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In order to inspire curiosity and cultivate a passion for learning about technology and information literacy with K-5 students, the librarian creates engaging and interactive experiences tailored to their age group. This includes setting up interactive centers with different technology tools, using hands-on activities like robotics workshops and circuit building, and incorporating technology-themed read-alouds. The librarian also teaches digital citizenship lessons, provides Makerspace activities, and utilizes educational apps with gamification elements. There are differences in students' preparedness to access and use digital resources, with some having more exposure and basic digital literacy skills than others. The librarian bridges technology gaps by providing equitable access to devices, collaborating with teachers to integrate technology into instruction, and teaching specific digital literacy skills such as online research, evaluating credibility, and copyright principles. The l So, in today's digital world, how do you inspire curiosity and cultivate a passion for learning about technology and information literacy with K-5 students? So, inspiring curiosity and cultivating a passion for learning about technology involves creating engaging and interactive experiences that are tailored to their age group. So, some of the things that I do are interactive centers. I'll set up workstations with different technology tools for the students to use educational apps or simple coding platforms. I always encourage students to explore and experiment with these tools, which I think fosters a sense of discovery and excitement. I also really like to use hands-on activities. So, things like robotics workshops or sometimes we'll do simple circuit building, some programming exercises like Scratch or Code.org. Those activities kind of allow students to engage directly with technology in a fun and creative kind of way, which I think really sparks their interest in learning more about those. One of the fun little things that I like to do as well is do read-alouds with technology themes. So, I don't know if you've heard of this, but there's a story that's a parody of Good Night Moon, it's called Good Night iPad. And there's one of, instead of if you give a mouse a cookie, there's if you give a mouse an iPhone. So, we'll read. I've not heard of them. Yeah, they're really cute. So, I'll read both of those, the original and the new technology version and kind of talk about the differences and similarities. Most of the kids love those. I also teach digital citizenship lessons, you know, things like online safety, privacy, responsible use. We do Makerspace activities. I give them different STEM challenges or prompts and just the materials. And they're able to just be hands-on and be creative in problem solving. And kind of along with that, I think gamification is a really big thing right now. Some of my students' favorite activities are using educational apps or platforms that incorporate different elements of gaming like rewards or levels and achievements. Okay. What differences do you see in how prepared students are to access and use digital resources? For example, do some students know more than other students? Yeah. So, some students come to school just naturally with more exposure to technology. And they've already developed kind of basic digital literacy skills like using a Chromebook or navigating the internet. And then there's others that have very limited exposure and need more support when they first start school. I have a lot, I would say most students feel pretty confident using at least some digital tools. But there are a few students who just don't, you know, clearly don't have a tablet or a phone to use at home, which is completely fine. And I find that students really can pick it up quickly, even if they haven't had a lot of exposure outside of school. But, you know, that does kind of contribute to different levels of preparedness. Because the students with access to that at home have not only come in with more, but they have more opportunities to practice and kind of develop those skills, as opposed to the students who are just using it at school. So, how does your work in the library bridge any technology gaps for students who may have that limited access outside of school? I think as a librarian, I kind of bridge technology gaps. First of all, by providing an equitable access. So, in my school, we have a one-to-one ratio of Chromebooks to students. So, each student is able to use their own device every day, or however often the teachers have them use it. They're all in their classroom, so they don't need to share. There's never a case where, you know, one student gets to use it every day and another student once a week. They all have the same access. Also, I collaborate with teachers to integrate technology into their instruction and assignments. I provide support and resources for students to successfully complete digital projects or assignments, which includes things like research or citation. And what specific digital literacy skills do you teach the K-5 students? I know there must be some vertical and horizontal aligning. So, what specific skills do you teach them? So, I guess I teach basic computer skills first. You know, you'd be surprised how many kids do struggle using, you know, the trackpad or even a mouse or typing, things like that. But we start, you know, in kindergarten with the kids just teaching those very basic skills so they can build upon that. One of the main things that I – I collaborate with our guidance counselor to teach the kids about safe and responsible online behavior, like protecting their personal information, importance of privacy settings, things like that. I also – one of the big ones, especially starting in second grade, I teach how to conduct effective and efficient online research. So, we use search engines to find information. We evaluate credibility and reliability of sources. And, again, citing sources. That's also kind of when I talk about copyright and fair use and sort of the principles behind intellectual property rights and sharing copyrighted materials. And kind of along with that, developing a student's critical thinking skills as early as possible also kind of builds that foundation. As they get older, they're able to analyze and evaluate things like websites, videos, social media posts for bias, accuracy, relevance, things like that. So piggybacking on that, how do you teach them to be knowledgeable consumers of technology now and in the future? Do you have specific lessons that you – that seem to be more successful? Yeah. So one of the things that I make sure that I do – not necessarily a lesson, but I make sure that I'm always modeling responsible and ethical technology use. So, you know, if I'm showing them a slideshow that I made, I'm citing all the pictures that I'm using, and I have a references page at the end. And even before we talk about that in class, they can – they've seen it, you know, in my lessons for years. So they kind of have that basis of, you know, oh, that's what that is. That's why that's there every time she's teaching us something. So I think that that's really important is just to be a good example to the students. And I think also, as far as being knowledgeable consumers, I always encourage students to ask questions and to explore new technologies and just engage critically with digital content, which I think fostering that curiosity really helps them, you know, have that desire for lifelong learning when it comes to technology. And you kind of touched on this earlier, but how does the K-5 library and you collaborate with classroom teachers and other specialists in the school district or state to integrate this technology and digital resources into the curriculum? Yes. I love collaborating with classroom teachers and other staff in our building. I think it allows for an easier alignment of our library resources and technology with the classroom learning objectives, which overall leads to more meaningful and impactful educational experiences for the students. For example, right now, my fourth and fifth grade students are working on a genius hour project. So it's sort of like a passion project where they can choose any topic that interests them. And it's a they work on a library, but also in their classroom. And so we work on skills like research and note taking and presentation skills. And eventually, in a couple of weeks after spring break, we're going to have an event where parents can come in and see all their hard work and they'll get to present. So I think that collaborating with classroom teachers just helps integrate that technology and digital resources into their curriculum in a way that enhances student learning. Has there ever been a time that you've had a successful collaboration, maybe just with the teachers or the administrators? Something that went really well for, I guess, the program and the school in general? Yeah. So my third graders, every year I work with their classroom teachers. They do a biography project and they have to use technology resources, but also book resources. So that's sort of an example of, I guess, the older version of research and books and the newer version of the Internet. We can kind of put them together and compare them to the kids and just how they work well together and how we need to critically analyze books as well as technology or digital resources. But that is always a really fun project to do. The students dress up like their person and present. And that's a really fun project we do every year. And then how does the K-5 library ensure that all students, regardless of background or ability, feel comfortable and confident using digital resources and technology in the library? And you might approach this from maybe the social-emotional perspective or... Yeah. No, I love this question. So one of my main objectives as a librarian is curating an inclusive and supportive learning environment that not only addresses but also celebrates the diverse needs of all my students. So some of the things that I do, I always provide a range of digital resources and tools to accommodate different learning abilities and preferences. So that might include using devices that have accessibility features like text-to-speech or adjustable font sizes. Kind of on that same line, I always offer differentiated instruction and support as tailored as I can be to individual students' needs and abilities. And students in the library always have opportunities to work at their own pace. And I'll offer additional assistance or enrichment activities kind of as needed. I also always make sure that I have clear expectations and guidelines for using any sort of technology or digital resource. I communicate expectations consistently every time we're using them. And those expectations don't change. So students, you know, should theoretically be able to tell me what those guidelines are starting at the beginning of the year all the way to the end of the school year. I... Oh, we also do peer collaboration. And I try to foster a culture of teamwork in the library. So I'll pair or group students together that have varying levels of expertise or abilities to work together on digital projects or even just activities, which I think promotes peer learning and mentoring. And then as far as staff goes, four times a year, I provide professional development opportunities for classroom teachers just to increase their knowledge and skills in supporting diverse learners and using technology effectively, which ensures that staff are equipped to provide the necessary support to all students. And I think the last thing is that I try to promote a growth mindset approach to learning by emphasizing the importance of just effort and perseverance and resilience when using digital resources. I always encourage students to view challenges and mistakes as opportunities for learning. Thank you so much for doing this. I'm going to stop the recording and I've got a question to ask you.