Blog 1
In SLIS 761 this week, we began looking at the national standards set by the AASL and ISTE. As a former computer lab instructor (uncertified), I had looked towards the ISTE standards for guidance but have gained a new perspective on how they can work with the AASL standards to achieve the goal of educating students to be lifelong learners. The article “Factors of Engagement: Professional Standards and the Library Science Internship” highlighted the importance that both AASL and ISTE standards play in today’s library and the capstone library internship.
In 2017, the AASL released new standards for the school librarian, the school library, and the learner. These three versions of standards are an evolution of previous standards and are designed to work together to focus on the learner mastering competencies. The standards are centered around four domains: Think, Create, Share, Grow. These domains are mastered through the shared foundations: Inquire, Include, Collaborate, Curate, Explore, and Engage. I heard these described as ICE-ICE (baby) at a conference and found that to be a catchy acronym to help remember the shared foundations. Dotson and Dotson-Blake feel that the AASL standards must be used in conjunction with the ISTE standards during graduate school internships to “prepare future professionals for the impact of evolving professional responsibilities particularly in light of advances in technology” (2015, p. 56).
The ISTE standards have also recently been updated and like the AASL standards, feature standards for both students and educators. They each have seven domains that are designed to help students become empowered learners. There is some overlap with the AASL standards, but I found that the specific emphasis on technology helped me to formulate ideas of how to use technology to simultaneously meet AASL and ISTE standards. This convergence of standards is an objective that is Dotson and Dotson-Blake feel is important as AASL standards and ISTE standards both “emphasize problem-solving, critical thinking, and analytical skills while giving teachers some flexibility and judgment in delivering the curriculum” (2015, p. 55).
As a librarian who has never been a classroom teacher, I find the AASL standards to be slightly overwhelming. I’m considering ordering this card game to help me become more familiar with the standards. I am picturing it like a school librarian version of Cards Against Humanity, which would be a riot at the next out of town SCASL conference! Conversely, I found the ISTE standards are much more straightforward and easy to understand. I am looking forward to becoming more familiar with both as the course progresses. This article has also made me look forward to the internships I will complete next school year and the opportunity to see how other librarians implement both sets of standards in their libraries.
References
Dotson, K. D., & Dotson-Blake, K. (2015). Factors of engagement: Professional standards and the library science internship. Techtrends: Linking Research & Practice To Improve Learning, 59(3), 54-63.
Kristi, I loved your insight to both sets of standards. The ISTE standards are much easier to digest. The AASL are lengthy, but flexible for all grades. I used to just looking at 4 documents, specific to one grade so this was an adjustment for me.
ReplyDeleteI will be at SCASL this year and would love to play your standards card game with you! - Tiffany Anderson
Kristi,
ReplyDeleteI can only imagine how overwhelming the AASL standards are for someone who has never been a traditional classroom teacher. There are so many things I use from the classroom in my everyday library lessons. I can definitely see how the ISTE standards seem more straightforward and easy to understand. There are many times that I too and overwhelmed by the standards, so know that you are not alone!
Jayme
While I agree that the ISTE standards are more straightforward and much less encompassing than the AASL standards, I love the cohesiveness of the AASL standards. They were really well thought out and work together like a well-oiled machine. They are very comprehensive and if you look at them all at once, it is most definitely overwhelming, but I was just reading something today that said that the only way to eat an entire elephant is to just do it one bite at a time. That made me think about tackling my assignments and understanding these standards that way. I think as we use them more, we will find they are much more user friendly than they seem as we are first trying to digest them.
ReplyDeleteKristi,
ReplyDeleteI appreciated your perspective of a lab instructor and how the ISTE were the first standards you have been exposed to. I too have never been a classroom teacher and have also found the standards overwhelming. The district I work in has monthly media specialist meeting and google classroom discussions of the new standards. I will be facilitating the February discussion and appreciate the input and insight of the other school librarians who have had many years of experience working with various standards. The card game you shared would be a great activity for those meetings or , as you suggested, for the next out of town SCASL conference.
M. McCabe Rentz