Standard 3: Information and Knowledge: Candidates model and promote ethical, equitable access to and use of physical, digital, and virtual collections of resources. Candidates demonstrate knowledge of a variety of information sources and services that support the needs of the diverse learning community. Candidates demonstrate the use of a variety of research strategies to generate knowledge to improve practice.
The School Libraries Work! report identifies that 70 percent of school librarians provide information literacy instruction, which includes using information ethically and using information technology responsibly (3). To fulfill standard 3.1, efficient and ethical information seeking behavior, I decided to model what this would look like for the teachers to later share with their students.
For my professional development project in LIS 693, I worked to identify diverse student information needs by emailing the lead teachers in 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade at Cornelius Elementary School and asking them what curriculum research projects their class would be working on in the near future. Based on the research topics they sent me, I then spent some time searching public library and school library databases for quality sources that their students could use for their research projects in class. Then I met with each grade level teacher team and modeled for these teachers exactly how to locate and navigate the specific resources I had identified to meet their students’ needs for future research projects.
I sent out surveys to all the teachers who attended my professional development and most were very pleased with my collaboration efforts and felt that I had identified good resources and modeled how to use these resources in effective and ethical ways in which their students would benefit. They even gave suggestions for a couple of areas they would like to see me collaborate with them in the future (resources for math and science).
Practicing ethical behavior in the access, use, and creation of information is found throughout AASL school library standards and best practices. School librarians are to teach students to “follow ethical and legal guidelines in gathering and using information” (1.3.3), “use information and technology ethically and responsibly” (3.1.6), and to “practice safe and ethical behaviors in personal electronic communication and interaction” (4.3.4).
In LIS 620, I modeled access to information (standard 3.2) by creating a pathfinder Libguide targeted toward a specific student user group (juniors and seniors in high school in Ashe County, NC); this libguide curated visual listings of print, non-print, and digital resources that would help them choose the appropriate career field or higher education institution that best fit with their professional and personal interests. This libguide included links to digital resources to address the challenge that many of these high school students are located too far away from the Ashe County Public Library to be able visit the library frequently enough to access these resources. In addition to this physical challenge, many of these students face the social and intellectual challenge of coming from families that cannot afford to send their child to college or who are not strongly encouraging them to pursue a particular career field; this lib guide helped to eliminate that barrier by giving these students a variety of resources in one place that might encourage them to pursue their dreams of a certain career or attending a certain college.
I was quite pleased with how the libguide turned out; however, even though this libguide was very underutilized as it was not very well marketed. We had flyers posted at the public library to encourage kids to look at the site and the librarians tried to suggest it to certain teen patrons through small talk, but it really needed to be promoted more heavily by the school counselors at Ashe County High School in order for more students to have really benefited from this libguide.
Cornelius Elementary School's website is also a great example of providing open access to students through a variety of online databases, including NCWise Owl, Britannica online, eBooks, and other sources. Students can access any of these resources for research projects and class assignments both at school in the media center and at home simply by using their student ID login. I've never seen the students use these resources in the media center, but I feel like they use them in the classrooms. If I become an elementary school media specialist, I would try to use these databases with my students to full capacity in the library by way of teaching them information literacy skills.
Integrating digital technology into instructional lessons (standard 3.3) was best illustrated through my LIS 693 teaching assignment. First, I instructed students in using online encyclopedias through the public library’s website to locate information about specific animals and then analyze the similarities and differences between two different animals. Then using Popplet, an online graphic organizer, they could evaluate their analysis by graphically depicting their opinion for which animal would be more likely to survive if they got in a fight. This lesson is an exercise in using digital tools to gather information to form an opinion that’s portrayed in digital form.
The students were much more engaged by this lesson because it incorporated technology and they were already so use to using either a Chromebook or ipad for almost everything they do in the media center and in their classes. The classroom teacher was very excited about potentially using the Popplet app in her classroom in the near future. The kids also said they had a great time learning to use these new tools.
Additionally, in LIS 635, I created a blog documenting my weekly tech tasks. These tech tasks allowed me to reflect on all of the different digital tools I explored and curated to locate, analyze, evaluate, and use information, including a Blendspace, Glogster, Smore, Instagram, and others. Some of the tools I hope to use in a school library setting while others cost money or seemed a bit too advanced for elementary students. I plan to continue consulting AASL approved websites and apps to shape my lesson plans in the future.
A study in Washington state identified that schools with certified teach librarians are more likely to teach information technology skills and technology fluency skills (School Libraries Works!, 2016). The report for Pennsylvania Public Schools also emphasizes the importance of not only librarians teaching information technology skills, but also integrating these skills into collaborative lesson plans with teachers (2016). Overall, teaching these information technology skills are essential 21st century skills that make librarians’ jobs more relevant and that strongly correlate with improvement in student achievement.
There are plenty of ways I’ve used evidence-based action research to effect change in a school library setting (standard 3.4). Through my LIS 653 Demographic assessment, I carefully analyzed Huntersville Elementary’s school library collection as a whole and within specific Dewey Decimal ranges and sub-categories using Follett Titlewave data. Using this data, I was able to compare the age, condition, circulation rates, and collection diversity to IMPACT guidelines for an ideal elementary school library’s collection and then reference Wilson Core Catalog and other professional children’s book review sources to create a five year suggested purchase plan for the library. Most of my suggestions were based off my demographic assessment of the school, which helped highlight student populations that needed additional resources available to them in the library (ESL, low-level readers, etc.). I shared my analysis with the school librarian who said she would keep my analysis in mind for future ordering projects.
In LIS 693, I conducted a demographic analysis of Cornelius Elementary and based on this assessment, I determined one of their needs is to better fulfill the library’s mission statement, which is to include parents and the community in supporting their library. Also, the school library had just received a major grant to transform their library and buy new technology, which no one in the community has yet to see. Finally, a lot of parents aren’t aware of the One Access partnership that exists between the CMS school system and the CML public library system. Based on these needs, I decided to plan and execute a goal project to host a Digital Literacy Family Night for parents to attend with their kids to see the new library, try out the new tech, and learn about the public library-school library One Access partnership.
Additionally, the lesson I taught in LIS 693 required me to work with the classroom teacher to pair her students based on their strengths and weaknesses. She knew which students were stronger, more independent researchers and which ones were slower readers or needed more help researching and based on that, she paired a strong student with a weaker student to make the pairs more even. She thought one of her students was on the spectrum; although he was very intelligent, he refused to write anything down, so she paired him with a student who could do twice the amount of work in half the time. I don't know if this really helped that autistic student very much as he didn't really gain anything from the assignment since the other student did all of his work for him. But I do think most of the pairs were pretty well matched and really made a difference in helping one another progress through the work at a decent pace.
Conducting a needs assessment using solid data from research articles, collection statistics, and personal observations is a very strong justification for effecting change within a school library. Principals are very eager to listen to proposed changes and ideas if there’s strong data to support these changes. Otherwise, my goal project and collection development project may not be possible.
Finding ways to document the work librarians do in the classroom is essential for justifying to administrators and principals why school librarians’ jobs impact student performance. School librarians must gather data to improve their practice and increase the effectiveness of their programs. According to Todd, “…gathered evidence highlights how the librarian plays a crucial role in boosting student achievement, in shaping important attitudes and values, in contributing to the development of self-esteem, and in creating a more effective learning environment” (School Libraries Work!, 2016).
Additionally, Harada suggests building evidence folders that documents how the instruction in the media center connects with the school’s curriculum goals by providing artifacts (examples of lesson plans, examples of student work, compiled assessment data, and reflections from students and teachers) that justifies the librarian’s value to the school (Harada, 2006).
Artifacts referenced for standard 3
LIS 620 pathfinder libguide
LIS 635 blog and weekly tech tasks
The School Libraries Work! report identifies that 70 percent of school librarians provide information literacy instruction, which includes using information ethically and using information technology responsibly (3). To fulfill standard 3.1, efficient and ethical information seeking behavior, I decided to model what this would look like for the teachers to later share with their students.
For my professional development project in LIS 693, I worked to identify diverse student information needs by emailing the lead teachers in 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade at Cornelius Elementary School and asking them what curriculum research projects their class would be working on in the near future. Based on the research topics they sent me, I then spent some time searching public library and school library databases for quality sources that their students could use for their research projects in class. Then I met with each grade level teacher team and modeled for these teachers exactly how to locate and navigate the specific resources I had identified to meet their students’ needs for future research projects.
I sent out surveys to all the teachers who attended my professional development and most were very pleased with my collaboration efforts and felt that I had identified good resources and modeled how to use these resources in effective and ethical ways in which their students would benefit. They even gave suggestions for a couple of areas they would like to see me collaborate with them in the future (resources for math and science).
Practicing ethical behavior in the access, use, and creation of information is found throughout AASL school library standards and best practices. School librarians are to teach students to “follow ethical and legal guidelines in gathering and using information” (1.3.3), “use information and technology ethically and responsibly” (3.1.6), and to “practice safe and ethical behaviors in personal electronic communication and interaction” (4.3.4).
In LIS 620, I modeled access to information (standard 3.2) by creating a pathfinder Libguide targeted toward a specific student user group (juniors and seniors in high school in Ashe County, NC); this libguide curated visual listings of print, non-print, and digital resources that would help them choose the appropriate career field or higher education institution that best fit with their professional and personal interests. This libguide included links to digital resources to address the challenge that many of these high school students are located too far away from the Ashe County Public Library to be able visit the library frequently enough to access these resources. In addition to this physical challenge, many of these students face the social and intellectual challenge of coming from families that cannot afford to send their child to college or who are not strongly encouraging them to pursue a particular career field; this lib guide helped to eliminate that barrier by giving these students a variety of resources in one place that might encourage them to pursue their dreams of a certain career or attending a certain college.
I was quite pleased with how the libguide turned out; however, even though this libguide was very underutilized as it was not very well marketed. We had flyers posted at the public library to encourage kids to look at the site and the librarians tried to suggest it to certain teen patrons through small talk, but it really needed to be promoted more heavily by the school counselors at Ashe County High School in order for more students to have really benefited from this libguide.
Cornelius Elementary School's website is also a great example of providing open access to students through a variety of online databases, including NCWise Owl, Britannica online, eBooks, and other sources. Students can access any of these resources for research projects and class assignments both at school in the media center and at home simply by using their student ID login. I've never seen the students use these resources in the media center, but I feel like they use them in the classrooms. If I become an elementary school media specialist, I would try to use these databases with my students to full capacity in the library by way of teaching them information literacy skills.
Integrating digital technology into instructional lessons (standard 3.3) was best illustrated through my LIS 693 teaching assignment. First, I instructed students in using online encyclopedias through the public library’s website to locate information about specific animals and then analyze the similarities and differences between two different animals. Then using Popplet, an online graphic organizer, they could evaluate their analysis by graphically depicting their opinion for which animal would be more likely to survive if they got in a fight. This lesson is an exercise in using digital tools to gather information to form an opinion that’s portrayed in digital form.
The students were much more engaged by this lesson because it incorporated technology and they were already so use to using either a Chromebook or ipad for almost everything they do in the media center and in their classes. The classroom teacher was very excited about potentially using the Popplet app in her classroom in the near future. The kids also said they had a great time learning to use these new tools.
Additionally, in LIS 635, I created a blog documenting my weekly tech tasks. These tech tasks allowed me to reflect on all of the different digital tools I explored and curated to locate, analyze, evaluate, and use information, including a Blendspace, Glogster, Smore, Instagram, and others. Some of the tools I hope to use in a school library setting while others cost money or seemed a bit too advanced for elementary students. I plan to continue consulting AASL approved websites and apps to shape my lesson plans in the future.
A study in Washington state identified that schools with certified teach librarians are more likely to teach information technology skills and technology fluency skills (School Libraries Works!, 2016). The report for Pennsylvania Public Schools also emphasizes the importance of not only librarians teaching information technology skills, but also integrating these skills into collaborative lesson plans with teachers (2016). Overall, teaching these information technology skills are essential 21st century skills that make librarians’ jobs more relevant and that strongly correlate with improvement in student achievement.
There are plenty of ways I’ve used evidence-based action research to effect change in a school library setting (standard 3.4). Through my LIS 653 Demographic assessment, I carefully analyzed Huntersville Elementary’s school library collection as a whole and within specific Dewey Decimal ranges and sub-categories using Follett Titlewave data. Using this data, I was able to compare the age, condition, circulation rates, and collection diversity to IMPACT guidelines for an ideal elementary school library’s collection and then reference Wilson Core Catalog and other professional children’s book review sources to create a five year suggested purchase plan for the library. Most of my suggestions were based off my demographic assessment of the school, which helped highlight student populations that needed additional resources available to them in the library (ESL, low-level readers, etc.). I shared my analysis with the school librarian who said she would keep my analysis in mind for future ordering projects.
In LIS 693, I conducted a demographic analysis of Cornelius Elementary and based on this assessment, I determined one of their needs is to better fulfill the library’s mission statement, which is to include parents and the community in supporting their library. Also, the school library had just received a major grant to transform their library and buy new technology, which no one in the community has yet to see. Finally, a lot of parents aren’t aware of the One Access partnership that exists between the CMS school system and the CML public library system. Based on these needs, I decided to plan and execute a goal project to host a Digital Literacy Family Night for parents to attend with their kids to see the new library, try out the new tech, and learn about the public library-school library One Access partnership.
Additionally, the lesson I taught in LIS 693 required me to work with the classroom teacher to pair her students based on their strengths and weaknesses. She knew which students were stronger, more independent researchers and which ones were slower readers or needed more help researching and based on that, she paired a strong student with a weaker student to make the pairs more even. She thought one of her students was on the spectrum; although he was very intelligent, he refused to write anything down, so she paired him with a student who could do twice the amount of work in half the time. I don't know if this really helped that autistic student very much as he didn't really gain anything from the assignment since the other student did all of his work for him. But I do think most of the pairs were pretty well matched and really made a difference in helping one another progress through the work at a decent pace.
Conducting a needs assessment using solid data from research articles, collection statistics, and personal observations is a very strong justification for effecting change within a school library. Principals are very eager to listen to proposed changes and ideas if there’s strong data to support these changes. Otherwise, my goal project and collection development project may not be possible.
Finding ways to document the work librarians do in the classroom is essential for justifying to administrators and principals why school librarians’ jobs impact student performance. School librarians must gather data to improve their practice and increase the effectiveness of their programs. According to Todd, “…gathered evidence highlights how the librarian plays a crucial role in boosting student achievement, in shaping important attitudes and values, in contributing to the development of self-esteem, and in creating a more effective learning environment” (School Libraries Work!, 2016).
Additionally, Harada suggests building evidence folders that documents how the instruction in the media center connects with the school’s curriculum goals by providing artifacts (examples of lesson plans, examples of student work, compiled assessment data, and reflections from students and teachers) that justifies the librarian’s value to the school (Harada, 2006).
Artifacts referenced for standard 3
LIS 620 pathfinder libguide
LIS 635 blog and weekly tech tasks
LIS 653 Demographic assessment and collection development and analysis plan
northcote_collectionmanagementproject.pdf | |
File Size: | 668 kb |
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northcote_five_year_plan.docx | |
File Size: | 25 kb |
File Type: | docx |
LIS 693 Demographic assessment and goal project
northcote_demographic_report.pdf | |
File Size: | 410 kb |
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LIS 693 professional development
northcote_professional_development.docx | |
File Size: | 1070 kb |
File Type: | docx |
LIS 693 teaching assignment
northcote_lesson_plan_revised.pdf | |
File Size: | 418 kb |
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northcote_collaboration_planning_reflection.docx | |
File Size: | 17 kb |
File Type: | docx |
assessment_reflection_northcote.docx | |
File Size: | 17 kb |
File Type: | docx |
northcote_lesson_reflection_and_evaluation.docx | |
File Size: | 25 kb |
File Type: | docx |