Academic Databases

One of the main activities I conduct in my graduate school classes as well as in my job as librarian is research. I am still amazed at the endless possibilities with online searching! However, this process can be an overwhelming experience if not properly executed. An unrefined search on a typical search engine such as Google or Yahoo can yield millions of results, none of which may be what a researcher needs. Even using advanced search techniques on Google may not always deliver the academic results I need. There is a better way to acquire quality materials online for teachers and students--the use of academic online databases!

Searching in academic online databases provides me with the results for which I am inquiring. Subscriptions to academic databases are purchased by schools and universities for the use of their students and faculty and are organized by subject for easy access. For my library certification classes as well as my master's classes I often need professional journal articles that I would not be able to find easily on search engines. Through the TAMU-C library I can access a variety of databases on the academic subjects I request. I often use EBSCO Host and Academic Search Complete for articles that I select to write my abstracts.

Because my school where I am employed is a small private school, we do not have the database subscriptions that public schools have. However, this year we did acquire a multi-year subscription to netTrekker d.i., which is an educational search engine, which can be considered a type of academic database. Our students and faculty have utilized this resourse throughout the school year to enhance their teaching and locate quality material for their students. After our initial training via a webinar, several teachers and I have been enrolled in an online training session for the last six weeks through netTrekker using the Moodle platform. It has been a very enlightening experience as I have learned many more techniques and 'tricks of the trade' regarding netTrekker, and have gotten to interact online with other educators throughout the country. I have definitely learned more about the d.i. in netTrekker's title (differentiated instruction) and how I can adapt my teachings style to meet my students' varied needs. I hope that we can eventually acquire other academic databases that will be as helpful to us as netTrekker has been this year.

Desktop Publishing Software

In my school I wear many hats: librarian, music teacher, drama teacher, piano teacher, summer camp coordinator, and office administrator! It seems I am always needed to create a flyer, newsletter, advertisement, calendar, certificate, postcard, program or invitation. The best way I have discovered to make these designs outstanding is through the use of desktop publishing software. I currently use Microsoft Publisher almost on a daily basis.

Desktop Publishing Software allows the user to create pages on a professional level with almost endless capabilities. Text and graphics may be entered into the document and manipulated until the user is satisfied with the finished product. There are many ways that teachers can use desktop publishing to create and customize worksheets, transparencies, newsletters, booklets, information packets and certificates that will enhance their instructional delivery.

I create a parent newsletter each week that is published on our school website using Microsoft Publisher. I also create flyers for my field trips that I coordinate and advertisements for upcoming school-wide performances and events. Lately I have also used Publisher to design invitations for open house, the school science fair, and catered events. The use of this technology has made my multiple clerical responsibilities much easier and has allowed me to concentrate on what I feel is most important: being a librarian and teacher!