ERIC EJ1119274: When Stars Align: Teachers & Students Shine Brighter

2016·0.29 MB·English

by  ERIC

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Sheila F. Baker
[email protected]
Jana Willis
[email protected]
56 Knowledge Quest | Copyright and School Libraries in the Digital Age
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may be used for the noncommercial purpose of scientific or educational advancement
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A Star Is Born Studies continue to indicate that, to support student learning
while access to technology has (Hutchison and Reinking 2011;
A new teacher enters the classroom
increased, effective technology Kariuki, Franklin, and Duran
for the first time equipped with
use and integration into teaching 2001).
teaching strategies, technology-
practice is still lacking (Bracewell et
integration models, and classroom
al. 2007; Ertmer and Ottenbreit- Barriers that affect teachers’ use and
experiences acquired during his or
Leftwich 2010). Simply placing integration of technology have been
her teacher preparation program.
technologies in classrooms is not a well documented (Ertmer 1999,
Innovations in technology could
guarantee that those technologies 2005). To evaluate the knowledge
mean that even newly acquired
will be effectively integrated into of teachers using a TPACK model
integration strategies and models
transformative teaching and for integrating technology, Zahra
are yesterday’s news. Potentially,
learning processes (Hosseini and Hosseini and Meng Yew Tee (2012)
their student teaching experiences
Tee 2012). Too often technology conducted a study of thirty pre-
may be limited by their mentor’s
is considered a supplemental tool service teachers. The results of their
use of technology, campus access
and used for low-level integration study identified a variety of factors
to technology, the emphasis on
efforts that are not linked to that impacted teachers’ development
standardized testing, and even
instructional practices or learning of technology knowledge. Factors
the district’s vision for technology
outcomes. Providing teachers included personal motivation,
(Bullock 2004; Frazier and Sadera
with assistance in implementing needs, prior knowledge, and
2013). This reality could result in
emerging technologies could help experiences; cultural behaviors
new teachers developing lessons that
teachers more-effectively integrate and group structure; quality
do not take advantage of innovative
technology (Banister, Ross, and and accessibility of computers
opportunities for teaching and
Vannatta 2007). and technology resources; and
learning. These new teachers are
continued pressures to teach to
often unaware that down the hall
While some technologies may, assessments (Purcell et al. 2013). In
exists their greatest resource for
indeed, facilitate student learning, another study Punya Mishra and
today’s technologies and their
effective integration into content Matthew Koehler (2006) found
strongest potential instructional
areas by using the appropriate a lack of knowledge of strategies
partner. No, it is not their team
pedagogical strategies are crucial for integrating technology to also
leader. No, it is not the veteran
ingredients in the success of be a contributing factor. Across
teacher in the next room. No, it
learning outcomes (Bull and Bell several studies, time constraints
is not the campus technology
2009). Instructional technologies have been consistently identified as
specialist; and no, it is not the
are increasing exponentially, barriers to the integration of digital
curriculum specialist. Their future
making it critical that teachers technologies into the classroom
partner is someone they have
have opportunities that support (Ertmer 1999; Kopcha 2012;
probably never encountered in their
meaningful integration of Johnston 2012; Vrasidas 2015). Too
teacher preparation program; this
technology into the curriculum often, time is considered a luxury in
bright star is their school librarian.
Volume 45, No. 2 | November/December 2016 57
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may be used for the noncommercial purpose of scientific or educational advancement
granted by Sections 107 and 108 of the Copyright Revision Act of 1976. Address
usage requests to the ALA Office of Rights and Permissions.
education and as Candace Roberts new technologies often appear first The Pilot
and Holly Atkins stated, “...without in the school library, it is critical
We plotted a scheme to bring these
the time to explore, create, and that librarians fully understand
two stars together in a contrived
develop using technology tools, no the importance of these tools and
constellation. The encounter
true transformation can occur” actively engage in explaining and
would take place in a pre-service
(2015, 2555). promoting their effectiveness and
educational technology course
innovative use in the classroom.
during the students’ final project.
School librarians must understand
The Bright Star The project goals were to use
how to incorporate technologies
instructional technology in various
The National Board for Professional that support the design and delivery
courses in the Teacher Education
Teaching Standards (NBPTS) set of effective instruction. Through
and the School Library and
of standards for school librarians collaboration, librarians must
Information Science programs to
includes several standards focused support teachers in exploring
introduce teacher candidates to the
on their role. Within these creative and innovative ways to take
value of collaborative partnerships
standards exists a strong focus on advantage of the capabilities of
with school librarians and to
leadership as well as a charge that technologies to engage students and
provide practical experiences for
school librarians remain current facilitate higher-level thinking.
school librarian candidates. The
about emerging technologies,
intent was to provide teacher
learning theories, and teaching Too often, teachers are not aware of
candidates with real-world
techniques. Their knowledge of how school librarians can support
learning experiences in technology
design, development, assessment, their teaching and technology-inte-
integration and collaboration with
resources, and information access gration efforts. Equally, pre-service
pre-service school librarians; these
empowers school librarians to school librarians are provided
experiences encouraged teachers
serve as instructional partners with limited opportunities to work with
to continue these practices once
teachers. Within this partnership, classroom teachers. To address these
in the field. Explicit instruction
librarians can provide professional concerns, it is critical that teacher
and support from school librarian
development and model the best education programs provide oppor-
candidates in the use of technology
approaches to using and integrating tunities for pre-service teachers
is vital to increasing classroom
technology effectively (Mardis and and pre-service school librarians
teachers’ technological, pedagogical,
Everhart 2011; Staples, Pugach, to collaborate. Pre-service teachers
and content-area knowledge, and
and Himes 2005). “Poised at the need opportunities to collaborate
their effective application of this
intersection of information and with pre-service school librarians
knowledge when in their fields of
technology” (NBPTS 2012, 26), so that pre-service teachers can
practice. Successful exposure to
school librarians can serve as experience the value of partnering
instructional technologies during
leaders in helping teachers become with the school librarian. Providing
pre-service teacher preparation
information and technology literate pre-service school librarians with
can positively influence knowledge,
to strengthen teaching and learning opportunities to collaborate with
skills, and dispositions of teacher
processes. School librarians offer pre-service teachers can better
candidates and prepare them to
support to teachers by mentoring prepare librarians for their role
make informed decisions necessary
and encouraging best teaching and as support for classroom teachers.
for the effective use of technology in
learning practices that support Ever-changing technologies create a
the classroom (Marino, Sameshima,
powerful environments dedicated to vital and ongoing need for teachers
and Beecher 2009).
creating lifelong learners. to collaborate with school librarians
throughout their teaching careers.
Research studies indicate that a
Too often, teachers are
direct correlation exists between The university under study is at
student achievement and school the forefront of addressing the not aware of how school
library programs when librarians need for this vital connection
assume a leadership role in the between school librarians and librarians can support their
school (Francis, Lance, and Lietzau teachers; the School of Education
2010; Gavigan and Lance 2016; recently adopted a new department teaching and technology-
Lance, Rodney, and Hamilton- configuration that partnered the
Pennell 2000; Lance and Hofschire school librarian- and instructional integration efforts
2011, 2012; Smalley 2004). Since technology-preparation programs.
58 Knowledge Quest | Copyright and School Libraries in the Digital Age
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may be used for the noncommercial purpose of scientific or educational advancement
granted by Sections 107 and 108 of the Copyright Revision Act of 1976. Address
usage requests to the ALA Office of Rights and Permissions.
This early pilot sparked a long-term relationship
between the teacher and the school librarian—
two stars
in the
educational universe.
Future Stars Their schemata are based on their plan format. The 5E lesson plan
own educational experiences during model was developed in 1987 during
Participants in this pilot ranged in
their Pre-K–12 education. As a a retreat in Colorado as part of a
age from eighteen to fifty-four years
result, candidates often enter their curriculum development effort
old. Ninety percent were female.
education program with experiences (Biological Sciences Curriculum
Among the pre-service teachers,
based on outdated practices and Study 2016). Since that time the
47 percent were Caucasian, 38
technologies. The focus of the BSCS 5E model has become a widely
percent Hispanic, 6 percent African
educational technology course is to accepted model that describes a
American, with the remaining 9
introduce candidates to technology teaching sequence that can be used
percent reporting across other races/
skills and tools that will be revisited for programs, specific units, and
ethnicities. Among the pre-service
and enhanced throughout their individual lessons.
school librarians, 68 percent were
preparation program.
Caucasian, 16 percent African
American, with the remaining 16 The Alignment
The pre-service candidates’
percent reporting across other races/ As a culminating experience in
limited previous experiences with
ethnicities. the educational technology course,
pedagogical theory and practice
participants were assigned to five-
required that the educational
Their Universe member teams. Their charge was
technology course adopt a common
to identify an existing lesson from
At a regional university in the curriculum to serve as a foundation
their EE curriculum materials and
southern part of the United States, for modeling integration strategies.
establish that as “Monday’s lesson.”
teacher candidates are required to Environmental education (EE)
Then, they were asked, working
enroll in an educational technology materials produced by Project
as a team, to develop a lesson
course prior to admission to Learning Tree and Project Wild
for “Tuesday,” following the same
the teacher-education program. were adopted as the foundational
5E lesson plan model. To ensure
Often, this course is their first curriculum. The materials are
cohesiveness of a day’s lesson, all of
exposure to an education-related cross-grade-level and cross-content,
the 5E components were required to
course. Therefore, they enter allowing a common framework for
be developed collaboratively. Each
the classroom with limited or all candidates enrolled across all
team member was then given the
nonexistent exposure to pedagogy sections of the course. The lessons/
task of identifying an appropriate
or technology integration strategies. activities followed the 5E lesson
Volume 45, No. 2 | November/December 2016 59
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may be used for the noncommercial purpose of scientific or educational advancement
granted by Sections 107 and 108 of the Copyright Revision Act of 1976. Address
usage requests to the ALA Office of Rights and Permissions.
technology for his or her assigned “Using technology in our “The librarian is a busy person
stage of the 5E model. Through an lesson plans is a great benefit and sometimes cannot get to
exaggerated exercise in technology to our students because you right away.”
integration, this project provided students can have visuals on
each participant with an opportu- what we’re learning.” “Sometimes the teacher and the
nity to incorporate an individually librarian might not agree on
determined technology element “The librarian suggested many certain ideas.”
into the lesson sequence. Prior different websites, activities
to the pilot incorporating col- online, and software that can The most telling outcomes
laboration with a pre-service school enhance my lesson that I did were related to perceptions
librarian, the five-member team not know existed.” noted before and after the
had only each other and their course collaborative experience. Prior
instructor as resources. The pilot Evidence suggested that collabo- to the collaboration participants
introduced the team to a pre-service rating with the librarian could commented:
school librarian who would provide address the well-documented
guidance, expertise, and support barrier of lack of time: “I didn’t know what to expect.”
throughout the group project.
“Lessons are most likely done “I didn’t think that a librarian
Illuminations several days or weeks in would be very helpful in helping
advance.” me make a lesson plan.”
At the conclusion of the project,
focus groups were convened to
[They are] “faster at gathering “It was not imperative for
discuss the perceptions of the
information than me and teachers and librarians to
participants and, as with any star-
can narrow and filter out all collaborate. Teachers don’t
crossed experience, there were
the unnecessary information usually deal with the librarian
positives and negatives.
while only giving me what I in schools that I have seen
need for my lesson.” unless they are taking their class
When asked about the collaboration
to library time to check out
experience, participants commented
In contrast, the cons related to books or researching a certain
specifically about the resources that
working with a school librarian topic.”
the librarians contributed to the
were minimal. Participants noted
project:
collaboration issues such as: “I thought it might be fun, and it
will take some load off me.”
“School librarians were helpful
“When you have a specific
in bringing resources to the
idea in mind about a certain After the collaboration a notable
table; they gave us the idea of
resource, sometimes what they shift in perceptions was evident:
what to look for.”
bring to the table isn’t what
you are looking for.” “After, I realized I was wrong.
“They know a lot more websites
My librarian gave me some
to find information that we can
“They don’t make lesson plans, links that were great, and I
use in a lesson.”
and you get a ton of links, and combined ideas from two and
then we as teachers need to incorporated them into my
“They know a lot more resources
sort through them for the ones lesson plan.”
than I do.”
that will work in the lesson.”
Additionally, the teacher candidates
commented about the support
provided during lesson plan Through an exaggerated exercise in technology
development:
integration, this project provided each participant
“The school librarian has access
with an opportunity to incorporate an individually
to all books and he/she can let
us know what the latest books
determined technology element into the lesson sequence.
are and how we can use the
books in our lessons.”
60 Knowledge Quest | Copyright and School Libraries in the Digital Age
All materials in this journal subject to copyright by the American Library Association
may be used for the noncommercial purpose of scientific or educational advancement
granted by Sections 107 and 108 of the Copyright Revision Act of 1976. Address
usage requests to the ALA Office of Rights and Permissions.
“The librarian was nice though… Looking to the Future will ensure the reliability of the
He helped.” study outcomes. As research
This early pilot sparked a long-term
partners, we hope that outcomes
relationship between the teacher
“As far as technology goes, I was of our future research provide
and the school librarian—two
going to integrate technology evidence that supports the benefits
stars in the educational universe.
either way, but after this of collaborative partnerships in
The future shines even brighter
experience I have much more pre-service programs and between
as we implement an expanded
confidence in being able to practicing school librarians and
collaborative study across multiple
write lesson plans and including teachers in their schools. These
sections of the educational
technology.” new constellations could not only
technology course. Data collection
increase the momentum of current
will include pre- and post-project
“I will collaborate with a librarian collaborations but blaze new trails
perception surveys, journals,
in the future. They will be able for future research in the area of
and focus groups. The use of
to give me ideas from links that I teacher and librarian collaborations.
experimental and control groups
may not have thought of. Having
a variety of ideas will make my
lesson plans that much more
interesting for my students.”
Sheila F. Baker, Jana M. Willis, PhD, is
“This experience is definitely PhD, is an assistant chair of the Literacy, Library
something to keep in mind for professor in the School and Learning Technologies
the future.”
Library and Information Department and professor
Science Program at the of Instructional Design and
“It was a nice experience. I
enjoyed going through my University of Houston-Clear Lake, College Technology at the University of Houston-Clear
librarian’s ideas. Some of the of Education. She cochairs the Information Lake (UHCL), College of Education. For her
suggestions were right on the
Literacy Education Special Interest Group work with the Texas State Teachers Association
money, and others were just not
formed as part of a partnership between the Student Program, UHCL’s Office of Student Life
what I was looking for. But I
would rather use the help than Society for Information and Technology and named her UHCL Organization Advisor of the
not.” Teacher Education (SITE) and the Education Year for the 2012–2013 academic year. She
and Behavioral Sciences Section (EBSS) is chair of the Society for Information Technol-
Time was again a common theme:
of the Association of College and Research ogy and Teacher Education’s Digital Games and
“Sometimes as teachers we don’t Libraries (ACRL). She is also a member of Simulations Special Interest Group. She serves on
have time to spend hours on and reviewer for AASL’s CAEP Coordinating the editorial review board for Association for the
doing research on a subject. I
Committee. Among her recent publications is a Advancement of Computing in Education journals
like the idea of collaborating
paper she coauthored with Jana Willis, which and was 2015–2016 managing editor of Texas
with a librarian because I can
give my librarian a topic, and she they presented at the 2016 SITE international Forum of Teacher Education published
can do the research, and then conference. Her “From Teacher to School by the Texas Association of Teacher Educators.
I can go over her findings and
Librarian Leader and Instructional Partner: Among her recent publications are “Flip This
piece them together to make one
A Proposed Transformation Framework for Classroom: A Comparative Study” published in
lesson. This will save me hours
of work.” Educators of Preservice School Librarians” was early 2016 by Computers in the Schools (coau-
published in the January 2016 issue of School thored with Tiffany Unruh and Michelle L. Peters)
“I could have done the lesson
Libraries Worldwide. and “Increasing Teacher Confidence in Teaching
without a librarian’s help, but
and Technology Use through Vicarious Experienc-
it will take me longer and the
quality will not be as good. es within an Environmental Education Context”
Overall, the addition of a published in 2016 by Applied Environmental
librarian increased the quality
Education and Communication (coauthored with
of the lesson and sped up the
Brenda Weiser and Donna Smith).
lesson-making process.”
Volume 45, No. 2 | November/December 2016 61
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may be used for the noncommercial purpose of scientific or educational advancement
granted by Sections 107 and 108 of the Copyright Revision Act of 1976. Address
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may be used for the noncommercial purpose of scientific or educational advancement
granted by Sections 107 and 108 of the Copyright Revision Act of 1976. Address
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