Where the Kids Are

An online course is a great way to reach busy classrooms

By Pamela S. Bacon -- School Library Journal, 7/1/2004

When I arrived at Ben Davis High School four years ago, I imagined classes coming to the library at the start of each semester to learn about information-literacy skills. But after three years of trying to attract a crowd, I realized that I was just dreaming—no matter what, I could only reach a small number of kids because most teachers simply didn't bring their classes to the media center.

While many of these teachers understood the value of the library, they were so intent on preparing their students for the state-mandated tests that they couldn't find time for anything else. As a result, our students were missing out on critical research skills, not to mention basics, such as locating a book in the library. I finally decided something had to be done when Ronnie, a junior, didn't have a clue that John Grisham's novels were fiction. I had to explain that fiction books were given letter codes while nonfiction were assigned numbers.

I decided that the best way to reach 1,000 information-literacy-starved 10th graders was through the Web. So I quickly devised an online curriculum to help students master basic library skills. Before embarking on my project, I had a quick chat with the English department chair and assistant principal to ensure that I had their backing. I explained the benefits of a step-by-step online library unit that students could take any time—in the library, in class, or at home. I showed them how the unit could help boost test scores. For example, many of our kids scored poorly on making inferences on the state tests, so one of the lessons I designed focused on these skills. My teaching colleagues loved the fact that the program was also tied to specific language-arts standards and included the Big6 problem-solving approach to learning library skills.

I soon learned that finding a balance was key. If the online tutorial was too long, teachers would balk. If it was too short, teachers—and ultimately students—wouldn't take it seriously. I settled on creating a program that would take teens five hours to complete, making sure to include the 10 information-literacy standards that students would need to survive not just in our media center—but in any library. Then I designed fun lessons and activities to make sure my students could master the skills, which include navigating the online card catalog, locating books through call numbers, and effectively searching online databases. I also made sure to include lessons on how to evaluate Web sites, properly cite information, and guard against plagiarism. Some English teachers gave their students permission to complete parts of the unit in computer labs during class time, and others required students to finish the project on their own time. The unit was mandatory and counted toward each student's final grade.

Once the content was finalized, I had to decide on a format. I initially thought of presenting the lesson as a Web-quest similar to the scavenger-hunt orientation offered at Ludlow High School's media center in Massachusetts (www.samnet.net/ludlowhs/lmc/fr_orient_WQ.htm). Ultimately, I decided to combine the exciting features of a Webquest with the Angel Online Courseware, an online learning program that provides password protection and tracks important usage information, including how long students worked on the unit and their test scores. In the end, students were asked to answer 25 multiple-choice questions in the media center to test their knowledge of information-literacy skills. Approximately seven out of 10 students scored 70 percent or better the first time they took the online test, and about 10 percent passed the test the second time around. Since the end of the school year was fast approaching, some students ran out of time. But I'm confident that the remaining 20 percent of students would have eventually passed the test. During this pilot project, teachers were given discretion to count the unit as a test or quiz. And to motivate students, I gave Barnes & Noble gift certificates to the first five students to successfully complete the unit.

Initially, three English teachers participated in the pilot project, and during the next two years all sophomore English classes will be required to participate. I haven't encountered any major problems yet, and I'm excited about the possibility of every student being able to successfully navigate through the media center with the information-literacy skills they've learned. To view our online unit, visit www.wayne.k12.in.us/bdmedia/index.htm and click on the "Capture the Giant" online orientation link.