Confronting the ‘Crisis of Significance” in 21 st Century School Libraries Ray Doiron University...
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Transcript of Confronting the ‘Crisis of Significance” in 21 st Century School Libraries Ray Doiron University...
Confronting the ‘Crisis of Significance” in 21st Century School Libraries
Ray DoironUniversity of Prince Edward Island
Marlene AsselinUniversity of British Columbia
Treasure Mountain 2Ottawa, June 2-3, 2012
Setting the context. . .Why such strong language –
“crisis”?Video demo:
◦http://www.youtube.com/user/peischools#p/f/25/yfpa9uTWdJE
. . . the vision here says nothing about school libraries. It’s as if the ideas of the school library have been appropriated by educators in general. It is not the school library’s job to do this; it is everyone’s.
So where do we fit in? or are we obsolete and irrelevant?
The Neverending “Crisis” Brandes, B. (1987). The crisis in California school libraries.
http://eric.ed.gov/PDFS/ED300036.pdf Lance, K.C., & Hainer., E. (1998). The Case for Crisis in School
Libraries: Symptoms or Solutions? Colorado Libraries, Summer, pp. 6-10.
Loring, John. (2002) "The crisis in school libraries: How did we fall so far so fast?" Quill & Quire (February 2002): 18. URL: www.quillandquire.com/Library/Crisis%20in%20School%20Libraries.pdf
Haycock, K. (2003). The Crisis in Canada’s School Libraries:The Case for Reform and Re-Investment.
Gilmore-See, J. (2010). Simply Indispensable: An action guide for school librarians. Libraries Unlimited. Chapter 1, page 1: “The Crisis in School Libraries”.
OLA website article (2011). Continuing crisis in school libraries. Retrieved May 29, 2012 from http://www.accessola.org/ola_dev/OLAWEB/OLAWEB/Home/News/November/Continuing_Crisis_in_School_Libraries.aspx
Session OutlineIntroducing 21st Century Learners
◦Their identities & learning stylesPowering the 21st Century
Learner◦Learning outcomes & learning
environmentsPowering 21st Century Learning
◦Inquiry, Action & teaching principlesPowering Up School Libraries
◦Challenges & New Metaphors◦Concluding thoughts… Discussion …
Introducing 21st Century Learners
1 billion users around the globe are surfing the Internet every month.
Describing 21st Century Learners
Learning Processes Constructed Identity
Interactive participants Economic force
Take action approach Networked communities
Early adopters Passionately tolerant
Makers of personal landscapes Force for social transformation
Learn by doing
Multi-tasking, multi-modal
(From: Asselin & Doiron, 2008, p.8)
In their own words… We want to do work that makes a difference to me and my world. We don’t want to remember, recall and regurgitate. We don’t want to learn for the sake of tests. We don’t want learning made easy; rather, we want it to mean something. We want to learn with the media of our times. We want to do work that is relevant, meaningful and authentic. We want to be engaged intellectually. We want stronger relationships with our teachers, with each other and with our
communities - locally, provincially, nationally and globally We want teachers to know how we learn, to take into account what we understand and
what we misunderstand and use this knowledge as a starting place to guide our continued learning.
We want to be able to work with others in the classroom, online and in our community. We want to be able to pick up our information anywhere, anytime. We want in-depth learning. We need feedback in time to help us learn and in time do something about it. (Adapted
from Friesen, S., & Jardine, D. (2009) 21st Century Learning and Learners. A report for the Western and Northern Canadian Curriculum Protocol. University of Calgary: Galileo Educational Network, p.3)
Retrieved from http://education.alberta.ca/media/1087278/wncp%2021st%20cent%20learning%20(2).pdf
The disconnect between in-school & out-of-schoolThe words of two Grade 12
students:◦Let me tell you what school is like for
me. “Blah, blah, blah, blah; test on Friday.” (From Friesen & Jardine, 2009)
◦As my son said when he and I were talking about his experience in high school:
“Dad, we go along to get along. And I am one of the lucky ones because I have learned to remember and regurgitate.” (Matt, 2011)
Powering the 21st Century LearnerWhat are the knowledge, skills and
attributes we need to teach these learners?
Framework for 21st Century Learning◦Core subject area knowledge;◦Creativity & innovation;◦Communication & collaboration;◦Critical thinking & problem solving.
SEE: http://p21.org/documents/1.__p21_framework_2-pager.pdf
The Learning Environment outlined by the Framework We establish learning environments which: Create learning practices, human resources and physical
environments that support teaching and learning; Support professional learning communities that enable educators to
collaborate, share best practices and integrate 21st century skills; Enable students to learn in relevant, real world contexts; Allow equitable access to quality learning tools, technologies and
resources; Provide architectural and interior designs for group, team and
individual learning; Support expanded community and international involvement in
learning, both face-to-face and online. (From: 21st Century Learning Environments )
The 21st Century Learning Initiative: Policy Paperhttp://www.21learn.org/site/wp-content/uploads/PP.pdf
Five key interrelated issues which have to be better understood for a more effective model of learning to emerge. ◦the biological nature of learning;◦the science of learning;◦culture and nurture: how our ideas shape
our thinking;◦the implications of new technologies of
information and communication;◦ spontaneous, informal learning; the
significance of the home and the community.
Influence of the Partnership for 21st Century Skills Canadian Examples:
◦ 1) British Columbia’s The Premier’s Technology Council: A Vision for 21st
Century Education (2010);
◦ 2) Western and Northern Canadian Curriculum Protocol: 21st
Century Learning and Learners (Friesen & Jardine, 2009);
◦ 3) Prince Edward Island: Proceedings of the Minister’s Summit on Learning (2010); and
◦ 4) New Brunswick’s NB3-21C: Creating a 21st
Century Learning Model of Public Education, (2010).
AASL in USA: ◦ Inquire, think critically and gain knowledge;
◦ Draw conclusions, make informed decisions, apply knowledge to new situations and create new knowledge;
◦ Share knowledge and participate ethically and productively as members of our democratic society;
◦ Pursue personal and aesthetic growth. (AASL, 2006).
Common Connections to School Libraries We can hear the call for inquiry,
information & digital literacies, critical thinking, technological competence, global connections and collaboration for learning that echoes throughout these documents.
Most are written without a clear role for the school library and the teacher-librarian.
Powering 21st Century LearningIs broadening resource-based
learning to be “inquiry” really enough?
Are we really empowering students with our visions of inquiry?
We need to think inquiry and action.
How We Teach 21st Century LearnersWe focus on teaching “how to learn”;We build collaborative, connected learning
situations;We capitalize on learners’ social conscience
and global perspective;We assign learners more control in their
learning within clear parameters;We use multiple/varied resources –
multimodal, multimedia…We teach ethical issues and proper online
behaviours;We teach learners to respect the work of
others and to act responsibly as information literate, global citizens.
Powering up School LibrariesOvercoming our fear of the
Internet;We need to ‘lead learning’;Build a diverse ‘digital toolkit’;Stand up for the need for access;Move quickly for the change that
is needed.
Towards New MetaphorsNot ‘old wine served in new bottles’;The ‘hub’, the ‘heart’ of the school will
no longer work; Maybe ‘the brain’?Kulthau – ‘the third space’;Frey – ‘centres of culture’;Loertscher, Koechlin & Zwaan – ‘
learning commons;Waaijers – ‘libratories’Think more in terms of ecological
models…
Three major challengesWe are lacking current and reputable
research linking 21st century learners & learning to the role of the school library.◦ Shift from student achievement to issues of
social justice, equity and culture/community;
We have a growing need for re-invigorated leadership in school librarianship. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4RzmrhDmjeQ
Keeping up with our growing professional learning needs.◦ Action research, PLCs, study groups, ◦ Article: Professional Learning in Effective Schools (2005)
http://www.eduweb.vic.gov.au/edulibrary/public/teachlearn/teacher/Proflearningineffectiveschools.pdf