According to Enis’ (2013) research on data
from digital businesses, by 2012, “the usage of apps surpassed the usage of
browsers on smart phones and tablets. This fact leads me to believe that mobile
apps on tablets and smart phones contain the information that students will
most likely be looking at. In fact, one of Enis’ key points is that we are
heading toward a future where librarians will suggest the use of apps as a
resource in addition to texts and media devices. While some people may believe
that students today spend too much time on their technology, specifically on
apps, educational apps are actually growing at a remarkable rate. Another key
point brought up in the article is that augmented reality using mobile apps
that access location or GPS can be useful to people. If students wanted to
research the Holocaust, they could just type it in their smartphone app, which
would then reveal nearby museums, libraries, and bookstores that would provide
information on the subject matter. Location apps don’t only have to help people
find the nearest restaurant or give directions to a friend’s house! Another
point that Enis brings up is a smart phone or tablet’s ability to scan a
barcode or QR code of an item and gain information from the associated text or
URL link. This ability is already being used in classrooms and libraries today.
I will definitely promote using mobile apps in
my library. I already know that when technology is involved in the learning
process, learning is more engaging and efficient. Now that there are apps for
news websites, educational or college websites, databases, and magazines, I can
refer students to downloading the app onto their smart phone or tablet so that
they can search for the information they need. Perhaps I can even make a
library app for my school, and students can use that application to search the
catalog and databases, add books to a wish list for me to use as a reference
when buying new books, recommend and rate books for their friends to read, and
even the ability to check in and out of the library. Speaking of checking in
and out of the library, this situation is also a perfect place to incorporate
location accessing apps. Just as people can “check in” to a place in a Facebook
status, students could press the button that says that they are checking in to
the library through the libraries app. They would then press check out when
they leave, which gives the librarian and other educators a record of which
students come and go in the library and how long they stay. The location
accessing apps can also be a great tool for understanding the geography or
history of the world, locating nearby places for information, and even locating
items in the school library. Through my library application, I could provide a
map of my library and include where all the books are typically filed. Students
could follow the location on the map to help them locate the book that they are
looking for. Lastly, using a mobile application’ scanning abilities would help
students in the library in many ways. First, I could put QR codes around the
library for students to scan and gain more information about what services are
provided. I have done this specifically as a scavenger hunt, and the students
had fun learning this way. I could also attach QR codes to books with extra information
about each book, website and text resources, and citations in varying formats.
The library is now a place for technology to be integrated within the resources
and the educational curriculum, and I believe that using mobile apps is a great
way to introduce this concept to students and the school faculty.
References:
Enis, M. M. (2013). Mobile evolution. Library Journal, 138(2),
34-36.
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