Lib. 467 Assignment 3



The purpose of this report is to provide an analysis of the present Reference Services available in the Library Learning Commons at School X and to outline a plan to improve the Reference Services going forward. For this report, I will be focusing specifically on the Online Reference Services.


Current Reference Services available in Library X

The current online reference resources available through the school district are not currently accessible to students through the Library Learning Commons Website at School X. However, teachers are able to login in to the district website and access the following online resources through the district web-page:

• World Book Encyclopedia
• National Geographic Kids
• KnowBC
• Gale Canada in Context
• Gale Science in Context
• Gale Global Issues in Context
• Gale Virtual Reference Library

As a result, students at School X are not using the online reference resources available through the district unless their classroom teacher has created a link for them and is using the resources in class.


Why is there a need for change?

Students at School X should have easier access to online reference resources and be guided in using those resources by the Teacher-Librarian in the Library Learning Commons at School X. Without access and promotion of these reference resources from the Library Learning Commons, students will be missing out on valuable tools for Inquiry Projects and Resource Based Learning. This lack of use of online resources will also cause students to fall behind in acquiring important 21st century information literacy skills. In the Leading Learning Document-Standards of Practice for School Library Learning Commons in Canada (2014), Appendix 6, it states that “The Virtual Learning Commons needs the same attention as the physical environment. It is an organized but collaborative space for learning. It is not a replacement for the physical LLC but an extension of it to make the LLC available to students and learners 24/7. Organize links to useful technology tools. • Develop a space to plan and curate inquiry learning experiences such as virtual knowledge building centers. (Koechlin and Loertscher, 2014) “


Affected student learning example

At grade 4 student at School X was recently doing a report on fossils. He was absent from school for a few days as he had a bad cold. When he returned to school, the library wasn’t open for book exchange so he wasn’t able to sign out any books about fossils. He was trying to answer his inquiry question of how are bones and fossils affected by different temperatures and are fossils preserved longer at certain temperatures? On the weekend he went to the public library to look for a book on fossils and found 2, but one was written for a high school reading level and one for an adult reading level. He still signed them out anyway as he needed some information for his report. At home his mom also suggested doing a google search on fossils on his iPad. He went to Wikipedia and found some information. Although he didn’t understand some of the words as it was intended for an adult reading audience.


If School X had links to online reference resources from the Library Learning Commons, the grade four student could have accessed those online resources from his home on the weekend. Also those online links would have led him to information that is more suitable for a grade 4 student audience. For example, the district online resource of National Geographic Kids is written for students of approximately grade 3-7. After inputting the word fossils, videos, magazine articles and eBooks pop up with information about fossils. A feature I really like about National Geographic Kids is that there is an audio feature to have the text read aloud if desired. Likewise, World Book Kids offers similar research features which yields results of videos and textual information at the elementary level for students.


A Plan of Action for School X

A plan moving forward to improve online reference materials at School X is threefold. The three main items that need to be addressed.include:

• Updating the School Library Learning Commons website to become a Virtual Library Learning Commons including links to the Online District Resources World Book Kids, and National Geographic Kids as well as a link to the Teacher-Librarians email for reference questions

• Adding a new Online Reference called Discovery Education Canada

• Working with the students and teachers regularly in the Library Learning Commons using the online references so students and staff are familiar with the online resources and their contribution towards student learning

STEP 1

The first step involves updating the School Library Learning Commons Website. When a student logs onto the school website and then clicks on library, there should to be links to many other resources , including the library catalog, recommended book lists, internet safety, etc. This is where a link would be useful that would say Online Learning Resources. Upon clicking on that link, students would be redirected to the above mentioned online reference resources. This would make it easy and fast to access online resources. I would also recommend adding a link to the TL’s email so that a reference interview can be conducted on-line. If the student has a specific research request they could email the T-L who can respond at his/her earliest convenience.


STEP 2

Secondly, I recommend adding Discovery Education Canada to the list of available online Resources for students and staff to use. The advantage of Discovery Education Canada is that it includes a board builder program where students can build an online interactive board on a research topic with video clips, images and information. Discovery Education Canada is also linked to the new B.C. curriculum and through the Science tech-book section, students can find particular information about different units of study, learn science vocabulary words, do practice quizzes and watch informative videos. As it can be an expensive addition, I recommend adding it as a 1 year trial and perhaps seeing if other schools in the district would like to add it as well on a trial basis to bring the cost down per school.


STEP 3

The third step in the plan of action is to work with students using the online reference resources. This may look like collaborative blocks with the Teacher-Librarian in the Library Learning Commons using the Online Resources for Inquiry Based Learning Projects. Regular lessons with the Teacher-Librarian in the Library Learning Commons will help students and staff become familiar with the online references and their resource capabilities. As Riedling states, in Reference skills for the school library media specialist, “The Library Learning Commons must connect kids and adults to the wider world beyond the school by providing the audio and video communication technologies that build bridges between people and places all over the world.”


The Timeline

The Timeline for this change is 10 months and is recommended to take place the following school year. The majority of the changes will be implemented by the Teacher-Librarian at School X with the support of the Administrator. The changes will be communicated on the school website, school newsletter, staff meetings and with individual classroom teachers and students while learning about and using the existing and new resources.


“Providing information resources and assistance virtually is important for students who are completing projects and homework assignments after hours” (Riedling, Ann).


                                        References


Canadian Libraries Association. Leading learning: Standards of practice for school library learning commons in Canada. 2014.Ottawa, ON: Canadian Libraries Association.


Riedling, Ann, Reference skills for the school library media specialist: Tools and tips, (Third Edition). Linworth.

Image courtesy of Virtual Learning Commons and Social Media