On the DL
Notes from Digital Learning and School Library Services
March 2023
Welcome to the refreshed monthly newsletter from the BCS Digital Learning and School Library Services Department. The sections below were designed for quick, efficient browsing that prioritizes the importance of empowerment, reflection, and innovation in education. Have feedback on this new layout? Please let us know what you think using the form linked below!
Empower
The BCS Digital Learning Department is thrilled to share our monthly calendar! Feel free to use these resources in your classroom as a way to celebrate the various days featured on this calendar.
Please log in to Clever before accessing any of the linked calendar resources below, and always be sure to preview resources before utilizing them in your educational setting.
Reflect
Let's reflect on current practices in our school communities, including our amazing library spaces!
Updates From Town Creek Elementary
with Elizabeth Woodrow, Media Coordinator
The past month in the library has been busy and fun!
3rd graders have been working on google slide presentations for Black History Month. They have been utilizing research skills, learning how to cite sources properly, and creating professional looking digital presentations. Once the presentations are finalized, the students will present using a gallery walk!
4th graders have been working on creating Google Slide presentations about S.T.E.M careers. They had to pick a S.T.E.M. career and utilize research skills, cite sources properly, and create professional looking digital presentations. Soon they will present their presentations to the class. The students have really enjoyed creating something on their own and being accountable for their work.
Finally, for Read Across America Week, Town Creek Elementary decided to plan some exciting things in the library. Our most exciting event was having Guest Readers come read to classes in the library. Readers were asked to come with their favorite books. This has allowed parents opportunities to share a love of reading not only with their own children, but with other children as well. TCES scholars are really enjoying having these guest readers! We're all about spreading that love of reading at TCES!
Students enjoy a guest reader in the media center.
A 4th Grade Student S.T.E.M. career presentation.
Guest Speaker reading to a class in the media center.
From a Reader: Books that are recorded and already on YouTube... safe to post in Google Classroom?
Publishers have been incredibly lenient during this recent pandemic about teachers using and posting recordings of texts. First, I don't expect this leniency to last forever. Second, you can link these in your Google Classroom, just be aware that they may disappear without warning should a publisher file a copyright claim with YouTube.
Essentially, the Google Classroom, Canvas Classroom, or SeeSaw Classroom is an extension of your classroom, and fair use applies as it would there. That does not give you free reign to digitally create a book copy and hand it out to your students via Google Classroom and not purchase the readily available digital copies, but it does mean that read alouds can be conducted as they would in the regular classroom. Be mindful of distribution and any loss of revenue that may result. These are measuring points for fair use.
-Acacia Dixon, Director of School & Library Services
Innovate
Looking to embrace new ideas and products in your learning environment? Below are some professional learning opportunities as well as links to some of the many resources BCS Digital Learning & School Library Services provide!
Are you in need of CEUs? The Digital Learning Team at DPI has curated a list of Self-Paced professional learning opportunities that are available! THIS linked document contains a list you can search to find just what you need!
Once you find the perfect fit, look it up in NCEES and enroll.
Did you know that NC is the first state to provide ISTE memberships to educators? Be sure to claim your FREE membership to ISTE (the International Society for Technology in Education) - Look for the icon shown above in NCEdCloud!
