Principals’ Corner
How do we prepare teachers for teaching and learning the ever evolving landscape of technology? Chris Kennedy, the Superintendent of Schools / CEO with the West Vancouver School District (West Vancouver, BC), suggests that
"We’ve shifted from seeing technology as a way to support distance learning to looking for ways to make blended learning part of every student’s educational experience. And we are beginning to move beyond being excited about the tools themselves to looking for ways we can best use these tools to support learning goals and good pedagogy."
Read more of Chris' ideas in this blog post. Better yet, suscribe to his blog or follow him on Twitter @ http://twitter.com/chrkennedy
Alberta Education's Guide to Education: Kindergarten to Grade 12 provides important guidelines for the school library program in Alberta schools:
"Students in Alberta schools should have access to an effective school library program that is integrated with instructional programs. Such library programs improve student opportunities for achieving a basic education. Student learning experiences should integrate information retrieval and research skills. These skills are learned best within the curricula. To promote integration, opportunities for cooperative planning between teachers and teacher–librarians should be provided.
In an integrated school library program, the services and activities are not peripheral or supplementary to the school’s instructional program; they are an
essential and dynamic part of it. The integrated library program broadens, deepens and personalizes learning by involving students in the planned and
purposeful use of resources. Library resources are designed to help students expand their abilities to find, generate, evaluate and apply information.
Developing these information skills will, in turn, prepare students to function effectively as individuals and as full participants in society. An integrated school library program attends not only to its formal instructional role, but also to its function as a centre for informal learning. As a resource centre, the school library should be a place where students can pursue their individual educational interests." (p.69)
Alberta Education (2012). Guide to Education: Kindergarten to Grade 12 (2012-2013). Edmonton Alberta: Alberta Education
Retrieved from http://education.alberta.ca/media/6719891/guidetoed2012.pdf
This video from British Columbia provides a model of an exemplary school learning commons:
The school learning commons should be a space where learning and technology intersect. Ewan McIntosh discusses ways to create multiple learning spaces within your school and/ or learning commons:
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Judith Sykes publishes new book on Action Research
Conducting Action Research to Evaluate Your School Library
http://www.abc-clio.com/product.aspx?isbn=9781610690775
How should teacher librarians or instructional leaders engage in action research to improve their school library and benefit students' learning? This book provides the answers.Teacher librarians need to get directly involved with the research process in the learning commons in order to create actions and strategies that will enhance student learning—and benefit their own professional development as well as demonstrate accountability through their action research efforts. This book provides practical tips and work spaces for educators at the local, state, and national levels, clearly modeling and explaining the process and the tools for conducting action research in a school library setting that will identify the program's strengths and weaknesses. The author coalesces current expert opinions on the topic of action research in the school library environment and highlighting what other teacher librarians in the field have identified as the pros and cons of using the process. Readers are directed to focus on mitigating the "cons" through the use of specific working pages and templates and by initially exploring "five favorite" links, thereby encouraging those who are new to action research to try what might otherwise seem a daunting process. School principals K–12 who read this book will be better equipped to support their teacher librarians and teachers in this important professional process.
Highlights
• Supplies invaluable insights from experts and practitioners on the subject of action research
• Provides a clear model of the process in action
• Directs readers to additional resources that facilitate effective action research and timely topics for school library research, such as time management and technology in learning
ThingLink and Rosen Digital Launch Interactive Image Contest for K-12 Students
Students create digital projects with images, music, videos, and websites to win an iPad Mini or annual subscription to one of Rosen Digital's online databases
New York (Feb 27, 2013) -- Help your students harness their creative energies while putting their 21st-century skills to use with a new contest from ThingLink and Rosen Digital. Students in grades K-12 can create Interactive ThingLink images, providing the opportunity to explore their interests and passions, connect multiple resources into a cohesive presentation, and share their projects with a large community. Visit ThingLinkContest.com for more information.
ThingLink allows students to connect audio, video, images, websites, and text into one interactive image presentation. Projects deepen learning as students delve into content through research to present knowledge and ideas as they learn while practicing digital literacy skills of image creation and selection, content curation, tagging, and sharing.
"ThingLink is o ne of my favorite and most frequently used tools because it supports active student participation and requires users to construct ideas as they create," says Susan Oxnevad, Instructional Technology Facilitator and educator for 26 years. "The tool can be very useful for designing and implementing the types of deep learning experiences required by the Common Core and it is also an effective way to help students develop digital literacy skills. ThingLink is fun, flexible, and intuitive!"
Eligibility: All students K-12 are eligible to enter. Teachers and parents may enter an image on a student's behalf.
Submission Deadline: Images may be submitted through May 1, 2013. Enter images at ThingLinkContest.com.
Winners will be announced on May 15, 2013.
Categories: There are 10 categories:
My Favorite Books or Authors
Science -- Think Like a Scientist!
Health & Well-being -- You, Your Family, Your Friends
Environment -- The World Around Us
Community -- Volunteering & Making a Difference
Money Smarts -- Earning, Saving, Spending
Art & Music -- Express Yourself!
Sports -- Game On!
History & Social Studies -- From Yesterday to Today
Animals -- Furry, Friendly, & Fierce
Students can enter as many images as they like. All entries are viewable on ThingLink.com.
Voting: Friends and family can vote on their favorite images by using a "touch" icon on a ThingLink image. The most "touches" counts for a portion of the score. A team of educational advisors will review entries and determine winners.
Prizes: One iPad Mini will be awarded to the top winner in each category. The winning school in each category will also receive one Rosen database subscription for a year (Teen Health & Wellness, Digital Literacy, Financial Literacy, or the PowerKnowledge Science Suite). Certificates will be awarded to second and third place winners in each category.
For more information: Write to .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address). Sign up for a free account at ThingLink.com.
