UGA : COE : EPIT : SLM : MAF : 6340 : Topics : Learner Characteristics

6340 Topics
Learner Characteristics
Diversity, Digital Natives, Differentiation, Learning Styles
audioAudio available in eLC-6340-Resources (29 min.)

Required Readings
  • Bishop 15
  • EL p.11
Standards
  • 1.1B Identifies and addresses student interests and motivations
  • all of 2.1, (Knowledge of Learners and Learning), espcially
  • 2.1B Supports the learning of all students and other members of the learning community, including those with diverse learning styles, abilities, and needs

Supplemental Readings:


Big Idea: Learner Characteristics
Every school has its own unique menu of diverse learners.  The school library provides a matching and evolving menu of resources to meet the needs and interests of these diverse learners. The material to follow simply explores a number of these diverse characteristics.

Discussion Points

Diversity: Selecting materials and providing reference services to diverse patrons
  • Crayon box diversity
  • Realize that everyone is "different" in some way, or of some minority; "average" is a myth (in MAF's philosophy)
  • What kinds of diversity should we include in our consideration?
  • Problem: under-representation.
  • What are the media specialist's responsibilites regarding diversity?
  • How can media specialists effectively address diversity?
  • Key issue: access and barriers to access
  • To be certified, you must take a basic exceptionalities course (like SPED 2000; certified teachers have already satisfied this requirement).  It's frightening to think that you must be prepared to handle all the different kinds of exceptionalities there are. Let the teachers who work with special children help you; collaborate with them. It's a good strategy in general: any time you have a challenge with a particular child, talk to his/her teacher for help in working with him/her.  You will learn a lot this way.  However, you are not expected to have anywhere near the level of expertise that a special ed teacher has.
  • How might state and national debate over illegal immigrants affect schools and media centers?
  • Accommodations for all your school's diversities should infuse your Selection Policy and Orders.
  • Equally important to learn about all kinds of different people, whether in your community or not
  • Assistive technology is...
  • People resources here include...
  • See also: Cohort7 Blog, 14Jan08.
  • Your Selection Policy should reflect in some way your philosophy of striving to select among diverse formats to meet the varying needs of your diverse students.  
  • Don't forget that gifted children have needs too; it's a mistake to think that they can just "take care of themselves."
ELL and ESOL

Culturally Diverse Materials for School Libraries


Working with Digital Natives
Digital Natives, Electronic Resources, and The Stuff in the Middle

Digital natives ...

  • expect control
  • expect instantaneous interactivy
  • are not passive
  • think email is old-fashioned and that texting is better
  • multi-task
  • enjoy independent discovery
  • may not enjoy step-by-step and linear progression (because they grew up with hyperlinks)
  • And where does this leave those students who live on the wrong side of the Digital Divide?

February 2011 update to this information from the YALSA Blog (maf should synthesize this)
  • may have better sense of online reputation management than adults
  • still enjoy traditional print magazines, paper books, f2f time with friends
  • may have little fear of "breaking it"
  • still need help in judging info quality, integrating tech as useful tools
  • good idea to let them tell you how they use tech in their own words, and how they see non-digital-natives


Application

References
  • Abram, S. (2006).  Millenials: Deal With Them!  Texas Library Journal, v. 82.  (A version of this piece is also printed in School Library Media Activities Monthly.)
  • Agosto, D. (2007). Building a multicultural school library:  Issues and challenges.  Teacher Librarian 34(3), 27-31.  Available fulltext in GALILEO/EBSCO.
  • American Association of School Librarians and Association for Educational Communications and Technology. (1998). Information power: Building partnerships for learning. Chicago: American Library Association.
  • Bishop, K. (2007). The collection program in schools: Concepts, practices, and information scources (4th ed.). Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited.
  • Corona, E., & Armour, L. (2007). Providing support for English Language Learner services. Library Media Connection 25 (6), 34-?.  Available fulltext in GALILEO/EBSCO.
  • deLong, S. (2007, October). Nix the name-calling: The lazy use of labels cuts off any meaningful dialogue. American Libraries, 51. [r5-15-08; in 6340.pf]
  • Logo by CoolText
  • Summers, L.L. (2007?). Culturally responsive school library lessons & service ideas. Conference handout available in WebCT 6340 Resources.
  • York, S. (2007). Twenty-five years later: A librarian looks back ... and ahead. Library Media Connection 25 (6), 18-20.  Available fulltext in GALILEO/EBSCO.



6340 | Syllabus | Assignments | Topics
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http://it.coe.uga.edu/~mfitzger/6340/learner-characteristics.html
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Page history: 2-2-11: refreshed.
2010: 9/16: added EL ref. 4/5: removed Abram reading [broken link, plus too old]. 1/6: refs and link check. Content refreshed 1-26-10. 2-12-10: added audio note.
Combined several old content sections here on 12-18-08.  Structural 1-5-09; 1/6. Refreshed 2-27-09.