Assignment 3 LIBE467

Books about music and other things I like.

Miss Baerg's Library

Abstract Reference resources in elementary schools have seen many changes over the past couple of decades. Most recently, due to the digital age in which we now live, school libraries no longer have sets of encyclopedias, atlases or dictionaries on their shelves. The following is an evaluation of one school's reference resources and a plan for how to increase student and teacher awareness and skills in using the resources that are available to them.

The ease of use and accessibility to digital reference resources.

Inform classroom teachers about the digital reference resources available to them.

Supporting classroom teachers in developing techniques and lesson plans that include the use of reliable digital reference resources.

Show small groups of classroom teachers how the digital reference resources can be used.

Guiding students through the research process and informing them regularly of the strategic ways to use and evaluate digital reference resources.

Plan a mini unit of lessons that are grade-specific to ease students into the knowledge and use of digital reference resources.

"Once [a teacher's] practice becomes routine, they never have the time and space to focus on whether and in what ways students are learning" (Loucks-Horsley, 1996, p. 1).

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Goals for Improving the Use of Pre-existing Reference Resources

*Make teachers and students AWARE of the resources available to them! *Show them how easy the district resources are to access.

Looking for another digital reference resource for Elementary school students?&#160; Watch this video I made about how Britannica Kids can help.

Needed: Research Resources for Kids

“The Library Learning Commons is all about enhancing the BC curriculum through co-planning and co-teaching.”

Welcome to your Learning Commons. A place to relax, to believe, and think. A place to share, inspire, discover. A place to begin, imagine &amp; succeed.

An evaluation plan to improve reference resources and their use in the

Steps, Strategies, and Challenges for Evolving Reference Services &amp; Use

The reference collection at Frizzle Elementary no longer exists as physical printed books that are housed on the shelves. Instead, the encyclopedias, atlases, dictionaries, thesauri and other reference materials are now housed on the World Wide Web.

According to Riedling (2019), “the Internet has become the most important reference tool in the digital age, providing many of the electronic information sources required for reference services" (p. 99).

Figure 1. The last remaining reference books on Frizzle Elementary's shelves (all older than 20 years).

There is no doubt that the Internet is an invaluable reference resource in schools, however, do teachers and students know how to use it effectively? Are they trained in how and where to look for reliable information? Are digital resources accessible to the school?

A Lego wall and green screen have replaced Frizzle Elementary's computer lab. To make up for this loss, a cart of approximately 30 Chromebooks and 25 iPads is now shared amongst 20 divisions (over 440 students).

“It is important to remember that school librarians bring students and information together. It is up to each school librarian to ensure that everything possible is done to keep the channels of communication open and flowing" (Riedling, 2019, p. 89).

A grade 4 class was given a research assignment. Students had to explore one aspect of the solar system. The teacher told students to use Google to find out the answers to their questions.

As of September 2020, LLC teachers are designated PREP teachers. Collaboration time between classroom teachers and the LLC teacher is no longer funded, therefore the time needed to properly instruct students (and teachers) on digital literacy, research and inquiry skills does not exist.

Rationale and Goals for Improving Reference Services

Jennifer Baerg LIBE 467: Information Services 1 Instructor: Kristie Oxley April 14, 2021

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“The school librarian is responsible to ensure that the school library is proactive in meeting the needs of 21st-century learners” (Riedling, 2019, p.107).

Even though the reference collection is no longer print-based at Frizzle Elementary, it is incumbent upon both the classroom teacher and Library Learning Commons teacher to ensure that students are made aware of and are able to utilize what is already in place for them when it comes to research and inquiry. Reference resources exist for students at Frizzle Elementary, however, their use is grossly underused. In Evaluating, Selecting, and Acquiring Learning Resources: A Guide (2008) it mentions that accessibility to learning resources is possibly affected by the lack of advice on how to use them, and their availability by district curriculum experts/coordinators (p.106). In Part 2, improvement in this area will be discussed.

Learning Commons in BC

The BC Teacher-Librarians' Association put out this video in 2011 to explain the transition from Library to Learning Commons.

The utopian portrayal of what a LLC is supposed to be cannot be missed; however this is not reality in many Elementary school LLCs.

Figure 2. Links to resources available to staff and students in SD34, on Learn34.com

Abbotsford School District, SD34, has a website called Learn34. It contains many links to resources, reference and otherwise, that is available to all staff and students in the district (Figure 2).

According to a survey given to grades 4 and 5 teachers at Frizzle Elementary, not one teacher knew about the reference resources available to them via the School District - not one!

“Student achievement and literacy scores advance where professionally staffed and resourced school libraries are thriving” (CSL, 2020, p. 4).

Analysis of Frizzle Elementary's Reference Resources and Use

“Appropriate funding for learning resources is necessary for school libraries to meet curriculum expectations and the individual learning and social needs of their students and teachers” (Asselin, Branch &amp; Oberg,  p. 25).

Potential Challenges As with any change, or trying something new, old habits are hard to break. Classroom teachers and the LLC teacher need to all recognize the need to be trained in the use of digital reference resources. Once teachers are aware of this need, it will be up to the LLC teacher and school administration to provide the opportunities, and funding, necessary for development to occur. Additional time for teachers to learn and collaborate with one another on how to effectively use the available digital reference resources is essential for the skills to be reinforced. Monitoring and follow-up of teachers' use of the resources will help alleviate and minimize challenges teachers may face. Gaining support for new ways of doing things is always a challenge, therefore it would be imperative to keep track of how teachers grow in their practices and how students benefit.

*Teachers don't know how to use or where to find the district website.

*Students don't know where to go for reliable information.

*Students are going to Google for answers to research questions!

*Staff are not given time to collaborate with peers and colleagues.

*None of the grade 4 and 5 teachers know about the reference resources available to them!

*LLC teachers are now PREP teachers. Co-planning and co-teaching is not feasible...

Abbotsford School District (2021). Learn34.com student resources. <a href="https://sites.google.com/learn34.com/students/home">https://sites.google.com/learn34.com/students/home</a> Abbotsford School District. (2021). The LLC and the LLC teacher. <a href="https://curriculum.abbyschools.ca/node/31721">https://curriculum.abbyschools.ca/node/31721</a> Asselin, M., Branch, J.L., &amp; Oberg, D. (Eds.). Achieving information literacy: Standards for school library programs in Canada. 2006. Retrieved from <a href="http://accessola2.com/SLIC-Site/slic/ail110217.pdf">http://accessola2.com/SLIC-Site/slic/ail110217.pdf</a> Britannica Kids. (2021). <a href="https://kids.britannica.com/">https://kids.britannica.com/</a> British Columbia Teacher-Librarians’ Association. (2011). The points of inquiry: A framework for information literacy and the 21st century learner.<a href="https://bctla.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/the-points-of-inquiry.pdf">https://bctla.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/the-points-of-inquiry.pdf</a> Canadian School Libraries (CSL). (2020).&nbsp;Leading learning: Standards of practice for school library learning commons in Canada. <a href="https://llsop.canadianschoollibraries.ca/">https://llsop.canadianschoollibraries.ca/</a> Evaluating, selecting, and acquiring learning resources: A guide. (2008). BC Ministry of Education. Retrieved from bcerac.ca Riedling, A.M., &amp; Cynthia Houston. (2019). Reference skills for the school librarian: Tools and tips. [Kindle 4th Edition]. Retrieved from amazon.ca Image sources: Book Creator Creative Commons - Pixabay, and from the author of this presentation.

Information literacy is and will continue to be a challenge for our students as the digital world of learning continues to grow, however, it is our duty as educators to inform our students of these challenges and how to navigate them.

The successful use of the digital reference resources that are available to Frizzle Elementary can be measured by how teachers approach and implement the act of research. When the teachers feel that they can be successful in showing students the digital resources that are available, then the students will in-turn feel driven to succeed.

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