School library media and technology programs should focus on student achievement and involve the entire staff in collaboratively planning instructional programs that are authentic and engaging, enriched by high-quality resources, current technologies, and effective models of integration. A learner-centered approach to instruction focuses attention on media and technology programs as vital instructional forces that complement, support, and expand classroom learning. The ongoing assessment of media and technology programs is the responsibility of teachers and administrators working together with media and technology professionals. An effective media and technology program supports the teaching and learning community through data-driven collaboration, literacy, integration of technology and information skills with the total curriculum, resources, staff development, and assessment.
“Creating the context of a collaborative culture requires more than encouraging educators to work together. The tradition of teacher isolation is too deep to be uprooted simply by offering opportunities for collegial endeavors. Collaboration by invitation never works. Leaders who function as staff development leaders embed collaboration in the structure and culture of their schools. Teachers’ work is specifically designed to ensure that every staff member is a contributing member of a collaborative team. Creating an appropriate structure for teacher collaboration is vitally important, but also insufficient. Leaders must do more than organize teacher teams and hope for the best. They must provide the focus, parameters, and support to help teams function effectively" (Designing Powerful Professional Development, 2005)
“Today’s student lives and learns in a world that has been radically altered by the ready availability of vast stores of information in a variety of formats. The learning process and the information search process mirror each other: students actively seek to construct meaning from the sources they encounter and to create products that shape and communicate that meaning effectively. Developing expertise in accessing, evaluating, and using information is in fact the authentic learning that modern education seeks to promote” (NC Information Skills Curriculum Philosophy, 1999)
Collaboration should be evident in all areas of the school environment as well as at the system, regional, and state levels. Within the school, the school library media coordinator and the technology facilitator work closely with teachers, administrators, students, and support personnel. All of these people must be involved in the planning, implementation, and evaluation of an instructional program integrated with media and technology.
For more information refer to the section on Collaboration Through Flexible Access.
The school library media coordinator and technology facilitator play an integral role in teaching students how to access, evaluate, and use information. They also support students in being able to choose the most appropriate tool for collecting information in multiple formats and then organizing, linking, evaluating, and through synthesis, discovering how to present the information. “An array of tools for acquiring information and for thinking and expression allows more students more ways to enter the learning enterprise successfully and to live productive lives in the global, digital, and information-based future they all face” (Philosophy: North Carolina Standard Course of Study, 2004). These skills are embedded throughout the Information and Computer/Technology Skills curricula and are essential to teaching and learning. It is vital that these skills are fully integrated across the curriculum.
To integrate these skills seamlessly across the curriculum, the media coordinator and technology facilitator need to “provide strong and creative leadership in building and nurturing the culture of learning, both as a teacher and as an instructional partner” (AASL and AECT, 1998). As teachers, the school library media coordinator and technology facilitator will need to “use both traditional materials and innovative resources” (AASL and AECT, 1998) to provide meaningful instruction. This can be achieved through instruction in a full range of information concepts and strategies, so that students will have the skills needed to interact effectively with all information resources.
A research process is one of the types of innovative resources that can be used whenever students are in a situation, academic or personal, that requires information to solve a problem, make a decision, or complete a task. A systematic research model such as the Big Six provides an information problem-solving process, and a set of skills that provide a strategy for effectively and efficiently meeting information needs.
It is important to remember that the integration of information and computer/ technology skills across the curriculum does not take place in isolation, but occurs through collaborative planning. The involvement of media and technology professionals in all aspects of curriculum implementation is fundamental to collaboration.
BEING INVOLVED WITH THE CURRICULUM TO ACHIEVE INSTRUCTIONAL GOALS MEANS:
- Developing a thorough knowledge of the North Carolina Standard Course of Study for all subject areas and grade levels within the school<http://www.ncpublicschools.org/curriculum>;
- Working with teachers to integrate media and technology into instruction across all subject areas and grade levels (See scenarios for school library media coordinator and technology facilitator in Implementing the IMPACT Model);
- Serving on the School Improvement Team;
- Working on subject area and grade level teams and committees at the building, system, and state level;
- Taking leadership roles on the Media and Technology Advisory Committee;
- Analyzing the School Improvement Plan for areas of instructional focus;
- Reflecting the School Improvement Plan in instruction and in the acquisition of resources;
- Analyzing test data with teachers to improve instructional focus;
- Participating in grade level/departmental meetings;
- Recommending appropriate information and technology resources to support information and computer/technology skills, and critical thinking throughout the curriculum;
- Collaborating with teachers, staff, and other members of the learning community to integrate information literacy competencies throughout the teaching and learning process;
- Developing a deep understanding of the information and computer/technology skills for student learning and of the specific relationship between the skill and the curricular goals of the school and system (AASL and AECT, 1998);
- Developing and promoting specific plans for incorporating the information literacy standards for student learning into day-to-day curricular and instructional activities (AASL and AECT, 1998);
- Collaborating regularly with teachers and other members of the learning community to encourage students to become information literate, independent in their learning, and socially responsible in their use of information and information technology (AASL and AECT, 1998).
RESEARCH MODEL RESOURCES
THE BIG SIX OR THE SUPER THREE <www.big6.com>
FOLLETT’S INFORMATION SKILLS MODEL <www.sparkfactor.com/clients/follett/home.html>
The media and technology program provides intellectual and physical access to a full range of information and services for a community of learners and serves as a model for responsible and creative information use. The school library media coordinator and the technology facilitator collaborate with the school community to play an even more important role as the quantity of information continues to grow. They guide and promote a student-centered program; provide flexible and equitable access to information for learning; and use the North Carolina Standard Course of Study to help all students “construct meaning from the sources they encounter and to create products that shape and communicate that meaning effectively” (NC Information Skills Curriculum Philosophy, 1999).
It is critical for students to have the ability to process and create understanding from all types of media in our exploding world of information. Real research and questioning can become lifelong tools to encourage independent thinking and to guide classroom inquiry at any time students are engaged in reading, viewing, or listening activities.
ENSURING EQUITABLE ACCESS TO INFORMATION MEANS:
- Providing accurate, up-to-date, and developmentally appropriate print, non-print, and technology resources that meet the curriculum-related and data-driven needs of students and teachers;
- Providing meaningful instruction in the full range of information concepts and strategies that students need to interact effectively with all information resources;
- Supporting intellectual freedom and students’ right to read.
- Providing flexible access to media and technology resources, staff, and facilities throughout the day;
- Providing adequate staffing for the media center and computer labs before, during, and after school for use by students, teachers, and members of the community;
- Providing technologies (such as laptops, portable text devices, and digital cameras) for individual, small group, classroom, and offsite use;
- Purchasing software and assistive/adaptive hardware (such as speech synthesis software, voice input technologies, and touch screens) that provide access to all media and technology for students and teachers with special needs;
- Providing large screen monitors or data/video projection devices for whole class instruction.
“Flexible, equitable, and far-reaching access . . . Is essential to the development of a vibrant, active learning community” (AASL and AECT, 1998).
Effective collaboration, clear instructional goals, the use of data, and continual feedback impact achievement in a powerful way. The school library media coordinator and the technology facilitator collaborate with teachers in the assessment of student performance in many ways. Grade-level or subject area teams of teachers, along with the school library media coordinator and the technology facilitator, meet routinely to identify instructional strengths and weaknesses, analyze scores and other assessments, and develop strategies to address the instructional needs of students. This process is ongoing and involves continual examination of teaching practices and learning opportunities as a means of becoming more effective. In this context, assessment can be seen as part of the teaching and learning process as opposed to being a separate task.
Collaboration to assess student learning should be evident in all areas of the school environment, with the school library media coordinator and the technology facilitator working closely with teachers, administrators, students, and support personnel. All must be involved in the planning, implementation, and evaluation of an instructional program integrated with media and technology.
School library media coordinators and technology facilitators are knowledgeable about research and best practices and skilled in applying the findings to a variety of situations. Media and technology programs can have a tremendous impact on student achievement if they follow the direction provided by research and best practice, and then apply it to ongoing assessment. In short, effective media and technology programs routinely consult the research, see where it fits and how it applies, and then study the effects so that necessary adjustments to the teaching and learning process can be made.
Reflection is an important part of the educational process. Taking time to revisit daily practice by asking the following questions allows educators the opportunity to collaboratively and systematically assess teaching and learning practices, extract the best strategies, and make refinements that ultimately lead to higher student achievement.
- How did the use of technology influence student achievement and increase motivation?
- How many opportunities were offered for critical thinking and problem solving?
- Did students use technology to solve real-life problems?
- Did students engage in meaningful, relevant conversation?
- Did students learn with one another through collaborative work and group problem solving?
- Did students have time to form opinions, debate, persuade, discover new concepts, and make decisions?
- Did students exercise choice at any point in the activity?
- Did students engage in reflective debriefing and answer questions such as,“What happened?”
- “What made you think that?” “What would you change?” top
Quality professional development provides educators with the knowledge and skills to build powerful collaborative teams and provide the interpersonal support and synergy necessary for creatively addressing complex teaching and learning issues.
According to the North Carolina Office of Professional Development, professional development leaders “must:
- Provide time for collaboration in the school day and school year.
- Identify critical questions to guide the work of collaborative teams.
- Ask teams to create products as a result of their collaboration.
- Insist that teams identify and pursue specific student achievement goals.
- Provide teams with relevant data and information”
The school library media coordinator and technology facilitator play an important role in the planning and implementation of professional development that helps define and achieve standards of excellence to ensure the success of every student. Teachers need the skills, knowledge, time, and autonomy to decide what professional development they need. The media coordinator and technology facilitator must work with building- and system-level administrators to ensure that the professional development provided in their school is based on needs assessment and data collection.
Media and technology personnel need to have an understanding of the school culture to build a learning community within the school that encourages continuous learning. Teachers should be rewarded for and encouraged to take risks, and be given the opportunity to learn and share together. Effective professional development experiences provide opportunities for teachers to build their knowledge and skills and broaden their teaching approaches, so they can create better learning opportunities for students. Media coordinators and technology facilitators acquire a school-wide perspective of professional development needs as they plan collaboratively with teachers. This school-wide perspective enables them to make decisions about appropriate data-driven professional development and to acquire the resources to design it.
Media and technology professionals must encourage a data-driven process to determine what professional development to provide, implement their process, and evaluate its impact on student learning. This will ensure that teachers receive the quality professional development they need so that all students can be successful.
In order to be effective, professional development must be assessed on a regular basis so that improvements can be made. This will help to guarantee a positive impact on teacher effectiveness and student learning. Evaluation to determine the overall effectiveness of a professional development program must be built in during the initial planning stage. The collection of formative and summative assessment data should occur across the professional development program. Formative assessments are conducted throughout the professional development program, and summative evaluation occurs at the conclusion of the program. Summative evaluation “should be collected at three levels: educator practices, organizational changes, and student outcomes” (“Designing Powerful Professional Development,” 2005).
The school library media coordinator and the technology facilitator are aware of the need for appropriate professional development. They expect to continue learning throughout their teaching career and to be able to improve their practice significantly through a variety of learning opportunities. Professional development must be provided for media and technology personnel through local, state, and national opportunities. Professional development not only benefits the individual in shaping his or her profession, but also helps to ensure that best practice is everyday practice and that the most effective approaches are used.
- Using formal assessment tools to determine professional development needs.
- Prioritizing professional development opportunities based on needs assessment.
- Evaluating the effectiveness of professional development efforts at regular intervals.
- Using student test data in determining professional development.
Effective professional development is based on theory, research, and proven practice. No Child Left Behind calls for professional development that:
- is sustained, intensive, and classroom-focused,
- is grounded on scientifically-based research,
- is aligned with state content standards and assessments,
- gives teachers of limited English proficient (LEP) students the knowledge and skills necessary to teach them,
- provides preparation in the appropriate use of curricula and assessments,
- instructs in methods of teaching children with special needs,
- is developed with extensive participation of teachers and principals, and
- is regularly evaluated for impact on increased teacher effectiveness and improved student academic achievement (NSDC Standards for Staff Development, 2001).
- Participating in regularly scheduled system-level, regional, and state meetings, and sharing information with school staff;
- Attending state, regional, and national conferences to report back on professional development initiatives and trends;
- Serving on professional development committees at the school and system levels.
- Involving principals, teachers, and paraprofessionals in the planning of professional development;
- Assessing needs of administrators, teachers, and paraprofessionals for targeted professional development;
- Reflecting licensure requirements, ABC goals and objectives, and school improvement goals in the school professional development plan <http://abcs.ncpublicschools.org/abcs/>;
- Providing a variety of professional development including online opportunities that integrate media and technology into all curriculum areas;
- Aligning professional development to the North Carolina Professional Development Standards - <http://abcs.ncpublicschools.org/abcs/>;
- Aligning professional development to the National Educational Technology Standards for Teachers - <http://cnets.iste.org/teachers/t_stands.html>;
- Using research-based models for professional development.
- Planning professional development that is aligned with building- and system-level goals and promotes evaluation and follow-up.
- Reflecting current research on teaching and learning.
- Respecting and drawing from the knowledge and experience of teachers, administrators, and paraprofessionals.
- Providing a variety of professional development opportunities (such as just-in-time, small-group, large-group, North Carolina Information Highway (NCIH), and online).
- Providing that professional development is relevant to the classroom setting and reflective of test data.
- Providing professional development that gives teachers the knowledge and skills necessary to work with all students.
- Providing time for professional development design, and implementation.
- Providing professional development for instructional leaders in data analysis, collective inquiry, and collaborative planning.
- Providing professional development that includes processes for formative and summative assessment.
- Creating an ongoing calendar of professional development opportunities tailored to meet assessed professional development needs.
- Providing time to learn, practice, and incorporate new skills into instruction.
- Providing resources to support teachers as they implement new strategies in their classrooms.
- Providing follow-up through re-teaching, one-on-one tutoring, troubleshooting, modeling, and other forms of support.
- Evaluating professional development efforts on a continuing basis to ensure they are meeting the needs of teachers and staff.
- Providing the opportunity for self-assessment of needs and interests by teachers prior to setting goals for professional growth.
The National Staff Development Council (NSDC) issued standards for high quality professional development which state that professional development:
- should organize adults into learning communities whose goals are aligned with those of the school and district;
- requires skillful school and district leaders who guide continuous instructional improvement;
- requires resources, including time, to support adult learning and collaboration;
- should use disaggregated student data to determine adult learning priorities, monitor progress, and help sustain continuous improvement;
- should use multiple sources of information to evaluate effectiveness; and
- should prepare educators to understand and teach all students. (NSDC Standards for Staff Development, 2001) top
Based on research by the National Staff Development Council (NSDC), the North Carolina Professional Development Standards provide the vision and framework for making professional development more responsive to the learning needs of both educators and students. The standards propose that professional development “should contribute to measurable improvement in student achievement” and that higher student achievement is the goal. “Professional development that does not produce changes in practice, [the standards emphasize] does not support improved student performance; [furthermore] professional development must be powerful enough to result in changes in schools and practice that lead to higher student achievement and higher teacher performance” (“Designing Powerful Professional Development,” 2005).
“No Child Left Behind (NCLB) solidifies the presence of high-stakes accountability systems in our schools, and as we raise the expectations for students and teachers, we must provide high quality professional development [as it is essential for excellence in teaching and learning]” (Professional Development, 2005). The National Staff Development Council (NSDC) believes that one of the primary purposes of professional development is school improvement as measured by the success of every student. Success is evident through overall high student achievement (NSDC Standards for Staff Development, 2001).
The North Carolina Professional Development Standards recommend that professional development efforts must closely align with school improvement plans and thrive within existing school operations and structures. This systems-thinking approach to planning can be guided by the following questions:
- What are our goals for our students?
- What must we (the adults) learn in order to help our students learn?
- What is the best design for the adult learning?
- What is in place in our school that we would need to change or strengthen in order to meet our learning goals and our student goals?
- How would we know if we were achieving our goals? (“Designing Powerful Professional Development,” 2005)
The North Carolina Professional Standards recommend that a well-designed professional development program will include “a clear and specific presentation of the theory supporting the new practices: modeling, demonstration, coaching, feedback, and practice. Questions to guide evaluation of program quality include:
- Is this model appropriate for the intended outcomes?
- Does the program design include inquiry into how learning can be improved?
- Which model of professional development was used to design this program?” (“Designing Powerful Professional Development,” 2005)
The North Carolina Professional Development Standards are organized according to the context/process/content schema:
- CONTEXT STANDARDS: address the organization, system, and culture in which the new learning will be implemented
- PROCESS STANDARDS: refer to the “how” of professional development describing the learning processes used in the acquisition of new knowledge and skills and addressing the use of data, evaluation and research.
- CONTENT STANDARDS: refer to the “what” of professional development.
NORTH CAROLINA PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS
Professional development that improves the learning of all students organizes adults into learning communities whose goals are aligned with those of the school and district.
Professional development that improves the learning of all students requires skillful school and district leaders who guide continuous instructional improvement.
Professional development that improves the learning of all students requires resources to support adult learning and collaboration.
Professional development that improves the learning of all students uses disaggregated student data to determine adult learning priorities, monitor progress, and help sustain continuous improvement.
Professional development that improves the learning of all students uses multiple sources of information to guide improvement and demonstrate its impact.
Professional development that improves the learning of all students prepares educators to apply research to decision making.
Professional development that improves the learning of all students uses learning strategies appropriate to the intended goal.
Professional development that improves the learning of all students applies knowledge about human learning and change.
Professional development that improves the learning of all students provides educators with the knowledge and skills to collaborate.
Professional development that improves the learning of all students prepares educators to understand and appreciate all students, create safe, orderly and supportive learning environments, and hold high expectations for their academic achievement.
Professional development that improves the learning of all students deepens educators’ content knowledge, provides them with research-based instructional strategies to assist students in meeting rigorous academic standards, and prepares them to use various types of classroom assessments appropriately.
Professional development that improves the learning of all students provides educators with knowledge and skills to involve families and other stakeholders appropriately.
(“Designing Powerful Professional Development,” 2005)
RESOURCES TO SUPPORT PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLANNINGData and Research
Designing Powerful Professional Development for Teachers, Administrators, and School Leaders
How Teachers Learn Best
Is This School a Learning Organization – 10 Ways to Tell
Learning by the Numbers
Professional Development Articles
Professional Development IQ Test
The Toolbelt: A Collection of Data-Driven Decision-Making Tools for Educators
What Works in the Elementary School: Results-Based Staff Development
What Works in the Middle: Results-Based Staff Development
What Works in the High School: Results-Based Staff Development
“What sets collaboration apart . . . Is that the outcome is greater than the sum of the parts.” (Bush, 2003)
DEFINITION OF TERMS
Flexible access enables students and teachers to use and circulate the resources of the media center and computer lab throughout the day and to have the services of the school library media coordinator and technology facilitator at point, time, and location of need.
Collaboration is a process facilitated by flexible access. Collaboration within the IMPACT Model means that the school library media coordinator and technology facilitator work closely with teachers to plan, implement, and evaluate classroom lessons, units, and the overall instructional program.
Preparing students to succeed in the 21st century is an enormous challenge that requires the combined efforts of all educators. Teachers need ongoing support for their instructional programs to meet the challenges of addressing individual student needs and learning styles. A key component of the research-based IMPACT Model is that the media and technology program plays a vital role in today’s schools by providing flexible access to relevant resources and flexible instruction based on collaborative planning. Flexible access and collaboration impact student achievement by using student data to design focused instructional strategies, allowing for differentiation of student learning, addressing multiple learning styles, allowing for timely individual intervention, and reducing class size.
“A substantial body of research since 1990 shows a positive relationship between school libraries and student achievement. The research studies show that school libraries can have a positive impact on student achievement— whether such achievement is measured in terms of reading scores, literacy, or learning more generally. A school library program that is adequately staffed, resourced, and funded can lead to higher student achievement regardless of the socio-economic or educational levels of the community”(School Libraries Work!, 2004).
No Child Left Behind emphasizes the importance of implementing educational programs and practices proven effective in improving student learning and achievement through rigorous scientific research. A substantive body of scientifically-based research has documented the positive impact of flexible access and collaboration on student achievement (<http://www.lrs.org/impact.asp>).
Collaboration is sharing new ideas, strategies and resources to create dynamic and well-planned lessons that foster active learning. The involvement of media and technology professionals in all aspects of curriculum implementation is fundamental to the collaborative process. This is facilitated by flexible access to both the media center and the computer lab and to all their resources, as well as to the services of these professionals during common planning periods.
“High-achieving schools tend to have more technological resources. Baule (1997) found that schools with exemplary technology were also more likely to have high-quality school library media programs. Yetter (1994) observed that the library media centers in successful resource-based learning schools had modern, spacious facilities designed for flexible use and access to technology. Gehlken (1994) noted that all three blue ribbon schools studied had library media centers which were committed to increasing student access to technology, and which had the flexibility and electronic capabilities to accommodate the changing needs created by new technologies” (Michigan State Government, 2003).
The collaborative process begins with an integration phase, develops into cooperatively planned activities, and culminates with full collaborative units.
- Integration is the alignment of media and technology resources to support classroom topics and the instructional needs of students.
- Cooperative activities result when media and technology personnel design lessons independently in support of classroom objectives and instruction.
- Collaboration requires co-planning between teachers and media and technology personnel to create cross-curricular lessons and units that are jointly delivered and evaluated.
Initially, media and technology professionals meet occasionally with classroom teachers to plan cooperatively. There may be a combination of fixed classes, as well as times for open access. At the next stage, media and technology professionals meet with teachers on a regular basis to plan learning experiences, and there are no fixed times for instruction in the media center or computer lab. At the highest level of implementation, formal units of instruction are collaboratively planned, implemented, and evaluated. Teachers and media and technology professionals meet routinely to analyze and use data and to determine instructional strategies and resources to improve teaching and learning. At this stage, media and technology professionals may also co-teach with classroom teachers.
Once a collaborative environment is established, the school library media coordinator and technology facilitator will continue to work at the various levels to support classroom instruction as needs arise. With in-depth collaborative planning, teachers and media and technology professionals meet routinely to analyze and use data and to determine instructional strategies and resources to improve teaching and learning.
“The national library power project, involving 700 schools in 19 school districts, required implementation of cooperative planning and teaching and flexible scheduling of the library. Results of the study indicated:
(Research on Flexible Access to School Libraries, 2002).
- More collaborative work environments and instructional programs focusing on interdisciplinary, inquiry- and problem-based learning;
- More frequent visits to the library as a result of implementation of flexible scheduling;
- More engaging and educationally rich learning activities for students”
- Students and teachers move freely in and out of the school library media center and the computer lab for activities such as researching print and electronic resources for an assignment and creating a multimedia presentation.
- Students come to the media center all day long to check out books and other resources regardless of other activities taking place in the media center.
- Students move in and out of the computer lab throughout the day to use electronic resources.
- One grade level group of teachers is planning with the school library media coordinator and/or the technology facilitator for a new collaborative unit of instruction. Meanwhile, children, under the supervision of media or technology assistants, come from various classes to the media center to check out a book or read a magazine, or to use resources in the computer lab.
- Teachers check with the technology facilitator and school library media coordinator for available blocks of time to bring in their classes to begin work on a collaborative unit--or send a small group of students to work with the school library media coordinator and/or the technology facilitator
- A fourth grade class and their teacher enter the computer lab to work with the technology facilitator on the development of their North Carolina portfolios.
- Those same fourth graders may leave the computer lab periodically to find print resources in the media center to aid in the development of their portfolio. All students are working with the teacher, the school library media coordinator, and the technology facilitator to find resources and learn skills that will help them finish their assignment.
- While a class may stay in the computer lab or media center only twenty minutes during a curriculum-related activity, such as using a software application or participating in story time, other students may be in the computer lab and/or the media center for two or three hours, depending on the time allotted for an activity.
SCHOOL LIBRARY MEDIA COORDINATORS AND TECHNOLOGY FACILITATORS:
- Develop strong instructional partnerships with classroom and special area teachers by working together to plan and implement instruction and to evaluate instructional outcomes;
- Use the best available models of instruction, collaboration, and cooperative learning;
- Ensure that instruction takes place in a student-centered, project-based environment;
- Plan projects and activities with teachers that are relevant to real-life problems and support the development of critical thinking and problem-solving skills in students;
- Create small group activities with heterogeneous groupings to accomplish curriculum goals and objectives;
- Help teachers to address different learning styles by using high-quality resources in a variety of formats;
- Involve students with setting goals for learning;
- Work with teachers and students to create rubrics for project evaluation;
- Create and share a file or database within the school of collaboratively developed lesson plans and related materials keyed to the North Carolina Standard Course of Study;
- Search for lesson plans and successful teaching models in other schools, at conferences, and in the professional literature;
- Participate actively in the planning and evaluation of local, regional, and state activities such as Battle of the Books, Multimedia Mania, technology fairs, Quiz Bowl, and the North Carolina Children’s Book Award.
“Collaboration affords general educators, special educators, and support personnel opportunity to establish rewarding and long lasting social and professional relationships. Accordingly, more school personnel recognize that collaboration fosters a sense of shared responsibility for educating heterogeneous groups of students (friend & cook, 2000). Finally, the growing emphasis on collaboration stems from the very nature of schools themselves-settings in which a range of responsibilities and demands can be addressed more appropriately by collaborative or team approaches than by individual, isolated efforts”(Gable, 2004).
In order to implement flexible access and collaboration, school library media and technology professionals need to understand their leadership roles as change agents and the change process, itself. Implementing flexible access and collaboration changes school climate, so ultimately, media and technology professionals are catalysts for school reform. When media and technology professionals assume leadership roles, they have the opportunity to facilitate discussions about how flexible access and collaboration can support teaching and learning and positively impact student achievement. At the same time, they build the capacity to implement change. Together, they should co-chair the Media and Technology Advisory Committee (MTAC) and should have a voice within the School Leadership Team (SIT). Membership on the SIT can open the door for media and technology professionals to be involved in the master scheduling of the school, including decisions regarding planning time.
Vision, informed leadership, flexible attitudes, and professional development, along with staffing, budget, resources, and common planning time are the pre-existing conditions essential to making flexible access and collaboration work in schools.
“Flexible access to media and technology resources and personnel can make an immediate significant change in the use and integration of media/technology resources with adequate staffing, resources, professional development and administrative support. This change can happen quickly if these critical elements are in place. The single most critical factor affecting the ease of transition to flexible scheduling appears to be the preparation, experience and attitude of the media coordinator and technology facilitator” (Stallings, 2005).
ROLE IN FLEXIBLE ACCESS
SCHOOL LIBRARY MEDIA COORDINATOR
Maximize access to all resources through effective management
Provide resources to support the curriculum in a timely manner
Provide instructional support at the point of need (small or large group)
Co-Lead the Media and Technology Advisory Committee (MTAC)
Participate in the School Improvement Team (SIT)
079 OR 077
Maximize access to all technology resources through effective management
Provide technology resources to support the curriculum in a timely manner
Provide instructional technology support at the point of need (small or large group)
Co-Lead the Media and Technology Advisory Committee (MTAC)
Participate in the School Improvement Team (SIT)
Serve as liaison between the school and the system-level technology director
FULL-TIME MEDIA ASSISTANT*
Manage circulation of resources to provide access throughout the day.
Provide clerical assistance for resources management
Provide support for reference and research activities
FULL-TIME TECHNOLOGY ASSISTANT*
Manage technology resources to provide access throughout the day
Troubleshoot minor technology problems to ensure access to resources throughout the day
Maintain technology infrastructure, hardware, software
Serve as liaison between the school and system-level technical support staff
* Appropriate media and technology assistant staffing supports collaboration by maintaining access to the media and technology resources and facilities while collaborative partners plan and conduct instructional activities.
The integration of school library media and technology programs with instruction is the joint responsibility of teachers, administrators, and media and technology professionals working together to accomplish objectives that support desired outcomes for students.
Facilitate the learning process
Share student data (IEP, AIG, and Testing data)
Chair collaborative meetings
SCHOOL LIBRARY MEDIA COORDINATOR
Integrate information skills into the core curriculum
Understand the total curriculum
Share resources in a variety of formats
Share instructional strategies
Support small group instruction
Support differentiated learning
Advocate for a collaborative environment
Integrate technology skills into the core curriculum
Understand the total curriculum
Share resources in a variety of formats
Share instructional strategies
Support small group instruction
Support differentiated learning
Advocate for a collaborative environment
Integrate skills from their area of specialization with core curriculum content
Support the necessary use of assistive technology resources
Share student assessment data (IEP, AIG)
Allocate time for the collaborative process to occur
Provide financial support for acquisition of information resources
Support flexible access of media and technology programs and resources
Establish expectations for a collaborative environment
Evaluate effectiveness of media and technology programs
Support the leadership role of the school library media coordinator and the technology facilitator
MTAC (Media and Technology Advisory Committee)
Advocate for a collaborative environment
Participate in the selection of resources
Prioritize budget needs
Facilitate long term plans for the media and technology programs
Evaluate effectiveness of media and technology programs
SIT (School Improvement Team)
Advocate for a collaborative environment
Distribute media and technology resources appropriately
Facilitate long term plans for media and technology programs
Determine alignment of MTAC recommendations with the school improvement plan
Successful implementation of flexible access and collaboration requires long-term planning. Development of the IMPACT Model, including flexible access to media and technology resources and instructional support, will take 3-5 years. It is important that the MTAC and the SIT have a shared vision for the learning process that incorporates the key components of the IMPACT Model:
- Technology-rich teaching and learning environment through flexible access
- Resource-rich teaching and learning environment through flexible access
- Collaboration among teachers and media and technology personnel facilitated through flexible access
- Strong administrative leadership and support
- Adequate budget
Extended time is required for teachers to meet with the technology facilitator and school library media coordinator to analyze student test data, identify instructional objectives and appropriate strategies for individual needs, and determine outcomes and evaluation methods. Each grade-level or department team should have a 2-3 hour planning block every four to six weeks when all instructional partners can meet and plan together.
TWO IDEAS FOR PROVIDING EXTENDED PLANNING TIME:
- Each team meets on a different morning or afternoon, and classes are covered by assistants from other classes (lending/borrowing approach);
- Several or all grade-level teams meet on the same day in rotation with classes covered by a team of substitutes who move around the building as the teams do their planning. Substitutes are paid from staff development funds. top
HOW DO YOU IMPLEMENT EFFECTIVE COLLABORATIVE PLANNING SESSIONS?
AS YOU PLAN TOGETHER:
- Discuss curriculum goals and objectives
- Brainstorm possible activities and scientifically-based teaching strategies based on the analysis of student test scores and the identification of individual weaknesses and strengths
- Assign responsibilities for instruction
- Determine and review necessary resources
- Determine outcomes and how to evaluate
- Schedule time for instructional activities
RULES OF THE ROAD
- Lead teacher or department head chairs the meeting
- Teachers talk about curriculum goals and ideas for instructional activities
- School library media coordinator and technology facilitator bring related resources and activity ideas
TOOLS TO GUIDE THE PROCESS
- Curriculum maps/pacing guides
- IMPACT for Teachers Web site
- School-wide research process (Big6, FLIP it!, I-Search, etc.)
- Planning forms
- Collaboration Toolkit (see Appendix)
Strategies for long-term implementation of flexible access and collaboration should include:
- alignment of the goals of flexible access and collaboration with the school improvement plan
- facilitated collaborative planning sessions
- appropriate professional development
- prioritized budget needs
- development of a communication plan for internal and external stakeholders
What interim strategies can be used in the first year of implementing flexible access?
- Implement flexible access for instruction in stages by grade-level (over no more than one year)
- Fixed circulation for primary during 1st semester; transition to flexible circulation 2nd semester
- Fixed instructional schedule for specified days/times; flexible access for other days/times
Individual schools are encouraged to assess the needs of their students and staff and examine their school culture to determine what is needed to promote the IMPACT Model and flexible access such as:
- Access to the online catalog from any workstation
- User login procedures
- Process and procedures for communication
- Record keeping for collaboration with each teacher or grade-level/department team
- Space/workstation utilization for small group and individual use
The benefits of flexible access and collaborative planning to support instruction must be communicated to the education community. While many view flexible access as the loss of planning time for teachers, the benefits of flexible access to resources and media and technology personnel in schools far outweigh any perceived loss of planning time. When addressing administrators, teachers, parents and other members of the learning community, emphasize these benefits:
FLEXIBLE ACCESS ENABLES
- access to media center and computer lab resources when they are needed to support, supplement, and enhance teaching and learning, thus impacting student achievement;
- the school library media coordinator and the technology facilitator to plan with for instruction with teachers and staff;
- students to conduct in-depth research for information and resources, thus fostering independence and life-long learning;
- differentiated instruction in support of the goals and objectives of No Child Left Behind and the ABCs Plus of Public Education
- development of collaborative units of study culminating in student projects that require higher-order thinking skills based on real-world challenges;
- implementation of The Balanced Curriculum as recommended by the Instructional Services Division, NC DPI;
- teachable moment and just-in-time access to information and resources for students;
- integration of information and technology skills into all curriculum areas as defined by the NC Standard Course of Study;
- reduction of the student-teacher ratio;
- instruction to be delivered one-on-one, in small groups, or in whole-class settings in order to address a variety of learning styles.
When advocating for flexible access, help administrators and teachers understand the high price of a fixed schedule both academically and financially. Base all arguments on the research that supports appropriate use of the school library media center and the computer lab to impact student achievement (<http://www.lrs.org/impact.asp>). Volunteer to help the principal brainstorm alternatives for coverage of teacher release time so that the media center and computer lab are outside the planning block. top
“IN A STUDENT-CENTERED LIBRARY MEDIA PROGRAM, LEARNING NEEDS TO TAKE PRECEDENCE OVER CLASS SCHEDULES, SCHOOL HOURS, STUDENT CATEGORIZATIONS, AND OTHER LOGISTICAL CONCERNS.” (AASL and AECT, 1998).
Reading -literacy-information literacy -instructional technology skills media literacy visual literacy contemporary literacy -new literacies thinking skills 21st century skills
WHAT ARE WE REALLY ALL ABOUT?
Current emphases on student reading and writing, accompanied by testing mandates and both state and national legislation, have certainly placed literacy achievement at the forefront of what educators do. The vast array of definitions and terminology used by education professionals today to define their missions or areas of expertise is giving way to the recognition that all educators share both common ground and a common goal for students: to ensure that all develop the skills necessary to be effective lifelong users of ideas and information. Effective language and communication for the 21st century involves all of the various “literacies” noted above, including enabling skills such as reading, writing, and computing, as well as creative thinking and problem solving, interpersonal skills, negotiation, and teamwork. Literacy is literacy is literacy.
Literacy is the business of the entire school and requires significant collaboration in order to create a climate and culture that clearly values literacy skills and stresses their importance. Schools must recognize that comprehension skills are not just the business of the reading teacher, that reading promotion is not just the job of the school library media program, and that Internet research strategies are not just the domain of the instructional technology facilitator.
School library media coordinators and technology facilitators can provide leadership in reinforcing the “big picture” focus, simultaneously demonstrating how the various parts (such as independent reading, project-based authentic research, online strategies, reading motivation, etc.) fit together with classroom instruction into a greater whole through successful collaboration. Effective collaboration, however, requires effective communication, and too often, semantics interferes in our efforts to work together.
“OUR CONCEPT OF LITERACY HAS BEEN BASED ON THE ASSUMPTION THAT PRINT IS THE PRIMARY CARRIER OF INFORMATION IN OUR CULTURE AND THAT THE MOST IMPORTANT SKILLS ARE THOSE THAT ENABLE STUDENTS TO UNDERSTAND AND EXPRESS THEMSELVES IN TEXT. THE NEW DEFINITION OF LITERACY IS BASED ON A DIFFERENT ASSUMPTION: THAT DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY IS RAPIDLY BECOMING A PRIMARY CARRIER OF INFORMATION AND THAT THE BROADER MEANS OF EXPRESSION THAT THIS TECHNOLOGY MAKES POSSIBLE ARE NOW CRITICAL FOR EDUCATION. TEXT LITERACY IS NECESSARY AND VALUABLE, BUT NO LONGER SUFFICIENT” (Meyer and Rose, 2000).
Effective instructional technology and school library media programs recognize that “digital-age literacy” involves much more than basic skills in reading and writing. Both the school library media and instructional technology communities frequently express frustration that “their message” is not getting across with classroom teachers, administrators, or policy makers at the school board, state or federal levels. The news media fails to pay adequate attention to school libraries or instructional technology programs by focusing instead upon test scores and “why Johnny can’t read.” Media and technology professionals must recognize that public attention, and that of classroom teachers, administrators, and policy makers at the local, state, and national levels, is focused more upon such traditional concepts of reading and writing than upon “information literacy” or “instructional technology skills.” Likewise, others seem to ignore or focus less on research about the impact and effectiveness of strong instructional technology and school library media programs. School library media coordinators and technology facilitators must effectively learn the terminology, best practices, and research of the reading and literacy community, and then translate media and technology terminology, best practices, and research into “their” language and experience.
The following examples highlight this “translated” collaboration, in which school library media coordinators and/or technology facilitators use current research, models, and best practices in literacy instruction to develop strong media and technology programs.
MODELED READING AND SHARED READING
(as described in models for balanced literacy instruction – Routman, 1991; Fountas and Pinnell, 1996; Cooper, 2003)
- Reading aloud to students has long been a staple of school library media programs. Occasionally utilizing specific strategies and questioning techniques as a part of school library media read-aloud sessions reinforces the same kinds of explicit instruction that are used in scaffolded classroom instruction. Such strategies are thoroughly discussed in Read It Again!: Revisiting Shared Reading by Brenda Parkes (Stenhouse, 2000);
- Creating buddy or partner reading programs that regularly pair readers to read aloud to each other alternately;
- Developing collections of books on tape to help develop fluency in independent reading (Allen, 2000);
- Readers’ theater strategies, including adapting picture books with large amounts of dialogue into scripts or using web-based resources such as Aaron Shepard’s RT Page.
READING-WRITING WORKSHOP MODEL
- “Internet Workshop: Making Time for Literacy” (Leu, 2000) provides a parallel management structure to be utilized in flexibly accessed technology/computer labs and/or school library media centers, and which could serve as a model for classroom teachers seeking to integrate technology seamlessly into their daily literacy activities.
PRINT-RICH INSTRUCTIONAL ENVIRONMENTS AND BROAD CLASSROOM LIBRARY COLLECTIONS
- Existing classroom library collections can be broadened significantly by the addition of monthly-rotating “classroom collections” drawn from the school library media collection (Routman, 1991).
- Although school library media collections are organized by Dewey numbers, classroom libraries are frequently structured to be “browser-friendly” by organizing materials in a way that makes immediate sense to the student. Browsing bins or tubs of high-interest materials organized by genre or topic, author, etc. (such groupings need not be permanent) could rotate out as student interests change (Fountas & Pinnell, 1996).
RENEWED EMPHASIS ON COMPREHENSION OF NONFICTION AND EXPOSITORY TEXT
- In Strategies That Work: Teaching Comprehension to Enhance Understanding (Stenhouse, 2000) and Nonfiction Matters: Reading, Writing, and Research in Grades 3-8 (Stenhouse, 1998), Stephanie Harvey and Anne Goudvis provide multiple strategies that parallel those modeled and taught by school library media coordinators and technology facilitators when helping students with research projects.
- Literacy strategies common to classroom instruction such as KWL or other kinds of graphic organizers are useful for a variety of research activities.
- Reading strategies for traditional print and linear text and those used for hypertext on Web pages and Internet resources are remarkably similar, though some (e.g., skimming or scanning, using guided questions, text features, etc.) may deserve greater emphasis when reading text online (Schmar-Dobler, 2003).
- Literature-based instruction and literature studies, which have traditionally focused on novels and fiction, must include multiple forms of literacy. School library media coordinators should be booktalking, creating recommended booklists, and providing reading guidance for nonfiction. School Web pages can provide quick links to engaging, high-interest informational Web sites appropriate for “recreational reading.”
ENABLING STUDENTS TO LEARN HOW TO SELECT “JUST RIGHT” BOOKS BY MAXIMIZING CHOICE FOR INDEPENDENT READING ACROSS MULTIPLE LEVELS
(Routman, 1991; Fountas and Pinnell, 1996; Krashen, 2004):
- The establishment of “liberal” circulation policies and procedures allows students to check out multiple library books;
- Peterson (2001) emphasizes the developmental nature of independent reading, pointing out such factors as the importance of series books; allowing students to check out easy, difficult, and “just right” books; and not restricting book choices to certain levels;
- Sibberson & Szymusiak (2003) point out concerns about “restrictive” leveling in book selection and stress the need to continue to provide students, even into middle school, with strategies for selecting appropriate texts, as well as how to promote “book choice conversations” throughout the year, not merely during orientation at the opening of the school year.
Literacy instruction is not just for elementary students: middle and high school students continue to need support and strategies for understanding multiple kinds of text
(Atwell, 1998; Allen, 2000; Gallagher, 2003).
Engaging adolescent and young adult readers – especially many boys and also reluctant readers – requires continued efforts, additional strategies, and an understanding of how they see literacy “fitting into their world.”
(Atwell ,1998; Knowles and Smith, 2001; Booth, 2002; Smith & Wilhelm, 2002; Beers, 2003; Lesesne, 2003; Sullivan, 2003; Reynolds, 2004)
- Advocate for and promote maximum student choice in reading materials (Atwell, 1998; Smith & Wilhelm, 2002; Reynolds, 2004);
- Accept, validate, and support reading choices of “nontraditional” texts such as magazines, comic books, graphic novels, online material, etc. (Newkirk, 2002; Smith & Wilhelm, 2002);
- Develop “nontraditional” collections of magazines, newspapers, comics, and graphic novels (A. Nichols, 2004);
- Read aloud, read aloud, read aloud and booktalk, booktalk, booktalk a wide variety of texts including nonfiction, poetry, graphic novels, magazines, etc.;
- Aggressively merchandize and market library materials through visual displays and promotions (Nichols, 2002);
- Literacy is very much a social activity for many adolescents (Atwell, 1998; Smith & Wilhelm, 2002); therefore, organizing book clubs and discussion formats (Raphael, Kehus, and Damphousse, 2001) such as Paidaeia strategies or literature circles (Daniels and Zemelman, 2002) can be particularly effective for providing opportunities for thinking, enrichment, and motivation.
Effective methods and continual support for sustained silent reading (ssr) can be a powerful strategy for independent reading (pilgreen, 2000 and marshall, 2002) and establishing background knowledge (marzano, 2004):
- Advocating for effective strategies in implementing SSR (Pilgreen, 2000);
- Providing “rotating” monthly classroom collections from the school library media center;
- Visiting various classrooms and “model” reading during SSR.
“We need to continually remind ourselves that knowing how to read does not make a person a reader” (Peterson, 2001).
COOPERATIVE OR COLLABORATIVE READING
(as described in models for balanced literacy instruction and reading-writing workshop):
- Online book clubs or discussion groups using Blackboard software or blogs provide another venue for interaction and dialogue.
“Often it is the very structures we invent that limit the possibilities for our young readers – that draw boundaries around their learning experiences – that shrink reading down to an activity they do in schools, rather than a meaningful, thoughtful daily part of their lives. Our efforts . . . Too often tighten the parameters, limit growth, and give…an artificial perspective of what reading is all about.” (Szymusiak and Sibberson, 2001).
No one questions the incredible time and energy that teachers, school library media coordinators, technology facilitators, and other school personnel spend in their efforts to ensure that students become effective users and communicators of ideas and information. Although most students have participated in traditional “reading promotion” activities such as book fairs, read-ins, technology-based reading incentive programs, Read Across America, book character dress-ups, etc., numerous studies still indicate that many young people do not make the critical connection between literacy and future success.
A growing body of anecdotal evidence indicates that students, perhaps as soon as the middle of the elementary grades, develop an understanding of a difference between “school reading” and “real reading.” The kind of reading promoted by schools is monotonous and routine; it may be useful in the future, but is of little use or interest now. Most importantly, students feel that they have little choice or sense of control when it comes to “schoolish” reading, and that it has little connection with real life (Smith and Wilhelm, 2002).
Schools that wish to create a supportive literacy environment for students must provide:
- Access to reading materials
- Opportunities to read
- Motivation to read
Creating a school climate and culture that truly shows students the value and importance of literacy may be as much, if not more than, a matter of developing relationships, informal protocols, and attitudes rather than providing motivational activities. Both literacy researchers and practitioners (Atwell, 1998; Szymusiak and Sibberson, 2001; Smith and Wilhelm, 2002; Beers, 2003; Lesesne, 2003), and students themselves, stress that the most effective ways to match the reader with the book or material include:
- really listening to the student
- talking with or engaging in meaningful conversations with the student
- surveying or asking the student questions
- developing a relationship of respect with the student
Media and technology professionals must not only use data-driven and scientifically-based instruction. They must get to know their students so well that they can truly provide the bridge between literacy skills and a love and appreciation for reading in all of its forms.top
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