainstream technology such as Skype and Facebook and devices such as iPads. What emerges in this
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book is a set of best practices for the use of educational technology applications to increase the internationalization of education. In the process, the authors outline different types of course-based service learning projects, increased student retention of course materials, and promote increased civic duty awareness. The case studies fall into several categories. Some tied service learning of undergraduate students to a project in combination with curriculum design and teaching English and computer or software skills to middle and=or high school students. The second category involved projects that had college students partnering with a local university to design projects that provided the residents with potable water, workable water conservation, and=or the use of wastewater and sewage to generate methane fuel. The third category of project involved bringing together two groups of graduate=undergraduate students in a collaborative learning experience, an example of which was the English as a second language (ESL) teaching methods course for University of Tennessee-Knoxville and ESL=English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers in South Korea. The fourth category of project focused on the use of Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) and iPads and tablets in conjunction with apps such as Evernote, Google Docs, Nearpod, Quizlet, and Screenchomp to facilitate learning. The final type of project examined the use of e-portfolios as communication tools for teacher education students to gather and store information to build individualized portfolios that would showcase their work. The result of these case studies is a list of best practices that can be used to guide development of other global learning initiatives: Finding people= companies willing to donate technology equipment, allowing time for preclass preparation and logistics planning (e.g., is electricity available at the site?), addressing language barriers (are interpreters needed?), deciding which technology tools will facilitate learning (high speed Internet is crucial), integrating pedagogical design into the tasks, building a curriculum that encourages cross-cultural awareness and authentic learning activities, planning for program sustainability beyond the current instructors, intensive collaboration among stakeholders (being sensitive to cultural differences in communication), and testing prototypes of products designed. This book is highly recommended. It provides a wealth of information on planning and implementing educational technology projects on a global level. The authors are experts in educational partnerships and educational design, and all possess a desire to make the world a better place. The book is a fast read. It is entertaining and provides a multitude of suggestions and tips that will facilitate launching programs of one’s own. Anne Driscoll Education Librarian George Mason University Fairfax, VA, USA