Technology+Programming+for+Elementary+School+Libraries

A recent study by the Pew Research Center found that 94% of middle and high school students use Google to conduct academic research, far surpassing the percentage who use textbooks (18%), online databases (17%) and print books (12%). The same study found that, despite their extensive internet use, students lack digital literacy skills, including the ability to evaluate the quality of online information and find credible sources. Elementary school libraries should play an important role in teaching students digital literacy skills.

To teach students digital literacy skills, school libraries must provide students with access to technology. At the same time, adopting new technology is generally expensive. When a school library adopts new technology, there is a very real risk that the money and time spent adopting the new technology could be better spent elsewhere. Furthermore, it is easy for new technology to distract from, rather than facilitate, learning.

To avoid wasting resources, technology programming should be designed to meet clearly articulated curricular goals. School librarians should work in collaboration with teachers to plan technology programming that teaches students skills articulated in state curriculum standards and the //AASL’s Standards for the 21st-Century Learner//.

 Librarians should avoid adopting new technology absent a clear understanding of how the new technology will improve instruction. Here are three questions to ask when deciding whether to adopt a new technology (e.g. a digital camera, iPad or software program):
 * 1) Will the new technology enable teachers to teach an important skill more effectively than they could without the new technology?
 * 2) How much will the new technology cost? Consider a) the dollar value, b) the time required for staff and students to learn the new technology, and c) the opportunity costs of adopting the new technology. (e.g. Would the money be better spent on books or other library supplies?)
 * 3) Will the benefits of adopting the new technology exceed the costs?

  Drawing from the //AASL’s Standards for the 21st-Century Learner//, here are seven technology-related skills that elementary school libraries should teach students and the technological tools that seem most valuable for teaching these skills. Excellent technology programming does not require school libraries to adopt the flashiest technological tools available. Instead, excellent technology programing requires school libraries to provide students with sufficient access to computers, software and high-speed internet to enable teachers to effectively teach students these seven technology-related skills.

=SKILL 1. FINDING GOOD SOURCES OF INFORMATION =

 An excellent school library program should teach students to find the appropriate sources of information to answer the questions students are trying to answer, whether those sources are electronic or print (AASL 1.1.4). Students should be taught to evaluate electronic sources of information on the bases of accuracy, validity, appropriateness for needs, importance and social and cultural context (AASL 1.1.5).

 Students should be taught information search skills, including how to effectively search for information via search engines (e.g. Google) and electronic databases (e.g. Searchasaurus).

 Specifically, students should be taught:
 * 1) How to conduct searches. Effective online searches involve choosing good search terms, modifying search terms when necessary and looking beyond the first results generated.
 * 2) How to evaluate the quality of information found. Students need to learn to evaluate sources critically (i.e. how to fact-check, triangulate sources and distinguish between different quality of information sources). Librarians should introduce students to how Google’s filter program and Wikipedia’s peer editing process work.
 * 3) The importance of seeking divergent perspectives. As people turn to the internet for news and information, they tend to be exposed to less diverse perspectives than they were prior to the internet. With the internet, it is easy for people to self-select information that conforms with their worldview (the “echo chamber” phenomenon). Furthermore, Google filters information based on individual users’ views (the “filter bubble” phenomenon). In this environment, it is particularly important that students be taught how to seek out diverse perspectives.

Tech Tools:
 **Google** — The main search engine used to search for information on the internet. School librarians need to teach students to search for information via Google effectively.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> **Wikipedia** — A wiki that students and adults use frequently as their go to source of information. It is important for school librarians to teach students what wikis are and how to evaluate the quality of information found on Wikipedia.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> **PebbleGo** — An electronic encyclopedia for grades K-3, with features to help new and emerging readers learn to read.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> **Brittanica School Elementary** — An electronic encyclopedia for grades 2-8. See also //World Book Kids//.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> **Searchasaurus** — An electronic database that contains magazine articles from 80+ children’s magazines, encyclopedia articles and //The American Heritage Children’s Dictionary// online for grades 2-8.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> **Kids InfoBits** — An electronic database that contains magazine articles, encyclopedia articles and //Mirriam-Webster’s Children’s Dictionary// for grades 2-8.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> **National Geographic Education: Mapping** — A website with interactive maps.

=<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">SKILL 2. ANALYZING AND ORGANIZING INFORMATION =

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> An excellent school library program should teach students to create meaning from the websites, electronic books and articles, videos and other electronic media they read or view (AASL 1.1.6). Students should be taught to use technology to analyze and organize information (AASL 2.1.4).

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Tech Tools:
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> **Excel** — A spreadsheet application that students can use to organize, store and analyze data. Librarians can discuss with classroom teachers whether it makes sense to begin teaching students to use Excel in elementary school or wait until middle school.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> **bubbl.us** — A website that enables users to create concept maps. I am not certain that creating online concept maps is a necessary 21st century skill, but, if it is, this is the website to use.

=<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">SKILL 3. USING INFORMATION TO CREATE NEW UNDERSTANDING =

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> An excellent school library program should teach students to use writing skills, visual literacy skills and technological skills to create products that express new understanding (AASL 2.1.6, AASL 3.1.3). Students can be taught to create digital stories, comics, online student newspapers and class wikis or blogs.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Students should be taught to respect the copyright of creators and producers and to follow ethical and legal guidelines when using information (AASL 1.3.1, AASL 1.3.3, AASL 1.3.5).

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Tech Tools:
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> **Kidblog**— A blog hosting service that enables teachers to quickly create blogs for students without sharing students’ personal information.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> **Meet Me at the Corner** — A website that offers students video podcasting instructions. Students can view video podcasts (including book reviews) submitted by other kids and submit their own.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> **storyjumper** — A website that students can use to create and share ebooks.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> **Myths & Legends** — A website where students can listen to recordings of traditional folktales and, if they would like, modify the folktales to create their own.


 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Educational Uses of Digital Storytelling **<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> — A website with instructions for teaching students to create digital stories. Students themselves can use **<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Animoto **<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">, **<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Audacity **<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> or **<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">iMovie <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> **<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">to create digital stories.

=<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">SKILL 4. USING TECHNOLOGY TO CREATE PRODUCTS THAT APPLY TO REAL-WORLD CONTEXTS =

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> An excellent school library program should teach students to create products that apply to real-world contexts (AASL 3.3.4). For example, students can be taught to send emails to friends and relatives, create online student newspapers and blogs, and create PowerPoint presentations.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Tech Tools:
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> **KidsEmail** — A kid-safe email program. Students can practice writing and learn about email etiquette by sending emails to family and friends.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> **Kidblog** — A blog hosting service that enables teachers to quickly create blogs for students without sharing students’ personal information.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> **PowerPoint** — Presentation software.

=<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">SKILL 5. USING TECHNOLOGY TO ENGAGE IN PUBLIC CONVERSATION AND DEBATE =

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> An excellent school library program should teach students to engage in public conversation and debate around issues of common concern (AASL 3.3.3).

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> While most public conversation and debate still occurs offline, adults increasingly use the internet to engage in public conversation and debate. Adults use social networking sites to organize campaigns. They use the internet to sign online petitions (17%), email government officials (18%), comment on news stories or blog posts (18%) and submit letters of the editor to newspapers (4%).

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Students can be taught to use the internet to email government officials, write letters to the editor, publicize events, create online petitions, or respond to news stories.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Tech Tools:
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> **youngzine** — An online newspaper for kids. Youngzine encourages kids to comment and contribute to this newspaper.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> **Time for Kids** — An online newspaper for kids.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> **iCivic** — An interactive website to teach kids to become engaged citizens.

=<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">SKILL 6. COLLABORATING =

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> An excellent school library program should teach students to collaborate to exchange ideas, develop new understandings, make decisions and solve problems (AASL 2.1.5).

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Technology is not necessary for teaching students to collaborate. That said, adults increasingly use technology to collaborate, and students can be taught to use technology to collaborate too.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Tech Tools:
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> **Google Docs**— Free software that enables kids to collaboratively create and edit documents.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> **Wikispaces Classroom** — A wiki hosting service that enables teachers to create class wikis that students can contribute to.

=<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">SKILL 7. CONSIDERING DIVERSE AND GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES =

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> An excellent school library program should encourage kids to consider and respect diverse and global perspectives (AASL 1.3.2, AASL 2.3.2, AASL 3.3.1).

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> On one hand, the internet enables students to self-select only information that supports their worldview. On the other hand, the internet has the potential to help students better understand the perspectives of people who live very differently from themselves. Librarians can help students use the internet to connect with people around the world in new and exciting ways.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Tech Tools:
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> **QuadBlogging** — A service that connects class blogs across the world. QuadBlogging creates an audience for class blogs and helps students connect with students around the world.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> **Connected Classrooms** — A website that enable students to take virtual field trips to places they would otherwise never be able to see via Google Hangouts.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> **ARKive** — A website with photos and videos of endangered species.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> **National Geographic Kids: Countries** — A website featuring beautiful photos, videos and information about countries around the world.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> **Time for Kids: Around the World** — A website with information about countries around the world, including, for each country, descriptions of a day in the life of a child living in that country.

=<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">SOURCES OF GOOD WEBSITES FOR KIDS =

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> **Common Sense Media: Best Website Lists** — []

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> **ALSC’s Great Websites for Kids** — []

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> **AASL’s Best Websites for Teaching & Learning** — []

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> **Parents’ Choice: Children’s Media & Toy Reviews** — []

=<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">THREE FINAL SUGGESTIONS =

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> **1. Take steps to ensure that all students have access to computers and high-speed internet access.** While high quality technology programming benefits all students, technology programming is particularly valuable for students who do not have computer or high-speed internet access at home. Research suggests that most low income families have internet access via cell phones or slow, dial-up connections, but many still cannot afford computers and high-speed internet access. When planning technology programming, consider how to provide students who do not have computer and high-speed internet access at home to these resources at school. For example, consider providing access to computers before or after standard school hours or lending students laptop computers.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> **2. Integrate technology into the curriculum.** Librarians can most effectively teach students the seven technology-related skills outlined above if they do so in collaboration with classroom teachers. Consider how librarians and classroom teachers can work together to integrate instruction about searching for information, evaluating information sources, creating products that demonstrate new understanding etc. into classroom studies.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> **3. Do not overlook conventional teaching methods.** Often the best way to teach a particular skill is to combine conventional teaching methods (i.e. lecture, reading and writing) with innovative teaching methods that give students hands-on technology experience.

=<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">SOURCES =

American Association of School Librarians (AASL) (2007). // [|Standards for the 21st Century Learner] //. Chicago: American Library Association.

Braun, Linda W. (2012). "Next Year's Model," //School Library Journal// 58(4): 20-24, //retrieved from// __[]__.

The Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE) (2003). //Guardian of Democracy: The Civic Mission of Schools//, retrieved from __[]__.

Druin, Allison //et al//. (2009). “How Children Search the Internet with Keyboard Interfaces,” //Proceedings of the ACM//, //retrieved from// [].

Miller, Carl, and Jamie Bartlett (2012). "Digital Fluency: Towards Young People's Critical Use of the Internet," //Journal of Information Literacy//, 6(2).

National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) (2010). //ALA/AASL Standards for Initial Preparation of School Librarians//.

On the Media, NPR (June 17, 2011). "The Echo Chamber Revisited," //retrieved from// [].

Purcell, Kristen //et al//. (2012). "How Teens Do Research in the Digital World," //Pew Internet & American Life Project//, //retrieved from// [].

Raine, Lee (2012). "Internet Access at Libraries," //Pew Internet & American Life Project//, //retrieved from// __[]__.

Smith, Aaron (2013). "Civic Engagement in the Digital Age," //Pew Internet & American Life Project//, //retrieved from// [].

Tilley, Carol L. (November 13, 2013). “What trends and issues in technology should youth services librarians be most aware of?” LIS 506: Youth Services Librarianship class lecture.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Zickuhr, Kathryn and Aaron Smith (2012). "Digital Differences," //Pew Internet & American Life Project//, //retrieved from// __[]__.