“Using the Library can be fun!” Rosslyn Lee School Librarian Ardrossan Academy

Ardrossan Academy

Background • School roll 961 • 30 period week • 20 Year English classes average 18 pupils • 14 Social Education classes average 26 pupils • 15 PCs in separate Computer Room, 6 in Library

Information Skills Courses

CURRENT

• 1 st Year Information Skills • 2 nd Year Information Skills • 1 st Year Biography Project

FUTURE

• 6 th Year Information Skills

1 st year course content Learning Intentions and Success Criteria included in booklet and discussed at beginning of each period.

• Keywords • Reading for information • Note-taking • Researching a topic • Powerpoint presentation

1 st Year Evaluation Information Skills Course • Main purpose of lessons?

• What did you enjoy?

• What did you find difficult?

• What new skills have you learned?

• What could you improve next time ?

Main purpose of lessons?

• Variations of: Help with our study skills • Learn to use/do a Powerpoint presentation • Some pupils didn’t respond to this question

“To help us learn more on 1 pacific topic”

www.nasadaacs.eos.nasa.gov/articles/images/2005_grav

What did you enjoy?

• Making a Powerpoint presentation • Using computers • Giving the presentation

“Everything”

What was difficult?

• Variations of : finding information • Making the presentation

“Nothing”

New skills learned?

• Powerpoint • Skimming & scanning

“I have learned that using the Library can be fun”

What could you do better next time to improve your research?

• Find more information • Take better notes • Nothing

“I don’t think I could”

2 nd Year course content Learning Intentions and Success Criteria included in booklet and discussed at beginning of each period.

• Misinformation and disinformation • Searching the internet (Google) • URLs and domain names • Evaluating websites • Compiling a resource list for a specific topic

2 nd Year Evaluation Information Skills Course • Main purpose of lessons?

• What did you enjoy?

• What did you find difficult?

• What new skills have you learned?

• What could you improve next time?

Main purpose of lessons?

• To learn skills for the Internet • To recognise different types of information

“Internet safety”

What did you enjoy?

• Using PCs • Using the Internet • Lesson on visual literacy

“Learning how to use the Internet right”

What was difficult?

• Nothing • Finding answers on the Internet

“All the questions”

New skills learned?

• Variations of: Using Google properly • Recognising different types of websites • Using the Internet

“ You shouldn’t believe everything on the Internet”

What could you do better next time to improve your work?

• Nothing • Work harder • Listen more carefully

“Be there more often to learn more things “

1 st Year Biography Project

IN CLASS

• Reading for information • Note-taking

IN LIBRARY

• Research using a variety of resources

IN CLASS

• Production of booklet • Talk

Biographies

Biographies

Neil Armstrong

Possible content for 6 th Year course • Basic library skills • Internet skills • Copyright and plagiarism • Study techniques & time management • Information sources and resources • Visit to university library

Staff survey questions Internet • Do you teach pupils search strategies?

• Do you teach pupils to evaluate websites?

• Do you teach pupils about plagiarism & copyright?

• Do you teach pupils to cite resources properly?

• Do you make pupils aware about currency of information?

• Do you make pupils aware about bias/wrong information?

Staff survey questions – other skills • Do you teach reading skills?

• Do you teach note-taking skills?

• Do you teach pupils about plagiarism with regard to printed sources?

Why not?

“I assume pupils have these skills already” “Not part of our curriculum” “No time”

6 th Year course – next steps • Pupil survey – June • Discussions with management - June • Lessons written – July • Pilot begins - September

Work in progress • 1 st • 2 nd Year course - needs more time (8 periods ) Year course - some changes needed • 1 st Year Biography project - to be updated • 3 rd /4 th Year course – lots of thought required!

Thank you Questions

School website: www.ardacad.co.uk