Food For Thought
Our world is changing more rapidly than any other time in history. Just as we must adapt to the world around us, education must continue to adapt to meet the needs our students will face today and beyond. The increased access to content in various formats keeps Library Media Specialists in an important segment of education today. What are we doing today to ensure that we evolve with digital and societal changes? Food For Thought is an attempt to bring light to ideas that are worth discussing.
Digital Youth Network
What is the Digital Youth Network?
The Digital Youth Network (DYN) was founded in 2006 by Dr. Nichole Pinkard at the University of Chicago’s Urban Education Institute.
DYN is a project that supports organizations, educators and researchers in learning best practices to help develop our youths’ technical, creative, and analytical skills. Originating from the keen desire to understand and support urban youth in learning digital media for their educational development, DYN grew as a resource to help youth understand how to use digital media for all aspects of their lives. As technology rapidly evolves, supporting our underprivileged youth in school and out of the classroom has become a critical and timely issue to address. |
What can we learn from other programs that can make education stronger for our students?
Adult Learning Standards
As we approach the concept of Professional Development, it is important to ensure that our actions model effective practices in Adult Learning. Would we make different decisions with Teacher training sessions if we referred to it as Professional Learning instead of Professional Development? Learning Forward is one of many resources we can use to look at these topics. In the end, we want to ensure that we put great thought into how we design our content for both Teachers and Students.
While I am not saying we need to attach ourselves to this specific model, the goal is that we are able to look at the resources available to us, and decided what makes sense for our students and teachers. |
From the LearningForward.org Website:
For most educators working in schools, professional learning is the singular most accessible means they have to develop the new knowledge, skills, and practices necessary to better meet students' learning needs. The use of Standards for Professional Learning by school systems and educators indicates commitment to effective professional learning. Further, use of the standards to plan, facilitate, and evaluate professional learning promises to heighten the quality of educator learning, performance of all educators, and student learning. Increased educator effectiveness makes possible a shift from current reality to the preferred outcomes of enhanced student learning results -- a goal to which all educators subscribe. |
21st Century / Future Ready Learning and Vision
Tony WagnerEven our “best” schools are failing to prepare students for 21st-century careers and citizenship. - From Tony Wagner's "Rigor Redefined" Article In the new global economy, with many jobs being either automated or “off-shored,” what skills will students need to build successful careers? What skills will they need to be good citizens? Are these two education goals in conflict?
To examine these questions, I conducted research beginning with conversations with several hundred business, nonprofit, philanthropic, and education leaders. With a clearer picture of the skills young people need, I then set out to learn whether U.S. schools are teaching and testing the skills that matter most. I observed classrooms in some of the nation’s most highly regarded suburban schools to find out whether our “best” was, in fact, good enough for our children’s future. What I discovered on this journey may surprise you. |
Creating a New Vision for Public Education in TexasPublic Education Visioning Institute
Why a New Direction and Why Now
Every parent has a dream that their children will be happy and successful. Our communities and the schools that serve them should equally share in that dream and have a plan for making that dream a reality. Preparing students for success in the workforce is secondary to preparing children for success in life. The core business of schools is to provide engaging, appropriate experiences for students so that they learn and are able to apply their knowledge in ways that will enrich their lives and ensure their well-being. Unfortunately, the present bureaucratic structure has taken away that focus and replaced it with a system based on compliance, coercion, and fear. If proper focus is to be restored, the system must be transformed into one based on trust, shared values, creativity, innovation, and respect. What can we do as Library Media Specialists to ensure that pieces of this document that we can impact are being addressed?
|
Makerspaces
What is a Makerspace?Makerspaces, sometimes also referred to as hackerspaces, hackspaces, and fablabs are creative, DIY spaces where people can gather to create, invent, and learn. In libraries they often have 3D printers, software, electronics, craft and hardware supplies and tools, and more. Here are some excellent resources for anyone thinking about setting up a makerspace in their organization.
|
"Maker" Friendly Libraries |