Module 1, Part 1

The Reading Plan

The following reading plan asks you what you already know about four major topical areas and to describe what you will concentrate on to become as knowledgeable as possible in the time we have. This reading plan is the prelude to the Module 1 assignment of Read, View, List, Synthesize.

Quest for Module One: You are interviewing for a professional position as a school library media specialist, a bibliographic instruction librarian in an academic library, or a director of professional development in a commercial firm. In the first round of interviews, a panel will expect you to make a 15-minute presentation outlining your philosophy of the librarian's role in the instructional process. They reserve the right to question you about your philosophy and how you arrived at your views.

You realize that in order to prepare adequately (in depth) for such an interview, your understanding of theory must be more than just superficial. You must have a strong theoretical framework on which to draw when approaching an instructional problem.

You realize that a strong theoretical background will enable you to be a diagnostician of an educational problem or challenge. Without hesitation, you will need to have solid recommendations built upon your knowledge. Thus, you will need to build your knowledge asking: What is happening today in the world of education in four critical topical areas?

1. Create four concept maps. For each of the following four topics:

• Educational Theory
• Curriculum and Assessment
• Collaboration
• Information Literacy

Questions to help you decide what you already know:

Topic 1. Educational Theory and Practice

• What's hot in educational theory today?

• What does brain research and cognitive theory have to contribute to teaching and learning?

• What is restructuring in education (K-12 arena)?

• What is standards-based education (K-12 arena)?

• What is Understanding by Design (K-12 arena)?

• What is differentiated instruction (K-12 arena)?

• What is the difference between behaviorist theories and constructionist theories?

• How can these theories be translated into practice?

• What is inquiry-based or project-based learning?

• What are teaching and learning styles?

• What are multiple intelligences?

• What role is government playing in standards and testing (K-12 arena)?

• What role do national societies play in quality higher education (higher education arena)?

• Is anyone in the corporate world interested in quality education and training (corporate world arena)?

 

Topic 2. Curriculum and Accountability (K-12, academic institutions and training)

• Who decides who will learn what?

• Who writes curriculum (in academic institutions) and content to master (training)?

• Who really follows written curriculum, or do teachers do what they please as soon as the door is closed?

• Who decides what is the best way to teach math, social studies, science, etc.? In training institutions, who prescribes how skills are to be taught?

• What are the best strategies for teaching and learning what is to be learned?

• How do we know when a student learns what is to be learned (testing, assessment)?

Topic 3. Collaboration

• Behaviorist Teaching - What is it and what is the role of the librarian/instructional designer in course and lesson design?

• Constructivist Teaching (also known as Resource-based Learning, Project-based Learning) - What is it and what is the role of the librarian/instructional designer in helping students construct and solve their own engaging problems?

• What is collaboration in the educational setting?

• What roles do librarians (information specialists/technology specialists) perform as they collaborate with teachers (K-8 settings) (public libraries - in home schooling and staff development) (special libraries/industry - in training)?

• What collaborative strategies are likely to produce excellence in teaching and learning no matter the teaching style of the teacher?

• What are the signs that collaborative activities are successful?

• How must organizations change to facilitate the role of collaboration?

Topic 4. Information Literacy

• What is information literacy?

• What models exist and how do they compare?

• How do models of information literacy compare across the disciplines?

• How do I build my own mental model of information literacy?

• Can information literacy be taught? How?

• Is the teaching of information literacy having an impact on what learners know and do?

• What findings from research illuminate practice?

Create a concept map of what you already know about each of the four topics (before you do a lot of reading). (Suggestion: Use the software program Inspiration or Gliffy.com or Microsoft Word.) Note: you will be marked down for submitting a description or list since one of the reasons I am asking you to do this is to experience concept mapping software if you have never used it before.

2. Rate yourself on the following rubric for each topic:

3 . Decide on your reading plan and communicate that plan to your instructor on Angel. Use the four maps and the rubric to decide which of the four topics you need to do the most reading on in order to build your own expertise. (This can be done using Inspiration or drawing your maps in Microsoft Word or using Gliffy.com.) You can create the maps in these progrms and then cut and paste them into Word for your final document. Upload your plan to your instructor through Angel. Your message might be something like: "Here are my four concept maps and expertise ratings for each of the four topical areas...." (Describe briefly why you rated yourself as you did.) "I have decided to concentrate my theoretical study for the class in the following areas....(Give a list)."