Rebecca Crawford - School Media Specialist
My vision of a technology enriched school library.
Being that we work in a PreK - 8th grade building this vision will be different than a traditional elementary or middle school library. I see technology as an everyday tool to be used by both teachers and students to enhance their learning. A media center should be a place where both teachers and students can utilize these tools to locate, gather, and deliver information.
As for the younger students they should become familiar with technology by observing the teacher using it during lessons and, with the help of their teachers, by navigating through the tools themselves. Older students should be able to access the tools themselves to aid them in gathering and presenting information in a variety of formats.
Currently our school library is set up to facilitate the younger students and their teachers. The older students do use it to locate materials but do not have a designated area to conduct higher level research. I would like to see more computers added to the library for the older students to use. These computers should be consistent with the ones currently being used in the computer labs. This way the middle school students can utilize the library not only for print resources but also for electronic ones. They can start their projects in the labs or classrooms and continue working on them in the media center. A true media center should have access to both print and electronic resources to be used by the whole school population.
I also see a need for this committee to develop a plan for the removal or donation of the equipment we are no longer using. As new technology is added to the building the old, obsolete equipment is being pushed into corners, stored under stairs or in closets. One of the elements of the technology plan should include a plan for the best possible removal for this equipment.
My vision of a technology enriched school library.
Being that we work in a PreK - 8th grade building this vision will be different than a traditional elementary or middle school library. I see technology as an everyday tool to be used by both teachers and students to enhance their learning. A media center should be a place where both teachers and students can utilize these tools to locate, gather, and deliver information.
As for the younger students they should become familiar with technology by observing the teacher using it during lessons and, with the help of their teachers, by navigating through the tools themselves. Older students should be able to access the tools themselves to aid them in gathering and presenting information in a variety of formats.
Currently our school library is set up to facilitate the younger students and their teachers. The older students do use it to locate materials but do not have a designated area to conduct higher level research. I would like to see more computers added to the library for the older students to use. These computers should be consistent with the ones currently being used in the computer labs. This way the middle school students can utilize the library not only for print resources but also for electronic ones. They can start their projects in the labs or classrooms and continue working on them in the media center. A true media center should have access to both print and electronic resources to be used by the whole school population.
I also see a need for this committee to develop a plan for the removal or donation of the equipment we are no longer using. As new technology is added to the building the old, obsolete equipment is being pushed into corners, stored under stairs or in closets. One of the elements of the technology plan should include a plan for the best possible removal for this equipment.