Document Type
Changing Needs of Our Users
Publication Date
4-2008
Abstract
For the past three years, librarians at Kent State University have worked with Ohio library media specialists and teachers to better understand how information literacy is incorporated into the K-12 curriculum. The outreach was undertaken with two objectives: 1) to more effectively work with high school students, and 2) to increase communication with high school educators so they can better prepare their students for college research. The presenters believe that collaborative initiatives launched by our Institute for Library Information Literacy Education (ILILE) and through a Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) grant can serve as both models and resources for the 12-13 transitioning programming efforts of others.
One of the projects is a student-focused web site, Transitioning to College: Helping You Succeed, featuring streaming videos, teaching tools, and a glossary of academic terms. ILILE also supported the construction of an instructional classroom designed for visits by high school students who "get their feet wet" through exposure to an academic library. This classroom serves as the centerpiece of Informed Transitions, Kent State University's outreach program to local high schools. TRAILS, a real-time web-based resource for assessing information literacy skills of high school students has also been developed and is currently being piloted.
In addition to highlighting these initiatives, this session will engage participants in discussion about their own experiences with high school to college transitions, and will provide them with a checklist of ideas that can be used to lay the foundation for conversations with the K-12 community in their states.