Advocacy and Radical Change Theory

SHANNON, D. (2012). Perceptions of school library programs and school librarians. Teacher Librarian, 39(3), 17.

This article focuses on the relationship between TLs and administrators and the fact that principals often do not understand what the TL does, especially in regards to collaboration and co-teaching.

"Administrators are critical to the success of school library programs. Therefore, it is important to develop ways to inform and educate them about (1) the potential positive impact of school library programs on student achievement, (2) the role of the school librarian in support of teaching and learning, and (3) what they can do to support school library programs and school librarians in their schools and districts. In order to accomplish these things, school librarians should be able to articulate their vision for the library program and to develop program goals and objectives based on that vision and on the principal's agenda. But regular communication with the principal by way of face-to-face meetings and written reports at established intervals will also be needed to provide a constant reminder of the important role of the library program."

Dresang, E. and Koh, K. (2009).  "Radical Change Theory, Youth Informaiton Behavior, and School Libraries."  Project Muse, 58(1), retrieved from http://muse.jhu.edu.libaccess.sjlibrary.org/journals/library_trends/v058/58.1.dresang.html.

This article has a lot of good information and is an interesting look at how today's youth interact with information and what we as TLs should be changing to keep up with them.

"“The Future of Reading,” a series of articles in the New York Times about how the Internet and other technological and social forces are changing the way people read, reports the information behavior of Nadia, a fifteen-year-old girl, who regularly reads and writes online: “Nadia said she preferred reading stories online because ‘you could add your own character and twist it the way you want it to be.’ ‘So like in the book somebody could die,’ she continued, ‘but you could make it so that person doesn’t die or make it so like somebody else dies who you don’t like’” (Rich, 2008). Nadia’s story demonstrates the ways digital media appeal to and engage young people by providing a forum for youth to speak for themselves."

Youth are creators of information (back to the REMIX thing).

"Digital age youth are “creator(s) of information in a larger social context” (Radford et al., 2008, p. 4). Young people who engage in virtual discourse using wikis, blogs, and social networking sites are not only expressing opinions for themselves but also shaping their identities. Their performances, such as the use of avatars, e-mail signatures, IM nicknames, and managing personal homepages and blogs can be considered as a process of identity formation and expression (Buckingham, 2008; Mazzarella, 2005b)."

Teaching digital citizenship--they are creating their online persona.  We must show them how to create a persona that will not hinder their future goals.

Another idea--participatory culture.  The internet has created a "participatory culture," and that is what today's youth expect.  For us as educators NOT to require them to carry out that participatory culture in the classroom is a real waste of opportunity.

This graphic from the article demonstrates how TLs could apply radical change theory to the school library:

"In the practical day-to-day world of K-12 education and school libraries, school librarians, and teachers must make choices about how to best help students to learn. It is essential to know what strengths twenty-first-century students bring with them, what information-seeking skills are already fairly well developed. The goal of the current research project discussed here is to provide librarians and teachers with a means to gain this knowledge."

Everything I read indicates a need to teach digital citizenship across the curriculum and throughout education, evolving as technology evolves to meet the needs of our students.  Teach them the 21st century skills/digital age principles above and more so that they are prepared for the changing world they will step into as adults.

Teaching Digital Citizenship

Hollandsworth, R., Dowdy, L., & Donovan, J. (2011). Digital Citizenship in K-12: It Takes a Village. Techtrends: Linking Research & Practice To Improve Learning, 55(4), 37-47. doi:10.1007/s11528-011-0510-z


Definition of Digital Citizenship:  " The term digital citizenship might create a confusing mental picture of what it represents in the K-12 classroom. If aligned with character education, it would lend itself to becoming a good citizen in the digital community. In many of the projects and curriculums examined through this article, the term represents a more comprehensive view of technology usage. In addition, it would include considerations for student safety and security, educational enhancement, ethical and legal behaviors, and becoming an effective member of digital communities. Mike Ribble (2010) defines digital citizenship as, “a concept, which helps teachers, technology leaders, and parents to understand what students/children/technology users should know to use technology appropriately” (p. 1). He further elaborates that, “it is a way to prepare students, children, and technology users for a society full of technology” (p. 1)."

"In reference to the negative events associated with the K-12 digital usage, Davis states, “this is an opportunity to empower a new generation of students who will stand up and speak out when they see these things happening”

"Carrie James from the Good Play Project states, “One of the strongest takeaways from our studies of digital youth is that they most often think and act in individualistic ways online” (personal communication, August 1, 2010). Students will require awareness that online behaviors can impact people within their immediate circle of friends but also outside of that circle. Additionally, student digital behaviors can impact their own personal social dynamics, personal resources, careers, and safety."

"“While the bulk of youth’s online activities are conducted beyond the school day, educators often have to deal with effects in school – e.g., conflicts
between students due to online bullying or gossiping. Moreover, some parents may expect teachers and administrators to address digital citizenship issues. For a number of legitimate reasons, many schools tend to be reactive, rather than proactive, about such issues. However, the groundwork for digital citizenship is best laid in a proactive way, before problems arise”

"Students must be taught digital literacy. Digital Literacy and Citizenship in the 21st Century offers a definition for digital literacy as “the ability to use technology competently, interpret and understand digital content, assess its credibility and create, and research and communicate with appropriate tools” (Common Sense Media, 2009, p. 1). Many new programs that address digital citizenship are designed for students of middle school age and older. Research shows, however, that many students have already derived their own rules for use of technology by this age. Students use technology at home before they start school, requiring parents to begin teaching their children digital citizenship as soon as they begin to use a computer."

This is starting to remind me of sex ed--by the time we teach it, it may be too late.  Teaching digital literacy and citizenship from Kindergarten (or whenever they first use computers) is essential.

"Digital citizenship can be compared to American citizenship in that all digital citizens have the same basic rights: to privacy, free speech, and creative work rights. Teaching students how to protect their privacy is critical. Everyone has the right to free speech but students need to be taught to think about what is said and posted online, which has far reaching effects. Students should also understand that when something is created it belongs to the creator. It should not be copied or altered in any way. Students do not fully understand copyright laws or how to legally obtain information, songs, pictures, etc. The village must take responsibility to ensure students know not only what is illegal but also what is legal. Students must understand that with rights also comes responsibility, the responsibility to conduct themselves legally and ethically, as well as to help their peers
accept responsibility."

Teach them what they CAN do, not just what they "can't" do.  Engage them in role-plays or give them ethical scenarios to work out.  How should they react if they "witness" cyber bullying?  Begin the discussion.

"As media specialists, you are encouraged to do the following in regards to digital citizenship initiatives:
•    Establish appropriate policies and practices for digital practices in K-12.
• Educate all stakeholders, including administrators, teachers, students, parents, library media specialists, technology coordinators and community members
• Evaluate digital citizenship curriculums critically.
• Explore references and feedback from previous users of commercially developed digital citizenship curriculum.
•    Emulate effective digital citizenship initiatives.
• Emphasize a collaborative approach to digital citizenship by all k-12 stakeholders, including
parents and students.
• Equip students through proactive efforts versus reactive responses."

I really believe this is essential, and that TLs, CTs, administrators, parents, and businesses must combine forces to teach digital citizenship to our youth.  Until we teach students how to handle information and how to conduct themselves online, it is irresponsible of us to teach them to use those resources.  And they are going to use technology whether we teach it to them or not (and we should teach it to them, I'm not advocating against teaching technology).  I just think this should be a central part of all curriculum.

Speaking of teaching students how to learn

Johnson, B. (2012) Matching Teaching with How Students Learn.  Edutopia.  Retrieved from http://www.edutopia.org/blog/matching-teaching-student-learning-ben-johnson?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=post&utm_content=blog&utm_campaign=matchingteachingtolearning.

"As we mature, we learn (and remember what we learn) more and more by exploration and discovery. We learn with hands-on and minds-on. We learn in the situation, in the moment and in the locale. Unsurprisingly, this type of memory is called locale memory and it is instant memory. For example, we all remember what we were doing on 9/11. So, we learn instantly by experiencing events that are important to us."

Project-based, experiential learning is what we need to really learn.

". . .  we can easily remember complex storylines from movies or television shows that we have seen just one time. Using Star Wars as a story example, Willingham goes on to describe the four C's that serve as a foundation for any worthy story: causality, conflict, complications, and character -- all held together by action. So, we easily learn content in the action and adventure of the story structure."

In teaching, we can give any topic these qualities.  This is also why most readers can recall what they read when they read fiction or narrative nonfiction, but struggle more with reading/recalling informational nonfiction.  Can we teach students to turn what they read into a "story?"

Giving students the opportunity to experience learning and "remix" it, aka tell the story of it, is how they gain "instant memory" of learning events.  We have to create opportunities for them to do that.

Engage

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-bird-school-20120416,0,1384226.story?page=1

Project-based learning is not new, so why does it take so much to get it going?

I am fortunate that my daughter attends a constructivist-based, developmental, parent-participation school within our public school district.  Teachers at her school use project-based learning, portfolio assessment, small groups, individual conferencing, and regular field trips to ignite student interest and encourage them to engage with curriculum.  They also have about 75 hours of parent volunteers per week to help them make those lessons happen, which I think is why it has worked.

How do we support project-based learning in the face of standardized test score mania?  I can tell you from personal experience that when you teach in a high-performing district, it's easy to do.  In a lower-performing district, there's a lot of drill and kill in a misguided effort to raise test scores.  It's frustrating.

http://www.fluency21.com/blogpost.cfm?blogID=2605

Technology can certainly help move us toward project-based learning and engagement, because "lectures" can be viewed at home and projects can happen during class with adult mentors to help keep students on track and focused, to help them problem solve, etc.  That adult mentor factor is what makes my daughter's school work.

http://www.fluency21.com/blogpost.cfm?blogID=2534&utm_source=Committed+Sardine+Blog+Update&utm_campaign=88a3bd2517-RSS_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN&utm_medium=email

Technology as a way to boost engagement.  Can technology in itself boost student engagement?  Well, it certainly can increase student interest in completing an assignment, but does that necessarily translate to more engagement with the curriculum?  As we design lessons (whether they use technology or not), the question to ask is "how does this enhance learning--how does it allow students to connect with material in a meaningful way?"  If it doesn't, then we're just using technology as a gimmick.  And gimmick's may be fine now and again, but to really impact learning we need to be looking at how we use technology, not just whether we use it or not.

http://gettingsmart.com/blog/2012/03/why-my-six-year-old-students-have-digital-portfolios/
Getting students engaged in their assessment.

Jacobsen, M. and Friesen, M. (2012) Hands on vs. Hands up: Technology-enabled knowledbe building in high school.  Candada Education.  Retrieved from http://www.cea-ace.ca/education-canada/article/web-exclusive-hands-vs-hands-technology-enabled-knowledge-building-high-sch

The technological infrastructure and network designs used in most high schools – built on broadcast media and information delivery assumptions about knowledge flow – are not serving students well. Professionals and outside experts create a firewall by selecting information and ideas, and metering out content in small, manageable, and simplified chunks. Participatory technologies, social media and knowledge building pedagogy disrupt that firewall.

• Audience/learners can talk to each other, build and share information together, and publish ideas and expressions online to a global community.
• Knowledge is created and shared by learners and by teachers.
• Information comes from many diverse sources, cultures, and locations.
• There is immediate access to current information and knowledge.
• An already huge knowledge base grows at an exponential rate.

" But most students use personal connectivity for socializing and play, not for knowledge building, exploring compelling science or mathematics problems, improving and building on each other’s ideas, or writing persuasive arguments. Young people need engaged teachers more than ever to make the leap from digital technology as play to digital technology as a tool for knowledge creation."

Amen!

According to a study completed by the authors and others, teachers are using technology to push information to students, NOT to engage with students and allow them to "remix" their knowledge.  There is a disconnect here between teachers using technology and teachers using technology in a way that is meaningful to their students.

" Teachers need support to design inquiry-based tasks and assessments that integrate digital technology into one or more disciplines of study. They need to harness their enthusiasm about technology to the design and support of knowledge building work that cultivates genuine engagement with learning.
Great inquiry-based learning tasks – with or without technology – are authentic to the discipline; involve active and participatory student groupings and interactions; are academically rigorous; connect learners to resources and communities beyond the school; provide for elaborated communication and expression; and use assessment of and for learning. Rigorous, technology-enabled learning experiences contain all the components necessary for a strong inquiry: rich, authentic problems/issues/questions to investigate; clear learning outcomes; curricular integration; learning tasks; appropriate use of technology; ways of working and knowing that experts within the disciplines use to build knowledge; and timely assessments with clear criteria to make students’ thinking visible to both students and teachers. In inquiry-based, technology rich learning environments, assessment makes up a large part of the high school day."

Important to keep in mind when planning lessons.

"
If we really want our children to face the challenges of the future with confidence and skill, we must teach them not only that they can acquire current knowledge, but also that they can help shape what their society comes to accept as knowledge.[6] Participatory digital technologies and new social media landscapes, combined with engaged teaching and designs for learning, offer new opportunities for knowledge building and interconnected relationships.
Today’s youth will inherit a global, socially connected, and media rich world. The competencies they require to live well differ from those even ten years ago. As our participatory digital world accelerates, high schools cannot afford to stand still."

Finally:  sites that list resources I want to check out:

 http://www.leadandlearn.com/multimedia-resource-center/video-library

http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2012/03/best-of-web-2012.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+freetech4teachers%2FcGEY+%28Free+Technology+for+Teachers%29

http://dailytekk.com/2012/03/06/the-50-best-ways-to-curate-and-share-your-favorite-social-media-and-news-content/#.T53rjb8sGjK

Digital Literacies

Doug Belshaw's essential elements of digital literacies:

elegant consumption------->remix

"digital literacy is a condition, not a threshold."

Not one literacy--plural, context-dependent, need to be socially negotiated.  Not sequential. 

Develop digital literacies in a more progressive than sequential manner.  Focus on interests, try to get them to develop intrinsic motivation to develop digital skills themselves. 

So we need essential elements we can apply to guide learning of digital literacies.

1. Cognitive
2. Constructive
3. Cultural
4. Communicative
5. Creative
6. Civic
7. Confident
8. Critical

Right at the heart of all of it is REMIXING.

"Grappling with important issues in playful ways can lead to serious consequences."

This is interesting, and I like his point about memes serving a purpose in some instances, but I'm having a hard time really applying this in a practical way. 

I suppose as a framework for teaching "digital literacy," these elements are important and could be addressed throughout instruction.  I need more time to let these ideas marinate.

Metacognitian

Paul, A. (2012)  Do Students Know Enough Smart Learning Strategies?  KQED Blogs.  Retrieved from http://blogs.kqed.org/mindshift/2012/03/do-students-know-enough-smart-learning-strategies/.

One thing that stands out to me from this article is the fact that students who struggle have poor understanding of the learning process.  One problem, I think, is that many teachers were "good" learners.  Often, their learning strategies happen subconsciously, without them really thinking about it.  However, what made this click was the example from the article:

“Students who use appropriate strategies to understand and remember what they read, such as underlining important parts of the texts or discussing what they read with other people, perform at least 73 points higher in the PISA assessment—that is, one full proficiency level or nearly two full school years—than students who use these strategies the least,” the PISA report reads.

Teachers can easily teach these strategies--explicitly--during class AND boost nonfiction reading comprehension.  Give students a specific portion of text to read.  Give them a quiz.  Then have them read it again, but this time ask them to highlight or underline what they think is important.  Then have them discuss in small groups what they highlighted or underlined.  Then let them take the quiz again.

Then TALK about why they did better on the 2nd quiz.  I mean, all the information was there the first time, right?  But when they actively engage--when they underline, highlight, talk about--they remember what they read more.  This is why teachers ask students to outline chapters, or bring in quotations, or do quick writes.  We are not torturing them (at least not on purpose), we are trying to help them connect with what they are reading.

And there isn't just one way to do this--students need to find what works for them.  But the most important thing is that they understand WHY they need to do this (because they will learn better).  That will help them evaluate what method works for them.

I actually think this should be an assignment--try different techniques to engage with text, reflect on each experience, and then discuss which one works best for you.

Also, I think there should be a class called "21st Century Literacy" that is taught by the TL and is a requirement for every student. :)  But I digress.

From the article, good questions for students to use to assess their metacognitian:

Students can assess their own awareness by asking themselves which of the following learning strategies they regularly use (the response to each item is ideally “yes”):

• I draw pictures or diagrams to help me understand this subject.
• I make up questions that I try to answer about this subject.
• When I am learning something new in this subject, I think back to what I already know about it.
• I discuss what I am doing in this subject with others.
• I practice things over and over until I know them well in this subject,
• I think about my thinking, to check if I understand the ideas in this subject.
• When I don’t understand something in this subject I go back over it again.
• I make a note of things that I don’t understand very well in this subject, so that I can follow them up.
• When I have finished an activity in this subject I look back to see how well I did.
• I organize my time to manage my learning in this subject.
• I make plans for how to do the activities in this subject.

"Just in Time" questions to drop into lessons:

• What is the topic for today’s lesson?
• What will be important ideas in today’s lesson?
• What do you already know about this topic?
• What can you relate this to?
• What will you do to remember the key ideas?
• Is there anything about this topic you don’t understand, or are not clear about?

One of my professors does this in her lectures.  Every so often, she "interrupts" the information in her pdf lecture with a question, activity, or reflection that forces us to engage with the concepts.  She is the only professor who posted written lectures I've seen do this in the entire MLIS program, and it has significantly increased my engagement in her class.  
  

Primordial Soup to Mountain Gorilla

I just watched the Ted Talk Dr. L. posted on the Learning Commons Facebook page by Paul Andersen, a science teacher who tried to turn his class into a video game.

It's a fascinating idea, and I think there are a lot of great concepts to remember from it. 

One, that students struggle with reading, and with reading textbooks specifically.  We as educators have got to stop "reading the book" for them (ie, lecturing to restate the text) and teach students HOW to read and remember what they read, especially with nonfiction.  We must hold them accountable for textbook reading if we want them to be able to learn independently.

Second, that if you're going to try something like this there will be failures, and that's ok.  It's ok, that is, as long as we try to do something different the next time.  One reason teaching gets "easier" over time is that we learn what works for us and what doesn't.  If we didn't adjust our lessons, tweak our activities, learn new methods, etc., not only would teaching be really boring but our lessons would never get more effective.

I really like the idea of starting the year by telling students they are on level zero.  That seems like a better speech than "you all have an A," which I don't think any kid buys anyhow.  I love the different levels he created for his students.  I love that students were engaged and interacting.

A better approach, one that ensures more scaffolding and direction for those students who "crash" their cars into brick walls, might be to plan your class as a series of games, allowing for differentiation within each unit.  This also allows students to all start over at level zero with each unit.  It also allows teachers to tweak how the "game" works between units, adjusting to the unique interests and abilities of our students.

I also love his point that we are not Vulcan.  Technology is not THE answer.  It is a tool we can use to increase engagement and promote interaction, but we don't learn by having videos and facts flashed in front of us.  We aren't passive, we are active.  My job is to help teachers design lessons in which students are active participants in their learning.

A Reflection

I was re-reading some of what I wrote about articles I read for my section of 285, which focused on youth.  I specifically focused my reading on Teacher Librarians, their impact, and collaboration with classroom teachers.

What is obvious from the data is that teacher librarians who are leaders on their campuses, who are engaged in collaboration, curriculum development, and co-teaching, and who have adequate support staff have a tremendous impact on student learning.

What is obvious from the current lack of teacher librarians in California schools is that politicians don't really care.

I don't know why this gap between data and practice/funding exists.  After all, aren't politicians the ones who want to tie test scores to funding?  Shouldn't they be rewarding evidence-based instruction by funding what we know works?  How many times do we have to re-prove the worth of the Teacher Librarian?

I find this frustrating, but I'm not sure exactly what to do about it.

I was also reminded from my reading that teachers (and probably TLs) need to be taught to collaborate, and that collaboration is more than simple task division.  The danger when everyone is so rushed is that we simply divide tasks instead of truly collaborating.  Web 2.0 tools have potential here, at least with those teachers who are willing to utilize those tools, but before collaboration can really be effective TLs must build relationships.  This implies, too, that if we expect students to collaborate we must help them build relationships first as well.

Anyhow, not exactly reading, just some rambling reflections.

1:1 Devices and Learning

Marcinek, A. (2012)  Six Examples of iPad Integration in the 1:1 Classroom.  Edutopia.  Retrieved from http://www.edutopia.org/blog/ipad-integration-classroom-andrew-marcinek

Marcinek's article focuses on how teachers at Burlington H.S. in Burlington, MA are using iPads to create engaging, project-based assignments for their students that integrate technology.  Marcinek argues that teachers are not teaching "to" the iPad or teaching apps, but are instead "teaching skills and assessing student learning in a more dynamic way."

For example, students in a calculus course created music videos demonstrating specific skills.  Here is an example:

I know nothing of calculus, but these students seem to understand the rule they are explaining, worked together to create a video explaining it, and had fun in the process.  I will say that, without a TL involved in the process, there is a lack of documentation (no citation for the Bruno Mars song parodied in the video, for example).

This one, from a French class, allows the teacher to assess spoken language easily while giving students the opportunity to interact with language in a way that traditional "taped" tests does not.

Again, there is no documentation in the video, but it is easy to see the potential for the iPad in the classroom (it can do so many different things--these videos were shot, edited, and uploaded using the iPad) and how, with the help of a Teacher Librarian, these experiences could be even more valuable.

Teachers are creating assignments with a "real world" outlook.  For example, a Trigonometry teacher had students use an app called show-me to describe a problem and how they tried to solve it.  He wrote, "in business you often have to present a problem or solution to coworkers, and with video conferencing and email output I felt this would allow the students a chance to work on their presentation skills as well."

Another teacher used blogger and twitter to allow students to have "conversations" between different philosophers.  He writes:  "My students really got into the activity, particularly when they realized that they were playing for a larger audience. For 83 minutes (a long block), my students were in research and publication mode. They were engaging with those outside of the classroom, as well as with each other. I played the role of the facilitator ensuring that all students were engaged. Overall, my students were able to form a deeper understanding of the philosophers of the Enlightenment and were introduced to both Twitter and Blogger."

Marcinek's point is that none of these activities are specific to the iPad.  All could have been completed with other devices.  However, taking their school to 1:1 has given teachers the opportunity to embed technology into their curriculum in a way that had not previously been possible.  It is the access to technology, not the specific type of technology, that is creating a difference in teaching and learning at their school.

As the TL, it is important to offer support to students and teachers as they learn new technologies and to advocate for better, more flexible access through multiple devices, bring your own devices--really any device that gets technology into the hands of students and teachers.  None of these teachers had to schedule time in a lab for students to complete this work--it could be completed in the classroom, at home, or anywhere students had an internet connection.  They weren't restrained by the fact that some students didn't have access to technology at home or not having enough of whatever resource to go around.  That is the power of technology in education, and if TLs can both increase access AND help teachers understand how to use technology, we will make a big difference in our learning communities.

LibGuides and the VLC

Brazzeal, Bradley. “Research Guides as library instruction tools.” Reference Services Review 34.3 (2006): 358-367. [Electronic Journals]

Judd, Cindy and Nicole Montgomery. “LibGuides and Librarians: Connecting Content and Community.” Kentucky Libraries 73.3 (2009): 14-17. [Electronic Journals]

Little, Jennifer J. “Cognitive Load Theory and Library Research Guides.” Internet Reference Services Quarterly 15.1 (2010): 53-63.

This reading was technically for my 210 course, but it really changed some of my thoughts regarding the design of the VLC.  First of all, there was an emphasis on orientation--that is, making it easy for site users to figure out HOW to use the site.  The Brazzeal article in particular made me think about how I'd orient users to the VLC, and combined with my new screencasting skills, my method would be to post a short screencast showing users how to use the site.  This reading also convinced me that having a picture of the Teacher Librarian with contact information in a prominent location is a small but important piece of creating a welcoming and helpful virtual environment.

The Little article on cognitive load theory also made me question the direction of the VLC I'd been working on with a TL.  The extensive lists of resources, while interesting, would be overwhelming to site visitors.  Instead, I'd focus on one (two at the most) type of tool for each task (brainstorming, screencasting, presenting, etc.) and give more detail about how to use that tool.  These could be rotated (with a more extensive list on a sub-page, if desired) or could remain consistent based on staff and student feedback and discoveries in the Experimental Learning Center.  Instead of thinking of the VLC as a giant list of resources, I started to view it as a tool to connect students and teachers with the right resources and as a way to teach them to use those resources.

Another Iteration

In the great tradition of using this blog for a variety of courses and purposes, I am now taking it back for Dr. Loertscher and using it for outside reading for LIBR233: School Library Media Centers.  This is a great course that looks at how to transform the school library into an interactive Learning Commons that is dynamic, flexible, and collaborative. 

Posts from here until the next iteration (haha) will focus on reading about school libraries, progressive education, and how teacher librarians can move school libraries to the center of teaching and learning.

Now if only I could figure out to change my name from "silicon cookware."