Blog Post 4: Technology Leadership Role of School Librarians

          School librarianship is much more than cataloguing and providing students with texts. The 21st Century librarian must cater to the 21st Century learner, a learner who is expected to know and utilize technology, information, and a myriad of resources to complete simple and complex tasks. The 21st Century librarian has a much larger role than expected, and it is important for librarians to advocate and reveal their potential and usefulness to those around them.

          For students in today’s classrooms, as well as in the future, it is becoming increasingly important for them to be able to use resources and technology in order to “inquire, think critically, and gain knowledge” (American Association of School Libraries, 2007). In order to achieve this daunting goal, school librarians must step up and introduce students to resources they may not have in the classrooms. The school librarian has the unique opportunity to teach students without a strict curriculum; therefore, the librarian can truly cater to the students’ desires and abilities. By engaging students in lessons that use new and innovative technologies or ideas, librarians are really able to support learning that happens in the classrooms and introduce students to news ways to make sense of and explore the content.

          In her article “The Wonderful World of iTeams”, Sharon Robinson, a librarian, does just this by introducing the concept of “iTeams” to her entire school. While heavily advocating for the implementation of technology in classrooms, not just the library, Robinson was able to convince her school to take on a very new idea where students are teaching themselves, each other, and teachers about fresh technologies and apps (Robinson, 2014). The tasks students develop and perform very directly achieve the first standard dictated by the AASL while also touching upon the second standard where students are asked to “apply knowledge to new situations” and the third standard asking students to “share knowledge and participate ethically and productively as members of our democratic society” (American Association of School Libraries, 2007). By allowing students to use their personal knowledge about technology as a way to solve a problem, iTeams, guided by the school librarian, make learning very personal for the students and help to integrate current technologies into the school community.

          Similarly, a small Texas school began integrating technology via a 1:1 iPad program and saw very optimistic results (Foot, 2012). When 11th and 12th grade students were each given an iPad for an entire school year, something amazing happened. Learning began taking place in real time, and students became much more engaged in instruction and learning. The iPads revolutionized the teaching that went on in the classrooms, as well as the feedback and grade reporting. Gone were the days when students would need to print off papers and wait weeks to get them back. Instead, teachers were able to provide immediate feedback on writing and classwork via digitally written and video comments.

          Furthermore, the librarian saw a large shift in her students use of the library space and their check out patterns. There was a large increase in demand for e-texts, and the library space had to adjust to fit the growing number of students seeking a place to collaborate with others and learn from each other. New clubs were formed at the school to teach one another about the iPads and popular apps to improve school productivity (Foote, 2012). All of these benefits can be connected back to any one of the four Standards for the 21st Century Learner (2007).

          In the end, defining the tasks and goals of the 21st Century librarian is not easy. Knowing what is expected of the librarian is far too complex to put into a few sentences, as the school librarian is one who interacts with all students, in all grades, in all content areas. The librarian must reach outside of the library and create a digital presence to reach students and stockholders at home or on their cellphones. The librarian must be willing to collaborate with and teach others, especially teachers, as they work with the students the most. The 21st Century librarian is much more than a lover of literature; the 21st Century librarian is a lover of learning, willing to embrace the technological future and digital age.





References:

American Association of School Libraries. (2007). Standards for the 21st Century Learner [PDF document]. Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/aasl/sites/ala.org.aasl/files/content/guidelinesandstandards/learningstandards/AASL_Learning_Standards_2007.pdf

Foote, C. (2012). Learning Together: The Evolution of a 1:1 iPad Program. Internet@Schools, 19(1), 14-18.

Robinson, S. (2014). The Wonderful World of iTeam. Teacher Librarian, 43(3), 38-39.

Blog Post 3: Technology Implementation Strategies

In “The Wonderful World of iTeams”, Sharon Robinson discusses her school’s first attempt at implementing a student/teacher technology collaboration group, termed “iTeam”. The idea stems from a school in New York that put student coaches in place to help teachers learn and explore newer technologies that could be brought into the curricula.

To promote her school’s technology initiative, Robinson had to first gain buy-in from her administration, staff, and students. Robinson’s school went as far as offering course credit for students who participated in the iTeam program, a great draw for students interested in technology and tech careers. Once she had the go ahead from administrators, she created a Google Form for interested students to use as an application. Focused on students who had a real passion for learning new things and helping others, Robinson was able to select a small group of individuals to pilot this program.

While the program was not entirely problem-free, Robinson brings to light three important ideas:

1.  With a push for teachers to implement new technologies into the classroom, there still seems to be a lack of time for teachers to gain a full understanding of the technologies and how they can be most effectively used. Time is precious in our schools, and teachers do not have the luxury of allowing their students to simply play and explore a technology with state testing looming over their heads.

2. Students have the passion, time, and willingness to partner with teachers, if we allow them to. Robinson’s school put in place great incentives to encourage students to take on these new positions and roles within the schools, a step other schools should start to consider and possibly put in place.

3. In order for students to grow as individual thinkers and innovators, the iTeam program also needed to include personal passion projects for the students to participate in so they could develop and test new ideas for school technologies. These personal projects would also include time for reflection and a call to action for ways in which it could be implemented in the school or classroom.

Two strategies that I personally take away from the article are using students to “test out” new technologies and giving students more time to independently explore personal, long-term projects. I guess I have always felt that teachers must be experts on a new technology before they can introduce it to the students. What happens if they have questions about it? How else will they know what to do if I don’t tell them? These questions often float in my mind as I, myself, am asked to use something in my classroom. Using students as collaborators, however, seems like a great way to enhance the student-teacher relationship, but it also gives students more ownership of their learning, as well as a larger purpose in the classroom. Furthermore, allowing students to explore their own topics using new and various technologies has great possibilities. They can spend their own time, time they obviously value, doing something they see as beneficial, learning about something that piques their personal interest. These types of assignments help the students, but they also help the teachers because the technologies and media used for students’ independent projects can easily be translated into whole class instruction and tasks.

My department is actually implementing a passion project assignment towards the end of the year with the hopes that we will be able to use student projects in the future as examples of various presentation methods in the years to come. I can’t wait to see what the kids come up with, and it is our first step at using students as technology ambassadors.

Reference:

Robinson, S. (2014). The Wonderful World of iTeam. Teacher Librarian, 43(3), 38-39.

Blog Post 2: Handheld Devices

In 2010, a high school in south Texas, Westlake High School in Austin, Texas, to be exact, trusted their 11th and 12th graders with iPads for one year to document the changes in the school, in instruction, in the classroom, and in the students’ learning. Now, Carolyn Foote, their librarian, reveals and discusses their findings in “The Evolution of a 1:1 iPad Program” (2012). With an overwhelmingly positive review of the program, Foote notes the benefits and some of the drawbacks to the technology. Here are three of her key findings:

1. The iPads positively impacted the classroom. Foote claims that the iPad program “improved productivity”, by allowing students and teachers to work quicker and more efficiently (p.15). Rather than wasting time copying worksheets or stapling packets together, teachers were able to quickly scan documents and relay them to students immediately via their websites or apps. Additionally, grading and passing back papers occurred electronically and did not take up valuable instructional time. This change in classroom management and instruction also saved the district money that would have been spent on paper and copy machines and repairs (p. 18).

1. The 1:1 iPad program also positively impacted the school’s library. Foote found herself redefining the use of the library’s open space, as students would gather often to learn more about the iPad’s functionality or to get their creative juices flowing with other students. Students also began utilizing ebooks more frequently, causing the school to dig into the issue of ebook circulation and collections, an issue that is only beginning to be explored. Finally, in terms of library impact, students are able to access databases and other research tools much more quickly. This became important for Foote to note, as students needed to be skilled in how to conduct research and how to differentiate between reliable and unreliable resources. 

1. The third key point the article makes is the impact of 1:1 iPads on classroom pedagogy. In a time when student engagement is the ultimate goal for many teachers, the iPads certainly motivated students and teachers, alike. Teachers explored “flipped classrooms” and more technological lesson models (p. 16). With access to cameras and the internet, projects could be completed quickly and with more interactive parts. The iPads also forced teachers to reevaluate their use of classroom time and tools. With about “half of students indicat[ing] they [were] somewhat distracted at school” (p.17), teachers had to make sure the students were motivated to learn and knew expectations, or else off-task behavior was sure to occur.  

With many districts beginning to start the conversation about students and digital media, such as iPads in the classroom, it is important for libraries to tap into these resources and appeal to the 21st century student. One way libraries could utilize iPads would be to create digital booktalks and trailers that could be uploaded instantly to students’ iPads. These booktalks and trailers would promote current books in the library’s collection or even draw interest about books that will soon be added to the shelves. Furthermore, the students could be in charge of creating the booktalks and trailers themselves, using the iPad’s camera or apps. 

Another way to use iPads in the library would be pairing the iPad and QR codes. The librarian could place QR codes in the library for many different uses. Some codes could help students locate resources in the library. Other codes could give students instructions for using the online databases. Still, other codes could link students directly with important websites. The students would use the iPads to scan the codes, and a whole new world of communication is opened up between teachers, students, and the librarian. 

As technology such as iPads becomes increasingly popular among educators, it will be interesting to see the many ways teachers and librarians use this technology to further student learning and development. 


Reference: Foote, C. (2012). Learning Together: The Evolution of a 1:1 iPad Program. Internet@Schools, 19(1), 14-18.

Blog Post 1: Technology Strengths and Weaknesses

When I reflect on my teaching practices over the past several years, I realize that technology and media are not as prominent as they should be. In review of the International Society for Technology in Education's Standards for Teachers (2008), it became apparent that, while I value technology and do a decent job of placing it at the front of my own education, I am doing a poor job of encouraging my students to do the same. I feel that modeling and utilizing technology for myself are two of my greatest strengths. 

The International Society for Technology in Education's Standards for Teachers dictates that teachers should "communicate relevant information and ideas effectively to students, parents, and peers using a variety of digital age media and formats" (p. 1), and my current district's goals for educational technology certainly help me fulfill this standard. We have a secure network for teachers, parents, and students to use. Teachers are able to post assignments, calendars, and blog posts, while parents and students can access grades, assignments, and discussion boards. This website really allows me to spread my wings when it comes to integrating technology into my instruction and classroom. At the end of each day, I post on my class site the day's agenda, any handouts given, any presentations viewed or referenced, and reminders about upcoming tasks. It has been a great tool for me to use with my students, and I know that I have only really scratched the surface of its possibilities. 

Additionally, another one of my strengths is my deep desire to "participate in local and global learning communities to explore creative applications of technology to improve student learning" (ISTE Standards•Teachers, 2008, p. 2). If I catch wind of any professional development workshop or seminar focusing on technology or English Language Arts, I am generally one of the first teachers to sign up. I absolutely love learning, and attending these workshops gives me great insight into where education is going. My greatest obstacle, however, is finding the time and resources to put what I learn into action in my classroom. I often come home so jazzed about what I have learned, yet, I feel overwhelmed with the prospect of applying it in my instruction. Thus, when it comes to my weaknesses, this has to be right at the top. 

When I take a moment to look at my students, I find myself very underwhelmed by the amount of technology skills our students have. I know they truly grew up around technology; however, there seems to be a real lack of knowledge when it comes to utilizing technology for educational purposes. I hope this is a safe place for me to air my personal frustrations and obstacles, as I tend to shy away from technology-driven lessons based on my student's inability to effectively use technology. I fear that too much time will be spent on teaching technology, rather than teaching content. This fear seems to unreasonable, now that I take a moment to actually type these words; however, it is the truth that I must face. It has caused great gaps in my education of the 21st Century learner. 

In particular, I feel the least confident in "design[ing] or adapt[ing] relevant learning experiences that incorporate digital tools and resources to promote student learning and creativity" (ISTE Standards•Teachers, 2008, p.1).  My extreme lack of confidence in my students as digital age students causes me to steer away from or create lessons that incorporate digital tools. Furthermore, because digital skills are not part of our state exams, I am afraid to admit that they tend to take a backseat to other content area skills and knowledge. Too often, I am blinded by this "they'll have plenty of time later on to gain these skills" mentality; yet, do they ever really get a chance to focus on gaining technology skills later on? I will never really know. 

These fears and stigmas that I possess - the ideas that it takes too much time to learn an it is not tested at the end of the year - must be conquered and overcome for me to truly educate our kids to be responsibly and productive citizens of the 21st Century. I, myself, value technology and get giddy at the many possibilities it provides us. I need to stop robbing students of this realization and encourage it in my classroom constantly. 

In order to improve my instructional strategies, I would like to learn more about implementing new technologies in the classroom without eating away at instructional time.  Where is the balance? I always hear about excellent resources online for English Language Arts classrooms, but how do teachers best utilize them? Despite attending seminars and workshops, I never really leave confident in integrating the technologies into a secondary classroom, which is limited to just 50 minutes.
Furthermore, how to we tackle digital age tools with minimum resources? My campus only has 2 computer labs to share between three grade levels. How do I get students working with technology and the internet when computers are a hot commodity on campus? 

If there is one technological resource that a library media specialist would suggest to a secondary English Language Arts teacher, what would it be? That is the million dollar question...


ReferencesInternational Society for Technology in Education. (2008). ISTE Standards•Teachers [PDF file]. Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/docs/pdfs/nets-t-standards.pdf?sfvrsn=2

Class Projects