Blog Post 4: The 21st Century Learner

It is a fair statement to say that technology has been incorporated into every possible sector in the 21st century; schools and libraries are no exception. While this is not new information, an issue remains among school leaders as to how to best implement technology into the traditional curriculum. There are many who have yet to make this transition, continuing to teach technology as a tool rather than as a creative outlet (Kuhlthau, 2010). Therefore, the American Association of School Libraries (AASL) created the Standards for the 21st-century learner (http://www.ala.org/aasl/standards) as a way to guide schools into implementing guidelines for a high quality education that will prepare students for an ever-changing world (Kuhlthau, 2010). Among these standards is inquiry, which encourages students to learn through questioning, analysis, collaboration and demonstration (AASL, 2007). Carol Collier Kuhlthau (2010) believes the school library is the perfect place to assist both teachers and students with inquiry-rich lessons. Rather than waiting to tackle inquiry after a lesson has been learned, states Kuhlthau, “guide inquiry is a way of learning that accomplishes the objectives of 21st century schools” (Kuhlthau, 2010, p. 3). Technology is extremely broad and constantly changing, which is why Teachers need guidance just as much as students. The school librarian can collaborate with teachers regarding Web 2.0 tools best suited for inquiry-based learning such as “alchemylearning.com.” The goal of inquiry learning is to allow students to initiate, select and explore ideas (Kuhlthau, 2010) but this cannot occur if students are discouraged from using technology; it is irresponsible for teachers to continue to ignore this vital instrument, especially if the resources are readily available. While a digital divide does exist and prevents some schools from implementing AASL standards, Jan Steyaert, in her article “Inequality and the digital divide: Myths and the realities” suggests a major issue with incorporating technology in the classroom has more to do with a lack of ability rather than a lack of access (2002). In her research, Steyaert advocates for policy that will teach users the skills need so that they can easily tackle learning through technology. If teachers are feeling inadequate in their technology competencies, then the school librarian is the gateway to bridging the gap between the standards the the curriculum currently being taught in the classroom. It should not be expected that teachers will simply seek this assistance; school librarians must reach out to teachers, pro-actively creating resources that can be of use, and then presenting these items to the faculty. Otherwise, the digital divide will continue and not because a deficit in high-tech gadgets, rather, a deficiency in inquiry and a disregard for the 21st-century setting. References American Association of School Librarians. (2007). Standards for the 21st-century learner. Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/aasl/standards. Kuhlthau, C.C., 2010. Guided inquiry: School libraries in the 21st century. School Libraries Worldwide, 16, (1), 1-12. Steyaert, J. (2002). Inequality and the digital divide: Myths and realities. In S. Hick & J. McNutt (Eds.), Advocacy, activism and the internet (pp. 199-211). Chicago: Lyceum Press.

Blog Post 3

The following article discusses a study of teacher librarians as a gateway towards integrating technology into the classroom, specifically, gaming. The authors state that the majority of research surrounding this topic focuses on the teacher and their perceptions but rarely are studies conducted regarding the librarian, who has become the primary technology leader on many campuses. As the authors mentioned, teachers’ perceptions about digital gaming is predominantly negative but they surmise that librarians would be more willing to integrate these skills and present them to classroom teachers, thus integrating the technology of gaming into lesson plans. The study indicated that teacher librarians are much more likely to use gaming to teach various skills to students, such as Kahoot! for learning library orientation or Minecraft to make a movie. The authors acknowledged that teacher librarians probably use these games because their schedules are more flexible, whereas a teacher is on a limited time-frame. While teacher librarians were more likely to integrate gaming, the study revealed that their perceptions were just as negative as teachers. The reasons indicated included: lack of time, lack of support and lack of funds. The authors conclude that both parties face the same barriers, however, librarians are in a more advantageous situation, which is the reason they are able to integrate gaming. Therefore, teacher librarians are in the perfect situation to lead teachers into 21st-Century Learning Skill Integration. Minecraft is extremely popular among students and has many benefits of real-world problem solving. I would definitely use Minecraft as a hook to the library. Once students are at the library, I would host a game, allow students to strategize their way to victory. I would informally present the strategies used to problem solve their way and follow up by displaying books with similar subjects of the game. Another interesting tool is the use of Starfall for reading reinforcement. The problem allows students to build their way through reading skills such as letter-sound-recognition, blending, rhyming and sight-words. Even though it is not a complete reading program, the website is a wonderful way to reinforce the classroom teacher’s curriculum. Hovious, A.S., & Van Eck, R.N. (2015). Digital games for 21st-century learning. Teacher Librarian, 42(5), 34-38.

Blog Post 2: Digital Devices in Schools

In “Mobile Digital Devices” by Rebecca A. Hill, the author highlights issues surrounding the use of mobile devices in schools, such as distractions, the digital divide as well as firewalls and filters. While some schools prohibit cell phones because they are distractions, others are embracing these devices, especially when they have discovered that students are ignoring the bans. By accepting these tools, teachers are able to lead their students to and through immediate research, allowing students to continue their studies at any time and from anywhere; thus embracing the skills of the 21st century-learner (AASL, 2007). As with any new implementation, issues arise that must be ironed out, such as problem-solving the digital divide. Studies have shown that the majority of school-aged children own some type of hand-held technology in the form of smartphones, tablets and/or PDA’s (personal digital assistant). “At present, 75% of all 12-17 year old students own their cell phones…” (Hill, 2007, p.3). Those students that do not own these technologies are being provided devices from the school. This system allows the school to save money since they no longer need to supply each student with his/her own device. Now that schools are welcoming students’ hand-held technology, their next goal is to provide access to information without making students vulnerable when surfing the web. To block or not to block is a question that school administrators continue to grapple over because they must walk a fine line of accommodating the conservatives and the liberals of the community. Therefore, firewalls are in place even though they can hinder research. In addition, digital citizenship lessons are a must in order to create responsible online citizens that understand how to protect others and themselves when working on the world wide web. Digital devices are essential in the school environment and will continue to play an important role in research. In my library, I intend to utilize students’ personal hand-held devices, which is already in place at my school. QR codes are constantly created for students to access specific information and websites. I will continue this practice and provide students with a QR code for websites that provide information about books and research. As Hill stated, students already have the technology, teachers and librarians simply need to create ways in which students are evaluating and synthesizing the information they encounter (2007, p.2-3). I agree with Hill that students must be taught digital citizenship, which is the reason I would like to create a blog in which students discuss issues they encounter while working with technology. Students will be able to post questions, thoughts, and share problem-solving skills for combating cyberbullying and digital citizenship. This is the 21st century and we must teach our students how to function in this new world. References American Association of School Librarians. (2007). Standards for the 21st-century learner. Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/aasl/standards. Hill, R.A. (2011). Mobile digital devices. Teacher Librarian, 39(1), 22-26.

Blog Post 1: Technology Strengths and Weaknesses

As the title of this blog suggests, I am an enthusiastically novice technologist.  That being said, my weaknesses may outweigh my strengths.  To begin with, my lessons in class have included the use of creating word documents and utilizing the document camera to display information.  However, according to the International Society for Technology in Education (2015), I should be designing curriculum that allows students to explore and create their learning experiences (p.1).  I am guilty of providing minimal use of tools in the classroom that would allow for such progress to occur.  While I am keenly aware of constructing activities that meet multiple learning styles and provide ample opportunity for students to collaborate, the majority (approximately 80%) of student work centers around working in the form of paper, pencil and books.  Students are provided hands-on activities and visuals, yet they do not make use of technology, which could greatly improve their understanding of information.  It follows that since students do not use technology in my classroom, neither have I promoted digital citizenship and responsibility (ISTE, 2015).  Despite this downfall, I teach respect towards each other's beliefs, ideas and opinions, including respect for copyright laws.  With the majority of student work being done via the world wide web and electronics, it is necessary that I begin to tackle these issues through the appropriate tools for the 21st century.   As an educator, one of my strengths stems from my love of learning.  I have and continue to take courses that have required me compile a bank of digital tools and resources to facility life-long learning in my classrooms.  Thus far, I sought additional workshops to improve my use of technology in student-centered learning.  While I am slowly integrating these newly acquired skills into my curriculum, my objective is to make the integration of digital tools into my lessons a subconscious effort.  Part of overcoming my weaknesses is to continue to add these resources into my classroom.  Practice makes perfect and just as I learned to become a better teacher after 10 years, I will learn to facilitate learning through technology.  There is so much more that I have yet to learn and so much that I do not realize I want to learn.  Each new class or workshop I attend, I add to my bank of information.  A pressing instructional strategy I would like to learn about technology is how to keep up with all the new advances without feeling overwhelmed.  The abyss is infinite but I would very much like to learn how to navigate the chasm. References International Society for Technology in Education. (2015). ISTE standards for teachers. Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/standards/ISTE-standards/standards-for-teachers.

Class Projects

Class Projects