Oreta Taylor

Standard 1: Use of Information and Ideas
School library media candidates encourage reading and lifelong learning by stimulating interests and fostering competencies in the effective use of ideas and information. They apply a variety of strategies to ensure access to resources and information in a variety of formats to all members of the learning community. Candidates promote efficient and ethical information-seeking behavior as part of the school library media program and its services.

Sub-standards:
Efficient and Ethical Information-seeking Behavior; Literacy and Reading; Access to Information; Stimulating Learning Environment.

I-Search
Link to assignment (6360)

Description:
I-Search is a research process model designed not simply to find information but to teach students how to use a research process. It incorporates strategies such as user-selected topics, essential questions, reflections, graphic organizers and double-entry note-taking sheets to encourage the student to become an efficient, ethical and evaluative information seeker. We learned to teach this process by doing our own I-search.

What did I learn?
The most important part of the I-search project for me was the concept of teaching a research process model rather than teaching sources. My prior experience and education had taught me about sources, but not about the process of researching. This project has given me the skills I need to change the way I teach information literacy skills so that I can better foster this competency in my students. In addition, doing my own research allowed me to learn how to use modern electronic sources such as GALILEO more effectively.

Sub-standard Addressed:
Efficient and Ethical Information-seeking behavior.

Order
Link to assignment (6340)

Description:
This collaborative assignment provided a realistic way for us to practice implementing our selection policy by placing an imaginary order for books. We went through the entire process, using our selection policy to determine our needs, researching books and other media that would fill those needs, selecting a source, filling out the order, and justifying the order to a media committee.

What did I learn?
When trying to get students to read, it is important to have the right materials for them to read. This project was a realistic experience in promoting literacy and reading as well as providing increased access by our materials selections. Our group selected the goal of improving our Language Arts section. To place this order we had to research changes in the Georgia Performance Standards so that we could best support the curriculum. We also had to evaluate our current collection in these areas, identify needs and weaknesses and research books that will fill these areas. We increased media center access by, among other things, providing for Spanish language books. We supported literacy by selecting books that not only address the curriculum but also will entice and engage our students. Because this project emphasize not only what we order, but why we order it, I will be placing orders that more effectively promote literacy and access in the future.

Sub-standards Addressed:
Literacy and Reading and Access to Information

Program Development and Evaluation Plan
Link to PDEP (6300)

Description:
This collaborative assignment allowed us to develop what is sometimes called a media plan. This plan contains the media center goals and visions, needs assessment and evaluation, budgeting considerations, short and long-term goals and the role of the Media Committee. It is, in short, a blueprint for what you intend to do with your media center.

What did I learn?
I have created media plans before but this plan forced me to think about my media center in a different way by having me explicitly align my actions with library standards rather than just list what I think should be done. Our plan was designed to increase media center access and help provide a stimulating learning environment in a variety of ways.

Sub-standards addressed:
Access to information. Stimulating learning environment.

Internship
No link

Description
I spent 100 hours in a media center, 8 hours in a Middle School Media Center and 8 hours in a High School Media Center.

What did I learn?
I observed those elements of the three media centers that made them not only inviting but also stimulating learning environments. For my media center, I have acquired and arranged furniture so that I have a reference and computer area, an instructional area, a viewing area and a large group area. Posters and Realia have been added to increase student interest. A professional reference area was created to provide teachers with increased access to resources. Signage was increased so that students may find the books they need. Clutter and non-essential furniture was removed.

Sub-Standards addressed:
Stimulating learning environment.