Preparing Our Students for Success

All learning begins with the learner. John Dewey

The New Basics Use technology to communicate Work in groups Solve problems when answers are not self-evident Understand how systems work Collect, analyze, and organize data Olson (1998) School to Work Programs

Students should be learning and applying real-world skills think,think, question,question, find and use information to create new knowledge,find and use information to create new knowledge, synthesize and apply what they learn,synthesize and apply what they learn, collaborate with others to share knowledge.collaborate with others to share knowledge.

Ensure rigor, relevance, and relationships in the K-12 curriculum How Can We Make That Happen?

So What Needs to Happen? So What Needs to Happen? THINK ABOUTRe-design the lesson or activity so learners must THINK ABOUT the information they collect MUST DO SOMETHINGRe-design the lesson or activity so that learners MUST DO SOMETHING with the information they collect

So What Needs to Happen? ADDRESS ALL STANDARDSRe-design the lesson or activity to ADDRESS ALL STANDARDS: content, information literacy, and technology Ask ourselves….. What do we really want students to learn???

This is what we want to see happening consistently. Students involved in learning through social interaction with others.Students involved in learning through social interaction with others. Students actively engaged and reflecting on their experience.Students actively engaged and reflecting on their experience. Students taking responsibility for their own learning.Students taking responsibility for their own learning.

This is what we want to see happening consistently. Students learning by building on what they already know. Students confronted with authentic questions drawn from their own experience OR from real-world situations.

This is what we want to see happening consistently. Students learning and practicing higher-order thinking skills.Students learning and practicing higher-order thinking skills. Students involved in learning through a variety of experiences.Students involved in learning through a variety of experiences. Student work evaluated using authentic assessment tools.Student work evaluated using authentic assessment tools.

The end result will be… Improved student achievementImproved student achievement School to work connectionSchool to work connection Lifelong learning skills and a desire to learnLifelong learning skills and a desire to learn Productive, informed citizensProductive, informed citizens

Successful Programs Constructivist view of learningConstructivist view of learning Scaffold (Ladder) student learningScaffold (Ladder) student learning Set benchmarksSet benchmarks Collaborative planning, team teaching, and common assessmentsCollaborative planning, team teaching, and common assessments Research says library media center is essential componentResearch says library media center is essential component

"Knowing content" is not sufficient in itself -- Students must apply knowledge to: ¤ construct new understandings ¤ solve problems ¤ make decisions ¤ develop products ¤ communicate

The Simple 4 PLAN ACT ORGANIZE REFLECT

The Simple Four… Is easy to use Fits within instructional strategies Is aligned with ELA research standard Was developed for South Carolina Has a low risk factor Can change student behavior with use across the curriculum It’s all about Process

4. How will I know if I did my job well? 3. How can I put my information together? 2. What can I use to find the information I need? Where can I find the resources I need? What information can I use? 1. What do I need to do? What’s my assignment? What information do I need? Students should ask themselves 1. Plan 2. Act 3. Organize 4. Reflect

1. PLAN Students will Define their information problem/needDefine their information problem/need Determine what their assignment isDetermine what their assignment is Identify their information requirementsIdentify their information requirements Students actively engaged in problem-solving. DOGS CATS A utomobiles College

Questioning Time Providing Time for Brainstorming and Examining

2. ACT Students learn and practice their Information seeking skills and strategiesInformation seeking skills and strategies Strategies to locate and access information resources.Strategies to locate and access information resources.

Location and Access Students demonstrate the ability to: Determine what sources are available Independently gather resources Critically evaluate the resource Access appropriate information systems, such as online databases, OPAC, electronic multimedia, WWW

Information Search Strategies Students demonstrate the ability to: Develop alternatives and to seek a variety of materialsDevelop alternatives and to seek a variety of materials Determine which information is most/least importantDetermine which information is most/least important

Information Search Strategies Students demonstrate the ability to: Recognize that information can be gathered from many sources, including investigation, observation, and human resourcesRecognize that information can be gathered from many sources, including investigation, observation, and human resources Use appropriate criteria for selecting sources and evaluating informationUse appropriate criteria for selecting sources and evaluating information

3. Organize Students demonstrate the ability to: Distinguish facts from opinion (continuation of critical evaluation of information)Distinguish facts from opinion (continuation of critical evaluation of information) Accurately and completely summarize/ paraphrase the main idea from written and oral sourcesAccurately and completely summarize/ paraphrase the main idea from written and oral sources

3. Organize Students demonstrate the ability to: Accurately cite sourcesAccurately cite sources Read, listen, view, and touch information carefully to apply information to previous learning to create new knowledgeRead, listen, view, and touch information carefully to apply information to previous learning to create new knowledge

3. Organize Students demonstrate the ability to: Organize information in clear, coherent presentations Present information in ways appropriate to the task

3. Organize Students demonstrate the ability to: Participate effectively in discussions and debatesParticipate effectively in discussions and debates Produce personally designed products to communicate content and learningProduce personally designed products to communicate content and learning

4. Reflect Students demonstrate the ability to: Demonstrate a high degree of confidence in the quality of the product producedDemonstrate a high degree of confidence in the quality of the product produced Assess the product for completeness, strengths, and weaknessesAssess the product for completeness, strengths, and weaknesses

4. Reflect Students demonstrate the ability to: Develop criteria to determine the effectiveness of the process used to solve the problemDevelop criteria to determine the effectiveness of the process used to solve the problem Provide recommendations to improve resultsProvide recommendations to improve results Determine the need for further informationDetermine the need for further information

Judging the result (effectiveness)Judging the result (effectiveness) Judging the information problem-solving process (efficiency)Judging the information problem-solving process (efficiency) Self, Peer, Teacher, LMSSelf, Peer, Teacher, LMS 21 st Century assessment tools21 st Century assessment tools 4. REFLECT

Information literacy is at the very foundation of our country. Our Founding Fathers were well read, read several languages, and when faced with establishing a government, drew on what information they had, thought about it, and applied the information to the problem. Taylor, Joye. (2006) Information Literacy and the School Library Media Center. Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited.

Information literacy is at the very foundation of our country. Everyone uses information today regardless of occupation, education, or social and economic status. Educating students to achieve information literacy competence is a goal that must become the heart of, not just the school library, but the school ! Taylor, Joye. (2006) Information Literacy and the School Library Media Center. Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited.

Change the way we “do school” Which requires a paradigm shift by EVERYONE! What Needs to Happen?

How can we accomplish integration? Student Academic Achievement Standards Assessment Curriculum Content Resources Info. Lit Technology Education Teachers Library Media Specialists Curriculum Specialists Effective Delivery of Lessons Best Practices Effective Lessons/ Instructional Design Simple Four Teacher Technology Education

What Needs to Happen? Re-design the lesson or activity so learners must THINK ABOUT the information they collect.Re-design the lesson or activity so learners must THINK ABOUT the information they collect. Re-design the lesson or activity so that learners MUST DO SOMETHING with the information they collect such as sense-making, performing, trying out, acting, building, etc.Re-design the lesson or activity so that learners MUST DO SOMETHING with the information they collect such as sense-making, performing, trying out, acting, building, etc.

What Needs to Happen? Re-design the lesson or activity TO ADDRESS ALL standards: content, information literacy, and the use of technology.Re-design the lesson or activity TO ADDRESS ALL standards: content, information literacy, and the use of technology. DECIDE what we really want students to learn!!!DECIDE what we really want students to learn!!!

Questions to consider Standards – To which standards (academic, information literacy, technology) does this assignment relate?Standards – To which standards (academic, information literacy, technology) does this assignment relate? Curriculum – What instructional strategies will I use to teach the targeted standards? What is required by my district-approved curriculum?Curriculum – What instructional strategies will I use to teach the targeted standards? What is required by my district-approved curriculum?

Information literacy - What skills do students need to be successful in this lesson or unit? What skills will they learn from this lesson or unit?Information literacy - What skills do students need to be successful in this lesson or unit? What skills will they learn from this lesson or unit? Use of technology - What resources (hardware and software) will best support this assignment’s objectives?Use of technology - What resources (hardware and software) will best support this assignment’s objectives? Questions to consider

Assessment - How will the students demonstrate what they learned from the content and about the process?Assessment - How will the students demonstrate what they learned from the content and about the process? Questions to consider

Common Language Forget jargon Use common terms across the curriculum Demonstrate relationship of process in all content areas Requires collaboration between and among all teachers

Scientific MethodSimple FourStrategies Choose a problem; state the problem as a question PLAN Talking Brainstorming Graphic Organizers Listing Reading Research Construct hypothesis Design an experiment Analyze results; draw conclusion ACT Reading Getting advice Making observations Taking notes Organize your data; summarize finding Report Results ORGANIZE Outlining Writing Planning presentation Communication Evaluation of project Evaluation of process REFLECT Self-evaluation Peer evaluation Teacher evaluation Simple FourWriting Process PlanPrewriting ActDrafting OrganizeRevising Editing Publishing ReflectionRevising Editing

Common Assessments Content Collaboration and Instruction Evaluation

What is common assessment? Uniform assessments Standardized benchmarks –Standardized administration –Standardized scoring rubrics –Ensure validity, reliability, and fairness Within one content area Ensure consistency between classrooms

What is common assessment? Vertical Teams Horizontal Teams Administration of common assessments –All students in same grade level –Cross district –Prescribed intervals End of grading period End of unit, chapter Directly related to curriculum mapping

Expands our understanding of our students’ learning experiences Gives a curriculum timeline Identifies content for each grade Identifies overlaps and gaps in curriculum Gives a visual representation of the curriculum A Curriculum Map…

Why Use Common Assessments? Measure proficiency on subsets of standards Compare student learning to other students in same school and across district Include but not limited to: writing samples, literary responses, oral reports, demonstrations showing understanding of how-to- manuals, dramatizations, open-ended mathematics problems, memory maps, laboratory investigations, keyboarding or typing tests, and projects.

Developing Common Assessments Requires cooperation and collaboration between and among all teachers Requires knowing what you want students to know and be able to do as a result of instruction Requires knowing what skills students need to be successful Use of Bloom’s Taxonomy and Daggett’s Rigor/Relevance Framework

What Does This Have To Do With Me? ProcessStill about Process Teachers = ContentTeachers = Content Librarians = ProcessLibrarians = Process Still about CollaborationStill about Collaboration

Vision without action is a dream. Action without vision is just passing the time. Vision with action can change the world. National Productivity and Competitiveness Council