We live in a world that is being rapidly and continually changed
by the ready availability of information and ideas in multiple source formats.
Library web sites can provide countless learning opportunities for students
as they Question, Discover, Explore, Imagine,and Read. The web site will
provide an opportunity for students to develop their inquiry-based skills
as they work individually and collaboratively to pursue personal and educational
issues.
The web site has been designed to help then think critically and creatively,
solve-problems, retrieve information, manage information, and communicate effectively.
Effective learners are not just those who are knowledgeable, but rather they
are people who are able to find and use information as required. The layout and
design was chosen to reflect the inquiry process with the intention of helping
students become information literate so they have the ability to use information
effectively, and so that they become independent, life-long learners. The web
site links were chosen to inspire curricular and personal growth and they were
chosen with the collection development policy in mind. This web site is in its
infancy. This action plan is being created to keep it moving forward by providing
it with the proper nourishment and care needed to help it grow into the valuable
resource it will one day become. Overall design, color scheme, and layout have
been chosen. A variety of links have been provided as sampling of the information
that is to come. At the present time our school and library web site is only
available via the intranet but the corporation promises that we will be ready
to go live to the world in a few months.
The school motto is: The World Is Our Classroom. The creation of a library web
site was necessary. We have only begun to open the doors to the world. Imagine
what lies ahead as our adventure begins.
The web site will be designed and supervised by the school librarian. Most of the major work will be done in the summer months, however we have what we call "Technology Tuesdays" every Tuesday for an hour at which time I will be updating and fixing pages as need be. I will also keep a back-up of the site should the site crash. The technology coordinator will be responsible for downloading updates to the school's intranet web page. He will send it to the school corporation where the technology department will eventually load it onto the school internet server. The library is staffed by myself as well as a parent volunteer everyday. The parents are anxious to help with the site and checking pages and links may become part of their daily responsibilities. We are a technology based school with highly capable students. The students will be designing some of the web pages under my supervision. All teachers are required to build some sort of web page so it is part of our responsibilities at the Academy.
Information literacy begins by involving students and staff in the overall design of the web site. They need to be involved in choosing the links and materials necessary to their personal and curricular growth. The LaSalle Academy Library web site is designed to facilitate the development of information literacy in students by providing opportunities for them to interact with many ideas as they actively locate and select pertinent information within and outside the school, evaluate that information critically, use it effectively to fill all information needs, and to satisfy their own curiosity.
The Library Web site will be most effectual in fostering these skills if it offers a rich variety of evaluated learning resources. The webmaster will need to work closely with teachers to identify specific needs and subject specific links which will best aid student discovery.
Expectations for the school library web site will increase according to the students' maturity of thinking and interests, their increasing independence as learners, and the level of depth of student interaction with ideas and resources.
The Library Web site will need to be renovated, maintained, and rejuvenated on a regular basis in order for it to be a successful and usable tool.