Case+Study+Reading+References

=Case Study Reading References=

Following are possible references to use from McGregor's "Collaboration and Leadership" article.
Collaboration provided a way, finally, for the teacher librarian to prove his or her value in the learning experiences of students. Yet, after seemingly massive promotional efforts, the idea has not been embraced by all educators and is still unfamiliar to many teachers and administrators, leading to disappointment, and even resignation." (199.)

No individual in a school environment exists or operates in a vacuum. No change occurs without affecting other seemingly unrelated elements" (201).

If the teacher librarian is not part of the collaboration effort, they might be left out of collaboration entirely. Teacher librarians need to view the concept of collaboration in its largest scope, beyond simple collaboration between teacher librarian and individual groups or grade level groups to school wide acceptance of collaboration with the teacher librarian as the natural obvious practice. (202-203).

One of the most important factors in the equation is the principal. The principal makes decisions about how teachers' time is spent and how planning time is covered. He or she can be either a vital support or a hindrance in the process" (207-208).

In some school districts, cutting funds has led to elimination of teacher librarian positions altogether, with clerks put in charge of supervising the library or various teachers scheduled to be in the library throughout the week" (202).

Knowledge of the curriculum is an important aspect of the job of demonstrating to teachers that the teacher librarian can be trusted to teach collaboratively in the subject area" (204).

They need to understand why the teacher librarian should be included before they accept this new endeavor. The experiences teachers have had in the past with teacher librarians affect the ease with which a teacher librarian can lead collaboration." (209-210)

Collaboration is difficult if the time provided to the teacher for planning cannot be used to plan with a potential collaborator such as the teacher librarian" (201).

collaborative development of a schoolwide policy in which information literacy becomes an integral foundation for learning across the curriculum and at all grade levels” (212).

Learning experiences are strengthened when both the classroom teacher and the teacher librarian work together to achieve learning goals and objectives." (203).

As respect for the teacher librarian as a leader builds, administrators and teachers are more likely to endorse a formal leadership role." (218)


 * Citation **

McGregor, J. Collaboration and Leadership. In Stripling, B. K. and Hughes-Hassell, S. (eds.), Curriculum Connections through the Library. Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited, 2003. 119-219.

Following are possible references to use from Zmuda and Harada's article, "The Learning Specialist: Clarifying the Role of Library Media Specialists".
Learning specialists in a school play a central role in the continuous effort to improve the achievement of all students through the design, instruction, and evaluation of student learning. The administrator's job is to construct a meaningful role for this position in the architecture of the school leadership team (23).

While learning specialists have worked in schools for years, these positions have multiplied with the advent of rigorous content standards and related state assessments as well as research on effective staff development. This professional is often entrusted with coordinating a program, designing support services in a curricular area, or providing specialized services to students, teachers, and even parents (24).

Another reason for thinking of the library media specialist as a learning specialist is to create an additional layer ofleadership within the school with a new set of natural partners. In other words, the library media specialist should have a great deal to collaborate on with the reading and technology specialist as they work to engage students in relevant, rigorous tasks (24).

This finding was supported by a study conducted in Indiana that focused on principals' conceptions of the role of the library media specialist (Lance, Rodney, and Russell 2007). The survey results indicated that approximately nine out of ten school principals learn about what library media specialists do from their on-the-job experiences (27).

As partners in teaching, learning specialists must work with teachers to provide collective evidence of the learning that results from their combined instruction (29).

Along with the school level-factors of collective accountability, collegiality, and leadership structures, the personal characteristics and attributes of the individual learning specialist have a significant impact on his or her effectiveness (32).

They deal not only with multiple grade levels of students but they often work across subject areas on multidisciplinary projects. Because of this, learning specialists must be able to evaluate the effectiveness of other pedagogies and areas of discipline outside of their own specific repertoire (33).

Finally, learning specialists must constantly seek feedback from their colleagues to determine the effectiveness of their efforts. Such input mechanisms provide for critical exchanges that improve the quality of the collaborative tasks and hone professional relationships in the school (34).

To develop and grow a dynamic program, library media specialists must serve as program administrators, information specialists, and teachers, who are willing to collaborate and lead. The teaching function is central to their jobs as learning specialists (35).

Library media specialists can be a part of a school's major plans for student achievement or apart from them. They have the potential for collegial leadership (37).

The library media specialist must insist that every learning experience in the library-classroom aligns with the learning goals of both the classroom teacher's curriculum and the library curriculum (41).

It is good business, therefore, to work strategically as a cooperative unit of professionals targeting goals that might be met by leveraging the resources and talents of the team (42).

See also - Table 2.4, Examples of Strategies to Build Collaborative Relationships, pg 39. - Table 2.5. Bad and Good Business Practices for Library Media Specialists, pg 40 ** Citation ** Zmuda, A., and V. H. Harada. The Learning Specialist: Clarifying the Role of Library Media Specialists. In Librarians as Learning Specialists: Meeting the Learning Imperative for the 21st Century, 2008. 23 – 43.

Following are possible references to use from AASL's "Standards for the 21st Century Learner in Action".
Inquiry provides a framework for learning. To become independent learners, students must gain not only the skills but also the disposition to use those skills, along with an understanding of their own responsibilities and self-assessment strategies. Combined, these four elements build a learner who can thrive in a complex information environment (11).

Learning has a social context. Learning is enhanced by opportunities to share and learn with others. Students need to develop skills in sharing knowledge and learning with others, both in face-to-face situations and through technology (11).

School libraries are essential to the development of learning skills. School libraries provide equitable physical and intellectual access to the resources and tools required for learning in a warm, stimulating, and safe environment. School librarians collaborate with others to provide instruction, learning strategies, and practice in using the essential learning skills needed in the 21 st century (11).

2.1.1 Continue an inquiry-based research process by applying critical-thinking skills (analysis, synthesis, evaluation, organization) to information and knowledge in order to construct new understandings, draw conclusions, and create new knowledge (14).

2.1.5 Collaborate with others to exchange ideas, develop new understandings, make decisions, and solve problems (14).

3.1.2 Participate and collaborate as members of a social and intellectual network of learners (15).

3.4 Self-Assessment Strategies 3.4.1 Assess the processes by which learning was achieved in order to revise strategies and learn more effectively in the future (15).


 * Citation **

//Standards for the 21st Century in Action//. Chicago: American Association of School Librarians, 2009.

In these communities everyone is invested in everyone else's success. Through coteaching and sharing responsibility for all students in the school, educators can strengthen their academic programs (ix).

Our profession is only as strong as each individual who serves in the role of teacher-librarian (xi).

They must have the skills and knowledge to position themselves in a central role in the academic program in their schools so they can make measureable contributions to students' learning (2).

Viewed in this way, 75 percent of the teacher-librarian's job is directly concerned with teaching students (2).

...the teacher-librarian is perfectly positioned to be a coteacher of reading comprehension strategies (2).

Collaboration describes //how// people work together rather than //what// they do (4).

Each person can then bring possible goals and objectives to the meeting, along with ideas for curriuculum integration, instructional strategies, student grouping arrangements, and potential resources (4).

Educators decide on one or more coteaching approaches, assign responsibilities for particular aspects of the lesson, and schedule teaching time based on the needs of students and the requirements of the learning tasks (4-5).

...lowering the student-to-teacher ratio through coteaching makes sense, particularly for children who enter formal schooling with fewer school-like literacy experiences (7).

Innovations in teaching cannot spread throughout a learning commuity if educators remain isolated, separate in their classrooms (7).
 * Citation **

Moreillon, Judi. //Collaborative Strategies for Teaching Reading Comprehension//. Chicago: American Library Association, 2007.

Following are possible references to use from Schultz-Jones' article, "Collaboration in the School Social Network".
Collaboration is a key theme that the American Association of School Librarians emphasized for building "partnerships for learning" between the school library media specialist and other members of the learning community (22).

Small states that "collaboration cannot be fully realized without creating a collaborative culture in which all partners see the importance and understand the benefits of collaboration to themselves, each other and their students" (22).

...as Hylen points out, "planned collaboration improves teaching and learning, as well as models the cooperation a teacher wants students to use" (22-23).

As DuFour observes, "the powerful collaboration that characterizes professional learning communities is a systematic process in which teachers work together to analyze and improve their classroom practice" (24).

The American Association of School Librarians has stated that "the school library media specialist's opportunities for cultivating authentic, information -based learning have never been greater, and the responsibilities are also more crucial than ever before" (25).

** Citation **
Schultz-Jones, Barbara. Collaboration in the School Social Network, 2009. 20-25.

= Following are possible references to use from Allison Zmuda's article "What Does it Really Look Like When Students Are Learning in the Library?" = The article focuses on the "need to transform passive learning found in student efforts to just locate information to active engagement in constructing knowledge" (25).

"Many students regard the assignments they are given in the library media center comparable to completing "forms" - little more than bureaucratic exercises that are part of the daily drudgery of school" (25). Such disengagement inhibits true learning; it prevents students from the responsibility as well as the opportunity to build their intelligence" (25-26).

"When students are working to locate information to answer a question, they may be temporarily engaged in the "hunt" but find little intellectual satisfaction from their efforts. When students are really researching, however, the "hunt" is altogether different. Instead of being driven to find what they believe to be a predetermined answer, they are in the pursuit of truth" (26).

Zmuda, Allison. "What Does it Really Look Like When Students Are Learning in the Library?" //School Library Media Activities Monthly// 25.1 (2008): 25-27. _
 * Citation**

= Following are possible references to use from the American Association of School Librarians' //Empowering Learners: Guidelines for School Library Media Programs//. = In reference to the digital knowledge divide between rural and urban/suburban students (I think this applies to affluence as well): "The SLMS works to bridge this digital divide and ensure that all learners are skilled users of information in all formats. Expanded access to computers should be coupled with educational initiatives that help learners become effective users of digital technologies (Jenkins 2006)" (11).

"With the SLMS and classroom teacher as their guides, students build on prior knowledge and experiences to construct new knowledge. The SLMS and classroom teacher assist this process, tailoring teaching methods to meet learners' needs. By reflecting on the learning process, students learn //how// to learn while constructing new knowledge" (20).

In building collaborative partnerships, the SLMS: "seeks input from students on the learning process" (20)

"To meet the needs of learners today, schools must evolve from a 20th-century industrial model to a dynamic, fluid environment that promotes high-order thinking. Teaching should follow this model by continually changing to meet learners' needs" (27).

//Empowering Learners: Guidelines for School Library Media Programs//. Chicago: American Association of School Librarians, 2009.
 * Citation**