Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Mad Library Science!

Welcome to the very first installment of the Georgia College LITC's "Mad Library Science" blog postings.

What exactly do we mean by "Mad Library Science," you say? We're glad you asked...

At the encouragement of an educator in the Baldwin County school system (and alumna of GC), we are going to be posting information here on helpful educational technology. Some of these technologies are going to be new and exciting, and some will be not so new...but exciting nonetheless.

Just look here on the blog for posts with the "Mad Library Science" label and you'll find something that can help you as an educator, or even as just a person who's interested in useful technology.

For our first technological recommendation, we're going to introduce you to the wonderful mobile app that got this whole idea started: DocScanner.

DocScanner is an app (short for 'application' for those who may not speak the techno lingo) that allows you to turn your iPhone, Android phone, or mobile device using the S60 software platform into a scanner.

Yes, you read that correctly; it turns your phone into a scanner.

Once you've installed the app on your compatible mobile device, you simply open DocScanner, designate what type of file you want to save (JPEG graphic, PDF document, or OCR editable text file), where you want to send it (your Dropbox or Google Docs account), and then you take the best picture you can of the item you're scanning. That's it.

The implications are incredible with this kind of technology:

  • Take a handout from your meeting and turn it into a digital copy that can be accessed anywhere.
  • Turn a fun paper handout from a conference into a reusable activity for students.
  • Create a digital copy of your example project for display in the classroom.
  • Move one step closer to being "paperless."
  • Bypass a compatibility issue with technological equipment in your classroom to make your resources work.

By the way, that last bullet point is exactly what our educator friend did with her copy of DocScanner. It's just one application of cool new technology that can be a great tool in real life.

DocScanner isn't free, unfortunately, but it is a fairly inexpensive piece of software for all that it does. DocScanner costs are:

For more general information, visit the official DocScanner site at www.docscannerapp.com.

Thanks for stopping by; we'll see you next month with another technology tool in our next installment of Mad Library Science.

Monday, December 5, 2011

Finals Week in the LITC


Finals Week in the Library & Instructional Technology Center

*Need to de-stress? GC students are invited to the LITC to create their own stress-relieving squeeze balls. Activities begin on Tuesday, December 6th at 10am and will continue until supplies run out.

*Board Games are now available at the LITC! Check out games and take a break from studying...just not too long of a break…

*The LITC is also offering “Food for Fines”. In this incentive, the LITC forgives $1 per can/box/package of non-perishable food item that is not expired (up to $25 per student). Promotion does not apply to lost/missing replacement fees or media equipment fines. Food for Fines begins December 6th and continues through December 9th. Food items will be given to a local charitable organization.

*Finals Hours: December 5-8   7:30am-2:00am

Thursday, December 1, 2011

New READ Poster

The LITC is proud to present our first READ poster to promote literacy and to highlight the campus community. Our first poster depicts Amelia Pelton (Georgia College Director of Dance) and dancers from the Nutcracker Ballet.