The Scanner Volume 6, Issue 2 Spring 2015
Teaching and Learning About ISTE Librarians Network The purpose of the Librarians Network is to promote librarians as leaders and champions of educational technology and digital literacy. The key mission is to provide a professional learning community where librarians can leverage technology knowledge and expertise to improve school library pro-
grams, increase access to information, and foster strong teaching and learning environments in a connected world. The Librarians Network fosters communication among librarians, promotes the school library program, represents school librarians in ISTE activities and with other PLNs, and provides opportunities for leadership and pro-
Inside this issue: President’s Message STEM Collaborations: Partnering with your Science Teachers
Media Centers in the 21st Century Teach by Example
fessional development for librarians. There are many opportunities to get involved with the Librarians Network including contributing to the newsletter, helping to organize professional development activities such as webinars, Twitter chats or book discussions, or simply attending events and sharing your views and experiences with others.
LINKS:
2 4 7 9
Join PLN discussions with your ISTE account Follow @ISTELIB on Twitter or use #istelib Join the Librarians Network group on Facebook Access the Librarians Network’s Website
Page 2
The Scanner President’s Message by Donna Macdonald Being a Vermonter, I’m accustomed to the cold and snow of winter, but
Our Professional Development chair,
this year was unusually brutal. I’m
Elissa Malespina, has had such a great
thankful that our Librarians Network variety of guests, speaking of topics PLN had some engaging professional
ranging from makerspaces to libraries
development activities that helped to
around the world. Archives of these
take my mind off what was happening informative webinars may be accessed outside my window.
on our Weebly page [click to follow link]. Watch the website for news
March Madness brought our annual
about upcoming PD opportunities.
book discussion. This year, we fea-
Thank you, Elissa, for being such a
tured the ISTE publication, Teaching
wonderful host for these events!
Literacy in the Digital Age, which was edited by the Literacy PLN president, Our Librarians Network Leadership Mark Gura. Fifty lucky Librarians
Team is made up of some tireless vol-
Network members received free cop- unteers. Thank you, Jenn Hanson,
Image from ISTE resources
ies of this book and many of you par-
our Communications Chair, for keep-
ticipated in discussions on Twitter,
ing us all up-to-date and informed.
Facebook and/or ISTE Connect. Our Your organizational skills are second discussions capped off with a webi-
to none!
nar/Twitter chat with Mark, B.J. Neary, and Jennifer Latimer. Both
For more information on how you
B.J. and Jennifer contributed chapters might take on a volunteer role with for the book. This was only one of the our PLN, please check out the ISTE fabulous monthly Librarians Network’s webinars and Twitter chats.
website [click to follow link].
Page 3
Volume 6, Issue 2 ISTE will be soon announcing the
with Your Science Teachers, Digital
winners of this year’s Librarians Net- Citizenship, and Media Centers as work Primary and Secondary
Part of the Online Learning Environ-
Awards. It was great to read all of the ment. I’m sure you’ll pick up some
Consider a
impressive projects taking place in
tips that will assist you through the
schools around the country. The
final stretch of the school year.
volunteer
award winners will be recognized at
role with the Librarians Network PLN
ISTE’s annual conference in Philadel- Enjoy. And THINK SPRING! phia. I can’t wait to share their accomplishments with you! A special thanks goes to Tiffany Whitehead for spearheading the awards process this year. In the next issue of The Scanner, I’ll be letting you in on some details of the fabulous events we’ve got planned for ISTE15. In the meantime, kick back and enjoy this newsletter’s articles: STEM Collaborations: Partnering
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The Scanner
STEM Collaborations: Partnering with your Science Teachers
Diana L. Rendina Media Specialist Stewart Middle Magnet School Tampa, FL
When school librarians think of which STEM partner at our schools. It’s up to subject areas to partner with, the usu- us to find ways of putting ourselves out al suspects are language arts and social there and letting these teachers know studies classes. We often forget that
what we have to offer them.
our science teachers can make excellent collaborative partners. Being at a I try to get on the agenda for preSTEM magnet
planning at the be-
school, I have ac-
ginning of every
tively sought out
school year to
partnerships with
share with all my
our science depart-
teachers about how
ment and have col-
I can collaborate
laborated frequent-
with them and as-
ly with several of
sist in lessons. I
our STEM teach-
then follow up
ers. I’ve learned
with this by attend-
what works and
ing subject area
what doesn’t, and have developed strate- meetings where I go into more detail
I’m all about makerspaces
gies for working with STEM classes and
about what resources we have available.
teachers.
This is a great time to promote STEM specific databases and have teachers who
Tip 1: Put yourself out there
you have partnered with before share about the experience.
I’ve found that science and math teachers often don’t seek out the librarian for col- Tip 2: Start small laboration because they don’t see us as a
Images supplied by author
Page 5
Volume 6, Issue 2 Building up collaborative partnerships with
Tip 4: MakerEd for the win!
your STEM teachers isn’t always easy or quick. Rather than trying to work with every single
I’m all about makerspaces, and mak-
teacher in a year, start small instead. This year, er education is a great opportunity to
I have actively
I’ve focused on a handful of teachers who I
bring students into your library for
sought out
know I work well with. As those partnerships
hands-on learning. What exactly you
partnerships
have grown and benefited our students, other
create depends on what materials you
teachers have noticed and have approached me
have available, but the possibilities
about working with their classes. These teach-
are endless. As I’ve looked for great
science
ers often become cheerleaders for your pro-
examples on Twitter and on blogs,
department
grams as well.
I’ve seen physical science classes
with our
learn about electricity using Snap Circuits, Tip 3: Science is research too
math classes learn about angles with Sphero and engineering classes learning about bridge con-
We often forget that research is a huge compo- struction with K’nex. LEGOs can be fantastic nent of science instruction. From finding infor- for learning math concepts like perimeter and mation on how circuits work to gathering re-
area. Check out my STEM/STEAM Pinterest
search for a science fair project, our expertise
board for a lot of
in research skills can be an invaluable resource
great examples of
for our STEM classes. Find out where research hands-on activifits into the STEM curriculum at your school
ties that can tie
and approach those teachers about partnering
into lessons.
with them for these units. This is a great chance to show your students science focused data-
A successful
bases, teach them essential research skills, and
collaboration
go over how to create bibliographies. This year I’ve
Images supplied by author
Page 6
The Scanner focused on partnering with our Ma-
lenge: they were to create an artificial
rine Science teacher. For one unit,
coral reef model using LEGOs and
we concentrated on coral reef resto-
they had to be able to explain the ra-
ration. We met during her planning
tionale for their design based on the
period to put the lesson together. She information from the articles that we introduced the concept to her stu-
read. This was a great way to check
dents the day before the lesson by
their comprehension and the students
showing them a video in class. When had a lot of fun creating projects and we brought the class to the library,
explaining them to us. You can read
we used written conversation strate-
more about this lesson on my blog.
gies to help the students discov-
[Y]ou’re an amazing resource for these classes
Conclusion
er more on their own. I
Don’t be afraid
found four dif-
to reach out to
ferent articles
the science
on coral reef
teachers at your
restoration in Gale Science in Con-
school. You don’t have to become a
text, printed them out and taped
science expert to work with these
them to butcher paper at our library
teachers – you’re already an expert
tables. Students rotated between arti- on research and instructional stratecles and annotated them in groups,
gies, so you’re an amazing resource
adding comments, questions, doo-
for these classes. It’s essential for us
dles, etc. After reading all the arti-
to expand our roles beyond the tradi-
cles, we discussed what we learned as tional language arts partnerships to a group.
help our schools and communities continue to see what a vital role we
Then we gave the students a chalImages supplied by author
play in our students’ education.
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The Scanner
Media Centers as Part of the Online Learning Environment
Rebecca Reiter Informational Literacy, Seventh Grade Hudson Middle School
School libraries around the world have
their journey toward informational and
stepped into the 21st Century in style.
digital literacy. Her goals for them are
The library at Hudson Middle School in to not only advance their digital literacy
School libraries
Hudson, Ohio, is no exception. Cur-
but to also become leaders, team play-
around the
rently lead by Kristen Dages, the Hud-
ers, entrepreneurs, global citizens,
world have
son Middle School Library is still the
communicators, creators, collabora-
stepped into the
place we remember—books, reading
tors, and problem solvers. In addition
nooks, and quiet surround the fantasy
to becoming self-directed and self-
world authors create for us to enjoy.
regulated learners, Mrs. Reiter’s stu-
This library is now so much more,
dents also develop emotional intelli-
though. Digital databases bring the
gence as a result of her classroom man-
world right to eager minds that are
agement style.
yearning to learn. Together with Dages, Rebecca Reiter’s students study global
Her students’ first interaction with the
challenges and present solutions to the
media center occurs early in the course,
problems in multimedia fashion. This
but because of the fluidity of this partic-
project would not be possible without
ular media center, Mrs. Dages brings
the support of this amazing middle
the media center to the classroom. In
school library.
addition to the many books she gathers to support each unit of study, Dages
The Hudson Middle School Library lies arrives at the classroom ready to teach at the center of Reiter’s blended lan-
students how to access multiple digital
guage arts classroom with a focus on
resources. Reiter and Dages both teach
informational literacy. Armed with
the students how to conduct digital re-
Chromebooks for each student and a
search using the program Noodle Tools,
passion for integrating technology into
which allows students to complete a
her instruction, Reiter greets new stu-
research project without ever setting
dents each trimester as they embark on pen to paper.
21st Century in style.
Volume 6, Issue 2 Once the students learn how to access resources
Page 8 expertise in helping the students to select the ap-
and record information, they set forth with a plan propriate tools for their presentations, the stuto solve global issues. This past year, students
dents have access to a Web 2.0 LiveBinder via the
studied global health and mortality, water preser- school library’s Internet Toolbox. Students choose vation for future generations, and access to nutri-
which tools they feel will best support the infor-
tious food for all. The young minds at Hudson
mation they have collected. Students even get to
Middle School have access to information from all teach each other how to use the tools as they all over the world via the middle school’s digital li-
have the opportunity to become the teacher for a
brary which includes EBSCO, SIRS Discoverer,
day. Then at the end of the trimester in the media
World Book Living Green and eBooks, National
center and in grand style, the students participate
Geographic Kids Virtual Library, Student Re-
in forums to present their work to their peers.
sources in Context, and Science Online. In recent years, Dages and Marie Sabol, former president of Students share videos, infographics, comics, Ohio Educational Library Media Association have
charts, tables, brochures, word clouds, and maps,
piloted several new digital learning opportunities. most of which were created with the data and Sabol built a solid foundation for Dages to contin- tools that they accessed from their media center. ue to build upon, and that she has done. Over the course of twelve weeks, the students in With just one click, students are now able to pull
seventh grade at Hudson Middle School are ex-
resources from over twenty databases and ency-
posed to a highly engaging and motivational unit of
clopedias, including the district’s own collection
study that with the support of their media center
from a single search, providing ample information allows them to become more self-directed and self for their multimedia projects.
-regulated learners with a greater sense of global awareness, improved digital literacy skills, and
Students still have additional tools available for
stronger critical thinking skills. Mrs. Reiter’s sev-
them to use after the research portion of the pro-
enth graders and the entire population of Hudson
ject has been completed. Reiter orchestrates the
Middle School have been enriched by their library,
development of the creation of multimedia pro-
a fluid and living entity. In closing, if your school’s
jects that showcase the students’ research and so-
media center is not part of your online learning
lutions to global problems. In addition to Reiter’s environment, what is holding you back?
Page 9
The Scanner
Teach by Example
Emily Roediger Director of Media Services Upper School Media Specialist George Walton Academy Monroe, GA
Every school librarian knows the funda- portance of purposeful and conscientious mental importance of teaching digital
web behaviors when assisting individual
citizenship to students. With an in-
students during informal encounters.
creasing number of schools adopting a
When students approach me with a spe-
1:1 or BYOD program, digital citizen-
cific problem—whether they need help
ship is evolving from a theoretical ideal
finding a source for a research assign-
for students to a more concrete, practice ment or they can’t remember how to use
I take that
-based set of behaviors that extend
a feature in a Web 2.0 tool—I take that
throughout all aspects of digital life, on
opportunity to discuss applicable digital
and off of campus. As school librarians,
citizenship topics while also addressing
we have more opportunities than ever to their initial concerns. Teaching digital
opportunity
show our students why safe, ethical, and citizenship using this impromptu, one-on
to discuss
courteous online actions are especially
applicable
relevant in educational communities. But relevant to an immediate need, which
digital
do we truly take advantage of every op-
means the lessons learned are more like-
portunity, even the small ones?
ly to stick in a student’s mind long-term.
citizenship topics
-one technique makes concepts more
Such an approach offers continual reinMost school librarians, myself included,
forcement of models we cover during
teach digital citizenship within the con-
formal instruction and also presents sev-
text of formal situations—we present
eral additional benefits for both school
concepts in stand-alone lessons to class-
communities and school librarians.
sized groups of students, or we integrate them into collaborative, content-based
When students come to you with a ques-
projects that we co-teach with classroom tion or problem, they have already identeachers.
tified you as an expert in some capacity and are expressing their confidence in
Increasingly, however, I have found that your ability to help them arrive at a soluI most effectively communicate the im-
tion. Rarely do we find ourselves in such
Page 10
Volume 6, Issue 2 a prime situation
stop there. I also mentioned that many
where students
hate speech propagators use a similar
have predisposed technique of hiding their true colors on themselves to
websites in an effort to more subtly influ-
listen to what we ence online readers. We then had an exhave to say and
tended discussion about how such behav-
then apply that
ior ties into cyberbullying and why it’s so
knowledge. What better time to discuss
important to fully investigate our sources
digital citizenship, a topic I’ve seen many
of online information. Not only did this
students dismiss when in a group setting? student leave the library with a better This past fall, I had a 10th grade student
website for his research paper, but he
ask me for help on citing a website he
also understood how his actions had
wanted to use for a research paper about
broader implications outside of a school
how cities handle their homeless popula-
assignment.
tions. For school librarians, this is a familiar story: The overall appearance of the
Handling digital citizenship topics in this
site was benign enough, but upon closer
manner allows students to see how their
examination of the actual text, I noticed a online actions affect others, not just few politically-charged phrases. I showed themselves, which is sometimes difficult him how to check a website publisher’s
to illustrate effectively. Encouraging stu-
information using a domain lookup ser-
dents to make connections between the
vice (http://whois.domaintools.com/ is
hypothetical consequences we discuss
a good one), and finding that the publish- during formal instruction and the realer had outspoken political affiliations, I
world ramifications of an act in the mo-
suggested an alternate resource that in-
ment makes their learning individualized
cluded multiple viewpoints.
and practical. Suddenly it becomes real. Even small actions carry the potential to
I then answered his initial question about
hinder other’s progress, and students
how to cite this new website, but I didn’t learn more quickly to follow recommend-
Suddenly it becomes real.
ed protocols. One example is teaching stu- matter, and they can now share a personal dents to log off of their domain usernames
example to support their advice.
when using communal library or lab computers. On our campus, when students for- As school librarians, it’s important that get to sign out as users, the next student
we conduct these spontaneous lessons in a
who sits down at that terminal could expe- way that continues to make us approacha-
[W]e should avoid judgement
rience problems accessing materials stored
ble for further questioning; we should
on cloud-based platforms that sync to local
avoid judgement and allow students to
and allow
software programs, such as the Office 365
feel comfortable, no matter the nature of
students to
portal and Microsoft Office suite. When
their issue. We want our students to view
feel
helping students navigate such issues, I al-
us as trustworthy and helpful, whether
ways stress why logging off is so im-
they’re looking for a book recommenda-
portant—not only do open portal accounts tion or assistance on how to use an online present a security concern, but they can
image in a way that falls under fair use
also make efficient work difficult for other
guidelines. Group instruction on digital
students. Since students needing assistance
citizenship will always be an important fac-
have found themselves in that exact situa-
et of ongoing library instruction, but con-
tion, they are much more careful to help
sciously supplementing this instruction by
their peers avoid it in the future.
what we say in our everyday interactions with students is an effective strategy we can
One of the most encouraging benefits of stressing digital citizenship in one-on-one encounters is that often students walk away as ambassadors of purposeful online behavior. More than once I have overheard the participant of an informal conversation about digital citizenship passing along her expertise to a classmate. These new ambassadors know how and why their actions
add to our toolkits.
comfortable
Page 12
Volume 6, Issue 2
Newsletter Committee The Scanner is the newsletter of ISTE's Librarians Network, a group of school, public, and academic librarians working to promote the use of instructional technologies to enhance student learning. This newsletter will feature Librarians Network business items, professional development news, member article submissions, personal success stories, and links to great resources. We will be publishing 3 newsletters this year.
Shelley Friesen Larnette Snow Mary Carole Strother Jacqueline Liesch Elaine Lawrence Email: istelibrarians@gmail.com
Article Proposals Proposals for feature and short articles should be 100 words or less and submitted through a Google Doc form.
President Donna Macdonald Teacher Librarian and Technology Integrationist Orchard School South Burlington, VT
Communications Chair Jennifer Hanson Librarian Primary Source Brighton, MA
Past President Tiffany Whitehead Teacher-Librarian Central Middle School Greenwell Springs, LA
President Elect Sherry Gick Library & Instructional Technology Specialist Rossville Consolidated Schools Rossville, IN
Professional Development Chair Elissa Malespina Supervisor of Technology South Orange, NJ
Newsletter Editor Shelley Friesen Instructional Coach Golden Hills School Division Strathmore, AB, Canada