Tools to Make Your Job Easier

Many of these tools could be useful for program managers of Volunteer Literacy Programs

Tech Tidbits & Free Social Media Apps for the Hurried Admin

I attended the Tech Tidbits & Free Social Media Apps for the Hurried Administrator presentation last Wednesday, October 2. It was presented by Dr. Rob Furman, Principal of South Park Elementary School in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. I was interested in this session, because I wanted to learn about new tools that can possibly save me time on tasks and grow professionally.
The session featured over a dozen technology tools that are available on the internet for free. Some of the tools I had heard of before (Evernote, Pinterest), but some were new to me (Flipboard, Author Stream). What is interesting was how these tools were being repurposed for use in education.
Below is a list of the technology tools mentioned in the presentation. In some cases, an example of how an administrator can use the tool in an educational context is provided:

• Evernote: This is a note-taking application (that allows for audio, video, images, text) that can transfer content to every device you own. An administrator could type classroom observations on a laptop or tablet and the content will automatically transfer to every device you sync the application to, including your office desktop computer. https://evernote.com/

• • Original text from the Discussion: Connected Educator Month: The Adult Education Connection 
    
  • I-Fang Cheng's comment on the Discussion
    
    
  
  See more tools on future posts.....
  
  Share your ideas of how this App could make your job easier or could be used in a literacy program....
  

New GED 2014 Test Practice Test Post

VALF is following some of the discussions on the Connected Educator LINCS site. Here is a recent post with a link to a new GED 2014  Practice Test

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A free 2014 GED practice test from GEDTS
Yesterday, the GED Testing Service released a free 2014 practice test on their website.  Have you take it? What did you think?
A few things to note before diving in for the first time:

• About quarter-length, so half the length of the GED Ready (OPT).
• It's web-based, so probably not something programs can print and use as an skill assessment.
• Gives an alignment of the problems to the 2014 GED Assessment Targets.
• It's not predictive of passing 
• GED Ready will be released in late-November.

A couple observations:

• Working through this practice test was not the strenuous (humbling) exercise that I experienced going through the Item Sampler this past spring.  That test was not representative of the level of rigor that testers will encounter in 2014, but this one seems to be the result of a norming process. Do you feel like 60% of graduating high school seniors could pass this free practice test? 
• The test seemed to lean slightly toward word-problems and text-based content (and maybe standard multiple choice questions in general) more so than  graphic literacy or overly-complex diagram formats (though the new formats are certainly present).   

Overall, it seems fairly traditional and straight-forward to me.Of course, there's only so much we can infer from a quarter-length test, so please take my conclusions with a grain of salt.  I'm curious to hear from others.
Here's the link to the test again:  http://www.gedtestingservice.com/educators/freepracticetest?utm_source=iContact&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Non%20TT&utm_content=2014+Countdown
(I posted this as a comment in reply to an older question about this, but it could probably use its own thread)
Jason Guard
Essential Education
jason@essentialed.com

White Table for Veterans Day

Here is a way a library or another organization could honor veterans. The White Table display can be used to remember November 11, Veterans Day. Below is information about how to set up this simple display and a few pictures from Florida libraries showing their displays from 2012. The book could be included in lessons for family literacy programs.

White Table for Veterans Day America's White Table, by Margot Theis Raven, is the inspiration for this simple display. Ever since the Vietnam War, a white table has been set across America in mess halls and at military events to honor America's Armed Forces, especially those missing in action and held prisoner of war. Valparaiso Community Library, Okaloosa County Materials needed: One small round table.     One chair. White tablecloth. Black napkin. One lit candle. Table setting for one. Salt shaker with some salt sprinkled on the dinner plate. A lemon slice. Vase with yellow ribbon tied around it. Red rose. Water glass inverted on table. What they symbolize: This table, set for one, is small, symbolizing the frailty of one prisoner, alone. It is set for one, symbolizing the fact that some are missing from our ranks. The tablecloth is white, symbolic of the purity of their intentions to respond to their country's call to arms. North Palm Beach Public Library The black napkin represents the sorrow of captivity. The single red rose in the vase, signifies the blood that many have shed to ensure the freedom of the United States of America. This rose also reminds us of the family and friends of our missing comrades who keep the faith, awaiting their return. The yellow ribbon on the vase represents the yellow ribbons worn on the lapels of the thousands who demand a proper accounting of our comrades who are not among us tonight. A slice of lemon on the plate reminds us of their bitter fate. The salt sprinkled on the plate reminds us of the countless fallen tears of families as they wait. The glass is inverted because they cannot toast with us. The chair is empty because they are not here. The candle is reminiscent of the light of hope that lives in our hearts to illuminate their way home, away from their captors, to the open arms of a grateful nation.  John Hopkins Middle School, St. Petersburg Celebrating America's Freedoms U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has activities and program suggestions for honoring veterans that libraries can use to create meaningful cooperative programs.