Final post! Whew!
Fittingly, our final set of readings is focused on assessing how effective the school library actually is. Once you've put in all the energy and time managing, collaborating, creating access, instructing, etc., you need to understand the outcome. How to do this? Well, Young suggests librarians collect data in three main categories: access (hours open, staffing, remote access to online resources); suitability (how well the library program meets curriculum needs); and competency (just how knowledgeable is library staff??). This article also gives an overview of the different entities that collect data on libraries/academic performance, at the state-level, etc.
Young asks "Are students finding adequate and sufficient resources to complete assignments without having to go to the public library?" While I understand that the school library should contain enough material that students can do their homework, is a trip to the local library such a bad thing? Why duplicate resources? Seems like a good area for collaboration.
The Todd article discusses why assessment is meaningful and how it is approached in different contexts around the world. The most interesting part of the article was finding out a bit on global perspectives on school librarianship--how it is researched, understood, and valued by different countries.
Mueller writes "If a goal is worth pursuing, it is worth measuring." I guess school library skills are worth pursuing, because he goes on to discuss some ways of measuring students' grasp on them. In particular, this article is focused on the idea of "authentic assessment"--doing "real world" work to demonstrate competency of some skill or knowledge area. As such, it's tricky to get a good idea of how well students understand what they have learned. There are often multiple "right answers," and no sure way to assess comprehension of a standard. When thinking about the various standards we have examined, I wonder how it would ever be possible for these to be accurately tested, since so many of them could be interpreted in so many ways...
Like always, the reading from Woolls this week is eminently practical, listing strategies for assessing all aspects of the library program, including the collection, staff, and student learning. She discusses quantitative versus qualitative assessment as well. I am still not convinced that using numbers is the best way to prove a library's worth. Without (a lot of) context, most numerical figures (e.g. 10,000 books) are meaningless? How many students are in the school? How many classrooms have their own libraries? Is it a low-income area where students don't have access to reading material at home? etc. I did appreciate one quote in the reading, actually taken from Francis Henne, "Learning to Learn in School Libraries":
"For some students...the only library skill that they should have to acquire is an awareness, imprinted indelibly and happily upon them, that the library is a friendly place where the librarians are eager to help." I think encouraging this idea among students is crucial, as it provides access to information literacy skills not just in the immediate future, but in later areas of life as well (college and beyond) where other types of libraries (academic, public, etc.) can be utilized.
While I appreciate the time and energy that is invested in keeping track of the effectiveness of school library programs across the country, I wonder still about the impact of this data collection. Librarians are still losing their jobs, petitions exist to stand up for library programs, and libraries still need advocates, despite the data in their favor. Ultimately, I think the personal relationships and the individuals who use the library resources will provide the most accurate assessment of its value.
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Class 13: Chatting with Debbie & More Intellectual Freedom
This week we were fortunate to have Debbie Abilock join us via Elluminate for a chat about website evaluation in school libraries. Debbie has a lot of experience in this realm, and she seemed eager to talk to us to hear more about our ideas! Some of the more interesting parts of the discussion dealt with how we should allow young people to handle information--do we carefully guide them through the search process, shielding them from anything potentially harmful? Or do we let them loose in the internet wilds, trusting that they will be able to handle it? Obviously, part of the school librarian's job is to help students distinguish the good, the bad, and the ugly. But how to do this? There are a lot of ideas on the market right now, but I am not sure how they all stack up. Good evaluation, I would guess, really needs to be learned through trial and error and through looking at a lot of websites.
For a lot of this, I think age is a big factor to consider. Do I think high school students need excessive filtering? No, they should be of the maturity level where they can handle it. Younger kids, though, probably don't have the maturity, context or experience to deal with some of the things that are on the internet. I also thought the idea of using badges is worth mentioning, although not knowing much about badges myself, I can't comment too much on it!
Finally, we talked about budgeting. I think the main point here is: If you have money, spend it, because you never know when it will disappear.
For a lot of this, I think age is a big factor to consider. Do I think high school students need excessive filtering? No, they should be of the maturity level where they can handle it. Younger kids, though, probably don't have the maturity, context or experience to deal with some of the things that are on the internet. I also thought the idea of using badges is worth mentioning, although not knowing much about badges myself, I can't comment too much on it!
Finally, we talked about budgeting. I think the main point here is: If you have money, spend it, because you never know when it will disappear.
Friday, April 6, 2012
Class 12: Talking Intellectual Freedom (& More!)
Addie, a recent graduate of SI and a full-time school librarian in Indiana, came to class last week to chat about school libraries. She offered a lot of interesting insight on the future of school libraries, the role of professional development, and job search strategies. Like the other librarians we have had the opportunity to meet in this class, Addie seemed to be a model school librarian. Not that I am complaining, but I wonder how "average" the experience of the librarians we have met are in comparison to other (non-SI?) school librarians (or even school librarians not in Michigan or Indiana).
Following Addie's visit, we discussed intellectual freedom and what it means within the school library context. While I think the implications of information access policies can be felt in any grade level, some of the gray area in collection development seems particularly problematic in high school. How can educators balance meeting students' information needs and interests with creating a collection (online or offline) that is not offensive or liable to bring about complaints?
Of course, much of the issues around intellectual freedom deal with online materials and social networking. I am still quite interested in the idea of digital citizenship and encouraging students to make their online presences reflect their in-person presences. I'm not sure how this can be done or why students feel that the internet is somehow not "real life." It seems much less probably that students would engage in the same behaviors--blatant plagiarism/cheating, taunting/name-calling--offline as they do in the virtual world. Hopefully, as students realize the illusion of anonymity is just that, they will become more conscientious of their online actions.
Following Addie's visit, we discussed intellectual freedom and what it means within the school library context. While I think the implications of information access policies can be felt in any grade level, some of the gray area in collection development seems particularly problematic in high school. How can educators balance meeting students' information needs and interests with creating a collection (online or offline) that is not offensive or liable to bring about complaints?
Of course, much of the issues around intellectual freedom deal with online materials and social networking. I am still quite interested in the idea of digital citizenship and encouraging students to make their online presences reflect their in-person presences. I'm not sure how this can be done or why students feel that the internet is somehow not "real life." It seems much less probably that students would engage in the same behaviors--blatant plagiarism/cheating, taunting/name-calling--offline as they do in the virtual world. Hopefully, as students realize the illusion of anonymity is just that, they will become more conscientious of their online actions.
Week 13: Budgeting & Other Professional Business
This week's readings dealt with the logistical side of school librarianship--how to appropriate your funds, manage your personnel, and tackle those professional learning communities.
While I think it's easy to get wrapped up in the teaching aspect of school librarianship, the readings reminded me that librarians are really distinct from classroom teachers in their managerial duties. And from the readings, these administrative duties don't seem like a light task. The Woolls reading, especially, went into great detail about the many aspects of developing and submitting a budget proposal, including how to determine needs, explain these needs in writing, and provide concrete reasoning for the needs.
Of the readings this week, I found Doug Johnston's blog series on budgeting the most interesting. Some of his key ideas:
The other chapter from Woolls adds some more responsibilities to the school librarian's list. Among these, are how to work with administrators and teachers, how to manage volunteers and students, and how to evaluate personnel. While this is a lot of work, these relationships can also provide the librarian with the opportunity to build critical relationships within the community, whether that means the school or the town. In turn, if managed appropriately, these relationships can provide valuable leverage in advocacy efforts. Again, much of Woolls' material is how-to in nature, explaining best practices for achieving the desired personnel results.
The Coatney reading this week focuses on the relationship of school librarians to professional associations. With these ideas in mind, I read "The Unapologetic Twitvangelist" by Nikki Robertson from School Libraries: What's Now, What's Next, What's Yet to Come. In this piece, Robertson explains how she attended a conference and learned to tweet. Still, she didn't begin using the social media site until awhile later when she came across the #edchat hashtag for a professional learning network. Discovering the information that could be found, from lesson plan ideas to problem-solving collaboration, she was hooked. She has joined the #edchat/EdCamp professional learning community and now takes the opportunity to help her fellow librarians and educators develop their skills and knowledge through technology sharing.
While I think it's easy to get wrapped up in the teaching aspect of school librarianship, the readings reminded me that librarians are really distinct from classroom teachers in their managerial duties. And from the readings, these administrative duties don't seem like a light task. The Woolls reading, especially, went into great detail about the many aspects of developing and submitting a budget proposal, including how to determine needs, explain these needs in writing, and provide concrete reasoning for the needs.
Of the readings this week, I found Doug Johnston's blog series on budgeting the most interesting. Some of his key ideas:
- The budget isn't merely a logistical issue, it is an ethical one
- While a lot of "free" information exists, paying for the value of editing is worthwhile
- Information isn't really "free" when computing and other factors are taken into account
- To build a comprehensive collection, maintain both print and electronic resources
The other chapter from Woolls adds some more responsibilities to the school librarian's list. Among these, are how to work with administrators and teachers, how to manage volunteers and students, and how to evaluate personnel. While this is a lot of work, these relationships can also provide the librarian with the opportunity to build critical relationships within the community, whether that means the school or the town. In turn, if managed appropriately, these relationships can provide valuable leverage in advocacy efforts. Again, much of Woolls' material is how-to in nature, explaining best practices for achieving the desired personnel results.
The Coatney reading this week focuses on the relationship of school librarians to professional associations. With these ideas in mind, I read "The Unapologetic Twitvangelist" by Nikki Robertson from School Libraries: What's Now, What's Next, What's Yet to Come. In this piece, Robertson explains how she attended a conference and learned to tweet. Still, she didn't begin using the social media site until awhile later when she came across the #edchat hashtag for a professional learning network. Discovering the information that could be found, from lesson plan ideas to problem-solving collaboration, she was hooked. She has joined the #edchat/EdCamp professional learning community and now takes the opportunity to help her fellow librarians and educators develop their skills and knowledge through technology sharing.
Thursday, March 29, 2012
Week 12: Intellectual Freedom, Part I (Knowledge Quest)
Lamb, Annette. "Everyone Does It: Teaching Ethical Use of Social Technology." Knowledge Quest, 39:1 (2010), 62-67.
The author discusses common issues that arise from teens using technology and what good digital citizenship means. Responsible use of technology is framed within the context of moral and behavioral development. AASL Standards that relate to technology use are cited and strategies for teaching ethical technology use are described.
Harris, Frances Jacobson. "Teens and Privacy: Myths and Realities." Knowledge Quest, 39:1 (2010), 74-79.
The article provides an overview of the current debate about teens and privacy concerns. In particular, the author discusses the facts about internet privacy as it relates to online predators, cyberbullying, and social networks. The article concludes with advice on how to ensure a safe online environment for teens.
The author discusses common issues that arise from teens using technology and what good digital citizenship means. Responsible use of technology is framed within the context of moral and behavioral development. AASL Standards that relate to technology use are cited and strategies for teaching ethical technology use are described.
Harris, Frances Jacobson. "Teens and Privacy: Myths and Realities." Knowledge Quest, 39:1 (2010), 74-79.
The article provides an overview of the current debate about teens and privacy concerns. In particular, the author discusses the facts about internet privacy as it relates to online predators, cyberbullying, and social networks. The article concludes with advice on how to ensure a safe online environment for teens.
Week 12: Intellectual Freedom, Part I (Coatney)
To me, intellectual freedom is one of the more interesting topics in librarianship, whether it is in school, public, or academic libraries. Undoubtedly, library patrons have rights, but what if these conflict with the rights of others?
The Coatney reading discusses how school librarians should handle issues of intellectual freedom as they arise. How do librarians develop a collection and library policies that accommodate all users as fairly as possible? For a school library to be most effective, it should reflect the needs and interests of its users. But what if its users are interested in material that is not age- or content-appropriate? Compared to public librarians serving the same age demographic, school librarians would certainly need to be more guarded in allowing access to certain materials. Related to what Coatney discusses, I think it is also crucial that school librarians maintain effective relationships within their school community. Not only will this help in building a representative library collection, but it can provide the librarian with support over issues of intellectual freedom.
The Coatney reading discusses how school librarians should handle issues of intellectual freedom as they arise. How do librarians develop a collection and library policies that accommodate all users as fairly as possible? For a school library to be most effective, it should reflect the needs and interests of its users. But what if its users are interested in material that is not age- or content-appropriate? Compared to public librarians serving the same age demographic, school librarians would certainly need to be more guarded in allowing access to certain materials. Related to what Coatney discusses, I think it is also crucial that school librarians maintain effective relationships within their school community. Not only will this help in building a representative library collection, but it can provide the librarian with support over issues of intellectual freedom.
Week 11: Field Trip #3 & PD
During our visit to Burns Park this week, we observed a short lesson with second and third graders who were using Comic Life to create short comics. Considering that this was our third field trip, it has been interesting to observe the differences (and similarities) between the school libraries we have visited. Each definitely has a unique atmosphere to it, and they all seem like interesting learning environments in their own way.
Working with the students on their project, it is interesting to see how they interact with technology at that age group. While they seem comfortable with using computers, they don't seem to fully grasp how to appropriately make use of the technology all the time. That said, I think this is how librarians fit in. While kids are certainly capable of interacting with different types of software and adapting to new computer hardware, they can't be experts in using these to their advantage.
After the lesson, we discussed last week's MAME conference and how professional development relates. While I think PD is key for librarians trying to stay current, it seems that the importance of it is not necessarily seen by all school administrators or librarians. Especially in schools that are understaffed (librarians serving multiple schools, reduced hours, etc.), librarians may not have the opportunity to participate in PD efforts, whether it is going to conferences or conducting staff training for their own building.
Working with the students on their project, it is interesting to see how they interact with technology at that age group. While they seem comfortable with using computers, they don't seem to fully grasp how to appropriately make use of the technology all the time. That said, I think this is how librarians fit in. While kids are certainly capable of interacting with different types of software and adapting to new computer hardware, they can't be experts in using these to their advantage.
After the lesson, we discussed last week's MAME conference and how professional development relates. While I think PD is key for librarians trying to stay current, it seems that the importance of it is not necessarily seen by all school administrators or librarians. Especially in schools that are understaffed (librarians serving multiple schools, reduced hours, etc.), librarians may not have the opportunity to participate in PD efforts, whether it is going to conferences or conducting staff training for their own building.
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