Patty Natale
SGET 750/751-Practicum in Learning Theory
Dr. Angela Cristini
September 21, 2006
Proposal
Introduction
Picture sitting in front of a computer monitor and viewing random icons scattered across the desktop; the Internet Explorer icon represents the World Book Encyclopedia, the Netscape icon represents Britannica Encyclopedia and another Internet Explorer icon represents EBSCO. One Internet Explorer icon defaults to a district web page that does not contain any links or websites to the internet. The desktop does not engage the learner, it is not creative, and it has been maintained by the district’s library technology support person far too long. “An environment that contains mainly predictable or repeated stimuli lowers the brain’s interest in the outside world” (Sousa).
It is time for the Jefferson Elementary School Library to offer its faculty, students and staff an attractive, interactive website used to access the on-line public access catalog (OPAC), subscription databases, tutorials, library related web-based research activities, web resources, bibliographies and reference tools. “The media center is the central foundation of a school…it must transcend the physical space to bring services and programming to every student and teacher throughout the school wherever learning takes place” (Harris, 2006).
Discussion during district
technology committee meetings has centered on the feasibility of each school
library creating their own website. At
the present time, only the high school library has its own site. By designing a website for the Practicum in
Learning Theory project, the
“The good news is that the Web is not just helpful to education, but, used effectively, it can revolutionize student learning” (March, 2000). Today, “school library websites are a necessity.” The earliest adopters of library websites have had the past ten years for development and redesign. During the last couple of years, these sites have expanded into almost all schools and integrated into everyday life for students and colleagues. There are of course a few last holdouts…(Jurkowski, 2004).
Carolyn Karis, teacher-librarian at the Urban School of San Francisco “endorses the use of library websites to promote the value of library services and resources.” She “urges proactive use of web technology to enhance service to users, support library patrons, and publicize the library’s services” (Karis, 2005). Remote access to Web-based library catalogs and subscription databases obviates the need for users to come to our physical space and results in the heightened importance of the library Web site as a marketing tool (Karis).
The components of this website will
include visuals, cooperative learning, and individual learning. Geared mainly
to fourth and fifth grade students, it will incorporate links to the on-line
public access catalog (OPAC), subscription databases, bibliographies and
reference tools. Most importantly, the
website will also include web-based research activities that directly enhance
and correspond to the fourth and fifth grade library curriculum. The introduction of formal research skills
begins in fourth and fifth grade as most students are emotionally and
intellectually ready to begin independent research within the framework of
guided practice. The library related research
activities will acquaint students with subscription databases and resources
that will be available to them throughout middle school and high school. In grades six through twelve, these databases
and resources will become a necessity for our students to use. “A student’s ability to retain information is
dependent on the type of teaching methods used” (Sousa). Implementing technology into class lessons
permits teachers to respond to diverse learning styles by creating rich
classroom environments that encourage students’ tactile, visual, and auditory
senses (
Research has shown that each individual learns differently. According to Howard Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences, there are seven different ways in which people learn: verbal/linguistic, logical/mathematical, visual/spatial, bodily/kinesthetic, musical, interpersonal, and interpersonal. Each of these intelligences will be met through tasks that students must complete. The verbal/linguistic intelligence will be promoted through the use of keyboarding, pencils and worksheets. Lecture, search engines, web-based activities and problem-solving tasks will benefit the mathematical/logical intelligence. The visual/spatial intelligence will be stimulated by the computer monitor and tutorials. The computer’s mouse and keyboard will motivate the bodily/kinesthetic intelligence. Digital sounds incorporated into the multimedia presentations (tutorials) will accommodate the musical/rhythmic intelligence. The intrapersonal intelligence will be stimulated by self-assessments that are provided at the end of each tutorial. Activities such as class discussion and collaborative projects will promote the interpersonal intelligence.
As
students are asked to complete tasks that directly relate to their learning
style, there is an increase in the amount of information that is retained, as
well as an increased level of satisfaction and enjoyment. Technology allows
students to actively think about information, make choices and utilize software
tools available to them. When technology
is used as a tool to support students in performing tasks, the students are in
the position of defining their goals, making decisions, and evaluating their
progress.
The Gregorc learning
styles developed by Anthony F. Gregorc, Ph.d., are also designed to meet
an individual’s needs. The four learning
style categories are: concrete sequential, concrete random, abstract sequential
and abstract random (Gregorc Learning Styles
2003). A learner is identified as having
a preference for one type of learning style and it is imperative to create
lessons that include that type of learning.
The concrete sequential learner will benefit from following the
systematic, step by step approach of the EBSCO tutorial and by completing the
EBSCO graphic organizer. Using
brainstorming, insight and instinct to solve the web-based EBSCO activity will
satisfy the needs of the concrete random learner who will see many options and
solutions to the problems presented. The
abstract sequential learner will be motivated by the bibliographies and
research databases included on the website.
Gathering lots of information along with research and idea analysis will
also fill the needs of the abstract sequential learner. Peer learning and
cooperative group work during the library related web activities will
accommodate the needs of the abstract random learner.
“In reviewing the best school library websites, Minkel (2000) stresses the following features: photos of the library and people there, recommended books and websites, staff information, online databases and reference materials and research information. A separate “teacher assignments” page is also useful to guide students directly to information and resources used in collaboration with teachers” (Minkel, 2003)
Carolyn Karis advocates “tutorials and FAQs about information literacy as a means of customizing reference and reader’s advisory and to provide interactive help (Karis). “Content that may be difficult for some to grasp is especially suited to a tutorial, because the learner can continue to review it until mastery is achieved” (DeYoung). Tutorials will benefit both the student population as well as the faculty.
Elementary students crave stimuli. “Today’s students are acclimated to a multi-sensory environment. They are more likely to give attention if there are interesting, colorful visuals” (Sousa). A colorful, attractively designed website will enhance the students’ interest in obtaining information and in using library resources. “Students develop positive attitudes towards technology uses that support life-long learning, collaboration, personal pursuits, and productivity” (Ruffin 2006).
It is time for the
Goal
The goal of the proposed project is to improve student research skills in the library. This goal will be achieved by developing a website with web-based research activities. The project will have the following student learning objectives:
Objectives
The following
standards and indicators have been provided by the American Association of
School Librarians, “Information Literacy Standards for Student Learning.”
Standard 1, Indicator 1. Student
will recognize the need for information
Standard 1, Indicator 4. Student
will identify a variety of potential sources of information
Standard 1, Indicator 5. Student
will develop and use successful strategies for locating information
Standard 2, Indicator 4. Student
will select information appropriate to the problem or question at hand
· Student will be able to select appropriate databases from the library website
· Student will use online databases to answer research questions
· Student will organize information using a graphic organizer
Standard 3, Indicator 2. Student
will integrate new information into one’s own knowledge
·
Student will make inferences from data
Standard 3, Indicator 3. Student
will apply information in critical thinking and problem solving
· Student will brainstorm possible solutions to complete the task
·
Student will summarize information and offer
solutions to problems and make predictions
Standard 8, Indicator 3. Student
will use information technology responsibly
·
Student will operate the technology needed to
access the information including computer operating systems and printers
Procedure and Methods
Content Outline:
Homepage
· E-mail link to library media specialist
·
· Goals
· School name
· Phone number
· Photo of library/school
· Date of last update
Library Lessons
· Related web-based activities
o EBSCO
o Online Encyclopedia
o Dewey Decimal
Student Page
· Online catalog
· Internet resources
· Subscription databases-EBSCO, Encyclopedias
· Search engines
·
Link to
o Recommended books and websites
o Newbery Medal bibliography
o Caldecott Medal bibliography
o 5th Grade monthly book report bibliographies
o Citation information
Teacher Resources
· Curriculum based weblinks
· Tutorials
o EBSCO
References Cited
Timeline
Student completion for the project’s web-based activities is three, half hour library lessons per activity. As a library website, the project will be an on-going reference tool for students, faculty and staff.
My
completion date for my project is the end of November. The web-based research activities will be
completed in three sections; the EBSCO unit by mid-October, the Encyclopedia
unit by the beginning of November, and the unit on the Dewey Decimal System by
mid-November. As students complete each unit in a timely fashion, revisions can
be made to the activities before the final project is presented at the end of
the semester in December, 2006.
Potential Impact and Significance
The students, faculty and staff will to be able to access the library website from all school computers and use it as their gateway to researching the internet. The web-based research activities will be designed to improve the students’ research skills. Hopefully, by accessing the library website and receiving guided practice through completion of the library lesson web-based activities, all students will be aware that school related research should begin in the library by first (either physically or remotely) consulting trusted databases, subscription services and fully researched web links.
The website can also used as a model for elementary libraries within our district as they begin to develop their own websites.
References Cited
American Association of School Librarian
and the Association for Educational Communications and Technology. Information Literacy Standards for
Student Learning:
Standards and Indicators. American Library Association
and the Association for
Educational Communications and Technology, 1998.
DeYoung, Sandra. Teaching Strategies for Nurse Educators.
Harris, Christopher. "School Library
2.0." School Library Journal May 2006: 50-53.
International Society for Technology in
Education. “Chapter
2-Instructional Design and Multiple
Intelligences.”
Jurkowski, Odin. "School Library Website Components." TechTrends: Linking Research & Practice to Improve Learning v48 n6 2004: 56-60.
Karis, Carolyn. "Booking
Library Web Site Redesign." Knowledge Quest Jan/Feb 2005: 58-61.
Magner, Tim. "Magner Touts Librarians." School Library Journal
April 2006: 28.
Minkel, W. "A Site for Sore
Eyes: Birmingham Groves (MI)
March, Tom. "WebQuests
for Learning." ozline.com. March, 2000.
<http://ozline.com/webquests/intro.htm>.
Minkel, W. "The
Ruffin, Betsy. "Team Work:Technologists, Educators, and
Media Specialists Collaborating."
Library Media Connection January 2006: 49-52.
Sousa, David A. How the Brain Learns. Second.