1.4

//Reflection on AASL Standard 1.4: Stimulating Learning Environment //
I start each school year telling my students that my goal is to help them become “independent life-long learners,” able to successfully satisfy their information needs without assistance. The ability to navigate comfortably in the digital environment, using information technology skills, is essential and students recognize the importance of these skills in their daily life. As I plan my lesson structure, I consciously keep this goal in the forefront, working to develop my students’ essential skills. As I have learned throughout this program, beginning with student needs to the forefront and a clear objective (stated goal or desired end skill) are the key steps to effective lesson development. The ISTC 667 final Instructional Design Project provides a model for future lesson planning. Just as with lesson planning, collection cataloguing must keep student needs to the forefront. I have found great success in establishing specific sections of interest to our students. Although not recognized within the county OPAC I have found that using the cutter enables me to create site unique categories of materials. I have established a non-fiction section for our K through 2 students, a series collection for many of our popular fiction titles (modeled after the public library cataloguing rules), and an everybody chapter book section where both our advanced younger readers and less skilled older readers find titles of interest. I have learned that what is important is making it easy for students to find and check out the titles of interest and that the cataloguing system can be modified to help make that happen. The librarian must also consider the physical arrangement of the facility based on the intended use by the learning community. While we may not be so fortunate as to plan a new facility as developed in ISTC 601 the main themes of student need, ADA compliance and accessibility for all are critical components whether in a new or existing facility. When I arrived, the non-fiction section was in various shelves around the space. I have now created “spaces within spaces,” making it easy for students and faculty to move within the space and locate materials. All Everybody materials are in a rectangle space located closest to the circulation desk; Everybody chapter books are in their own bookshelves between the Everybody sections and Fiction sections. Non-Fiction has its own rectangle, with all items placed in DDC order. Reference and Professional materials are on the opposite side of the room from student materials to help differentiate between student and teacher materials. Each of these changes increase accessibility of materials for our users.



