October 2023
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.
Each month, the BCS Digital Learning Team will highlight a Tech-Tip that we find to be especially valuable and practical.
This month, the team has chosen "How to Enlarge your Pointer in Windows."
Enlarging your pointer can make the digital teaching and learning experience more accessible and engaging!
Learn how by selecting the link below!
Reflect
Let's reflect on current practices in our school communities, including our amazing library spaces!
This Is Just The Beginning
with Allison Gale, Leland Middle Media Coordinator
This year, BCS Middle School Media Coordinators have developed their own style of book walks for older students. They have created posters of the covers and first pages of some of the very best books that all their libraries have.
Posters like these hang in the halls of middle schools across Brunswick County.
As students change classes, go to lunch, electives or the buses, they can read just a little bit about the book. If they are hooked and want to read more, they can find a copy in the school library or online on the reading platform, Sora.
At Leland Middle, they have encouraged students to take the time to read the “This is just the beginning” posters by playing trivia games with lines from the book and awarding prizes from the book fair. As the year progresses, posters will be changed out to introduce even more books to the students and make walking in the halls an exciting literacy adventure.
Copyright Corner
Why is Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, or any other streaming service blocked? I teach that novel, topic, etc. and need to show the video.
Several things come into play here.
Terms of Service: In general, streaming service account Terms of Service state that the account is for your personal, entertainment use. Your classroom is neither personal nor entertainment. The same goes for all other streaming accounts.
Filtering: Certain movies and documentaries have been deemed for educational use, HOWEVER, there is no way to filter these from the rest of the content. Streaming is a category that is also restricted by our district filtering system.
Fair Use guidelines: Movies used in the classroom must meet Fair Use guidelines. In order to meet these, the movie must be tied directly to a content standard (no showing movies for rewards or holidays). In addition, they must be acquired legally and preferably from a vendor with licensing rights for viewing.
Remember: BCS has a form that should be completed and then signed by your school administrator when showing any movie. See your media coordinator for more information.
-Jeannie Timken, 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!
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! Check out this video for more details.
