CONFERENCE ARTICLES:
Teaming with Technology
Visual Technology URLS
School Libraries
and Library Education in Hong Kong
Teacher
Tools
Electronic Reference Services
Library
Media Program Implementation and
Student Achievement
Technology Megasites
for Teen Girls
Teens on the Digital
Fringes
A school is a complicated institution and a dynamic organism. Technology
can facilitate collaboration among the stakeholders and impact student achievement.
Technology may be divided into resources and production tools: each has specific
advantages for performing specific collaborative tasks. Of special importance
is the inclusion of specialists: technology specialists, reading specialists,
education specialists, counselors, social workers, and psychologists, health
professionals, activities and athletic personnel. Their contributions can
be facilitated via technology. Administrators can also use technology to
foster collaboration among these specialists – and connect with classroom
teachers.
The Role of School Libraries
It takes a village to raise a child, it takes the entire school community
to raise a student, and it takes a school library to optimize the use of
educational resources in that effort. The library media program has as its
main mission “to ensure that students and staff are effective users of ideas
and information” (AASL, 1998, p. 6). To that end, the library provides a
welcoming and interactive learning environment through its collection and
access to relevant documents in a variety of formats. The library staff create
an atmosphere of engaged learning through a professional set of services,
chief of which is instruction, that ensure physical and intellectual access
and promote lifelong learning habits.
Library media specialists (LMS) like to think of themselves as the hub
of the school, working with all students and teachers across the curriculum.
Through information literacy processes, they can facilitate cross-course
concepts such as cultural awareness and ecological interdependence, and can
articulate curriculum across grades. LMSs can directly impact student learning
on an individual basis and through coursework. LMSs can also impact student
learning indirectly by helping classroom teachers design and implement meaningful
learning activities.
In this same vein, as information specialists, LMSs can impact students
through their collaboration with other educational service providers such
as reading specialists, counselors, and technology specialists. In addition,
LMSs make a difference in the implementation of the school mission through
their collaboration with the different governing bodies of the school: principals
and other administrators, site/faculty councils, district personnel, and
boards of trustees. Particularly in their role as information specialists
and program administrators, LMSs can offer appropriate resources and services
because they understand – and often perform -- the functions of these various
entities. In short, LMSs lead from the middle (Farmer, 2006).
The Role of Collaboration
Interestingly, the library media program as such does not explicitly
stipulate a collaborative relationship. However, for the library program
to support the needs of students and adults, LMSs need to know the school
community well and communicate with them effectively in order to get them
to use the library’s resources and services. Collaboration between the LMS
and the school community reflects two-way communication and a strategic plan
that leverages each stakeholder’s human and material resources.
As outcomes-based education and school reform movements have pointed
out the need to examine the practices of the entire school community to prepare
students, collaboration takes on added meaning. Focusing on what students
need to know and be able to do, the school as a whole examines the material
and human resources required to ensure student success. Each member, not
just classroom teachers, needs to look at what skills and resources they
bring to the table and how those contributions can be leverage in collaboration
with others. What unique role can administrators play? How do counselors
fit into this picture? What do athletic directors contribute to student achievement?
Student achievement depends on the effective planning, coordination, and
assessment of all the stakeholders within the school community, taking into
account the impact of the community at large.
• What resources are available through each of these entities?
• How are those resources used?
• How do they impact student behavior?
• How do they result in improving the school overall?
When these efforts are made collaboratively, they can be leveraged to their
maximum advantage. As the LMS, you are well situated to facilitate and help
organize these factors.
The impact of administrators has become increasingly clear, although
efforts tend to focus on tit-for-tat support, such as librarians doing research
for administrators and administrators increasing library budgets. Less attention
has been placed on other educational specialists and support personnel such
as counselors, special education experts, health professionals, and activities
directors. Each of these positions requires specialized training and fulfills
an important niche within the school community. Often their offices are run
by one person, as may be the case with LMSs. Likewise, their specific functions
may be misunderstood or overlooked in the broad scope of the entire school.
For that reason, LMSs should pro-actively get to know these staff members
and collaborate with them. The goal is to establish and maintain a richly
networked web of practice that effectively supports student learning.
The Impact of Technology on Collaboration
With its combination of text, sound, and images, technology can optimize
communication and repurposing of information. In addition, technology can
collapse time and space to facilitate information processing and collaboration.
Partners can archive and retrieve documents (e.g., exemplars, assessments)
digitally, and LMTs can organize those items in meaningful ways in response
to group needs. The use of technology itself can be optimized through communities
of practice as more tech-savvy members can help tech neophytes use tech tools
in ways that impact student learning.
Desktop publishing provides professional-looking, consistent publications.
In collaboratively developing documents, preplanning is imperative: identifying
a clear objective and message, determining roles, setting the visual tone,
and coordinating venues of communication.
Collaboratively-created databases provide an efficient collection of
resources. Partnerships need to identify the objective of each database,
the needed fields, the process of gathering and inputting data, and access
guidelines.
Spreadsheets allow collaborators to structure data clearly and statistically
interpret them. Data can be entered and modified, storied, and disseminated
for several uses, including planning. As with databases, spreadsheet objectives
and fields need to be determined ahead of time by the partnerships.
Presentation programs offer a simple way to organize and visualize key
information, and repurpose “slides” to address different objectives and audiences.
It is important for collaborators to storyboard the presentation ahead of
production, check equipment and software to insure file interoperability,
and assign production roles.
Web pages can be created and disseminated collaboratively through intranets
(in-house) or externally. Planning needs to include determining objectives,
audiences, production roles, tone and style, and interactive features.
Digitized images and video can be effective public relation tools as
they tell the school story. Collaborators can each collect pictures; the
LMS is the most logical person to tag and organize these images for the use
of the various collaborators.
Collaborating with Administrators
Administrators and LMSs share many of the same responsibilities: planning,
budgeting, supervision, communication, and general curriculum matters. Both
work with the entire school community. The potential for partnerships should
be obvious, but often they are overlooked. Administrators have to identify
needs, allocate resources effectively, and manage the operation. Because
these leaders are key decision-makers and powerful influences, LMSs need
them. On the other hand, LMSs have expertise about resources and educational
practices, as well as organizational and communication skills, that can benefit
these leaders significantly. Increasingly, administrators find that effective
schools foster collaboration, from instructional planning to governance.
Principals who encourage and facilitation collaboration positively impact
classroom practice. Principals who involve teachers in decision, emphasize
teaching and learning, and followed-through with school improvement plans
are positively correlated with high-performing schools (Design for Change,
1998). Such a shift in perception benefits the library media program, which
works on the premise of collaboration. Administrators can help promote LMSs
as site leaders by giving them opportunities for leadership, and serving
as a critical friend to give timely, specific feedback to improve performance
in those leadership roles. Likewise, the LMS can observe the daily implementation
of the school’s mission through ongoing interaction with the school community,
and can serve as a liaison between stakeholders and administrators.
In the area of information technology alone, LMSs can collaborate with
school leaders to insure equitable and cost-effective use of technology in
the service of student achievement. Within the context of a current educational
mandate for administrators for implementing national educational technology
standards (ISTE, 2002), LMSs can collaborate with them effectively.
• Shared vision: the LMS can model effective technology integration and
share best practices in other districts.
• Equitable access: the library offers efficient access to technology,
and can circulate equipment to optimize use.
• Skilled personnel: the LMS should be comfortable with educational technology
and able to collaborate with other personnel in its curricular and productivity
applications.
• Professional development: the LMS can mount Web tutorials about educational
technology onto the library or school portal, establish a professional reading
collection on the topic, and in-service the school community.
• Technical assistance: the LMS can troubleshoot the library’s equipment.
• Content standards and curriculum resources: the LMS can locate relevant
standards and collaborate with teachers to integrate them into authentic
learning experiences.
• Student-centered teaching: the LMS models individualized, differentiated
instruction daily when working with students in the library.
• Assessment and accountability: the LMS can locate valid, reliable assessment
instruments to measure technology impact for student learning.
• Community support: the LMS has community connections with local libraries
and other youth-serving agencies that can be rallied in support of the school.
• Support policies: the LMS can serve on decision-making committees and
can locate existing policies, such as acceptable use policies, copyright
compliance, intellectual freedom, and security.
• External conditions: the LMS can research existing external initiatives.
General Collaboration with Site Service Personnel
As a professional group, LMSs are usually affiliated with service personnel.
These people provide the structure and support system that enables classroom
teachers to function. Each service point brings a unique set of functions,
each requiring very specialized training, each with its own set of procedures
and ways of dealing with the school community. As such, LMSs need to spend
time learning about each service group, identifying the resources and services
that they can offer that will benefit the library media program. In turn,
the LMS needs to identify the resources and services that the library program
can offer to support the efforts of these service personnel.
As service personnel align their work to the school’s mission, each needs
to identify its niche target clientele and niche function. Although service
personnel tend not to discuss their individual jobs with their counterparts,
the impact of their efforts would be greatly improved if they were to function
more cohesively. The LMS should participate actively in these discussions
for several reasons: because the school community largely considers the LMS
as a service support specialist, because the library has a rich variety of
relevant resources to aid service personnel, and because the LMS works with
the entire school community.
Service personnel can help LMSs develop physical and digital collections
that address school community needs: recreational interests, personal growth
and development, health issues, peer relationships, family issues, college
and career exploration, legal and ethical issues.. With their links to community
experts as well as their own knowledge, service personnel can co-sponsor
library programs for the school community: on personal growth, fitness, college
preparation, career options, culture, performing and fine arts, social issues,
and many other topics of interest. Concurrently, when students and other
school community individuals seek personal help to solve problems, it behooves
the LMS to maintain a list of local experts and agencies. Additionally, as
LMSs work with students, there may be those individuals who present challenges
to library expectations; service personnel are the ones who are most knowledgeable
about these students and can help LMSs to identify strategies and local resources
that will be effective with those students.
Most service personnel consider collaboration to be a core function because
they need to connect with other entities to share information and integrate
their curriculum or program with other school initiatives. Certainly by coordinating
efforts, the school community can leverage each service and draw upon one
another’s expertise. As the information center of the school, the library
serves as a natural cost-effective organizational entity that provides maximum
access to information, hopefully enhanced around the clock through telecommunications-based
service. Working with all the students and teachers across the curriculum,
the LMS provides a similar kind of synthesizing expertise to program development
and delivery. The most obvious expertise that the LMS brings is knowledge
about resources: how to locate and evaluate them, how to organize them, and
how to make them easily accessible to the entire school community. Of particular
value is the LMS’s ability to cross-reference information to optimize its
use.
An associated skill is research; the LMS can research evidence-based practice
to support service initiatives, locate assessment instruments, and find grants
that can underwrite their efforts. The LMS can also identify content standards
that align with service personnel program goals, and act as a curricular
liaison to develop learning experiences that help students gain valuable
lifelong skills. The library’s facilities can be an attractive feature for
service personnel, displaying and disseminating information about services,
and co-sponsoring informational events Additionally, the library often serve
as the hub for educational technology and its use, so service personnel may
need help in accessing digital sources, using equipment, taking advantage
of productivity software, and designing Web pages.
Collaborating with Technology Personnel
The technology specialist oversees the smooth operations of computer-based
technology within the school. Sometimes the technology specialist focuses
entirely on instructional technology; more often, that specialist also has
to oversee the administrative aspects of technology. Some technology staff
members specialize in network operations or material; others have the background
to help coach and instruct students and staff in technology productivity
or educational integration.
The tech specialist and LMS need to work together when selecting, installing,
and maintaining hardware and software. The tech specialist may also know
some advanced features for software that LMSs use – or programs that help
students learn. The tech specialist can help LMSs hone their troubleshooting
skills, and should be just a pager away when LMSs need to contact a company
about a technical glitch. In short they can facilitate the smooth operations
of electronic resources; that kind of support can enable the LMS to focus
on other professional library functions such as information literacy instruction
and collaboration.
Like LMSs, technology staff can often feel overworked and spread too
thin. Even the tech-challenged LMS can help tech personnel organize inventory,
license agreements, and repair records. LMS knowledge about the school curriculum
and selection criteria provides valuable input when acquiring appropriate
electronic resources. LMSs know how to match specific educational technology
tools and resources with specific content to enhance learning for specific
students, realizing that technology should not work in a vacuum. Leveraging
this expertise, LMSs can also serve as an educational “translator,” bridging
the classroom teacher’s content knowledge and the specialist’s technological
expertise. Particularly because LMSs systematically work more directly with
the school community than do technology staff, the library program can serve
as a foundation for technology incorporation – and use of technical experts.
Collaborating with Reading Specialists
LMSs foster the lifelong habit of reading. Therefore, they should seek opportunities
to partner with reading specialists to optimize student success. Reading
specialists are certificated teachers with a master’s degree in reading instruction
that enables enable them to assess student reading ability, identify and
implement interventions, and provide reading instruction based on the findings
of the assessments. Reading specialists develop and implement reading curriculum,
adapt existing reading content curriculum, and help classroom teachers with
reading issues. They serve as reading resource consultants and collaborators
with the school community, and provide professional development in reading
issues (International Reading Association, 2000).
As promoters of lifelong reading, LMSs should call upon the reading specialist
to help students find joy in that habit. Even though the LMS position does
not normally require the skills of a reading diagnostician, learning some
tips on recognizing reading difficulties can help them work with students
who get stuck when doing research – or who have a hard time choosing developmentally
appropriate reading material. Because they may work one-on-one with students
having specific reading challenges, reading personnel can give LMSs advice
about individual students that can facilitate appropriate reading choices.
Selection of library materials can use the help of reading specialists who
may have good bibliographies of leveled reading and lists of books that focus
on specific phonics elements. Reading staff can also share certain titles
that resonate with their students. With the incorporation of technology,
reading staff may be able to suggest good online and non-print reading programs
or productivity tools that can accommodate struggling readers. Since environmental
conditions can impact reading success, the reading specialist can assess
the library facilities in terms of reading support. The reading specialist
might also have some good suggestions for library signage and library worksheet
directions. Reading specialists with world language expertise can help LMSs
provide extra reading support for non-native English students. They can intercede
when the student does not follow instructions in English, and they can provide
LMSs with basic terminology in the primary language to facilitate interaction
with non-English speaking students.
The library’s rich collection of materials at different reading levels
in different formats provides a wealth of support for reading specialists,
matching individual learning styles and interests. In addition, the library
facility itself provides a safe and supportive reading environment. For their
own development, reading specialists can consult the library’s professional
reading collection, which can show what colleagues are using to address content-based
reading issues. As a center for technology-enhanced learning, the library
provides electronic resources and services that can benefit reading specialists
and their students. Technical equipment such as audiocassette recorders and
camcorders can be checked out to reading specialists to help student record
their reading behaviors. Audiobooks and e-books help students with visual
processing differences and English language learners who comprehend spoken
English better than written English; the library can borrow materials from
state and federal libraries for the blind and visually impaired. Current
computers come equipped with text narration and interface options, and. scanners
with OCR (optical character recognition) allow students to upload and read
text. Software and Internet offers multiple advantages for reading specialists
and their students.
Collaborating with Special Education Personnel
Dealing effectively with students with clinically recognized special
needs adds an extra challenge to already over-extended LMSs. Collaborating
with special education personnel, LMSs can address the information literacy
needs of all students. Special education instructors address the academic
needs of students will mild to severe disabilities. They can also focus on
a number of disability areas: hearing impairments, visual impairments, physical
and health impairments. Special education professionals may work with students
in self-contained classrooms, provide targeted instruction to students in
resource rooms, or partner with classroom teachers in inclusive settings
(National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, 2003). They also need
to work with other service personnel such as health professionals, counselors,
and LMSs. Particularly since the special education profession has gathered
many resources to use in schools and the community at large, LMSs should
access those resources and share them with the school community in an organized
and effective way.
Special education personnel can help LMSs in terms of individual students,
in terms of instruction, in terms of resources, and in terms of the overall
library program. As they develop individual education plans (IEP), special
ed personnel can suggest specific interventions that will be effective for
individual students. They can also work with LMSs to provide families with
ideas on how to use the library to help their children succeed. Special education
personnel can help LMSs expand their repertoire of instructional and assessment
strategies to meet the needs of all students as well as co-teach students
with special needs. Additionally, they can teach LMSs unique classroom management
techniques to address these students’ exceptional behaviors. In terms of
resources for this targeted population, special education instructors can
provide valuable input in selecting and using resources that meet special
needs. Usually comfortable with assistive technology, they can help LMSs
make sure that library web pages are ADA compliant, and can suggest good
suppliers for assistive technology devices and resources to accommodate students
with learning differences. Special education offices might loan the library
audiocassette machines especially configured to play tapes available from
local libraries for the blind and physically handicapped. Because special
education personnel are knowledgeable about relevant laws and regulations
pertaining to their clientele, they can assess the library facility in terms
of its compliance to current standards, and can review library practices
to ensure that they accommodate special needs.
Because the LMS works with the entire school community, they are uniquely
positioned to assist special education personnel carry out their functions
effectively by helping them become integrated into the school community.
Students in special education programs can also feel isolated; LMSs can help
them feel comfortable in the library, can monitor their social behavior,
and can also provide an independent reading area for their use. Because the
library collection needs to address the curricular needs of all students,
a range of reading levels and formats provides much to choose from. Likewise,
since all kinds of classes use the library for research and reading, LMSs
can collect assignments, which can be shared with special education personnel.
Technology is another strength of most school libraries. Assistive technology
can be expensive; for a significant percentage of students with special needs,
existing library computer stations can be easily adjusted to accommodate
them adequately. Likewise, many digital resources in the library can be used
successfully with these students; if those resources are networked throughout
the school, special education personnel can use them with their students
in more contained classrooms. Special education personnel may need some coaching
in using technology or incorporating it successfully into the curriculum.
Especially as LMSs work with students in doing class projects, they can point
out critical features and steps to help students be successful.
Collaborating with Pupil Services Personnel
In today’s diverse society, the school community has to make sure that
all students have equitable opportunities to learn successfully. Barriers
to learning, be they psychological or academic, need to be addressed. The
general terms “pupil services” and “pupil support services” refers to those
who provide consultation and intervention services in support of students’
personal needs: psychologists, counselors, social workers, and health professionals.
The counseling program addresses students’ academic, career, social, and
personal needs. It offers counseling services on both a preventative, and
intervention basis. The counselor also supervises the school’s advisory program,
which is usually implemented with the participation of classroom teachers,
and trains school community adults about ways to meet student needs (American
School Counselor Association, 2005). The main function of the school psychologist
is help students succeed in school. As such, school psychologists address
issues of adjustment, social development, academic difficulties, and personal
behavior (National Association of School Psychologists, 2003). School social
workers bridge school, home, and community as they assess factors affecting
student learning, social adjustment, and emotional health. They may counsel
teachers on ways to deal with problem students, coordinate support groups
for students or parents, or assist in child placements in foster care. As
they provide intervention strategies for students and families, they may
counsel, manage cases, and deal with crises. Social workers might deal with
truancy, misbehavior, and pregnancy issues; some work closely with juvenile
courts and protection agencies. Social workers also coordinate school and
community resources to support students.
Pupil service personnel can use their people skills to help library staff
optimize interactions with the school community through training on conflict
resolution, dealing with the public, appreciating diversity, and stress reduction.
Because pupil service personnel often advise students about course scheduling,
they can refer likely candidates to be library aides. In some cases, the
academic counselor can suggest to the student that working in the library
might lead to a career in education, information science, communications,
or technology. Because pupil services personnel typically deal with administrative
databases, they can help LMSs use that system or provide you with information
to solve a library operations problem such as locating a student, contacting
a parent, or importing student data into the library’s circulation database.
Pupil services personnel need to keep current on laws and regulations that
might impact the school community, which should be made available in the
library, so these professionals can facilitate access to these legal points.
Administrators and pupil services personnel may be a good first point of
advice if a library service might have legal ramifications, such as family
book discussion groups.
Because they interface with the rest of the school community on a daily
basis, LMSs can support pupil services personnel both informally and formally.
The most obvious focus for collaboration is resource sharing; getting the
right information at the right time can help people significantly so by exchanging
good titles and sources of information, the LMS and pupil services personnel
can address the academic and personal needs of the school community. Staff
can follow up with student workshops and counseling sessions. Because the
library media program tends to focus on curriculum, LMSs can help pupil services
integrate their work into coursework. For instance, career counseling can
be melded into subject matter courses as classroom teachers want their students
to think like a scientist, historian, or artist. Library resources and online
links, listed in print bibliographies and the library’s portal directory,
can be used to research careers. Additionally, connecting to public library
local information databases, LMSs can inform counselors about community experts
who can talk with classes about their professions.
Collaborating with Physical Health Personnel
Student fitness is a weighty topic for today’s educators because student’s
physical well-being impacts day-to-day learning as well as establishes lifelong
habits. With current social issues of physical abuse, drugs, early sexuality,
HIV/AIDS, and possible pandemics, physical health personnel have increasingly
complex jobs to do. The LMS can collaborate with these staff to provide healthy
information and services to the school community.
Students may have congenital or situational conditions that can impede
their education: language and speech impediments, hearing and audiology
conditions, and orientation and mobility limitations. Clinicians and rehabilitation
specialists provide specific intervention services for these students. Speech-language
pathologists, for instance, diagnose and recommend interventions for speech
disorders (e.g., fluency, articulation, voice) and language disorders of
aphasia (lost speech or language ability) or delayed language (National Clearinghouse
for Professionals in Special Education, 2000). Educational health professionals
may include health education educators, school nurses, or district coordinators
of programs such as health education curriculum or substance abuse and prevention.
School nurses focus on students’ health and development, have the most specialized
certification standards and function of health professionals.
Health professionals can help the library be a safe environment: examining
traffic patterns and furniture placement to minimize accidents, suggesting
items for a first aid kit, training library staff in emergency preparedness
procedures, and displaying health education posters. Clinical and rehabilitation
specialists can provide valuable advice in terms of assistive technology
and overall technology use. They can suggest appropriate software or technical
modifications to existing hardware to accommodate students with hearing,
visual, or mobility impairments. As library personnel help students with
language disorders, clinical and rehabilitation specialists can give staff
tips on ways to communicate more effectively with this population, such as
speaking articulately and directly face-to-face with hearing impaired students.
They can also help them be more patient listening to students with speech
disorders and picking up tonal cues. Because physical health professionals
need to keep current in the literature and best practices, they can provide
the library with bibliographies about print and non-print information as
well as contact information about local health agencies and experts. These
materials are often targeted to the general public, so the library can service
students’ families using these items.
The library program can benefit physical health professionals in three
major areas: resources, communication, and instruction. While physical health
professionals tend to focus on professional reading, LMSs are more likely
to be aware of age-appropriate reading that is aligned with the curriculum.
Not only do these materials reflect student interests, but they can be incorporated
more easily into classroom learning activities than resources commonly used
by health professionals. Students may also be interested in health-related
career information. Communicating health information can be a real focus
for library service in support of physical health personnel. Besides creating
displays, bibliographies, and web links, LMSs can disseminate health information
via school publications, meetings, and library events. LMSs can suggest health
topics and resources – and mention the expertise of site physical health
personnel – as they collaborate with classroom teachers to design authentic
learning activities. In the process, the LMS serves as an ambassador for
health professionals.
Collaborating with Co-Curricular Personnel
Besides traditional academic subjects, education also addresses physical
fitness, lifestyle habits, socialization, and service; these elements comprise
the co-curriculum. Professionals are needed to oversee these important activities,
insuring that students get a well-rounded education. Similarly, the library
media program needs to address students’ personal needs and interests, including
leisure-time reading and viewing. These lifelong activities provide a solid
foundation for collaboration between co-curricular personnel and LMSs.
Activities directors oversee co-curricular activities, which help round
out a student’s life, and provide other venues for self-affirmation and success;
building upon students’ interests and linking students to their peers and
communities in meaningful ways, co-curricular activities promote self-discipline
as well as teamwork. Besides physical education teachers, a number of other
personnel related to athletics contribute to the school community. Coaches
may be classroom teachers or other contracted athletes who help students
perform and compete in athletic competitions; they often have to manage resources
and deal with administrative details as well. Referees, umpires, and other
sports officials help maintain the order and integrity of athletic competition.
Athletic administrators may have public administrative or business backgrounds.
Athletic trainers and kinesiotherapists apply specialized preparation in
physiological, psychological, bio-mechanical, and sociological principles.
Because they deal with many school community members who serve as co-curricular
participants and advisors during and outside traditional school hours, the
activities director and athletics director can help you the LMS connect with
these groups. Through this network, individual clubs can be a great help
to the library: videotaping student events to be archived in the library,
publicizing library programs in student publications, creating artwork for
the library, performing at library events, creating library “cheers,” and
so on.
As “Information Central,” the school library can provide valuable resources
for co-curricular personnel and their associated members. The library’s collection
and portal provide a rich assortment of materials in a variety of formats
to support student activities: sports, culture, the arts, technology, politics,
and so on. Technology enables co-curricular personnel to access digital resources
worldwide; library cable or satellite broadcasting “feeds” to download programs
and enable videoconferencing, which can offer co-curricular groups remote
access to experts and exciting sites. Many school libraries also include
production areas and services. Library tech aides can help groups create
digital products, and library video aides can tape co-curricular events,
which can later be archived in the library for use by the entire school community.
Library staff can also train co-curricular peers and students how to use
these technologies independently, and can create reference sheets of directions
to facilitate independent use. As an authentic sign of support and involvement,
LMSs can advise co-curricular clubs. Natural fits are those groups who like
reading, writing, anime/manga, calligraphy, video, technology. However, LMSs
can transcend stereotypes to advise cultural/ethnic groups, service organizations,
drug awareness groups, gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgender groups, and debate
teams. Students love seeing educators outside their normal roles; finding
out that their class advisor/LMS is a jazz dancer can increase the whole
library program’s currency. As the library media program connects with the
community, LMSs can facilitate co-curricular personnel networking with local
groups through library-created community databases and personal contacts.
To that end, the school library can co-sponsor events that feature co-curricular
topics: politics, anime, sports, pets, ecology, performance arts, and community
service.
Impact of Collaboration
When assessing the impact of technology-enhanced collaboration with administrators
and service/support personnel, LMSs can consider the following questions:
Does the library collection support the curriculum and co-curriculum?
Do service personnel participate in selecting tech resources?
Is the library – and library portal -- available to service personnel
for instruction, mentoring, research, production?
Do you co-sponsor tech services / activities with service personnel?
Do you collaborate with service personnel to develop tech products that
optimize student success?
Do you collaborate with service personnel to design and conduct tech-related
staff development events?
Do you help service personnel research issues and develop tech grants
that impact student success?
Do you strategically plan with service personnel using tech?
Assessment is an ongoing activity that enables the school community to
reflect actively on student learning and keep on making adjustments to increase
positive impact. As collaborators examine the status quo, assess the situation,
analyze the data, create interventions to improve the situation, and measure
the impact, a spiraling cycle of self-improvement develops. This kind of
learning community inquiry models collaborative learning for students, and
makes them part of the cycle itself. The interdependence that results optimizes
transfer of learning and reflects a well-rounded education.
References
American Association of School Librarians and Association for Educational
Communications and Technology. Information power: Building partnerships for
learning. Chicago: American Library Association.
American School Counselor Association. (2005). ASCA national model. Alexandria,
VA: American School Counselor Association.
Designs for Change. (1998). Practices of schools with substantially improved
reading achievement. Chicago: Chicago Public Schools.
Farmer, L. (2006). Collaborating with administrators and educational support
staff. New York: Neal-Schuman.
International Reading Association. (2000). Teaching all children to read:
The roles of the reading specialist. Newark, DE: International Reading Association.
International Society for Technology in Education. (2002). ISTE national
educational technology standards (NETS) and performance indicators for administrators.
Eugene, OR: ISTE.
National Association of School Psychologists. (2003). School psychology:
A career that makes a difference. Bethesda, MD: National Association of School
Psychologists.
National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. (2003). Early childhood
through young adulthood/exceptional needs specialist. Arlington, VA: National
Board for Professional Teaching Standards.
National Clearinghouse for Professionals in Special Education. (2000). Speech
language pathologist. Arlington, VA: National Clearinghouse for Professionals
in Special Education.
Visual Language and Instruction:
http://www.ivla.org/
http://www.sanford-artedventures.com/study/study.html
http://www.al-mousawi.org/bib.html
http://www.imaginarylands.org/
http://falcon.jmu.edu/~ramseyil/picture.htm
http://librarymedia.org/visual/topics.htm
http://eduscapes.com/info/visuallit.html
http://members.ozemail.com.au/~leemshs/visual.htm
http://www.visualizingaddiction.org science
http://www.artlex.com visual arts dictionary
http://www.kn.pacbell.com/wired/capades/glossary.html visual glossary
http://www.kn.pacbell.com/wired/art2 viewing artistically
http://www.artsedge.org/
http://www.envisionyourworld.com/
http://www.medialiteracy.com
http://mediachannel.org/classroom/
http://www.sedl.org visual literacy found under “The People’s Choice”
Visual Searching:
http://www.kartoo.com
http://www.clusty.com
http://www.grokker.com
http://mooter.com
http://www.webbrain.com/html/search_frame.html
Searching for Visual Information:
http://www.smarter.com/smartervisualsearch/select.php
http://www.evisionglobal.com
http://www.mediabakery.com/visualsearch.asp
http://www.ditto.com
http://www.quintura.com
http://blinkx.com/overview.php
http://www.singingfish.com
http://www.shadowtv.com
Evaluating Visual Information:
http://oemagazine.com/fromTheMagazine/jan05/photofakery.html
http://www.museumofhoaxes.com/photos/photos.html
http://www.camerairaq.com/faked_photos/
http://snopes.com/photos/photos.asp
http://www.alias.com/eng/etc/fakeorfoto/quiz.html
http://www.badastronomy.com/bad/tv/iangoddard/moon01.htm
http://www.cyberjournalist.net/news/001830.php
http://www.pbs.org/pov/ad
political ads
Photography: http://www.usask.ca/art/digital_culture/horowitz/
Reading photos: http://www.learnnc.org/articles/vlphoto0602-1
Color and Mood:
http://brightworld.com/Cool/Mood_Light.html
http://www.weprintcolor.com/moodofcolour.htm
http://www.webdesignclinic.com/ezine/v1i3/mood/
http://houseandhome.msn.com/decorate/decoratingwithcolor0.aspx
http://www.yourneighborhooddoctor.com/color_therapy.html
http://www.kiradesign.com/colors.htm
http://www.icolormyworld.com/
Visual Representation of Knowledge:
http://www.visualthesaurus.com
http://www.inspiration.com/vlearning/index.cfm
http://www.graphic.org
http://www.gliffy.com
http://www.transana.org/ to analyze video data
http://www.iokio.com/omniscope.html visualizing data
Mash-Ups:
Google Earth and spawns http://maps.google.com
http://www.yourgmap.com
http://www.acme.com/planimeter measures areas
http://www.speakeasy.org/~endico/maps/usgs.html earthquakes
Visual Sources:
http://www.artmuseums.com
http://wwar.com world wide arts resources
http://www.artic.edu/artaccess
http://www.getty.edu/artsednet
http://www.nga.gov National Art Gallery
http://www.metmuseum.org
http://www.coudal.com/moom.php Museum of Online Museums
http://www.culture-at-work.com/jpnlink.html
http://fiftycrows.org/tvnewmedia
http://www.flickr.com
http://www.YouTube.com
http://www.ifilm.com/
http://www.grouper.com/ lots of video
http://wink.com/ museums and other visual collections
http://education.arm.gov/nsdl/index.shtml atmosphere visualization collection
http://ashesandsnow.org/ pictorial essays about human connection with animals
http://usmob.com.au/ virtual Australian reality
http://www.eskeletons.org/
from a forthcoming book on Information literacy and assessment (Scarecrow
Press, 2006)
Research Processing Models
• Washington Library Media Association’s essential skills for information
literacy provides benchmarks at the 4gth, 7th, and 10th grades (http://www.wlma.org/Instruction/benchmarks.htm).
• Wisconsin’s model academic standards melds information and technology
literacies throughout the curriculum, and benchmarks targeted performances
at 4th, 8th, and 12th grades (http://www.waunakee.k12.wi.us/DPI_Standards/matrix.htm).
• The Kansas State Department of Education aligned its information literacy
standards to the American Association of School Librarians’, and developed
benchmark indicators for each standard (http://www.ksde.org/outcomes/libstd52001.pdf).
• Mankato (Minnesota) area schools have developed grade-level targeted
performance standards for information and technology skills (http://www.isd77.k12.mn.us/resources/infocurr/benchmarks.pdf).
Access / Location Skills
• Copeland (2005) has guidelines for posing and assessing questions
(http://www.stenhouse.com/pdfs/0394ch05.pdf).
• Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy developed an interactive
key word assessment (http://21cif.imsa.edu/mc/challenge/KeywordChallenge.swf).
• Moore (1997) listed significant elements for educators to observe
in children’s problem solving efforts (http://www.ifla.org/IV/ifla63/63moop.htm).
• Shambles lists several useful tools for assessing information and
communications technology competency (http://www.tepaonline.net/pages/staff/AssessIT/).
• Direct evidence: locate the item.
• Written evidence: concept maps, lists of key words, journaling, underlining
key words.
Content Evaluation Skills
• Mark phrases that reflect content accuracy, perspective, authenticity
• Explain why a specific source was selected or rejected in terms of
the criteria, preferably documenting the decision-making process
• Use evaluation rubrics to analyze a source (e.g., Kathy Schrock’s
extensive list at http://school.discovery.com/schrockguide/eval.html)
• applying critical thinking skills to program solving (http://www.denison.k12.ca.us/ms/courses/rain/rubric.htm).
• Chico (California) Unified School District uses an authentic task
to assess students’ ability to evaluate web sites (http://dewey.chs.chico.k12.ca.us/info-lit.html).
Communication Skills
• Socratic circles, where students discuss their insights on their reading,
model intellectual dialogue. The National Teaching and Learning Forum provides
a rubric for assessing several facets of participation: http://www.ntlf.com/html/lib/suppmat/1306a.htm.
• Arizona State University’s Foundation of Communication Assessment
and Evaluation has developed a simple instrument for oral, written, and
visual communication (http://www.fulton.asu.edu/~fcae/Insturments/Communication%20Instrument/Communicationinstrument.htm).
• Schools of California Online Resources for Education (SCORE), which
uses California content standards, has developed a simple collaboration
rubric (http://www.sdcoe.k12.ca.us/score/actbank/collaborub.html).
Metacognition Skills
• Biggs 2001 revised study process questionnaire gives valid information
about a student’s level of motivation and use of study strategies (teaching.polyu.edu.hk/datafiles/R75a.doc).
• Learning and Teaching Scotland supplies two self-assessments for capturing
learner perceptions and for collecting evidence of attainment (http://www.education.gov.ab.ca/k_12/curriculum/bySubject/focusoninquiry.pdf).
• Conduct interviews about information literacy strategies.
• Have students create concept maps or write reflective journals.
Collaboration Skills
A good practice is to have one person serve as an observer of the group,
noting behaviors that advance and impede collaboration. Other typical assessment
tools include individual and group questionnaires and checklists, reflective
documentation, and authentic assessment of group projects.
• The International Association for the Study of Cooperation in Education
(http://www.iasce.net/resources.shtml) offers resources from the leading
researchers in the field.
• The Center for the Study of Learning and Performance at Concordia
University has a very useful set of assessment tools for students and teachers
(http://doe.concordia.ca/cslp/RS-Instruments.php).
• San Diego (California) County of Education developed a simple rubric
to assess student collaboration (http://www.sdoe.k12.ca.us/socre/actbank/collabororub.html).
• Las Cruces (New Mexico) and Kyrene de las Brisas Elementary (Arizona)
public schools targeted their collaboration rubric to elementary students
(http://www.zianet.com/cjcox/edutech4learning/cincorubric.html and http://www.kyrene.org/schools/brisas/sunda/litpack/collaboration_rubric.htm).
• Arizona State University’s simple teaming instrument measures group
performance over time (http://www.eas.asu.edu/~fcae/Insturments/Teaming%20Instrument/teaminginstrument.htm).
Appreciation Skills
• Kansas State Department of Education has developed a rubric that addresses
basic appreciation elements across the creative arts (http://www.ksde.org/outcomes/rubricfinal.pdf).
• Bartel has a rubric that assesses discussion and writing on art and
esthetics. With just a few changes in terms, it can be used for creative
expressions in any format (http://www.goshen.edu/art/edu/rubric3.html).
• Cope (2003) offers several useful assessments to document students’
affective reading experiences (http://ksumail.kennesaw.edu/~jcope/WorkshopHandouts/2003Handouts.htm).
• The Australian Children’s Television Foundation lists indicators of
TV and film appreciation (http://www.actf.com.au/learning_centre/school_resources/teaching_kits/btv/units/btv_lp.htm).
ASSESSMENT AT DIFFERENT SYSTEM LEVELS
Library Level
• The Department for Education and Skills and the School Libraries Working
Group (UK) developed two series of scenarios that teacher librarians can
use to assess their programs, one for primary and one for secondary settings
(http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/teachingandlearning/resourcematerials/schoollibraries/?3300545056b4385-a1d7191d-3302-4529-8db5-17eb5900db37).
• The Quebec Federation of Home and School Associations developed a
questionnaire to assess school libraries (http://www.qfhsa.org/pdf/library_questionnaire_nov04.pdf).
• Berea College Hutchins Library uses a number of useful forms to assess
bibliographic instruction program (http://faculty.berea.edu/henthorns/bieval/).
• Bertland maintains links evaluation forms for school library programs
and teacher librarians (http://www.sldirectory.com/libsf/resf/evaluate.html#forms).
• Maxfield (Montana) Library has quick forms for both students and teachers
to assess library instruction (http://www.lib.umt.edu/research/eval.htm).
Classroom Level
• The Indiana State Department of Education’s learning communities handbook
includes a self-assessment tool (appendix 5) to determine to what extent
a course needs library instruction; although targeted for college faculty,
most of the questions can be easily adapted for secondary school settings
(http://www.indstate.edu/fyp/handbook.PDF).
• Alberta (Canada) Learning’s 2004 publication Focus on Inquiry guides
teachers on incorporating technology for inquiry-based learning, and meld
information literacy; 12appendices include useful assessment tools for both
teachers and students (http://www.education.gov.ab.ca/k_12/curriculum/bySubject/focusoninquiry.pdf).
• New Zealand’s Ministry of Education constructed a literacy assessment
rubric targeted to classroom teachers (http://www.tki.org.nz/r/assessment/atol_online/self_review_e.php).
• Probably the most telling evidence, however, is sample student work.
Redwood HS’s research handbook serves as a consumable guide in this respect
(http://rhsweb.org/library/researchguidelong.htm). Their rubric is useful:
(http://rhsweb.org/library/research_rubric.htm).
Research project rubrics provide a concrete way to assess student work;
both the process and product should be assessed.
• Rochman’s rubric, based on the Association of College and Research
Libraries (ACRL), is a good start (www.calstate.edu/LS/1_rubric.doc).
• New Jersey City University’s information literacy rubric is also based
on ACRL’s information literacy, and was cited by the Middle States Commission
on Higher Education (http://www.njcu.edu/Guarini/Instructions/instrucations.htm).
• From New Zealand comes another simple rubric to assess information
processing skills (http://www.in2edu.com/downloads/infolit/inforubirc.PDF).
• The Australian Library and Information Association has developed an
information literacy toolkit, which includes an ICT literacy matrix of student
learning (http://www.alia.org.au/advocacy/literacy.kit.pdf).
• The Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory’s research rubric assesses
student work from three perspectives: technology use, researching, and presentation
(http://www.ncrel.org/mands/FERMI/prairie/9prairie/9rub1.html).
• Joyce Valenza’s research “checkbric” can be used by students and adults
alike (http://mciu.org/~spjvweb/checbric.html). Her research project rubric
aligns with standard research process models (http://mciu.org/~spjvweb/resrub.html).
• California State University, Long Beach, developed an analytic writing
rubric, which reflects information literacy elements (http://www.csulb.edu/divisions/aa/personnel/fcpd/resources/ge/analytic/index.html).
• The Kansas Research Collaborative Network’s science report rubric
(http://rhsweb.org/library/rubric_secexp.htm) and Howe (Oklahoma) High School’s
science report rubric point out the critical features of technical writing
(http://www.howe.k12.ok.us/~jimaskew/evalua.htm).
Site Level
• A good practice is a system-wide information audit, used to identify
resources and services that can contribute to information literacy planning
and implementation. At the operational level, it can help streamline procedures,
minimize duplicative effort, and aid in prioritizing the allocation of resources.
• The New South Wales (Australia) Department of Commerce Office of Information
Technology offers guideline for conducting an information audit, which can
provide a framework for an information literacy assessment plan (http://www.oit.nsw.gov.au/Guidelines/4.3.12.g-IM-Audit.asp).
• The Association of College and Research Libraries (of the American
Library Association) has designed an information literacy IQ (Institutional
Quotient) test and scoring guide to determine an institution’s readiness for
integrating information literacy into the curriculum; the emphasis is on
system-wide conditions and steps towards capacity building (http://www.ala.org/ala/acrl/acrlissues/acrlinfolit/professionalactivity/iil/immersion/infolitiqtest.htm).
• New Zealand’s Ministry of Education developed a literacy leadership
tool for elementary schools that includes a planning vision, literacy review
tool, and school action plan (http://www.tki.org.nz/r/literacy_numeracy/lit_lead_tools_1_8_e.php)
• Colorado’s Department of Education now mandates districts technology
and information literacy plans, and provides forms and guidelines to help
staff in this process (http://www.cde.state.co.us/edtech/plng-etil.asp)
• The North Central Regional Educational Laboratory offers a self-assessment
tool for school leaders to examine technology and transformation, which
may be adapted for information literacy issues (http://www.ncrel.org/cscd/pubs/lead51/51assess.htm)
• California’s Technology Information Center for Administrative Leadership
provides several templates and guidelines for site and district technology
plans, which include information literacy aspects (http://www.portical.org/contents2.html?mode=TT).
• The U.S. National Center for Education Statistics developed a questionnaire
that examines information literacy instructional programs (http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/SASS/pdf/0304/sass_ls1a.pdf).
School Libraries
and Library Education in Hong Kong
This summer I had the privilege to be invited to teach for the Master’s
degree in Library and Information Management program at the University of
Hong Kong (HKU). I also served as the external examiner for the Diploma for
Teacher Librarianship, under the auspices of HKU’s School of Professional
and Continuing Education: SPACE.
Hong Kong Education
Hong Kong’s education reflects the long occupation by the United Kingdom.
The system is basically British in nature, and consists of six primary forms
and seven secondary forms. Since the reversion to China, Hong Kong’s curriculum
has become more Sino-oriented. The main strands include reading/literacy,
science, technology, and moral education. Students must meet both English
and Cantonese language standards.
In higher education the associate’s degree and diploma program usually
require two years, and the bachelor’s program is set up as a three-year process.
The master’s degree typically requires a two-year commitment. There has
been some talk about changing the educational year divisions to provide more
seamless education from primary through higher education.
HKU is Hong Kong’s oldest institute of higher education, and began
in 1910 as a medical training center. Now it offers bachelor’s through doctoral
degrees in many subjects, and serves almost 20,000 students. Located mid-level
on Hong Kong Island itself, it is relatively close to the central business
district and looks over hundreds of high-rise apartments. It offers Hong
Kong’s only master’s degree in library and information management and only
Diploma in Teacher Librarian program.
Teacher Librarians
Under the direction of the Hong Kong Education and Manpower Bureau
(EMB), every primary and secondary school is mandated to hire a qualified
full-time teacher librarian. These teacher librarians need to be credentialed
teachers and credentialed teacher librarians. In some cases, a classroom
teacher takes the position for a year or two, but others find teacher librarianship
to be their real niche. Much of their time is spent in collection management,
but increasingly they are working with teachers in reading promotion, information
literacy, and technology competency efforts. The EMB has established the
mechanism for a union catalog, so it is hoped that teacher librarians will
contribute to it. There has also been some movement to push information literacy
more substantially; the new emphasis on liberal studies may be the window
of opportunity for such integration.
At one point, EMB in-house training provided the basis of academic
preparation, but in 1999 a diploma program was established at HKU. Because
credentialed programs did not require a bachelor’s program, students came
with a wide spectrum of experiences and academics. Now teacher librarians
need to have a bachelor’s degree, although most have already earned such a
degree for their first credential. The master’s program is open to all types
of librarianship, but is not required for teacher librarians. The Education
and Manpower Bureau is contemplating the bachelor’s degree as a requirement
for entering teacher librarians; they also plan to phase out their own training,
and require all candidates to take at least one year of graduate course, which
would be paid by the state. The full diploma, however, would require an additional
year of training.
The Diploma of Teacher Librarianship program now consists of ten modules
(courses) with 36 credits total. Class modules are usually held weekly for
eight to ten weeks, followed by the next module. Subjects include collection
development and organization, technology, information sources and technology,
information literacy and collaboration. A field experience is built into
each year’s program. The approach blends theory and practice, and stresses
cataloging and instruction. As the external examiner for this program, I found
the culminating tasks to be a synthesis of readings, discussion, and site
application. Although most classes are held face-to-face, all courses are
mounted on HKU’s interactive learning network (ILN) so students can retrieve
presentations and readings online and can post work to the group digitally.
Tasmanian-born James Henri coordinates the program; most full-time faculty
are not native to Hong Kong although most part-time faculty are local teacher
librarian practitioners; outside adjunct faculty, such as myself, are invited
to teach a course or two occasionally. Thus, library science students receive
a truly international education.
Library Education Students
About eighty students are in the diploma program, and half that many
are master’s degree candidates. Most students work full-time, and travel
some distance to attend class, even though there are six instructional sites
scattered throughout Hong Kong for the diploma program. To accommodate their
needs further, courses tend to be held in the evenings and on Saturdays, and
most documents are posted online. Several classes are fitted with laptops
for each student to facilitate interactive participation.
I taught two courses for the other library science program (i.e.,
their master’s degree): research methods and enquiry, and initiated a collection
management course. Students were all local residents, and ranged in age from
the early twenties to mid fifties. Their interests and work settings reflected
the full spectrum of librarianship: public, academic, school, and special.
There were more religious-linked libraries than I expected, and some of
the settings were very interesting: newspaper library, women’s club recreational
library, along with several private universities and schools.
In my experience, the students were very serious and sincere. They
work extremely hard at their jobs, and want to provide high-quality library
service. One might think that they are not as responsive as United States
students, but given opportunities for group work and discussion, they participate
actively and insightfully. And when given a chance to speak Cantonese (HKU
being an English-based program), students converse non-stop! In any case,
the students were most gracious and appreciative of their education.
International Association for School Librarianship Conference
In early August while I was there, the International Association for
School Librarianship (IASL) held its annual conference at HKU. This event
marked the first time that IASL had met in China, and the local planning
committee worked hard to make the conference special, down to the sequined
conference bags. At the opening meeting, Hong Kong teacher librarians and
administrators were honored for their efforts, which drew much local attention.
Of course, the conference was marked with children’s performances and good
food, and delegates had a chance to visit exemplary local school libraries.
Over 600 delegates from about 30 countries attended; the Education
and Manpower Bureau paid for the registration of Hong Kong teacher librarians,
which provided a valuable venue for professional development. Two pre-conferences
(Carol Kulhthau and I conducted one on assessing information literacy) and
over a hundred sessions addressed current issues of resources, instruction,
collaboration, research, technology, among others. Probably even more learning
occurred in the halls and at meals as teacher librarians from around the
world shared their experiences.
I’m not sure who learned more: my student or myself – probably the
latter. Experiencing a different culture while sharing common values of librarianship
provided a rich learning environment. I encourage more library educators
to cross-fertilize their profession.
Good sites for tips using a variety of tech tools:
http://www.rtec.org Regional Technology
in Education Consortia
http://edtech.kennesaw.edu/web/teaching.htm Kennesaw Teaching Aids
http://www.buddyproject.org
Buddy Project
http://www.2learn.com/teachertools/teachertools.html
Canadian site
http://school.discovery.com/
Discovery Channel’s education center
http://www.ed.sc.edu/caw/toolbox.html
Web Toolbox
http://www.csulb.edu/~jlamkins/resources4teachers.htm
Dr. Lamkins’ links
Management:
http://www.cast.org/ncac/reports/tpractice2.pdf
Universal design
http://faculty.salisbury.edu/~rdroyer/EDUC319/managewebq.htm Classroom
management WebQuest
http://jc-schools.net/tutorials/classroom/management.htm
Classroom Management Technology Tools
http://www.janbrett.com/calendar/calendar1.php4
Online Calendar Maker
Evaluating Web Sites:
http://www.library.ucla.edu/libraries/college/help/hoax/
UCLA web evaluation activities
http://www.noodletools.com/debbie/literacies/information/5locate/adviceengine.html
Search Strategy guidesheet
http://www.sosig.ac.uk/desire/internet-detective.html
middle schooler evaluation of Net resources
http://academics.sru.edu/library/tutorials/internet/intro.htm
Using the Internet for Research
Software:
http://www.clrn.org California Learning
Network
http://www.evalutech.sreb.org
EvaluTech
Learning Objects:
http://www.merlot.org
http://www.2learn.ca/construct/
http://www.rtec.org/resource.shtml
http://infomine.ucr.edu
http://www.marcopolo-education.org
http://t3.preservice.org/projectlab/#library
http://www.math.fsu.edu/Virtual/index.php?
f=21 math resources
Lessons:
http://www.mcrel.org/lesson-plans/index.asp
Mid-Central Regional Educational Laboratory
http://www.score.k12.ca.us/
California’s resources on lessons and resources
http://4teachers.org/intech/lessons/
RTEC lessons
http://www.lessonplanspage.com
free lesson plans (has ads)
http://www.education-world.com/
Education World
http://www.infosearcher.com/cybertours
Cybertours (created by a librarian)
http://www.uen.org/cgi-bin/websql/utahlink/lessonbooks.htm Utah’s sources
http://www.ncrtec.org/tl/lp/
lesson planner
http://www.kn.pacbell.com/wired/fil/
templates for creating hotlists, WebQuests, etc.
http://www.csulb.edu/~lfarmer/infolitwebstyle.htm
Information Literacy, including lessons
Multimedia:
http://www.digitalfilms.com
Digital Films (easy comic-book style film making)
http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/chhearing.html
Aural literacy
http://www.schoolhousevideo.org/
Schoolhouse Video
http://www.mediafestival.org/downloads.html
Copyright for multimedia
Diagnostic Tools:
http://www.firn.edu/schools/broward/ftlaud-hs/fcatweb.htm reading and
math Resources
http://www.mathwright.com/_disc4/00000024.html
Math SAT test and tutorial
Assessment:
http://www.2learn.ca/construct/cknowassessframes.htm
2Learn's list of assessment tools
http://rubistar.4teachers.org
RubiStar and Rubrician
http://landmark-project.com/classweb/tools/rubric_builder.php3 Class Rubric
Builder
http://www.reacheverychild.com/assessment.html
Assessment: Reach Every Child
http://jonathan.mueller.faculty.noctrl.edu/toolbox/
Authentic Assessment Toolbox
http://www.mrsperkins.com/testing.htm
First Grade Forms and Testing
ELECTRONIC REFERENCE SERVICES:
A TEEN’S EYEVIEW
By Dr. Lesley Farmer,
Why do Teens Look
for Information?
lSchoolwork
lPersonal problems
lConsumer need
lInterest / curiosity
Teens’ Information-Seeking
Behavior
lAsk someone
lGo to the Net (unaware of online databases)
lBuild on past experiences/success
lUnsophisticated use of search strategies (key words evade them;
forget Boolean)
lLook at end/not at means or context
lNot deeply critical
lNot persistent; easily confused
lDifferent sense of time…
What is Reference
Service to a Teen?
lA last resort and safety net
lLinked to schoolwork
lResource and fact based
lMay be unfriendly
lTheir perceptions may be faulty
What Teens Want
lFriendly atmosphere, be it face-to-face or online
lClose collaboration between classroom teacher and
librarian
lGuidance; selected web sites
lMake it easy and content: “Just the facts…)
ELECTRONIC RESOURCES
ISSUES:
Selecting Electronic
Sources
lContent: full-text options, archiving options,
ownership, stability
lFeatures: graphics, multimedia, searching tools
lInterface: help, documentation, consistency, ease,
need for instruction
lTimeliness: weigh need against cost
lAccess: networking, remote access, multiple users
lOutput: printing, downloading, document delivery,
display appearance
lHardware: server/client needs, communications access
lSoftware: platform, network options, # of simultaneous
users, Z39.50
lCost: initial/ongoing, single/network, staffing,
equipment
lVendor: reputation, stability, service
Electronic Source
Storage and Retrieval Issues
lSeparate reference area vs. integrated collection
lSeparation by format?
lDegree/depth of cataloging
lOpen vs. closed or limited access; Circulation
policies
lDigitizing (as original, as assess point, as preservation)
lMaintenance issues (when to withdraw)
Staffing
lWhat is appropriate for professionals, paraprofessionals,
and volunteers?
lWhat kind of instruction is needed for students
and teachers? Who does online instruction?
lWhere does technologist fit? (Networking, troubleshooting,
Web…)
lTraining: Who trains? What methods work?
lSupervision: Who supervises? How closely? What
feedback is appropriate? What interventions are needed?
Access
lDetermine extent of access: library, school, home
lDetermine hours of service and scheduling
lDetermine type of use: group vs. individual, type
of resources
lDetermine tech use: AUP, equipment, filtering,
etc.
lFacilities: equipment, traffic flow, furniture
access for disabled, storage
ELECTRONIC SERVICES
Typical 24/7 Reference
Service Users: Reflects the Teenager
lWant convenience
lWork outside
lIndependent; Prefer anonymity
lTechnologically comfortable
lMay have “traditional” language or physical barriers
lSomewhat different population from face-to-face reference requester
Web Portal “House
Plans”
lPrefabs: outsource
lRanch house Going wide (cover lots of objectives)
lSkyscraper: Going deep (pick few topics and provide
lots of resources)
l
lLooking for a few good URLs: www.ala.org; LII, IPL, KidsClick!
Virtual Libraries
l“Provide remote access to library catalogs and
databases, links to Internet resources, Internet-based tutorials, document
delivery, and the provision of reference service over the phone or by email.”
lIntellectual and physical connection to information
literacy experts
24/7 service through
Web interface
24/7 Reference Service:
Why?
lExpand physical access to information
lMeet needs of previously underserved populations
lProvide value-added service; Good PR
lInvolve school and larger community
lHELP STUDENTS SUCCEED
24/7 Factors
lIn-house vs. outsourcing; join a consortium
lStaffing/training: professionals, volunteers (adult
and student)
lInterface: email, CGI dialog box, instant messaging
lTurn-around time
lType and depth of service: facts/answers, sources,
referrals
lDocument typical queries and build a FAQ page to
filter questions
lOptimize and maximize access: provide multiple
ports of entry
lFunding and Legalities (confidentiality, copyright, etc.)
Digital Reference Interviewing
lTreat with same respect as face-to-face query
lBe sensitive to machine delays
lRealize there are no visual or verbal cues to help
comprehend query
lNote: email questions are usually longer than “real-time”
ones
lDetermine type of question (e.g., fact, source,
research strategy) and context (school assignment, personal need, etc.)
lUse a mix of closed and open-ended questions; restate
question
lBreak down complex queries into discreet steps
lKnow when to stop or contact later
lUse a “letter correspondence” mindset
(Straw, J. (2000, Summer). A virtual understanding.
Reference & User Services Quarterly, 39, 376-378)
(Kasowitz, A., Bennett, B. and Lankes, D. (2000, Summer)
Quality standards for digital reference consortia. Reference & User
Services Quarterly, 39, 355-361)
Reference Work with
Teens
lBe respectful, sensitive, and responsive
lAvoid making assumptions
lUse language they understand; avoid jargon
lKnow the curriculum and/or assignments
lDon’t do their work; Take advantage of learning
moments
lAct as a coach rather than a sage
Getting the Word Out
lTake risks; be flexible
lPartner with schools and youth-serving agencies
lMarket to your audience: use technology
lTake advantage of available teen help
lBe responsive
lDo a good job!
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Sample 24/7 Reference
Services
lhttp://www.247ref.org
Metropolitan Cooperative Library System
lhttp://www.pls.lib.ca.us/pls/vrd
lhttp://www.ipl.org/ref/QUE
Internet Public Library
lhttp://www.askusquestions.com
Northeastern Ohio Library Assn. Regl. Library
System
lhttp://www.loc.gov/cdrs
Library of Congress Collaborative Digital Reference Service
Web
l
lBuilding and maintaining Internet information services:
K-12 digital reference services http://ericir/syr.edu/ithome/monographs.html#Building
lInteractive reference service at UC