Focus on assessment in the library media center continues with AASL's 2008 Fall Forum
Contact: Melissa B. Jones
AASL Communications Specialist
(312) 280-4381
mjones@ala.org
For Immediate Release,
March 5, 2008
Focus on assessment in the library media center continues with AASL's 2008 Fall Forum
CHICAGO - The American Association of School Librarians (AASL), a division of the American Library Association (ALA), is pleased to announce the 2008 Fall Forum, "Assessment, Part II: Constructing and Interpreting Viable Tools for Effective Student Learning in the Library Media Center."
The Fall Forum will be held on Oct. 17-19 at the Oak Brook Hills Marriot Resort in Oak Brook, Ill. Sessions will provide participants real-world examples and tools for making the school library media specialist's role in student learning and assessment more of a dynamic one. A choice of breakout sessions will allow participants to focus on one of the topics discussed in the sessions in smaller working groups.
Anita Vance, chair, AASL National Institute Committee, said, "We received such a strong and positive response to the 2006 Fall Forum, 'Assessing Student Learning in the School Library Media Center,' that 2008 seemed like the perfect opportunity to continue to explore the subject."
The first session, "
Constructing Effective Programs as a Teaching Partner in Assessment," will be presented by Celeste DiCarlo Nalwasky, a 33-year veteran with practical experience in K-12 education and school library media centers. Celeste will illustrate ways to bring academic rigor into the teaching and learning process through examples of classroom management, lesson design, curricular integration and teacher collaboration.
Learn how the PALS (Partners in Achievement: Libraries and Students) model can increase our understanding of how assessment scores can provide key insight into students' educational needs during "
Interpreting Statistical Evidence of Student Learning." Judith Dzikowski, School Library System Director at Onondaga-Cortland-Madison Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES) in Syracuse, N.Y., promises to transform your school library media program to become aligned with students' learning needs.
Wondering what your students need to know about information literacy? "
Using Standardized Assessment to Guide Instruction and Leverage Collaboration" will examine TRAILS (Tool for Real-Time Assessment of Information Literacy Skills) as an example of the role a standardized assessment can play in developing an assessment plan. Presenter Barbara Schloman is the project director for TRAILS, and Julie Gedeon is a project member for TRAILS as well as a founding member of Project SAILS (Standardized Assessment of Information Literacy Skills).
Endnote speaker Everett Kline will wrap up the forum by tying in his expertise in standard-based assessment reform.
Sara Kelly Johns, AASL president, says, "All attendees will benefit from this opportunity to sharpen their professional skills, whether they attended the 2006 Fall Forum or not. All school library media specialists will benefit from the learning, sharing and experiences of 2008's Fall Forum."
The Fall Forum occurs in the years that ALA does not host a National Conference. For more information about the 2008 Fall Forum and how to register, visit the AASL Web site at www.ala.org/aasl/fallforum. Registration for Fall Forum opens March 10. Registration on or before September 12 is as follows: AASL members, $209; ALA members, $259; Non-members, $319. Registration after September 12 is as follows: AASL members, $259, ALA members $309, Non-members, $369.
As the 2006 Fall Forum sold out, early registration is encouraged.
