Module 2: Role of the School Library

Examine the role of the school library from an instructional perspective.

Module Objectives

  • Write learning objectives aligned to the national school library standards.
  • Reflect on the instructional role of the school librarian.

Think

  • Module 15: (In)Equity in Libraries from Hughes-Hassell, S., Rawson, C. H., & Hirsh, K. (2019). Project READY: Reimagining equity and access to diverse youth [online curriculum]. https://ready.web.unc.edu/

Read the following positions statements from AASL. (n.d.). Position statements. https://www.ala.org/aasl/advocacy/resources/statements

  • Role of the School Library (2019)
  • Instructional Role of the School Librarian (2020)
  • Definition of an Effective School Librarian (2018)

Choose one or more of the following:

Create

Step Two: Define Your Learning Outcomes

Now that you have a collaborator and a topic of study, it’s time to define your learning outcomes. What do you want your learners to know and be able to do at the end of the learning activities? This will involve both content standards and library standards.

Start by identifying the standards, and then identify the learning outcomes. Remember that the learner competencies in the National School Library Standards are written generally. The outcomes you write will need to be specific to your learners.

For example, Mary and George decide to address three library learner competencies in their unit plan: I.A.1, IV.A.3, and VI.B.1. There may be other relevant library standards at play in the unit, but they’ve decided to focus on these three to make the work manageable and focused. For each standard, they have written a learning outcome that is developmentally appropriate and applies to the overarching unit goals.

I.A.1: Learners display curiosity and initiative by formulating questions about a personal interest or a curricular topic.

Learning Outcome: Learners will write a research question that can be investigated using the scientific method.

IV.A.3: Learners act on an information need by making critical choices about information sources to use.

Learning Outcome: Learners will determine which library databases are most appropriate for their information need and locate information from three different types of sources (i.e., website, newspaper, journal article).

VI.B.1: Learners use valid information and reasoned conclusions to make ethical decisions in the creation of knowledge by ethically using and reproducing others’ work.

Learning Outcome: Learners will cite sources using MLA citation style in a references page and using in-text citations on their project posters.

You might find How to: Writing Objectives from Foundations of Education useful. Note, you are not required to include the Depth of Knowledge for this assignment. You should reference the relevant national and/or state standards.

Submit the following to your instructor:

  • What learner standards will you be assessing?
  • What are your learning outcomes for those standards?

Share

In the Module 2 discussion forum, add to the discussion around the following prompts. Do not create a new thread, but rather continue the discussion your classmates have started. You may still reply to a specific classmate.  

  • Does your library have behavior or conduct policies that are library specific? Review your policies through a equity lens. Are there policies that might be inequitable? Are there policies that might be applied or enforced inequitably? How might you improve your policy or enforcement practices to avoid these pitfalls?
  • If you don’t have a library specific behavior policy in your school, examine your general school policy; or consider creating a behavior policy for your library. What would it look like?

In the Resource forum, share the item you explored from the Think and then reflect on your choice by answering three of the following questions. Then, respond to three of your classmates:

  • How has my prior experience and personal values influenced my understanding of this topic?
  • What are other theories of this topic that might provide me with a different viewpoint?
  • How could my education colleagues support me or collaborate with me in learning more about this topic?
  • What new information did I learn? What questions do I have?
  • How could I apply this information to my practice?
  • If you disagree with the information presented, how so? Why?
  • What opportunities / challenges could this information lead to?

Respond to three or more of your classmates in either discussion forum.

Grow

Continue your Project READY journal.