3-D Printing, Programming, Paper Circuits, & Computational Thinking

The incorporation of different technologies in school libraries has been picking up a lot of interest among schools and communities in recent years, as they allow students and teachers/staff to create, invent, and learn. Below are brief explanations of how a few different technology-based tools can be utilized in libraries:

3-D Printing: 3-D Printing allows students to design, enhance, or invent something new instead of simply searching the internet and printing out an image. In fact, I found this infographic which provides ten specific ways 3-D Printing could possibly be used in an educational setting.

TeachThought. (2017). How 3D Printing Works [Image]. Retrieved from
http://www.teachthought.com/the-future-of-learning/technology/10-ways-3d-printing-can-be-used-in-education/. CC0.

Programming (aka Coding) & Computational Thinking: With a push for more STEM activities in schools, programming is gaining in popularity. An article from the School Library Journal states that “coding is both a hands-on maker opportunity and a perfect fit with new media literacy standards” (Sansing, 2015). For schools with robotics classes and clubs, or even just students who are interested in programming, it allows students to demonstrate their creativity and critical thinking skills using technology.

Something my husband mentioned in regards to computational thinking, which was also discussed in a September 2016 article in the School Library Journal, is Project Bloks. Project Bloks is a tangible programming platform that enables kids to develop computational thinking from a young age through coding experiences that are playful, tactile, and collaborative. This would be a really good way to introduce preschool and kindergarten students to programming.

After playing around with programming, which was way easier than I initially thought it would be, here are some things I brainstormed for how a librarian could utilize programming for the school library:

1.   You could write a program to select one book from the school’s library to highlight as a randomly selected “Book of the Month” or “Book of the Week,” and have the information about that selected book show up on the library and/or school webpage.

2.   You could write a program that allows students/teachers to check out/reserve books through the library website, similar to what is done at public libraries.

3.   You could create a website for the library, if there is not one already, with easy access to databases and other helpful links.

Paper Circuits: Again, with the push for STEM programs to help spark curiosity through hands-on experiments, students could utilize paper circuits to help enhance their book projects. To an elementary-aged student, I think they would find it amazing that simple household items, when combined, can create a working light circuit to add pizzazz to their projects.

References:

Sansing, C. (2015). Coding Skills Empower Us All. School Library Journal. Retrieved from http://www.slj.com/2015/05/technology/coding-skills-empower-us-all-the-maker-issue/.