Update on K-12/Academic librarian collaboration scholarship recipients

In February ACRL-OR awarded a Collaboration scholarship to Sally Mielke of Eastern Oregon University and Sherry Loennig of North Powder Charter School.  ACRL-OR checked in with them this month and they shared the following report on their progress (edited slightly for clarity and length).

Planning the Workshop

After receiving notification of the scholarship, we met to plan for implementation of the project.  We discussed plans for a half-day workshop, to include information literacy instruction.  In addition to looking at possible dates for the workshop we also worked to begin planning a pre-workshop meeting to talk with teachers about priorities for information literacy instruction.

Sherry identified three teachers who would participate in the workshop, the High School Language Arts/PE/Health/Social Studies teacher, Middle/High School Science teacher, and Middle/High School Language Arts/Computer teacher. Sherry also set up a meeting with school administration to discuss the project.  Winter weather and bad road conditions derailed-several in person meetings but on March 27th, we met with the North Powder teachers to discuss the content and plan a date for the workshop.

Based on the teachers’ meeting, the information literacy instruction priorities were identified to include:

  • developing a research question
  • search strategies using online resources
  • types of online resources
  • evaluation of online resources

The teachers also expressed interest in developing online course/subject research guides to be hosted on a “to-be-created” library web page off the school website. Sally agreed to create a template using Google Sites, that teachers could then customize for particular courses or subject areas, and Sherry will work with district IT to have a library web page created. Sherry and the North Powder teachers were tasked with identifying a date in April or May for the workshop.

Holding the Workshop

Due to school/teacher schedule conflicts, we were not able to hold the workshop in April/May, and rescheduled for June 25.  At the workshop we enjoyed a morning of working together discussing information literacy instruction for North Powder students and possibilities for continued outreach and collaboration.  Sherry plans to follow up with an evaluation from the teachers, and we will create a report to submit for the project as a whole.

Publicity

Sally notified EOU Library Director and Administration of the scholarship award, and North Powder Administration included a report on the scholarship for the upcoming board meeting and a small article was included in the school newspaper.

Visit the ACLR-OR website for more information about the ACRL-OR Collaboration scholarship and stay tuned to the blog for the final project report.

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