[CASL-L] Fwd: AASL Hotlinks – March 2014

[Irene Kwidzinski]

FYI

Sent from my iPad

Begin forwarded message:

> From: AASL <mfeatheringham at ala.org>
> Date: March 3, 2014 at 7:31:26 PM EST
> To: Irene <kwidz at sbcglobal.net>
> Subject: AASL Hotlinks – March 2014
> Reply-To: AASL <mfeatheringham at ala.org>
> 
> 
> The mission of the American Association of School Librarians is to advocate excellence, facilitate change, and develop leaders in the school library field.
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> Volume 12, Issue 12
> March 2014
>  
> 
> In This Issue:
> Association News
> Education News
> Resources for School Librarians
> Grants & Awards
> Partnership News
> Member Spotlight
> Association News
> Keynote Speaker and Satellite Sites Announced for AASL Fall Forum 
> David Warlick, recently named one of the 10 most influential people in educational technology by Technology & Learning Magazine, will serve as keynote speaker and primary facilitator at AASL’s 2014 Fall Forum. Fall Forum will emulate its “anytime anywhere learning” theme by offering nine satellite sites at locations across the country during the institute, which takes place Oct. 17-18. Registration and site information can be found at www.ala.org/aasl/fallforum.
> 
> Spring into Learning with an AASL e-Academy Course
> Registration is now open for two of AASL’s e-Academy online courses. The self-paced courses Design for Understanding Meets the 21st Century School Librarian and BYOL: Bring Your Own Lessons into the 21st Century! begin March 17, 2014. Registration and additional course information are available at www.ala.org/aasl/eacademy.
> 
> AASL School Library Staff Survey
> The AASL Status of Staffing of School Libraries Task Force has been asked to collect data related to current school library staffing levels and school librarian roles/responsibilities. The survey is intended to collect data from an individual school library program. If you are currently serving more than one school, please fill out a survey for each school. The survey contains only nine questions and should take no more than five minutes to complete. This survey will close on March 17. 
> 
> AASL Celebrates Innovative Teaching during Digital Learning Day
> AASL again joined the Alliance for Excellent Education and other national educational associations and organizations in celebrating the third annual Digital Learning Day on Feb. 5, 2014. Digital Learning Day is a nationwide celebration of teaching and learning through digital media and technology that engages students and provides them with a rich, personalized, education experience.
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> ADVERTISEMENT
> 
> 
> The #1 eBook service for libraries is now #1 for schools.  Now serving millions of students in thousands of schools, OverDrive helps you get more students reading with eBooks.  Learn how to implement a successful eBook program with case studies or view a demo at our website.
> 
> Education News
> Mobile Devices and BYOD among Top Ed-Tech Trends
> More students are gaining access to personal mobile devices in schools, and video is being used more often in classroom lessons and homework assignments, according to results from the 2013 Speak Up Survey from Project Tomorrow. The survey of teachers, students, and others also found that mobile devices are being used often for schoolwork, students increasingly are focusing on their digital footprint, and gaming is gaining a following in education circles.
> 
> NCES Releases Stats, Projections for Education
> A report from the National Center for Education Statistics finds that enrollment in elementary and secondary schools rose 5 percent between 1997 and 2011 and is projected to increase an additional 6 percent between 2011 and 2022. It also reports that the pupil/teacher ratio in elementary and secondary schools decreased from 16.6 to 15.5 between 1997 and 2011 and is projected to decrease to 14.7 in 2022. In addition, the number of new teacher hires in public schools was 28 percent higher in 2011 than in 1999 and the number of new teacher hires in private schools was 18 percent lower in 2011 than in 1999.
> 
> FCC to Invest $2 Billion to Support Broadband Networks in US Schools and Libraries
> The Federal Communications Commission will invest an additional $2 billion over the next two years to support broadband networks in our nations’ schools and libraries. This represents a doubling of investment in broadband and will connect 20 million students in at least 15,000 schools to high-speed Internet access. Funding for new investments in high-speed Internet will come from reprioritizing existing E-Rate funds to focus on high-capacity internetconnectivity, increasing efficiency, and modernizing management of the E-Rate program.
> 
> White House to Host First-Ever Maker Faire
> The White House plans to host the first-ever White House Maker Faire later this year. The White House announced the event via its blog, calling it “an opportunity to highlight both the remarkable stories of Makers…and commitments by leading organizations to help more students and entrepreneurs get involved in making things.”
> 
> The State of Fourth-Grade Reading across the U.S.
> A brief from the Annie E. Casey Foundation finds that despite improvement in the past decade, reading proficiency remains low. All demographic groups improved, but proficiency increased significantly more for higher-income students (17 percent) than for lower-income (6 percent). The gap in proficiency based on family income widened by nearly 20 percent and worsened in nearly every state.
> 
> Longer School Day Can Help Schools Implement Common Core State Standards
> A report from the Center for American Progress finds that a longer, redesigned school day is a powerful recipe for helping districts across the nation implement the Common Core State Standards. The additional learning time must be well planned and intentional. High-performing expanded-time schools give teachers more time for ongoing professional development and collaboration and offer students more time to reach the higher expectations for English language arts and math.
> 
> Most Favor Expanded Broadband Internet Access in Schools
> A majority of American voters support expanding Internet access for public schools in an effort to increase the use of technology in education, according to a poll from the Leading Education by Advancing Digital Commission. Of those who responded to the poll, 80% said they support installing high-speed Internet in all U.S. public schools over the next five years, and a majority supported the effort even if it meant they had to pay a temporary fee.
> 
> Grades Are a Better Predictor of College Success than Test Scores
> High-school grades--not results from standardized tests such as the SAT or ACT--are a better predictor of how students will do in college, according to a new study. Researchers studied colleges that make submission of SAT or ACT scores optional and found students who didn't submit scores fared just as well as those who did. In addition, students with good high-school grades and moderate SAT or ACT scores did better in college than those with good standardized scores and modest high-school marks, the study found.
> 
> States Should Do More to Link Early Childhood Education Data
> A report from the Early Childhood Data Collaborative finds that states could do more to coordinate the collection of data on publicly funded early childhood education (ECE) programs and inform policy and practice. According to the report, data on program participation and quality, workforce characteristics, and developmental outcomes are collected by different agencies and housed in separate databases in most states, making it difficult to obtain accurate information with respect to the number of children served or how program quality affects outcomes.
> 
> Teachers Hesitant to Use Social Media
> While 47% of teachers who responded to a recent survey said they believed students could benefit from using social media as part of lessons, a greater percentage believe potential conflicts could outweigh the potential benefits. The survey by Rochester, N.Y.-based Harris Interactive found that 18% of teachers use social media to connect with students and parents. Some teachers--69% of respondents--said they worried about parents using social media to monitor their private lives.
> 
> Measuring Time Spent on Testing in Schools
> A report from Teach Plus finds that across 12 urban districts, time students spend on state and district tests equals 1.7 percent of the school year in third and seventh grade, and substantially less in kindergarten. Variation across districts is large, with high-test districts spending five times as many hours on testing. After nine school years, this amounts to 22 instructional days. Teachers calculated test-administration time as more than double the length reported in district calendars in elementary grades, three times as much in kindergarten. In seventh grade, reported time-on-testing was closer to district calculations.
> 
> Enrollment in AP Courses Nearly Doubles in 10 Years
> The College Board reports the number of U.S. public school students taking Advanced Placement classes has almost doubled during the past decade, and in 2013, 3.2 million AP exams were taken by students. The report shows a smaller percentage of students are earning a 3 or higher score on the exam--with 57% of AP tests with the score in 2013, compared with 61% with that score 10 years ago.
> 
> Student Learning Gains Tied to Teacher Professional Development
> Students performed better on math and reading assessments after their teachers participated in an online professional-development program, according to a recent study. Researchers from the University of Utah and Brigham Young University found that during two years, schools in which teachers were "highly engaged" in professional development reported a 19% gain in students' math scores and a 15% gain in reading scores, while teachers in the same districts that did not participate reported smaller gains.
> back to top
> Resources for School Librarians
> Why Teachers Should Take the Time for Spelling and Handwriting
> Spelling and handwriting are the foundational building blocks of literacy success, educator and author J. Richard Gentry writes in this blog post. Even if teachers can spend only about 15 minutes on such lessons, Gentry predicts students’ English-language skills, reading and writing proficiency, and other skills will benefit.
> 
> Ideas for Using Social Media to Engage Students in Language Study
> Blogging is a great way to engage students who are learning another language, even when they are not in class, high-school Spanish teacher Sarah Wike Loyola writes in this blog post. She shares how she uses social media to engage her students in collaborative learning in another language, including posting weekly questions online for students to respond to, writing collective stories through Twitter, or playing online games in the language being taught. "Utilizing it in the classroom will give your students practical, engaging ways to communicate in the language you teach," she writes.
> 
> How School Technology Directors Can Support Learning
> As a school technology director in Florida, Susan M. Bearden says her job is to "support and enhance technology’s potential for teaching and learning." She writes in this blog post about the difference between supporting learning and impeding it by restricting access to potentially educational websites and making decisions about blocking and filtering content without considering all of the information and best practices.
> 
> How Moving to the Cloud Can Help Propel Education into the Future
> A combination of available technology and the Common Core State Standards' focus on deeper learning and creativity will help drive a greater push for cloud technology in schools, asserts Tacy Trowbridge, who leads Adobe's Education Programs group. In this blog post, she writes that cloud technology promotes the sharing of knowledge and information on global online communities, boosts engagement with students and spurs the creation of digital portfolios. "I expect changes in how we evaluate student work with a decreased dependency on transcripts and a greater emphasis on a body of work," she writes.
> 
> How to Teach Online Information, Media Literacy
> The implementation of the Common Core State Standards means it is even more important for students to understand online ethics, middle-school teacher Heather Wolpert-Gawron writes. In this blog post, she shares a Google Form scavenger hunt that she uses to teach students about online ethics and how to gather, analyze, use, and manage information and media found online.
> 
> Understanding the Audience’s Role in Project-Based Learning
> It is important for teachers to consider the audience's role in the final phases of project-based learning work, journalist and PBL advocate Suzie Boss writes in this blog post. The audiences for students' projects can come in the form of online interactions, such as Facebook, or in-person presentations. One teacher's students have presented their projects as recommendations to their city's mayor.
> back to top
> Grants & Awards
> Doodle 4 Google Contest
> Google is asking students to create doodles based on the theme “If I Could Invent One Thing to Make the World a Better Place.” One talented young artist will see his or her artwork on the Google homepage and receive a $30,000 college scholarship and a $50,000 Google for Education technology grant for his or her school. Applications can be submitted by parents, guardians, teachers, and after-school programs. Deadline for submissions is March 20.
> 
> Library of Congress 2014 Summer Teacher Programs – Teaching with Primary Sources
> The Library of Congress is accepting applications for its week-long summer programs for K-12 educators. The professional development provides educators with tools and resources to effectively integrate primary sources into K-12 classroom teaching, with an emphasis on student engagement, critical thinking, and construction of knowledge. The Library is offering five programs this summer: three of the programs are open to teachers and librarians across the content areas, another focuses on civil rights, and one concentrates on primary sources in science education. Applications are due March 24 and require a letter of recommendation.
> 
> Library of Congress Literacy Awards Program
> The Library of Congress Center for the Book is pleased to announce that the 2014 Library of Congress Literacy Awards Program is now accepting applications. The Literacy Awards recognize organizations that have made outstanding contributions to increasing literacy in the United States and abroad. The program is accepting applications through March 31, 2014. Learn more and download the application.
> 
> Gordon M. Conable Conference Scholarship
> The Freedom to Read Foundation (FTRF) has opened applications for the 2014 Gordon M. Conable Conference Scholarship, which will enable a library school student or new professional to attend ALA’s 2014 Annual Conference, held June 26-July 1 in Las Vegas, Nev. Students currently enrolled in an ALA-accredited library and information studies degree program or an AASL-recognized master’s program in school librarianship and new professionals (those who are three or fewer years removed from receiving a library school degree) are eligible. The deadline for submitting an application is Friday, April 11.
> 
> Lemony Snicket Prize for Noble Librarians
> If you know a beleaguered librarian, now is your chance to give that person some much needed recognition by nominating them for the Lemony Snicket Prize for Noble Librarians Faced With Adversity, a new American Library Association (ALA) award. ALA is currently accepting nominations through Tuesday, April 15, 2014, for this award, which was recently approved by ALA at its Midwinter Meeting & Exhibits in Philadelphia. The prize consists of $3,000 along with a $1,000 travel stipend to ALA’s Annual Conference, an odd, symbolic object from Snicket’s private stash, and a certificate. The nominee must be a librarian.
> 
> Citizens-Save-Libraries Grants
> Applications for cycle two of the Citizens-Save-Libraries grants from United for Libraries, made possible by a grant from the Neal-Schuman Foundation, are due April 15. The 10 libraries that are selected will receive two days of onsite consultation by advocacy experts, who will help Friends of the library groups, library directors, and trustees develop individual blueprints for advocacy campaigns to restore, increase, or save threatened library budgets.
> 
> Ezra Jack Feats Foundation Minigrants
> The Ezra Jack Keats Foundation, which fosters children’s love of reading and creative expression in our diverse culture, celebrates the 26th year of its Minigrant Program with a call for proposals. Approximately 70 grants of $500 each will be awarded to qualifying teachers and librarians at public schools and libraries across the US. The deadline for grant submissions is March 15 and decisions will be emailed to all applicants by May 1, allowing educators to plan for the next academic year accordingly.
> 
> Sherlock Holmes Literacy Grants
> The Beacon Society, a Sherlock Holmes literary group, offers grants up to $500 to fund the development of programs that will introduce young people to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s fictional detective. The grants seek to promote creative work by giving financial help to public and private school teachers, organizations, libraries, counselors and others who develop literary curriculum projects and other educational experiences encouraging young people to read, primarily by introducing them to the stories about Sherlock Holmes. The deadline for 2014 grant applications is May 1.
> back to top
> Partnership News
> IMLS Celebrates 20 Years of the National Medal for Museum and Library Service
> IMLS is celebrating the 20th anniversary of the 2014 National Medal for Museum and Library Service. The award is the nation’s highest honor for museums and libraries that provide exceptional service to their communities. This year IMLS is saluting the 132 winners from the past 20 years. IMLS’s Share Your Story social media campaign feature opportunities for finalists, past winners, and members of their communities to post pictures and stories on IMLS's Facebook page about how their museum or library impacted their life. IMLS will announce the winners on April 24. The ceremony will be held May 8 in Washington, D.C.
> 
> NCLE Report Examines How Schools Are Implementing Common Core Literacy Standards
> A report from the National Center for Literacy Education finds that teachers feel ill-prepared to help their students achieve the new Common Core literacy standards. It reports that most teachers have not had a voice in determining how standards are implemented in their schools. Positive changes are occurring most where teachers are actively involved in the renovation. The report investigates how the idea of educators working together plays out when implementing the new Common Core State Standards in literacy.
> 
> CoSN Outlines Tips for Making Online Assessments Successful
> The Consortium for School Networking, Education Networks of America, and the eLearn Institute have released resources to help school districts effectively administer online exams aligned with the Common Core State Standards. The coalition, which also released a tool kit to help ease the transition, suggests creating a cross-functional strategic-planning team, securing proper funding sources, embedding technology in instruction, supporting professional development and selecting appropriate devices, among other things.
> back to top
> Member Spotlight
> Laura Follmer’s Council Rock School District Library Receives PASL Award
> The Pennsylvania School Library Association awarded Laura Follmer’s Council Rock School District Library the 2014 Outstanding School Library District Award. In awarding the prize, PSLA president Eileen Kerns said that Council Rock was “truly an example of what we hold as exemplary in Pennsylvania libraries.” PSLA Award’s Committee Chair Marge Foster cited the district’s rich collection of books, periodicals and digital materials “combined with an abundance of technology and a staff of librarians who help students effectively use those resources.” Follmer said she feels the district's strong support of libraries has been validated by the Common Core and the award.
> 
> Did you receive an award, get published or profiled in a magazine or receive a leadership appointment? Let us know through the Member Spotlight form. Only current AASL members are spotlighted. A link to the press release naming the award recipient, article written by a member, or other accomplishment as defined in the Member Spotlight Guidelines must be active and current. Preference is given to recognition less than 30 days prior. If a single photo is available to capture member(s) it will be posted with the article.
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> AASL Hotlist
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> Member Currents
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> Did you land a new job, attain a new degree or position, or change your name? Tell us about it! Through Member Currents, AASL will provide a forum for updates on its members. Types of updates include graduations, certifications earned, changes in job positions, retirements, name changes, and death notices.
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> Powerful Partnerships: Libraries, Technology, and the Common Core
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> Project Connect Leadership Panel at AASL13
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> (Clicking these links will first prompt you to log in to the AASL website.)
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> South Carolina and the Revolutionary War
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> Recognizing Creativity and Avoiding Plagiarism
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> Examining Internet Resources
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> Creating book reviews in Destiny OPAC
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> Mental Health issues in YA Literature
> AASL Calendar
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> March-April
> 
> March 17-April 25: BYOL: Bring Your Own Lessons into the 21st Century!
> 
> March 17-April 25: Design for Understanding Meets the 21st Century School Librarian
> Latest AASLblog posts:
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> Tuesday Tech Tips
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> Monday Means Advocacy: Library Legislative Day
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> Ideas for Using AASL Best Websites: LitPick
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> Collaborate, then test = success.
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> What To Read Wednesday – SUNSET RISING by S.M. McEachern – REVIEW
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> Tuesday Tech Tips
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> Monday Means Advocacy: Parents
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> Friday Finds – Breathe New Life Into an Old Project
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> Let’s Get Together Thursday – Target the Special Teams
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> What to Read Wednesday – GO: A Kidd’s Guide to Graphic Design by Chip Kidd
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> Tuesday Tech Tips
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> Friday Finds – President’s Day Books and Facts
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> Let’s Get Together Thursday (Collaboration)
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> What to Read Wednesday – GRASSHOPPER JUNGLE by Andrew Smith (Giveaway)
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> Technology Tuesday – IFTTT
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> Monday Means Advocacy – Get the Word Out
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> Are You Building Bridges to Understanding?
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