Schooliblit

Tuesday, June 24, 2003

More in the Media About the Value of School Libraries
Report on Links Between Libraries and Achievement. Brought to you by Gary Deane The Globe and Mail reports on a new study that shows a direct correlation between investment in school libraries and improved standardized test scores.

Theres no quick fix for poor standardized test scores, commentators are quick to point out. But what if there were? What if someone found a dependable method of raising test scores while enhancing the educational values that a standardized Q and A can't measure? Ken Haycock, a University of British Columbia researcher and former chairman of the Vancouver School Board, has identified that miracle solution in one of modern educations most neglected outposts: the school library. No, it's not sexy or particularly cutting-edge -- the opposite, if anything, which may be why the library's backers can't get the attention of people fixated on education's next big thing.

The full report in pdf is available here. [LISNews.com]
8:06:09 AM

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Logs for Learning
WebloggEd refers to this article on the Intel Education site that talks about a teacher who uses weblogs with her 4th and 5th grade students and what a difference it makes in their writing.

Besides the good article, that I will pass on to the technology facilitators at our school, I found myself hopping from interesting link to interesting link from the original posting. Too bad I still have to go to school this morning. At least I'll soon have a few weeks of summer vacation, with time to follow links to my heart's content.
7:35:53 AM [comment []];[]

Violate 1st Amendment In Order To Protect Children?
U.S. Supreme Court Upholds Childrens Internet Protection Act. From the article, By a 6-3 vote, the justices reversed a ruling by a special three-judge federal court panel in Philadelphia that the filtering requirement caused libraries to violate the First Amendment constitutional rights of their patrons. [ResourceShelf]

Well here's one where I stand firmly with the ALA. From their press release in response to the court's ruling:

Forcing Internet filters on all library computer users strikes at the heart of user choice in libraries and at the libraries' mission of providing the broadest range of materials to diverse users. Today's Supreme Court decision forces libraries to choose between federal funding for technology improvements and censorship. Millions of library users will lose.

We are disappointed the Court did not understand the difference between adults and children using library resources. This flies in the face of library practice of age-appropriate materials and legal precedent that adults must have access to the full range of health, political and social information. The public library is the number one access point for online information for those who do not have Internet access at home or work. We believe they must have equal access to the Information Superhighway.

6:59:51 AM

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