Evidence of service
4.1 Introduction
My perspective on service has changed greatly over the course of my experience as an educator. It began as one that I feel was passive; I was a figurehead or symbol of leadership and took part In leadership teams. As a doctoral student, researcher, and Instructional Designer, I have found that now my definition of service Is that one of where I am sharing my knowledge and learning experiences with my peers, but also doing research to better our field of Instruction and learning. I feel that It is incredibly Important to share our own research and learning with other educators to further the fields of technology Integration.
4.2 primary evidence
Leadership
During my years as an educator, I have been In many leadership positions. During my first year teaching, our second-grade team lead resigned unexpectedly during the first week of school and I was asked by administration to step up to be the Second Grade team leader, which I hesitantly accepted. As team leader, I was responsible for overseeing grade level planning meetings and grade level field trips to Bluebell and Texas A&M. When I became a sixth-grade math teacher, our team lead (once again) resigned from teaching, but became our school's Instructional Coach. Due to this, I was chosen by my peers as the new Sixth-Grade team leader, where I was responsible for setting academic team agendas, leading team planning meetings, and overseeing team fundraisers and field trips to Schlitterbahn and Main Event.
As a librarian, I have been on every campus I have worked at's Campus Leadership Team.
Professional Organizations
My presentation for TLA Annual Conference 2022: Becoming a Youtube Librarian
I was also asked to present on how I use MackinVia in my library by Mackin.
I also had the opportunity to moderate two author panels. The photo above shows the authors from Graphic Novels In Young Adult Literature panel.
I also had the opportunity to moderate two author panels. The photo above shows the authors from the Witches and Fantasy panel.
TLA's TASL Talks
I have been given the opportunity to write multiple blogs's for the Texas Library Association-Texas Association of School Librarians's Monthly Blog: TASL Talks.
You can find those here:
Texas Computer Education Association
Librarian Special Interest Group Member
TCEA 2020 Volunteer
TCEA 2022 Super Volunteer
TCEA 2023 Super Volunteer and Conference Presenter
TCEA Super Volunteers get their conference fees refunded in exchange for 9 hours of volunteering at the conference.
I presented at the Mackin Booth at the 2019 TCEA Annual Conference for the first time.
I was a presenter In the Interactive Learning Lounge on Vlogging at the 2020 Annual Conference.
I was also asked to present on how I use MackinVia in my library by Mackin. Above Is a recording of that presentation.
Association for Educational Communication & Technology
The presentation annotated below was accepted to be presented at the 2022 AECT Annual Conference.
Cheng, S. L., Chang, J. C., Quilantan-Garza, K., Gutierrez, M., & Russell, S. G. (2022, October 24–28). Patterns of emotional experiences during emergency remote teaching in Taiwan [Conference presentation]. AECT 2022 Convention, Las Vegas, NV, United States.
International Society of Technology Educators
Librarian's Network Member
As part of the 2021 ISTE Virtual Conference, Karina Quilantan-Garza and I presented our presentation "We Created and Hosted a Virtual Conference."
Knowledge Through Presentations
The following recording (and Slides) are of presentations that I have given for fellow educators.
Knowledge Through Peer Groups
Tech It Over Is a webshow and podcast created by myself and Karina Quilantan-Garza where we highlight women In STEM careers and share technology as well as our experiences as librarians and Instructional design students.
RGV Library Squad Is a peer group founded by myself, Karina Quilantan-Garza, Alexandra Cornejo, and Vilia Garcia as leaders of Librarians from the Rio Grande Valley in South Texas.
4.3 supplementary evidence
The following are all instances where I share my knowledge and expertise with fellow librarians and educators.
In an Interview on the Librarian Influencer's Podcast, I share how my PLN or Professional Learning Network has allowed me to be a better librarian and help me continue my own professional and personal learning.
In an Interview on the School Librarians United podcast, Alexandra Cornejo and I share how we became experts on BookTalking, where we share books with our students.
In an interview for the Leading from the Library podcast with Shannon Miller, I share how I have ensured access for all of my students during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2017, I was interviewed by the Valley Morning Star, a Harlingen, Texas newspaper about being a librarian and an olympic weightlifter. I hoped that the article would help break the stereotype of librarians being people who shush students.
During the Summer of 2021, I was asked to be a part of a YouTube Librarians panel on how I use YouTube as a librarian. To the right, I have a YouTube video where I was Interviewed by the American Library Association on how to continue the work of being a school librarian during the COVID-19 pandemic.