I just finished reading an article about collaboration between teachers and media specialists. The article was fantastic. Here is the APA citation for it.
Valenza, Joyce Kasman. (2006). Library Media Specialists and the Future: A Conversation with Ken Haycock. MultiMedia & Internet@Schools, 13(1), 11-15.
The article is an excerpt from the book, In Super Searchers Go To School by Joyce Kasman Valenza. It is an interview of Ken Haycock, his professional experience includes: being a school librarian; principal; school board president; senior education official in Vancouver, British Coloumbia; president of the American Association of School Librarians; author; editor of Teacher Librarian magazine; and currently, director of the school of library and information science at San Jose State University. Utilizing his extensive experience, he talks about what we as media specialists must do in the future to help our students become lifelong information users.
Haycock believes that most teachers do not understand internet search tools for children well enough to teach them or that they are completely unaware of them. In his opinion, many who have been teaching for many years are accustomed to teaching the same way and are not taking action to keep informed of new programs and technologies for students. He believes people get caught up in “a very foolish debate that still goes on between people who say they favor books over technology and those who favor technology over books, when they really should be focusing on the content, the information, and the ideas that the various resources carry.” The author believes that educators district level especially do not collaborate effectively regarding technology.
Being graduate students, we've begun to realize the need to synthesize information. Even now, I'll finish reading something and think "What did I just read?" As media specialists, it is our job to help students learn research skills and how to synthesize information. I also believe that it is our job to make it known to teachers that we are there and willing to help within the classroom. We must stress that we are more than just the person that stands behind the counter checking books in and out.
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I was unable to pull up the PowerPoint Presentation.
I really like how you have your site set up. I believe it will take time however, for teachers to learn how to do the technology.
In in Georgia DOE, last year submitted a grant proposal in March of 2007 to obtain technology equipment to go wireless.
What we must understand is some states are textbook based states and Geogia is a text book state, it will create a conflict if we take away funds from purchasing textbooks to put into going wireless.
Below is a response to discussion board questions posted in another class. Please do not distribute the following information. Please abide by the Fair Use Act (1996) and Teach (2002). Thank you! from Cheryl Ann Moore.
I hope the following information will answer some questions as to why you may find some teachers reluctant to switch to technology.
I. What’s worth knowing?
A. Formal or Explicit
Differs from learning in life so that it is much more organized.
Most learning is centered on standardized tests where the school receives money and a teacher keeps her jobs. Some school is text driven because they have a stake in it in that they are heavy producers of books.
II. What knowledge is most worth teaching/learning?
This depends on the needs of school and if the students are doing well on their tests. If the tests scores are low it could not only affect the school but home owners in the area where the school is located if it is middle –income. What children do could affect the property value of some of the homes in the area (Silverman, 1997 [CDrm, 6.2 case study, ). Melinda Grant 6.2 this case study describes the importance of students mastering skills to past the state tests. According to the article The Authentic Standards Movement and its Evil Twin” standards for learning to think critically must be met over the “high-stakes” tests amount to little more than just prepping for a tests.
Is it about teaching or is it about scoring on a test. As in the case study with Melinda Grant who had spent a considerable amount of time in preparing to teach her students by providing an exciting and interesting learning environment for the student. Melinda is new to the teaching field. She is focused on student-centered learning. The veteran teacher who has been there for sometime is also a third grade teacher but classroom is set up for a teacher-centered learning style where she as rows of individual seating compared to Melinda several seats grouped together. She has prepared interest projects for the student to do. However, what will this learning be measured by? Is it appropriate learning to assist the students to learn and drill for a test? Barbara the other third grade teacher who is a veteran has been at the school for twenty years and her students’ rate high on their scores compared to the students in the school.
So basically, Melinda is going to have to establish some priorities. She is going to have to determine what is best for the students or try to blend the requirements of the students passing a test.
What is the philosophical basis for the existing school curriculum?
There are three types of curriculums: formal or explicit, Invisible or null curriculum which I information you do not learn n school and the extra curriculum which is viewed as not significant by some and by others is viewed as very significant in who and what shapes the curriculum. (Sadker, 219).
Implicit or hidden curriculum is based on what the school is providing.
Null Curriculum is unimportant. The Extra curriculum teaches the student social activities example such as sports, theatre, often challenge students to better health, higher career aspiration (Sadker 215).
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The philosophical basis for the existing school system is envisioned as prepping students at some school to be test-driven instead of knowledge driven. Some schools are converting and looking more to being open to technology and its concepts. However, as in the article Where Did We Come From it speaks about test addresses the problems with test driven schools.
Standardized tests are a very controversial issue. Some schools are looking at tests that require assessments by using performance measures because the failure of the standardized test to achieve any significant academic propensity in education.
Standardized tests versus performance measurement are like athletics a person uses a personal trainer to help them get their body in shape. The person eats the right amount food and proportions of intake to consider the proper amounts of carbohydrates and other nutrients the body needs to perform. Therefore, the person also practice the level of performance, a runner for instance will practice running a certain time speed after all else is said and done. However, with some the standardized testing, some of the schools are short cutting the student by not provided the most important part, the learning environment the need to learn.
What do student really learn when this happen? They learn to be drop-outs (Sadker, 236-237). Some schools for fear of losing money lowered the standards on the testing. Sometimes the tests answers were incorrect and that made a big difference in how many students passed.
III. What about the curriculum of the future?
Following the studies in National Educations Teachers Standards (NETS) is striving toward a progressive approach with blends in different area for a more technology driven classroom. (NETS). It has already prepared lessons plans for each level. It conducts tests and research. It provides the standards for teachers to follow.
IV. What will be the role of technology?
According to the text teachers are suppose to be able create a technology based structure of learning for students (NETS). Also with the different copyright laws for computer use and copying information, teachers are expected to teach student the appropriate use of the computer and they are challenge with this task as well. Some schools based on the NETS are already incorporating more computer based training in the class room. Students are creating eBooks or CDs of projects they have created. Some teachers are integrating video recordings of some students who are (Progressive in Action 7.1 [CD, Rom, Teacher, Schools and Society) actually imitating the legislative branch to get a better understanding of how it works.
There is much argument that the use of computers in the classroom has not made an advance or significant in crease in academia. I read an article contrary to this comment for students experiencing disabilities indicate contrary. Self-graphing is taught to children with disabilities and the findings are that it improves their academe success (Gunter et al, 2007). So many teachers are required to maintain so much data on children with disabilities. It helps the teacher to train the students to monitor their own progress (Gunter et al, 2007).
Accordingly “research findings suggest that student control of text-to-speech speed while they read increases performance. Findings state that some students benefit from a slower text-to speech …while others comprehend better at faster rates (Skinner et al., 1995 as cited in Cavanaugh, 2002). Therefore, I would operate it alternately at a slower rate and again at a faster rate to peek each child’s learning ability during class.
V. Is Georgia ahead or behind in technology?
Georgia is in the south and according to the map on page 226 it is a textbook adoption state. Which means it values the written text over technology driven schools. A concept called the digital divide is based on those who have and those who do not have. In this aspect, Georgia is behind. Grant applications for Title-II ID Wireless grants were submitted between March 1, 2006 and March 30, 2006 (Retrieved on 22 Feb 2008 from http://public.doe.k12.ga.us/DMGetDocument.aspx/FY06Wireless1_1Grant%20Final.pdf?p=4BE1EECF99CD364EA5554055463F1FBBF5D074D5FB1F2CAEB3B63B3ECB220CDD26C2114F3C57D8D2AB3FAC83C71A587A&Type=D).
VI. What do we learn in school?
As quoted by former Secretary of Education Richard Riley said: “Without knowing where you are going, you certainly cannot get there.” Standards were created for schools for math, for history, language arts, and science. Along with this are performance standards or academic proficiency in reading writing, language art. There are arguments that a single test could not determine if a school was successful in teaching the standards content or if the student were learning the standards.
VII. How has and will technology affect that?
The textbook are aligned to be taught with what is needed to past the standardized testing (Sadker, 229). Technology according to some authorities has not been proven to make the students more academically advanced. However, there are others who do argue differently against this and much research is being conducted in this area. At present researcher are divided on these issues (Sadker, 222).
VIII. What is the hidden curriculum in our schools?
School is not really about learning. School is about passing test and meeting some type of quota. (Sadker, 235).
IX. What do schools teach about the society we live in?
I am enjoying your site. I am a Business Education major and the use of technology in the class room is so important. Students are growing up in a technology rich environment and as educators we need to know how to relate to them.
I agree with Haycock opinion about some teachers not keeping abreast with technology. There should be a combination of books and technology to teach students.
Wow Cheryl...intriguing article. At our elementary school, it is SO about the test scores. The only thing going on now is CRCT practice....(testing for the test) over and over again. I'm not sure if the little ones are learning anything new, or just learning how to take a test. I'll be curious when the test results are in, and in the long run, if it actually mattered.
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