The Relationship Between Constructivism, Discovery and Experiential Learning

Marlonsson, Snow

ET

Splan, R. K., Porr, C. S., & Broyles, T. W. (2011). Undergraduate Research in Agriculture: Constructivism and the Scholarship of Discovery. Journal Of Agricultural Education, 52(4), 56-64.

Splan, Porr & Broyles (2011) describe experiential learning and constructivism as aligned. Their relationship is that constructivism is concerned with the underlying epidemiological aspect of knowing/ discovering. Experiential learning is the process by which minds engage in constructionism. Further, discovery is the link between these two ideas; experiences spark discoveries that provide the information for knowledge construction. The authors convey the importance of authentic, student led learning that is active and led by social facilitation. This article investigates the role of experiential learning prevalent in University-level agriculture programs to the mind’s ability to construct knowledge through discovery. Specifically, the article explores ways to use constructionism in undergraduate research.

       

Marlonsson, Snow

IL

Chant, R. H., Moes, R., & Ross, M. (2009). Curriculum Construction and Teacher Empowerment: Supporting Invitational Education with a Creative Problem Solving Model. Journal Of Invitational Theory And Practice, 1555-67.

Chant, Moes and Ross (2009) advocate combining the Creative Problem Solving Model with the Invitational Education model to foster teacher-creativity to blunt the effects of copious standardized testing. They assert that it is administration’s role to design a curriculum thus so that teachers can exercise the freedom to delve deeper into some content despite pressure to teach to the test. The paper outlines a case study of this model at the elementary level. The goals of the study were to shift students’ work products from individualistic/ product-oriented tasks to process-focused collaborative endeavors using inviting processes characterized by trust, optimism, care, respect and intentionality.

This article solidly illustrates its premises by referring to the case study. The ideas represent another way to break away from bird units and add complexity to lessons.

The references used to support the research were consistently old, which raises some concern about the accuracy of the brain and psychology-related research referenced in the article.   

Steve Hargadon, Director of the Web 2.0 Labs and Host of the Future of Education Podcast

Porter, Lea

DiNardo, N., (2014, September 25). Steve Hargadon, Director of the Web 2.0 Labs and Host of the Future of Education Podcast, Podcast retrieved from http://meeteducationproject.com/2014/09/25/steve-hargadon/

This podcast is an interview with Steve Hargadon concerning his Mindshift article Escaping the Education Matrix. In this 46 minute interview, Mr. Hargadon talks about his belief that the education system is all about control  and that society uses to the education system for control. He discusses that we can reclaim education, but that it will take a commitment similar to the civil rights movement. Mr. Hargadon believes that students should be allowed to drive their own education and that true "prosperity comes from individual creativity, hard work, and people working together". He also believes that individuals should be allowed to be in charge of their own education.

This podcast and the Mr. Hargadon's Mindshift article  are both very relevant to this class in regards to blended learning, co-construction of knowledge, and encouraging students to be inquirers. 

Anytime, Anywhere Learning

Porter, Lea

Ray, M. (2014). Anytime, anywhere learning. School Library Journal, 60(3), 20. 

Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=llf&AN=94674420&site=ehost-live

This brief article discusses why online teaching and learning are important skill sets for all 21st-century information professionals in the age of blended learning.  This is not only important for university level professionals but K-12 level teacher librarians as well. By utilizing platforms like Edmodo, Canvas, and Blackboard while at the same time curating high-quality digital resource collections, teacher librarians can become “online learning engineers and blended learning baristas”. The author of this article points out that teacher librarians are exactly the person to help teachers implement blended learning environments while instructing students how to be effective digital citizens and successful online collaborators.

As a K-12 teacher librarian, I see this article being used as an advocacy piece to share with district administrators in regards to 21st-century learning opportunities. While the article is brief, the author points to a needed growth area in the K-12 arena. 

Alejandro Aravena: My architectural philosophy? Bring the community into the process

Sullivan, M.
CO

Ted Talk: Alejandro Aravena: My architectural philosophy? Bring the Community into the Process
October 2014. Retrieved from: http://www.ted.com/talks/alejandro_aravena_my_architectural_philosophy_bring_the_community_into_the_process?utm_source=newsletter_daily&utm_campaign=daily&utm_medium=email&utm_content=image__2014-11-06#t-118950

Summary: Chilean architect Alejandro Aravena shares how participatory community planning helped pose questions to address design challenges regarding low-income housing, sustainability and protection against natural disasters. He shares how the communities concerns around each situation helped them ask the right question to help them solve the problem. In one case, they developed half of a good house (40 sq. meters) instead of a too small housing project. In another, they flipped the design to repel radiation while still access natural light and encourage collaboration. In yet another, they used nature to diffuse and support naturals processes.

Evaluation: This is a wonderful metaphor for the messy process that collaboration can be, but how necessary to actually get to the right problem. I loved hearing how they arrived at a solution directly related to the needs of the community, whom had they not consulted would never have been  able to identify those needs. As a result, the stakeholders were involved and satisfied with the result, the design constraints were met, and the outcome truly innovative and graceful.

A Look at Self Directed Learning at the High School Level

Maciejewski, Gloria

Blakeway, Kristi. (2014, Sept. 2) Blakeway: Riding a roller coaster – How self directed learning changed my views. P21 Blog, Volume 1, Issue 7, No. 20. Retrieved from: http://www.p21.org/news-events/p21blog/1490

This is a blog post written for the Partnership for 21st Century Skills, which, if you haven't check out, you should!  In a nutshell, Kristi Blakeway writes about her experience as a vice principal at Thomas Haney Secondary, a self-directed learning high school in Maple Ridge, B.C. Canada. She clearly outlines in her blog post the way this self-directed system is organized.
The school is part of the Canadian Coalition of Self-Directed Learning (CCSDL) which is an organization of secondary schools throughout Canada that are dedicated to the personalization of learning. She touches on the elements of inquiry, collaboration, how work spaces are designed and what test taking looks like. Admitting that she was bewildered at the seeming lack of structure she was used to in traditional education settings, Blakeway chronicles her emerging understandings of the self directed model.  Elements of the article that I found appealing were the descriptions of close teacher and student relationships, the amount of free or flexible time the students have and the strong collaboration that informed the practice on site. As someone who is always considering home-school (or unschooling) as an option for my own children, it was quite enjoyable to get a look at how a high school that values the individual learning styles of each unique student  looks like.

Blended Learning: Working with only one iPad

Sullivan, Maureen
IL

Weller, K. (2014) Blended Learning: Working with One iPad.
Retrieved from: http://www.edutopia.org/blog/blended-learning-working-one-ipad

Summary: Kristin Weller describes how she used the Show-me App to allow students to teach each other ways to solve math problems by way of podcasting. Although she only has one iPad, she has developed a way for students to use the app that is then accessible to all students. After pairs finish recording their podcasts, she uploads them to her interactive whiteboard to review skills and new standards. This process of recording their thinking in a podcast reinforces the students' understanding, and also solidifies their thinking as they teach the problem to a peer.


Evaluation: I find it encouraging to see how a teacher continues to integrate technology into her class in meaningful ways, even if she doesn't have enough devices to go around simultaneously. Many teachers are quick to point out the deficits in their classrooms regarding technology, rather than thinking though how to get around those barriers.

Teacher and School Librarian Collaboration

Maureen Sullivan
CO

Teacher and School Librarian Collaboration: A Preliminary Report of Teachers' Perceptions about Frequency and Importance to Student Learning.
by Patricia Montiel-Overall and Patricia Jones

Source: Canadian Journal of Information & Library Sciences. Mar2011, Vol. 35 Issue 1, p49-76. 28p

Summary: This peer-reviewed article examines the tenuous relationship between teachers and teacher-librarians. In particular, it focuses on the level of collaboration between the two parties, as well as teachers' attitudes and perceptions toward their collaboration. The study found that although the level of collaboration was varied, and more often than not, more traditional in nature, teachers valued collaboration and felt that it was valuable for student learning. It also highlighted some of the barriers to higher order, integrated curriculum collaboration, where teacher librarians assisted not only in the finding of information, but also in teaching and evaluating student learning alongside the classroom teacher. As a recommendation, the authors call for more advocacy and explanation of the power of this type of collaboration, in order to change both the internal and external restraints that are keeping it from frequently occurring.

Evaluation: While this scholarly article is formulaic in its description of the study, the sources listed and data shared helps paint a picture of the current landscape of teacher librarian collaboration, and the steps that must be taken to move it forward.

The Boss Level Challenge: Designing and Doing

Amy Woods

ET

Selkirk, K. (2014). Boss Level Challenge: Designing and Doing. Edutopia. Retrieved from http://www.edutopia.org/blog/boss-level-challenge-designing-doing-kate-selkirk

Summary: 

Boss level, a project based inquiry unit, provides students with the opportunity to learn by doing. Students are presented with a real-life challenge, "taking on the role of an artist, filmmaker, chef, or any other number of real life jobs." Students must then acquire the skills necessary to complete the challenge. For example, one project required students to prepare an authentic Thai meal for 100. To make this happen, students had to not only learn to cook a meal, but also had to advertise and promote the event. Though this type of challenge seems daunting, the author offers five tips to help teachers create their own boss level challenges: Start with a passion, plan a window of time for the project, design an achievable challenge that fits your topic, enlist the help of others, and plan mini-lessons to support students through each step of the process. 

Evaluation: 

The video that accompanies this article is inspiring. The enthusiasm of both the teachers and the students involved in the Boss Level is contagious and a reminder of what learning should look like. 

Academic Skills on the Web Are Tied to Income Level

Poundstone, Heather
IL

Rich, M.  (2014). Academic skills on web are tied to income level.  The New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/24/us/academic-skills-on-web-are-tied-to-income-level.html?_r=2

Summary:

Rich explores research showing that wealthy students are more likely to achieve better results on tests than poor students.   It goes onto further explain that with the advent of the Internet, new research has found that poorer students have a harder time than their wealthier peers in using information literacy skills to find information.   This research was done by Donald J. Leu for the Reading Research Quarterly, using a small sample of students.  It shows that all students lack information literacy skills, but there is a wider gap between wealthy students and their poor counterparts.  The research shows that while students may be tech savvy and able to use the Internet for social media, they are unable to access reliable information.   The research focused on seventh-graders from two Connecticut middle schools, analyzing their test scores and information literacy assessments.   Students who came from homes from a higher socio-economic status exhibited skills somewhat more than an extra school year’s worth of online reading ability compared to students from a middle class background.    The researchers were unable to study students from a lower socio-economic status.  Rich explains that information literacy skills are necessary for students to be successful in school and beyond.  He further explains that most teachers do not teach these important skills due to the fact that they misunderstand their importance and how these skills can be used in education.  They also assume that students can navigate the internet to meet their information needs.    The research also found that students in the lower income school were required to use the internet for school assignments 22% less than their wealthier peers.   Even though the wealthier students spent more time on the Web finding information, when assessed as to whether they could determine the reliability of facts on a web page, only 25% were able to do so.  16% of the lower income students were able to complete the same assignment.  The research found that the gap between these student’s skills was smaller than anticipated.   Some schools are expanding their information literacy instruction, but with the implementation of the Common Core Standards, many are concentrating on text based learning.   Teachers do not realize that students have difficulty evaluating sources for reliability, whether it is textual or digital.  Both are important and should be taught.   

Evaluation:

From my readings that I have completed in the course of my time at SJSU, I was not surprised by the findings of this research.  Numerous research has pointed to the fact that most people have difficulty with information literacy skills, even graduate students.  I did expect there to be a gap between wealthier students and poor students due to the fact that wealthier students have far more opportunities to interact on the Web.  Having worked in inner city education for the past 16 years, I have seen the disadvantages that poor students face.  Most of them have limited access to technology and the Internet at home, come from backgrounds where their parents have limited education and are unable to help or motivate their children, and where children have few literacy opportunities at home.  I was somewhat surprised that wealthier students did not have better information literacy skills, but it proves the point that people are generally overconfident in their ability to find reliable information.  This is why teacher librarians are important and these skills should be taught from kindergarten on!   Imagine if every school had a teacher librarian and students were taught information literacy skills from day one.  Students would be information literacy experts by the time they graduated from high school and have the 21^st Century Skills they need to be successful!  I think that this article does a good job in pointing out the importance of teaching all students these valuable skills and hopefully school districts will start listening and make this a priority by hiring credentialed teacher librarians for every school!

Cognitively Priming Students for Learning

Amy Jessica McMillan
ET

Willis, J. (2014). Cognitively Priming Students for Learning. Retrieved November 7, 2014, from http://www.edutopia.org/blog/cognitively-priming-students-for-learning-judy-willis

Judy Willis, a neurologist turned elementary school teacher turned education professor, writes an ongoing blog for Edutopia about brain-based teaching strategies. This article explains how to grab students' attention so their brains will work to learn more. Willis's advice involves inviting students to make predictions about upcoming units. For example, the teacher might choose a particularly thought-provoking image or video and provide more hints and clues about it as the unit goes on. According to Willis, "When students want to know required information to create solutions to problems that interest them or to create products that they care about, the brain applies the effort to learn what is required to achieve desirable goals" (para. 8).  In other words, our brain is automatically set up to be curious and to take steps to satisfy this curiosity. We teachers have the job of making students want to know more.

I am a frequent reader of Dr. Willis's blog. She gives practical ways that we teachers can work with students' brains to help them learn. In this article, she reminds readers that students who have "relevant goals" are motivated to achieve them. Their brains are hardwired to work towards goals that make sense to them personally. On the other hand, students who don't see school as relevant, do not see the value in working hard. Then, they reinforce that feeling by failing and therefore seeing even less worth in trying. Their brains are telling them that the effort would be better served elsewhere. This explanation makes a lot much sense to me because I see this all the time in the classroom. The trick is to make the students curious, to make them want to know more. Their brains will take it from there.

Teacher spends two days as a student and is shocked at what she learns 

Gloria Maciejewski

ET - Educational Theory  

Strauss, V.  (2014, Oct. 24) Teacher spends two days as a student and is shocked at what she learns. The Washington Post. retrieved from: 

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2014/10/24/teacher-spends-two-days-as-a-student-and-is-shocked-at-what-she-learned/?tid=pm_pop

This is an article I think every teacher should read, no matter where they are in the career.

 It appeared first on a blog by Grant Wiggins, author of Understanding by Design. It turns out that it was written by his daughter, Alexis,  who had transition out the role of teacher after 15 years and was now an instructional coach at an American High School overseas. As part of an introduction into her new role, her administrator asked she shadow a 10th grader and a 12th grader.  She uses her experiences to form three reflective  Key Take-Aways.
1.  Students sit all day long and it is exhausting (no surprise there)
2.  High school students are asked to passively absorb for (a shocking) 90% of the time.
3.  Students wind up feeling like a nuisance all day long.

She then goes on to frame what she would have done differently given the chance to do it all again.

New teachers and old could benefit from this article. I wish there was an elementary version. Wake up teachers and get your kids moving and active.

The Kinds of Grading Mistakes that Haunt Students

Amy Jessica McMillan
CA

Heick, T. (2014, September 21). The kinds of grading mistakes that haunt students. Te@chthought. Retrieved from http://www.teachthought.com/teaching/kinds-grading-mistakes-haunt-students/

Summary
Blogger Terry Heick makes a strong case for the harm caused by our traditional grading system. According to Heick, letter grades are motivating for two types of students: 1) Students who see themselves as smart and like to work for grades as rewards, and 2) Students who hate school and only keep their GPA up in order to participate in extracurricular activities. Therefore, says Heick, "They [grades] don't work for anyone." In other words, our grading system does nothing to promote learning. Heick lists some common mistakes teachers make with grading, such as grading too much, highlighting the weaknesses instead of potentials for growth, waiting too long to grade, and not using the data. Finally, Heick argues that grades are really the teachers' "best guesses" and that our system needs to radically change in order to be more student centered and supportive of actual learning.

Evaluation
This blog post is part of an ongoing discussion about problems with our traditional grading structure. Yes, letter grades have been problematic for a very long time. Currently, I see students who just want A's regardless of the quality of their work or the effort they put into it. This causes top students to avoid taking risks as they try to regurgitate what they think the teacher wants. That behavior is anathema to learning. On the other end of the spectrum, students who continuously receive D's and F's reasonably decide to give up because they can't see a way to possibly be successful. Letter grades do not support their growth as learners. While Heick doesn't have a solution to our current grading dilemma, he does give very useful suggestions about how to work within our current system. 

Randy Nelson on Learning and Working in a Collaborative Age

Amy Jessica McMillan
CO

Ellis, K. (Producer), & Sutherland, K. (Director). (2008). Randy Nelson on learning and working in a collaborative age. [Video file]. Retrieved from http://www.edutopia.org/randy-nelson-school-to-career-video

SUMMARY
In this video, posted to Edutopia.org, former Pixar University dean Randy Nelson explains Pixar's philosophy on collaboration in the workplace. At Pixar, they have three major principles when it comes to working with others: First, Nelson says they "accept every offer." In other words, they build each other up instead of tear each other down. Nelson explains that when you listen and consider the other person's idea, you have a possibility, and when you don't, "you have a dead end." Second, Pixar believes in making your partners or team members look good.  They don't talk about how they will "fix" a partner's idea. Instead, it is more about how one idea springs from another. Third, when Pixar is looking to hire someone, they not only look for depth of knowledge and skill, but also for resilience, for evidence of past failure and recovery. They want people with problem solving skills and wide varieties of experience. In order to find innovative people, Pixar looks for personalities that demonstrate interest and who are passionate about their goals. Finally, Nelson explains that at Pixar collaboration means amplification. It is beyond cooperation because people are truly building on each other's skills to create unique and powerful ideas.

EVALUATION
This speech is inspiring for people in every profession, including those of us who work in education. Pixar is unbeatable in terms of the creative products they produce, so it means a lot to hear Randy Nelson talk about how collaboration is at the heart of everything they do. I can easily incorporate the first tenant: "Accept every offer" into my daily collaborative work at the middle school where I work. I interpret that phrase to mean that collaborative teams truly consider everyone's ideas. They don't just wait to say their own ideas or try to tear other people's ideas apart. Educators should also be mindful of the way Pixar looks for people who have persevered through past failures. If we want to be innovative, we will sometimes fail. There will be lessons that don't work. It's part of the process. We should all remember Nelson's final point: Collaboration means amplification. That is true for teachers just as it is true for students. We are better working together than we are working alone.

Pondering Assessment

Williams, Connie. (2014). Pondering Assessment. Library Media Connection, 8-11.

Amy Woods

CA- Assessment Strategies

Summary

In her article, Connie Williams, a teacher librarian in Petaluma, California, suggests that it is time re-examine how student library research skills are assessed. It is easy to create and grade multiple choice, short answer, and true/false assessments; however, these types of tests only require students to recall facts and tell us little about student learning. Furthermore, assessments of final products don't reveal student understanding of the research process or other library skills, such as creating citations, evaluating websites, or searching effectively for information. If we really want to gauge student understanding of these skills, formative assessment is key. Williams points to the Common Core Standards for Literacy and suggests breaking the research into smaller steps, allowing the teacher and teacher librarian to check in with students throughout their process. She cites Kathy Schrock (www.schrockguide.net) and the Big 6 reflection questions as a means to help students assess their own learning. She concludes by stating our ultimate goal is to create “competent researchers” and our assessments should be “instruments that help guide students toward that goal.”

Evaluation

Williams definitely makes a solid argument for formative assessment. So often, educators get caught up in the end result and forget that the process is what is really important in student learning. The types of formative assessments that Williams points to, allow teachers to give students feedback and positive reinforcement for important life skills. This seems much more valuable than a letter grade on an end product.

ET: Inquiry--Five Ways to Integrate by Julia Marshall

Sullivan, Maureen
ET

Five Ways to Integrate
Dr. Julia Marshall

Summary: This article has been a staple of mine for the last six years when thinking about shifting pedagogy to integrate across content areas, particularly spanning art and science. The five creative strategies Dr. Julia Marshall describes are used by both artists and scientists alike in the real world, and are fantastic strategies to implement in the library setting to embrace student choice, collaboration, and synthesis of their ideas. They are cognitive strategies, that are used to communicate the creators' ideas through depiction, metaphor, mimicry, formatting, and projection.

Julia Marshall is an Art Education professor at San Francisco State University and I had the pleasure of working with her closely on a science and art integration initiative in San Francisco public schools.

Evaluation: In thinking about the cognitive processes that span art and science, Julia offers some specific ways in which both artists and scientists are manipulating information to communicate their thinking. I highly recommend it!

Five Ways to Integrate

The Key to Empowering Educators? True Collaboration

Amy Jessica McMillan
CO - Constructivist Teachers

Schwartz, K. (2013). The key to empowering educators? True collaboration. MindShift. Retrieved from http://blogs.kqed.org/mindshift/2013/10/the-key-to-empowering-educators-true-collaboration/

Summary:
Written in support of Connected Educator's Month, MindShift author Katherine Schwartz argues that in order for educational technology to be used in innovative ways, teachers need a strong collaborative culture. Schwartz says that when new technology is introduced, most educators use it to simply replace the old paper and pencil way of doing things. This is due to many factors, not least of which is the fact that standardized testing and other bureaucratic procedures tend to reinforce the old system. Instead, Schwartz sees teacher collaboration as a way of encouraging teachers to take risks. Teachers can support each other as they try using technology in new ways, even when plans sometimes fail. Connie Yowell, the director for U.S. Programs at the MacArthur Foundations is quoted, describing the goal for teaching and learning to be about, "shared interest and it has to be about making, producing, and creating." For that to occur, teachers need to work together.

Evaluation:
I fundamentally agree with everything this article claims. Teachers need to collaborate in order to successfully use innovative technology in the classroom. I know this from my own daily experience as a classroom teacher. When we use a technological tool for the first time, there is always a period of trial and error. Mistakes happen. It feels a bit insecure and risky. When teachers know they have administrative support and that they have a network of colleagues to rely on, they can face these inevitable hiccups in pursuit of the larger goal. Schwartz also makes a valid point about how the current testing system validates the old ways of teaching and therefore discourages teachers from innovating. This is an ongoing concern and Schwartz does not offer any way to fix the situation. 

Copyright solutions for institutional repositories: A collaboration with subject librarians

Blaylock, Solomon

CO, IL

Leary, H., Lundstrom, K., & Martin, P. (2012). Copyright solutions for institutional repositories: A collaboration with subject librarians. Journal Of Library Innovation, 3(1), 101-110. Accessed 27 September 2014 from EBSCOhost.

Summary

The authors discuss the recently implemented practice at Utah State University’s

Merrill-Cazier Library of librarians performing copyright clearance on behalf of faculty submitting to the institutional repository. The article deals frankly with the opportunities and challenges posed by the new arrangement.

Evaluation

I have both positive and negative feelings about this article. On the one hand, I think the spirit of it is right on, and very timely. By addressing a process-related need, subject librarians at Utah State are creating opportunities for interdepartmental and library-faculty collaboration as well as expanding their individual capacities in the currently vital areas of copyright, metadata, scholarly publishing, and open access. On the other hand, the continued relevance of the homegrown institutional repository can hardly be taken for granted, and the opportunities for capacity building in this area are not especially broad or deep. I do like the way the authors are thinking though, and those of us in academic libraries cannot afford to neglect this kind of thinking at this pivotal time.

Good IDEA: Instructional design model for integrating Information Literacy

Blaylock, Solomon

ET, CO, IL

Mullins, K. (2014). Good IDEA: Instructional design model for integrating Information Literacy. The Journal of Academic Librarianship, 40(3-4), 339-349. doi: 10.1016/j.acalib.2014.04.012

Summary

A presentation of IDEA (interview, design, embed, assess) - an instructional design model created specifically for librarians, with a theoretical foundation in cognitive and behavioral learning. The model is explained in detail from theoretical foundations to practical implementation. The article features several explanatory flowcharts and even templates and rubrics, providing a suite of tools enabling the reader to make use of IDEA out of the box.

Evaluation

Although the theoretical underpinnings of Mullins’ model are in some conflict with those being championed by this course, it seems to me that the author has something of great value to impart, and has gone to pains to ensure that this is done so with a thoroughness clearly aimed at results-oriented praxis. The behaviorist underpinning of the model, particularly in the area of assessment, might actually make it particularly valuable to academic librarians who so frequently these days find themselves the direct and immediate necessity of providing quantitative data to back up any claims to continued relevance against a rapidly shifting backdrop of upsets in scholarly publishing and information retrieval.

Integrating information literacy into blackboard

Blaylock, Solomon

CO, IL

Xiao, J. (2010). Integrating information literacy into blackboard. Library Management, 31(8), 654-668. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/01435121011093423

Summary

The article discusses the case of a librarian at the College of Staten Island who, finding traditional Information Literacy instruction sessions to be of little evident value to students, worked to develop an in-depth, online resource for nursing students. After seeing positive results, she reached out to faculty members to see about having professors integrate her instructional materials into the very classes they were teaching, through Blackboard. A thorough program of assessment was also devised, and the project has met with success.

Evaluation

The author (the librarian in question) demonstrates a practical and proactive approach to her work that serves as a model for 21st century academic librarians. Rather than being a passive information gatekeeper, she demonstrates her unique value as a librarian to students and faculty by engaging directly with both in curricular/instructional design and assessment, offering a unique contribution to her institution’s teaching and learning objectives. This is the blueprint that successful modern librarians will follow in terms of departmental embedding, capacity building, and role definition in the academy. A very useful, encouraging, and well documented article.

Show, Don’t Tell: A Common Core Tenet Applies to Our Roles

Amy Woods

CO- collaboration

Ellis, Leanne. (2014). School Library Journal. Retrieved from http://www.slj.com/2014/06/opinion/on-common-core/show-dont-tell-a-common-core-tenet-applies-to-our-roles-on-common-core/

Summary

Leanne Ellis, coordinator for the New York City School Library System, asserts that in order to move past stereotypes, school librarians must capitalize on the tenets of the Common Core and demonstrate their importance as curriculum leaders and “linchpins of student success.” The role of today’s librarian is multifaceted. She a marketer of library resources, a “go-to-techie” and an instrumental instructional partner, collaborating with teachers to create rich units that promote critical thinking and information literacy. Effective librarians have expanded their roles, becoming “staff developers, collaborators, grant-writers, resource experts, community partners, and instructional leaders.” In an environment where so few people understand what exactly teacher librarians do, it is the duty of teacher librarians to “show, and keep showing” their impact on student achievement.

Evaluation

Ellis clearly defines the role of the 21st Century librarian. Unfortunately, few people, educators and administrators included, recognize the value of the teacher librarian as a cornerstone in an effective instructional program. As a result, teacher librarians are often the first ones on the chopping block during a budget crisis. This article is a good reminder that teacher librarians must continually evolve and promote their services and worth to the school community.

Creating Lifelong Readers

Amy Jessica McMillan
IL

Gardiner, S. (2005). Chapter 1: Creating lifelong readers.  In Building student literacy through sustained silent reading. Retrieved from  http://www.ascd.org/publications/books/105027/chapters/Creating-Lifelong-Readers.aspx

Summary
In the first chapter from his book Building Student Literacy Through Sustained Silent Reading, author Steve Gardiner outlines the various forms of sustained silent reading (SSR) as they currently exist in schools. Variations of SSR include free voluntary reading (FVR), drop everything and read (DEAR), love to read (LTR), independent reading time (IRT), and many others. Gardiner gives a brief history of the origins of SSR and discusses why its popularity has ebbed and flowed over the past few decades. Next, Gardiner outlines some research in support of SSR, most importantly from Steve Krashen and his 1993 book The Power of Reading. In addition, Gardiner cites Caught in the Middle author and educator Nancy Atwell as a strong proponent of SSR, and he details Atwell's suggestions for what to do and what not to do when running a reading workshop. Finally, Gardiner makes the case for encouraging independent reading because when students build reading stamina and learn to enjoy reading, it becomes a "flow activity"and this is what is necessary to build lifelong readers.

Evaluation
As a classroom English teacher for the past fifteen years I have personally witnessed how the popularity of independent reading as receded over the past decade. In 2000 I taught at a school which mandated twenty-five minutes of independent reading time daily. Fast forward to 2008 and new district administrators actively discouraged independent reading at school, citing "lack of research." The perceived lack of research for independent reading comes from the National Reading Panel Report (2000) in which report authors claim there isn't significant evidence to support independent reading as a strategy to improve overall student reading proficiency. However, I am happy to say that this trend seems to be reversing itself. As Gardiner states in the first chapter of his book, there is research supporting independent reading programs. No one is advocating that independent reading is the only type of instruction that should happen in schools. In fact, classroom teachers still have a curriculum to teach. Gardiner is simply arguing that a robust independent reading program is necessary for students to practice the skill, to gain new vocabulary, and to become avid and engaged lifetime readers. I agree with Stephen Krashen, as quoted in Gardiner's article: "[Independent reading] will not, by itself, produce the highest levels of competence; rather, it provides a foundation so that higher levels of proficiency may be reached. When FVR [free voluntary reading] is missing, these advanced levels are extremely difficult to attain" ("What Researchers Say" section).

Two Things You Can Do to Increase Communication with Parents

Amy Jessica McMillan

CO

Byrne, R. (2013). Two things you can do to increase communication with parents. Free tech for teachers. from http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2013/04/two-things-you-can-do-to-increase.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+freetech4teachers%2FcGEY+%28Free+Technology+for+Teachers%29#.VBwzYC5dWQh

Summary
Education blogger Richard Byrne gives two technology-related strategies for improving communication with families. One idea is to create a classroom blog and to consistently add important, relevant content. He explains that many teachers quit blogging based on the initial low response, but Byrne argues that parents will start checking classroom blogs frequently once they realize important information is stored there. Another idea is to allow and even encourage text messages from students and parents. He argues that for the "under-30" generation, texting is the easiest way to communicate. If teachers don't want to provide personal cell phone numbers, services like Google Voice and Remind 101 allow messages to come to the user's computer, no cell phone number required.

Evaluation:
Keeping a consistent, useful, and relevant blog is a challenging task for many teachers. Byrne is probably correct that blogging is the most effective way to communicate with most 21st century parents, but many teachers—if they are telling parents about classwork at all—are still sending out newsletters on paper. For the blogging idea to work, teachers need professional development on how to blog and create websites. They also need to believe it will work before they devote the significant amount of time required by keeping an up-to-date blog. Finally, most parents are online, but not all. How can we communicate with the parents who do not have computer literacy skills and / or do not have an internet connection?

The idea about text messaging is very helpful. Google Voice, in particular, is easier to use than most school voice mail systems. It alerts your email when you have a message and keeps an automatic record of all messages received. Google Voice even transcribes voice mails, saving the teacher time when he or she looks over messages. Remind 101 is another useful app that provides a simple communication path for parents and schools. I prefer Google Voice since it integrates with Gmail, but both apps work well. The only downside to encouraging text messages is that teachers could potentially be overwhelmed by the quantity of messages received. However, the pros outweigh this concern because our overarching goal should be to improve communication and to make it as easy as possible for all stakeholders.

How to Foster a Growth Mindset

Amy Jessica McMillan
IL

Schwartz, K. What’s your learning disposition? How to foster students’ mindsets. (2014). MindShift. Retrieved from http://blogs.kqed.org/mindshift/2014/03/whats-your-learning-disposition-how-to-foster-students-mindsets/ utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+kqed%2FnHAK+%28MindShift%29

Summary
Stanford psychologist Carol Dweck has developed a compelling theory for how students learn. According to Dweck, students who have what she terms a "growth mindset" outperform those who don't. This article, published in Mindshift, adds to Dweck's theory by outlining a few other motivational mindsets. According to blog author Karen Scwartz, some important mindsets for students include feeling like they belong to an academic community, the belief that the work is valuable and that they can be successful, and the belief that their intelligence can grow with effort. Finally, Schwartz gives examples of several schools who focus on developing these mindsets with students.

Evaluation
This article gives several practical tips for encouraging students to stay motivated to learn. Most educators have worked with kids who have simply given up because they've decided they can't succeed. Schwartz proposes some tools for reinvigorating those students and for keeping the rest as motivated as possible. I wonder why Schwartz differentiates the mindsets listed in her article from the ones Carol Dweck proposes in her research and in her book Mindset: The New Psychology of Success. In another Mindshift article titled "Beyond Talent and Smarts," blogger Annie Murphy Paul (2012) explains Dweck's research "has shown that children and adults who believe in the power of effort to overcome challenges [what she calls growth mindset] are more resilient and ultimately more successful than those who are convinced that ability is innate." Regardless, Schwartz's ideas about improving student learning outcomes are certainly thoughtful and intuitively compelling. She reminds us that our abilities and intelligences can grow based on the effort we put into our work. We teachers need to have that in the forefront of our minds every time we step in front of our students.

PBL and STEAM Education: A Natural Fit

Liu, Jacqueline

CA

Miller, A. (2014). PBL and STEAM Education: A Natural Fit.  Retrieved from http://www.edutopia.org/blog/pbl-and-steam-natural-fit-andrew-miller#comment-184731

Summary

Educational consultant and online educator Andrew Miller cites examples on how project-based learning can be integrated into STEAM education (science, technology, engineering, art and math).

Evaluation

This articles presents practical advice classroom teachers who teach STEAM, and it accompanies a video clip showing teachers discussing the assessment and design rubric on the students’ wing design project.  The examples offered are insightful and doable.  Great piece for STEAM educators looking for PBL ideas.

The invisible iPad: It’s not about the device

Liu, Jacqueline

IL

Cohen, M. (2014).  The invisible iPad: It’s not about the device.  Retrieved from

http://blogs.kqed.org/mindshift/2014/05/the-invisible-ipad-its-not-about-the-device/

Summary

Cohen argues that regardless of the form of educational tools students use, whether it is an iPad or any other device, without a clear goal in mind and the assessment of skill sets students will lose sight of the purpose of project-based learning.  In order for students to create products with different technological devices, Cohen urges educators and educational technologists to focus on the foundational skills and to provide guidance for students on how these devices and applications will enhance basic skills.

Evaluation

While this article does not cite any evidence (i.e., statistics) from research studies, the author’s strong opinions stressing the importance of clarifying learning outcomes over the use of difference technological devices make up for the missing data from educational technology studies.

Designing Effective Library Services for African American Youth

Educational Theory

Angelique Mullen

ET

HUGHES-HASSELL, S. (2013). Designing Effective Library Services for African American Youth. School Library Monthly, 29(6), 11-13. 

Abstract: The article discusses the role of school libraries in helping achieve the goals outlined in U.S. President Barack Obama's executive order of improving the educational achievement and life outcomes of African American youth. It notes that effective library programs move beyond teaching isolated skills to enable African American youth to see the value of literacy skills in the real world. It cites the virtual library that provides an opportunity for them to cultivate voice and agency.

Evaluation: In 2012, President Obama signed an initiative that attempts to provide more school library services and attention toward African American youth. This article discusses the five elements involved with designing effective library programs and services for African American youth. First, it is very important to have administrators who examine library policies to ensure that they are responsive to the lives of young African Americans. Responsive principals can provide the necessary infrastructure for developing and delivering appropriate library services. Second, it is essential to have competent and culturally sensitive school librarians who interact with African American youth as individuals and not through the lens of culturally deficit human beings. School librarians cannot be half-hearted in their efforts to close the education gap for African American youth. Teachers often see African American students as the problem students, instead of embracing the beauty and challenge of each individual student. 

Next, school librarians need to move beyond the teaching of isolated reading skills to enable African American youth to see the value of literacy in the real world. By setting high expectations for them, and helping them connect literacy to the real world, they can enable African American youth to act in their own communities. Materials need to be relevant and sensitive to African American youth, with books that mirror and reflect their own lives. Too often, library materials are full of white children and have no cultural relevance to African American young people. Finally, library spaces need to be welcoming places for all young people, enabling them to increase and express their literacy.