SCHOOL LIBRARIES WORLDWIDE

Volume 14, Number 2, January 2008

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New Learners, New Literacies, New Libraries

Towards a Transformative Pedagogy for School Libraries
Marlene Asselin & Ray Doiron
Today’s students are no longer the people our education system was designed to teach. (Prensky,2001)
As more and more educators face the impact of Web 2.0 (O’Reilly, 2005), and as we see emerging what could be called a Learning 2.0 environment, it becomes urgent to expand teaching to meet the literacy and learning needs of the Net Generation (e.g. Oblinger & Oblinger, 2005). These ‘new’ learners and their expanding literacy needs have major implications for current models of school library programs which are traditionally focused on reading promotion and information literacy skills. Discussions and resources about this challenge are rapidly appearing, appropriately within Web 2.0 environments (e.g. Classroom 2.0, iBrary, School Library Learning 2.0, and Library 2.0,). Arising from these sites is the need to critically question long held tenets of school libraries and to create a new research-based vision that will accord with the current economic and social directions driving educational change (e.g. Partnership for 21st Century Learning, 2007; Government of Canada, 2002). This paper contributes to that process by proposing a framework for the work of school libraries in New Times (Luke & Elkins, 1998) based on research in new literacies, new learners, and new concepts of knowledge.

Youth and their Virtual Networked Worlds: Research Findings and Implications for School Libraries
Ross Todd
This paper provides an analytical review of recent research that examines young people's engagement with the web environment, and particularly their use of Web 2.0 applications and tools, and identifies key challenges for the school library and instruction in schools. Set within the immediate context of the role of information technology in school libraries, and the broader context of adult use of the web, the article provides a brief description of the web 2.0 environment, its growth and its functionality. It elaborates social network analysis as a useful framework for understanding the dynamics of young people's participation in Web 2.0, and identifies predominant virtual information seeking behaviors emerging in the Web 2.0 environment. Key challenges for school libraries relate to conceptualizing the school library as a knowledge commons, shifting instructional emphasis from information provision to knowledge development, and engaging the whole school community in appropriate pedagogical and policy decisions in relation to Web 2.0.

Shaping Global Criticality with School Libraries
Keith McPherson
This article reviews the unique online learning contexts and content in which Net Generation students are currently engaging, and challenges school libraries to take a different approach to literacy instruction. More specifically, it explores the role that school libraries can play in developing information literacy curriculum that enables students to cope with rapid changes in multimodal forms of communication, while fostering critical thinking skills that offset students’ risky online surfing behaviours. Current research supporting the incorporation of a multiliteracies pedagogy in school library curriculum is examined and practical activities are described.

Open Access and the Open Journal Systems: Making Sense All Over
Rick Kopak
At a time when students are increasingly turning to the Web as their primary source of information, it is well worth continuing to consider ways and means of taking advantage of this trend, and to perhaps relocate attention to traditional information sources presented in new ways. This paper makes the case that Open Access to electronic scholarly journals creates an opportunity for schools and school libraries to benefit from use of these journals. Furthermore, the article describes work being done by the Public Knowledge Project in creating a technical infrastructure for the creation and use of Web based electronic journals through the development of the Open Journal Systems, and the ongoing development of an interactive reading environment for these journals.

Towards School Library 2.0: An Overview of Social Software Tools for Teacher-Librarians
Jo-Anne Naslund & Dean Giustini
This article is an overview of popular web 2.0 learning tools for teacher-librarians. The authors supplement their review of social software by discussing representative examples and projects that illustrate their application in teaching and learning. The authors (both academic librarians) suggest that multimedia web tools can be transformative for student learning. In fact, key emerging technologies most likely to have an impact on teaching, learning and creative expression within learning focused organizations include those that encourage video sharing, collective intelligence and collaboration-building web spaces. In promoting these web 2.0 tools, teacher-librarians can continue to play a prominent role in their schools and raise awareness of relevant pedagogies for the iGeneration.

Popular Culture in the School Library: Enhancing Literacies Traditional and New
Elizabeth E. G. Friese
In an evolving landscape of traditional and new literacies, the roles of the school library and teacher librarian are changing. In order to support instruction in multiple literacies, teacher librarians must rethink both collections and services. Materials featuring popular culture influences are explored for their relevance to several types of literacy instruction. The inclusion of popular culture materials in school library collections can support achievement in traditional literacy while facilitating connection with everyday literacy practices. Popular culture materials also provide instructional opportunities for critical media literacy as well as information literacy. Popular culture texts are worthy of inclusion in school library collections for reasons enhancing both pedagogy and enjoyment.

Videogames in the Library? What is the World Coming To?
Kathy Sanford
Sophisticated and complex learning happens through multiple forms of literacy and text types; and while schools and classrooms are slowly embracing learning through new media, libraries are rapidly and increasingly restructuring in ways that support learning through new/alternative technologies and texts. Videogame play supports learning in many complex ways, encourages positive interaction with computers, the use of imagination, problem-solving skills, and enables opportunities for collaborative engagement; these types of learning are being recognized and supported in public libraries and can be utilized more effectively in today's school libraries. This article focuses on videogames as sites of literacy, entertainment, and socialization that engage many 21st century adolescents, and suggests how school libraries, as the hub of the school community, can support learning through a range of new types of texts and modes of learning.

Immersive Learning Environments in Parallel Universes: Learning through Second Life
Jeremy W. Kemp & Ken Haycock
Opportunities for more creative and innovative environments for learners continue to develop through distance education. Especially at the post-secondary level, these immersive environments can involve high-end video game technologies to create multi-user virtual worlds that can both replicate and far extend physical classrooms. At San Jose State University's School of Library and Information Science, courses offered in and through Second Life develop both competence and comfort in working with library users. Several useful lessons have also been learned.

Indexed in Bibliothek Forschung und Praxis, Children Literature Abstracts, Contents Pages in Education, Educational Resources Information Clearing house (ERIC), Library Literature, and Library and Information Science Abstracts (LISA).

Last Updated 3 August 2008 (KSB)