scholarly journals School Librarians Coping with Electronic Environments

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jadranka Lasic-Lazic ◽  
Mihaela Banek Zorica ◽  
Sonja Spiranec
Keyword(s):  
School Library ◽  
Information Environment ◽  
Growing Up ◽  
School Librarians ◽  
School Environments ◽  
Traditional School ◽  
Changing Environments ◽  
Hybrid Nature ◽  
Digital Environments ◽  
Electronic Environments

This paper focuses on abilities of librarians to adapt and respond to the constantly emerging changes influenced by the advancement of ICT. The authors emphasize the necessity of defining and promoting new concept and understanding of the school library in electronic environment. Traditional school library roles need to adapt and change to respond to the needs of new users growing up in the interactive and information overloaded environment. Many of the aspects of current school library tasks and roles originate from a print-based culture which is incongruent with the transient and hybrid nature of digital environments. These radically changing environments are posing different tasks on school librarians leading them to balance carefully between the traditional school environments, infrastructure, institutions hierarchy and with the various new needs of “Google generation” users. Taking into account all the changes in the information environment authors emphasise the necessary improvements in education of school librarians.

scholarly journals Digital and information literacies and the school library

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yvonne L Barrett
Keyword(s):  
Digital Literacy ◽  
International Baccalaureate ◽  
School Library ◽  
Literacy Skills ◽  
Online Information ◽  
School Librarians ◽  
Research Libraries ◽  
Digital Environments ◽  
Library Program ◽  
Primary Years Programme

You can’t teach people everything they need to know. The best you can do is position them where they can find what they need to know when they need to know it. (Seymour Papert)  For school librarians, this is certainly part of a core responsibility, to provide students with digital literacy skills and strategies that will enable them to find and access information at point of need, in order to create knowledge (Farkas, 2011). While students are growing up in this digital age, research reveals they are not necessarily skilled in reading to locate and use online information effectively (Leu, Zawilinski, Forzani, & Timbrell, 2014b; Pickard, Shenton & Johnson, 2014). This is significant when “students overestimate their ability to engage with information in a critical and literate manner” (Kirkwood in Beetham & Oliver, 2010, p.162).  Yet, students are required to be ethical and critical thinkers, and engage as collaborators and creators in participatory digital environments (Coiro, 2003; Mackey & Jacobson, 2011; Association of College & Research Libraries (ACRL), 2015). This exploratory case study seeks to investigate Year 5 students’ (ages 10-12) learning experiences within a school library program. It endeavoured to explore the pedagogical background, motivation and steps in implementing digital and information literacies. Did these sessions provide students with the emergent skills and strategies to support independent research and collaborative inquiry as they began their International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (IB PYP) Exhibition?

Potentially Creative Adolescents View Their School Experiences

1982 ◽  
Vol 51 (3_suppl) ◽  
pp. 1271-1274
Author(s):  
William J. Walker
Keyword(s):  
Educational Experiences ◽  
School Experiences ◽  
School Environments ◽  
Traditional School ◽  
School Settings ◽  
Positive Attitudes ◽  
Open School

The expectation was that 62 potentially creative adolescents would exhibit attitudes that were more positive toward their school experiences in open school environments as compared with more traditional school settings. Attitudes were assessed by rating students' essays in which the adolescents described their educational experiences. The results suggested that potentially creative adolescents generally have positive attitudes toward their school experiences whether in open or traditional settings. Attitudes do not appear to be more positive in open school environments.

scholarly journals Evidence or Evidence Based Practice? An Analysis of IASL Research Forum Papers, 1998-2009

2011 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 4
Author(s):  
Marcia A. Mardis
Keyword(s):  
Evidence Based Practice ◽  
International Association ◽  
School Library ◽  
Academic Research ◽  
Research Articles ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
School Librarians ◽  
Research Reporting ◽  
Library Research ◽  
Or Practice

Objective - Conferences are essential opportunities for professional development and for learning about research. This study analyses papers presented in the Research Forum track of the International Association of School Librarians (IASL) conferences to determine whether the amount of school library research reporting increased or decreased over time; who (i.e., what author roles and affiliations) has written about research; which countries were represented in the research articles; what topics were discussed in research articles; and what research methodologies were used. The aim was to determine the extent to which the Research Forum provides research evidence that relates to practice. Methods - This study continues the longitudinal analysis of published school library research begun by Clyde (1996) by analyzing Research Forum papers published in IASL conference proceedings from 1998-2009 and using the same approaches and metrics as previous studies by Clyde (e.g., 1996; 2002; 2004), Clyde and Oberg (2004), and Oberg (2006). Results - Conference paper topics, author origins, quantities, and research approaches remained static through the 11 years analyzed. The analysis reveals that the papers’ authors, methods, and topics reflected those found in previous studies of school library research. As well as replicating previous studies, the role of academic research at a practitioner-based conference was investigated. Conclusions - Based on long-established imperatives from leaders in the profession, the IASL conferences provide both evidence and evidence -based practice for school librarians from all over the world. However, when scholarly research is shared at practitioner venues, it is possible that school librarians may assume that research results constitute evidence -based practice (EBP), not evidence upon which practice should be based. This distinction is important if considering that the purpose of academic research is to objectively inform, not to advocate a particular position or practice. The Research Forum can be a valuable venue for the presentation of empirical research findings and conclusions and objective program evaluations and provide a valuable complement to the evidence -based practice descriptions shared in the Professional Papers portion of the conference program. It is argued that the Research Forum must be clear in its purpose: to present the results of research; to present effective practice determined by rigorous evaluation; or to present research-supported arguments for the support of school libraries. Through a reconceptualization of EBP, the paper demonstrates how EBP is both a method and a methodology for the presentation of school library research and practice in a conference atmosphere.

scholarly journals Schooling at the Library in Italy for the Social Inclusion: The “Biblioscuole” Project

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luisa Marquardt
Keyword(s):  
Social Inclusion ◽  
School Library ◽  
Pilot Project ◽  
Easy Access ◽  
Library Services ◽  
Access To Information ◽  
School Librarians ◽  
Training Course ◽  
The Social ◽  
And Training

“Biblioteche nelle Scuole” (in brief, “Biblioscuole”, i.e. Libraries at Schools), a three year school library pilot project, has been carrying out since 2004 in Italy to improve school librarians competencies and school library services in order to provide an easy access to information for teachers, pupils and their families, and to promote social inclusion. The Project and some reflections - based on learners’ interaction - about the first part of the education and training course, are presented here.

scholarly journals Building a Vibrant Future for School Librarians through Online Conversations for Professional Development

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Judy O'Connell
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Social Media ◽  
School Library ◽  
School Librarians ◽  
Leadership Challenges ◽  
Personal Learning ◽  
The World ◽  
Social Media Platforms ◽  
Teacher Librarians ◽  
Media Channels

Technology and social media platforms are driving an unprecedented reorganization of the learning environment in and beyond schools around the world. Technology provides us leadership challenges, and at the same time offers opportunities for communication and learning through technology channels to support professional development. School librarians and teacher librarians are often working as the sole information practitioner in their school, and need to stay in touch with others beyond their own school to develop their personal professional capacity to lead within their school. The Australian Teacher Librarian Network aims to make a difference, and supports school library staff in Australia and around the world to build professional networks and personal learning connections, offering an open and free exchange of ideas, strategies and resources to build collegiality. This ongoing professional conversation through online and social media channels is an important way to connect, communicate and collaborate in building a vibrant future for school librarians.

scholarly journals School librarians’ anticipated support for students with SEN: Using a Modified Grounded Theory Approach

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hiroyo Matsudo
Keyword(s):  
Grounded Theory ◽  
School Library ◽  
School Libraries ◽  
Theory Approach ◽  
School Librarians ◽  
Educational Support ◽  
Staff Members ◽  
Special Needs Education ◽  
Library Function ◽  
Grounded Theory Approach

The purpose of this study is examining some suggestions on how school libraries can be involved in Special Needs Education in a helpful way. The Modified Grounded Theory Approach is used as the method for this study. In my analysis I focus on the change in perception of 19 school staff members with respect to changes in the school library function and factors for these changes. Based on the result the school librarian’s anticipated four supports are suggested as follows: providing suitable materials that take into account students’ situation, searching study by team teaching, supporting students’ self-affirmation by sympathetic understanding, and educational support encouraging students’ socialization.

scholarly journals Other Ways of Knowing: How School Librarians Can Take a Leadership Role in Addressing Multi-literacies Across the Curriculum in the School Library

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Meghan Harper
Keyword(s):  
New Technologies ◽  
International Association ◽  
School Library ◽  
Ways Of Knowing ◽  
Learning Opportunities ◽  
Literacy Skills ◽  
Leadership Role ◽  
School Librarians ◽  
Continued Learning ◽  
Professional Resources

School librarians have a unique, unprecedented, and unparalleled opportunity to affirm their role in students’ use of basic literacy skills – reading and writing – while highlighting their relatively new role, guiding students through the acquisition of information through multiple modes of communication with new technologies. School librarians can create and facilitate opportunities for students to enhance their learning and become multiliterate. These learning opportunities and a focus on “core” literacies shed a much needed spotlight on the important role and influence of the school librarian on overall academic achievement and the acquisition of multiliteracy skills that have become a necessity in a changing technological and global environment. This article isbased on a presentation given at the International Association of School Librarians Conference in Doha, Qatar (2012), the goals of which were to share an overview of the multiliteracies concept, suggest strategies for facilitating literacy in the school library and classroom, and share professional resources for continued learning and the integration of multiliteracies across the curriculum.

scholarly journals Confident but Lacking Support: School Librarians and Students with Autism

2021 ◽  
Vol 44 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amelia Anderson ◽  
Selena Layden
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
School District ◽  
Students With Disabilities ◽  
School Library ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Library Services ◽  
School Librarians ◽  
Training School ◽  
Students With Autism

School librarians work with students across their organizations, including those with disabilities such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, little is known about how prepared school librarians are to serve these students. Using a mixed-methods survey, this study sought to explore training school librarians have taken about ASD and students with disabilities, as well as the effects of training on librarian confidence and library services. Based on results, librarians who received training through their school district or professional development outside of coursework reported being more confident in supporting students with ASD in the school library.

scholarly journals Online programs in school library education: Preparing librarians to support twenty-first century learners

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dianne Oberg
Keyword(s):  
School Library ◽  
The United States ◽  
First Century ◽  
School Librarians ◽  
Online Programs ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
Online Distance Education ◽  
Library Education ◽  
Online Distance ◽  
The University

The online distance education program, Teacher-Librarianship by Distance Learning (TL-DL), was developed and implemented at the University of Alberta, Canada beginning in the late 1990s. In this paper, TL-DL is used as an example to explore: how an online program was established and maintained and how the challenges facing the program have been and are being addressed. TL-DL‟s approach to preparing school librarians to support student access to new and emerging technologies was compared and found to be similar to the approaches used in two other types of programs identified through recent research conducted in the United States and Australia. Emerging from the research are questions about the need for shifts in curriculum content and pedagogy to engage digital age learners.

Growing up in Japan

2020 ◽  
pp. 176-199
Author(s):  
Gracia Liu-Farrer
Keyword(s):  
Social Environment ◽  
Japanese Society ◽  
Immigrant Children ◽  
Growing Up ◽  
Changing Environments ◽  
The World ◽  
Institutional Contexts ◽  
Identity Choice ◽  
Immigrants In Japan

This chapter studies immigrant children's diverse strategies to make sense of their subjectivities and establish their relationships with Japanese society. In particular, it examines how changing environments, especially the different institutional contexts they go through in the course of their growing up, contribute to the shaping of their identities. Born to foreign parents, immigrant children in Japan are surrounded by a complex cultural and social environment and have to continually adjust their relationships to such contexts and modify their subjectivities in the course of doing so. Because nationality is a powerful identification, they also have to negotiate their own identity between Japan—the place where they live and are acculturated to but at times rejected by—and the country or countries where their parents are from and where their passports say they are from. This process of encounters and negotiations enhances their awareness of the limits and freedom of being immigrants in Japan. In the end, among a group of them, a cosmopolitan self emerges as a response to the limited repertoire of identity choice. In other words, many immigrant children, unwilling to resign to either nationality, choose to become citizens of the world.

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