This week I was able to create (and hopefully finalize) the landing pages for my final project on Transliterate Librarians. I would love some feedback on what I have written… Have I provided enough information on each topic? Have I provided a good explanation on each topic? Do you feel the videos match what I am trying to explain in my writing or do they take away from it?
Thanks!
Opening Page
The role of the Teacher Librarian is changing. TLs are no longer the keepers of information, but rather media specialists and educational leaders. TLs collaborate with other teachers to implement engaging and innovative technologies to improve student learning, engage students in inquiry based learning to help develop multiple literacies, and teach students how to use technology to find information and with the information the ability extract and synthesize it to formulate new meaning.
The purpose of this website is to provide a comprehensive resource for TLs and teachers that includes lessons and resources on the four domains of what TLs teach according to Joyce Valenza and Gwyenth Jones. The four domains as listed in the poster below are inquiry and research, evaluating resources, creating and sharing, and digital citizenship.
This website takes into account Ribble’s nine elements of digital citizenship, the Saskatchewan Digital Citizenship Continuum from K-12, Teaching in Education Framework, and RCSD’s Essential Skills of 21st Century Learning.
Please use the menu above to locate and access the lessons and more information on each domain.
Inquiry and Research
Inquiry is embedded across all renewed Saskatchewan curricula. It can occur in many ways, in the moment, integrated in a lesson, planned as unit, within a subject area. Inquiry allows students to explore and engage in learning opportunities that fosters deep understanding. Inquiry encourages students to ask questions, perform investigations, and build new understandings. Research is a key piece to an effective inquiry as students are searching, synthesizing, and formulating new knowledge, meanings, and understandings. In addition, inquiry and research promotes reading and writing as students explore and formulate new knowledge.
Evaluating Resources
Students need the skills to locate, use, and evaluate information. While doing research, students should be able to choose an appropriate media outlet for their purpose, check the currency, relevance, authority, accuracy, and purpose of the information. It is essential for students to develop this skill at a young age as they are turning to the technology to access information and learn new concepts. However, they need the digital literacies of how to use technology effectively, such as navigating the web appropriately, keeping track of sources for reference, using search engines and keywords successfully, and ensuring information is accurate and reliable.
Creating and Sharing
Creating and sharing are important components of transliteracy as they give learning a purpose, an audience, and allow for connections. Through creating and sharing students should appreciate literature in all media forms. It is important not to get distracted by the “bells and whistles” of things and to remember your purpose. Through creating and sharing students are taught how to communicate their message. They are also encouraged to be critical thinkers about media messages that are presented to them. Creating and sharing can be done through a PLE or PLN and allows student to express themselves authentically and purposefully.
Digital Citizenship
Digital citizenship is an essential skill in transliteracy. Often it is assumed that because students are young, they are digital natives; however, they need to explicitly be taught digital citizenship. They need to understand that other people have created and own content that is posted online and it is important to attribute their work appropriately. This can be started at a very young age by just writing the author and title of a book and it will grow from there. As well, students should know the difference between copying, remixing, creating, and sharing whilst developing the skills of content curation and how to use creative commons. Additionally students need to manage their digital footprint and realize what they post online is available widely, therefore they need to protect their online identity. Lastly, students need to be respectful online, respectful of themselves and respectful of others.
Kristina Boutilier 