Reframing History with Storytelling

Robillard, Gail

IL

Pinter, J. (2017).  Something old, something new: Public Service Broadcasting on history and storytelling.  NPR.org. Retrieved from http://www.npr.org/2017/07/05/535352500/something-old-something-new-public-service-broadcasting-on-history-and-storytell

The English band Public Service Broadcasting uses historical archival material to create their songs. According to the band's founder, J. Willgoose, the band uses the archival material by "bringing it back to the surface, reexamining it, recontextualizing it through the music that we write around it, and drawing lines between the past and the present." In their newest album Every Valley, the band used footage from the British Film Institute's footage archive to tell the story of a mining boom in Wales and the later collapse of this industry.

This work by Public Service Broadcasting was interesting to me because of the classroom implications. Students could take archival materials, or literature texts, and reflect on them and what importance the students invest in the materials or texts and then "repackage" them so to speak in a creative way that illustrates the students' meaning. 

The Four Cs of Learning

The Four Cs of Learning

This is an interesting blog post by Jeff Utecht, who is an educator, consultant and author. He writes about the Four Cs and says there is nothing new in the list that educators haven't been doing for years. How we view them now is new. He expands and gives ideas on these:

• Communication: Teaching to communicate the way the world communicates
• Collaboration: Across space and time
• Creativity: To a global audience
• Critical Thinking: Creating Problem Finders

Then he adds one more, the 'C' word of education, CONTROL. He says, "When we talk about giving up control in the classroom we do not mean giving up structure. If you are going to give the control of the learning over to the students it means you need more structure in place not less. Routines need to be in place, timing needs to be clearly delineated, and a system needs to exist so that students can have control of the learning. Giving over control of the learning to students does not mean less prep-time, less work for the teacher…..at the beginning it actually means more work as teachers learn a new way of structuring their classroom around student interest, student questions and take on a new role as a facilitator and coach of learning."

Kira Koop


IL - Critical Thinking


Hooks, B. (2010). Teaching critical thinking: practical wisdom. New York, New York: Taylor & Francis.


The last paragraph of bell hooks' introduction to her book states that the topics that the book discusses directly result from hooks' conversations with students and teachers, and "emerge from our collective desire to understand how to make the classroom a place of fierce engagement and intense learning."

The short essays that follow touch on ideas such as decolonizing the classroom, how collaborative critical thinking can be, feminism within an educational structure, and democratizing education. 

Though this is a physical book of essays (students can find an ebook available with a free trial here), I felt it necessary to include her writings in my recommendations to other learners. hooks is an extraordinary teacher, writer, and feminist, but until I came across this volume in the education section of my public library, I had had no idea that she has a career as a teacher on top of writing feminist theory. She writes efficiently: it takes little space for her to make a point, but with each sentence I encounter a new revelation. It's because of this that I haven't selected a single essay to recommend to you; even the essays that are less relevant to the course content I have found to be insightful and valuable for my learning process. 

Digital Literacy and Why It Matters

Jeselyn Templin

IL

University of Derby. (2014, November 5). Digital literacy and why it matters [video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2k3C-iB88w

Summary:
This video is a comprehensive introduction to why digital literacy matters for everyone. It mentions many everyday things that require a certain amount of digital literacy such as filling out job applications online and syncing up your calendar to a friend's in order to make plans.

Evaluation:
I enjoyed this video because it reminded me that not everyone is lucky enough to have been exposed to technology throughout their life like I have. Whether it is because of their age, the amount of technology exposure they can afford, or other life circumstances, the video reminded me that not everyone instinctually knows what to do when they sit down behind a computer. This lesson was especially prevalent for me now, working in the public library with patrons of all different backgrounds. The video effectively reminds people with the privilege of natural digital literacy not to take these skills for granted.

Don’t Forget Your Emergency Plan

Aubree Burkholder

CA

Epstein, S. (2016, October). Don’t Forget Your Emergency Plan. Retrieved from http://publiclibrariesonline.org/2016/10/dont-forget-your-emergency-plan/

Summary:

This article enforces the need for all libraries, and personal homes for that matter, to have an up to date and accurate emergency plan. It goes on to outline the basic key steps to creating an emergency plan and the necessity to update information such as staff contact and emergency information at least annually.

Evaluation:

I enjoyed this article because I feel that it serves as a great reminder to library staff to ensure that an emergency plan is in place and updated on a regular basis. I feel that having or not having an updated emergency plan could very well be the difference between tragedy and triumph in an emergency situation. 

Teaching Social Studies with Video Games

ET
IL

Maguth, B. M., List, J. S., Wunderle, M. (2015). Teaching social studies with video games. The Social Studies, 106(1), 32-36. doi: 10.1080/00377996.2014.961996

Summary:

This article highlights the use of interactive video games as instructional tools in the classroom.  Students used the game Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings to build up a civilization.  This game was chosen because it could be aligned with state standards, had an easy to use interface, and good enough graphics to keep students engaged.  The teacher assessed student learning by having students write reflections related to academic content standards such as geography, trade, economics, etc.  Students were required to make connections between class discussions and the video game.  Teacher and student found the game to be a success in allowing students to practice academic content in “real world” scenario that was engaging.  The article even attributes this teaching strategy as an example of learning through play—a theory of Vygotsky and Piaget.

Evaluation:

This article highlights the importance of information and technology literacy in our classrooms.  While this article did not highlight the role of a teacher librarian, I can only imagine how much more beneficial the outcome would have been if teacher and teacher librarian had co-taught this assignment.

Ideology and critical self-reflection in information literacy instruction

Nicole Katz

IL

Critten, J. (2015). Ideology and critical self-reflection in information literacy instruction. Communications in Information Literacy. 9(1), 145-156.

Overview

The author, Jennifer Critten, is (at the time of this article) a student at the University of West Georgia. This article was created a reflection of a semester-long information literacy course. Critten focuses her article on the “neo-Marxist philosopher Louis Althusser’s figurations of ideology and ideological state apparatuses as a site of critical self-reflection for students and a method by which students could become empowered to recognize themselves as not just consumers, but shapers of discourse.” Critten discusses the concept of critical consciousness and critical pedagogy as well.

Review

I found this article to very thorough and interesting. The idea that it ultimately doesn’t matter (as much) what the author’s bias are, why they thought what they did when they wrote it, but the reader’s bias. What you (the reader) bring to the text will dictate what you take away from it and being able to see that, to critically self-assess your bias is just so valid.  Readers can easily allow their personal belief system to cloud over and interfere with what they’re reading and never really “see” what is in front of them. I rather enjoyed this article.

5 Tips to Improve Your Critical Thinking

Hoff, Jane

IL–Critical Thinking

5 tips to improve your critical thinking - Samantha Agoos. (2016, March 15). Retrieved 2016, from http://ed.ted.com/lessons/5-tips-to-improve-your-critical-thinking-samantha-agoos

5 Tips to Improve Your Critical Thinking

Summary:  This TED-Ed video uses visually appealing animation to support verbal explanation of the importance of critical thinking skills in everyday life.  As we are exposed to an vast sea of information, through interpersonal interactions, digital media, and environmental conditions, we are faced with a tremendous task of making decisions.  While critical thinking is not the only way to make decisions, the application of the 5 step process in sense making and decision making attributed to critical thinking has proved to be more frequently successful and more desirable quality of successful people.  This video was designed to share with students to help guide them in developing successful critical thinking processes and skills, as well as understand the purpose critical thinking serves.

Review:  Yet again TED- Ed does not disappoint.  This concise video offers a meaningful explanation of critical thinking with engaging tie-ins to everyday activities that is clearly directed to a young adult or teen audience.  The video also offers a well-illustrated and easily navigable 5 steps for approaching thinking critically.  While this might not be the best video to show K – 6 students, it may serve a tremendous value in demystifying the learning objectives and targets in critical thinking for older students in middle school and high school.  This video will most certainly focus the key elements that educators would need to emphasize to their students in critical thinking iteration even in lower elementary grades.  This also has a full TED-Ed Lesson option (found on the right side menu panel).

Critical Thinking: Educating Competent Citizens

Hoff, Jane

IL–Critical Thinking

Admin, E. (2014, January 29). Critical thinking: Educating competent citizens. Retrieved 2016, from https://www.elesapiens.com/blog/critical-thought-educating-competent-citizens

Critical Thinking: Educating Competent Citizens

Summary:  In this article, which first appeared on the blog Elesapiens January 29, 2014, critical thinking as a process is explained.  The article explains eight fundamental aspects to the process of critical thinking: Reflection, Analysis, Acquisition of Information, Creativity, Structuring Arguments, Decision Making, Commitment, and Debate.    Additionally, the article pairs these eight fundamental aspects with five soft skills that are universally important to the world citizen: Humility, Courage, Responsibility, Commitment, and Respect.  The basic idea is that critical thinking skills are fundamental to self-sufficiency and capable problem solving in everyday life. Critical thinking skills are not limited to academic pursuits, and the more young students correlate critical thinking skills with everyday life pursuits, the more success they will see in academic achievement, life-long learning, and over all life success.

Review:  Where many in our field might find the explanation of critical thinking gratuitous, it does add to the bounty of information that can be effectively transferred to our students for their understanding of expectations and learning targets in the classroom and in everyday life.  Deconstructed in this manner, this article encourages the educator to more effectively describe and define critical thinking as a process to students enhancing their ability to navigate the academic world, their local community, as well as the global community in which they will certainly be playing a larger role in the very near future.

Through the looking glass: Examining technology integration in school librarianship

Deligencia, Nick

IL

Green, L. S. (2014). Through the looking glass: Examining technology integration in school librarianship. Knowledge Quest, 43(1), 36-43.

Summary:

Beginning with a description of the SAMR model and a review of its popularity and widespread use, the article then questions the validity of the model.  An open letter to the SAMR model’s founder is described, which critically evaluates SAMR in a manner that many teacher librarians are (or should be) teaching to their students.  The author delineates findings about the SAMR model’s creator, what it contributes to the thinking on the subject (how is it different), whether it is research-based and whether its methodology can be vetted, and whether it is a sponsored product.

A comparative evaluation of the TPCK model follows.  This section cites ways in which the model is often shared and used among educators that is, in fact, not consistent with the model’s intention and design.  The article concludes with a recommendation to “visit the Technology Integration Matrix maintained by Northern Arizona University <www.azk12.org/tim>.”

Evaluation:

Worth reading; thought-provoking.  I’m a little nervous about posting this here, given the professor’s implicit (and my own, previously explicit) endorsement of the SAMR model.  And yet, this article gets at the core of teacher librarians’ roles in information literacy.  How effective are we if we’re not applying the information credibility checks that we’re teaching our students?

This is not an indictment of the SAMR model, per se.  The article is more critical of the application of TPCK than SAMR, but it is most critical of any unquestioned and unexamined propagation of any model.

IL-Analysis and Synthesis, IL-Critical Thinking, IL-Technology Instruction

Stop searching like a bird and start thinking like a cat

Maricar Laudato

IL

Cheby, Lisa. (2016) Search strategy instruction: shifting from baby bird syndrome to curious cat critical thinking. Knowledge Quest 44(4) 48-53.

Summary:

Cheby draws attention to the problem that high school and college level students lack basic research and critical thinking skills. She asserts that students are not given enough time or guided instruction to learn how to undergo the inquiry process, where a deeper level of learning occurs. A fair amount of the article discusses how most of the problems are due to the fact that students do not know how to construct search terms to use for databases and/or search engines.

Evaluation:

I think that Cheby brings to light an issue that often gets overlooked amidst all the talk about the need to achieve equal access to digital resources. Yes, it is of utmost importance that all school libraries have access to the all the digital and print resources necessary to help students succeed. However, what gets forgotten once the said resources are obtained is that the school does not take the necessary steps to train students nor faculty/staff to use these resources to their utmost capabilities. In this article, Cheby focuses on the problem of students not having the skill of being able to employ successful search strategies when using the library's online research databases. Too often, when librarians hold research workshops showing students how to navigate the databases and use all of the database tools, the librarians conducting the workshops provide students with search terms to move the workshops along. Spoon-feeding students search terms is what Cheby calls searching like a "baby bird." Cheby, however, wants students to be as curious as "cats." Since students are given search terms by the librarian, students will always yield results when they attend a database workshop under the supervision of a librarian. However, frustration takes root when the student researches on their own and they yield little to no results when they use search terms that they create. This is because  librarians and teachers do not invest the necessary amount of time to teach students the process of constructing effective search terms. Cheby, a fellow MLIS candidate at SJSU, effectively underlines the importance of getting students to engage themselves fully in the inquiry stage of the research process. Cheby outlines how in order to do this, it requires the cooperation and commitment from teachers and school librarians to set aside time in the lesson to show students how to conduct successful searches.

Designing Your Own Text Sets

Deligencia, Nick

CO, ET, IL

Lewis, W., & Walpole, S. (2016). Designing your own text sets. Literacy Today, 33(4), 34-35.

Summary:

Create a set of four texts to build background knowledge and support students as they tackle text complexity.  “Quad Text Sets” include (1) video clips, (2) small/short informational text, (3) complex “target” text, and (4) contemporary text “to extend understanding.”

Evaluation:

Worth reading.  It’s only 2 pages, and has application far beyond the language arts example provided.

The concept of text sets may not be new to experienced educators, but this concise explanation of what to choose and why to choose it could easily serve as a roadmap for initial collaboration efforts with teachers.

I subscribe to the print edition of the journal as part of my membership in ILA, but it’s also accessible through the EBSCO/Academic Search Complete database at SJSU’s King Library.  Just copy/paste the title into the database search bar.

CO- Integrating TL into curriculum, ET- Arenas of Practice, IL-Critical Thinking

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.

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.

What Types of E-Books Are Best for Young Readers?

Shawn Pomatto

IL

(2014). What types of e-books are best for young readers? Mind/Shift. Retrieved from http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.kqed.org%2Fmindshift%2F2014%2F04%2Fwhat-types-of-e-books-are-best-for-young-readers%2F%3Futm_source%3Dfeedburner%26utm_medium%3Demail%26utm_campaign%3DFeed%253A%2Bkqed%252FnHAK%2B%2528MindShift%2529&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNGWfgHhNEP9azeiANaiWLNHKzYUIg

This article examines students reading comprehension in a comparison between e-books and traditional books.  The study showed reading comprehension was actually much higher in those students who read from traditional books.  Reasons for this difference are attributed to e-books many features which in turn distract kids from the meaning of the text.  Students who read e-books showed more interest in examining the devices interactive visual features.  Although these finding are from a preliminary study of a small sample, the findings are indeed alarming.  Whereas certain options of multimedia features actually enhance reading comprehension, the distractions from the e-books appear to be interfering with students comprehension of the text main ideas.  Another concern is that e-book apps do not abide by the same stringent review process as children's books do.  Therefore, apps do not necessarily have to meet reading comprehension qualifications.

In conclusion, we cannot lose site of the fact that reading from actual books is still a necessary component of learning.  A book is void from unnecessary distractions that technology offers.  Books allow the reader to involve themselves 100% into the story.  Whereas e-book apps appear to have multiple features for readers, in reality, these features do little to nothing in the means of reading comprehension.  One of the more damaging features for student reading comprehension is the e-book app that has the 'read to me' option.  This feature dismisses reading altogether.  We must be aware that traditional reading sources focus on one main goal, bringing the reader into the story.  On the other hand, technology and multiple features of e-books focus on their main goal, which is to sell apps and make money.  E-books are not in the educational field to nurture student growth and learning.  E-book companies are interested in profitability and selling a product to make a profit.  Education is not their priority, sales are.

Montessori Education: An Idea Whose Time Has Come

Montessori Education: An Idea Whose Time Has Come

IL-Creative Thinking

IL-Critical Thinking

IL-Integrated or Separate

IL-Other Literacies

ET-Inquiry and Problem-based Learning

ET-Learning Styles

ET-Standards-based Education

Torrence, Martha. "Montessori Education: An Idea Whose Time Has Come." Montessori Life Summer 2012: 18-23.

Summary

What future will our children face, and how can we best prepare them for it? What changes in the educational landscape are essential in order to prepare them? Education has changed throughout the years, always with the best intentions, but not always with the best results. Changes like “No Child Left Behind” has led to relentless testing and the idea that the only knowledge worth gaining is testable and measurable; and that successful students are repositories of knowledge rather than processors of information, creative thinkers and problem solvers.

With the introduction of Common Core, 21^st Century skills have become a major focus. These 21^st Century skills shift the role of the child to become central to the process and an active co-constructor of knowledge rather than a passive vessel waiting to be filled.  These ideas are beginning to sound like what has been going on Montessori classrooms for decades; student-directed learning, where the center is the child.    

Opinion

I decided to add this article to the blog because as we started learning about QuickMOOCs and student-directed learning, the more it started sounding like a Montesorri classroom to me. I think that traditional education needs a major overhaul and I’m not sure that Common Core is the right answer. Although there are aspects of Common Core that are a great improvement ( 21^st Century skills), there are others (enormous amount of standardized testing) that defeat the idea of education reform. I am very interested in alternate ways of educating and testing children, and I find the Montessori approach fascinating. 

The ABCs of 21st Century Literacy

Fleming, Giovanna

 

IL- 21st Century Skills/Critical Thinking

 

McCabe, M. (2013, November/December). The ABCs of 21st Century Literacy. Leadership,   14-16.
 

Summary: 
Molly McCabe’s article stresses the obvious.  It’s the same situation most of us are encountering.  It’s becoming a common occurrence in most schools.  Educators are talking about the Common Core, the 21st century(which is already here), and how teaching styles have to evolve so, we can raise a generation of critical thinkers.  She expresses how amazing it is to witness how educators throughout the nation are collaborating to develop new classroom strategies.  Educators are eagerly learning how to become better teachers.  The article focuses on the importance of flexibility, adapting, and collaborating but, McCabe also emphasizes the value of having students learn how to connect with others via technology.  As educators, we must also be able to teach students how to ask pertinent questions which will assist them to build on their prior knowledge.  We also have the responsibility to teach them where to locate viable resources. Obviously, we will be teaching them the process of the scientific method. She explains it best in the sentence, “ educators must focus on teaching students to learn, unlearn, and relearn so they can adapt to the rapid change they will be facing in the future.” (McCabe, 2013).
 

Evaluation:
Molly McCabe creates a checklist for educators to prepare for the 21st century student in the 21st century classroom.  I would recommend this article to any educator as an introduction to 21st century literacy.  It is a great article to read while beginning research on the topic.  It would lead to further research which would be needed to determine how to utilize, teach, and guide students through the ABCs of 21st Century Literacy.  She also includes a viable list of references at the end of her article which are worth reading, as well.

Enacting Equity and Social Justice in Our Libraries

Keith, E.K.

IL

 Martin, R., McCann, H., Morales, M., & Williams, S. (2013). White Screen/White Noise: Racism and the Internet. Urban Library Journal, 19(1), 1-12. Retrieved from: http://web.a.ebscohost.com.libaccess.sjlibrary.org/ehost/detail?vid=7&sid=4b873570-1fef-4067-881d-aaa130e04897%40sessionmgr4005&hid=4104&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=llf&AN=93739851

Summary:

This article examines the power of the Internet to spread information and issues of racism and censorship. Several significant examples illustrate the problem of the perpetuation of racist attitudes, speech, and imagery on the internet. The article also explores the librarian’s role to counteract racist messages and how critical race consciousness can improve library services in person and online. 

One significant example that was most compelling explained a problem that I personally had while trying to research teen interest magazines for Latina and African American girls to purchase for my library. The problem I had was that on school computers, any time I entered either of the above-mentioned terms for a search with “girl” or “teen,” the filter blocked access. The article references the same process as an experiment conducted by a teacher with her students to demonstrate how the Internet perpetuates the hypersexualization of Latina and African American girls across media formats. 

Another example was the posting of photographs by a white supremacist group intended to malign Trayvon Martin’s character and reputation after his murder. The photographs were then re-posted by major news outlets. The failure to check facts or question sources demonstrates the casual reinforcement of racial stereotypes that is a click away.

Lack of moderation of posted comments is another significant example of hate speech that is perpetuated on the Internet. Several more examples are given to show the use of the Internet as a tool of oppression to clearly explain this problem from the perspective of the user.

For librarians, there are contributing problems. The article notes a lack of open discourse about racism in LIS programs with a preference for use of less controversial terms, multiculturalism and diversity. In addition, many programs lack courses that directly address issues of racism, oppression, and privilege. 

This article explores in detail the courses of action that librarians can take to preserve the free access to information and to protect and educate young people who are vulnerable to overt and subtle racist messages on the Internet. The authors focus on solutions, recognizing the power of the Internet and Web 2.0 tools for learning. They also reiterate that learning in any environment cannot be separated from cultural norms, so it is the responsibility of the librarian to directly challenge those norms that are oppressive. Here is a list of their suggestions for librarians.

• ·         Acquire and teach digital literacy, along with the new skills that separate it from traditional information literacy

• ·         Use critical race consciousness as another tool to evaluate online resources

• ·         Become more aware of exclusive language and subtle racist messages on the Internet through anti-racist training

• ·         Use and promote the Internet with users as a tool for equity and social justice (for example, http://www.communitychangeinc.org/content/civil-rights-movement-oral-histories-personal-accounts).

• ·         Make collection decisions around needs of users

• ·         Teach users (especially young people) to critically evaluate web resources past superficial checklist levels

§  A domain that ends in .org does not necessarily mean it is reliable

§  Recognize bias and how it influences the understanding of information, both positively and negatively

§  Search engine rankings indicate nothing about the reliability of a website or its relevance to a search

I highly recommend reading this article for librarians who serve young people of color and have a deep concern for enacting equity and social justice in their libraries.