Creekview High School Students work on their Media 21 Project.
When looking to honor cutting-edge technologies in libraries, the American Library Association's (ALA) Office for Information Technology Policy (OITP) went hunting for something pioneering.
Enter Creekview High School'sMedia 21 Project, a library project that combines social media and cloud computing so students can collaborate and create their own content.
"We were looking for libraries that twisted tech so that it improved a traditional service," says Christine Lind Hage, director of Michigan's Rochester Hills Public Library and chair of OITP's America's Libraries in the 21st Century Subcommittee (AL21C), which administers the contest. "They couldn't just be friendly and have great customer service."
Creekview High School's library launched a nearly yearlong program for tenth graders who learned how to search for credible online resources and create their own information sources collaboratively. It's the first K-12 library to win the AL21C's Cutting-Edge Library Service Recognition award. So what was key? Building a project that other libraries could copy—without too much pressure on tightened budgets.
"Many of the resources we used were free," says Buffy Hamilton, who runs the Canton, GA-based library, and is also known as the Unquiet Librarian. "You don't really need to have any kind of extraordinary budget to replicate."
Creekview High School Media Center
Hamilton, along with tenth-grade English teacher Susan Lester, developed the project to highlight information literacy and content-based performance standards. Students created their own subject guides, lead their own inquiry-based learning, and learned how to evaluate information. Using tools such as Netvibes, Evernote, and Google Sites, students blogged, contributed to group wikis, used social bookmarking, developed research portfolios, and presented learning in ways that demonstrated an ethical use of information and licensed media. The program also was evaluated in how it met Georgia Performance Standards and the American Association of School Librarian's Standards for 21st Century Learners.
"They had more ownership and had to make decisions on their own," says Hamilton. "Initially it was empowering for some, and for some, they were overwhelmed."
Hamilton will be on hand this June at ALA's annual conference In New Orleans to present her project and offer other librarians tips on how to replicate the program at their own branches and schools.
"Last year we had standing room only," says Hage. "So this year we're getting a bigger room."
This article originally appeared in the newsletter Extra Helping. Go here to subscribe.
It's great to see this kind of recognition for Creekview's program and for Buffy Hamilton in particular. Congratulations!
Posted by Tommy Johns on January 26, 2011 05:46:19PM
Buffy Hamilton is amazing! How exciting that Buffy Hamilton will be the luncheon speaker at the New York State School Library Conference in Buffalo on May 7th! Come hear her!
Posted by Bethanne Stancl on February 8, 2011 01:21:10PM
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