Confronting the ‘Crisis of Significance” in 21st Century School Libraries

Ray DoironUniversity of Prince Edward Island

Marlene AsselinUniversity of British Columbia

Treasure Mountain 2Ottawa, June 2-3, 2012

Setting the context. . .Why such strong language –

“crisis”?Video demo:

◦http://www.youtube.com/user/peischools#p/f/25/yfpa9uTWdJE

. . . the vision here says nothing about school libraries. It’s as if the ideas of the school library have been appropriated by educators in general. It is not the school library’s job to do this; it is everyone’s.

So where do we fit in? or are we obsolete and irrelevant?

The Neverending “Crisis” Brandes, B. (1987). The crisis in California school libraries.

http://eric.ed.gov/PDFS/ED300036.pdf Lance, K.C., & Hainer., E. (1998). The Case for Crisis in School

Libraries: Symptoms or Solutions? Colorado Libraries, Summer, pp. 6-10.

Loring, John. (2002) "The crisis in school libraries: How did we fall so far so fast?" Quill & Quire (February 2002): 18. URL: www.quillandquire.com/Library/Crisis%20in%20School%20Libraries.pdf

Haycock, K. (2003). The Crisis in Canada’s School Libraries:The Case for Reform and Re-Investment.

Gilmore-See, J. (2010). Simply Indispensable: An action guide for school librarians. Libraries Unlimited. Chapter 1, page 1: “The Crisis in School Libraries”.

OLA website article (2011). Continuing crisis in school libraries. Retrieved May 29, 2012 from http://www.accessola.org/ola_dev/OLAWEB/OLAWEB/Home/News/November/Continuing_Crisis_in_School_Libraries.aspx

Session OutlineIntroducing 21st Century Learners

◦Their identities & learning stylesPowering the 21st Century

Learner◦Learning outcomes & learning

environmentsPowering 21st Century Learning

◦Inquiry, Action & teaching principlesPowering Up School Libraries

◦Challenges & New Metaphors◦Concluding thoughts… Discussion …

Introducing 21st Century Learners

1 billion users around the globe are surfing the Internet every month.

Describing 21st Century LearnersLearning Processes Constructed Identity

Interactive participants Economic force

Take action approach Networked communities

Early adopters Passionately tolerant

Makers of personal landscapes Force for social transformation

Learn by doing  

Multi-tasking, multi-modal  

(From: Asselin & Doiron, 2008, p.8)

In their own words… We want to do work that makes a difference to me and my world. We don’t want to remember, recall and regurgitate. We don’t want to learn for the sake of tests. We don’t want learning made easy; rather, we want it to mean something. We want to learn with the media of our times. We want to do work that is relevant, meaningful and authentic. We want to be engaged intellectually. We want stronger relationships with our teachers, with each other and with our

communities - locally, provincially, nationally and globally We want teachers to know how we learn, to take into account what we understand

and what we misunderstand and use this knowledge as a starting place to guide our continued learning.

We want to be able to work with others in the classroom, online and in our community. We want to be able to pick up our information anywhere, anytime. We want in-depth learning. We need feedback in time to help us learn and in time do something about it. (Adapted

from Friesen, S., & Jardine, D. (2009) 21st Century Learning and Learners. A report for the Western and Northern Canadian Curriculum Protocol. University of Calgary: Galileo Educational Network, p.3)

Retrieved from http://education.alberta.ca/media/1087278/wncp%2021st%20cent%20learning%20(2).pdf

The disconnect between in-school & out-of-schoolThe words of two Grade 12

students:◦Let me tell you what school is like for

me. “Blah, blah, blah, blah; test on Friday.” (From Friesen & Jardine, 2009)

◦As my son said when he and I were talking about his experience in high school:

“Dad, we go along to get along. And I am one of the lucky ones because I have learned to remember and regurgitate.” (Matt, 2011)

Powering the 21st Century LearnerWhat are the knowledge, skills and

attributes we need to teach these learners?

Framework for 21st Century Learning◦Core subject area knowledge;◦Creativity & innovation;◦Communication & collaboration;◦Critical thinking & problem solving.

SEE: http://p21.org/documents/1.__p21_framework_2-pager.pdf

The Learning Environment outlined by the Framework We establish learning environments which: Create learning practices, human resources and physical

environments that support teaching and learning; Support professional learning communities that enable educators to

collaborate, share best practices and integrate 21st century skills; Enable students to learn in relevant, real world contexts; Allow equitable access to quality learning tools, technologies and

resources; Provide architectural and interior designs for group, team and

individual learning; Support expanded community and international involvement in

learning, both face-to-face and online. (From: 21st Century Learning Environments )

The 21st Century Learning Initiative: Policy Paperhttp://www.21learn.org/site/wp-content/uploads/PP.pdfFive key interrelated issues which have

to be better understood for a more effective model of learning to emerge. ◦the biological nature of learning;◦the science of learning;◦culture and nurture: how our ideas shape our

thinking;◦the implications of new technologies of

information and communication;◦ spontaneous, informal learning; the

significance of the home and the community.

Influence of the Partnership for 21st Century Skills Canadian Examples:

◦ 1) British Columbia’s The Premier’s Technology Council: A Vision for 21st

Century Education (2010); ◦ 2) Western and Northern Canadian Curriculum Protocol: 21st

Century Learning and Learners (Friesen & Jardine, 2009); ◦ 3) Prince Edward Island:

Proceedings of the Minister’s Summit on Learning (2010); and ◦ 4) New Brunswick’s NB3-21C: Creating a 21st

Century Learning Model of Public Education, (2010). AASL in USA:

◦ Inquire, think critically and gain knowledge;◦ Draw conclusions, make informed decisions, apply knowledge to

new situations and create new knowledge;◦ Share knowledge and participate ethically and productively as

members of our democratic society;◦ Pursue personal and aesthetic growth. (AASL, 2006).

Common Connections to School Libraries We can hear the call for inquiry,

information & digital literacies, critical thinking, technological competence, global connections and collaboration for learning that echoes throughout these documents.

Most are written without a clear role for the school library and the teacher-librarian.

Powering 21st Century LearningIs broadening resource-based

learning to be “inquiry” really enough?

Are we really empowering students with our visions of inquiry?

We need to think inquiry and action.

How We Teach 21st Century LearnersWe focus on teaching “how to learn”;We build collaborative, connected learning

situations;We capitalize on learners’ social conscience

and global perspective;We assign learners more control in their

learning within clear parameters;We use multiple/varied resources –

multimodal, multimedia…We teach ethical issues and proper online

behaviours;We teach learners to respect the work of

others and to act responsibly as information literate, global citizens.

Powering up School LibrariesOvercoming our fear of the

Internet;We need to ‘lead learning’;Build a diverse ‘digital toolkit’;Stand up for the need for access;Move quickly for the change that

is needed.

Towards New MetaphorsNot ‘old wine served in new bottles’;The ‘hub’, the ‘heart’ of the school will

no longer work; Maybe ‘the brain’?Kulthau – ‘the third space’;Frey – ‘centres of culture’;Loertscher, Koechlin & Zwaan – ‘

learning commons;Waaijers – ‘libratories’Think more in terms of ecological

models…

Three major challengesWe are lacking current and reputable

research linking 21st century learners & learning to the role of the school library.◦ Shift from student achievement to issues of

social justice, equity and culture/community;

We have a growing need for re-invigorated leadership in school librarianship. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4RzmrhDmjeQ

Keeping up with our growing professional learning needs.◦ Action research, PLCs, study groups, ◦ Article: Professional Learning in Effective Schools (2005)

http://www.eduweb.vic.gov.au/edulibrary/public/teachlearn/teacher/Proflearningineffectiveschools.pdf

Questions - Discussion