Pew Report: U.S. Smartphone Use in 2015

After searching through Pew Research Reports, I came across one that caught my attention: U.S. Smartphone Use in 2015 by senior researcher, Aaron Smith.  In today’s technology age, it seems that everywhere we turn, someone is glued to their phone, myself included. According to the report, “Today, people increasingly are accessing online services and information throughout the day, whenever and wherever they happen to be — and smartphones are often the primary vehicle for this “on the go” access” (12). This report documents the continued growth of the number of Americans with smartphones. Smartphones have become one of the most sought out technology tools of our ages that provide us with the ability to stay connected by being able to access, share information, and communicate with others in our world. Smith also includes the demographics of smartphone users, and demonstrates how smartphone owners use their devices on a day-to-day basis.  

After reading Smith's Pew Report, I found that I fit into many of the categories noted in my Picktochart. I never really thought of as smartphones having an “emotional impact” on users. Smith states, “When it comes to the emotions that people experience as a result of their smartphones, “productive” and “happy” lead the way — 79% and 77% of smartphone owners, respectively, indicated that their phone made them feel this way at least once over the course of the study period” (41). On the other hand, 36% reported feeling frustrated, while just 15% reported feeling angry. I can say I feel more on the “productive” and “happy” side with my smartphone. As a matter of fact, I’ve been very pleased with my iPhone, that I just upgraded it this past week! Smartphones are here to stay.

Smith, A. (2015). U.S. Smartphone Use in 2015. Retrieved from Pew Research Center website:
http://www.pewinternet.org/files/2015/03/PI_Smartphones_0401151.pdf


59 pages 

For my first Pew Report, I created an Infographic using Infogram. This time I tried using Picktochart. They are both easy to use, and offer a variety of free templates. Here’s a Picktochart of my findings on: "U.S. Smartphone Use in 2015": 

Instagram and Vine

Instagram

Instagram is a popular photo sharing app for smartphones. Why not just post your photos on Facebook or another social network? Instagram’s main purpose is sharing photos and or videos with friends. Instead of having extra features other sites have, it offers users the option to filter a photo using different effects, such as contrast or saturation. In addition, you are able to link to other networking platforms such as Twitter, Tumblr, and Facebook. I had not used Instagram, but my siblings and my boys have an account. They were excited to learn I finally created one. 

I will definitely be creating an account just for the library. My goal will be to promote and highlight current events such as book fairs, sharing kids’ successes, quotes, new book arrivals, and book reviews. Teachers can use it to highlight activities and/or projects in their classroom. The possibilities are endless.


The bulletin below highlights the reading club I sponsor. 

And the Series Challenge is well underway!

A photo posted by @snd_rios on Nov 17, 2015 at 3:43pm PST

THANK YOU for supporting our Book Fair!

A photo posted by @snd_rios on Nov 16, 2015 at 8:44pm PST

Gotta love Charlie Brown!

A photo posted by @snd_rios on Nov 15, 2015 at 3:00pm PST

Where it all began...

A photo posted by @snd_rios on Nov 15, 2015 at 2:56pm PST

Vine

Vine is a video sharing app. Users can share a six second video clip that loops over and over. All you need is a compatible smartphone to download the Vine app, which is owned by Twitter. I had never created a Vine until now, and I have to say it was pretty easy. When you are ready to make your first Vine, the app will walk you through all the steps. The app tells you to hold your finger down on the screen for about 1-2 seconds, and then you do this two more times. Vine will then put the three, two second videos together. It’s that simple.

I like the idea of using Vine in the library to highlight upcoming events, show snippets of books coming in to the next Book Fair, create mini book trailers, highlight new books, or even those that haven’t been circulated as often. Teachers can use it to show the scientific process, math algorithms, and highlight vocabulary in all content areas. I like the fact that it's quick and to the point. Students can use it to create teasers to books they've read. I can see it a great resource for academic vocabulary because of the constant "looping." 

My students are working on their Science Fair projects this week. They enjoyed the Vine on the Scientific Method.

Screencasts

A screencast is a digital video recording that captures actions taking place on a computer screen accompanied with audio narration.  My first experience with screencasts was through my MLS courses. I can say they were very helpful in explaining what was required for our coursework. I was able to explore and create two screencasts using Screencast-o-matic and Jing. I tried Screenr, but the site said it was no longer available. Here are my findings for Jing and Screencast-O-Matic.


Jing


Creating a Jing account is free, but you do have to download it to your computer. I liked that it appears on your computer screen as a little "semi-sun" on the top center of your desktop that is readily available for immediate use. Upon opening the site, it offers a tutorial on ways to do different things like how to capture an image or video, how to share a screencast, and so many other individualized tutorials for selected topics. I liked that you are able to pause as you're recording, but I did not like that you are only given five minutes to record. Even though I was able to pause during the recording, I found myself running out of time. I had to do several takes, but I had fun in the process. In addition, I tried uploading the screencast using Google Chrome and Firefox, but I was having issues with Flash Player, and was only able to link it. 

The beginning of every year we have parents that have questions on how to go about the process of signing up and logging in. Here, parents can view their child's progress, attendance, and are able to receive notifications when grades fall below a certain range. I decided to I create a screencast to show parents how to request an account, and how to login after they've set up to the Parent Portal. I know when I've had parent conferences, I've shown parents how to do this, or our secretaries have scheduled appointments to assist them as well. This will be great to upload to the school's website so that parents can create their logins on their time.  

JING: Parent Portal Screencast

Screencast-o-matic

To sign up for Screencast-o-matic, all you have to do is use an email and create your password.  It was very easy to use, and also offers a quick demo tutorial that explains the process very clearly. Right above the tutorial, you have the "start recording" tab. After clicking on this, you are taken another tab that says "record screencast." Next, you are ready to size the screen the way you want it, and you're ready to start recording.  As a first time user, I had no problems creating my screencast. I really liked the fact that I had no time limit pressures. In addition, you can pause during your recording, just in case some of your content takes time to upload as some parts of mine did. Overall, it was easy as well.

For my second screencast, I decided to create one for my students on using Google Slides. They are already submitting assignments on Google Classroom via Google Docs, so this is the next assignment I'm going to have them do in the next couple of weeks using the novel we are reading. It was really easy to upload on my blog, and I just uploaded it on my Google Drive for my students. Can't wait to try it with them! Today, I met with the high school librarian I'm interning with, and I watched her do a staff development on various services offered through her library. After her session, I told her about Screencast-o-matic and offered to help make a few for her web page. She was really excited because she has never done one, and is eager to learn.

There is so much you can do with Screencasts, and both programs I explored had something great to offer. As a future librarian, I can definitely see myself using screencasts as a way to create trainings for students, staff, and the community as well. As far as which one I prefer, I'd have to go with Screencat -O-Matic because the recording time is not as limited, and the ease of uploading the screencast video was quick. I have to admit, I was skeptical at first, but after creating two of them I feel I can only get better as I create more.




Image retrieved from:
https://www.google.com/search?q=screencasts&espv=2&biw=1920&bih=971&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAmoVChMI7uWWxOaEyQIVBhc-Ch32qgWS

Cartoons and Comic Strips

Growing up I loved to read the comics in the local newspaper. Today our students enjoy reading graphic novels in print as well as on their tablets.  In this age of technology, you can enrich their learning with cartoon and comics online created by them. Not good at drawing? Not a problem. Computers now make this job an easy task with the click of a button. I explored the following three cartoon and comic sites: Pixton, ToonDoo, and MakeBeliefsComix. Here is what I learned:

Pixton

Creating an account for Pixtoon was easy and free.  The first thing I did was create my character.  You have the option to save your character and name it. In addition, you can change body positions, add facial expressions, and re-size the them. You can even turn the head 360 degrees! I really had fun with this part, note the character at the end hitting her forehead. LOL!  After I created my characters and named them, I chose the background. There are a variety to choose from, as well as different props. Next, I added the conversation bubbles, easy as well. The scene I created was a true story about my nephew's conversation with my sister when he was around five or six. LOL, too cute. 

I think that Pixton is user friendly and has many options of which to choose from. I really enjoyed creating my characters and customizing them to my liking, and I feel that it is easy enough for students to use.  Saving the comic was very simple and it stays stored in your account. You can publish, share with friends, and e-mail it to yourself and friends, or share on social media. There are also many other options of which to choose from, but you have to have a paid account. Overall, I think this is a great site and can't wait to use it with students!

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ToonDoo

Creating an account is easy and free, unless you pay for the ToonDooSpaces. However, it took a long time to load, more than 40 minutes. After a while I changed browsers, but no luck so I gave up, and tried again the next evening. With a fresh frame of mind I updated my Adobe Flash player, and it uploaded to 99%, and then after about a minute it loaded. I clicked on the toolbar and these options appeared: ToonDo maker, Bookmaker, Tools, Compleetoons, Dooers, TraitR, DoodleR, and Shop. I clicked on the ToonDoo Maker and was given the option to choose my layout, and chose the two square layout. I mostly had to figure out how to create it, no mini tutorial offered. After I chose one of the characters, I dragged it to the square, and again it took longer than three minutes for them to upload to comic square. It was a little frustrating and I continued just playing with it until I figured it out. This site also offers a variety of backgrounds, (which didn't take long to upload) and props, I added a cake and party hat on my alien. Adding the conversation bubbles and expressive words were easy. This was a riddle one of my students shared with me the other day. I thought it was cute. 

This site took me way longer to upload the templates than the other two. Once I was done with my cartoon, I wanted to save it, but could not find the save button until I clicked on one of the above tabs (in the "start here" tab).  Although I was a bit frustrated with the "slowness" of the site, I really did like that it was colorful and  the features it offered such as: variety of backgrounds, characters, texts, shapes, props, and clip art, which would allow any user to create a variety of comics. I only used ToonDoo Maker, and still need to explore this site further before I say more. As far as ToonMaker, other than it taking time to upload images, I really did like the features I used. However, in my opinion it was not as user friendly as the other two comic sites I explored. I think students might have a harder time using it.

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Make Beliefs Comix


Signing up for Make Beliefs Comix is easy and no registration is required, since it does not store your comics, instead you print or e-mail it to yourself. This site provides a"how to" demo video that highlights the main steps to create your comic. On the home page below the comic strip, there are two buttons to enter the site, one in English and the other in Spanish.  It also states that you can type your comic in other languages such as: French, German, Portuguese, and Latin. Once I clicked on the "enter here" button it took me straight to the template. There are a variety of options to choose from for your character, backgrounds with detail or just plain colors, words, and other objects. The characters are mostly limited to black and white, and a few are in color, but did not have a wide variety. However, I liked the fact that you can choose from various actions, and have the option to flip the characters and re-size them. 

Although this site didn't offer too much variety, it was fairly easy to use. I feel that it is good for students to use since it requires no set up and is very basic. Our students have their own e-mail accounts and can easily send it to themselves. I also liked the fact that it offers valuable information such as lesson plans and tips for teachers, and parent links and tips. Overall this is a good site and user friendly. I feel kids would enjoy this one as well.

Overall, I really enjoyed creating comics in these three sites. I am already thinking of how to implement them into my lessons. My fifth graders read two class novels every semester, and they can extend on their reading by writing a different ending to the novel, or creating a summary of it.  In Social Studies we are covering the events leading up to the American Revolution. This would be a great way students can give an account of these main events.

As a future librarian, I can create comics to promote events happening in the library such as Literacy Night and Book Fairs to name a few. Which one would I choose for my students? I'd probably begin with Make Beliefs Comix and then show them how to use Pixtoon, which is the one I preferred for my students. However, since some kids are tech savvy, I'd want to expose them to ToonDoos as well. I think as with any new technology application, the more you use it, the better you get. That being said, it depends on the user and their preference. That's why I like to give my students choices, they're old enough (5th), but I can see where the lower grades would start at a more basic level.

Tellagami was very easy to use. I simply just downloaded the App on my iPhone, then followed their easy step by step instructions. After recording, I sent it to my e-mail, and also had the option to save on my phone.