Lamb, A. (2016). Crowdsourcing and the School Library. Teacher Librarian, 44(2), 56-60.  Retrieved from:

http://libaccess.sjlibrary.org/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=120783530&site=ehost-live&scope=sitear

This article discusses the usage of Crowdsourcing in the Library and how this method can be used to teach information literacy skills to students.  Student can participate in activities that can use crowdsourcing in which they can real world information to organize information.  This can be done with interesting activities where students can group information and data in a fun and interesting way.

Schloman, B. F., & Gedeon, J. A. (2007). Creating TRAILS. Knowledge Quest, 35(5), 44-47.

Retrieved from http://libaccess.sjlibrary.org/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=26673575&site=ehost-live&scope=site

It is often difficult to create assessments that are adequate when measuring the skills of students who are learning about information literacy  This article discusses the Trails Assessment which was created to help in the assessment of information literacy skills.  The Trails Assessment was created by Kent State University and is way to gauge a student's grasp of information literacy. The assessment tool has is freely available resource that is standards based and available through the web. If a teacher uses this tool they can evaluate the skills of their students and what they need to teach them.

The Informationally Underserved

Bradley, Rebecca

IL


Lang Froggatt, D. (2015). The informationally underserved: not always diverse, but always a social justice advocacy model. School Libraries Worldwide, 21(1), 54-72. doi: 10.14265.21.1.004

Summary

Based on the earlier work by Elfreda Chatman regarding information poverty, this study by Froggatt (2015) claims that many students, in particular Latino and African Americans males, are members of the "informationally underserved." Interviews with the 9th grade student participants in the study found that their elementary and middle schools offered limited free reading books, intermittent access to technology, and insufficient information literacy instruction. As a result, Froggatt concludes that little or no access to active school library programs with qualified LIS professionals may be a significant factor in causing these students to have lower levels of inquisitiveness, critical thinking, and academic success. 

Evaluation

This study highlights a recurring problem plaguing American schools, especially in poor urban areas. If so many of our students drop out before graduating from high school and many more during their first year of college, we as LIS professionals must question whether our day-to-day actions are perpetuating a system of failure or are contributing to greater social justice for these students. As stated in the article, the theory of the Informationally Underserved "illustrates how LIS research can integrate social justice meta-theory with professional practices in order to strive to solve issue surrounding equitable access to information." 

Alicia Morales

CO

C-Span Classroom, C-Span retrieved from http://www.c-spanclassroom.org/ on November 28, 2016.

Summary: This is educator resource website, it includes lesson plans, news articles, archived articles, historical video clips, political campaign lesson plans, and they have other links to great educator websites.

Evaluation: I really enjoyed this site, this 2016 campaign was very difficult to cover in the classroom. It was difficult to find websites/resources to help support the teachers I was working with, however CSPAN provided what in my opinion was unbiased resources. Their debate coverage lesson plans were especially good. This is a great tool to use to approach content teachers, there is opportunity for co-teaching  and collaboration experiences here.

Very helpful starter kit for becoming a "connected educator"

Ramos, Tara

IL

Powerful Learning Practice.  (2015).  Connected educator starter kit.  Retrieved from https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/38904447/connected-educator-month-starter-kit-2015.pdf

Summary: This tool kit was designed to accompany the activities surrounding Connected Educators Month in 2015.  It provides an introduction to what a connected educator is and gives about thirty tools and ideas (one for each day os the month) that teachers can engage with to become more connected.  Examples include tips on using Twitter, building your Personal Learning Network, collaborating online, blogging, Wikis and more!  A favorite quote: "To become a connected educator, you must first become a connected learner.”

Evaluation:  I found this kit to be extremely useful as a budding teacher librarian.  It is exactly the introduction I needed to many tools and ideas that I have heard about surrounding 21st century learning and Web 2.0, but that have yet to become instrumental to my practice as an educator.  Just reading through the suggested activities and engaging with several of them, I am seeing a whole new world open to me before my eyes.  I highly recommend this kit to anyone who considers themselves to be at the beginning stages of becoming a 21st century educator.

Modelling information literacy for the classrooms of the future

Jana Brubaker

PS

McNichols, S.  (2015).  Modeling information literacy for the classrooms of the future.  Journal of Librarianship and Information Science, 47(4), 303-313.  doi: 10.1177/0961000614526612.

Most models of information literacy were developed for 20th century modes of research and education.  Old models view the information seeker as a consumer of information; the seeker evaluates and organizes it.  Due to developments in technology, however, information seekers are now viewed as creators and originators of knowledge rather than consumers.  There are no models yet that adequately explain the creation process.  With schools beginning to have students develop web games and other educational technology, we need to adapt existing models to these new models of information literacy.  One of the ways that we can do this is to look at the activities happening in the classroom around technology.  We should also use the AASL’s standards for the 21st century learner as guidelines for our new models.

I think this article made some important points, such as the necessity to include terms like “creators” and “originators” in new information literacy models.  These terms are included in the AASL’s standards, so we should consider them important for new models.  The article also mentioned revising our ideas of linearity.  Most information literacy models value a linear, progressive model. This is not always realistic since people often circle back during research.  This is a good point and should be considered in the development of new models.

I Can't do Inquiry! I'm on a Fixed Schedule!

Litzinger, Vicki

IL, CO

Fontichiaro, Kristin. (2014). I Can't do Inquiry! I'm on a Fixed Schedule! School Library Monthly, 30(5), p 49.

Summary

A very short article, yet Fontichiaro provides several sound examples of how to build inquiry into your teaching even on a fixed schedule. She suggests making it part of storytime, break the inquiry process into smaller "targeted, mini lessons," asking "teachers to swap planning periods," or creating a club in which students do research on "current events."

Evaluation

This article was an excellent reminder that undertaking inquiry in your library classes does not have to mean a huge project for you or your students. It is so easy to get frustrated given what we have to build into our 45 minute classes which also usually includes a book exchange time. So, we don't get our entire 45 minutes for reading and teaching inquiry. I particularly appreciated Fontichiaro's suggestion about building inquiry into storytime where we "model active reading and questioning," and "point students toward resources that can help them answer those questions. Ask students to share answers when they check out." An article of very practical, and easy-to-integrate suggestions.