It’s Nearly Summer Vacation
This is the time of year when I recommend making sure you grab a good book for summer. Something fun, in an area of interest, so that you can spend some time off of your technology. There are some really great books that have just come out, and we’ve made sure to have them in stock and on the shelves. Pop by and grab a book or ask for a recommendation. I always wait until the last day but here are some I have been ‘eyeing’ for summer:
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Happy reading!
Christopher Bell, High School Librarian and Technology Coordinator
Bell’s Recommendation
Times are strange. A new government has come into power, and this new government is antidiversity. This means the new government is rounding up almost all of those who believe in religion outside of Christianity or have a different ethnic background and putting them in internment camps, much like the Americans did to the Japanese during WWII. Layla is strong-willed and is going to try to make a change. The conditions are harsh, and there isn’t much help for her and her friends. However, they have plans, and they have potential benefits from the outside and maybe even some help on the inside. This is one of those books that is both shocking and yet fast-paced enough to keep you fully engaged. It is a good read for Young Adults and Adults. Be prepared; this is an emotional rollercoaster of a book.
Tech Tools
As summer is approaching, I generally try to learn some new technology. It gives me a purpose for tech so that I feel fine not doing any other types of technology. What I mean is I try to avoid using social media, videos, etc, to waste time in the summer. If I am going to be doing something on the computer or with technology, I try to make it purposeful. This summer, I am taking a computer class on the coding language called ReactJS. There are loads out there for free or really cheap. Here is one where High School students can get College Credits. Comptia is a well-respected distributor of certifications and education on technology. These are fun and give students a chance to explore the rigor of a college class. Give one of the Comptia iCollege Certifications a try. Good luck.
Digital Citizenship
Many of the articles that have appeared here over the year have focused on the ISTE standards – International Society for Technology in Education – which are the standards we use at ISB to focus the instruction to students. However, there are other options. The EU for example provides the Digital Competence Framework for Citizens. This is a very robust set of competencies (or standards) for ensuring citizens are knowledgeable about how best to use digital technologies. It is interesting to note that the two are very similar. The EU has other resources and some interesting takes on things. It is worth a look.
