Tuesday Tips January 26, 2021

 TECH TIP: Emoji keyboard

I shared this tip in the PD session that Tom and I ran last week and it was one that even Tom didn't know about (I love when I can teach him something tech related lol!).  There is a quick keyboard shortcut that will create a pop-up emoji keyboard.  You could use this to leave emojis as feedback in Canvas grades, but could be used anywhere! It looks like this:

To do this, on a PC, hit Windows Key + Period Key.  On a Mac, it is Ctrl + Cmd + Space Bar.

BOOK TIP:  Be Not Far From Me by Mindy McGinnis

 This is a young adult novel that is gripping and riveting with a strong female lead character.  It is a story of survival in its truest sense.  After a night of partying and camping, Ashley runs into the woods in a drunken rage, only to find herself completely lost and unprepared.  She ends up deep in the Tennessee woods, injured, alone, with only the clothes on her back to survive.  You will root hard for her to persevere and keep going.  

Tuesday Tips January 12, 2021

 TECH TIP:  Overviewer App:  Turns Your Phone Into a Document Camera

  Overviewer is a new (free!) app for iPhones and iPads that quickly turns your phone into a document camera that will connect to Zoom and other video conferencing platforms.  The developer's wife is a kindergarten teacher and he created this app to help her teach her students remotely.  You can connect your phone either through Airplay to Zoom or using a cable to connect your phone to your computer.   The developer has made a 6 minute tutorial video on the set up, features and use of the app that is worth watching.  

BOOK TIP:  Anxious People by Fredrik Bachman

  Anxious People is the latest from best-selling author, Fredrik Bachman,  whose other works include Beartown and A Man Called Ove.  Anxious People tells the story of a disparate group of people who show up for a real estate open house and end up getting taken hostage by a bank robber.  But what sounds like it would be a harrowing event, ends up uniting these people across their shared stories.  It is a book that is charming, thoughtful and, at times, laugh out loud funny.  

Tuesday Tips December 22, 2020

 TECH TIP:  FutureMe: Send a letter to yourself in the future

 

FutureMe is a website that will send a letter to yourself in the future.  You enter in whatever message you want to send to yourself and the date on which you will receive the letter.  Might be a nice way to reflect on all we've survived and overcome this year at a future time when things are brighter (they have to get brighter, right??!).  This could be fun to do with your Advisory group.

BOOK TIP:  The Midnight Library by Matt Haig

 This is a book that is popping up on all kinds of Best Of Lists.  Nora Seed is a 35 year old woman who struggles with depression and the path her life has taken.  She's lost her job, got mugged, and her cat just died.  In a downward spiral, she attempts suicide and ends up in the midnight library.  The midnight library is a magical place where all the books are ones that allow you to live all the lives you might have had (and it's staffed by Nora's favorite school librarian :)  While a book of magical realism, it is also a deeply philosophical book about life's regrets and setting a new course for your life.  It's a book you'll want to highlight and underline sections of it.  It will make you think.

"But it is not lives we regret not living that are the real problem. It is the regret itself. It's the regret that makes us shrivel and wither and feel like our own and other people's worst enemy.  We can't tell if any of those other versions would of been better or worse. Those lives are happening, it is true, but you are happening as well, and that is the happening we have to focus on.”

Tuesday Tips December 8, 2020

 TECH TIP:  Canvas Resources all one page!

I've been slowly revamping the whole MMRHS Library website, but just finished up a Canvas Resources page that has all the documents, videos and tips that Tom and I have done all year in one convenient location!  Bookmark the Canvas Resources page for your reference and this will be updated regularly as we put out new material.  

BOOK TIP:  Best Books of 2020

Books are a great gift to give this holiday season.  The Best of lists are a great way to discover fresh, new titles to give.  Here are a few:

The New York Times 10 Best Books of 2020

NPR's Book Concierge

Goodreads Best of 2020 Reader's Choice Awards

Amazon's Best Books of 2020

Happy reading! 

Tuesday Tips December 1, 2020

 TECH TIP:  Turnitin now available on Canvas for your assignments

Turnitin is a software that will run similarity reports on student assignment submissions.  The library has had a subscription for several years.  Now, it is available as an embedded app within Canvas.   The first time you do this, I would be happy to set this up with you.  It was also helpful for me to go into the class and work directly with the students the first time they submitted an assignment using this tool.  I'd love to work with you on this for any of your classes.

You can set it up for any of your assignments using the External Tool submission type. 

Then, scroll down to find the Turnitin app and hit Select:

Once you have saved the assignment, you can load the Turnitin tool and set up additional settings:

If you'd like more information, here are complete instructions.

BOOK TIP:  HIdden Valley Road by Robert Kolker

  I like to listen to non-ficiton audiobooks on my walks and runs.   Hidden Valley Road by Robert Kolker was one of those books that made me walk further because I wanted to hear more!  It is the story of the Galvins, a family of 12 children, all coming of age in the 1950's and 60's.   Of these 12 children, six of them developed schizophrenia.  It is a remarkable story of this family and the impact the disease had on all of them.  The author also interweaves the history of schizophrenia and its treatment and how this family became an important part of research into the origins of schizophrenia.  It was fascinating. 

Tuesday Tips November 10, 2020

 TECH TIP:  Jeopardy Style Games

We are big Jeopardy! fans in our house and were saddened by the death this week of Alex Trebek.  In honor of him, here are a few Jeopardy! style games you could do with your classes.

• Google Slides Jeopardy template:  Download this template from Slides Carnival and add in your own questions
• PlayFactile:  Set up an online Jeopardy! game at this free site
• Flippity:  Flippity has lots of online games to play.  Here is a demo of this free Jeopardy-style quiz show game and here are the directions on how to set it up

BOOK TIP:  Apeirogon by Colum McCann

I loved Colum McCann's Let the Great World Spin and Apeirogon is equally exceptional.   Based on the real life friendship and heartache of two men, one Israeli and one Palestinian, as they work together to build peace in Israel.  The two men share a common grief and use that commonality to fight for a better world for all children.  The story is told through short vignettes, personal, historical, and cultural to tell a story with many nuisances and sides, just like an apeirogon, which is a shape with an infinite amount of sides. 

Tuesday Tips, October 15, 2020

 TECH TIP & BOOK TIP:  eBooks and Audiobooks now available at MMRHS Library!!

To better support remote learning, the library just launched SORA by Overdrive.  This is the platform that allows us to now check out ebooks and audiobooks.  This is in partnership with the MA Library System, and there are over 20,000 titles available for students.  I am building our own personal MMRHS collection here as well, so let me know of titles you'd be interested in.  

Ebooks can be rented in class sets if your department is interested in that.  Contact me for pricing and availability.  There are also over 400 titles of ebooks available for simultaneous use for free through our MA Library System collaboration.  I've attached that list below for your reference.  

You can set up your account using your school email at https://soraapp.com/library/masslibma or by downloading the SORA app on your phone or tablet.  This video tutorial will give you details on creating your account and the interface itself.