This morning I had been reading an online article about the new AASL Standards. Then just now I logged in to Cool Tools to select my next learning activity - as if often the case, I saw Thing 50 right at the perfect moment! I was already planning to start familiarizing myself with the new standards, so this is the perfect opportunity to dig in!
Right away I learned something while reading the introduction: “the new National School Library Standards that are actually three sets of standards that are similarly structured around the same concepts. The 3 sets of standards are: for learners, for your library program and for you as a library professional.” Definitely time to get familiar with what is new!
I started by watching the introductory video "AASL Standards – Evolved and Familiar”, a 3 minute intro relates the new standards to previous ones. As suggested, I began familiarizing myself with the AASL Standards Framework for Learner Standards. The pamphlet is a visually appealing summary of the Standards Frameworks. I will be ordering the full book for my District as well.
I appreciated the breakdown of “Shared Foundations” and “Domains” that were provided in the Thing 50 body text:
The core of the standards are the six ‘Shared Foundations’ and their accompanying ‘KEY Committments’.
- Inquire
- Build new knowledge by inquiring, thinking critically, identifying problems, and developing strategies for solving problems.
- Include
- Demonstrate an understanding of and commitment to inclusiveness and respect for diversity in the learning community.
- Collaborate
- Work effectively with others to broaden perspectives and work toward common goals.
- Curate
- Make meaning for oneself and others by collecting, organizing, and sharing resources of personal relevance.
- Explore
- Discover and innovate in a growth mindset developed through experience and reflection.
- Engage
- Demonstrate safe, legal, and ethical creating and sharing of knowledge products independently while engaging in a community of practice and an interconnected world.
Domains
These are coordinated with four learning categories, or ‘Domains’ as AASL calls them: THINK, CREATE, SHARE and GROW
Looking at the two-page grid, I can think of lessons and activities I am already doing that meet many of these frameworks. My 6+ Enrichment classes and my Digital Literacy class implement several, and others are met through my collaborations with teachers in my school. We already have inquiry-based learning, creating content, collaborating on discussion and projects, etc. I also introduce students to many technology tools that they can use towards achieving these standards, including research databases (especially Gale and NovelNY resources), Web 2.0 tools such as Canva, Google apps (Classroom, Drive, Drawings, etc.) and regular technologies such as green screens and video editing/creating of content.
While examining all of this, I was immediately inspired to start thinking about how I will introduce these updates to my Superintendent and District Administrators, fellow teachers, etc. so I was thankful to see the AASL One-Pagers for Stakeholders link come up. These are beautifully designed, easily understandable resources to share with the school community. I downloaded & printed color copies of each one, as well as the School Libraries Transform Learning Message Box printable. Thank you for providing the direct links to all of these resources - they make my job of sharing this information much less daunting!
Under the “More to Explore” section I particularly liked New AASL Standards, So What? A handy short article on examining the standards by Paige Jaeger that includes a table of key words to use when planning lessons. These learner competencies come from the new Standards Framework and demonstrate how the new standards are suited for lifelong learning. She even provides a printable PDF to the table, along with a checklist for assessing where you’re at in the process of addressing these standards. So helpful!
LEARNING ACTIVITY
Since I’d already selected Paige Jaeger’s article to read and explore earlier in this assignment, I decided to do the second learning activity option. Upon looking through the document Tech Tools & Resources AASL Standards for the Learner, the tech tool connections that most appeal to me include the following. I created this chart to show which tools I already know and/or use, as well as the ones that I want to investigate further.
Tools I Have Used and/or Am Familiar With - Grade or Course I’ve Used It With
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Tools I Plan to Explore Further
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Checkology - Press Room & Digital Literacy
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Wonderopolis - Library Classes
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National Archives DocsTeach (Create interactive lessons with primary sources to foster historical thinking)
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Voki - Digital Literacy & 6+ Classes
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Skype in the Classroom - Author Visits
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Newsela - ELA Classes
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Goodreads
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Probably many others as I revisit the list
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Quizlet - several classes/content areas
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YouTube Playlists & Channel
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Adobe Spark - Digital Literacy & 6+ classes
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ThingLink - Digital Literacy, 6+
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Canva - Digital Literacy, Ted Talks
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Powtoon - Family & Consumer Sciences
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Venngage - Digital Literacy, 6+ classes
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Of the six Foundations, the ones that resonate with me the most are “Inquire”, “Collaborate”, and “Explore”. As a Middle School Library Media Specialist and teacher of Digital Literacy and enrichment classes, these three stand out to me. My projects are all student-driven, differentiated, and project-based. I encourage students to consider what they are most curious about and interested in learning. Then we mold the digital tools and resources I want to teach around their selections.
By doing the exercise in Paige Jaeger’s article, I was pleased to discover that my current practice already incorporates many of the principles and elements mentioned in the Standards and Frameworks. This activity also helped me feel less overwhelmed by the new Frameworks brochure, as it allowed me to see all the great things I’m already doing in support of the Standards. My weakest area is “Include”; I don’t really emphasize that, so I will work on that. I also appreciate the opportunity to gain insight and specific ideas for how to expand my current program to include some of the areas I’m not as strong as in.
Thank you for a very helpful and informative “thing”!
Wow! You did a lot for this lesson. Glad it appeared at the right time for you, though I should have posted it ages again. mea culpa. Like so many of you, I was feeling daunted by how to pull some threads out to create this lesson without overwhelming everyone. And after reading your post, I feel like maybe I hit the right note. Thanks for sharing so many tools and ideas. I'll be looking through your lists to make sure I know what they all are too! Sounds like you're well on your way with the standards.
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