Lusk,+Jenni

Teaching the Tennessee Electronic Library **Pre-Assessment:** Teachers in grades 3-5 at George Whitten Elementary were given a survey to assess their knowledge and use of the Tennessee Electronic Library (TEL) in planning and instruction. This assessment was given to twelve teachers in order to gage a need in the school. The school has recently acquired a new computer lab and is being used by teachers every other week. In teaching mini-lessons to students in the 5th grade classes, it was discovered that the teachers were unfamiliar with the database. From the data collected, it was determined that 100% of teachers surveyed do not use TEL in lesson planning and instruction. Additionally, only one teacher was comfortable with using the databases, further 100% of teachers surveyed do not feel comfortable using TEL for instruction. ** Table of Results  ** **// Audience: //** TLW be 3rd-5th grade teachers at George Whitten Elementary needing instruction on using and planning with TEL. **// Behavior: //** TLW successfully log on to TEL for the purpose finding information. **// Conditions: //** TLW research information on TEL to use in lesson planning and instruction. **// Degree: //** TLW select information found in the TEL database to use with students or in lesson planning. Handouts for TEL, Computers in computer lab for each teacher LCD projector White board Internet access for the TEL website **Extensions:** Assessment: ** At the conclusion of this lesson, I would distribute the TEL survey to the teachers. I would also ask for comments on ways teachers could immediately implement this into instruction and planning. I anticipate the responses on the survey to be more positive and reflect that the teachers would feel comfortable using TEL for planning and instruction. Reflection: ** Since this lesson hasn’t been taught, I anticipate some difficulty with teachers who are less comfortable with using technology to teach. I might want to do a more one-on-one instruction with those teachers. I also anticipate better reception from teachers if this is offered as part of a required staff development day rather than as an after-school option.
 * ** Please answer the following Yes or No:  ** |||| **  % of Yes  ** || **  % of No  ** ||
 * 1. I have used TEL for lesson planning and preparation. ||||  0%  ||  100%  ||
 * 2. I have used TEL in instruction with my students. ||||  0%  ||  100%  ||
 * 3. I have recommended TEL to my students for research. ||||  8.3%  ||  91.6%  ||
 * 4. I know how to use TEL.  ||||  16.6%  ||  83.3%  ||
 * ** Based on answers above, indicate the most appropriate:  ** || **  Strongly Disagree  ** |||| **  Agree  ** |||| **  Strongly Agree  ** ||
 * 1. I am comfortable accessing TEL. ||   91.6%   ||||   0%   ||||   8.3%   ||
 * 2. I am comfortable finding information on TEL. ||   91.6%   ||||   0%   ||||   8.3%   ||
 * 3. I am comfortable using TEL for instruction. ||   100%   ||||   0%   ||||   0%   ||
 * Standards/Goals: **
 * Standards/Goals: **
 * AASL-2007.1.1.9 ||  Collaborate with others to broaden and deepen understanding.  ||
 * AASL-2007.1.4.3 ||  Monitor gathered information, and assess for gaps or weaknesses.  ||
 * AASL-2007.3.1.2 ||  Participate and collaborate as members of a social and intellectual network of learners.  ||
 * AASL-2007.3.1.4 ||  Use technology and other information tools to organize and display knowledge and understanding in ways that others can view, use, and assess.  ||
 * AASL-2007.3.4.1 ||  Assess the processes by which learning was achieved in order to revise strategies and learn more effectively in the future.  ||
 * ALA-AASL.1 ||  STANDARD: 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.  ||
 * ALA-AASL.1.1 ||  > Efficient and ethical information-seeking behavior: Candidates model strategies to locate, evaluate and use information for specific purposes. Candidates identify and address student interests and motivations. Candidates interact with the learning community to access, communicate and interpret intellectual content. Candidates adhere to and communicate legal and ethical policies.  ||
 * ALA-AASL.2 ||  STANDARD: Teaching and Learning. School library media candidates model and promote collaborative planning with classroom teachers in order to teach concepts and skills of information processes integrated with classroom content. They partner with other education professionals to develop and deliver an integrated information skills curriculum. Candidates design and implement instruction that engages the student’s interests, passions, and needs which drive their learning.  ||
 * ALA-AASL.2.1 ||  > Knowledge of learners and learning: Candidates design library media instruction that assesses learner interests, needs, instructional methodologies, and information processes to assure that each is integral to information skills instruction. Candidates support the learning of all students and other members of the learning community, including those with diverse learning styles, abilities and needs. Information skills instruction is based on student interests and learning needs and is linked to student achievement.  ||
 * ALA-AASL.2.3 ||  > Information literacy curriculum: Candidates employ strategies to integrate the information literacy curriculum with content curriculum. Candidates incorporate technology to promote efficient and equitable access to information beyond print resources. Candidates assist students to use technology to access, analyze, and present information.  ||
 * ALA-AASL.3 ||  STANDARD: Collaboration and Leadership. School library media candidates provide leadership and establish connections with the greater library and education community to create school library media programs that focus on students learning and achievement; encourage the personal and professional growth of teachers and other educators, and model the efficient and effective use of information and ideas.  ||
 * ALA-AASL.3.2 ||  > Instructional partner: Candidates model, share, and promote ethical and legal principles of education and librarianship. Candidates acknowledge the importance of participating on school and district committees and in faculty staff development opportunities.  ||
 * Instructional Goals: **
 * Materials, Media, and other Resources: **
 * Set: **
 * 1) Begin with a discussion on how teachers find additional information with and for their students. Accept answers.
 * 2) What are some problems with a Google search? Information found on Wikipedia? Commercial sites? Accept answers.
 * 3) Ask teachers if they are able to get all information for a given lesson from their textbook? Are the students able to get everything they need for a project, report, or other assignment from an encyclopedia?
 * 4) As teachers who want to model and inspire lifelong learners, do we want our students to obtain information from one source or from unreliable sources?
 * 5) What we do have as educators in Tennessee is the Tennessee Electronic Library. This is a wonderful resource for all learners, elementary to adult.
 * Instructional Sequence: **
 * 1) Begin with showing teachers how to access the Gale Databases.  [|www.tntel.info] . From this opening screen, briefly discuss some of the other options available to us: The Points of View Reference Center, The Learning Express Library, The Newspapers, and Heritage Quest Online.
 * 2) Demonstrate how to get to the Tennessee State Library and Archives, find our county and school and log on using the password. Allow teachers time ot follow along with their computers.
 * 3) Discuss how the Gale Databases work using “cross-searches” of all data bases or searches of individual databases.
 * 4) Refer to the handout of descriptions of each database.
 * 5) Direct attention to the Additional Products on the lower portion of the website and highlight the Kids InfoBits. This is chosen because of the appropriateness of the grade level these teachers instruct. Describe how the database works and how teachers can find information for and with their students.
 * 6) Have teachers all perform a search for information on Geography in Tennessee.
 * 7) As teachers navigate to find information, provide opportunities for assistance as needed.
 * 8) What types of information is available? Highlight the different tabs at the top of the search results. Highlight the “breadcrumbs” at the top of the page also.
 * 9) Show how students can listen to some of the articles found. Show the Backpack.
 * 10) How this information would be helpful in lesson planning? Discuss ideas shared.
 * 11) How would this information be helpful to students during instruction? Discuss ideas shared.
 * 12) How can we use this in our classrooms right now? Discuss ideas shared.
 * 13) Show the Teacher Toolbox.
 * 14) Demonstrate how to navigate back to all databases.
 * 15) Show how to use Student Edition. Have teachers perform a search for Inventors and select all sources. Scroll to find Women as Inventors and select. Discuss the choices available here.
 * 16) How would this be helpful in lesson planning? Discuss ideas shared.
 * 17) How would this be helpful to students during instruction? Discuss ideas shared.
 * 18) How can you use this information in your classrooms right now? Discuss ideas shared.
 * 19) Highlight other options available in Student Edition. Dictionary, Toolbox.
 * 20) One final thought to share with teachers is the difference in a Keyword search and a Subject search. Do a keyword and subject search for Weather in Student edition and compare the different results obtained.
 * 21) Finally demonstrate how to navigate back to the Gale databases.
 * 22) Allow a few minutes for teachers to search for topics of interest in either database.
 * Closure: **
 * 1) Ask for any questions.
 * 2) Review with teachers why it is important to know how to find a variety of sources of information.
 * 3) Again ask for ways teachers can take this back to their classes and use for planning and instruction.
 * 4) Distribute remaining handouts depicting the databases by subject and general information on all databases on TEL.
 * Adaptations and Extensions: **
 * Adaptations: **
 * 1) This lesson could be adapted to fit instruction for children. Each grade level could assign a topic for research. Students would use Kids InfoBits to find three types of information to share and create a presentation about their topic.
 * 2) The lesson is aimed at a teacher with general knowledge about using computers and searching methods. More step by step instruction could be given for teachers who have less experience with using a computer, while, more advanced features of the databases can be explored for teachers who are more experienced with computer use.
 * 3) To address different learning style of teachers in this lesson, different modes of instruction will be use: discussion for auditory learners, visual aids with the computer and LCD projector for visual learners, personal computer use for the tactile learners, and how-to handouts for review. These same types of instruction would be available were this lesson being taught to students.
 * 1) In using this lesson for teachers and children, an extension would be on correctly citing sources from the database and avoiding plagiarism.
 * 2) In a later lesson, more advanced search options and exploring the different databases would be an appropriate extension with teachers and older students.