Welcome to the Professional Development Section!
Announcing . . . The TL Professional Development Challenge and Model Building Contest
With the issuance of the AASL Standards for the 21st-Century Learner that can be found at
www.ala.org/ala/aasl/aaslproftools/learningstandards/AASL_Learning_Standards_2007.pdf,
the challenge goes forth to understand the difference between these standards and those of Information Power.
Admittedly, the new set of standards is more complex and multidimensional than their predecessors. As
teacher librarians, we all need to spend time reading and thinking deeply about the direction suggested for
students and teachers and the changes we need to make to implement the ideas that push our programs forward.
Here is our challenge from Teacher Librarian-The Journal for School Library Professionals:
Either as an individual or as a group of teacher-librarians, spend time studying the new standards. Then
as one way to internalize the main ideas of the document, create a visual representation of the ideas
either as an individual or in a group. Such a project will in itself cause comparison and contrast and help
you internalize the standards. We recommend this be done in teacher-librarian meetings, dinner conversations,
or as a study group at any time.
Rewards:
Teacher Librarian (TL) will award five $100 prizes for the best visual representations of the new AASL
learning standards. The award-winners will be published in the October 2008 issue of TL.
DEADLINE: JUNE 15, 2008
Who Can Submit Entries: Any teacher-librarian or any group of teacher-librarians or any student or
group of K-12 students. Library school students may also participate. For example, suppose you have taught
information literacy a number of times over the last school year to a group of students. As the culminating
activity with them for the year, and as a reflection about projects they have done in the library, give them
copies of the standards and challenge them to produce a visual model of those standards, giving their own
interpretation of them. This could be accomplished using a wide variety of graphical drawing software,
including Inspiration, Microsoft Word, or other drawing software the students are familiar with.
What to Submit: Submit a PDF of your interpretation of the content/intent of the AASL Standards for
the 21st-Century Learner from the adult's point of view or from a student's point of view. If your drawing
has been done as a group, describe the group and the activity that produced the drawing.
Submission Instructions: By June 15, 2008, submit a PDF version of the drawing attached to an email,
and send it to David V. Loertscher at reader.david@gmail.com with a copy to editor@teacherlibrarian.com.
Every submission will be acknowledged. Winning entries will be selected soon thereafter and winners notified
by July 1, 2008. All entries will be forwarded to the current AASL committee working on a revision of
Information Power for use in their work. Who knows-they may contact you for permission to reprint!
Here you will find:
ProD Calendar, click if you would like your association's or group's
event listed FREE in this column which includes a list of upcoming conferences.
See the past and present recipients of TL professional development grants.
Don't delay, get information on applying for your own grant today!
Conference coverage section. |
