Resources

April is Autism Awareness Month!

/ krjustice / Leave a comment

Facts about Autism

  • Autism spectrum Disorder also known as ASD is a developmental disability that can cause social, communication, and behavioral challenges.
  1. Autism now affects approximately 1 in 68 children.
  2. Boys are nearly five times more likely to have autism, about 1 in 42.
  3. There is no cure, however with early intervention symptoms can greatly improve.
  4. Autism is one of the fastest growing developmental disorders.

In helping to raise awareness we would like to feature some of the great resources we have available at McLure Education Library!

100 Ideas for Supporting Pupils on the Autistic Spectrum

100 ideas  http://library.ua.edu/vwebv/holdingsInfo?bibId=2090010

 

Developing College Skills in Students with Autism and Asperger’s Syndrome

Developing college skills  http://library.ua.edu/vwebv/holdingsInfo?bibId=3400574

 

The New Social Story Book

social   http://library.ua.edu/vwebv/holdingsInfo?bibId=1673177

 

The Social Skills Picture Book

picture   http://library.ua.edu/vwebv/holdingsInfo?bibId=1666226

Ian’s Walk

ian    http://library.ua.edu/vwebv/holdingsInfo?bibId=1063270

Carly’s Voice

carly    http://library.ua.edu/vwebv/holdingsInfo?bibId=3913348

 

Please check out our Curriculum Materials area for sensory manipulatives!

 

The Mystery Box

The mystery box    http://library.ua.edu/vwebv/holdingsInfo?bibId=1852881

Gears Galore

gearshttp://library.ua.edu/vwebv/holdingsInfo?bibId=1203448

 

 Coming Soon!!!!!

Sensory Balls

sensory ballshttp://library.ua.edu/vwebv/holdingsInfo?bibId=4438677

 

For additional resources please visit: https://autism-clinic.ua.edu

clinic

Special thanks to The University of Alabama Autism Spectrum Disorders Clinic.  I cannot say enough wonderful things about this clinic and the services they provide.

 

Content created by:  Kristy Justice

 

 

 

 

 

Installation Art

/ bstrnad / Leave a comment

By Amanda Alexander , Graduate Assistant, McLure Education Library

Christo-and-Jeanne-Claude-9781596430716

Installation art usually describes three-dimensional works of art that are made to change the way that people see a certain area, and can be either temporary or permanent.  Christo and Jeanne-Claude are one of the most famous examples of environmental installation artists who were responsible for The Gates, a 23-mile long group of “gates” created out of saffron colored nylon fabric hung from steel bases.  For further study, Christo and Jeanne-Claude: Through the Gates and Beyond By Jan Greenberg and Sandra Jordan, can be found in the School Library in the basement of McLure.  Installation art has also been showcased in the news lately, specifically the Tower of London poppies and the balloons in Berlin that marked the 25th Anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall.

 

poppies-8 1412296557089_wps_22_Tower_of_London_Poppies_f

In London, an installation titled the Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red showcases 888,246 ceramic poppies representing each life lost to WWI in service of the British crown.  The installation has drawn millions of spectators who view the sight as a monument to the tragedy of war.  However, the memorial has also drawn its fair share of criticism from those who view that installation as a glorification of war and have counteracted by creating white poppies as a symbol of peace.

 

berlin-wall-fall-25th-anniversary 01_LICHTGRENZE_Brandenburger_Tor__c__Kulturprojekte_Berlin_WHITEvoid_Christopher_Bauder__Foto_Daniel_Bueche

In Berlin, a temporary wall was made to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the wall’s collapse.  The installation symbolizing the wall was constructed out of 8,000 illuminated balloons that were released into the air on November 9th to the notes of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony.  The piece is one of many celebratory events that will take place in Berlin this year.

 

lightrails-2

For those of you interested in viewing an installation art piece closer to home, Birmingham features an installation titled LightRails, which is located downtown in Railroad Park.  The attraction is a permanent display consisting of a system of computerized LED lights installed in an old art deco railroad underpass.  Birmingham commissioned Texas-based artist Bill FitzGibbons to create the piece in order to bring pedestrian traffic to an area that had become dark and neglected.  It is an open and inviting display of light and color used to reinvigorate a previously unused and forgotten space, making pedestrians feel safe and showcasing a brilliant work of art.

Using Children’s Literature Comprehensive Database

/ lagrant / 1 Comment

By Amanda Alexander, Graduate Assistant, McLure Education Library

1

What it is:

  • Children’s Literature Comprehensive Database is an online database with an extensive array of information about children’s books, video and audio recordings, film strips, and other children-focused media. The database contains more than 400,000 critical reviews of children’s books, ranging from baby board books to novels and nonfiction for young adults. These reviews are supplied by quality media sources such as VOYA, The ALAN Review, Booklist, Kirkus, etc. CLCD’s search function allows users to find books by subject, age level, grade level, genre, and more. Information about awards, honors, and prizes given to specific books is also provided along with information about reading measurement program information as well as curriculum tools and links to over 240,000 web pages featuring children’s authors and illustrators.

Logging in:

2

  1. Go to the University of Alabama’s Libraries
  2. On the left side of the screen, there is a list. Click on Databases.
  3. There are different ways to find a specific database. The easiest method would be to BROWSE ALPHABETICAL LIST, which is on the right side of the screen. Click on the letter “C.”
  4. Scroll down until you find “Children’s Literature Comprehensive Database,” and click on it. This will take you to the CLCD homepage.

Conducting a Search:

Let’s say you want to search for reviews on books about dogs for preschoolers.

  1. In the search box at the top of the type in DOGS.
  2. If conducting a search on keyword, leave the selection “Singular and Plural forms” checked in the Word Search Criteria box.
  3. If conducting a search on a keyword, the selection “All fields” should be checked in the Search Specific Fields box.
  4. Special Search Qualifiers. If you are looking for children’s books on a certain topic, select “Children and YA only.”
  5. If you want to make your search more specific, there are many additional search qualifiers. You can modify a search by reader’s Age, Grade, Category, Publication Date, Genre, Language, Reading Metrics etc. It is advised that you chose to use only one of either the Age or Grade features, either Age (3 to 4) or Grade (Preschool Age 3).
  6. Click on one of the titles that search results turn up.
  7. You will be given information on the book’s honors and awards, reading lists that feature the book, information about Reading Measurement Programs and Reviews.
  8. Also right under the book title, CLCD will show you if the UA library has that title in its catalog. If so, there will be a green check mark next to “your library holds this title”.3
  9. If you click the link it opens a new tab that will take you directly to the UA library catalog where you can see the book’s call number and location.

Creating a CLCD account:

  • Users can create a personal MyCLCD account that gives you the ability to save titles to readings lists, share and modify items such as custom thematic lists and bibliographies, and save and view your search history. As a Student – you can save your work for future review and modification as CLCD allows you to keep your membership for up to one year after you graduate.
  1. Go to the CLCD homepage and click on “My CLCD Account Login” at the top right hand side of the screen.
  2. Next, Click on either “Request Access” or “Click here to create your account”4
  3. Lastly, A box will appear for you to fill in your personal information and complete the creation of your account.

5

 

McLure Presentation Practice Rooms

/ lagrant / 1 Comment

By Leslie Grant, Graduate Assistant, McLure Education Library

One new addition to the library this semester is the presentation practice rooms. On the second floor of McLure, two rooms are available where students can use library equipment (either PC or Mac) to practice giving presentations. Rooms can be booked in advance by placing a reservation or by making a walk in appointment as long as the room is not currently being used. Students can use a room for up to 2 hours, and as many as four people can use the room at a time. In order to use a practice room, students will need a valid action card and will be required to provide contact information. Students will receive a key to the room at the front desk in exchange for their action card, which will be returned upon departure. Further information can be found on the library’s website under the Presentation Practice Rooms link. Please feel free to contact us if you have any other questions!

Requesting Material Through Interlibrary Loan

/ lagrant / Leave a comment

By Leslie Grant, Graduate Assistant, McLure Education Library

Sometimes you may want to use a book, journal, or other material that is unavailable at the library. If this is the case, you’re not out of luck. You may be able to request it through Interlibrary Loans (ILL). For materials UA does not own, you will need to fill out an ILL form, which can be found on the Interlibrary Loan page of the library’s website. However, if the material you want can be found in the library catalog, then you can use it to fill out the form for you. Here are directions using the journal Quest as an example:

1. From the library’s homepage, go to the catalog by selecting “Libraries’ Catalog” under “Resources” in the middle of the page.

step1

2. Locate the journal by conducting a search in the catalog.

step2

3. Once you have found the correct material, follow the link at the bottom of the page for access to the electronic resource.

step3

4. Select the issue and article you need, and then click “Check for Full Text.”

step4

5. This should take you back to the library’s website. Follow the link “ILLiad” under “Step 3” to submit an ILL request.

step5

6. Once you log on, it will take you a completed request form with the article’s information.

step6

7. Scroll down and select “Submit Request” to finish your request.

step7

Now your ILL request has been completed. It’s that easy! Let us know if this helped.

Educational Apps for Kids

/ lagrant / Leave a comment

By Leslie Grant, Graduate Assistant, McLure Education Library

Emerging technologies provide many opportunities for new and different teaching methods. The use of applications, or apps, on devices such as smart phones and tablets are one way to introduce material while also teaching digital literacy skills and incorporating interactivity that makes it more interesting for the users.

There is an abundance of educational apps. These apps vary in age range, subject, and cost. Since it would be impossible to list all of them, we want to share a few examples illustrative of the tools available to teachers and parents.

Reading:

rr

Reading Rainbow: Read Along Children’s Books, Kids Videos & Educational Games

“Hosted by LeVar Burton, the reimagined Reading Rainbow app includes an unlimited library of children’s books and video field trips to ignite your child’s imagination.”

 

pa

Don’t Let the Pigeon Run This App!

“Three-time Caldecott Honoree Mo Willems brings the Pigeon to the digital screen with this original, feature-rich, animated app.”

(one of the many examples of apps based on books)

 

History and Museums:

rt

American Revolution Interactive Timeline

“This award-winning, graphically rich timeline, developed by The American Revolution Center, a non-profit educational institution working to build The Museum of the American Revolution, offers information and access to rare treasures from the Center’s collection that will be displayed in the new museum.”

 

sm

Smithsonian Mobile

“Smithsonian Mobile is your digital mobile guide to the Smithsonian, built collaboratively with our visitors. Find out what’s on where, discover highlights, search our collections, access tours, podcasts and other apps.”

 

 

Science:

na

NASA App

“The NASA App showcases a huge collection of the latest NASA content, including images, videos on-demand, NASA Television, mission information, news & feature stories, latest tweets, ISS sighting opportunities, satellite tracking, Third Rock Radio and much more.”

 

tb

TinkerBox

“TinkerBox is a fun, free-to-play physics puzzle game. While it is full of interesting science facts and teaches basic engineering concepts, TinkerBox is more than just educational! Take the tools in your hands to explore your creativity and imagination with Invent mode. Build outrageous machines, share them with your friends, or download popular inventions from online.”

 

Creativity and Story Telling:

fb

Felt Board

“Design scenes, dress up characters and let your imagination soar as you invent your own stories with Felt Board. Especially designed for imaginative play, storytelling and learning, Felt Board is perfect for children, families, teachers and therapists.”

 

Hopefully this list has made you aware of some of the resources available in the world of apps and inspired you to search for others. There are many websites with app recommendations and reviews where you can find more information about apps to suit your particular needs, including Common Sense Media, APPitic, and CLCD’s monthly newsletter.

Let us know in the comments if you use any of these apps or have any other app recommendations!

 

Using the Library’s eBooks

/ lagrant / Leave a comment

image from: greecepubliclibrary.org

By Leslie Grant, Graduate Assistant, McLure Education Library

In addition to our print books, McLure provides access to many electronic books, or eBooks. We’ve written about this topic in the past, but some changes to library services make it necessary to share updated information.

 

Reading an eBook:

EBooks are a valuable information resource at the library. Some materials are available only in eBook format, and it is becoming the preferred method for purchasing new titles.

The library does not currently use a single service to manage our eBook holdings. Instead they are provided by a number of different publishers. This means that library eBooks vary in format and platform.

EBooks are easily accessed by using Scout or the library’s catalog. Results from a search will indicate when a book is available electronically and will provide a link or information about how to view or download the material.

The various eBook providers cause some inconsistency across the library’s eBook holdings. Appearance, length of access, and number of simultaneous users can all vary, as well the ability to download, print, and take notes or highlight within the text.

 
Reserving an eBook:

It is not necessary for faculty to place an eBook on reserve for use in a particular course. However, putting an eBook on reserve will allow it to appear on the library’s website in the list of course reserves, making it easier for students to find and access.

Some eBooks can also be included on Blackboard. EBooks are added to Blackboard shelf by linking to them in the same manner you would for an article in a database. Further questions about using eBooks on Blackboard can be directed to Josh Sahib by email (jsahib@ua.edu) or phone (205-348-6529).

Hope this helps! Please let us know if you have any other questions about library eBooks. For additional information, contact Wendy Arrasmith at (205-348-5678) or by email at (warrismi@ua.edu) or Will Fritz at (205-348-6346) or e-mail him at (wafritz@ua.edu).

Book-Related Links

/ lagrant / Leave a comment

By Leslie Grant, Graduate Assistant, McLure Education Library

We’ve read several articles recently about current book trends and reading behaviors. Here is a list of a few favorites you might find interesting.

 

9230990180_7fbe6a5997_b

“Kids Don’t Read Books Because Parents Don’t Read Books”

According to a recent report, reading rates are in decline. So what’s the cause? Many people are quick to blame technology, but perhaps the problem stems more from larger cultural attitudes toward reading. “At the end of the day, how our children read and what our children read says a lot more about adult attitudes than it does about our kids’.”

 

bnciztviqaauiaw

“The Reason Every Book about Africa Has the Same Cover – And It’s Not Pretty”

Ever noticed the acacia tree that seems to grace the cover of every book with an African author or setting? Regardless of style or subject, this tree has become ubiquitous with “African” books. The author examines why this is, blaming preferences by publishers to follow tradition and simplify the “other”.

 

 

5223918815_235d4393e6_m1

“How I Convinced My 8 Year Old to Choose Books Instead of Minecraft”

In this article, the writer shares a personal account about encouraging his son to read. While this includes incentivizing reading by making it a requirement before video games, he mostly focuses on how to make books appealing so that kids will choose to read. For instance, the comic book format of a graphic novel looks more like entertainment than reading, and eBooks offer both a technology aspect and the gratification of instant access.

 

dig-past-the-bestsellers

“Why You Should Avoid Best-Selling Books”

While everyone loves the glamour of the newest best seller, it might not be the best investment of your time. The knowledge it offers is ephemeral, serving as conversation fodder until the next best thing is published. On the other hand, books that withstand the test of time promise relevancy in the long term. They also offer a way to set yourself apart: “If you read what everyone else reads, soon you’ll start thinking like everyone else.”

The Praxis: What to Expect on Test Day

/ lagrant / Leave a comment

this guy is smug because he knew what to expect on test day (picture from the Praxis website)

By Leslie Grant, Graduate Assistant, McLure Education Library

Many College of Education students will soon be taking the Praxis. In order to help you be more prepared on test day, we would like to share some Praxis resources. For more about the Praxis and how to find library study aids, read our previous post on the topic here.

The Praxis is currently is the process of moving to a completely computerized version of the test. For those of us used to paper and pencil standardized tests, this can add a level of uncertainty to an already stressful situation. Luckily, the Praxis has released some guides that will ease the process.

First, you can check out their Computer-delivered Testing Demonstration. This site shows you what the test will look like and how to navigate through it. It even includes a demo version where you can practice with log in and sample questions. By practicing with this demonstration, you can feel more comfortable with the format of the test because you have seen and used it before.

You can also watch a Computer-delivered Test Center Tour. This will guide you through computer testing procedures, including proper identification, how to store your belongings, and entering and exiting the testing area. The video shows what to expect on test day, and I found it very similar to my own experience with ETS computerized testing. It’s a great resource to get an idea of what the testing facility will look like, especially for those who have never been to one before.

For those taking the computer-delivered test, I would highly recommend spending the time to look over these websites to get more familiar with the test format and testing centers. You can also find additional help with studying on the Preparation Materials page of the Praxis website.

Best of luck!

Simplifying Citations with RefWorks

/ lagrant / Leave a comment

Basic RGB

By Leslie Grant, Graduate Assistant, McLure Education Library

It’s the night before the big assignment is due. You’ve finished writing, and the only thing standing between you and your pillow is the bibliography.  Despite that fourth cup of coffee, you’re fighting a losing battle with your eyelids, and the source notes from this afternoon suddenly resemble ancient hieroglyphs. That’s where RefWorks comes in.

RefWorks is a tool for organizing references and creating citations. Through the website, you can produce a list of cited works, either by entering the bibliographic information manually or importing it directly from a database or webpage. You can also save these references in a folder, letting you access and share them later. Once you’ve finished adding your sources, RefWorks allows you to generate a bibliography from the list. Simply add it to the end of your work, give it a quick proofread, and you’re done!

If you have not used RefWorks before, there is a wonderful guide on the University Libraries’ website with instructions on creating an account and using its different functions. This libguide can be found here. Also, by creating an account now, you will be able to use RefWorks even after you graduate.

Now go get some sleep, and don’t forget your promise not to wait till the last minute next time. : )

SteveLambert_Sleeping_Reader