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SCHOOLROOMS: PORTALS AND CONTENT FOR BLENDED LEARNING MARCH 23, 2006 1:45-2:30 PM

Explore the transformative impact of SchoolRooms, an innovative online portal designed to engage students, enhance curriculum integration, and foster collaboration among educators, librarians, and parents. Discover research findings, pilot programs, and the evolution of this dynamic educational resource.

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SCHOOLROOMS: PORTALS AND CONTENT FOR BLENDED LEARNING MARCH 23, 2006 1:45-2:30 PM

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  1. SCHOOLROOMS: PORTALS AND CONTENT FOR BLENDED LEARNING MARCH 23, 2006 1:45-2:30 PM

  2. Presenters • Stephen Abram, VP Innovation, SirsiDynix and • President-elect of Special Library Association (SLA) • Theresa M. Fredericka, Executive Director, INFOhio • Patrick Fleming, Director of Portal Interfaces and Rooms, SirsiDynix

  3. Before we take a look…

  4. The Scary re-wiring of the Millennials and post-Millennials

  5. Millennial Characteristics Credit: Richard Sweeney, NJIT

  6. Usability The A frame adopted from newspaper layout is not what works. Eyetools

  7. Reminder: 150,00-250,000 A DAY!

  8. In Summary: Align initiatives with the learner and learning styles • Focus on the user’s view and needs - interest, engagement, ownership. • Teachers, librarians, and parents need to work with the student as a team to help him/her. The teacher and librarian must collaborate in developing content, which results with a win win win situation (1+1=3). Provide resources and content that are integrated with the curriculum and that engage the student.

  9. What does the research tell 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

  10. INFOhio and School LibrariesThree Core Beliefs • Information makes a difference to people. • Making a difference does not happen by chance: a school library must be a dynamic agent of learning and the librarian is an information learning specialist & curriculum partner-leader. • Student achievement matters: a belief that all students can learn, and develop new understandings through the school library and its resources.

  11. What is INFOhio?

  12. How did we get to this point? • 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 2010 INFOhio transforms teaching and learning by connecting educational resources with the power of information technology.

  13. What is SchoolRooms? • SchoolRooms is a comprehensive and integrated multimedia online discovery portal for K-12 schools. • Through an initial pilot, virtual “Rooms” were created by teachers, librarians, and parents for Earth Science, US History, and Parents for elementary, middle, and high school use.

  14. SchoolRooms Provide • One-stop-shopping for all of your information needs -- content-in-context federated searching which simultaneously searches across all sources: • Standards-based taxonomy with educator selected web sites • Best of the Web (educator-selected) • Online subscription databases (i.e.: Encyclopedia Britannica, SIRS Discoverer, EBSCO, etc.) • Local school library catalog (OPAC) • Other library catalogs (public library OPAC and INFOhio Curriculum Resource Catalog) • Includes integrated multi-media components

  15. SchoolRooms cont’d? SchoolRooms combines teacher-selected, standards-based content with student-friendly software to promote exploration and learning and to supplement the curriculum. Content is accessed through virtual Rooms that help: • students discover information, • provide educators with access to quality materials, and • enable parents to find appropriate resources for improving their children’s education.

  16. How did we get to this point? • INFOhio and SirsiDynixcollaborate to create SchoolRooms together. • LNOCAassists with project management. • Shaker Heights City School District pilots the use of SchoolRooms in actual classroom lessons and assignments. • Kent State University conducts usability study to ensure a user-friendly design. Insights gained from this testing into the information-seeking patterns of school-age children will be incorporated into SchoolRooms. • School of Library and Information Science (SLIS) • Information Architecture Knowledge Management (IAKM)

  17. How did we get to this point? • Partnership is formalized between INFOhio and SirsiDynix (agreement) • Pilot of 3 SchoolRooms takes place from July-September 2005 to develop SchoolRooms for three grade levels (ES, MS, and HS): • Earth Science • US History • Parent Guide • A technical review by INFOhio staff occurs November-December to assess needs/concerns with the software. • Pilot occurs to test software functionality and usability (January 30-February 17, 2006) • Evaluate pilot results to determine a plan for continued development (March 2006). See INFOhio Project Targets handout

  18. Usability Study at Shaker Heights • Student Subjects • Two elementary schools, one 5th & 6th school, one middle school, and one high school • Grades 2, 4, 5 & 6, 8, 9, and 10 • 20+ teachers • 40 different classes • 1,000+ potential student subjects • Parent Subjects • Second grade parent & child • Other parents individually • Teacher & Librarian Subjects

  19. Let’s Take a Look…

  20. Usability - Comments • Student - “This is better than Google because in Google you get lots of stuff you don’t need.” • Teacher – “SchoolRooms is a great tool for new(er) teachers because it provides resources that are aligned to the curriculum.” • Librarian – “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 service to patrons."

  21. Our Observations So Far • Need a spell-checker (volcanoes & volcanues both yields results). • Students and teachers need good images/pictures, games, activities, etc. that are easily accessible within SchoolRooms. • Many individuals observed defaulted to the search box (used to it with Google) while others didn’t even notice it?! • Anything hyperlinked may be considered a website (because it is hyperlinked) – this may be confusing and an issue to consider for assisting in developing critical thinking skills. • Students are efficient, spending minimal time evaluating what they are finding. Again, an issue for information literacy skills. • Students express confidence when they use the Internet. We need to help teachers develop better assignments using Internet resources, requiring information literacy skills. • The SchoolRooms concept is accepted as a useful tool; however, the interface is a little too much – needs to be simplified.

  22. What’s next? Product Review and Usability Results Summer Development at Kent State University Fall rollout Q and A?

  23. New Rooms Development • June 12-16th • Training Workshop begins at Kent State University • approximately 60 teams • between 120-150 people building the additional rooms • one set of the teams will do the taxonomy and site selection • another team (previous contributors will be used as facilitators during this entire process) made up of previous contributors, will do the "teaser content." • June 19-30th and July • Teams will work on building content.  • August • August will be set aside as a prep month for tweaking on the SirsiDynix side.

  24. Goal (by 1st week of September) • 65 Rooms (this includes the different levels)   • Core Curriculum: • Fine Arts (dance, music, art, drama, etc.) • Language Arts (reading, writing, vocabulary, communication, speech, literature, etc.) • Mathematics (all types of math) • Sciences (physical, life, earth, scientific technology and inquiry) • Social Studies (geography, government, world history, us history, etc.) • Additional Areas: • Literacy & Research (info, tech, and media literacy, research skills) • Technology • College Prep & Career Exploration • Children & Young Adult Literature • Librarian Guide • Educator Guide • Parent Guide (completed)

  25. Fall Rollout Goals • Start customizing local instances  • Work towards delivering at least 1-3 Information Technology Center sites (ITC’s include several districts)  • In June INFOhio will work with the SirsiDynix project and product management orgs to determine a roll-out schedule for the upgrade and rollout plan for the entire state.

  26. Questions?

  27. Thanks Stephen Abram stephen.abram@sirsidynix.com Terri Fredericka fredericka@infohio.org Patrick Fleming patrick.fleming@sirsidynix.com Special thanks to Joanna McNally, LNOCA, for assistance in creation of this powerpoint. http://www.schoolrooms.net

  28. Resources • OCLC Environmental Scan • Pew Internet and American Life Project • Ohio Research Study • INFOhio • SchoolRooms • SirsiDynix Special thanks to Joanna McNally, LNOCA, for assistance in creation of this powerpoint.

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