research while research on learning principles in education can be found,

Motivation & Constructivism in the

School Library Media Center

Adrienne Latshaw Principles of Learning EDF 6215Spring 2008

Research

While research on learning principles in education can be found,

Research

it is difficult to locate materials on learning principles and the K-12 school library media center.

• Two areas that have been researched:

Motivation

&

Constructivism

Research

Motivation• Motivation “refers to the process whereby goal-

directed behavior is instigated and sustained.” (Schunk, 1990, p.3)

• Important in – Setting Goals for performance evaluation standards.

– “Self-Efficacy Beliefs”- “learner’s beliefs about themselves in relation to task difficulty and task outcome.”

– Increasing “Curiosity and Interest”

– Collaboration among the school community

(Driscoll, 2005, p. 316)

Constructivism• Constructivism helps create “learners...[who] are... active

organisms seeking meaning.” (Driscoll, 2005, p.387)

• Students:

Collaborate

Build knowledge

• Media Specialists:

Collaboration

Teach information literacy- “use, access, and evaluate information in all subject areas

and in all formats.”

(AASL & AECT, 1998, p. 60)

Role of the Media Specialist (MS)(AASL, 1998, p. 4-5)

Media Specialist

Benefits of an active media center:The media center and the school library media specialist (MS) play a vital role in education. This may seem

obvious in the area of literacy, but there are studies that prove an active and strong media center program can increase student’s standardized test scores.

What the studies have indicated is a direct correlation between information literacy instruction by the library media specialist and improvements on standardized tests.

Early studies done by K.C. Lance, an innovative researcher in library media research since the early 1990’s, have shown test scores increase when the library media specialist took on the role of a

• Teacher(Lance, 1994). • Collaborator-Multiple studies in various states:

– Alaska– Colorado– Oregon– New Mexico– Pennsylvania (Lance, 2002)

Also a factor in determining the success of students achieving information literacy are:• the amount of funding the media center receives• the quality of the book collection (Lance, 2002)• and having a media specialist with a master’s degree in library science (Lance, 2006)

Motivation

• Students develop “self-regulatory skills to set their own goals and manage their own learning and performance”.

• Media Specialists (instructors) help to facilitate the students’ “self-regulatory knowledge

and skills.”(Driscoll, 2005, p.309-310)

Motivation-Students

Motivation is important to maintain reading levels in both quality and quantity interest in research.

From an early age, most students are excited about books, but this excitement wanes in later years. Studies have found gender differences in areas of genre choice and quantity of time spent reading. (Jones & Fiorelli, 2003)

Motivation-Students

• Reading programs can help in literacy if the entire school community collaborates.

• In Florida, some of these programs are:• Accelerated Reading (AR)• Reading First

– Just Read Florida!• LEaRN

• Read To Learn

Motivation-Students

• “Motivation appears to be enhanced when”:• “learners’ expectancies are satisfied• when they attribute their successes to their own efforts and

effective learning strategies.”

• Self regulations occurs when:• Learners “acquire skills to plan their learning• Monitor their own progress, and • Evaluate the success of their efforts”

(Driscoll, 2005, p. 331-332)

Motivation-Instructors• Collaboration can occur between the entire school

community• Instructors can utilize

– ARCS model-Motivational design• John M. Keller developed

– A=Attention: • Capture the student’s attention

– R=Relevance: • Show how the materials will help to achieve their goals.• Make a relationship between what the student already knows and what

is being learned. – C=Confidence:

• Make expectations reasonable and clear so students can manage their progress and outcomes.

– S=Satisfaction:• Give “opportunities to use newly acquired skills”.• “Use positive consequences, such as verbal praise, real or symbolic

awards.”• Indicate how the outcomes relate to the expectations.

(Driscoll, 2005, p. 336-338)

ConstructivismKnowledge:

• “is constructed by learners as they attempt to make sense of their experiences.”

• “must develop and continue to change with the activity of the learner.”

(Driscoll, 2005, p. 387, 390)

Constructivism-Students

Learners• Problem solve

• Reason

• Use critical thinking

• Use “knowledge actively and reflectively”

(Driscoll, 2005, p. 390-391)

Constructivism-Instructors• Knowledge Building

Recommendations for instruction:• “Embed learning in complex, realistic, and

relevant environment.”• “Provide for social negotiation as an integral

part of learning.”• “Support multiple perspectives and the use

of multiple modes of representation.”• “Encourage ownership on learning.”• “Nurture self-awareness of the knowledge

construction process.”(Driscoll, 2005, p. 393-

394)

Constructivism-Instructors• Collaboration

• Collaboration and cooperation work by forming a partnership between the teacher and media specialist to work collaboratively to instruct the students “in a more technologically research-oriented and less textbook-oriented” manner (Morris, 2004, p. 39).

• This instruction can be achieved by many effective methods:• The BIG6• FLIP-IT• The Research Cycle• Research Helper• Florida’s FINDS (Information Literacy, 2006)

• Another model in collaborative teaching is the Institute for Library and Information Literacy Education (ILILE) (Brodie, Baldini, & Byerly, 2007). The ILILE fosters collaborative teaching of information literacy on a state, regional, and federal level.

Constructivism-Instructors

• Each of these methods provides for a way for the teacher and media specialist to be partners in education ensuring and enabling the overall advancement of the student to becoming information literate.

Information Power Applied To

Learning Principles

• Learning principle knowledge can help in all aspects of the 10 “learning and teaching principles” that Information power uses to describe school library media programs. (AASL, 1998, p.58-72)

• This knowledge benefits both the student and the media specialist in these areas:

Information Power Applied To Learning Principles Learning Principles: Motivation Constructivism

Utilize

Media Center Principles: (AASL, 1998, p. 58)

Students Media Specialist

Students MediaSpecialist

1-The library media program is essential to learning and teaching and must be fully integrated into the curriculum to promote students’ achievement of learning goals.

*Collaboration*Setting Goals*Self Efficacy*Curiosity and Interest

*Facilitate Self-Regulatory Knowledge

*Information Literacy

*Collaboration*Information Literacy

2-The information literacy standards for student learning are integral to the content and objectives of the school’s curriculum.



3-The library media program models and promotes collaborative planning and curriculum development.



4-The library media program models and promotes creative, effective, and collaborative teaching.


*Facilitates Self-Regulatory Knowledge



5-Access to the full range of information resources and services through the library media program is fundamental to learning.



6-The library media program encourages and engages students in reading, viewing, and listening for understanding and enjoyment.

*Self Efficacy*Curiosity and Interest




7-The library media program supports the learning of all students and other members of the learning community who have diverse learning abilities, styles, and needs.





8-The library media program fosters individual and collaborative inquiry. *Collaboration*Setting Goals*Self Efficacy*Curiosity and Interest


*Collaboration *Collaboration

9-The library media program integrates the uses of technology for learning. *Information Literacy


10-The library media program is an essential link to the larger learning community. *Collaboration*Setting Goals*Self Efficacy*Curiosity and Interest




Conclusion

• “Collaboration, leadership, and technology

underlie...the vision of a dynamic, student-centered

library media program that begins in the school and

extends its connections throughout the community,

the nation, and the world.”

• “These themes focus the school library media specialist’s

efforts to establish and maintain a

program that is grounded in

solid research,

sound theory, and

the best educational practices.”

(AASL, 1998,p. 130)

Conclusion

• The school library media center will fulfill all of these roles by utilizing learning principles, especially in the areas of-

• Motivation • Self-regulatory skills

• Constructivism• Collaboration• Knowledge building• Information literacy skills

Reference

American Library Association of School Librarians (AASL) & Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT). (1998). Information power: Building partnerships for learning. American Library Association : Chicago.

Brodie, C. S., Baldini, M., & Byerly, G. (2007). Institute for library and information literacy education. School Library Media Activities Monthly, 23 (5), 23-25.

Driscoll, M. P. (2005). Psychology of learning for instruction. Pearson: New York.

Information literacy. (2006, August). Retrieved April 24, 2008, from SUNLINK:

http://www.sunlink.ucf.edu/presentations/fetc2004/infolit.html

Irvin, J. L. (1998). Meeting the literacy needs of adolescents: Components of an effective literacy program. NASSP Bulletin, 82 (600), 1-2. Retrieved April 23, 2008 from The H. W. Wilson Company, Wilson Web.

Jones, P. & Fiorelli, D. C. (2003). Overcoming the obstacle course: Teenage boys and reading. Teacher Librarian, 30 (3). Retrieved April 24, 2008 from

http://www.teacherlibrarian.com/tlmag/v_30/v_30_3_feature.html

Keller, J. M. Strategies for stimulating the motivation to learn. Performance and Instruction, 26(8), p. 1-7, 1987.

Lance, K. C. (1994). The impact of school library media centers on academic achievement. School Library Media Quarterly, 22 (3). ("SLMR Online amp copy 1999 ALA,“ American Library Association, July 24, 2006. Document ID: 106971.) Retrieved

April 20, 2008 from

http://www.ala.org/ala/aasl/aaslpubsandjournals/slmrb/editorschoiceb/infopower/selectlancehtml.cfm

Lance, K. C. (2002). Impact of school library media programs on academic achievement. Teacher Librarian,

21(3), 29-34. Retrieved April 20, 2008 from The H.W. Wilson

Company/WilsonWeb.

Lance, K. C. (2006). Media specialists more likely than teachers to have master’s degree. American Libraries,

37(6). Retrieved April 20, 2008 from The H.W. Wilson Company/WilsonWeb.

Morris, B. J. (2004). Administering the school library media center. Libraries Unlimited: London.

Schunk, D. H. (1990). Introduction to the special section on motivation and efficacy. Journal of Educational Psychology, 82, 3-6. Retrieved on April 24, 2008 from Science Direct.

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