Crystal Balls

and Light Bulbs

Dr. Lesley Farmer

California State University Long Beach

lfarmer@csulb.edu

Education… Changing Paradigms

• content - text on screen

• interaction - with content or machine

• relationships - instructional, social and supportive

• digital multimedia learning objects

• managed eLearning environments

• the e-Classroom

• m-Learning

1990

2000

2010

New Literacies

• Technology

Literacy

• Information

Literacy

• Media Creativity

• Global Literacy

• Literacy with

Responsibility

What Do Our Youth Need to

Know and Do?• Be information literate: access,

evaluate, use

• Be a lifelong learner: pursue

interests, read, generate

knowledge

• Be socially responsible: uphold

democracy, be ethical, cooperate

How Do Schools Work?

School as organizational and social system: input/output processes and products

Mission: student learning, which depends on the school culture and available resources

Identify current networking and collaboration efforts

Align with entities that contribute to the mission

Identify other potential areas for collaboration –as well as minimize counter-productive working relationships

What does a library represent?

A Community of Learners!

Driving Trends and Issues

EXTERNAL

• More diverse student population

• Globalization

• Wavering economics

• Standards-based curriculum and instruction

• Emphasis on literacy

• Incorporation of technology – and digital safety

• Greater accountability

• Data-driven planning

INTERNAL

• Online access

• Information literacy and new literacies

• Digital citizenship

• Need for collaborative partnership

• Assess library program impact on student learning

Systems Approach to Impact

Input Products

Output Products

Input Processes

Output Processes

Research Trends

• Cycle of inquiry

(action research)

• Cycle of improvement

• Mixed methods

• Data visualization

• Data modeling

• Data mining and data

analytics

Main Findings about Library Impact

on Student Achievement

INPUT PROCESSES:

• Flexible scheduling and extended hours

• Collaboration for collection development, instruction, curriculum development

• Info lit instruction integrated across the curriculum

• INPUT PRODUCTS:

• Rich collection of current, high-quality materials in various formats

• F/T certificated LMT, with paraprofessional

• Significant funding for resources & services

• Some school librarians provide high-quality programs, but many do not have proper training. 80% of students go to private schools.

• ―Burned out‖ or retired teachers may be assigned to the school library.

• Academic library preparation seldom targets school librarianship. Most librarianship programs are undergraduate degree programs, which focus on basic operations.

• Need for info literacy and distance ed.

BRAZIL

SCHOOL LIBRARIES IN HONG KONG

•Full-time credentialed teacher librarian mandated for

every K-12 school (as a result, sometimes principals make

ill-suited teachers work in the library)

•Diploma for teacher librarian is an undergraduate

curriculum

•Historically, cataloging was a main preparation

curriculum and in-service activity

•Teacher librarians also focus on reading in collaboration

with teachers

SCHOOL LIBRARIES

IN JAPAN• The School Library Law mandates at least one

shisho-kyoyu (teacher librarian) in each school

with more than 12 classes.

• Preparation: teacher credential and usually

10 two-unit courses (no national standards)

• Strong student aide programs

SCHOOL LIBRARIES

IN TAIWAN• Schools have school librarians and teacher

librarians, mainly for high schools.

• Teacher librarians have teaching credential

and ―appropriate‖ training.

• In-service advisory guidance provided

• Strong parent involvement

Baseline Standards

• One full-time teacher librarian and One full-time paraprofessional

• Integrated library management system with OPAC

• Internet access for students

• Library open 36 hours or more per week

• At least some flexible scheduling

• Library web page/portal

• Facilities: room and seating for one class and added individuals, and collection

• One class set of computers

• At least two online subscription databases (image and text)

• Regular planning with at least one grade or department of teachers (20% or more)

• Required services: readers’ advisory/guidance, info lit instruction, Internet and DB instruction

• Current policies/ procedures, and yearly strategic plan / assessment

Quantitative Resource Standards

• At least two-thirds of the print collection considered current (at least 50%

• of the collection more current than 1995 copyright date)

• Collection size base ( based on number of volumes): 13,000 for elementary;

• 15,000 for middle school; 20,000 for high school

• Book collection ratio to number of students: 20 books/elementary student,

• 18 books/middle school student, 12 books/high school student

• Collection development—adding books to the collection per year:

• 1 book/elementary student, 1 book/MS student, .5 book/HS student

• At least $5000 spent on books

• At least $2000 spent on non-books for elementary; $4000 for middle school;

• $4000 for high school

• At least $500 spent on print periodicals

• Total materials budget: standard of $7000 for elementary, $9000 for middle

• school and high school; alternatively $8000 for all levels

• Total material budget per student: $12/elementary student, $8/middle

• school student, $4/high school student

Recommendations for Academic

Programs

• Candidates need to understand librarianship theories and apply principles /best practices in real-life situations to address management and leadership

• Candidates should explore current library technologies

• Professional dispositions should constitute part of academic recruitment and socialization

• Use field experience as ―filter‖ /reality check to ensure that anticipated expectation reflects real job functions.

• Explain change theory and issues of job transitioning

• Offer advanced /refresher courses for librarian practitioners

• Provide mentoring opportunities, combining pre- and in-service librarians

• Provide two-tiered TL licensure: 1) a preliminary credential to enable individuals to begin work; and 2) a ―clear‖ credential, requiring more academic preparation

Trends in Learning Space Design

• interconnecting individual and group spaces, formal and informal learning spaces

• clustering informal and formal spaces such as cybercafes or labs near classrooms to form a kind of intellectual neighborhood

• locating faculty offices near classrooms

• considering passageways as learning spaces in themselves

• encouraging cross-disciplinary interaction and innovation

• insert space for experimentation

• displaying creative work to stimulate originality

Virtual Libraries

• ―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.‖ (D’Angelo & Maid,2000)

• Intellectual and physical connection to information literacy experts

• 24/7 service and RSS feeds through Web interface

• Personal MyLibrary learning space

What Teens Want for Information

Services

• Friendly atmosphere, be it face-to-face or online

• Close collaboration between classroom teacher and

librarian

• Make it easy and content-rich: (―Just the facts, Just

in time‖)

• Selected web sites

• Guidance

Library Portals and Egaming

• Add game-related displays that

include game art, game-related

fiction, and information about

careers in gaming

• Link to gaming magazines and

strategy guides

• Publicize gaming events and

resources

• Add student-created content, such

as game reviews

• Provide game-based info lit

learning activities

Tech Tools to Incorporate

• Go to where the students are: other social settings – as well as their teachers…

• Have students join you

• Provide online tutorials – or links to them

• Provide online reference using IM and other mobile tech – or link to other libraries with online reference service

• Think web/library 2.0

• Try blogs, wikis, “e-readers”

• Sound out:

use podcasts/vidcasts

Using the Whole New Mind

• Check out teens’ reading, including online,

for content AND FORM

• Check out online cartoons & anime/manga

• Play games, including with teens

• Translate gaming into into lit terms

• Cross the lines

• Incorporate the affective domain

Empower Youth

• Help with library operations

• Help with children’s services

• Review books, media, Internet sites

• Add content on catalogs/Library Thing

• Create library products: photos, artwork,

videos, displays, posters, newsletters,

web pages

• Train others in technology use

• Translate

• Conduct oral and community history

Communities of Learning

• Autonomous, sustained group of people with common values and goals

• Social and academic/professional development

• Socialization, norms, and openness

• Collaborative learning

• Individual and group accountability

• Distributed leadership

cox 2

…Because Students

are our Bottom Line!

Input Products: Library Resources

• Quantity impacts reading and overall achievement

• Quality impacts academic achievement

• Technology availability improves reading and overall achievement

• Automated catalog and its use impacts achievement

Input Products: Library Staff

• Quantity and

availability improves

reading

comprehension and

academic achievement

• Quality impacts

reading, verbal SAT

scores, study/library

skills, overall

achievement

Input Products: Library Curriculum

• Info literacy

improves academic

achievement

• Integrated info

literacy instruction

improves science

achievement,

learning, and

research products

Input Processes: Library

Resources

• Effective access for classes and individualsimpacts academic achievement

• Collaborative use of resources improves MS science and info literacy

• Flexible scheduling improves achievement

• Inviting atmosphere improves reading and achievement

• Funding impacts reading and academic achievement

Input Processes: Library Instruction

• Collaboration with school and community improves learning and student achievement

• Work with parentsimproves academic achievement

• Alignment with content standards improves academic achievement

• In-servicing faculty by LMTs improves reading

Input Processes: Library Service

• Overall serviceimproves academic achievement, reading comprehension, elementary students’ overall language ability and verbal expression

• Legal/ethical guidance improves reading

• Relationship with public library impacts reading achievement

Remember! Many societal factors

impact student achievement

• Students: capacity,

emotions, values,

development

• Families: involvement,

resources,

background, values

• Community: resources, values,

connectivity and

supervision, safety

And the school community affects

student achievement:

• Classroom teachers: delivery,

knowledge, caring attitude

• Support staff: availability, attitude,

knowledge, connectedness

• Administration: leadership and

support, connectedness,

governance

• Resources: $$, facilities,

textbooks, curriculum

SO… LMTs need to:

• Identify the critical factors that make a difference

• Determine which factors they can impact/have some say

• Align and support those positive influences, such as principals and parents

• And, when in doubt, collaborate.