School Librarians Can Help Web 2.0 Classroom Adoption
RSSBy Lauren Barack
Library media specialists are untapped resources who can help tie Web 2.0 technologies into the K-12 curriculum—and into students' educational success, according to new research from Interactive Educational Systems Design (IESD), an educational research firm. "Digital Districts: Web 2.0 and Collaborative Technologies in U.S. Schools," a national survey by IESD, found that fewer than 20 percent of the 380 district technology directors it surveyed had asked district library media leaders to help develop Web 2.0 policies. As a result, schools end up losing out, says Sivin-Kachala, because librarians can help students and staff not only learn how to become proficient in Web 2.0 technologies, but also how to navigate these tools safely. Overall, survey results show a growing acceptance of Web 2.0 collaborative technologies such as blogs, wikis, and other social networking sites among school leaders and educators since 2009. But student safety and lack of teacher knowledge about how to use Web 2.0 technologies remain barriers to adoption by many districts. Districts that choose to integrate these 21st century learning tools found that 39 percent saw engagement increase among students, with 48 percent saying students were actually more motivated to learn. In addition, teachers have increased their use of Web 2.0 tools in the classroom, with 25 percent more using the tools and technologies, says Sivin-Kachala. The number one reason why teachers failed to incorporate Web 2.0 into planning, teaching, or their own learning was because they didn't feel competent enough to do so, says the survey, which is precisely why media specialists should be brought in to help. "The risk for districts that don't think through how to best make use of Web 2.0 is that they will fail to take advantage of technologies that can extend student learning beyond the school walls, that can provide students with experiences that help them develop their collaboration, communication, and thinking skills while applying them to serious academic purposes, and that can help motivate and engage students," says Sivin-Kachala. This article originally appeared in the newsletter Extra Helping. Go here to subscribe. It's great to see this encouragement to involve school librarians more in web 2.0 discussions. Materials selection is the lifeblood of great media specialists. They can help teachers and tech directors understand a wider range of options than the one or two that might be mentioned in the mainstream media.
For example, many school districts block YouTube, especially for children under age 13. How many teachers are aware of these powerful and instructionally relevant videosharing sites: http://www.schooltube.com (video only), http://www.teachertube.com (video, audio, documents), http://www.eschoolnews.tv (videos), and http://www.snagfilms.com (professionally made documentaries). All of these have instructional purpose and some level of appropriateness for students, esp. for younger students, and won't waste a lot of time for the teacher in finding something for her students. (All are free to use as well!)
Media specialists can also help teachers find resources sites where student work can be published for a wider audience. Students can see student work from other countries, sometimes in languages other than English. One site with 27 million views a month is "ePals Student Media Gallery" http://bit.ly/StMedia. Students can check out "A Day in the Life..." from many other places. Watching how girls in Senegal go to the well or milk the goat before they go to school brings amazing authenticity and interest to geography class. Students can also see "digital stories" created by other students. How rich to see a retelling of a story from another culture!
I hope that media specialists and school librarians will be consulted more about the options available, especially materials from companies and organizations that care deeply about schools and the success of students. In Australia we do not train enough school librarians and we have
not had a librarian for ten years. Now the position is held by an
aide. She does a good job but I miss the key discussions matching
books with student. We have lost that key ingredient in the battle
for literacy. Our new school plan does not have a library. The
architect showed me a space with five shelves and proudly
declared that as the library. He was shocked when I accused him
of being a barbarian. Library-free schools are all the go. Now we
will miss out on the librarian's skills in web2.0, web site analysis etc. * = Required information
"It makes good sense to involve school librarians—and especially their district library media leaders—in planning for such policies and procedures because they are likely to be among the school staff with the most practical experience helping teachers and students take advantage of Web 2.0 technologies while avoiding negatives impacts," says Jay Sivin-Kachala, vice president and lead researcher for the New York-based IESD by email.
Reader Comments (2)
Posted by Dr. Rita Oates on April 14, 2011 03:33:49PM
Posted by Richard L Opie on April 14, 2011 10:33:26PM
