Looking at Assignments Looking at Assignments Effective Lessons Effective Application Integrating Information Literacy into the Curriculum

What Do You See Happening? Are students involved in learning through social interaction with others? Are students actively engaged and reflecting on their experience? Are children learning by building on what they already know? Are students developing higher-order thinking skills? Are students confronted with authentic questions drawn from their own experience? Are students involved in learning through a variety of experiences?

Does This Ring a Bell? Common practice for assignments Background to material provided by teacher Textbook work is done A project in the media center is assigned with worksheet asking FACT questions “Bird” is selected to research Students are introduced to a few resources OR students hit the WWW Students copy information from sources onto their papers Papers turned in for grade

Why is this “bird” unit a disaster? What are we really doing? What are we really expecting from students? What is the teacher expecting? What are the students doing?

They learned to cut and paste. They learned that finding information means nothing much to them. They learned to provide a nice neat colorful paper to impress the teacher. They might even use clip art to dress it up and further impress the teacher Why – they even learned to ……NO!……YES Plagiarize

1. What is the problem? Need to integrate the information technology/information literacy into district curriculum/instructional program

How Can We Accomplish This?

Let’s Look at Creating or Tweaking RIGOROUS Lessons

Standards = Curriculum = Instruction = Student Information Literacy and Technology Integration Continuum

Definition/Introduction Information literacy is a set of abilities requiring individuals to "recognize when information is needed and have the ability to locate, evaluate, and use effectively the needed information - to become independent life-long learners"

Definition/Introduction Technology Education focuses on incremental skills in using and applying technology tools for relevant, meaningful, instructional activities Information Literacy’s focus is on content, communication, information searching, analysis and evaluation

Purpose of Integration How do you “teach” research? Why integrate? What does that involve? Have a research protocol. Need common, consistent model What does it look like? Modeled and taught – not assigned What steps are included? Good research activities just don’t happen – time planning, access Developmentally and progressing through complexity Questioning piece is the most important part – makes or breaks Key person – the principal How will it impact on student learning?

What’s the Goal? Increase Student Academic Achievement

Can the Teacher and Media Specialist Build a Better “BIRD” Unit? Antique Classic “Bird” Unit

What Needs to Happen? Re-design the activity so learners must THINK ABOUT the information they collect Re-design so that learners MUST DO SOMETHING with the information they collect such as sense-making, performing, trying out, acting, building, etc. Address standards, content, information literacy, use of technology THINK…..What do you really want students to learn???

What Needs to Happen? Content - Area of study Standards - Which standards can I pull into this assignment? Curriculum - How will this be taught to meet standards? Information literacy - What skills do students need from Grade Level Curriculum Overlay? Use of technology - What resource(s) would best support this assignment’s objectives? Assessment - How will the teacher and student know what and how much they have accomplished?

Which Questions Matter? QUESTIONS essential Research ModuleTypical of those QUESTIONS found in tough new state tests. Select a great essential question or concepts and then make it the focus of a Research Module

Why? Why do different birds have different types of nests?

How? How can we change things for the better?

Which is Best? Given the choices before us, which is most likely to do the most good? Which plan is best? Which solution will work best?

The Fat Bird Unit – One Step Up

Give Us a “BIRD” Banquet Essential Questions, Concept Questions

Bird Banquet

What needs to be done? What can I use to find what I need? Where can I find what I need? What information can I use? How can I put my information together? How will I know if I did my job well? It’s about Process

Making it Easier and More Effective Collaborate and divide the work Use the Information Literacy/Technology Grade Level Curriculum Overlay Use the Big6  to facilitate students through problem solving Integrate a variety of resources including productivity software, selected web sites, and print materials

What resources do I have available? What are the best resources to use to begin implementation? **Standards – Curriculum, technology and info- literacy *Inf.Literacy Guide *Software *Curriculum Guides **Pacing Guides *Big6 resources Lesson plans: MarcoPolo and other ISTE Book Personal expertise *Information Power Staff development – prior and continuing District Initiatives Teacher Technology Education (support documents) Curriculum Map Web sites Literature Databases- School Improvement Plans Professional Long Term Goals Technology Plans *Expertise of colleagues – ITS, CRT, teachers, administration *Collaborative planning forms

Within my sources, how can I locate the information that will best support initial implementation/ integration? *Information Literacy/Technology Education Manual – Matrix Grade level overlay Possible activities Possible resources Sample lesson plans *Software Specific pieces Personal Expertise What you already know and can do *Expertise of colleagues – ITS, CRT, teachers, administration What they already know and can do Motivation level – what they want to do What the district expects them to do *Curriculum Guides - *Pacing Guides What people are studying *Standards – Curriculum, technology and information literacy

 Media Specialists and teachers collaborate and form partnerships to plan instruction and implement research activities  Begin early with small projects  Provide information skill instruction at time of need GuidelinesGuidelines

 Have a planned attack and a plan  Media specialists and teachers evaluate projects together  Refine as needed  Make appropriate resources and activities a known factor  Focus on the learning standards and objectives Guidelines

Join listservs, , and newsgroups Share ideas by identifying curriculum activities Find free resources like lesson plans Learn electronic search strategies Keep up to date through print and online newspapers and periodicals Take classes on technology applications Professional Growth

Program Goals What do we want students to be able to do?

Power Learners Help students learn how to learn - not just pass standardized tests Teaching more than just locating facts - helping students learn how to evaluate and use information for meaning Make assignments that require students to locate, evaluate analyze and synthesize

Ask good questions Why does your animal live in that region? What if scientists wanted to remove one system from the human body. Which one should it be and why? What disease deserves the most research dollars and why? What would it take to move a country from third world to first world?

Research Researchthat Counts Slow things down for kids - Scaffold First day of research Use only print. Ask students to do something with information they find. What new questions do they have? Consider what is substance and glitz Take time and make many experts

Clear purpose and expectations (rubrics) Effective Problem Solving Assignments

AssessmentAssessment Prepare rubrics Self assessment by student Checklists along the way Look for quality Conference with students Customize to different types of learners Kids assessment of resource Reflection on process Showcase final products

Be Aware! Dynamic society - inconsistent delivery of instruction Must be a system-wide emphasis Little “library skills” just don’t cut it - not with sophistication of materials and skill need Teacher assigns and kids look for easy way out

Be Aware 2 Avoid activities that don’t promote deep processing Avoid too much structure, too little guidance, too few strategies Distinction between project-centered approach and inquiry-based approach lies in underlying motivation and objective

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

What do students need to know and be able to do ?

Successful Programs Constructivist view of learning Scaffold learning Set benchmarks Team teaching/collaboration Library media center is essential component. Research says!

The three most important school-to-life critical skills Research Problem Solving Communication

The mission of the school library media program is to ensure that students and staff are effective users of ideas and information BY Providing intellectual and physical access to materials in all formats Providing instruction to foster competence and stimulate interest in reading, viewing, and using information and ideas. Working with other educators to design and implement learning strategies to meet the needs of individual students

Thanks to David Loertscher for Coining the “Bird Unit” Now go out and build rigorous bird units!