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INFOhio and. “The antidote to Google overload!”. About INFOhio. INFOhio’s components include electronic resources for schools, instructional development for teachers, standardized software for library automation and media booking, and a statewide curriculum resource catalog. .
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INFOhio and “The antidote to Google overload!”
About INFOhio INFOhio’s components include electronic resources for schools, instructional development for teachers, standardized software for library automation and media booking, and a statewide curriculum resource catalog. INFOhio…looking towards 2010 INFOhio transforms teaching and learning by connecting educational resources with the power of information technology. INFOhio and SchoolRooms - the antidote to Google overload!
What the research tells us • OCLC Environmental Scan – Pattern Recognition • Pew Internet and American Life Project • The Digital Disconnect: The widening gap between Internet-savvy students and their schools • The Internet at School • The Internet and Education: Findings of the Pew Internet & American Life Project • Student Learning Through School Libraries: The Ohio Research Study INFOhio and SchoolRooms - the antidote to Google overload!
What is SchoolRooms? • SchoolRooms is a comprehensive and integrated multimedia online discovery portal for K-12 schools. • SchoolRooms combines teacher-selected, standards-driven content with student-friendly software. • Content consists of • 71 virtual “Rooms” or “Subject Guides” of content • 1,750 web page views of content • 22,500 educator selected websites • ~5 million Best of Web sites indexed • SchoolRooms help: • students discover information, • provide educators with access to quality materials, and • enable parents to find appropriate resources for improving their child’s education. INFOhio and SchoolRooms - the antidote to Google overload!
College & Careers Fine Arts Art & Theater Dance & Music Language Arts Literature (ES & MS) Literature: American (HS) Literature: British (HS) Literature: Classical/World (HS) Reading & Vocabulary Speech Writing Math Science Earth Science Life Science Physical Science Scientific Process & Inquiry Social Studies Economics Geography Government & Citizenship US History World History Study & Research Technology Audience Guides Children & YA Literature Educator’s Guide Librarian’s Guide Parent’s Guide Foreign Language – future development 71 SchoolRooms for ES, MS and HS INFOhio and SchoolRooms - the antidote to Google overload!
SchoolRooms provide One-stop-shopping for information -federated searching which simultaneously searches across: • Local school library catalog(s) • Other public library catalog(s) • Online subscription databases (i.e.: Encyclopedia Britannica, SIRS Discoverer, EBSCO, etc.) • Standards-driven taxonomy with educator selected web sites and Best of the Web • Popular Internet search engine results (i.e.: Google) • Integrated multi-media content from publishers (i.e.: Dorling Kindersley and Helicon). INFOhio and SchoolRooms - the antidote to Google overload!
Before we take a look… INFOhio and SchoolRooms - the antidote to Google overload!
How SchoolRooms began… • Collaboration between SirsiDynix and INFOhio • Idea to take the Rooms platform and build a portal with resources for the K-12 community • Other partners joined in • LNOCA – Joanna McNally assists with project management • Kent State University conducts usability study • Information Architecture Knowledge Management (IAKM) • School of Library and Information Science (SLIS) • Shaker Heights City School District tests SchoolRooms in actual lessons and assignments • Initial pilot of 9 SchoolRooms at each grade level (Jul-Sep 2005) • Earth Science • US History • Parent’s Guide 19 Ohio educators developed these 9 Rooms INFOhio and SchoolRooms - the antidote to Google overload!
How SchoolRooms began cont’d • A technical review by INFOhio staff occurs Nov-Dec 2005 to assess needs/concerns with the software. • A pilot occurs in the Shaker Heights City School District to test software functionality and usability (Jan 30-Feb 17, 2006), in partnership with Kent State University. • Pilot and usability study results are evaluated, and it is mutually agreed upon to plan for continued development (Mar 2006). INFOhio and SchoolRooms - the antidote to Google overload!
The pilot at Shaker Heights • Pilot occurred in Shaker Heights City School District near Cleveland, OH for 9 Rooms • Usability study with Kent State University • Student subjects • Two K-4 elementary schools, one 5th & 6th grade, one middle school, one high school • Grades 2,4,5,6,8,9,10 • 20+ teachers • 40 classes • Parents subjects • Second grade parent and child • Other parents individually • Teacher and Librarian focus groups INFOhio and SchoolRooms - the antidote to Google overload!
Usability & SchoolRooms • Looked at four core areas • Content • Navigation • User interface & aesthetics • Searching & resource access • Different perspectives • One-on-One Observations • In-Classroom Observations / Teacher Use • Parent / Child Pair Observations • Tasked Searches INFOhio and SchoolRooms - the antidote to Google overload!
Usability tools • One student per class eye-tracked • 10-15 students not in pilot – search tasks • Selected classes: introduction & assignment • Fact-finding search or open-ended search • Selected students in each class were individually observed conducting searches • Completed assignments • Interviews • Observation • Questionnaires • Screen and audio captured • Think-aloud • Web cams INFOhio and SchoolRooms - the antidote to Google overload!
Eye-Tracking Example Heat map example from eye- tracking at the home level. Shows the typical “triangle” of the most popular space looked at on websites. INFOhio and SchoolRooms - the antidote to Google overload!
High School Elementary vs. INFOhio and SchoolRooms - the antidote to Google overload!
What we learned Statistics • 88% of students said they would use SchoolRooms again for homework. • 51% said they preferred it to Google or Yahoo. Quotes “ This is better than Google because in Google you get lots of stuff you don’t need.” (student) “SchoolRooms is a great tool for new(er) teachers because it provides resources that are aligned to the curriculum” (teacher) “SirsiDynix is offering us the opportunity to serve our patrons with accurate information that meets their immediate needs. The information world is rapidly changing. SchoolRooms is the first step in the direction of seamless 24x7 services to patrons.” (librarian) INFOhio and SchoolRooms - the antidote to Google overload!
What we learned cont’d • What to Improve • Need PK-2 primary interface • Re-labeling of some modules and areas • Refinement of wireframe templates to suit different age level / learner needs (ES vs. HS) • What Worked • Interactive elements a success • Teacher/Librarian teams essential in content development • Easy to navigate INFOhio and SchoolRooms - the antidote to Google overload!
Building SchoolRooms One week training or “Bootcamp” June 12-16, 2006 at KSU • INFOhio and KSU selected nearly 140 Ohio educators (teachers and librarians) to form collaborative teams. • Teams attended a 2½ day workshop to develop an additional 62 SchoolRooms. • Teachers knew content and standards in depth. • Librarians knew where to located and how to search for quality resources. • Personas overview. • Taxonomy methodology & development . • Sessions on gathering & creating content for the web. • Learning the builder tool and teaser content training (facilitators and content teaser contributors). INFOhio and SchoolRooms - the antidote to Google overload!
The Taxonomies • Used SirsiDynix taxonomy development methodology • Used National Standards • Used big 5 content standards from CA, FL, NY, OH and TX • Scavenger hunt and user-friendly check INFOhio and SchoolRooms - the antidote to Google overload!
Gathering & Creating Content • Dr. Greg Byerly & Dr. Carolyn Brodie presented sessions on gathering and creating content • Teams separated into “teaser content” and “web content” groups • Training on selection criteria, writing for the web, wireframe templates and more. INFOhio and SchoolRooms - the antidote to Google overload!
Building SchoolRooms • Content is identified by Contributors, Facilitators, and Content Teaser Contributors (Jun-Jul 2006). • Conference calls every 2 weeks to share ideas and touch base. • Web forum for sharing ideas, documents, and other resources. • E-lists & email groups for communication. • Content proofed, bundled and packaged (Aug 2006) • Based on the content identified, the SchoolRooms portal is built by SirsiDynix (Aug-Sep 2006). • 1st phase deployment with Shaker Heights City School District and Kalida Local School District for entire SchoolRooms curriculum (2006-07). INFOhio and SchoolRooms - the antidote to Google overload!
Future for SchoolRooms • INFOhio and SirsiDynix work together in maintaining SchoolRooms content for all SirsiDynix customers (2006-07). • Subscription content • Weekly, bi-weekly and monthly updates to teaser content and URL validation • Continuing teacher and librarian contributor support • Content updated according to an Annual Editorial Calendar • Editorial calendar developed by Advisory Group of teachers and Librarians • INFOhio and SirsiDynix work together in the deployment of SchoolRooms for INFOhio (during 2007-08). INFOhio and SchoolRooms - the antidote to Google overload!
Let’s take a look! INFOhio and SchoolRooms - the antidote to Google overload!
Federated searching across the school library catalog, INFOhio Core Collection, Best of the Web, and The Web (Google) INFOhio and SchoolRooms - the antidote to Google overload!
A list of just the HS contributors! INFOhio and SchoolRooms - the antidote to Google overload!
INFOhio Theresa Fredericka 614-485-6731 central@infohio.org LNOCA Joanna McNally 216-520-6900 x223 joanna.mcnally@lnoca.org INFOhio Technical Support Jean Banks 419.228.7417 jean@noacsc.org SirsiDynix Kristiana Burk 800-917-4774 kris.burk@sirsidynix.com Contacts INFOhio and SchoolRooms - the antidote to Google overload!
Resources • OCLC Environmental Scan • Pew Internet and American Life Project • Ohio Research Study • INFOhio • SchoolRooms (info & demo) • School Library Journal editorial and article (December 2005) • SirsiDynix INFOhio and SchoolRooms - the antidote to Google overload!