Google+Video+Chat

V. Professional Practice and Productivity 1. Models the routine, purposeful, and effective use of technology 2. Uses technology effectively for communication and collaboration
 * MARYLAND TECHNOLOGY STANDARDS FOR SCHOOL ADMINSTRATORS**

II. Communication A. Use technology effectively and appropriately to interact electronically 1. Use telecommunications to collaborate with peers, parents, colleges, adminstrators, and/or experts in the field
 * MARYLAND TECHNOLOGY STANDARDS FOR TEACHERS**


 * THE CHAT-** I chatted with Susan Brown at Bonnie Johns in early March. She is a coordinator for the technology aspects of library media for the school system. She is anxious for students to learn how to write reviews to place on Prince George's County Public Schools' OPAC (online public access catalog). Since she has no students herself, a group of fourth grade students from each of the classes came to the library to be trained by her.

For the set up, I could not figure how the eye's wires came out. Once I conquered that problem, I went to Susan Alexander's room to see how she had hers mounted on her laptop. Okay, I got Susan by text chat first, then I made a connection. I asked her if she could see my camera icon on the left of the screen by my name because I could not see it and nothing below me said I had a camera on. I connected to her camera icon and could see and hear her. She could hear me but not see me. I was glad that I had chosen to practice first before I had the students come in. I went to Susan Alexander again and she suggested I add myself to another thing. That didn't seem right. Then I went to Tina Clark. Tina showed me the chat things on the top of a page that presented my status. Audio was there but no video was being read at all. Susan Alexander and Tina both came and talked with Susan Brown as we tried to figure out what to do. Finally, I unplugged the eye and replugged it all in. I disconnected from Susan Brown. I checked my status to chat and saw that I now had video and audio reading. I saw my little camera by my name on the left of the screen. I connected back with Susan Brown and she saw me:) Oh happy day! Susan and I stayed connected as we talked about what she was going to say to the students. I prepared some questions for them to ponder as they were going to do book reviews. The students came in and sat at the computers. The laptop and eye camera were positioned so that Susan could see the students and they could see her. She talked them through the lesson and they were delighted to learn how easy it was to write a review on the OPAC. The fourth grade students had experienced video conferencing about a week before this small group got the lesson. A polycon unit was brought to my library from Bonnie Johns by Barbara Noll and set on top of a television monitor. There were many problems communicating with the Smithsonian American Art Museum and with Bonnie Johns. FInally after many phone calls, correct codes were punched in and we were talking live with Bonnie Johns and later with SAAM. This all happened the day before the students had the confernece. On the day of the conference, each class of students was brought in. They got to see themselves on the monitor before we spoke to SAAM. The folks at SAAM could double or even triple images for the students to see, as well as zoom in. At times, they had a hard time hearing some students, so we moved the microphone around to the speaker. This fact is ironic, because they sure were loud when they saw themselves on the monitor and when they are in the library. Could I have done the polycon lesson with SAAM with the smaller eye camera? No. SAAM's technology does not match it. I could have projected what they presented but not watch it on a monitor.
 * THE ARTIFACT-** I contacted Susan two days before the meeting. We did a Google chat by texting back and forth. She was very excited to video chat with the students.
 * REFLECTION-** The next day, two of the students who were trained brought other students to the library to add their reivews to the OPAC. Susan wasn't there, but her lesson made an impression on the new "teachers." Was it effective? Yes, otherwise the students would not have come back and able to train their peers. Could I have taught the students how to do the reviews without Susan? Yes, but I think the novelty of it was fun for the students and for Susan.