Site X Background and Rationale:
At site X, I have seen and experienced the need for change with respect to the primary teachers using reference resources effectively. Traditionally in the past, primary students and teachers have been invited to the library only for a story and book exchange period. Intermediate teachers have sent their students to the library for their prep period to watch informational videos, such as TED talks, or intermediate teachers have gone with their students to the library to conduct research independently. Because the district has a great array of on-line reference resources and the school has many ipad and laptop carts, it seems the intermediate teachers are quite well-versed in using reference resources effectively and are quite tech savvy. I would conclude that the need for change and facilitation is at the primary level. As such I will choose to illustrate a typical primary teacher at the school and show how to help move this teacher along the continuum of learning to use reference resources more effectively and integrate technology into her teaching meaningfully. I have chosen to guide one teacher through a couple of levels, because my sense is that all the primary teachers are hovering around the same starting level.
Teacher A:
Teacher A is a primary teacher who has many years of classroom experience. She loves to read children's literature to her students and usually includes it in a very meaningful way to start a lesson or theme. She is not very experienced in using technology in the classroom. She goes on-line to "google" resources. She occasionally uses youtube videos to introduce lessons or themes in science and socials. When she does, she makes use of the smart board in the classroom. She frequently goes to the library and takes out some books on the theme she is teaching and makes a lot of her own materials, such as mini-fact books (using facts from Wikipedia) for her students to read or complete or she finds teaching resources on the internet and prints them for the students to complete and hand-in. She does not make use of the library's databases or the school ipads. She would rather "do her own thing" in her classroom but would be open to collaborating.
Teacher A's Current Stage of Concern:
With regards to technology usage, according to the SAMR model, Teacher A is somewhere between the substitution and augmentation level. She is using some technology in her classroom but not in a very innovative way.
With regard to the use of reference resources, according to the Concern-Based Adoption Model, Teacher A is at level 0 (awareness/non-use) or 1 (informational/orientation). She does go to the library and use the internet to search for reference resources, but not very effectively.
Goal:
The goal will be to increase awareness and usage of quality print and especially digital reference resources as well as work collaboratively in the library. Furthermore, Teacher A will learn to use technology in new ways to create new meaning.
Plan Part 1:
Given that Teacher A's situation is typical of the primary teachers on staff:
1. It would be helpful for the T-L to attend one of the monthly primary meetings in order to showcase her services and highlight some of the reference resources that are available in print in the library or on-line, specifically for the primary staff and students. It would be a good idea to see if there is any interest in following up with lunch-and-learn sessions to build relationships whilst showing the primary staff the various resources on EBSCO and Gale, that have a primary focus, such a National Geographic Kids, World Book Kids, and as well as children's print reference resources, such as atlases and fact books and their location in the library. This would also be an opportunity to see what sorts of units the teachers are going to be covering and offering to collaborate with them. Furthermore, this will give the T-L a chance to see where there may be gaps in the collection that need to be filled.
2. Since the primary students go into the library for a weekly story and book exchange, the T-L has the opportunity to choose a reference resource (print or digital) to show or read to the students. The library also has a smart board. Furthermore, the T-L could use the ipads and read a story with the students on-line using one of the databases (such as Bookflix or Razkids) to get them interested and learning about the technology. This would allow the teachers to see the resources and the technology "in action". Slowly the teachers can take a more hands-on approach after seeing and experiencing it being used by the T-L in the library. This would also allow the teachers to use the materials in their classrooms and implement them into their daily teaching.
Effect:
With regard to technology use, according to the SAMR model, Teacher A would now be heading over the line to the modification level. She would be reading books on-line or having her students use the ipads to read books on-line and looking at reference resources.
With regard to the effective use of reference resources, according to the Concern-Based Adoption Model, Teacher A could move through several levels and get as far as level 3 (mechanical), maybe even level 4a (routine). She would have seen the usage modeled in the library, she would have been supported in using it in the library and if she chose to implement in the classroom, she would be refining her skills and making it into a routine use.
Plan Part 2:
In this part Teacher A's specific needs are addressed. To achieve this, she could be invited to the library to work collaboratively on her upcoming unit: Architecture and Engineering. In this way she will see how effectively reference resources can be imbedded into the unit planning and teaching by implementing the following steps and strategies around the Points of Inquiry as outlined by the BCTLA, as a whole class inquiry project:
1. Since Teacher A is very fond of children's literature, the T-L could suggest she start the unit with a story. They could search some of the databases to look at abstracts of children's stories relating to her theme. One such search might bring them to "Iggy Peck Architect".
This is a children's literature book but is also factual, so it is a good way to ease Teacher A into using reference resources and it allows her to practice using the reference resource databases provided at the school, to familiarize herself with sites such as Gale, CM Magazine or Quill and Quire in order to search for quality children's literature, when she is planning.
2. After reading the book with the students, the class could use some LEGO creator sets to build various structures. This would allow Teacher A to see that the library is not just a place to come and look at books, but it is a library learning commons with a makerspace component to it.
3. Finally, as the T-L models the process of inquiry and research, she can highlight various digital reference resources that the district, such as World Book Kids.
Effect
After working through this unit collaboratively, Teacher A will be in a position to follow the same or similar steps for different units. This will allow her to become proficient at level 3 (mechanical) in the Concern Based Adoption Model.
Plan Part 3
Teacher A may even start to move to level 4 (routine) independently.
1. Students could start to do individual research projects based on their interests. This may look like a Genious Hour type of endeavour. Teacher A and the T-L could split up the class. Teacher A could use the ipads in the class to access the reference resources the students require remotely and the T-L could do a mini-lesson in the library with students to help them develop their critical literacy and thinking skills further.
2. As a whole class, the T-L could teach the students and Teacher A how to "show" their learning in a new and meaningful way (e.g. imovie).
Effect
At this point Teacher A could be at level 4b (refinement) or even moving towards level 5 (intergration) with the Concern Based Adoption Model. Depending on how she requires her students to "show" their learning (e.g. through imovies), she may be at the level of redefinition in the SAMR Model with regard to technology use.
Conclusion:
Teacher A was met at Level 0-1 in terms of her reference resource usage and also at the beginning stages of her integration of technology in the classroom. This is fairly typical of the primary teachers at the chosen school site. By inviting them to collaborate and by incorporating some simple strategies into the research process, the primary staff could move along the continuum very quickly to level 4 or 5 because they are keen and the resources and the technology are there to support them along the way.
Bibliography
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