TARGETING AASL STANDARDS: AN INDEPENDENT TRAINING MODULE FOR TEACHERS

Designed by Melissa Witte

Image: http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/aasl/guidelinesandstandards/learningstandards/standards-cover.png

Image: https://www.georgiastandards.org/Standards/Pages/BrowseStandards/BrowseGPS.aspx

WHAT IS THE VALUE OF LEARNING ABOUT ANOTHER SET OF STANDARDS?

Targeting AASL Standards

AASL standards:

• easily connect with the standards you already know (GPS, QCC)• are grounded in constructivist learning theory & address multiple literacies• take into account the complexity of the current environment and the characteristics of the 21st century student• address technology skills necessary for students’ future employment• focus on deep processing skills and strategies that transfer• were designed by librarians and educators from primary, secondary and university levels• are well-organized into 4 categories, simple to understand and are not overwhelming in number

WHAT IS THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL LIBRARIANS?

Targeting AASL Standards

AASL is a national organization with the following goals:

“AASL works to ensure that all members of the school library field collaborate to:provide leadership in the total education programparticipate as active partners in the teaching/learning processconnect learners with ideas and information, andprepare students for life-long learning, informed decision-making, a love of reading, and the use of information technologies” (American Association of School Librarians, 2009).

Targeting AASL Standards

In their broadest form:“Learners use skills, resources and tools to:

1. Inquire, think critically and gain knowledge.

2. Draw conclusions, make informed decisions, apply knowledge to new situations, and create new knowledge.

3. Share knowledge and participate ethically and productively as members of our democratic society.

4. Pursue personal and aesthetic growth.” (American Association of School Librarians, 2007).

Which of these do you find most important for your students?

WHAT ARE THE AASL STANDARDS?

Targeting AASL Standards

1.

2.

NAME TWO AASL STANDARDS

Designed by Melissa Witte

Each of these 4 broad sections is subdivided into skills, dispositions in action, responsibilities and self-assessment strategies. Under these subdivisions come the specific standards. E.g.:Section1. Inquire, think critically, and gain knowledge.

1.1 Skills (subdivision)

1.1.1 Follow an inquiry-based process in seeking knowledge in curricular subjects, and make the real-world connection for using this process in own life. (specific standard)1.1.2 Use prior and background knowledge as context for new learning. (specific standard)

2.

GOING DEEPER: SPECIFIC AASL STANDARDS

Targeting AASL Standards

1. Inquire, think critically, and gain knowledge.

1.2 Dispositions in Action (subdivision)

1.2.1 Display initiative and engagement by posing questions and investigating the answers beyond the collection of superficial facts. (specific standard)

1.2.4 Maintain a critical stance by questioning the validity and accuracy of all information. (specific standard)

ADDITIONAL EXAMPLES OF SPECIFIC AASL STANDARDS

Targeting AASL Standards

1. What is your impression of the AASL standards thus far?

2. Could you apply them in your teaching?

Targeting AASL Standards

The following example of a 2nd grade unit on invertebrates should demonstrate how to apply the standards.Standard: 1.1.1 Follow an inquiry-based process in seeking knowledge in curricular subjects, and make the real-world connection for using this process in own life.

How can I foster inquiry in my 2nd grade students while addressing invertebrates?

Examples: 1. Open the lesson with questions, to mimic the initial step in

the inquiry-based process. This will demonstrate the inquiry process in the structure of your lesson plan and give students practice in using an inquiry-based process.

•What is the defining characteristic of an invertebrate?•What are the advantages of being an invertebrate?•What kind of habitat is best suited for an invertebrate?•Ask students what questions they have about invertebrates.•Lastly, ask, “How can we find the answers to these questions? Could we examine actual specimens of invertebrates? Could we ask an expert?”

HOW CAN YOU APPLY AASL STANDARDS TO YOUR TEACHING?

Targeting AASL Standards

Standard: 1.1.1 Follow an inquiry-based process in seeking knowledge in curricular subjects, and make the real-world connection for using this process in own life.

How can I foster inquiry in my students while addressing invertebrates?Examples: 2. End the lesson with answers to the chosen questions and ask

students what process they used to arrive at the answers. Ask them if the process worked well and why or why not, to mimic the final step in the inquiry-based process. This will again demonstrate the inquiry process in the structure of your lesson plan and give students practice in using an inquiry-based process.

•How did we find the answers to our question about the best habitat for an invertebrate? •Was it easy or difficult to obtain actual specimens of invertebrates? •Did we have the proper tools to examine the specimens?•How did we invite our expert, the zoologist, to talk with us?•Was our expert knowledgeable? Did she answer all our questions?•How could we make the process better?

HOW CAN YOU APPLY AASL STANDARDS TO YOUR TEACHING? (CONTINUED)

Targeting AASL Standards

Standard: 1.1.1 Follow an inquiry-based process in seeking knowledge in curricular subjects, and make the real-world connection for using this process in own life.

How can I foster real-world connections in my 2nd grade students while addressing invertebrates?

Examples: 3. During the lesson incorporate real-world connections in order

to demonstrate the value of the content and process to students.

• How does a scientist find answers to questions like the best habitat for an invertebrate? • Why are invertebrates important for food chains and our environment in Georgia? • Is it safe to go swimming when the ocean is full of jellyfish?• Have you ever used a natural sponge and for what purpose did you use it?• Would the tomatoes growing in our school garden have difficulty growing if there were no earthworms?

HOW CAN YOU APPLY AASL STANDARDS TO YOUR TEACHING? (CONTINUED)

Targeting AASL Standards

As you can see, it is easy to incorporate the AASL standards in a lesson. To review,

1. First, select the content area that needs to be covered according to your curriculum.

2. Identify an AASL standard that will benefit your students.

3. Ask yourself, How can I foster (this skill/disposition/responsibility/self-assessment strategy) ________ in my students while addressing (this content)_____________?

Now it’s your turn to practice. Pause the PowerPoint presentation and access the Word file entitled, 7461_AASL_Inservice_StandardsApplicationPractice_mod1_mlw.docx.

HOW CAN YOU APPLY AASL STANDARDS TO YOUR TEACHING?

You should now have finished the application practice from the Word document. How are you feeling about applying the AASL standards?

Like this: or like this:

You have one more section to view in this presentation and then an evaluation to complete. Hang in there!

Targeting AASL Standards

Targeting AASL Standards

You are already adept at selecting appropriate GPS/QCC standards. Using the following procedure, you can use the potent AASL standards to support the other standards.

1. First, select the appropriate GPS for your students.

2. Next, thinking in terms of the 4 broadest AASL standards categories first, select the AASL standard(s) that would best enhance the GPS or best give students the tools to achieve the understanding specified in the GPS. Would inquiring and thinking critically (section 1) enhance the chosen GPS best or would sharing knowledge and participating ethically (section 3) be better suited for the GPS? Could you use both?

3. Further specify the AASL standards based on an evaluation of your students’ needs.

HOW CAN AASL STANDARDS SUPPORT GPS STANDARDS?

Targeting AASL Standards

Example: Step 1: You select GPS SSSoC C2: for your 10th graders: “Students

will evaluate how cultures develop and evolve.”Step 2: Select the broad AASL standard(s) that enhances or gives

your students the tools needed to achieve the understanding. Specifically for this GPS, you would ask yourself:

• Which AASL standard would support evaluation of cultural development? What tools does the 10th grade student need to effectively evaluate this topic and achieve understanding of cultural development and evolution?

• Do inquiry, critical thinking and gaining knowledge enable your students to evaluate something? Yes, they obviously do.

• Do drawing conclusions and applying knowledge to new situations enable them to evaluate something? Yes. Studying various societies requires students to draw conclusions based on the comparisons.

• Do sharing knowledge and participating ethically and productively as members of society enable them to evaluate something? Yes, their participation in society gives them a reference point and real-world application for the topic of sociology.

• Does pursuing personal and aesthetic growth enable your students to evaluate something? Insofar as doing yields experiential and procedural knowledge, yes.

HOW CAN AASL STANDARDS SUPPORT GPS STANDARDS?

Targeting AASL Standards

In short, for step 2 you are able to use all the broad AASL standards to support the chosen sociology GPS.

The AASL standards easily mesh with other standards because each broad category corresponds to a step in the learning process:

1. Inquire & gain knowledge 2. Draw conclusions & apply knowledge 3. Share knowledge 4. Continue to grow.(Self-assessment is included within each broad category.)

HOW CAN AASL STANDARDS SUPPORT GPS STANDARDS?

Targeting AASL Standards

Now perform step 3: Further specify the AASL standards based on an evaluation of your students’ needs.

Your 10th grade class is skilled at finding information about different societies, but many of them require improvement at evaluating sources of information and writing original work as opposed to copying and pasting from the first website that appears in a internet search.

You select the specific AASL standards to address your students’ needs:1.1.5 “Evaluate information found in selected sources on the basis of accuracy, validity, appropriateness for needs, importance, and social and cultural context.”1.3.1 “Respect copyright/intellectual property rights of creators and producers.”1.3.3 “Follow ethical and legal guidelines in gathering and using information.”

It should be apparent that nearly all the AASL standards support GPS by providing students with the tools, skills, dispositions, sense of responsibility and self-assessment strategies needed to achieve the targeted understandings.

HOW CAN AASL STANDARDS SUPPORT GPS STANDARDS?

CONNECTIONS BETWEEN GPS AND AASL STANDARDS

Targeting AASL Standards

GPS AASL StandardsELA6R1 “The student demonstrates comprehension…of a variety of literary and informational texts….For informational texts, the student reads and comprehends in order to develop understanding…”

1.1.6 “Read, view, and listen for information presented in any format (e.g., textual, visual, media, digital) in order to make inferences and gather meaning.”

S1CS1 “Students will be aware of the importance of curiosity, honesty, openness, and skepticism in science and will exhibit these traits in their own efforts to understand how the world works.”

4.2.1 “Display curiosity by pursuing interests through multiple resources.” (curiosity)1.3.3 “Follow ethical and legal guidelines in gathering and using information.” (honesty) 1.2.4 “Maintain a critical stance by questioning the validity and accuracy of all information.” (skepticism)

MM1G2 “Students will understand and use the language of mathematical argument and justification.”

2.2.3 “Employ a critical stance in drawing conclusions by demonstrating that the pattern of evidence leads to a decision or conclusion.” (argument and justification)

MESBB.4 “Improvising melodies…”MESBB.5 “Composing and arranging music within specified guidelines.”

4.1.3 “Respond to literature and creative expressions of ideas in various formats and genres.” (improvising, composing)4.1.8 Use creative and artistic formats to express personal learning.

HE1.2: “Students will analyze the influence of family, peers, culture, media, technology and other factors on health behaviors.”

1.1.7 “Make sense of information gathered from diverse sources by identifying misconceptions, main and supporting ideas, conflicting information, and point of view or bias.” (identify bias in media, misconceptions in peers)

As you can see from the chart, some AASL standards are quite similar to GPS you already know. (You are nearly done with this in-service module! Dress-down day, here you come!)

Targeting AASL Standards

You have learned that AASL standards

Are well-organized into 4 categories corresponding to steps in the learning process:

1. “Inquire, think critically and gain knowledge.

2. Draw conclusions, make informed decisions, apply knowledge to new situations, and create new knowledge.

3. Share knowledge and participate ethically and productively as members of our democratic society.

4. Pursue personal and aesthetic growth.”

Easily connect with the standards you already know (GPS, QCC)

CONCLUSION

Targeting AASL Standards

You have learned that AASL standards

May be applied to your teaching thus:

1. First, select the content area that needs to be covered according to your curriculum.

2. Identify an AASL standard that will benefit your students.

3. Ask yourself, How can I foster (this skill/ disposition/ responsibility/self-assessment strategy) ________ in my students while addressing (this content)_____________?

CONCLUSION

Targeting AASL Standards

You have learned that AASL standards

Support GPS standards thus:

1. First, select the appropriate GPS for your students.

2. Next, select the broad AASL standard(s) that would best enhance the GPS or best give students the tools to achieve the understanding specified in the GPS.

3. Further specify the AASL standards based on an evaluation of your students’ needs.

CONCLUSION

Targeting AASL Standards

Thank you for your attention during this presentation. I hope it was a valuable use of your limited time. In order to make this module the best it can be, please complete the short assessment in the Word document “7461_AASL_Inservice_feedback_mod1_mlw.docx” and then print the bookmark for you to keep: “7461_AASL_inservice_tipbookmarkreminder_mod1_mlw.docx”.

Your feedback is important to me. Thank you.

Melissa Wittemwitte1@my.westga.edu

ASSESSMENT

To learn more, explore these resources:

1. Standards for the 21st – Century Learner

The official standards from AASL.

2. Brown, K. (2009). Questions for the 21st-Century Learner. Knowledge Quest. 38(1), 24-29.

3. Mardis, M. A. & Dickinson, G. K. (2009). Far away, so close: preservices school library media specialists' perceptions of AASL's "Standards for the 21st-century learner." School Library Media Research, 12. Retrieved from http://www.eric.ed.gov/PDFS/EJ877495.pdf

4. From the creative minds of 21st-century librarians. 2010. http://digital-literacy.syr.edu/data/From_The_Creative_Minds_Book.pdf

Includes many complete lesson plans incorporating AASL standards. Lesson plans cover many subjects and grade levels.5. Vent, L. (2010). Career Info Quest: Using AASL Standards to Prepare Teens for the Future. Library Media Connection. 28(4), 28-30.

Don’t forget we can inter-library loan any article you need! Just ask the media specialist.

Image: https://www.georgiastandards.org/Standards/Pages/BrowseStandards/BrowseGPS.aspx

References: References

  American Association of School Librarians. (2007). AASL standards for the 21st-century learner.

http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/aasl/guidelinesandstandards/learningstandards/AASL_Learning_Standards_ 2007.pdf

  American Association of School Librarians. (2009). Empowering learners; guidelines for school

library media programs. Chicago, IL: American Library Association.   Georgia Department of Education. (2006). Performance standards. Retrieved from:

https://www.georgiastandards.org/Standards/Pages/BrowseStandards/BrowseGPS.aspx