8 Things to Look for in the Media Center
Today, as I was reading George Couros’ “8 Things to Look for in Today’s Classroom,” I began reflecting on what I want to look for when students are using the BHS Media Center.
Voice - Students are constantly sharing pathways of information in the Media Center. This is as it should be. The constant sharing of knowledge reflects how empowered they have become in seeking information, installing a printer, or sharing a Google Doc with a group.
Choice - Personally, I believe the best research is about a topic a student is interested in. A student will be more focused, seek out the best resources, and create a phenomenal final product if she gets to choose the topic. I realize there need to be parameters, but choice allows the student to own the information and product. This does not always occur due to teachers assigning topics rather than students self selecting, consequently, the product and retention of information is not as absolute.
Time for reflection - Reflection is a bit different in the Media Center. When I think of students reflecting, I imagine them rereading their final product. Does it answer the questions they were exploring for the assignment? Does the answer reflect their beliefs and understanding? What else do they need for the assignment?
Opportunities for innovation - Once empowered with the assignment, a student begins exploring all the possible places to seek information. Upon finding the information, the student must create a final product whether it be a 3-D model, diagram, or essay. The sky's the limit where creativity is concerned.
Critical Thinkers - Yesterday, students were taking a survey about their learning styles. I overheard several students discussing what they scored on the Thinking component. They were commenting on how low their scores were. I think they were surprised by this. Students need to think critically when exploring information. Is this article/website/information accurate? Is this information pertinent? Is this information relevant?
Problem Solvers - Research or exploring content is all about problem solving. Research is messy. It is hard to find the information to answer the questions about the topic. A student might begin exploring one path and realize it is not leading to the desired answer.
Self-Assessment - This morning, I was chatting with a teacher who had brought his Geography students to the Media Center to explore various European countries. I asked him how his students’ projects were? He said they were fairly decent and when he asked them about what they had learned about their country, they were able to have a discussion on the topic. He was excited with the level of learning. Like Time for Reflection, self-assessment is integral to learning and researching. There is always room for improvement, creating new pathways, and exploring for new or more relevant information.
Connected Learning - One of the things I love about learning and exploring is how it leads to new pathways which creates new connections. Many times when I am reading - new novel, article, or research material - a phrase or quote catches my attention. The first thing I do is begin exploring the topic. This newly gained information enriches what I am reading either by creating a visual of the topic or providing me with a schema in which to process what I am reading.