Keystone+Essay

I am a librarian in an elementary school and have been nominated to be a [|Keystone Technology Integrator]. I have seen many changes in the use of technology throughout my ten years working at the elementary level. We have gone from just automating our library’s collection of materials to using all sorts of technology to enhance instruction. I have been interested in technology and its possible applications since the roll out of the personal computer. We have certainly come a long way from that point, and I find integrating technology into information literacy lessons to be a natural fit and a way to enhance every aspect of the K-4 curriculum.

As a librarian, I have the unique opportunity to see my students grow from Kindergarten through Fourth Grade. I have been able to see how their use of technology in project-based learning makes it easier for classroom teachers to continue that technology integration in the classroom. In addition to teaching library organization, our Library curriculum centers on assisting children to search for information, access and use that information and ultimately present it in an understandable and engaging way. I instruct students how to navigate their way through the Dewey Decimal classification system, the Internet, and subscription on-line database resources of both the school district and the state of Pennsylvania (Power Library). We look at both on-line and print resources and examine them for accuracy, quality, and relevance.

We often take the information we have gathered through our research and present it by designing presentations using varied technology resources such as Microsoft’s PowerPoint, Publisher, PhotoStory, Kidspiration, and Timeliner. We may add digital photos or video clips to excite the children about what they have learned and equally as important, to make the presentations visually interesting to those children who are seeing the finished product. The use of technology motivates the children to work harder on their research, and makes the learning experience FUN! It is not unusual for students to spend their free time at recess working on various technology/library projects.

Most of my technology research projects are done in collaboration with the elementary classroom teachers and the district grade level curriculum in whatever subject we are researching. For instance, first graders use Kidspiration to create visual representations of Community Helpers. Second graders research an historical event, and include that into their personal timeline using Timeliner. Third graders use PowerPoint to create a slide show of clues about a specific Pennsylvania animal. This year, fourth graders will use PhotoStory to create a travel brochure about one of the fifty states. For their career projects, fourth graders will use Publisher or Word to create brochures highlighting Educational Requirements, Personality Characteristics, and Job Descriptions of chosen careers. The use of technology makes research topics compelling even for my younger elementary students.

Students today have grown up with technology. Many have computers and high speed Internet access at home. However, just having access to the technology does not teach them to critically evaluate the information that they find every day and to become ethical information technology users. I feel an important part of my job is to teach the foundation of how to manage the information they find on the Internet and how to determine if it is beneficial and accurate. My most important role as librarian is to teach children how to become literate and to be able to adapt to the new technologies that will surely emerge during their lifetimes.

The role of school librarians has evolved from warehouse manager to information literacy consultant. I am fortunate to be working with a library department that recently developed a new Library Information Literacy Curriculum last year that encompasses new forms of technology literacy. I am also fortunate to be working for a district that is willing to buy new software and computers. Caley now has projectors and SmartBoards in all classrooms enabling teachers to share information from the Internet and other applications with their students. Over the summer, all teachers were provided with MacBooks, adding to an ever-widening array of technology resources.

I am constantly striving to master new technologies to use with the children at all levels. I take advantage of courses that are provided through our Intermediate Unit, courses held in the summer in the District, and have taught myself many different software applications. For instance, I learned to use digital video camera software, PhotoStory, Movie Maker, and Apple’s PhotoBooth, and iPhoto. I feel I have a special role in my school and being a Keystone Technology Integrator will benefit my students as well as our staff.