http://www.infotoday.com/MMSchools/nov00/curtis.htm
This is an excellent article about the revitalization of the school libraries in the Baltimore Public School system.
Friday, August 31, 2007
Calendar template website
Check out this great site for calendar templates of all kinds, sizes and purposes.... http://www.vertex42.com/calendars/
Saturday, May 5, 2007
Moodling....
Moodling is a term coined by Brenda Euland, freelance writer and memoirist, in her book, "If You Want To Write: A Book About Art, Independence and Spirit." Although originally published in 1938, her book is amazingly contemporary. The original use in context is, "So you see, imagination needs moodling _ long, inefficient, happy idling, dawdling and puttering." The book is still available at the Writer's Store in audio and in print through Amazon
I found an old blog (2005) when I was googling to see if anyone else had discovered "moodling". Anne Johnson, blogger, writes her thoughts on how to tap into creative moodling.
I found an old blog (2005) when I was googling to see if anyone else had discovered "moodling". Anne Johnson, blogger, writes her thoughts on how to tap into creative moodling.
Friday, May 4, 2007
The Role of the School Library in the 21st Century or
Technically speaking, how in the world can you plan ahead for this?!
My head is spinning. The education world is changing so quickly that it is hard to even visualize what is coming ~ how can you keep up with the day to day responsibilities of a job, research and keep track of what’s new, and then make plans to alter your course in order to be responsive to the necessary changes? Starting a new job ~ new duties, new school, new goals ~ is daunting at any time, but when you are closer to the retirement end of a career than the beginning, and have had years invested in building a program, the very thought of beginning anew can make you shake with dread. Last August when I walked through the door of my new library, I just stopped and stared around the room. The thoughts running through my head were focused on the usual collection assessment and development tasks, the programming, the displays, the bulletin boards, the computers and printers, the…well, you get the picture. I am more technically savvy than not, and was excited about the technology in place and the possibilities of partnering with my new colleagues in designing instruction that would help our students become information literate. “ I remember thinking – “OK, I’ve been in this spot before, and I know where I’m headed and what I need to do to get there. Here is my first week task list, and this is my agenda for this first year….” Wow. I felt good about what we were going to accomplish, feeling like I could hit the deck running even with all the changes.
But a funny thing happened. As the year progressed I delved deeper into the collection, the curriculum, and what is available “out there” that might be best suited to meet our students’ needs, and I discovered that the interesting technological advances that I had been reading about have suddenly engulfed our society. At some point we seem to have crossed that invisible line where we are totally immersed in what just recently was a curiosity, or something fun to read and dream about. The role of the school library in the 21st century, and yes, the potential obsolescence of the librarian, have been the subject of much publicity. I am now confronted with the prospect of rethinking my entire professional focus, my method of doing things, my whole teaching philosophy ! The physical space of the library, how I plan and run my program, the content and format of my instruction and my collection, and the very goals that I set are in line for an extreme makeover. This coincides with the massive shift in the information world ~ the exponential growth of available information and the rapid technological advances that give us instant access and interaction on a global scale have combined to provide our students with an overwhelming amount of information to sort through, and right now I am their guide. Examining what they need to take with them as they walk out the school door after graduation, it is painfully obvious that we as educators are not taking enough steps to give them the tools of lifelong learning. Yet.
So what should I do and how should I go about it? All journeys begin with self-awareness, so my first step in redefining my role and rethinking my philosophy has been to immerse myself in the amazing compendium of ideas and thoughts from information, technology and library specialists in order to know what the possibilities are. I initially read over 60 articles from library literature relating to physical makeovers, shaping the collection, administering the program and collaboration. There were articles about aligning to standards, rewriting standards, and implementing standards. I’ve read about programming, student involvement, electronic portfolios and my impending obsolescence. I’ve read about funding, readers advisory, providing a safe environment, teaching critical thinking, evaluating the library and more. The readings have been excellent, and every time I finished one, I was all fired up to implement the suggestions the next day.
Restraining myself from impetuous implementation has been an exercise in patience. I have instead pulled out a number of articles that together form a core of thought ~ a nucleus of the elements that will be included in developing a library program that provides the optimum learning opportunities for my students as we move forward into the 21st century. My goal was to identify key thoughts and potentially useable ideas for working into my own program as well as to stay alert to resources for further study. The word, “alert” then became the acronym around which I have framed my thoughts on this focused reading. Accessibility, Literacies, Educational Leadership, Resources and Technologies are the common threads in the readings.
Accessibility perhaps conjures up images of disabled people in wheelchairs trying to get into a bricks and mortar library ~ an outdated and shortsighted vision. Accessibility refers not just to physical access to a facility, but also means access to information, ideas and materials via electronic means and alternative formats. Accessibility encompasses the idea of access not limited to time or place. My students do not have time for research during the school day – they are busy with assignments, activities and classes. Oh, of course some of their classes are scheduled into the library for research times, but that is inadequate to sort through the amount of available information. After school we run into the problem of sports, jobs, catching the bus home, and family obligations. When do they start their work? Often late at night, or at the least, after supper, or on the weekend. I’m long gone from work by then. Providing access to resources through the library web page is critical in meeting their needs. Accessibility also means access to current and relevant materials. At this time I believe it is in the best interests of our students to develop a strong core reference collection for the immediate day-to-day in-house reference needs, develop a circulating print nonfiction collection with curriculum support and high interest as the focus, and invest in as many electronic resources for research as we can afford to be made available 24/7 through the library web page. We will be creating a virtual library collection to complement the in-house materials and services. Access to pleasure reading is as close as the computer, too. Fiction is found in print, online, on e-Books, audio books, and on iPods and MP3 players.
Using the library web page as a portal to the information-rich internet, however, comes with some responsibilities. “Everyone must be able to “see” what is on the web pages, “hear” essential audio, and navigate web sites through the use of an input device, which might be a mouse, keyboard, or accessibility switch.” (Wells, 23). In the year 2000, 49.7 million people were counted by the U.S. Census Bureau as having some type of on-going condition or disability. Of those, 3.6% or 9.3 million had a sensory disability affecting sight or hearing (Wells, 23). Utilizing adaptations such as magnification software, speech software, and adapted input devices can be a simple solution. Web page design considerations include appropriate selection of font, color, links, sound and text balance, tab sequencing, displays, and the interface itself (Wells, 23-24). Because of the American Rehabilitation Act, Section 508, enacted in 1998,” all electronic and information technologies including web sites that are developed or purchased by the federal government must be accessible by people with disabilities (Wells, 24). This means that school websites (and thus, the library web sites) are impacted if the school receives federal money through grants or other programs. Wells cites several tools such as Bobby, WebXACT, and the Web Accessibility Toolbar to use in the assessment of web pages (Wells, 26). Since the library web page is becoming an important tool for communication of materials and instruction, it is vital to students’ success that the site be accessible to all.
Literacies : Our traditional thought classes LITERACY as the ability to read and write – on paper. Literacies, however, refer to so much more. We also talk of information literacy, technology literacy, and visual literacy. Our teachers must reframe their approach to literacies, too, and the library’s support is essential as they “transition from best practices of literacy to best practices of literacy in a technological world. With the help of library media and technology specialists, teachers are able to bring together the best of literacy instruction, technology integration, and information literacy to provide their students with a variety of meaningful learning experiences.” (Masferrer, 60). Masferrer also points out that our students are naturally pulled in to the world of technology where they interact and communicate with their friends and classmates. When students engage in real work with purpose, they demonstrate higher levels of academic achievement (Masferrer, 60). Reading and writing takes on new dimension in the arena of the internet. The literacies using new technologies blend the visual with language to create a multimedia product (Goodin, 23). Reading and writing take on new dimension which is far different from the old model of linear print books. Online literacies such as the use of hypertext can lead students deeper and deeper into the literature (McPherson, 67). Students who apply technology to real-world tasks obtain higher levels of achievement in these areas, as well as increased language use and problem-solving abilities (Masferrer, 60).
Educational Leadership: The image of the library as the living room of the school (Carmichael, 40) is intriguing. Imagine a place where students feel comfortable socializing, studying, collaborating, and finding answers to their academic and personal information needs. Often students who do not feel safe in other places will view the library as a sanctuary and the librarian has the chance to reach students who are self-isolated or peer-isolated (Evarts, 404-408). If the definition of a leader is one who “has the ability to influence or inspire others to achieve shared goals,” then the librarian has numerous opportunities to lead in the areas of technology integration, reading, curriculum, mentoring both students and teachers in their learning paths, and in their own professional organizations (Dees, 10-14). Developing and implementing guidelines for information literacies is critical to the success of the library program. The American Association of School Librarians is currently immersed in a rewrite of the guidelines used widely across the United States as the K-12 benchmarks for information literacy instruction (Weiss, 16) The 21st Century Skills Report – a national report entitled “Results That Matter, 21st Century Skills and High School Reform,” clearly identifies school library programs as crucial to high school reform. Again, the library is a natural venue for impacting the school’s educational environment. A startling example of a major change in the attitude toward the role of libraries in education is the extreme makeovers of the Washington, D.C., school libraries. The superintendent’s master plan calls for completely modernizing all 147 school libraries at an anticipated cost of more than $7 million dollars, and requiring at least a part-time media specialist in every school. The completion date is 2008 (Oleck, 16). With this recognition of the importance of those libraries in the educational plan comes the opportunity to effect change in the learning environment .
Resources abound in school libraries. From the librarian to the books on the shelves to the electronic databases to the computers and the other technologies, the library is recognized as a clearinghouse for both media and methods within the school. The necessary efficiency and economy of the deployment of resources makes the library and the direction of the librarian essential to the learning community. Aside from the obvious, though, the library is a portal to a global perspective. The technology rich world in which we live today provides unlimited opportunities for our students to participate in this network. The whole idea of Web 2.0 is the user-driven content, and the social interaction involved in the creation and communication of content. Connecting students and staff with the right resources is an awesome and satisfying task and an important step in helping them become lifelong learners.
Technologies: The vocabulary of today’s technologies contains a few familiar words, but mostly a new language has emerged in the 21st century. Blogs, wikis, podcasts, Smart Boards, WebQuests, RSS feeds, and googling are words to integrate into our lives. School library blogs, wikis and podcasts can be new tools for reaching the students as well as methods for engaging students in the activities of learning. Many authors are using these social technologies to engage their readers in their books and writing process (Beaman, 30). These technologies are directly related to the literacies as a method of not only promoting reading and writing, but also developing communication skills (McPherson, 67). Bringing the teachers and staff to a place where they also model and embrace the new technologies is integral to the success of the library’s technology integration plans. (Anderson, 15) When the teachers are comfortable using the technologies, they will integrate them into lessons, and learning will be enhanced. The mechanics of the new interactive technologies can be taught to faculty and staff through Library 2.0. a free program, which may increase their degree of comfort and facilitate their buy-in to the integration of these technologies (Stephens, 24).
Staying ALERT to the possibilities and opportunities for effecting change in my school and in the lives of my students is going to keep me occupied for quite some time. To facilitate my next steps and further investigation of topics and resources I’ve stumbled onto in this focused reading, I have included some follow up links with the annotations in the bibliography. This list is excellent blog fodder, which is propelling me out of the self-awareness stage and into Web 2.0 itself. And so this journey of redefinition will continue in cyberspace.
Technically speaking, how in the world can you plan ahead for this?!
My head is spinning. The education world is changing so quickly that it is hard to even visualize what is coming ~ how can you keep up with the day to day responsibilities of a job, research and keep track of what’s new, and then make plans to alter your course in order to be responsive to the necessary changes? Starting a new job ~ new duties, new school, new goals ~ is daunting at any time, but when you are closer to the retirement end of a career than the beginning, and have had years invested in building a program, the very thought of beginning anew can make you shake with dread. Last August when I walked through the door of my new library, I just stopped and stared around the room. The thoughts running through my head were focused on the usual collection assessment and development tasks, the programming, the displays, the bulletin boards, the computers and printers, the…well, you get the picture. I am more technically savvy than not, and was excited about the technology in place and the possibilities of partnering with my new colleagues in designing instruction that would help our students become information literate. “ I remember thinking – “OK, I’ve been in this spot before, and I know where I’m headed and what I need to do to get there. Here is my first week task list, and this is my agenda for this first year….” Wow. I felt good about what we were going to accomplish, feeling like I could hit the deck running even with all the changes.
But a funny thing happened. As the year progressed I delved deeper into the collection, the curriculum, and what is available “out there” that might be best suited to meet our students’ needs, and I discovered that the interesting technological advances that I had been reading about have suddenly engulfed our society. At some point we seem to have crossed that invisible line where we are totally immersed in what just recently was a curiosity, or something fun to read and dream about. The role of the school library in the 21st century, and yes, the potential obsolescence of the librarian, have been the subject of much publicity. I am now confronted with the prospect of rethinking my entire professional focus, my method of doing things, my whole teaching philosophy ! The physical space of the library, how I plan and run my program, the content and format of my instruction and my collection, and the very goals that I set are in line for an extreme makeover. This coincides with the massive shift in the information world ~ the exponential growth of available information and the rapid technological advances that give us instant access and interaction on a global scale have combined to provide our students with an overwhelming amount of information to sort through, and right now I am their guide. Examining what they need to take with them as they walk out the school door after graduation, it is painfully obvious that we as educators are not taking enough steps to give them the tools of lifelong learning. Yet.
So what should I do and how should I go about it? All journeys begin with self-awareness, so my first step in redefining my role and rethinking my philosophy has been to immerse myself in the amazing compendium of ideas and thoughts from information, technology and library specialists in order to know what the possibilities are. I initially read over 60 articles from library literature relating to physical makeovers, shaping the collection, administering the program and collaboration. There were articles about aligning to standards, rewriting standards, and implementing standards. I’ve read about programming, student involvement, electronic portfolios and my impending obsolescence. I’ve read about funding, readers advisory, providing a safe environment, teaching critical thinking, evaluating the library and more. The readings have been excellent, and every time I finished one, I was all fired up to implement the suggestions the next day.
Restraining myself from impetuous implementation has been an exercise in patience. I have instead pulled out a number of articles that together form a core of thought ~ a nucleus of the elements that will be included in developing a library program that provides the optimum learning opportunities for my students as we move forward into the 21st century. My goal was to identify key thoughts and potentially useable ideas for working into my own program as well as to stay alert to resources for further study. The word, “alert” then became the acronym around which I have framed my thoughts on this focused reading. Accessibility, Literacies, Educational Leadership, Resources and Technologies are the common threads in the readings.
Accessibility perhaps conjures up images of disabled people in wheelchairs trying to get into a bricks and mortar library ~ an outdated and shortsighted vision. Accessibility refers not just to physical access to a facility, but also means access to information, ideas and materials via electronic means and alternative formats. Accessibility encompasses the idea of access not limited to time or place. My students do not have time for research during the school day – they are busy with assignments, activities and classes. Oh, of course some of their classes are scheduled into the library for research times, but that is inadequate to sort through the amount of available information. After school we run into the problem of sports, jobs, catching the bus home, and family obligations. When do they start their work? Often late at night, or at the least, after supper, or on the weekend. I’m long gone from work by then. Providing access to resources through the library web page is critical in meeting their needs. Accessibility also means access to current and relevant materials. At this time I believe it is in the best interests of our students to develop a strong core reference collection for the immediate day-to-day in-house reference needs, develop a circulating print nonfiction collection with curriculum support and high interest as the focus, and invest in as many electronic resources for research as we can afford to be made available 24/7 through the library web page. We will be creating a virtual library collection to complement the in-house materials and services. Access to pleasure reading is as close as the computer, too. Fiction is found in print, online, on e-Books, audio books, and on iPods and MP3 players.
Using the library web page as a portal to the information-rich internet, however, comes with some responsibilities. “Everyone must be able to “see” what is on the web pages, “hear” essential audio, and navigate web sites through the use of an input device, which might be a mouse, keyboard, or accessibility switch.” (Wells, 23). In the year 2000, 49.7 million people were counted by the U.S. Census Bureau as having some type of on-going condition or disability. Of those, 3.6% or 9.3 million had a sensory disability affecting sight or hearing (Wells, 23). Utilizing adaptations such as magnification software, speech software, and adapted input devices can be a simple solution. Web page design considerations include appropriate selection of font, color, links, sound and text balance, tab sequencing, displays, and the interface itself (Wells, 23-24). Because of the American Rehabilitation Act, Section 508, enacted in 1998,” all electronic and information technologies including web sites that are developed or purchased by the federal government must be accessible by people with disabilities (Wells, 24). This means that school websites (and thus, the library web sites) are impacted if the school receives federal money through grants or other programs. Wells cites several tools such as Bobby, WebXACT, and the Web Accessibility Toolbar to use in the assessment of web pages (Wells, 26). Since the library web page is becoming an important tool for communication of materials and instruction, it is vital to students’ success that the site be accessible to all.
Literacies : Our traditional thought classes LITERACY as the ability to read and write – on paper. Literacies, however, refer to so much more. We also talk of information literacy, technology literacy, and visual literacy. Our teachers must reframe their approach to literacies, too, and the library’s support is essential as they “transition from best practices of literacy to best practices of literacy in a technological world. With the help of library media and technology specialists, teachers are able to bring together the best of literacy instruction, technology integration, and information literacy to provide their students with a variety of meaningful learning experiences.” (Masferrer, 60). Masferrer also points out that our students are naturally pulled in to the world of technology where they interact and communicate with their friends and classmates. When students engage in real work with purpose, they demonstrate higher levels of academic achievement (Masferrer, 60). Reading and writing takes on new dimension in the arena of the internet. The literacies using new technologies blend the visual with language to create a multimedia product (Goodin, 23). Reading and writing take on new dimension which is far different from the old model of linear print books. Online literacies such as the use of hypertext can lead students deeper and deeper into the literature (McPherson, 67). Students who apply technology to real-world tasks obtain higher levels of achievement in these areas, as well as increased language use and problem-solving abilities (Masferrer, 60).
Educational Leadership: The image of the library as the living room of the school (Carmichael, 40) is intriguing. Imagine a place where students feel comfortable socializing, studying, collaborating, and finding answers to their academic and personal information needs. Often students who do not feel safe in other places will view the library as a sanctuary and the librarian has the chance to reach students who are self-isolated or peer-isolated (Evarts, 404-408). If the definition of a leader is one who “has the ability to influence or inspire others to achieve shared goals,” then the librarian has numerous opportunities to lead in the areas of technology integration, reading, curriculum, mentoring both students and teachers in their learning paths, and in their own professional organizations (Dees, 10-14). Developing and implementing guidelines for information literacies is critical to the success of the library program. The American Association of School Librarians is currently immersed in a rewrite of the guidelines used widely across the United States as the K-12 benchmarks for information literacy instruction (Weiss, 16) The 21st Century Skills Report – a national report entitled “Results That Matter, 21st Century Skills and High School Reform,” clearly identifies school library programs as crucial to high school reform. Again, the library is a natural venue for impacting the school’s educational environment. A startling example of a major change in the attitude toward the role of libraries in education is the extreme makeovers of the Washington, D.C., school libraries. The superintendent’s master plan calls for completely modernizing all 147 school libraries at an anticipated cost of more than $7 million dollars, and requiring at least a part-time media specialist in every school. The completion date is 2008 (Oleck, 16). With this recognition of the importance of those libraries in the educational plan comes the opportunity to effect change in the learning environment .
Resources abound in school libraries. From the librarian to the books on the shelves to the electronic databases to the computers and the other technologies, the library is recognized as a clearinghouse for both media and methods within the school. The necessary efficiency and economy of the deployment of resources makes the library and the direction of the librarian essential to the learning community. Aside from the obvious, though, the library is a portal to a global perspective. The technology rich world in which we live today provides unlimited opportunities for our students to participate in this network. The whole idea of Web 2.0 is the user-driven content, and the social interaction involved in the creation and communication of content. Connecting students and staff with the right resources is an awesome and satisfying task and an important step in helping them become lifelong learners.
Technologies: The vocabulary of today’s technologies contains a few familiar words, but mostly a new language has emerged in the 21st century. Blogs, wikis, podcasts, Smart Boards, WebQuests, RSS feeds, and googling are words to integrate into our lives. School library blogs, wikis and podcasts can be new tools for reaching the students as well as methods for engaging students in the activities of learning. Many authors are using these social technologies to engage their readers in their books and writing process (Beaman, 30). These technologies are directly related to the literacies as a method of not only promoting reading and writing, but also developing communication skills (McPherson, 67). Bringing the teachers and staff to a place where they also model and embrace the new technologies is integral to the success of the library’s technology integration plans. (Anderson, 15) When the teachers are comfortable using the technologies, they will integrate them into lessons, and learning will be enhanced. The mechanics of the new interactive technologies can be taught to faculty and staff through Library 2.0. a free program, which may increase their degree of comfort and facilitate their buy-in to the integration of these technologies (Stephens, 24).
Staying ALERT to the possibilities and opportunities for effecting change in my school and in the lives of my students is going to keep me occupied for quite some time. To facilitate my next steps and further investigation of topics and resources I’ve stumbled onto in this focused reading, I have included some follow up links with the annotations in the bibliography. This list is excellent blog fodder, which is propelling me out of the self-awareness stage and into Web 2.0 itself. And so this journey of redefinition will continue in cyberspace.
Anderson, Cynthia. “The Making of the School Library of the Future.” Media & Methods 41.no6 (May/June 2005): 15
· Being able to visualize what the school library of the future looks like involves being a technology risk taker, and developing a solid technology plan. Keeping the library on the cutting edge of technology, and helping staff embrace the technology are key elements.
· FOLLOW UP:
o Online workshops: Atomic Learning, 866/259-6890, www.atomiclearning.com ):
o Connected University (Classroom Connect, 800/440-4036 , www.classroom.com );
o PBS Teacher Line (PBS TeacherLine, 800/572-6386, www.teacherline.pbs.org )
- Beaman, Anita. “ YA Lit 2.0 How Technology Is Enhancing the Pleasure Reading Experience for Kids.” Knowledge Quest 35.no1 (Sept/Oct.): 30-33.
Beaman presents an exciting and inspiring case for using new technologies (such as wikis, blogs, podcasts, and itunes etc.) to bring readers to the authors and to the literature itself. Dubbing this trend YA Lit 2.0, she lists many resources for use in “revitalizing readers advisory.”
FOLLOW UP:
Look at the King Dork (by Frank Portman) web site:
Read author Sarah Dessen’s blog:
Knowledge Quest Web articles:
Where to Go for YA Lit 2.0: A Sample
A YA Lit Soundtrack
YA Librarian 2.0 Wiki: A Place for Sharing & Learning
Just What Is It with Graphic Novels Anyway? By Kat Kan
Zines, Literacy, and the Adolescent by Denise Aulik - Bedard, Diane. “Moving Forward, Looking Back.” Teacher Librarian 33.no3 (Feb. 2006): 52-55
· Bedard offers pertinent advice based on one school’s efforts to improve the learning environment through technology while also reducing the number of times when library staff was called to troubleshoot technology issues. As technology is replaced and upgraded, though, the alarming amount of “techno-trash” being generated is a staggering. The author shares resources for disposing of such e-waste responsibly.
· FOLLOW UP:
o Basel Action Network www.ban.org
o Computer Recycling : www.infoweblinkscom/content/computerrecycling.htm
o Computer Recycling and Reuse FAQ www.techsoup.org/howto/articlepage.cfm?Articleid=537
o E-WASTE…Electronics Take It Back! www.crra.com/ewate/index/html
o U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s eCycling HomePage www.epa.gov/epaoswer/hazwaste/recycle/ecycling/index.htm
Carmichael, Maribeth. ""If You Build It, They Will Come": Creating a School Library That Embraces Students and Teachers." Teacher Librarian 34.no3 (Feb. 2007): 40-42.
· “The library is the living room of the school” summarizes Carmichael’s belief that school libraries are a vital part of the school community. She shares examples from her own school district, and suggests ways other librarians can create a learning environment with a high comfort level.
· FOLLOW UP:
o Read-aloud for the high school - Earthsteps: A Rock’s Journey Through Time (Spickert, 2000) before instruction on the earth’s life cycle.
o Read the first line of The Lovely Bones…
Dees, Dianne C., Kristi Alexander, Rachel Besara, Robb Cambisios, Teresa Kent and Jodie Player Delgado. “Today’s School Library Media Specialist Leader.” Library Media Center Connection (Jan. 2007): 10-14.
The authors make their description of skills and technologies (linked to Information Power and the National Board for Professional Teaching Standard X for Library Media) come alive by creating a persona (Elaine) and walking us through her day as she utilizes and applies these concepts and tools. Elaine becomes the epitome of their definition of a leader ~ one who has the ability to influence or inspire others to achieve shared goals.
FOLLOW UP:
Read - American Association of School Librarians (2004). Your School Library Media Program and No Child Left Behind. 26 July (http://www.ala.org/ala/aaslbucket/AASLNCLBbrochureweb.pdf ).
Evarts, Lynn. “The School Library As Sanctuary.” Voice of Youth Advocates 29.no5 (Dec. 2006): 404-406.
School librarians can be a powerful force in combating the isolation that surrounds so many teens today. Because many of those students already hang out in the library, this is a natural sanctuary, or safe place for them.
Goodin, Susie. “ Multiliteracies and the School Library.” CSLA Journal 30.no1 (Fall 2006): 23-25.
Goodin starts with the premise that multiliteracies are ”literacies that are practiced with multiple types of texts and formats in a wide range of ways in social environments.” She makes the case for a natural integration into the school library program where in the new technology world the individual designs the literature.
FOLLOW-UP:
New literacies and old literacies theorists
McPherson, Keith. “School Library Blogging.” Teacher Librarian 33.no5 (June 2006): 67-69.
· If you were asked the question, “What literacies are happening online?” would you really connect student learning and achievement with the practice gained through reading and writing on the internet? McPherson adeptly discusses the educational goals and value of online experiences, particularly school library blogging, and urges librarians to action in promoting information literacy skills as part of the curriculum.
· FOLLOW-UP:
o Listen to the February 28, 2006, American University Radio newscast on blogs at www.wamu.org/programs/kn/06/02/28
o Checkout the Internet World Stats web site: www.internetworldstats.com/stats.htm
o Read: 2Learn.ca Education Society. (2005) Evaluating a Web Site. www.2learn.ca/evaluating/evaluating.html
o Health Development Agency and Center for Health Information Quality. (2006). “The QUICK guide to checking information quality”. www.quick.org.uk
o Housley, S. (2006). Blogs for Kids. www.rss-specification - Masferrer, Marie. “Designing Tech-Literacy Centers for 21st Century Students.” Library Media Connection March 2003: 60-62.
· While many of Masferrer ideas are geared to elementary level tech-literacy centers, her summary of the benefits, and her tips for design and access are applicable to classroom at all grade levels. She provides a good discussion of the opportunities for creation, collaboration and communication that these centers provide.
· FOLLOW-UP:
o RubiStar http://rubistar.4teachers.org/ - customize online rubrics
o TrackStar http://trackstar.hprtec.org/ - Collection of teacher ideas, can search old ones and save new ones
o BrainPop http://www.BrainPop.com - thematic units and lessons
o Kathy Schrock’s Guide for Educators http://school.discovery.com/schrockguide/
o Children’s Literature Web Guide http://www.acs.ucalgary.ca/!dkbrown/index.html
o PBS Between the Lions http://pbskids.org/lions/
o Candlelight Stories: http://www.candlelightstories.com/HelpOFoodMem.htm
o Hiyah Books http://www.hiyah.com/library.html - online books to use to compare and contrast
o Teach-nology http://teachers.teach-nology.com/
Oleck, Joan. "DC School Libraries Get Extreme Makeover." School Library Journal 53.no1 (Jan. 2007): 16.
· “The Library should be an amazing place to be,” wrote a Washington, D.C., middle school student, and that’s exactly what DC students will have when the extreme makeovers of 48 K-12 school libraries are completed this year. The director of DC Public Schools library services attributes the renovation projects to a change in administrators’ attitudes about the role of libraries in education.
Stephens, Michael. "The Read/Write School Library." School Library Journal 52.no12 (Dec. 2006): 24.
· The author, a recent participant in the School Library Journal’s Leadership Summit as a member of the “School Library 2.0” panel, shares insights into the impact that the digital world is having on school libraries. Stephens outlines several ways to “reboot” the school library and to break down barriers inherent in old school methods.
· FOLLOW UP:
o Learning 2.0 course ( http://plcmclearning.blogspot.com )
Weiss, Laura. “AASL to Rewrite School Library Guidelines.” School Library Journal 52.no8 (August 2006):16.
A total rewrite of the school library guidelines used as K-12 national benchmarks is in the works, expected to be completed by ALA Midwinter 2008. This short article outlines the steps AASL is taking to create a useful document which is reflective of not only the new perspective of librarianship today, but also of the major impact technological change is having on school libraries.
FOLLOW UP:
Reread Information Power ~ keep handy as a reference
Review draft document of the 21st Century Library Media Center Guidelines at the AASL WIKI site: http://wikis.ala.org/aasllearningstandards/index.php/Main_Page
Wells, Julie A. and Ann E. Barron. “School Library Web Sties: Are They Accessible to All?” Journal of Special Education Technology. 21.no3 (Summer 2006): 23-30.
The library web page may serve as a portal for members of the community to access important information about the library and the school as well as provide a 24/7 access point to databases and other resources. There are more than 9.3 million people in the United States with a sensory disability involving sight or hearing, yet the majority of school web pages do not meet the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines. Wells leaves the reader with a wealth of information about what accessibility really entails, and identifies several resources for testing web site accessibility.
FOLLOW UP:
Reread American Rehabilitation Act, Section 508 and also Priority 1, 2, & 3 of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines; Use WebXact , Bobby and the Accessibility Toolbar to evaluate our school’s web page;
Wright, S.A., & Dawson, S. (2003). Watchfire Advances Web Accessibility Testing with Bobby 5.0 ( http://www.Watchfire.com/news/releases/4-7-03.aspx)
Watchfire Corporation. WebExact.( http://WebXACT.com )
W3C (World Wide Web Consortium). (1999). Web content accessibility guidelines 1.0. http://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG10/wai-pageauth.html
Web Accessibility Toolbar http://www.webcredible.co.uk/user-friendly-resources/web-accessibility/accessibility-toolbar.shtml
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