Transcript Our Transition Mission: Reaching Out to the High School

Mixing It Up:
Using a Blend of Projects to Create a
College Transition Program
Ken Burhanna
Mary Lee Jensen
Barbara Schloman
ALAO 2006
Akron, OH
Indicate your library’s involvement
with high school outreach
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Our library doesn’t currently do this, but I
am interested in learning more.
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Our library has occasional high school
visits, but no “formal” program.
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Our library has a “formal” program in
place for high school outreach.
Institute for Library and Information
Literacy Education (ILILE)
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Kent State federally funded project to:
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Foster collaboration among K-12 teachers
and library media specialists
Advance information literacy in the K-12
curriculum
Partners:
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College of Education, School of Library &
Information Science, and University
Libraries
Informed Transitions
www.library.kent.edu/highschool
Informed Transitions

Important questions:
1. Do students have an assignment?
2. Any other specific objectives?
3. What is the size of the group?
4. Will students need borrowing privileges?
Informed Transitions
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Early Results:
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Over 700 high school students have visited
Students representing 17 different high
schools
Positive librarian & teacher feedback
Positive student feedback
Informed Transitions
High school seniors or college freshmen?
Transitioning to College -- T2C
www.transitioning2college.org
T2C – The beginning

Used Pathways to Academic Libraries videos at
Bowling Green State University as model for
project.
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Videos and web site developed with input from
Ohio academic librarians and school library media
specialists (LSTA grant).
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Designed to be used by high school juniors and
seniors and first year college students.
T2C – Five 3-5 minute videos
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Welcome to Academic Libraries
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Talking to Databases
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Tips for Research Success
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Getting Help When you Need It
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College: What to Expect
T2C – Student Perspective
T2C – Supporting materials for videos
Glossary -- Definitions of common
terms used in academia
T2C – Including links to additional
information
T2C – Lesson Plans
T2C – Compare College Libraries
T2C -- Compare College Libraries
T2C – Additional Resources
T2C -- Feedback
TRAILS
www.trails-9.org
TRAILS: Objectives
Standards-based
 Both class and individual outcomes
 Privacy assured
 Web availability with no cost
 Easy to administer
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TRAILS: Development
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Based on 9th grade Ohio Academic Content
Standards and AASL Information Power
standards and indicators for 9th-12th grade
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Core competencies classified into 5
information literacy categories
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Items written and tested with assistance
of school librarians
TRAILS: Steps to Using
Create an account; verify request
 Sign in and go to My Account Options
 Create a session
 Administer to the students
 Close the session
 View reports
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TRAILS: Available Assessments
A pre- and post- test assessment for:
General: 30 items; covers all 5 categories
 By Category: 10 items
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Develop topic
Identify potential sources
Develop, use, and revise search strategies
Evaluate sources and information
Recognize how to use information responsibly, ethically,
and legally
TRAILS: Sample Items
TRAILS: Administration Details
TRAILS: View Class Report
TRAILS: View Student Report
TRAILS: Use to Date
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Over 1,700 accounts created
Includes middle schools, high schools,
postsecondary schools
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From all 50 states plus the District of
Columbia and the Virgin Islands and…
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From over 20 countries
TRAILS: Possible Use for Academic
Librarians
Use with incoming freshmen as an
immediate measure of competency levels
 Introduce to pre-service teacher education
classes
 Use 10-item category assessment as quick
diagnostic prior to instructional session
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Blending Our Projects With Yours
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Recommend resources on the
Transitioning to College (T2C) web site to
high school groups who can’t
schedule/afford visits.
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Have students do some of the exercises
on T2C site (for example, develop a
search strategy or an LC tutorial) prior to
visiting your library.
Blending Projects (contd.)
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Use the Welcome to Academic Libraries
video as an introductory piece with visiting
groups. Then mention how your library is
different or the same.
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Have teachers/librarians administer
TRAILS as a pre- and post-test in
association with the students’ library visit.
Blending Projects (contd.)
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Use Informed Transitions, TRAILS or T2C
as conversation starters with your local
high school community.
Action Points for Getting
Started
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Identify programs on your campus that
target high school students and make a
connection.
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Reach out to local school library media
specialists to assess their needs.
Action Points: continued
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Identify your top feeder high schools.
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Consider developing a program whereby
local high school classes can visit your
library.
Action Points: continued
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Develop a one-page handout about college
information literacy expectations for new
students that you can share with teachers
and librarians.
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Consider offering borrowing privileges to
local high school students.
Action Points: continued
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Investigate the K-12 educational terrain
by learning about the organizations
supporting SLMS in Ohio and nationally:
AASL, OELMA, INFOhio, regional and
county library groups.
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Finally, consider your first-year students in
light of what you’ve learned about high
school to college transitions.
Questions?
Presentation available at:
www.library.kent.edu/alao2006