Which newspaper would you have in your school library?

I enjoyed the blackboard discussion on having a local newspaper in your school library, both elementary and secondary libraries.  Monika Coutts and others noted that elementary students can connect to local news.  The local news can directly affect students providing personal connections, articles can be used to start classroom discussions and debates on current events, and be used for critical analysis and development of writing skills.  Local newspapers are often written in a reading level appropriate for intermediate students (Wendy Sigaty).  Our local newspaper also caries some national and international news so students can learn about the wider community they live in.  When I used local newspapers with struggling readers in highschool all the students in the class found something they could read.  One student was very excited about an ad for a touring animal show. She found it very easy to write about why it interested her and why it was important to her, success!  Other students looked at sports photos and the comics... they were all reading.  

I appreciated Anne’s comments on the social aspect of print newspaper, both sharing the newspaper between many readers but also the exposure of all readers to the variety of articles in the whole newspaper rather than just what one would search for online.  But the comment from Amber Horne I found was the most persuasive reason for a local newspaper subscription if the paper could attract early morning teachers to the library with his/her cup of coffee.  In the library administration course I learned that making the library a used part of the school community is very important.  I think Amber’s suggestion of “luring” teachers into the library for a local newspaper and coffee may also allow you to promote other library services and make the library part of a warm school community.  A local newspaper is something I would want in my library.

The educational newspapers by LesPlans Educational Services (Melissa Hunter) are also a great tool for elementary and highschool library programs.  I was pleased to hear that these come in French since I often TOC in French immersion schools.  The newspapers cover the current events of the previous month with questions and discussion points.  Melissa also noted that the activities and questions also focus on reading strategies to use when reading non-fiction.  This service may be available through our district library; I will definitely look into this program for intermediate grades.

Since I TOC in quite a few french immersion schools I also looked for a local french language newspaper.  L'Express du Pacifique is a weekly newspaper which is published in Vancouver and has an online site http://www.lexpress.org/ Most of the writers live in Vancouver so coverage appears to be limited to the Vancouver area. The one copy I bought locally (Prince George) did not have news but more newsmagazine style articles on Vancouver housing, public transport and the hockey musical. I would not order this for a Prince George school library, but I learned something new from task, thanks.

Where to find library reference materials reviews

I found out that we knew little about sources for reviews of Canadian reference materials when we started this lesson.  I am using this blog to summarize the list of sources and websites that will be useful for our review of a library collection.  Our textbook[1] provided clear guidelines on how to review resources (p 19-20).  The text listed a series of journals that review references including School Library Journal and Booklist, and reputable publishers including HW Wilson and Co and Gale group while recognizing their bias in their reviews. Our course notes provided additional review sources that were also referenced in our class postings.  These included the BC Ministry of Education (MOE) Integrate Resource Package (IRP) for “Evaluating, selecting and managing learning resources” and the Catalogue of Learning resources that are selected using MOE guidelines.  The course site listed online journals including Quill and Quire; Canadian Magazine (University of Manitoba); Canadian Children’s Book Center, and publications by the Canadian library Association.

In extension to the list in our American textbook some good sources were identified by students.  Janice[2] identified the online magazines Resource Links, Teacher Librarian - The Journal for School Library Professionals and the Calgary Board of Education list of selected resources.  Kirsti[3] shared the Association of BC Book Publishers for a listing of Canadian content and reviews with acknowledged bias.  Denise[4] noted the publisher Nystrom for providing samples and school appropriate atlases. 

Bridget[5], Regina[6] and Melissa[7] encouraged talking to other teacher librarians for personal recommendations, while I mentioned talking to teachers and public librarians for their needs and personal recommendations.At the end of reviewing the postings I feel I have a good chance at being successful at our second assignment.

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[1] Ann Reidling 2005.  Reference Skills for the School Lirary Media Specialist: Tools and Tips, 2nd Edition.  Linwood Publishing Inc.  Worthington, Ohio.

[2] Janice Parker, Sept 23, 2010 posting to class discussion on blackboard

[3] Kirsti Yorke, Sept 28, 2010 posting

[4] Denise Natyshak, sept 29, 2010 posting

[5] Bridget Hearsey Sept 19,2010 posting to class discussion on blackboard.

[6] Regina Openshaw, Sept 26, 2010 posting to class discussion on blackboard.

[7] Melissa Hunter Sept 21, 2010 posting to class discussion on blackboard.

Reflection on using electronic vs print resources

I prefer younger elementary students use print references and learn where to find books in the library.  Libraries have carefully selected print references that are written for the grade level of the students.  I think print references are easier for initial teaching of text features and non-fiction writing style.  Students can take time to look at and take home print references. 

Older students use a number of print resources when they use their textbooks.  These resources should be used to teach about research including searching, selecting, summarizing, text features etc.  Students should also be taught about other print reference materials as Jennifer’s[1] comment points out students should use their dictionaries and thesaurus instead of jumping on the computer.  As noted for younger students, library resources are reviewed for content and appropriateness that doesn’t occur with most online resources.  For some projects I like to encourage students to use the computer.  However students need to learn about issues around information  and information sharing on the web.  Like the text stated, critical thinking is important for students to help with searching (p104) and evaluating information they select.  Dorion (2008[2]) also points out the importance of teaching students about plagiarism and the social and ethical issues of using and posting on the web.  Some of the challenge of using computers in schools was outlined by Kirsti[3] and include slow internet connections, broken computers and the challenge of sharing computer images with a class.  Most of these challenges can be overcome; however some may be restricted by budgets.  

Most of our students are familiar with the internet and social networking, teaching them more about using the internet effectively will help them with future success.  As noted in the EPIC survey[4] most university students use the internet to research, including online journals, even this course is online as noted a blackboard post.

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[1] Jennifer Chat, Oct 4. 2010 class comment on blackboard.

[2] Dorion, Ray.  2008.  Towards a Transformative Pedagogy for School Libraries 2.0.  School Libraries Worldwide 14 (2) July 208 p. 1-18.

[3] Kirsti Youke, Sept 30, 2010 class comment on blackboard.

[4] Epic survey from lesson 4 on class blackboard http://www.epic.columbia.edu/eval/find09/find09.ppt

Towards a Transformative Pedagogy for School Libraries 2.0

Towards a Transformative Pedagogy for School Libraries 2.0[1]

I noticed that I chose articles that are focused on new skills for librarians, in particular for opportunities for collaborative teaching and using social networking.

This article talks about the competency of “new” learners in digital technologies but points to the widening divide in different socioeconomic classes.  Socioeconomic class is an important point since the web is considered a global information source, however in 2005 over 50% of the world population lived on less than $2.50/day[2]. The article notes that literacy skills used for the web are common with print literacy skills with some unique web skills including comparing information across sources, and using search engines.  I think some of the skills the article states are unique are actually used in print literacy, like comparing information across sources and scanning for information using text features.  Websites have different text features but the process is similar.  

Like our text (p. 104) the article recognizes a growing need for teaching learners how to use web resources effectively.  The article identifies web skills students need to learn:

-         searching more effectively,

-         develop critical thinking for reviewing and evaluating information found on websites, videos and social network sites and producing own postings and sites

-         rewording and recording to avoid plagiarism

-         understand social and ethical responsibilities of living in a network world

-         Develop technical literacy skills including communicating in variety of internet formats, word processing, integrating different media formats.

I agree with the article that these skills are important for new learners.  Some of these skills are taught with literacy already and lessons can be adapted to be appropriate for the web.  However the large and lifelong issues of critical thinking, social and ethical responsibilities can have an immediate impact when applied to the web and are critical for the TL to be teaching to students.  The summary of this article is for TL to make school libraries the bridge between in-school and out-of-school literacies.  This sentence really sums up the importance of teaching the literary skills to our “new” learners.

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[1] Dorion, Ray.  2008.  Towards a Transformative Pedagogy for School Libraries 2.0.  School Libraries Worldwide 14 (2) July 208 p. 1-18.

[2]World Bank Poverty Estimate.   http://www.globalissues.org/article/4/poverty-around-the-world#WorldBanksPovertyEstimatesRevised