Tag Archives: Learning

Academic, General, Public, School Media Specialist, Special

Non-Profit Works to Find Key to Blended-Learning Programs

There’s still a lot to learn about different types of blended learning models, and a new nonprofit called Silicon Schools will raise and invest $25 million toward that effort. So far, they have raised $12 million, and they aim to fund new and innovative approaches in existing blended learning programs with grants to schools.

Blended learning is a relatively new concept with a mixed track record. Integrating certain types of technology into the classroom gives teachers and students real-time feedback so that each student can work at his or her own pace, and can give teachers accurate information that can help them better group students according to comprehension levels on specific subjects. But, educators point out that too often, ed-tech focuses on improving test scores rather than on building creative thinking and a passion for learning in students and that schools still need passionate, innovative and dedicated teachers, no matter how kids absorb the content.

Read the full article at Mind/Shift, October 17,2012

Academic, General, Public, School Media Specialist, Special

Librarians/Media Specialists and the Common Core

An article from Education Week titled Common Core Thrusts Librarians into Leadership Role is getting a lot of press and discussion lately in libraryland … and beyond. The article highlights the important role media specialists can (and should) play as their schools usher in this new phase in education. Namely, media specialists must be prepared to provide the necessary resources and learning opportunities for implementing the Common Core State Standards in their schools. The argument is that librarians/media specialists are natural “inquiry-based” teachers and practitioners, and are perfectly suited to model this way of thinking to other professionals as well as students. Additionally, the article highlights some of the ways libraries of all types are  impacted by the Common Core State Standards.

What impact do you see the Common Core State Standards having on your school and in your media center programming? Currently, Minnesota has only adopted the Common Core English Language Arts standards as a base, and has not adopted the Mathematics standards in any way. Since Minnesota has not adopted the Common Core Mathematics standards (citing our state’s superior standards and high testing performance for math), how might this separation or distinction from other states impact math education in the state? On the other hand, Minnesota has adopted the English Language Arts standards as a base, so how are you preparing for those standards in your schools? How are you taking part in this conversation, and what role are you playing in your school?

Additional information for those in the know! At this time, the NGA [National Governors Association] Center and CCSSO [Council of Chief State School Officers] will not be developing standards in other subjects and are focusing on implementing the standards in ELA and mathematics. However, other groups are working on standards in the arts, world languages, and science. To find out more, visit the section titled Why are the Common Core State Standards for just English-language arts and math? at www.corestandards.org/frequently-asked-questions.

Visit www.corestandards.org/ to learn more general information about the Common Core. Also, for a refresher on Minnesota’s K-12 Academic Standards checkout http://education.state.mn.us/MDE/EdExc/StanCurri/K-12AcademicStandards/.

School Media Specialist

Free Website/Tool – Making Curriculum Pop!

http://mcpopmb.ning.com/

Making Curriculum Pop (MC POP) is a resource-sharing community for educators interested in best practices and teaching with/about pop culture. It’s difficult for individual teachers and media specialists to catch every cool website, video clip, song, study guide or comic, but collectively MC POP is a forum where educators can share resources to reinvent the core curriculum and the larger dialogue on public education. So if you use popular and common cultures to reflect, refract, refocus and reinvent your core curriculum, visit MC POP and join a group or set up one of your own. Groups in the community include Media Education/Literacy, New Media and Technology, Math and Science Educators, Sustainable/Green Educators, Digital Storytelling, Graphic Novels & Comics, Modern Languages & ELL, Adolescent Literature—and more.

School Media Specialist

Apply Today for a $4,000 National School Library Program Award for Exemplary Humanities Programming!

The ALA Public Programs Office is now accepting nominations for the 2013 Sara Jaffarian School Library Program Award for Exemplary Humanities Programming. School libraries, public or private, that served children in any combination of grades K-8 and conducted humanities programs during the 2011-2012 school year are eligible. Applications and award guidelines are available at www.ala.org/jaffarianaward. To be considered, nominations must be received by the ALA Public Programs Office by December 15.

The award consists of a $4,000 honorarium and a plaque. Additionally, the winning program will be promoted as a model program for other school libraries on www.ProgrammingLibrarian.org, a library programming resource center. To be considered, applicant libraries must have conducted a humanities program or program series during the prior school year (2011-2012). The humanities program can be focused in many subject areas, including but not limited to social studies, poetry, drama, art, music, language arts, foreign language and culture. Programs should focus on broadening perspectives and helping students understand the wider world and their place in it. They should be initiated and coordinated by the school librarian and exemplify the role of the library program in advancing the overall educational goals of the school.

To help you find inspiration for your application, ALA Public Programs Office and ProgrammingLibrarian.org present an online learning opportunity especially for school librarians:

Who Are We?: An award-winning humanities program model for school libraries

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

4:00 p.m. CDT

Francis Feeley, school librarian of Inter-American Magnet School in Chicago, Ill., and winner of the 2012 Sara Jaffarian Award, will present his winning model for humanities programming in the school library. The program, titled “Who Are We?” challenged seventh- and eighth-grade students to explore the individual and collective behavior of human beings in the past and present in a series of quarterly research projects. Following the presentation, Feeley will discuss elements of his award application that lead to his selection, and give tips to prospective applicants to help get their applications started. Registration for this event is required, and can be found at: http://www.programminglibrarian.org/online-learning/who-are-we-an-award-winning-humanities-program-model-for-school-libraries.html.

With questions, please contact the ALA Public Programs Office, publicprograms@ala.org or 800-545-2433 x5045.

Academic, General, Public, School Media Specialist, Special

TED-Ed Brain Trust Online Forum

TED leaders recently announced the upcoming launch of a new initiative called the TED-Ed Brain Trust. The TED-Ed online forum will build upon the strengths of the traditional TED site and related content, but will have a focus on education. Anyone can join this forum, and short videos that are “catalytic to learning” will be accessible for free through the site. In addition, the previous 900+ TED talks will be available through the forum and organized with educators and their specific disciplines and uses in mind. According to the site, visionary educators, students, organizations, filmmakers and other creative professionals are also welcome to join the forum and possibly add their own educational videos, which will be “enhanced” by TED officials. The forum will be live soon, sans videos. The videos will be made available in the months following its launch. Read more here.

Image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jurvetson/3251451369/ by Jurvetson