ESU hosts 2007 Kansas Summer Institute for School Library Media Specialists

Kansas teacher-librarians, classroom teacher, technologists, and school administrated “rolled up their sleeves” and explored rapid information and technology changes occurring in today’s schools. Digital literacy, the school library media program and learning in an information rich world was the focus of the two-day Institute held on the Emporia State University campus, in the Jones Conference Center for Educational Excellence.

Through a combination of lecture and “how-do” sessions on topics such as blogs, wikis and podcasting, 120 participants learned from David Warlick how technology can be used to support collaboration between library media specialists, technologist, and classroom teachers in helping students to learn and achieve. Popular authors, Susan Stevens Crummel and Sharon Draper, shared methods for using literature to inspire students reading, writing, and research skills.

David Warlick, is a 30 year educator and staff consultant with the North Carolina State Department of Public Instruction. Warlick’s web site, Landmarks for Schools, serves more than ten-million visits a month with some of the most popular teacher tools available on the Net. Warlick is also the author of three books on instructional technology and 21st century literacy, and has spoken to audiences throughout the U.S., Europe, Asia, and South America.

Susan Stevens Crummel, a mathematics teacher for 31 years and award-winning picture book author has since 1997 collaborated with her sister, Janet Stevens, on Cook-a-Doodle-Do, Jackalope, and And the Dish Ran Away With the Spoon.

Sharon Draper, young adult author, educator, poet and National Teacher of the Year, has won many awards including the Coretta Scott King Award and many honors from American Library Association and the International Reading Association. Her titles include Tears of a Tiger, Forged by Fire, Darkness Before Dawn, and her latest Copper Sun.

Session instructors also included Northeast Kansas Library System technologists, Brenda Hough, Heather Braum and Liz Rae, and Janet Holland, ESU Instructional Design and Technology Instructor. Carmaine Ternes, School Librarian, Emporia High School, and Heather Wade, Emporia State University Archivist, hosted evening library tours and discussions of collections and facilities.

“We are fortunate to have approximately 1,200 of 1,400 total school buildings in Kansas with fully licensed school library media specialists. Events like this make it possible to continue to move forward with information and technology skills necessary to see that all Kansas students experience access to many resources for learning and become literate adults,” said Mirah Dow, Institute coordinator and Assistant Professor in the School of Library and Information Management.

The Summer Institute for School Library Media Specialists is an annual event sponsored by the Kansas State Department of Education, School of Library and Information Management, State Library of Kansas, and the Kansas Association of School Librarians. The purpose of the institute is to provide current, best practice information related to school libraries, resources and information literacy instruction.

Last Updated February 5, 2008>